Rent a Bad Boy: A Dark Rom-Com

Renting Love

by Darcy Rose

Sometimes the best way to fight a bully is to bring home an even bigger one.

My HOA is threatening to take my chickens, my grandma is dating aggressively, and I’m one day away from losing my mind. So I do what any desperate, broke college girl would do: I hunt down Everett Stone, the scary football star who just got suspended for breaking someone’s jaw.

I didn’t expect him to actually do it. I definitely didn’t expect the six-foot-something wall of muscle with bruised knuckles and a dark stare to drive me to get new glasses.

I just wanted to save my fluffy babies.

Instead, I accidentally hired the hottest, most terrifying boyfriend experience on campus. Before I know it, I’m in over my head, and the HOA is not my only problem.

Send help. Or more chickens. Preferably both.

A dark, dirty, and ridiculously addictive rom-com. This is a standalone with a happily ever after.

Tropes: Rom-Com, Size Difference, Underground Fighting, Jock/Nerd, Obsessed Chicken Mom

Genres: Dark Romance, Novella, Rom Com, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, College, Romance

154 pages, Paperback

Published August 3, 2026

About the author

Darcy Rose is a USA Today Bestselling author who writes about shy and innocent heroines, to match them up with dark and intense heroes who have only eyes for one girl.

If you like your books short, taboo, dark, and a bit (or a lot) kinky, then Darcy Rose is perfect for you.

Reviews

[Ace · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 freaking stars, I LOVED this. As always, I rate within genre, which in this case would be a contemporary romance novella. Thank you to BookSirens and Bleeding Heart Press for providing me with a copy of this novella that I absolutely flew through.

There are two types of insta-love: the kind that makes you roll your eyes in annoyance, and the kind that makes you kick your feet in delight. This book had me 100% kicking my feet and squealing in pleasure, not minding the insta-love one single bit.

Everett: violent. Problematic on paper. Amazing book boyfriend.

Isla: could have been so annoying, but was an absolute delight instead.

This book is 141 pages of the college experience I would have loved to have had, the relationship vibe I wish I had been able to experience during my brand-new adult years, and a great example of two people showing one another respect in very unique-to-them ways. The writing was tight, there was not a single wasted word, and the plot was actually so cute.

The spice was extremely respectful and felt very special. Yes, the relationship happened at the speed of light, but no, I do not care—it simply didn't bother me because that was pretty much how fast I remember relationships happening during that period of my life, so it actually felt fairly accurate to that age range.

I haven’t read any of the other books in the series, which made absolutely zero difference since this was a complete stand-alone. I will absolutely be checking out more from this author in the future.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everett was honestly pretty tame compared to some of the others in this series. I mean, he's not a hitman, so, you know, he doesn't kill people for a living. He's just a little intense. Okay, a lot intense. And he might have some anger management issues. And, yeah, he's involved in illegal underground fight rings. But he doesn't kill people. I think that's pretty significant.

Anywho. Isla is a little nerdy (not in a bad way, she's just very passionate about the things that interest her) and a lot desperate when it comes to the safety and wellbeing of her chickens. So she takes her grandmother's off the cuff idea about hiring someone intimidating to help her with the HOA and runs with it. She picks out the biggest, most intense guy on the football team (the one who's just coming off a suspension for getting a little too physical) and decides she's going to see if he'll help her. Somehow this turns into her getting knocked down in a crowd, having her glasses get crushed, and Everett swooping in to save her. With no idea who rescued her (because she's pretty blind without her glasses), she spills her plan to the big guy and...he's intrigued.

Everett is intense. He likes getting rough because it quiets all the noise in his head and he absolutely shouldn't be interested in a sweet freshman who needs him to act intimidating. But he is interested. More than, really. He likes how dedicated Isla is to her chickens and how she looks at him like he can solve the biggest problem she's ever dealt with. She's also timid until she isn't. And he REALLY likes that.

An HOA on a power trip, a little danger, chicken chickens chickens, an intense guy who might go all marshmallow-y for the right person, and a lady who picked the right guy at the right time and BOY did that turn out nicely for her.

-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal

[SassypantsReading · Rating 1 out of 5]

Another big miss for me. Rent A Bad Boy had potential, but really fell flat. I didn’t buy Isla and Everett together AT ALL. There was no chemistry. The plot was weird and had too much going on for such a short story. The pacing was off as well. Just not great.

I received a copy of Rent A Bad Boy from BookSirens and I’m leaving this review voluntarily.

[Dennis Wayne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mmc is a underground fighter fmc is a chicken loving,shy outcast.she needs a big strong scary man because her HOA is trying to take away her chickens and runs into the BIG fighter .its cute ,fast ,and fun.

[thebeespot72 · Rating 5 out of 5]

𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘢 𝘣𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘣𝘪𝘨𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘯𝘦.

Rent a Bad Boy by Darcy Rose, part of the Renting Love Series—a series of short novellas can be read as standalones. You really can’t go wrong with these.

Rent a Bad Boy was the perfect dark rom-com. It had that size difference, jock x nerdy girl thing going on. And of course lots of spice.

Isla is a quirky “chicken mom”. She is one of those who name their chickens like “Brad Pitt”. She loves them dearly. Everett is the big football guy but he has dark secrets. There’s also more to him than what’s on the surface too. And he falls hard and fast for Isla.

Rent a Bad Boy was cute, funny, spicy, with that dark mysterious guy all rolled up in one.

Thank you to Quirky Heart PR and Author Darcy Rose for the gifted e-copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Brittany Trynor · Rating 4 out of 5]

The football bad boy who likes under ground fights who might have a soft spot for the shy needy chicken girl who hires him...🤔😍

[Isabella Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

“𝙎𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙖𝙡𝙠𝙚𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙠𝙞𝙙𝙣𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙪𝙗𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙘𝙠𝙚𝙣 𝙛𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙨.”
“𝙄 𝙪𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙤𝙤𝙡𝙨 𝙖𝙫𝙖𝙞𝙡𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙚. 𝙉𝙤𝙩 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙤𝙛 𝙪𝙨 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙥𝙪𝙣𝙘𝙝 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙬𝙖𝙮 𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨.”

RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5
SPICE: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ 3/5

Okay…apparently dark romcoms have become one of my latest obsessions and honestly??? I’m not even remotely sorry about it. 😂🖤

Give me the darkness and morally questionable behavior I crave…but also make me laugh like an idiot while I’m reading it???

YES PLEASE.

And then Darcy Rose decided to throw one of my favorite tropes into the mix…

BULLY ROMANCE. 😩🧎🏻‍♀️

You guys KNOW I eat that sh*t up.

So Rent a Bad Boy was an easy 4 ⭐️ for me.

Our FMC has some very serious problems.

Her HOA is threatening to take her chickens.

She’s a broke college student.

Her grandma is apparently on a mission to terrorize the local dating population.

And she’s approximately three inconveniences away from completely losing her sh*t. 😂

So naturally, she comes up with the most logical solution possible:

Hire a bigger bully.

Enter Everett Stone. 👀

Six-foot-something football player.

Bruised knuckles.

Suspended for BREAKING SOMEONE’S JAW.

Underground fighter.

Generally terrifying.

Basically the exact man every reasonable woman should probably avoid.

So obviously…

I immediately wanted to know more. 😂🚩

She tracks Everett down because she needs someone scary enough to help her deal with the people threatening her chickens.

THE CHICKENS, YOU GUYS. 😭🐓

This entire relationship exists because this woman loves her fluffy babies and honestly??? Respect.

But Everett agrees to be her fake boyfriend and suddenly she has this giant, terrifying wall of muscle following her around…

And apparently he’s not nearly as scary with HER as everyone thinks he is. 😩

GRUMPY X SUNSHINE GETS ME EVERY F*CKING TIME.

Because I don’t want the grumpy man to suddenly become sunshine.

Absolutely not.

I want him to continue being an a$$hole to everyone ELSE while looking at his girl like she personally hung the moon.

That’s the good sh*t. 😂🧎🏻‍♀️

And Everett???

This man was giving very much “I hate everyone here except you.”

Sir.

Say less. 😩

We’ve also got that jock/nerd dynamic, size difference, opposites attract and insta-love energy, so these two are basically mismatched in all the ways that make a romcom ridiculously entertaining.

But we CANNOT discuss this book without talking about the REAL main character.

GRANDMA.

😭😂😭😂😭

I don’t care what anyone says.

Grandma stole every single f*cking scene she appeared in.

The wannabe leather pants???

THE LEOPARD PRINT?!

The aggressively dating grandma energy???

MA’AM. 😭👏🏻

Every time she showed up I knew some ridiculous sh*t was about to come out of her mouth, and I was READY.

Honestly, forget Everett.

I need Grandma’s book next.

I need to know who she’s dating.

I need to know where she’s going.

I need outfit descriptions.

I NEED ANSWERS. 😂😂😂

And this is exactly why I’ve been loving dark romcoms lately.

You still get the possessive, intimidating MMC.

You still get the darker edge.

You still get that delicious “touch her and find out” energy that apparently activates something deeply concerning inside my brain. 👀😂

But then five minutes later I’m laughing over a chicken or Grandma strutting around in leopard print.

BALANCE. 💅🏻

Was this some soul-shattering 5-star romance that left me staring blankly at the wall questioning the meaning of life?

No. 😂

But did I have a damn good time reading it?

ABSOLUTELY.

And sometimes that’s exactly what I want from a book.

Give me characters I enjoy, an MMC who’s just the right amount of intimidating, ridiculous situations, banter, some darkness and enough comedy to keep me entertained the entire time.

If you’re also entering your dark romcom era, or you love bully romance, fake dating, grumpy x sunshine, opposites attract, jock/nerd, size difference, underground fighting, touch-her-and-find-out MMCs and women willing to hire dangerous men to protect their chickens…

Please meet Everett. 😂🐓🖤

But more importantly…

Meet Grandma.

Because that leopard-print-wearing woman is the real bad boy in this relationship and I will NOT be accepting arguments at this time. 😭😂🖤

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the author and BookSirens for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Rent a Bad Boy was completely ridiculous, wildly fast-paced, and honestly so much fun. 😂

Isla lives with her chaotic 63-year-old grandma, who dates men from apps, loves motorcycles and refuses to get rid of their chickens despite the HOA notices piling up on their door. When Grandma jokes that they need to hire a big, scary man to intimidate the HOA, Isla discovers that Everett—the school’s dangerous football player, might be available for the job.

Naturally, things escalate.

This went from illegal backyard chickens and HOA drama to possessive bad boys, underground fighting, kidnapping and dramatic rescues at an absolutely unhinged speed. There is no slow burn here. Everett goes from reluctantly agreeing to help Isla to becoming protective, obsessed and ready to claim her almost immediately.

Was it realistic? Absolutely not.

Was I entertained? Completely.

Isla was sweet and awkward, Everett delivered all the possessive bad-boy energy, and Grandma Pickel was genuinely the star of the entire book. The chicken names, the chicken underwear and Brad Pitt potentially pecking someone to death had me laughing throughout.

It’s spicy, instalove-heavy and over-the-top, with limited character development because everything happens incredibly quickly. But as a short, unserious palate cleanser, it absolutely worked.

Come for the rented bad boy. Stay for Grandma, underwear covered in chickens and Brad Pitt. 🐓🏍️

[Lyndi (mibookobsession) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Isla is a broke college girl living with her crazy grandmother and raising her chickens. When the HOA demands she get rid of them, she's devastated. She needs a bigger bully to fight this battle, and she finds Everett Stone, linebacker for her college team, currently suspended for breaking an opponent's jaw.
Everett is used to taking care of himself. His parents never cared for him and he's been fighting his own battles since he was fourteen. No one sees the casting gentle side, only the large intimidating fighter. But despite what Isla is hiring him for, she's never seemed afraid of him. He finds himself wanting to be so much more than her defender.
This book was hilarious with the jock/nerd trope, Isla's chicken facts, and her funny/creepy grandma. I love how Isla is the only one that gets to see Everett's softer side (he even calls her "dimples"! ❤️). This is part of a series of standalone novellas full of humor and spice.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. The views and opinions expressed in this review are completely my own

[Allison Guthrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rent a bad boy was a short, fast paced, fun read!

Isla is just a nerdy girl who loves her t-swift themed chickens… think Lainey Boggs but instead of art it’s chickens 😅 Everett is the big hunky angry linebacker with secrets who keeps people at arms length, and they are absolutely adorable together! The HOA is trying to take Isla’s chickens so she hires Everett to intimidate them. Everett finds himself very intrigued with Isla and very quickly their arrangement becomes steamy!

“What the hell am I doing? I’ve got a fight coming up tomorrow that she doesn’t know about. We’re in a house I bought with blood money. I’ve got a past that would send most people running. And I just told a girl who wears underwear with chickens on it that she’s my girlfriend.”

And you can’t forget grandma! She was the absolute star of the show in every scene she was part of in her wannabe leather pants and leopard print!

It’s supposed to be a “dark” rom-com due to some mild violence and a brief kidnapping but if you’re a dark romance reader it’s more like a very light gray.

“So you talked your kidnappers into submission with chicken facts.”
“I used the tools available to me. Not all of us can punch our way out of things.”

From “Dimples”, to Brad Pitt the Rooster, the brownies, and the chicken underwear, I had a great time!!

Thank you to the Author for letting me read the advanced copy! 🩷

[SJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

For such a short read, this had A LOT going on 😂🐓 but I actually had a really good time with it.
Everett was definitely my favourite part. He might be the scary, intimidating bad boy to everyone else, but with her? So gentle. 🥹 I absolutely eat up the whole “I hate everyone except her” thing.
The chickens, fake boyfriend situation and absolutely unhinged Grandma kept it funny too. 😂
My only real complaint was the spice. There was basically ZERO build-up. One minute we're going about our business and the next it's essentially:
“I want to make you come.”
EXCUSE ME?! 😂🌶️ Can we flirt first? A little tension? ANYTHING?! It went from 0–100 so quickly that I actually laughed.
But for a quick dark romcom, this was a really fun read. It knew what it was, didn't take itself too seriously, and gave me an MMC who was terrifying to everyone else but soft with his girl. 👀🖤
⭐⭐⭐⭐
I'll definitely be binging more of these — or keeping them on standby as perfect little palate cleansers between heavier reads. 📚

[Christina cchasingtales & my.starlit.library · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Ilsa comes home from a day of classes she finds a paper stuck on her door from the homeowners association. It says the chickens she is keeping, and which she sees as her baby’s, will have to go. Her grandma, who’s also her roommate, suggests renting a badboy to intimidate the HOA and that’s exactly what Isla does..

Rent a bad boy is an immersive and engaging romance novella. It immediately grabbed me and so did all the characters. The FMC Isla is charming and lovable, but fierce at the same time and I loved how she stood up for her chicks.

Everett is the perfect MMC. Attractive, protective, thoughtful and he has that irresistible dark edge. Every interaction between them had me smiling. And oh the grandma was adorable and so funny. She truly left a lasting impression.

I enjoyed every page and I can’t wait to pick up another book by this author.

Strongly recommended if you love tropes like:
Opposites attract
Grumpy x sunshine
College romance
Insta love
Touch her and die

[Big Sho ✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an ARC from Quirky Heart PR.

This rom com is very hilarious, goofy and spicy. I laughed all through, it’s also short so you can read it in one sitting.

Isla was very protective of her pet chickens, she’s had them since she was 15 and they are the only family she has outside of her grandmother. Her grandmother is sooooo freaking hilarious, she’s living her best life; mimosas at noon, dates with younger men, she’s on dating apps, obsessed with handsome men and not shy about flirting with them. Isla is the opposite of her grandmother, she is extremely shy but she is able to talk to Everette,the bad boy in her college football team to help save her chickens from the HOA. With the kind of childhood both MCs had, I loved that they both found their person in each other.

If you are looking for a rom com that’s a little bit dark, this is the one for you!

The banter was perfect!
The spice was 🥵
The storytelling was on point
Jock Vs Nerd
Wound tending
The romance was sooo 🥰

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like these Rent a…. stories. They are fast paced, have smexy scenes, and have action. Everett is a football player with some not so minor anger issues. He lets his anger out on the field and in an illegal ring. Isla is your typical quiet, nerdy girl who loves her chickens. She can spout off any and all facts about the chickens she has. When the HOA is being a bit confrontational about her chickens and wanting them gone, she decides she needs to ‘fight’ them with a bad boy. One who can hopefully scare them into letting her chickens stay. She asks Everett in her crusade to save her chickens.🐓 This is an insta-list/love story with some spice and drama. There were parts that I giggled at and others I just outright laughed at. I liked the additional characters in the story, especially Tyler. 🤣 I loved the nickname our bad boy gives his heroine. If you want a quick read and love chickens and bad boys, pick this one up.

[Aleksandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Renting Love: Rent a Bad Boy by Darcy Rose is a hilarious, spicy, and utterly charming jock/nerd romance! Isla’s desperate mission to save her beloved chickens from the HOA leads her straight to intimidating football star Everett, and I absolutely loved watching this supposedly scary bad boy reveal his incredibly soft side.
Isla’s chicken facts, her wonderfully eccentric grandma, and the chemistry between her and Everett made this such a fun read. I especially loved that Isla never feared Everett and was the one person who could see the gentle man behind the bruised knuckles and tough exterior. The pacing is quick and entertaining, with plenty of humor, heart, and spice.
Overall, a ridiculously fun rom-com with an adorable couple, plenty of laughs, and chickens that deserve their own fan club! 4.5 stars.

[Kari Hansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Isla finds herself in a difficult situation which places the chickens she loves in jeopardy she comes up with a plan to ensure that doesn’t happen. Her attempt to tell Everett she needs help is humorous and she now finds herself with a boyfriend who wants to protect more than her chickens.

Everett plays on the college football team and is willing to use his brawn to help Isla and he can’t deny that she makes him want things he never wanted before with her. He isn’t sure what became of his solitary normal life to one filled with chaos but the one thing he doesn’t know is he can’t imagine a future without her.

Isla and Everett were so cute together as Everett is dark and dangerous when it comes to everyone except for Isla while Isla shows how strong she is when it comes to what is important as they take us on a journey that includes humor, heat and love.

[AJ Robertson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Isla Pickel, yes that's her name, is a girl who simply loves her chickens. She loves them enough to start a search for a dangerous looking tatted up guy, in the hopes just his look will scare off the HOA. Everett, is a guy with a history that he believes would have anyone running. He doesn't care about but much but that all changes once he lays eyes on Isla. Im pretty sure I probably shouldnt have laughed as much as i did but at one point, I was laughing so hard there were tears. A book hasn't done that to me in awhile. Ever experience the secondhand embarrassment that makes you want to cover your eyes while also still laughing? Absolutely happened here. Definitely a useful palate cleanser book!

[Harleem · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Rent a Bad Boy. The “obsessed chicken mom” trope had me intrigued from the start, and yes, I absolutely loved the chickens! 🐔

The relationship between the main characters takes a little time to settle into, but I really enjoyed watching it develop as the story progressed. By the end, I was completely invested in them and their relationship.

The characters were great, the plot kept moving, and the chemistry grew beautifully. I also loved the FMC's grandmother and her larger-than-life personality—she was such a fun addition to the story.

A fun, steamy read with plenty of heart and a satisfying HEA. Definitely a five-star read for me!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Marie’s Book Barn Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series keep getting better and better with each book.

I loved the humor as always in the Renting Love series and I absolutely loved it!

The Nerd/Jock dynamic and the fact that they are opposites was so fun to see play out and seeing their relationship and feelings unfold was something I really enjoyed.

Of course you can’t forget the chicken, love that btw, it was something a little different from the other animals from previous books but I loved the unique pick for the companions.

It was an overall great book, funny, spicy and everything in between.

Hands down loved it and I highly recommend reading it, and the others in the series as well.

Thank you, BookSirens, and Darcy Rose for the early copy and I can’t wait to the next two books to come! 🫶🏻

[Kris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Renting Love: Everett and Isla

This was absolutely ridiculous… and I had a ball reading it.

The premise alone had me sold.
A college student hires a football player to intimidate her HOA into letting her keep her chickens?! Seriusly, so good…

And Everett is just so OTT. He’s basically a walking wall of muscle and menace, and somehow it all works.

What started as an absurd setup turned into a surprisingly sweet romance with some steam, plenty of humour, and lots of entertaining moments.
Isla and Everett were such a fun pairing, and honestly, sometimes you just need a completely bonkers rom-com to put a smile on your face.
Ridiculous?
Absolutely.
Fun?
100%.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[De Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had me absolutely feral and wanting to immediately rent my own Everett. Everything about this story had me captivated and I was completely invested in the characters. The hilarity within the pages was matched only by the chemistry there too. I’m a huge sucker for a nerd-jock pairing and this book did it so well. Isla and Everett were opposites that shouldn’t work but they did so perfectly. They are each other’s ideal complement. They just fit together. Isla and Everett are absolutely adorable. I couldn’t get enough of them. The shenanigans they share were only topped by their insane chemistry. It was so easy to cheer for them. This book was short and sweet and spicy. It’s everything I wanted and exactly what I needed. I cannot wait to read more in this series.

[Vann · Rating 4 out of 5]

A surprisingly great read! 4 out of 5 Chickens.

It’s on the shorter side so it does move really quickly which is my only qualm with it. Otherwise? Liked it a lot! I’d read a whole spinoff about her grandmother and her dating life. I was impressed that the author gave them good backstories and the plot moves and tied together any loose knots all in less than 200 pages. It had some of my favorite tropes in a romance story-the aggression in Everett, the innocence in isla, smut, and a happy ending!

Who doesn’t hate a HOA! Sorry Christine, you’re not winning this one and I had a little evilly satisfied giggle outloud when the Joneses met Everett.

Long live Brad Pitt and I hope he is a good father.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Kaela Russell · Rating 4 out of 5]

✔️Tall, dark and handsome MMC who is deeply troubled with anger issues (🚩yes please!)
✔️Quirky 5 foot nothing FMC who is so obsessed with chickens she has chicken themed undies! 🩲
✔️An ugly rooster called Brad Pitt 🐓
✔️Menacing HOA who is trying to evict said chickens...Boooo!
This novella by Darcy Rose was very entertaining! Isla is a chicken mum who is having trouble with the HOA trying to evict her chickens from the neighborhood. Isla enlists the help of broody Everett to intimidate the HOA into backing down.
So much story was packed into this novella without it feeling rushed. Although, I definitely could have read another hundred pages of this story as the Granny was incredibly entertaining 😂.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fast paced romance novella.

Isla is a witty, awkward, nerdy, determined, chicken obsessed, and is fighting against her HOA to keep her chickens creating some great funny banter moments. She hires Everett to help her fight against the HOA.

Everett is on Isla’s college football team and is part of a underground fighting ring. He reluctantly agrees to help her. I really enjoyed Everett. The way he is protective, thoughtful, caring, and obsessed with Isla. Every moment between them had me smiling.

Tropes:
Novella
Opposites Attract
Jock X Nerd
Grumpy Sunshine
College Romance

[Mrs Reads Between The Lines · Rating 4 out of 5]

This over-the-top read blends laugh-out-loud humor with delicious, morally grey darkness in a speedy romance that throws together a chaotic mix of a tyrannical HOA, random danger, and an absurd amount of chickens. Isla hits the jackpot by locking down her man at the absolute perfect moment—especially since her intense protector, Everett, turns out to be a dangerous guy who melts only for her. Packed with rapid-fire spice and ridiculous shenanigans, this quick, fun story delivers exactly the kind of unhinged, entertaining escape that belongs on your tbr list.

This is my honest review of an advanced reader copy.

[Charlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rent a Bad Boy, part of the Renting Love series follows Isla Pickle and Everett Stone. Isla is in a pickle, no pun intended, as the HOA, and their leader Christine, is threatening to have her pet chickens removed. But when her grandmother makes a joke about hiring someone to scare off the prissy women, Isla does just that by finding the biggest, and most violent, guy in school. What starts off as a simple plan, turns into more as Everett finds himself taking care of Isla and eventually feeling things he’s never felt around other girls. Can the nerdy girl and the rough jock really make things work? Or will their paths come to an end once the HOA is dealt with?

[Charlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rent a Bad Boy, part of the Renting Love series follows Isla Pickle and Everett Stone. Isla is in a pickle, no pun intended, as the HOA, and their leader Christine, is threatening to have her pet chickens removed. But when her grandmother makes a joke about hiring someone to scare off the prissy women, Isla does just that by finding the biggest, and most violent, guy in school. What starts off as a simple plan, turns into more as Everett finds himself taking care of Isla and eventually feeling things he’s never felt around other girls. Can the nerdy girl and the rough jock really make things work? Or will their paths come to an end once the HOA is dealt with?

[Alicia Bradley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super fast paced laugh out loud read. A mix of fun tropes such as opposites attract, grumpy x sunshine, touch her and die( my fav) , jock x nerd, and one hilarious obsessed chicken mom.

The whole plot was excellent but the whole premise of fighting against a ridiculous HOA over your chickens sets you up for undeniable laughs!

This is spicy and fun , such a laid back read that will keep you smiling. The chemistry between the main characters progressed at what felt like the perfect rate which made it seem realistic.

Over all great read.

[Frank · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent!

Isla & Everett are superb main characters.

I really liked the opening chapters: both MCs established with an "Aww" factor already!

I loved the humour throughout (though much can't be quoted here):
"She's my most food-motivated girl, which is saying something because chickens as a species are basically stomachs with feathers."

Mind you, the humour was needed to balance some of the sadder bits ... but it all worked very well in this book!


(I was fortunate to receive an ARC however the above is, as ever, my own opinion.)

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went into this expecting one thing and getting so much more. This was a quick 140ish page read. I expected more of a dark romance but instead got a delightful and hilarious rom-com with a bit of darkness and some steam. I loved the speed of the book and found both the main characters, the eccentric grandma, and the chickens to be very entertaining. I was a bit sad when the story was over and look forward to reading more from this author. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.