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Dating The Delinquent

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Being with a bad boy never felt so good…


I’ve always played by the book. As the principal of a prestigious all-girls Catholic school, my life is as orderly as the plaid on my students’ skirts. My future was perfectly planned—until a humiliating public proposal ended my decade-long relationship.

It turns out, playing it safe was the riskiest move of all…

Now it’s time to let loose.

Which is precisely why I’ve decided to swap any notions of a ring for an orgasm-fueled fling…

Enter Damien, my younger, intoxicatingly handsome new mechanic. With his dirty, oil-covered hands and even filthier mouth, he’s the perfect distraction—to the point he’s ALL I can think about.

Our nights together are explosive, but the days we spend together are what could truly burn my future to the ground.

Because it turns out, Damien is even badder than I could have ever imagined…and it’s not just my heart that’s on the line—it’s my entire world.

It’s time to choose between my good girl reputation and the bad boy who’s hijacked my heart…




Falling for a saint was never in the cards for this sinner…

Life’s taught me that sometimes you have to take the fall to protect what’s important. I paid a price in the shadows for reasons only I know. Now, I keep to myself, avoiding complications—until Ashley walks into my garage with an overheating motor and an urgent pressure issue—in her panties…

She’s everything I’m not—polished, composed, and completely out of my league. But her eyes tell me she’s looking for an escape, and I’m reckless enough to offer her one.

But with each day that passes, the weight of my past grows heavier, threatening to pull us both under.

She thinks I’m just a bad boy, but if she knew the truth, it could unravel everything.

Now, I’m faced with the hardest keep hiding the darkness within or let it come to light, risking the only connection that feels real…


This is an open door romance. The character sometimes use profanities because let's be honest, darn it just doesnt cut it sometimes.


Prefect reading for fans of Tessa Baily, Lucy Score, and Claire Kingsley.




Praise for Lyndsey Gallagher

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ SARA MADDERSON- AUTHOR of THE RELUCTANT BILLIONARE
"Lyndsey Gallagher is THE QUEEN of s3xual-tension-filled page turners! I swear it. Her books get hotter and hotter."


⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ GOODREADS REVIEWER
"It’s official, Lyndsey Gallagher is my favourite author!"


⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ GOODREADS REVIEWER
"God, Lyndsey Gallagher just gets better and better."

322 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 18, 2025

54 people are currently reading
85 people want to read

About the author

Lyndsey Gallagher

16 books248 followers

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5 stars
131 (61%)
4 stars
59 (27%)
3 stars
19 (8%)
2 stars
4 (1%)
1 star
1 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
Profile Image for Margaret Amatt.
Author 32 books51 followers
January 17, 2025
Ashley and Damien's story was just awesome. I absolutely adored it and couldn't put it down.
Damien seems like a bad boy - I mean, he's just got out of jail! But oh my, are there surprises waiting. He's an alpha-roll with a heart of gold and he's such a sweet and worthy hero inside.
Ashley is a buttoned-up headteacher of a posh girls' school, and she's been so unlucky in love. I couldn't wait for her to find the man she deserves. And Damien is that man. He might seem too young, too troubled, and too poor, but love will find a way.
Oh, and did I mention, that this book is hot?!!
Lyndsey is a genius at romance writing and this book was simply chef's kiss!
Profile Image for KatReadsRomance.
612 reviews19 followers
January 11, 2025
My favourite of the series!

And that says a lot, because Cillian from Dating for December is a single daddy, Ronan from Dating in the Deep End is a G.O.A.T.B.B. and Nate from The Christmas Crush is, well, a deep crush. No matter where you start, this entire group of books is classic Lyndsey Gallagher!

I’ve been looking for Ashley’s happily ever after since Holly, Ava, and Sav got their swoony men, and Gallagher does not disappoint with Damien.

Damien is a man with a past… he’s done time and isn’t looking for love, until he sees Ashley in a bar and he’s done like dinner. Ashley has been through the wringer with her ex-dud-stud and is finally free after 11 long years of boooor-ing! And what she’s looking for is hot beefcake!

Damien doesn’t think he deserves her and Ashley doesn’t think she can defy her family and follow her heart. But they do and ‘I do’. This book is a seriously steamy ride, as Damien helps her unlock both her wildchild and her inner strength. I thought I knew what would happen, but I was wrong (well done Lyndsey!) and I am so happy with the ending.

I laughed, I gasped, I clenched, and I teared up because it was everything I was hoping for… and more.

I highly recommend all three books, but Damien and Ashley made me feel it all.
Profile Image for Marie.
857 reviews18 followers
February 4, 2025
Wow Lyndsey saved the best till last with this book as it the last in this series. Ashley is headteacher at the most prestigious Catholic school, and comes from a family that is very well thought of. But is Ashley really happy. When she decides to propose to her long term boyfriend in front of her family, friends and neighbours at her birthday party she never expected the outcome she got. Now single and disillusioned with relationships at the age of 32 she feels completely lost. When a gorgeous young man rescues her from a creep in a club at first she flattered until she hears his comment your not my type. When Damien went to the club to find his underage sister he never expected to kiss the gorgeous redhead, ok she's older than him but wow. Damien knows he's not relationship material, he's to busy working and protecting his family. This will have you turning page after page the story is just so well written. Can Damien ever get away from his past. Will Ashley always live her life how her parents expect her too. This spicy addictive story totally grips you and I was unable to put it down. I've loved this series and Lyndsey's stories always give the reader an exceptional story. I can't wait for what ever comes next
Profile Image for Gabrielle.
687 reviews1 follower
January 19, 2025
another great book from her and good end of the series

✔️dual pov
✔️he falls first and harder
✔️reverse age gap: mmc 25/fmc 32
✔️protective badass teddy bear mmc
✔️obsessed simp affectionate man
✔️tattoos and biker
✔️spice 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Damiennnnn awww he was gone right away, I love an obsessed man who is so sweet and loving. I really liked how even when they weren’t officially together he was so loving and sweet with her and was like such a bae. I didn’t expect to adore him so much he was actually my favorite character of book, he was so selfless loving and protective.

I will miss this series especially my og beloveds Holly and Nate who are my fave couple from all her books and loved having crumbs of them here as well as some Ro and Sav.

I’m still sus about how much money he was throwing around it was unbelievable and didn’t track. Also her family was trash as was her ex and it pissed me off how much time she wasted with their bs and suffered for them,(luckily that wasn’t dragged in book I just mean pre this book); I will never understand people doing that irl or in books.
393 reviews
October 8, 2025
I almost DNF’d this book at 65%, but after reading other reviews decided to stick it out. Overall, it did get a little better. I liked that there was no third act break up and she came to her senses, but I was annoyed that it took almost 70% of the book for her to reach that conclusion. Also the scene where she leaves the school was great, in her office afterwards where they go at it loud enough for the board to hear? No. Just no. That’s not hot, you teach at an all girls school and if the board can hear you, so can the children. Maybe they were on break still and it was a staff work day? But even then, as someone who worked at a school, kids are always around. I was going to end up giving this book a 3 star, until that scene. It absolutely killed it for me.
Profile Image for Nicola.
147 reviews
December 20, 2025
Oh my days!!!
What a great story, Ashley sounds like a princess in a Disney film, who is also a bit of a rebel. She eventually realised that she is not anything like her other family members and I am so glad. They sound ghastly. Matt being a douche is the best thing that can happen to her, until she then meets the delightful Damien Devers 🥵
The 25 year old, biker with tattoos and a greasy garage. And this man is good with his hands in more than one way.
Their story is great, opposites definitely can attract and can most definitely work out for the best.
Absolutely loved this book. Thank you 🤩
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Heather Kelley.
444 reviews5 followers
January 19, 2025
Opposites attract

I love Lyndsey’s spicy books, and this one was no different. I read this book in one sitting. I didn’t want to put it down. Ashley has been with her boyfriend for 11 years, but when that unexpectedly ends, her friends drag her out. Damien goes to the same bar to drag his underage sister out, but first rescues Ashley from a creepy guy. The universe keeps throwing them together even though they are from completely different worlds. Undeniable chemistry, but can they be together? You’ll have to read to find out!
19 reviews1 follower
January 20, 2025
An outstanding must read!

What an unexpected, amazing, captivating story. I judged the book by the cover which had me expecting a scary storyline and as a self confessed wuss I nearly didn’t read it based on that. Fortunately I love Lynsey’s books so I decided to give it a go and boy was I glad I did. It’s a beautiful story which covers ever emotion out there. Tje steam factor is off the charts. Highly recommend this book to chase the January blues. It definitely worked for me. Well done Lynsey can’t wait til next one!
Profile Image for Erika Bradley.
174 reviews
July 27, 2025
Perfectly Good At Being Bad

Damien Damien Damien!!! Holy hotness! Talk about fate making sure these two MCs got together. It’s good to read the other two books first to get a background on the side characters. Loved the storyline and all the drama! It wasn’t over the top and I loved that the MMC’s secret wasn’t revealed by a third party in an attempt to break them up. Two thumbs up for not having a third act break up!!! Ashley wanted to make up for lost time and she definitely does once they get past their differences.

5.0 ⭐️
3.0 🌶️
93 reviews2 followers
January 19, 2025
This book was so much fun! I loved the bold and beautiful FMC from the moment I read the first pages. And the bad boy MMC is simply perfect! The friends and family are so much like real life and the story is just gorgeous. Heartbreak leads to a one night out with a scorching kiss from a stranger and leads to a winding path to their happily ever after! The spice is delicious and will leave you burning for a bad boy of your own!! Read this and thank me later!!
Profile Image for Jennifer.
105 reviews9 followers
January 26, 2025
Dating the Delinquent by Lyndsey Gallagher is the third and final installment in her Dating in Dublin series (Dating for December & Dating in the Deep End are the previous books) and I think she saved the best for last. We met Ashley Kearney, the FMC of Dating the Delinquent, in the previous books – she’s the principal of a prestigious all-girls’ Catholic school in Dublin, Ireland and has been dating the same man for years and years without a proposal to show for it. Under pressure from her family and her job, she takes matters into her own hands with disastrous results and finds herself single once again. In an effort to move on, she signs up for an anonymous dating app and ends up matching with a Bad Boy.
Damien Devers is the self-professed Bad Boy who is basically the complete opposite of what Ashley needs in her life, but Fate seems to want them together. In spite of his checkered past, the two of them have an attraction that cannot be denied, but it’s okay because it’s only for a night, right? Or maybe, two nights? Or maybe just a short, no-strings fling?
Or maybe it becomes something far more complicated and inevitable?
I truly think Dating the Delinquent is my favorite in this series, mainly because Damien surprised me by being such a loveable, family-oriented guy that it’s difficult to really see him as a true ‘bad guy’. Yes, he may not be Ashley’s perfect match on paper, but when the two of them are together, that paper gets tossed out the nearest window.
If you like Opposites Attract, Good Girl vs Bad Boy, reverse age gap, FMC finally being treated like a princess, letting go of familial expectations, found family, Forbidden Romance . . . Then you’ll love Dating the Delinquent!
Profile Image for Julie Foster.
768 reviews1 follower
February 6, 2025
Absolutely brilliant

I loved reading this book about Ashley and Damien. They are completely different to each other. It was lovely and romantic and sexy. It made me laugh in parts and Damien is a typical bad boy.


Profile Image for Kali Jean.
417 reviews
December 5, 2025
this series is all women who have been beaten down emotionally finding the right man who builds them back up. Damien is a spicy, younger, biker boy who is all protector/caretaker and exactly what good girl Ashley needs. no 3rd act b/u, insatiable appetites, & super sweet.
647 reviews3 followers
January 20, 2025
An absolute must read!

Damien is top notch book boyfriend material and Ashley is his match in every way! The banter, the friendships, the love story....uh major swoon! Loved it!
Profile Image for Heather.
606 reviews
Read
January 29, 2025
Being in a relationship with a 7yr age gap…this book made me happy. Too bad my man doesn’t look like this MMC was described! 😂
Profile Image for POL.
1,022 reviews7 followers
February 6, 2026
So Good!

What a wonderful love story. The premise drew me in right away, and the emotional journey of the main characters falling so completely in love was beautifully done.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews

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