Bad Idea

Brooklyn Kings #1

by Felice Stevens

Losing your job to the boss's new wife. That's bad luck.
Hooking up with a stranger to forget about it?
Seems like a good idea.
Finding out your new boss is that one-night stand?
There’s that bad luck again.
Except you both agree to put it behind you.
That’s a great idea.

Until you slip and hook up again—not the best idea.
Catching feelings for the boss? Not the smartest idea.
Falling in love with your boss?
Now that’s a really bad idea…
Or is it?

Genres: M M Romance, Sports, Romance, Contemporary, LGBT, Football, Audiobook

293 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 25, 2025

About the author

Felice Stevens writes romance because what is better than people falling in love? Her favorite part of a romance novel is that first kiss…sigh. She loves creating stories of hopes and dreams and happily ever afters. Her stories are character-driven, rich with the sights, sounds and flavors of New York City and filled with men who are sometimes deeply flawed but always real.

Felice writes M/M romance because she believes that everyone deserves a happily ever after. Having traveled all over the world, she can safely say that the universal language that unites people is love. Felice has written in a variety of sub-genres, including contemporary, paranormal and has a mystery series as well.

Felice is a two-time Lambda Literary Award nominee and the Lambda award-winner for Best Gay Romance for her book, The Ghost and Charlie Muir, as well as the e-Lit gold medal winner in romance for Broken Silence.

Reviews

[Carol [Goodreads Addict] · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bad Idea: A Boss Employee, M/M Romance is book one in the Brooklyn Kings series by Felice Stevens. For the record, I love Felice’s writing! And I had a favorite book, BUT, everything changes, right?! Because I have a NEW favorite now. To say I loved this book is an understatement. I ADORED this book! I could not put it down. You know when you want to get to the end to see how it all turns out but at the same time you don’t want it to ever end? That happened.



Hayden Porter is thirty seven years old, and is the best of the best of a personal assistant. He gives everything to his job. Is the first to arrive, the last to leave, and still does work from home. That’s why he is single. There is no time for dating. Just the occasional quick hook up. But then his boss came back from Vegas with a new, very young wife who wanted to be the new personal assistant. So Hayden is out of a job. Even though he has savings, that will only last so long in Brooklyn. To get his mind off his worries, he goes out and hooks up with someone. Only it turns out to be a night that rocked his world. After a few interviews that went nowhere, he is sent to interview with the new owner of the Brooklyn Kings Football Team. And you’ll never guess who it was!!!



Armand “Armi” Winters, a man with no athletic ability and no knowledge of the game of football, has just inherited ownership of the Brooklyn Kings Football Team after his father passes away. No one expected him to take over the team. Team management doesn’t want him there. He has no one on his side. He’s alone and sitting in a bar trying to process everything when a gorgeous man sits next to him. It turns out to be a night to remember. And then, there he is again, standing in front of him in his office, applying for the job of his personal assistant.



And so it begins. They both agree to put that night behind them. They will both be professional. Armi desperately needs Hayden’s help. And not only does Hayden need the job, he is truly dedicated to helping Armi find his way. But you know how it is with those pesky feelings that sneak back up on you, whether you like it or not.



I loved both Hayden and Armi so much. Pretty much from the very first page. I loved how dedicated they both were to each other in making sure they succeed. And don’t even get me started on the sweetness, the swoons. Wow! I’m afraid Hayden and Armi have now taken over the favorite spot. But, at the end, there is a teaser for the next book. I wonder if this book will lose it’s number one spot to the next one? I’ll definitely let you know!

For more about this book and so many others, come and visit me at Carol's Crazy Bookish World.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Carol...

[Cadiva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh I absolutely loved this book, everything about it worked for me from the two MCs, to the narrative story arc, through to the HEA.

It's not an overly complex plotline but Felice makes it shine by sticking to the two men at the heart of it - NFL team owner Armand and his PA Hayden.

What starts as a one-night hook-up rapidly becomes a friendship and a supportive barrier between those who've never given Armand a second thought, other than as a tool to use, and then into something more.

Hayden's a fierce protector of his boss, he can see Armi has the ability to lead the team, but is lacking the confidence as he's been put down by his now deceased father from the off. He's quick to show Armi he can make the decisions, he does have the knowledge, he guides but never pushes and, together, they connect on every level.

Before Hayden, Armi stayed away, happier working in his rose garden and developing beautiful hybrids while staying away from confrontations. But after encountering Hayden at a club and then seeing how he stands up for him with the other team bosses, he starts to find room to breathe.

Together they become a team, fighting the obvious attraction that sparks between them with very little success (and boy do they heat up the sheets!)

With very little angst, a good secondary plotline which works well running alongside the main one, and a romance you can really get behind, Felice opens up her new series with a bang.

#ARC kindly received from the author, I am voluntarily leaving a review

[Brooke · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️ 3.5 stars ⭐️

TROPES:
➢ Boss vs Assistant
➢ One night to forever

How could he sit with him day after day, knowing what he looked like naked? Worst of all, wanting to see him like that again.

A sweet & spicy office romance. I enjoyed the role reversal, Armand the boss being more shy and anxious and Hayden his PA more assertive and toppy. The initial attraction and pining, Hayden helping Armand find his confidence, the ‘we shouldn’t, but I can’t stop’ moments.

“Stop thinking you’re not enough. You might be everything.”

It lost those fuzzy happy feelings after a bit for me, though. There were lots of little drama moments that didn’t really add much to the romance, and once they officially got together I was ready for it to just be over.
Overall, a pretty nice and fun read.

“Still think this is a bad idea?” “Impossible. Loving you is the best idea I’ve ever had.”

I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review.

CW and NSFW info (spoilers):
- Attempted sexual coercion & harassment (not between MCs)
- Mentions of underage pornography (MC was 17, cammed for money)
- Homophobia
- Top/bottom
- Rimming

[NitaBee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hayden gets totally screwed over by his “thinking with his dick” boss, and loses his job. A job he is very good at and sacrificed a personal life for.

Armand, owner of football team Brooklyn Kings, is not suave and lacks confidence. He meets Hayden in a club. They have some sexy times.

In a twist of fate , Hayden has a job interview at Brooklyn Kings and after standing up for Armand, he is hired as PA.

It’s a bit of role reversal dynamic here with the PA all sophisticated, charismatic and and in charge while the ‘boss’ is awkward, vulnerable and submissive.

Side eye -Russell is not giving me good vibes.

“I’m glad we’re on the same page, Hayden.” We’re not even reading the same book, Russell, but I know your story.

Now that Hayden is here, he’s not about to have Armand walked on anymore. He making friends and enemies, not really trusting anyone except Armand. They both can’t stop thinking of each other and want each other but Hayden doesn’t mix business with pleasure…after mixing business with pleasure. 🤦🏻‍♀️

“He finally met Hayden’s eyes. “But since we can’t be together, there’s no reason for me not to see people.” His gaze was surprisingly challenging and momentarily left Hayden speechless. Armi was right—Hayden had told him no, and that should be the end of it. It wasn’t fair to Armi.”

Opening up to each other. Business trip with only one bed in the hotel room. Sexy times.

“You taught me to stand up for myself and fight for what I believe in. Well, I believe in you and me. Us.”

Happily ever after with a Super Bowl victory.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Losing your job to the boss's new wife. That's bad luck. Hooking up with a stranger to forget about it? Seems like a good idea. Finding out your new boss is that one-night stand? There’s that bad luck again. Except you both agree to put it behind you. That’s a great idea. Until you slip and hook up again—not the best idea. Catching feelings for the boss? Not the smartest idea. Falling in love with your boss? Now that’s a really bad idea…Or is it?
The story seemed to be filled with "bad ideas". When it comes to a boss and employee romance; Hayden had firm rules. However, it seems that he can't help letting his protective nature step in for Armi. An instant connection which only gets deeper but there's trouble ahead in the "King's" company with sabotage.

Hayden is 37, and a top PA to company bosses...but when he's fired from his job, he's shocked after all his hard work for his boss, Boris. A night out for a good time, and that's what he gets. Armand was close to the same age and was the owner of a football team. He was absolutely adorable when he met Hayden. Hayden was exactly who and what Armi needed especially when he’s being bullied at work. He may be the owner of his father’s company, but Hayden has his back when they meet, right from day one.

I really like Felice Steven's writing, and this was a fantastic story, but I wasn't surprised as this author had never disappointed me. We watched Armand as he learns so much about himself because of knowing Hayden. Their romance isn't always smooth, but they get their happy finish. The epilogue for the "big game" was sweet. I'm not sure some of the situations for the football team were handled realistically in the book but what the heck...it's only a story and a good one at that.

[Steph (semi-hiatus) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't think this is the author for me. This book was fine. I was interested because I'm an idiot who doesn't comprehend what they read sometimes and thought this would be a cheating trope based on the blurb. It very much is not. Other than that disappointment there wasn't anything spectacular to be found here and I'm not sure I liked either MC. Neither read as if they were in their late 30s, and the other characters were mostly garbage people.

I receieved a copy of this book from GRR and this is my honest review

[Debra ~~ seriously slacking on her reviews ~~]

3.5 stars

Poor Armi! I just wanted to wrap him up in a blanket and tell him he was more than good enough. Luckily for Armi, he had Hayden to do just that as no one else was on his side.

After an encounter at a club leads to a steamy one-nighter, it turns out that Hayden is recommended to be Armi's desperately needed PA. Of course they agree that it can't happen again, but we all know how that will work out!

I enjoyed watching them try to put their attraction and chemistry aside for the sake of Armi succeeding where everyone thought he would fail, and Hayden was a great cheerleader. There are some very sweet and very steamy moments. The tension in the story comes from the "will they or won't they" and wondering just who will try to sabotage Armi's and Hayden's plans to be the team leaders the Kings deserve. While it didn't pack the emotional punch for me that so many of Felice Stevens' books do, it was a quick enjoyable read and I'll be looking forward to the next one!

[Lily Loves 📚]

Dnf 67%

This started off well but as it went on it was just getting weaker. I haven’t read Felice Stevens in a very long time but this felt like novice writing at times.

[Aki | nose buried in books | ❤️ | · Rating 4 out of 5]

Office romance, boss/PA.
The story is a bit cheesy, the bad guys are bad, the mcs are good, and they’re always described in a repetitive way: Armi is sweet and kind, kind and sweet. he's sweet, did I say sweet? There you go.
the plot and the mcs are not very believable, but if you look past that, it’s a nice novel

[Lelyana's Reviews]

Ooooh I remembered this book I read awhile ago, just didn't care to review.
LOL
The drama was childish and really? Not for an office drama..
DNF at 90%

[Fay MMBookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book, I was hooked from the first page of Hayden and Armand’s first meeting. I’m fully purchasing the paperback copy for my shelves.

An GRR advance reader copy and this is my honest view of the book.

[Britney · Rating 2 out of 5]

My Opinion

At no point, did I feel like I was reading a book about men in their late 30s. I understand insecurity and not having confidence, but the way Armi and Hayden were written reminded me of young 20 year Olds.

Armi was a big people pleaser and despite deciding to take over his deceased father's sports team, he was afraid to make any real decision and he was constantly worried about everyone thinking he wasn't good enough. His father always thought he was "soft", so he took over to prove to everyone that he could do it. And yet, he let his employees exclude him from vital business meetings. He didn't even notice and if he did, he didn't confront anyone about it. It was Hayden who had to make sure Armi wasn't excluded. I don't understand how his goal was to prove his worth, when he was oblivious to the things going on around him and fine with sitting in his office, twiddling his thumbs some days. When he was invited to a meeting, that coincidentally wasn't on his calendar, instead of being suspicious, he was just grateful to be included. At a celebration, he wasn't even trying to be cautious, and even though he was a light weight, he decided to drink around the same people who were initially excluding him. All because he didn't want to feel left out. Armi was an educated CPA. A millionaire. The owner of successful sports team. And yet, he was almost 40, worried about being left out from the "cool kids" table. This thought process seemed so immature considering his age.

Then there was Hayden, who was trying to convince Armi that he was good enough and to be more assertive, but then telling himself Armi was too good for him because of a mistake he made when he was 17. Truthfully, I don't even understand his attraction to Armi, who was constantly dropping food on himself. I know the author was trying to emphasize how much Hayden's controlled nature complemented Armi and how much he was needed as a PA, but the amount of times food spilled was insane. Armi was like a toddler every time he ate and he acted so surprised when Hayden suggested having a second outfit in his office in case of spills. You're telling me, a grown man, who has presumably spent his whole life spilling food on himself, never thought to have extra clothing or stain remover on hand? C'mon. Then Armi shared business secrets with a man be had only met twice. I couldn't believe it. I think the author went too far in trying to present Armi as a klutz and started venturing into "bumbling idiot" territory. Of course, then Hayden had to come to the rescue. Hayden was basically becoming Armi's "Daddy" without the title and age difference.

Also, the antagonist was so obvious that it's mind boggling that Armi didn't see their real intentions. What's interesting is that in the beginning there was a sudden touch from the antagonist that made Armi wary and yet after that he never thought to be cautious again. He didn't think about it when meetings started going missing from his calendar. He didn't think about it when an interview went sideways and the antagonist was present. He didn't think about it when the antagonist booked only one room for them to share. Hayden had to point out the antagonist's intentions and then Armi got mad because he thought Hayden thought he would foolishly fall prey to the antagonist. But I mean... he had foolishly believed the antagonist throughout the entire book so...is it really THAT hard to believe?

Don't even let me get started on the romance aspect of this book. It was very simple and at times, cringeworthy. They met, hooked up, and met again during a job interview, where Hayden said he could keep it professional, despite being attracted to Armi's "innocence". Then like 2 weeks later they hooked up again, and once again Hayden said it couldn't be more. Armi, taking Hayden at his word (which he had already broken), started dating someone else, which didn't last long. Not surprising, Hayden got jealous and they were in a relationship saying ILY after a month. However, I could be wrong about the timeline because I just started skipping pages. I also didn't like how in the beginning, Armi and Hayden would randomly start thinking about the memories of their first hook up, with heavy emphasis on the size of each other's... appendages, while doing the most menial things. They'd be walking or drinking a cup of water and suddenly the author would just throw out an intrusive thought. It was cringe, and threw off the flow of the story. The s3x wasn't even all that in my opinion. The scenes were "meh" and repetitive, and I just didn't feel like any thing they did was Swoonworthy or particularly memorable.

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bad Idea was a great story about finding yourself and learning to love along the way. Hayden is a fantastic PA but was let go from his job so he decides to take one night and have some fun. He meets Armi at a club and they hit it off and Hayden leaves knowing it was just for one night. A bit later, he learns that the new owner of the local professional football team needs a PA so he goes for an interview. Both Hayden and Armi are surprised to see the other. They decide to keep a professional relationship and not let that one night get in the way. Hayden helps Armi stand up for himself to the other higher ups with the team. Along the way, they both fall for each other. Can they make a relationship work? Will Armi learn to stand up for himself and lead the team to victory?

[Michelle Elman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book! Hayden and Armi are perfection! I loved how Hayden felt so protective over Armi and always had his back.

When the book started I honestly thought it was going to be a cheesy one night stand turns into an awkward boss/employee relationship book but this book took that trope and blew it out of the water. Hayden and Armi are absolutely adorable! I loved how Hayden felt so protective over Armi and always had his back. This book is a total page turner and perfect for anyone looking for a swoony opposites attract office romance

🏈 MM Romance
💻 Boss/employee
🏈 Wealth gap
💻 Secret past
🏈 Hurt/comfort
💻 Opposites Attract
🏈 One night stand then—uh oh, he's my boss
💻 Nerd now owns a football team

[Nicole M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Im not typically a girl who reads a lot of 3rd person pov books UNLESS the author/story has me NEEDING more. This was my first dance with Felice Stevens, and, oh my goodness, the story was so compelling. I wanted more of Hayden and Armi 🥹. I loved them together. I loved them individually. I loved seeing their personalities shine. I loved seeing the character growth that occurred. I just loved these two guys 🥰. Outside of my heart being filled with love, it was also filled with sadness 🥺, anger 🤬, and pride 😍.

🏈MM Romance
💙Boss/employee
🏈Wealth gap
💙Secret past
🏈Hurt/comfort
💙Opposites Attract
🏈One night stand then—uh oh, he's my boss
💙Nerd now owns a football team

[b00ks_in_nature · Rating 4 out of 5]

Football office romance

This is a relatively low angst and delightful read. I love football, and football romance books, but this was my first football owner book! I confess to not knowing a lot about how things are run so cannot speak to that aspect. But I enjoyed it immensely. I loved how Hayden helped Armi to find his self-confidence and really believe in himself. And Armi not only made Hayden want more for the first time ever, but also supported him through a difficult situation. Both guys really stood up for and supported the other.

[Carrington · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Happily Booked PR for the arc! Really enjoyed! Great characters & fast-paced. Will definitely continue the series.

[Inês · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is your sign to read Bad Idea.

Bad Ideia starts with Hayden getting layed off of his job, and taking the night off to go out. He ends up meeting Armand, and becoming his knight in shinning armor and they spend the night together.
In the next couple of days Hayden goes to a couple interviews and none of them end up going anywhere. So what are the chances that he ends up interviewing for Armand’s assistant?
This book was such a nice surprise! Didn’t have a lot of expectations, but that was almost better because I enjoyed it so much. The romance was super cute but the background plot points were so gripping that I just wanted to keep going to see it through! Not gonna lie, the “plot twist” at the end had me gasping! I thought I knew where it was going but it was completely blindsided!

Thank you for the ARC !!

[Edga · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful Romance 😍

I really enjoyed the two main characters in this story, Hayden and Armi were both so likeable. Both were hardworking, kind and thoughtful. However, they also, carry a lot of baggage between them. I loved how they both met. It started as an anonymous hookup in a club, but they both felt an immediate spark between them. They did try keeping everything professional, once they realised they worked in the same company, but it's made more awkward because Armi is Hayden's boss! However, it was obvious that they were meant to be together, and I enjoyed the way in which things developed between them. I also love how Hayden is so protective of Armi, it's so cute, and their relationship is so natural and pure. The love that develops between them, gives them both the strength to be themselves, and to overcome any obstacles put in their way, and there are quite a few! No spoilers here, the plot is both good and well written, there is some angst, but not a great deal. Everything that happens, both good and bad brings Armi and Hayden closer. The ending's beautifully done, showing them choose each other, and demonstrating their love. The epilogue is also beautiful, bringing both of them and their families together. Overall, this was an enjoyable read, a little ponderous on occasion, but nothing that took away from the romance. The characters are great and the story was good. I would definitely recommend it. 4.5 stars.

[Lillian Francis]

A sweet but very spicy office romance.

I liked the premise of this story and ultimately it was an enjoyable read.
Remarkably low angst considering the issue of Hayden's past and Russell's creepy pursuit of Armi, both of which had the ability to have a greater impact on the story and relationship.
I especially enjoyed Hayden's ability to bolster Armi's confidence and watching how he grew as a CEO.

I had several issues that, for me, kept it firmly in the 3 - 3.5 star range.
* Way too many intimate scenes. I need bedroom scenes to have a purpose, furthering the plot or the relationship. Most of these did neither. Of course if you're reading for the smut this will work in your favour.
* The MCs were both in their late 30s. Neither really acted that way. I found them much younger.
* Russell felt a bit too 'caricature baddy' for me. Also it was implied that Russell had been skeevy with Armi (looking and lurking only) when he was a teenager, and that had been noticed by his mother but NOTHING had been said and no action had been taken.
* The relationship moved very quickly.

Tropes:
Office romance
Boss/PA
Opposites Attract
Sassy PA
Insecure Boss
Owner of American Football team
Horticulturalist - Armi loves his roses.
Neither MCs date but for different reasons.

[mich ⚘ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bad Idea had lots of sweet and sexy moments and for the most part kept me interested until the very end. I liked Hayden and Armi together a bit but at the same time it was another one of those books where I just couldn’t vibe completely with the characters together or apart. I think this is just a me issue though so definitely think it’s worth the read if it sounds interesting to you.

[Sara M · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF@41%. The concept of this book is not bad, but oh my God if Armi spilled one more thing on himself…It’s cute when a character is clumsy. It’s not cute when they are grown adults incapable of eating a meal without a HAZMAT suit. This seemed like, it was written about 15 year olds, not 35+ year old men.

[Sandy Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Song of the read: “Bad Idea” by Ariana Grande.

Yep, that fits! I enjoyed reading this, and I recommend it. It isn’t Stevens’s best, but it is a fun boss-assistant forbidden romance, and it begins with an “oopsie I hooked up last night with the man I’m now interviewing with for a job today” setup. Entertaining!

Both heroes are likeable, adorable, and kind, and best of all, confident hero Hayden is massively competent. Apparently I have a Thing for competency these days. Rrraowr. Oh, yeah, he’s gorgeous too, but, honestly that paled in comparison to the man’s sheer competence. He’s the assistant, by the way, who was laid off when his previous boss married a younger woman and decided to give her Hayden’s job (and you know, missed opportunity, I was dying to see just how...well...?...that went! We never do find out, alas).

Armand—Armi—is the boss, a shy awkward disaster of a man who wants only to be in his rose garden but has been thrust into the spotlight when he inherited...a football team! Armi wants to do his best with the team his (awful waste of space) father left him, but it won’t be easy because the old-guard have zero respect for him, think his ideas for recruitment are garbage, and leave him out of everything...Enter Sandman. Uh. I mean. Hayden.

Their undeniable chemistry is the kicker as Hayden sweeps in to straighten up Armi’s schedule, straighten up people’s attitudes toward him, straighten up—or well, just support, he appreciates who Armi is—the disaster of coffee stains and awkward that is Armi himself. Hayden has nothing but respect for (and extreme attraction to...) this sweetheart he finds himself working for. Too bad he wants to rail him off hours...but no! No, we must remain professional and keep that past peccadillo in the past.

HA HA HA HA HA.

It’s a super cute read, with Hayden constantly standing up for Armi but best of all Armi learning to put his foot down and take a stand for himself, against internal sabotage, against sleazy shenanigans, against all the doubters and naysayers within the office and without. They make a terrific team.

I really wanted more development, more depth, more...Something I’ve gotten from other reads by Stevens that felt rushed and missing here, it was more simplistic and more reliant on stereotypical/cliche obviously bad-guy OM interactions and some rushing (especially that hot first encounter! Geez, stop and let the guys enjoy the moment before you rush forward!). I also felt the secret Hayden was keeping just shouldn’t have been a big deal anymore, he could have just said F you to anyone who threw it in his face—what happens when you’re a teen and underage is just not relevant to your job as a 37 year old. But it added to conflict and tension and I appreciated Hayden’s honesty with Armi, that was a nice, moving moment.

Armi tries to date someone in the middle and I didn’t like how that was handled. He seemed too willing to try, no thoughts of Hayden really, and it made my gut uncomfortable. Plus it was annoying that it seemed to end because the guy was a cliché dick, not because Armi just didn’t want someone who wasn’t Hayden, and that didn’t sit right with Me. Yeah. Me issues. But it didn’t go too far for me.

A favorite element was hearing Armi talk about and work with his roses. I could nearly smell the perfume wafting from my e-reader. Lovely. More flowers please!

HEA, boss-assistant, football/sports setting, office bullies, triumph of the underdog read. Some dating and kisses in the middle (ugh) but no unforgiveable actions (and yeah it was “realistic” blech). Safe enough for me. Recommended, and I will absolutely read more in this Brooklyn Kings world.

My thanks to Gay Romance Reviews for the ARC; this is my free and impartial opinion.

[REKH · Rating 2 out of 5]

ARC / audio
Kale Williams
Known-to-me author
Diversity = 2 Gay MCs, bi side character
Queer romance

I always hate when I’ve been given an arc, and the review is not particularly positive. There are good things about the story. I have liked this author’s other work. I was actually taking it back by the fact that I found segments of it problematic.

Armand and Hayden are both great characters. The premise of the story is great. The side characters are solid. The way their relationship develops is good. All of those things would make this a three star book. The audio happened to be released while I was reading my arc so I did listen to some of that, and Kale was excellent as a narrator. But here’s where we get into problems.

Problem number one
This book needs content warnings. And they were missing. If asked, I would recommend that the author at a content note about child pornography, underage sex work, and a significant homophobia on page. I think it’s also worth considering whether a character being outed publicly on page also deserves a content note. That could be extremely triggering for someone.

Problem number two
This is a tiny one, because I’m saving the big one for last. One of the characters is described as having done something at the age of 17. And his records about that are said to be sealed. Then later in the book, it talks about him having done that activity while he was in college and getting expelled for it. Do you know how rare it is for a 17-year-old to be in college in the United States? This is niche, and because I’m a higher Ed professional it’s stuck out. But it made the timeline of the character’s backstory, feel jagged and challenged the authenticity of it.

Problem number
This is the big one. This is also the spoiler. So if you don’t want that, and you’ve made it this far into the review now it’s time to turn around. The backstory of Hayden‘s character include something in his past that he is ashamed of. That he is consistently worried is going to come out and that his boss and coworkers will find out about. It turns out this thing in his past was Cam work. He made a small series of solo videos, a few partner videos, and one movie.

Hear the issues:
- I hated how sex work was portrayed because it was spun as something problematic and shameful. I do believe the intention was to communicate that the character felt shame about the choices and not that the work itself was shameful, but it didn’t make it there. It was an incredibly problematic characterization of sex work.
- there was zero acknowledgment or commentary about the fact that this man was under age when this happened. No one once called it child pornography. There is a reference to the contract. He signed being void because he was under age when he signed it. But there is no mention of the fact that the media that was a result of his work was child pornography. Overall, that entire piece of his backstory is handled extremely poorly.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 von 5*

Armand Winter ist der neue Besitzer der Brooklyn Kings und mit der Aufgabe dieses Football-Team zu managen überfordert. Tatsächlich kann er mit dem Sport nur wenig anfangen und erst der Tod seines Vaters hat ihn in diese Situation gebracht. In der Organisation sind sich alle einig: Armi kann es nicht. Er sollte sich zurückziehen und es der alten Garde, Vertraute und Freundes seines alten Herrn, überlassen. Doch Armi kann doch nicht einfach aufgeben, selbst wenn er sich ständig am Rande des Abgrunds befindet.

Hayden Porter ist einer der besten Personal Assistenten der Stadt. Leider hat ihn sein letzter Chef gefeuert, da dessen neue Frau Haydens Platz übernommen hat. Dumm gelaufen und Hayden sucht verzweifelt nach einem neuen Job. Und das führt ihn zu den Brooklyn Kings. Auch er hat mit Football nichts am Hut. Doch er weiß, dass er gut ist. Doch beim Einstellungsgespräch sieht er sich einem vergangenen One-Night Stand gegenüber. 

Armi ist von der Begegnung entsetzt und will Hayden erst nicht einstellen. Doch passiert etwas, das Armi nie für möglich gehalten hätte. Jemand steht für ihn ein und weißt einen der alten Herrn in seine Schranken. Armi ist fasziniert und kann gar nicht anders, als Hayden einzustellen. Denn so eine resolute und energische Person braucht er ganz dringend an seiner Seite, will er weiter der Besitzer der Kings sein.

Natürlich ist das alles überhaupt keine gute Idee. Armi ist niedlich, hilflos und einfach .... Hayden kämpft um Professionalität und Abstand. Aber das Verhältnis zu seinem Chef wird sehr schnell enger. Armi kann wirklich jede Hilfe brauchen, die er kriegen kann. 

Boss/Employee sind immer ein wenig schwierig und das Drama ist natürlich schon absehbar. Auch dieser Plot trieft nur so vor Drama. Zudem es ja auch neben den Problemen mit der Alt-Herren Riege in der Organisation auch noch Haydens "schmutziges" Geheimnis aus seiner Jugend gibt. Und Hayden lebt nun schon 20 Jahre mit der Angst, dass es früher oder später ans Licht kommt.

Von Anfang an wird der Leser auf die schwierige Beziehung zwischen Armi und seinem Vater hingewiesen und somit erklärt sich dessen oft hilfloses und ungeschicktes Verhalten sehr schnell. Selbst im Erwachsenenalter hat Armi nie die Gelegenheit bekommen sich zu beweisen und ist natürlich nach dem Ableben seines Vaters völlig überfordert. Und durch sein freundliches, manchmal auch etwas naives Wesen, ist er auch leichtes Ziel für Manipulation und Intrigen.

Und doch ... mit hat die Geschichte gefallen. Wohl auch, weil die Charaktere so liebenswert sind. Armi und Hayden sind wirklich perfekt füreinander und auch wenn man das Ende natürlich ahnen kann, so fiebert man auf ihrer Reise ständig mit. Die Geschichte ist souverän geschrieben; es gibt den üblichen Plottwist und verschiedene Stränge, die zum Schluss geschickt zusammengeführt werden. Sehr schöner Auftakt.

[Viki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading this book - bad idea? Almost.

I had a grumpy day the day before yesterday. I had some audiobooks started (abandoned with the idea I will get back to them with more patience and tpolerance) and I just couldn't do it. This sometimes happens with normal books but this is the first time it happened with audibooks, just a constant stream of "nope" "I can't stand this" "next!" until I opened a new book, this book and for a time, everything was good.

In moods/events like those, I actually forget how good a good book can feel, how nice it is not to think "ok, this character made mistake but he corrected himself... eventually" and think "now that could have gone wrong but he made the right choice" instead. To find reasons to continue instead of not finding a big enough reason to quit.

That was the case until... 2/3? 60-70%? Things started going... a bit downhill from there? And my grumpy mood was not completely gone so my patience only needed a little nudge to run out...

It was a bit too deep into the book for me to explain more and thus spoiler the plot but let's just say that a book can turn from nice into annoying even when you think you already know what is happening and what to expect.

There is one theme I would like to complain about, I just won't give the context as to why it's relevant here (to avoid spoilers): adult videos. I feel like modern romance took a very specific stance in this area: p**n IRL can be exploitative and complicated and sexist BUT in books, it's empowering, makes you kinda rich and is safe and mostly fun if you do it right. This book does not agree. At all. Not even, oh, it's not exactly a job you would boast about but it pays the bills for very few hours. Not even the obligatory "nothing against workers of this kind but personally"... no. Doing videos is just bad, it's shameful, it's a mistake! Like, Stevens, WTH?? Considering the nature of your book, considering the final point of this review, considering just how much these two spend in bed, I am simply flabbergasted as to why you would condemn the issue. The age was an issue, but even the more negative books at least try to act non-judgmental and specify that while this character's experience with this is negative, it isn't always.

Let's keep the 3 stars because I did finish it, unlike several other books.

Side note, I am getting more and more irritated with... naked scenes. It's a personal preference but usually I can just "another sex scene, I guess it was a whole chapter from the last one *yawn* skip, skip" but some books get a bit... casually sexual, like do I really need to get a flashback of how his gluteus maximus felt in your hands every time he turns around? The answer is no. This is a romance book and I am here for... the romance! It's a novel idea but the casual over-sex-ting is becoming a real pet peeve.

[Ashley Carrillo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes bad ideas are the best thing to ever happen

Another great book and the start of a new series by Felice Stevens! She shows me again and again why she's one of my favorite authors. I absolutely adored Armi and Hayden more than words can express! Armi is the most precious man. Sadly, he's been given lots of crap in his life but not more so than from his own father, who continuously put him down and made him feel less than in private and in front of others. So when Armi's father dies and he's left the owner of the Kings football team he doesn't think he has what it takes to make it as he'd rather be around his prize winning roses but he does have something to prove. And then in comes Hayden. Hayden is driven and professional, and he loves his job as a PA to big and wealthy businessmen. He's content with the casual hookup scene, and work is his life. But he also has baggage he's running away from until he meets Armi. These two meet in a bar of all places, and Hayden sees the sweet man at the bar with a sad face and wants to take him home even if he isn't his usual type. Armi isn't into the bar scene, but when gorgeous green eyes meet his and offer him a drink and some solace as well as what promises to be a hot night, he can't say no. They were only supposed to be a one night stand but when Hayden finds himself without a job because his boss married a woman decades younger than him and he gives her Hayden's job he's left out in the wind. In an interview for a new PA position he again meets the beautiful man with the sad blue eyes that he had a one night stand with who turns out to be the boss of the job he wants. The two agree to put the night they shared behind them and Hayden proves to be so helpful to Armi and also refuses to let anyone make Armi feel small. What they agreed was a bad idea that should stay in the past is harder to ignore when the attraction they had since that first night burns hotter the more time they spend together and get to know the real person behind who they show the world. I love how both men thought the other was out of their league when they couldn't be more worthy or perfect for each other. It was so hard to read about Armi's view of himself but when you've had people especially your own father tell you all your life that you aren't good enough it takes a major toll on your self esteem and confidence but in the end he got there on his own and with the love and support of Hayden and in return Armi gave Hayden acceptance and love and never made him feel less than even when it came to his past. It's a lovely story about two lovely men who found forever together. I can't wait for more from this series!

[Everpj · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hayden Porter has worked as a Personal Assistant and built a solid reputation as being the best of the best. But when he is thrown for a loop and let go from his job he decides to go out for the evening in the hope of finding a distraction to relieve some stress.

He sees Armand Winters being bullied in a bar and is immediately intrigued and attracted to him. He offers to buy him a drink and finds himself inviting Armand back to his apartment. They share a night of hot passion but neither of them thinks it will go beyond that.

Armand is the son of the owner of New York’s pro football team, the Kings. But when his father dies in a plan crash, Armand finds himself to be the new owner and CEO of the Kings. He is in insecure and overwhelmed with no one who is really in his corner. Being gay doesn’t help and he is written off as a ‘limp wrist klutz’.

After a rash of bad interviews, Hayden is frustrated. He learns of the new CEO of the Kings needing a PA and agrees to go for an interview. Hayden goes home to do a little research on Armand Winters and is stunned when he discovers that Armand Winters is Armi, his one-night stand. Although Hayden can’t believe the odds of this happening, he is determined to not let this stand in his way. Army needs him and Hayden plans to deliver.

Armand is insecure and struggles with a very low self-esteem due in large part to his father who always called him too soft, not a real man. His father disdained Armand's passion for growing award-winning roses and referred to it as his grubbing in the dirt.

Armand is deeply attracted to Hayden but is curious about a past he can’t find when he tries to research the man. Hayden does have a dark secret and it is something that finds him, threatening to destroy not only his reputation but Armands as well.

I absolutely loved this book! The story of Hayden and Armand was so compelling that I couldn’t put it down! I started reading at breakfast and was finished before dinner. Is getting involved with your boss a bad idea? Yes, it is. But some bad ideas can turn into the best thing that’s ever happened. Don’t pass this story up. It’s another keeper from this author.

[Marion · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book in this series and it has set the bar pretty high. I loved this book. It is very well written and easy to read. This is the story of Hayden Porter and Armand Winters. Hayden is a PA and he has risen to be considered the best of the best. He is shocked when his 70 year old employer comes back from Vegas with a much younger wife and that she will be taking over his job. Contacting his friend at the placement agency, she recommends he just go out and forget about everything for one night. So Hayden does. He takes home a handsome stranger for an agreed upon one night of great sex. Then it is back to job hunting. He is sent for an interview to the new CEO of the Kings. Armand or Armi as close friends call him, is in over his head. His father has died and Armand steps up as the new owner of the team. He is now trying to navigate the confusing world of sports with the old guard that his father had in place. They are neither welcoming nor supportive. He needs someone in his corner that he can trust. That is where Hayden comes in. Armand is shocked to see Hayden arrive for the interview. Why is his amazing one night stand here? But Hayden lays out all that he is going to do as Armand's new PA and that no intimate relationship is on the table. That is the start. Hayden realizes that Armand does not do well with confrontation. He also sees how the way his father treated Armand has undermined his self confidence and destroyed his feelings of self worth. Not to worry. Hayden is up for the job. He quickly navigates all the background politics and lets everyone know that there is a new sheriff in town. Treating Armand with disrespect will be dealt with swiftly and that there will be repercussions. This is their story. I loved how Armand slowly gained more confidence in himself both personally and professionally. I enjoyed watching the steps Hayden would take to protect Armand. They made a perfect power team. I really loved this book. I am already looking forward to the next book in this series.

I received a complementary advanced review copy of this book from the author and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Lesetiger · Rating 5 out of 5]

🎧 Audiobook Review 🎧
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️️
Performance: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️️
Story: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️️

“Bad Idea” is the first book in the Brooklyn Kings series and I loved it! Once I started reading, I couldn't turn the audiobook off. This was partly due to Kale Wiliams, who as always did a brilliant job as narrator. On the other hand, it was due to the author's wonderful writing style.
The story is told alternately from the point of view of Hayden and Armand. Hayden is a P.A. who has given his all professionally, only to be replaced by his boss's new wife. To relieve his frustration, he goes out to have fun and has a hot night. Armand has inherited a football club from his father, but he has been more interested in roses than football and is very insecure as the club's boss. He is looking for a P.A. and the surprise is big for both of them when they meet again.
I loved how Hayden did his job and was very supportive of Armand. Armand is very shy at first, but he gains more and more confidence. It's refreshing to read when the characters of P.A. and Boss are opposite in their roles. As I mentioned before, I was hooked from the beginning and couldn't put the book down. It's a boss/assistent story that doesn't have a lot of angst, but is definitely exciting and entertaining. Intrigues are spun and not everyone has good intentions. Relationships change and it was wonderful to see Armand gain confidence with Hayden's support. There were interesting secondary characters, some I liked more, some I liked less, but that's what makes a good book! I also liked how Hayden and Armand's relationship changed. The chemistry is there from the start, it's just a pity when you stick to principles.
The book is entertaining with a great mix of sweet and spicy and I'm really looking forward to the continuation of the series now!
Kale William did a perfect job of portraying the characters appropriately and bringing the story to life. He has a very pleasant voice - I love listening to him. Kale Williams has a talent for getting the emotions across very well and telling the story in a captivating and entertaining way!
Highly recommended!