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Broken Bad Boy
A previous cover edition for this ASIN can be found here
Back from the criminal underworld, I’m set on revenge—until I get stuck with my best friend’s sister.
After enduring five tumultuous years forced into a life of crime,
I'm back to destroy the man who shattered my world.
To take what’s mine.
But there’s one thing that’s distracting me from my focus.
Charlie Caddel, my best friend’s sister.
The girl I left behind without a word.
I need to focus on my task, to keep her safe, even from myself.
The life I was involved in would break her apart.
Hurting her, pushing her away seems like my only option.
Because the dangers of my past could easily consume her.
She knew me once, but I’m a changed man now.
She’d hate me if she knew what I’ve done.
But there’s one problem.
She’s everywhere.
Infiltrating my world at every turn, she’s even next door.
Forced together in a cabin during a raging storm,
I'm torn between breaking her heart or…
claiming her for my own.
Back from the criminal underworld, I’m set on revenge—until I get stuck with my best friend’s sister.
After enduring five tumultuous years forced into a life of crime,
I'm back to destroy the man who shattered my world.
To take what’s mine.
But there’s one thing that’s distracting me from my focus.
Charlie Caddel, my best friend’s sister.
The girl I left behind without a word.
I need to focus on my task, to keep her safe, even from myself.
The life I was involved in would break her apart.
Hurting her, pushing her away seems like my only option.
Because the dangers of my past could easily consume her.
She knew me once, but I’m a changed man now.
She’d hate me if she knew what I’ve done.
But there’s one problem.
She’s everywhere.
Infiltrating my world at every turn, she’s even next door.
Forced together in a cabin during a raging storm,
I'm torn between breaking her heart or…
claiming her for my own.
135 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 1, 2025
9 people are currently reading
30 people want to read
About the author
Ivy Starck
20 books22 followersIvy Starck is an author of dark and steamy contemporary romance novels. She loves to write about sexy, rough around the edges bad boys and the women that love them. Her books are filled with a whole lot of intrigue, exciting plot lines, spicy scenes and suspenseful stories that will keep you reading until late into the night.
Ivy lives on the beautiful west coast of Canada with her husband, son and Boston Terrier. When she’s not plotting her next steamy love story, she enjoys spending time walking the lush green forest trails for a good dose of forest therapy with her fur baby in tow.
Ivy lives on the beautiful west coast of Canada with her husband, son and Boston Terrier. When she’s not plotting her next steamy love story, she enjoys spending time walking the lush green forest trails for a good dose of forest therapy with her fur baby in tow.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
May 4, 2025
Hayden has returned from deep in the trenches of the criminal underbelly, his heart set on vengeance, that is, till he ends up stuck with his best friends sister.
Hayden had submitted and accepted the five years of a life forced into crime, a life he didn't choose for himself.
Now he's back, though, and he's focused on shattering the life of the man who had forced him into that life, the man who had fractured his life into something he no longer recognized.
And he has but one goal, to take back what's his.
His focus is blurred from his goal
His best friends sister, Charlie Caddel.
He knew she was hurt. He'd left her behind when he disappeared. He didn't even get the chance to talk to her, to explain himself, to say goodbye.
Hayden knows that he has to focus on his plan. He knows that he also has to protect Charlie, even if it means that he's protecting her from him.
If she knew about the life he had led, the life he was still involved in, it was kill her, break her heart, she wouldn't understand.
Hayden knows that the only way to keep her safe, to protect her, is to hurt her, to keep pushing her away, even if it is hurting him at the same time.
He's still in danger, and that danger could still wrap their fingers around her, and he didn't want that to happen.
Once upon a time, she'd known him, but she doesn't know the man that he is now. He's changed, different now.
If she knew everything that he'd done, she would hate him.
He knows that there's an issue.
Charlie is absolutely everywhere
She is getting into every part of Hayden's world, everywhere he goes, everywhere he looks, she is there, even right next door.
Now Hayden is ripped apart. He can't decide if he should rip out her heart or...
If he should claim her as his own.
The day that Charlie saw Hayden again was in a conference room, he was discussing a merger with her own father. Suddenly her vision flashed back to the last time she had seen him, it was five years ago, just before he had vanished, disappearing never to be seen again till he showed up again five years later like nothing had happened.
Over the five years that Hayden was gone, he'd never gotten over Charlie, but he'd been lost in a forced darkness, enduring things that he never wanted to talk about again, and he knew that the things he'd endured weren't things that made for a healthy relationship, with Charlie or anyone else.
Everything changed when Hayden and Charlie ended up being stranded in the cabin together. Charlie faced Hayden with strength and will he never realize she possessed and forced him to tell her why he left, what he was doing during those 5 years, and why he was suddenly back.
Hayden wasn't ready for this. He hadn't expected Charlie to demand answers with such force, and after telling Charlie the truth and leaving nothing out, he was shocked at her reaction. But, her reaction actually helped him make decisions about his own future. This decision though took him down paths with twists and turns that changed his life with a resolution and gave Hayden and Charlie a chance at a bright and happy future together that had already been robbed from them once.
This is such an amazing story that goes from zero to one hundred quick, and all the emotions hit you quickly and hard. And you are not going to get a break from the roller-coaster ride until you reach the end of the book and I'm going to be honest, you are going to be wanting more when you finish this book.
Oh, how touching and amazing the drama, steam, angst, and even the suspense is in this book. I actually found it to be so deep and meaningful when you look beyond the main plot into the sub-plot and the themes that lay at the heart of this book. I couldn't stop reading once I started reading this book, and I can't wait to read more by this phenominal author.
I can't urge you enough to to grab you enough to pick up a copy of this book and dive right in, you will not be sorry and I am sure you will enjoy it just as much as I did.
Hayden had submitted and accepted the five years of a life forced into crime, a life he didn't choose for himself.
Now he's back, though, and he's focused on shattering the life of the man who had forced him into that life, the man who had fractured his life into something he no longer recognized.
And he has but one goal, to take back what's his.
His focus is blurred from his goal
His best friends sister, Charlie Caddel.
He knew she was hurt. He'd left her behind when he disappeared. He didn't even get the chance to talk to her, to explain himself, to say goodbye.
Hayden knows that he has to focus on his plan. He knows that he also has to protect Charlie, even if it means that he's protecting her from him.
If she knew about the life he had led, the life he was still involved in, it was kill her, break her heart, she wouldn't understand.
Hayden knows that the only way to keep her safe, to protect her, is to hurt her, to keep pushing her away, even if it is hurting him at the same time.
He's still in danger, and that danger could still wrap their fingers around her, and he didn't want that to happen.
Once upon a time, she'd known him, but she doesn't know the man that he is now. He's changed, different now.
If she knew everything that he'd done, she would hate him.
He knows that there's an issue.
Charlie is absolutely everywhere
She is getting into every part of Hayden's world, everywhere he goes, everywhere he looks, she is there, even right next door.
Now Hayden is ripped apart. He can't decide if he should rip out her heart or...
If he should claim her as his own.
The day that Charlie saw Hayden again was in a conference room, he was discussing a merger with her own father. Suddenly her vision flashed back to the last time she had seen him, it was five years ago, just before he had vanished, disappearing never to be seen again till he showed up again five years later like nothing had happened.
Over the five years that Hayden was gone, he'd never gotten over Charlie, but he'd been lost in a forced darkness, enduring things that he never wanted to talk about again, and he knew that the things he'd endured weren't things that made for a healthy relationship, with Charlie or anyone else.
Everything changed when Hayden and Charlie ended up being stranded in the cabin together. Charlie faced Hayden with strength and will he never realize she possessed and forced him to tell her why he left, what he was doing during those 5 years, and why he was suddenly back.
Hayden wasn't ready for this. He hadn't expected Charlie to demand answers with such force, and after telling Charlie the truth and leaving nothing out, he was shocked at her reaction. But, her reaction actually helped him make decisions about his own future. This decision though took him down paths with twists and turns that changed his life with a resolution and gave Hayden and Charlie a chance at a bright and happy future together that had already been robbed from them once.
This is such an amazing story that goes from zero to one hundred quick, and all the emotions hit you quickly and hard. And you are not going to get a break from the roller-coaster ride until you reach the end of the book and I'm going to be honest, you are going to be wanting more when you finish this book.
Oh, how touching and amazing the drama, steam, angst, and even the suspense is in this book. I actually found it to be so deep and meaningful when you look beyond the main plot into the sub-plot and the themes that lay at the heart of this book. I couldn't stop reading once I started reading this book, and I can't wait to read more by this phenominal author.
I can't urge you enough to to grab you enough to pick up a copy of this book and dive right in, you will not be sorry and I am sure you will enjoy it just as much as I did.
January 1, 2025
His Reasons to Survive -
Charlie was shocked to see Hayden in the conference room having a discussion about a merger with her father, as the last time she saw him was five years prior when he disappeared without a trace. Hayden hadn’t gotten over Charlie in all the years he had been away, but he knew the darkness he had endured during that prior was not conducive to being in a relationship with her or anyone for that matter.
However, everything changed when Hayden and Charlie were stranded together in the cabin, where she forced him to open up about why he left and what he had been doing during the time he was away. Hayden didn’t expected Charlie’s reaction after he revealed what happened, but it helped him make a decision about his future. Unfortunately, Hayden’s decision took him down a road that led to a life changing resolution and a chance at himself and Charlie’s getting a chance at the future together they missed out on.
Wow! This story goes from zero to sixty by the end of the first chapter and them hits one hundred by the end of chapter two, then it doesn’t give the reader a break up until you reach the end and it will leave you wanting more. The drama, steaminess, angst and suspense was truly intense and kept me on the edge of my seat, as I eagerly turned the pages I urge you to grab a copy of this book now and you definitely won’t be disappointed.
I received a copy of this book free and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
Charlie was shocked to see Hayden in the conference room having a discussion about a merger with her father, as the last time she saw him was five years prior when he disappeared without a trace. Hayden hadn’t gotten over Charlie in all the years he had been away, but he knew the darkness he had endured during that prior was not conducive to being in a relationship with her or anyone for that matter.
However, everything changed when Hayden and Charlie were stranded together in the cabin, where she forced him to open up about why he left and what he had been doing during the time he was away. Hayden didn’t expected Charlie’s reaction after he revealed what happened, but it helped him make a decision about his future. Unfortunately, Hayden’s decision took him down a road that led to a life changing resolution and a chance at himself and Charlie’s getting a chance at the future together they missed out on.
Wow! This story goes from zero to sixty by the end of the first chapter and them hits one hundred by the end of chapter two, then it doesn’t give the reader a break up until you reach the end and it will leave you wanting more. The drama, steaminess, angst and suspense was truly intense and kept me on the edge of my seat, as I eagerly turned the pages I urge you to grab a copy of this book now and you definitely won’t be disappointed.
I received a copy of this book free and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 6, 2026
He left his love behind 5 years ago but not on purpose. He was kidnapped and forced into the criminal underworld of his father. When he escapes he returns to his hometown intent on making his father and his associates pay. But his love is still there and he is forced to connect with her to save her from the criminals. Will he?
February 23, 2026
3.5⭐️
An intense, fast paced, short romance.
Charlie and Hayden’s relationship is so full of tension, and Hayden’s back story brings some suspense to the story.
An intense, fast paced, short romance.
Charlie and Hayden’s relationship is so full of tension, and Hayden’s back story brings some suspense to the story.
March 16, 2026
It wasn't bad but it felt kind of rushed.
September 6, 2024
4.25 stars - I just needed more of the book!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews