So Twisted, the first book in Melissa Marino's Bad Behavior series is a cute story. I had a hard time getting into it because I normally stay away from alternating person POV, the beginning feels way too much like they are telling me instead of showing me; especially when it came to Aaron's former marriage. It was just kind of thrown out there right off the back, I felt like information overload and none of the emotion that went with it, I had a hard time trying to figure out why Aaron reacted the way he did because when he "remembered" everything at the very beginning of the book he didn't really show his reaction just his determination. It's not until at the end where it explains more. I couldn't justify Aaron's actions, I couldn't empathize with him because of it and ended up not really liking him. Callie on the other hand the opposite very open with her emotions with herself and I sided with her completely through the whole debacle.
Callie is going to school to be a teacher but to afford her tuition she has to work as a bartender in a sleezy-ish hook -up night club that is until her best friend Evelyn finds her the perfect job for her as a live in nanny for a well off business owner. There is instant chemistry between Aaron and Callie and they manage to hold off on acting on their feelings until after Callie goes on a date with Aaron's playboy brother Abel. Callie and Aaron's lives fall into a nice and easy pattern. Aaron starts trying to hard and moving way too fast for Callie. Callie just wants to please Aaron and in her fear of messing up and repeating whatever mistake his first wife made she started up a good friendship with Abel when ever she starts to freak about something Aaron did or said she uses Abel as a sounding board. Callie doesn't tell Aaron the she's good friends with his brother had when he finds out he (way) overreacts and kicks her out. Callie after some time of healing she becomes determined to do things for herself and not to please other people. Aaron realizes his mistake but is it to little too late to win Callie over.
Overall, it was sweet and the ending was pretty good. Delilah, Aaron's daughter, really stole the show.
So Screwed takes place some months after the first book. As soon as I read about Evelyn and Abel in the first book I knew they were destined to be together. This is probably my favorite out of the three. Abel and Evelyn are both playing the field neither of them ready to settle down yet and no matter how many time Callie has told them both not to do it Evelyn finally gives in to Abel's charms and agrees on a date. It was easier for me to get into this one with the alternating person POV Abel's narration was more open and even when the shit came down toward the end I felt like I knew him well enough to know he had his reasons for doing it. Evelyn is very career driven she won't give herself time for an actual relationship but for Abel she makes the exception. Abel is a teacher without a teaching job, he feels like he is living under the shadow of his successful brother; Aaron including him in on business opportunities and letting him work as a bartender in his very exclusive bar but it all makes him feel like he's lacking like he will never be good enough or do good enough for his brother or parents. Abel has a secret he's been telling everyone that he's been making extra money teaching courses online but what he's really been doing is gambling. Abel is a very good card player but he's been on a losing streak. Abel trust Evelyn enough that she knows about this and she keeps his secret. Evelyn finally works through her feelings of abandonment with Abel and they both finally admit their feelings to each other but an incredible job opportunity came up for Evelyn where she has to spend three month out of state. When she gets back Abel is engaged to someone else. Evelyn is very appropriately devastated. Abel has a whole lot of work ahead of him to make it up to her. I loved that what he did it was so freakin sweet.
Overall, emotional rollercoaster the whole way and I loved it.
So Wicked takes place some time after the events of book two, it follows Aaron's best friend and business partner, Marshall, from Chicago to California opening a brand new bar. Marshall's idea to make the place stand out and be unique was to offer desserts that complimented the drinks he never expected the genius baker who made the delicious confections (I have to admit I would love to try some of them) is none other than Alexis, formerly known as Lexie, Aaron's ex-wife who abandoned her infant daughter. I didn't know what to expect with Alexis but her story when she finally comes out and admits everything to Marshall is so emotional and heart wrenching, she did have a good excuse but it could have been handled differently. This one is probably one of the easiest reads of three and Marshal is definitely the sexiest.
Once Marshall and Alexis get over the initial shock of oh god it's you and the anger that was there, they find themselves trying to ignore the attraction. Marshall has been attracted to her from the beginning but out of respect for Aaron's feeling on Lexie he never made his move. Even now his business relationship, brother like friendship with Aaron is keeping Marshall from acting on this attraction. Alexis has grown so much since she first meet Aaron and Marshal. Alexis is surprised to find the clean cut college boy has turned into a tattooed foul mouthed bad boy. Alexis liked Marshal before but now she finds him down right irresistible. Alexis however is dealing with not only her feelings for Marshall but also trying to overcome the guilt of her past. Only when they give in to each other do they both start dealing with it. Marshal however never told Aaron that Alexis was here let alone started a relationship with her so when he does show up unexpectedly tempers flare and harsh words are spoken.
Overall, as emotional as this book is it's probably one of the most emotionally grown up books with how they reacted and dealt with the problems. I liked that.
