SUMMARY
A flirty standalone novel* from New York Times and international bestselling author Elle Kennedy!
One night with him will change her life…
Between her waitressing job, volunteer work, and college classes, there are never enough hours in Maggie Reilly’s day. Especially not for a relationship. Luckily, she’s got the perfect arrangement: a lover she meets three or four times a year. But when she shows up at the hotel expecting to hop into bed with one man, she accidentally ends up with another—Ben Barrett, Hollywood’s most notorious bad boy.
Ben, determined to lay low after another scandal, just wants some much-needed sleep. What he gets is a scorching make-out session with a gorgeous, naked redhead. He won’t accept her apology, but what he will accept is a place to hide out…and if there’s some hot, no-strings sex involved, why the heck not?
But Ben soon discovers that one week with his sassy, bed-hopping waitress is definitely not enough. He wants more. A lot more.
Now he needs to convince relationship-averse Maggie that a bad boy might be oh so good for her—and the best thing that’s ever happened to both of them.
* Previously published in 2008, Bad Apple (formerly Midnight Encounters) features almost entirely new content, including a point-of-view switch. Enjoy this new version of an old favorite!
Image and summary from Goodreads.
REVIEW
One thing I can definitely say about Bad Apple is that it was an incredibly quick read. I finished it in around three hours, which is always a sign that the pages are easy to get through. Elle Kennedy has a writing style that’s naturally engaging, so even when a story doesn’t completely work for me, I rarely struggle to keep reading.
Unfortunately, this one just didn’t hit the mark for me.
Having read and loved books like the Off Campus series, I went into this with pretty high expectations. Elle Kennedy has written some of my favourite sports romances, so I was hoping Bad Apple would give me that same addictive feeling where I couldn’t stop thinking about the characters. Instead, I found myself feeling a little disconnected from both the romance and the overall story.
The biggest issue for me was the writing and the plot. Everything felt a little underdeveloped and the story moved so quickly that I never felt fully invested in what was happening. There were moments that could have carried more emotional weight, but they often came and went before I had a chance to really connect with them. I wanted more depth from both the characters and their relationship, especially considering how much potential the premise had.
The romance itself also fell a little flat for me. While there were some sweet moments between Maggie and Ben, I never fully bought into their connection. I kept waiting for that spark that makes you completely invested in a couple, but it never quite arrived. Compared to Elle Kennedy’s other romances, where the chemistry practically jumps off the page, this one felt surprisingly lacking.
That isn’t to say I disliked the book. It was still entertaining enough to keep me reading from start to finish and I never considered putting it down. Sometimes you just need a light, fast paced romance that doesn’t require too much thought and Bad Apple definitely fits that category.
Overall, this was a decent read but it’s not one I’ll remember for long. It didn’t have the memorable characters, emotional depth or compelling romance that I’ve come to expect from Elle Kennedy. While I’m glad I gave it a chance, it sits near the bottom of her books that I’ve read so far. I’ll absolutely continue picking up her novels because I know what she’s capable of. I just know this one wasn’t the right fit for me.
-Rachelle
I’m on Instagram at @rachellesbookshelf
