The Wrong Kind of Man

by Lolli Powell

At thirty years of age, Maggie Fields has had her fill of “bad” men. Unbeknownst to her, her investment counselor husband had paid for their luxurious Denver lifestyle by scamming his law-abiding clients and laundering money for his law-breaking ones. He lasted two nights in jail before a client who didn’t trust him to keep his mouth shut had him silenced permanently. Maggie fled to her hometown of Vichy, Indiana, and safe haven with her grandparents. Now all she wants is a quiet life as a reporter for a small town newspaper. That quiet is shattered when her ne’er-do-well uncle shows up on her retired doctor grandfather’s doorstep with a wounded and very sexy friend. Did the friend really injure his shoulder while changing a tire, or is he the man shot by the homeowner during an attempted burglary of a house just outside of town? Maggie soon has reason to believe the homeowner is not an innocent victim, leading her to wonder if her uncle and his friend are involved in organized crime. But in spite of her suspicions, Maggie finds herself drawn to the wounded stranger and realizes the bad experience with her husband hasn’t dulled her taste for the wrong kind of man!

Genres: Romance

349 pages, Paperback

First published January 20, 2015

About the author

I'm retired from the nine-to-five life and live with my husband and two cats on private land inside Daniel Boone National Forest in Kentucky. (The handsome dog with me in the picture went to the Great Dog Park in the Sky March 1, and we miss him a lot!)

I have loved fiction since before I could read (Mom said I made up stories based on the pictures in books). Now that I no longer have the excuse of not enough time, I'm fulfilling my lifelong dream of writing novels.

Over the years, I've paid the bills by being a dancer, a bartender, a police officer, a registered nurse and a technical writer. Now I'm drawing on that life experience and my two English degrees to create stories I enjoy writing and hope readers will enjoy reading.

My Top Shelf cozy mystery series is set in a small fictitious town on the Ohio River halfway between Indiana and the West Virginia border. There are currently six books in the series: The Body on the Barstool, Whiskey Kills, Name Your Poison, Double Shot, Bottoms Up, and On the Rocks. The Top Shelf series features Ricki Fontaine, a New Yorker who moves to small-town Ohio after inheriting a dive bar from her black sheep uncle.

I have two books, The Ghost Wears A Badge and Dead Men Don't Retire, in my Spirit of the Law cozy series. Dead End, the third book in the series, should be out late 2025.

I've also published a contemporary romance, The Boy Next Door, and a standalone romantic suspense novel, The Wrong Kind of Man. I have two books, Death Notice and Undercover in my Kisses and Killers Thriller series. My novella, The Gift, is a holiday romance with a hint of the paranormal.

I also write grittier mysteries and thrillers under the name Laurel Heidtman.

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...

Reviews

[Connie Lacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A likable main character, a steamy sex scene, an easy read. I enjoyed this mystery/thriller featuring a young woman who finds herself involved in a whole lot more than she bargained for in the small town where she grew up. Maggie came home after her husband was killed while serving time in jail for financial scams. Now she’s falling for a guy who seems like another questionable, sexy, character. But not everyone is what he seems. And with each chapter, the tension escalates. The author’s familiarity with police work makes that part of the story more believable. But I guessed the surprise early on that Maggie somehow didn’t suspect.

[K.T. Munson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Characters
I really liked both main characters in this book, even when they were being stupid. Maggie is headstrong and wounded in her own way. Seth can be impulsive and has a bit of a warped view of what is good for people or not. I just really enjoyed how the two characters fit together. I loved the supporting characters - especially Maggie's grandparents. Her grandfather was a delight!

Plot
It is a romance for sure - especially at the start, but it quickly snowballs into a thriller/crime story. I'm relieved it didn't stay all about romance because the carnal attraction at the start felt a little over the top. Don't worry for those who feel the same way, it takes a back seat to action and thrills! I don't want to give anything way but be prepared for a romantic spy thriller that stays in a small town!

Overall
The writing was enjoyable and engaging. The characters interesting and varied. My biggest complaint is there were a few instances that I felt the author stretched the believable. The biggest one being how stupid Maggie was about Seth and Lee. I could have accepted it if she wasn't an investigative reporter. At one point her facts would have stopped fitting the narrative and she should have caught on...but she never did.

I enjoyed the crime aspect that felt like a spy thriller in a small town. Very unique take. My favorite scene is when Maggie is on her own and trying to outmaneuver the 'bad guys.' Tensely written and totally engaging. I'd recommend it to anyone who likes spy thrillers who also wants a bit of romance.
Rating

4 stars

This is a solid 4 star romance. Think first half steamy romance, second half action thriller and you've hit this book on the head!

Where did I get a copy?
Author was kind enough to prove me a copy. This is a voluntary review.

[Pamela · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have never been a fan of insta-love romances, and I’m certainly not a fan of insta-attraction that takes place in the first chapter like this one. Doesn’t help that I didn't like Maggie. To be honest, I thought that she, her uncle, and her grandparents were total flakes. Her grandfather, who’s a doctor, tells her that Seth, the man she finds so attractive right off the bat and is ready to jump into bed with, that his severe shoulder injury was from working on a car (and not the bullet lodged in there). Are you kidding me? The man’s been shot and you pass it off as working on a car? Give me a break! His granddaughter, Maggie, may be a flake but she’s knows that's not an injury from working on a car. If you’re going to make up a story, let’s make it at least plausible.

It’s blatantly evident that Maggie and Seth like each other right from the start (cue eye rolls). By chapter three they’re already making out. Seth not only wants her; he wants to get to know her. Since they’ve liked each other since chapter one, I guess you’ve got to throw in some angst so they can argue, break up, make up, break up, etc., etc., etc. With all the miscommunication going on, it just made everything look ridiculous. Doesn’t anyone talk anymore? Heroines like Maggie who go back and forth with their feelings for someone because of angst just irritates the shit out of me, and Maggie does her fair share. I guess everyone in the family must be heavy sleepers as they never heard them having sex just down the door from them. There’s absolutely nothing special about these two.

As for the family dynamics, I couldn’t believe how Maggie's grandparents and uncle treated her, like a child telling her lie after lie after lie, and when she reacts on something she's been lied to, they reprimand her. Instead of telling her that her uncle works for the FBI and has been for a number of years, they let her think the worst of him. She always thought he was a jerk, always bad-mouthing him that he took advantage of his parents for so many years. Instead of telling her the truth, they lie. Then they get upset when she has nothing nice to say about him. I’m sure she could’ve kept it a secret. Stupidity must run in the family. The story includes someone who’s a double-crosser, and let me just say it was blatantly obvious who it was. So much for suspense – not. And can someone tell me what’s with all the “gasps.” Who gasps? Do you? I don’t, I mean maybe once or twice here and there but certainly not as many times as this twit. Seriously, do people gasp? And what’s with all the naps? It’s not like she had a stressful job or running a marathon. So many naps I lost count.

I didn’t like the story and I didn’t like the characters. All of it was boring, boring, boring and predictable. Romance and suspense? None that I could tell.

[Travis Starnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Wrong Kind of Man is a romantic suspense book focusing on a young woman living with her grandparents after her now deceased husbands scamming and crimes come to light. Her vow to avoid men like her late husband is tested when her uncle and a strange friend come to her grandparents for help. She is drawn to him despite suspicions that he might be a criminal as well.

This book does a pretty good job on the suspense side and an ok job on the romance side of the book. Powell does a good job dropping hints and building a trail to the truth behind Seth, leaving the reader to wonder alongside Maggie if he is what he seems to be. Powell really succeeds in making the story unpredictable and gives just enough twists to keep it interesting. The love story however is a bit, sudden. I get that this is a romance, but there was no foundation between Seth and Maggie, just a meet and then instant love. I would have liked to have seen a bit more setup for their relationship, if only to make it feel believable. The romance part of the book isn’t terrible mind you, just could have done with a bit more at the front end.

The other thing that separates the suspense part of the book and the romance part is the pacing. The scenes where the possible crimes of Seth and Maggie’s uncle are to the point with understated writing that lets the plot carry the story without over description bogging it down. The romance scenes however, while not over-written, are much slower. It’s hard to tell if the writer just really enjoyed this part of the plot, or felt it needed a lot more description to get her intention across, but either way the pacing for the romance scenes is much slower.

This wasn’t a bad book by any means. The dialog is well done, the characters are generally pretty interesting and fleshed out, and there are parts of the plot that are really inspired. I just wish the romance section of the plot could have followed more in line with the writing of the suspense part of the plot.

[James Faro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maggie Fields returns to her grandparents home in Vichy, Indiana after the death of her con man husband, Tom. Her Uncle Lee pays an unexpected visit with his attractive and mysterious friend, Seth. Maggie feels an instant attraction to Seth but past experiences have taught her to be wary. She's a very likable character; although Impulsive and given to making assumptions, she's a tough, determined and brave person, somebody who keeps going against all the odds. Fiercely protective of her grandparents, she is loyal and dependable.
The story line is unpredictable, intriguing and full of tension and suspense. People and situations are not always what they seem to be and Maggie can't be sure who to trust.
This is a fast moving, action packed story with plenty of twists and turns. It's a difficult book to put down and I stayed up late into the night reading, wanting to know what happens next; a real page turner which will keep you on the edge of your seat.

[Anita Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was gifted this book for an honest review.

The main character, Maggie, is a bit impulsive for my taste and the "insta-love" was a bit of a stretch for me. But this is just nitpicking.

There's plenty of suspense and tension between Maggie and Seth even as the skeletons of her late husband's closet loom over her head. This was a fast-paced read with no overly flower descriptions sometimes found in Romance.

Overall, a recommended read.

[Leanne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Predictable

I almost gave up on this one...and I never give up on a book. I was half way in and all that was happening was Maggie feeling sorry for herself...wrong kind of men, have to keep secrets or the family will suffer, have fallen hard for Seth but it's all wrong.... Well geez, talk to someone!! Everyone is keeping secrets until finally halfway into the book we move forward. But by then you can guess what will happen at each turn. Wholly unsatisfying... if you like a little mystery with your mystery, save your money... if it's more than 99¢ save your money...

[J.B. Trepagnier · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, I had a major plot twist spoiled by a review. The baby Jesus and River Song don't like it when you don't hide spoilers.

Even knowing a major spoiler, it didn't ruin the book. The book was exciting with romance budding in the background and there were still major surprises. Maggie was a likable character and I liked her spunk. This is billed as a romance and I've read a mystery under the author's pen name that she does mysteries under. This is a great combo of mystery, suspense, and romance

[Chanel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book kept my attention, though the plot is pretty easy to guess. Seth and Maggie hardly know each other, but there is no denying their mutual attraction. Of course, they give into their lustful desires. Poof, they are in love. Even though I like both lead characters, I am not buying their instant love.
The last few chapters are filled with tension and action. It was not realistic that the FBI would allow a civilian to take up arms and assist them bringing down terrorists. However, overall it was a pretty good story. It sure bought back memories of my mother’s wonderful home cooked meals.

[Allyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a ride! You wouldn't think a romance would have you on the edge of your seat, but this one sure is a nail biter!
Maggie has had her fair share of bad luck in the romance realm. Married a con man unwittingly and then lost him to prison and an untimely death before she could come to grips with the drastic turn her life had taken.
Returning home to small town Vichy, Maggie determines to get her feet under herself and build again. This time with eyes wide open.
Along comes Seth. Sexy, mysterious and wounded. Literally. Staying in the family home while her retired doctor grandfather patches up the injured man, Maggie finds she is not only attracted to him, but once again, he is the wrong kind of man.
Working as a reporter makes our leading lady naturally curious and she embarks upon a journey to discover just who this man she can't seem to keep her hands off of is.
Now comes the adventure.
This book really should have it's own genre. It is mystery/romance/adventure/thriller. Never a dull moment and a twist or two to really keep you turning pages. I enjoyed it to the last letter!
Ms. Powell has a knack for writing a character vividly. From the bad guy (I won't give it away) to the uncle, who himself has many layers. She writes the grandparents true to their generation from manner of speech to demeanor and lifestyle. I felt as if I had met them all in person.
The book also has it's own layers of depth. Yes it is a romance, and I found my self champing at the bit to see just how Maggie and Seth worked out their differences, but it is also and adventure and a mystery, I don't know which had me more on the edge of my seat.
The research and detail were excellent, there wasn't a moment where I didn't believe the flow of events and that gains some respect from me. (So much in Hollywood is just fluff and flash.)
I could totally see this on the big screen. If that day comes, I will be grabbing the first ticket!

[Elizabeth Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had my heart fluttering in places. When Seth said "My God, I can't get you out of my mind," he groaned, drawing in ragged gasps of air, his lips planting feverish kisses over her face and neck. "God knows I've tried. I'm obsessed with you. I think about you every moment I'm awake and dream about you when I go to sleep." I must confess it made me smile with joy and I read that paragraph repeatedly just to relive that moment with both Maggie and Seth. I know pathetic, but I love romance and this book had it in waves.
The affection Maggie and Seth felt at the moment they first saw each other felt relatable and believable but I must confess at the beginning when I read about Maggie’s thoughts when she first laid eyes on Seth laying on the bed, I had rolled my eyes thinking it was one of those very predictable books. However there is nothing sure when it comes to love, it happens all the time. Each time the stories and journeys are different and it’s the unique turns and depths each takes that strengthens one romance from another and I loved this one for all the right reasons..
I don’t want to give the plot away but I loved the way Seth loved Maggie even though he had to pull away from her to keep her safe. He ended up hurting her, and Maggie in my opinion was too, curious, stubborn, always putting herself in harm’s way and getting away with it and oh, all too forgiving after he had rejected her and cast her aside like that after a night of passion with her. I would have loved it if she made him sweat a little in the end before accepting his declaration of love. Also I didn’t like not knowing if her family approved of him being with her even though I knew they liked Seth as a person. This book was beautifully written and very believable and like I said it made my heart flutter, when Maggie missed Seth, I missed him too. I highly recommend this book to anyone that loves thrillers and romance.

[Emma Jaye · Rating 3 out of 5]

Romance and international terrorism in small town America.
I had a tough time rating this one, it did have merit, the writing is flawless, it's certainly had an excellent proofreader, but for me, it wasn't a page turner. if I find myself checking how long I have to go in a book, that's a problem. I have been known to sit up all night to finish a story I find gripping, which anything with a 'suspense' label should be, but this one took me over a week to finish. Unfortunately, most aspects were predictable in both the romantic and suspense threads.
Maggie's logic on a number of relationship issues were remarkably suspect considering several other characters commenting that she was intelligent. I would have expected such decisions from a much younger, inexperience woman, but not a mature lady who had recently been badly burned by a lying, now dead husband.
I understood the lust, Seth is seriously sexy, but full-blown love in the span of a couple of days? Also them having vigorous sex in the missionary position a few days after he was shot in the shoulder was impressive. He also manages to carry an unconscious woman for what appeared to be quite a distance less than a week later.

A predictable romance dressed up in a slightly threadbare 'suspense' cover, if that's your thing and I can imagine for many people it is, this would be a well written, satisfying story.

[Ed Morawski · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of those books I pretty much knew was going to get a Five Star rating from page two - as long as the author didn't screw something up as it went (obviously she didn't). It grabbed me right away with excellent prose and kept me with natural dialogue, interesting characters, and a great storyline.

The romance was hot and sexy. From the moment Seth pulled Maggie down with him on his bed it was heated. I enjoyed reading both Maggie's and Seth's thoughts on their relationship, so many of these novels are one sided and this was refreshing hearing both points of view.

The book is kind of a genre bender as well, combining elements of romance with a suspense / thriller. Because of this, I'm also pretty sure just about any other male would find this book enjoyable and entertaining. Another plus is that all the characters act logically and there are no eye-rollers!

The only criticism I can come up with is the title - to me it's generic and obvious. Something like 'Vichy Affairs' would have added a level of mystery.

A great read though by any definition.

[Lora Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a good read. The characters were well written with a great plot. Once I started reading, I couldn't put it down.