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Mirabelle Harbor #3
You Give Love a Bad Name
YOU GIVE LOVE A BAD NAME is Book 3 in Marilyn Brant's Mirabelle Harbor series, but this story and all of the contemporary romances in this series can be enjoyed as stand-alone novels.
"Nothing but love, 24/7" is the slogan of Mirabelle Harbor's only radio station, 102.5 "LOVE" FM. On the verge of turning thirty-five, local DJ Blake Michaelsen is well-known for several reasons: his very sexy on-air voice, his omnipresent family, his eligible bachelor status, and his reputation as one of the most impulsive men in Chicago's northern suburbs.
High-school French teacher and lifelong romantic Vicky Bernier is not at all wild about people who exhibit reckless conduct. (Blake.) Or men who have gigantic egos. (Blake.) Or grownups who still act like teenagers. (Blake, again.) She deals with enough adolescent behavior during the school day. Unfortunately, she's the staff advisor to the Homecoming Committee, and they've chosen him as their DJ for the big fall dance.
What happens when a man whose job it is to play love songs for a living is forced to admit his deepest secret-that he doesn't believe in true love-only to discover that the one woman who might capture his heart is the same woman who distrusts him the most?
No matter what you call it, with love there's an exception to every rule. YOU GIVE LOVE A BAD NAME, a Mirabelle Harbor story.
"Nothing but love, 24/7" is the slogan of Mirabelle Harbor's only radio station, 102.5 "LOVE" FM. On the verge of turning thirty-five, local DJ Blake Michaelsen is well-known for several reasons: his very sexy on-air voice, his omnipresent family, his eligible bachelor status, and his reputation as one of the most impulsive men in Chicago's northern suburbs.
High-school French teacher and lifelong romantic Vicky Bernier is not at all wild about people who exhibit reckless conduct. (Blake.) Or men who have gigantic egos. (Blake.) Or grownups who still act like teenagers. (Blake, again.) She deals with enough adolescent behavior during the school day. Unfortunately, she's the staff advisor to the Homecoming Committee, and they've chosen him as their DJ for the big fall dance.
What happens when a man whose job it is to play love songs for a living is forced to admit his deepest secret-that he doesn't believe in true love-only to discover that the one woman who might capture his heart is the same woman who distrusts him the most?
No matter what you call it, with love there's an exception to every rule. YOU GIVE LOVE A BAD NAME, a Mirabelle Harbor story.
220 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 12, 2016
2 people are currently reading
683 people want to read
About the author
Marilyn Brant
35 books406 followersMarilyn Brant is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling author of contemporary fiction. Her debut novel won RWA's prestigious Golden Heart Award® in 2007 and she was named the 2013 Author of the Year by the Illinois Association of Teachers of English. She wrote ACCORDING TO JANE, the story of a modern woman who receives dating advice from the spirit of Jane Austen, FRIDAY MORNINGS AT NINE, and A SUMMER IN EUROPE, all women's fiction releases from Kensington Books.
She's also a #1 Kindle & #1 Nook Bestseller and has written a series of fun and flirty contemporary romantic comedies, such as ON ANY GIVEN SUNDAE and PRIDE, PREJUDICE AND THE PERFECT MATCH, along with a bestselling coming-of-age romantic mystery (THE ROAD TO YOU), a sweet holiday romance (THE KNIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS), and the 7-book "Mirabelle Harbor" contemporary romance series. Look for her latest releases, THE SECRET LIFE OF MAGGIE BLAKE, a modern romantic spy comedy inspired by the Scarlet Pimpernel (May 2022), and NOT ANOTHER ROMAN HOLIDAY, a rom-com novella set in Italy (November 2023)!
Marilyn lives in the northern Chicago suburbs with her family, analyzing novels for the storytelling website Save the Cat! and working on her own writing projects. When she isn't rereading Austen's books or enjoying the latest releases by her author friends, she's daydreaming plot ideas for her next novel, eating chocolate indiscriminately and hiding from the laundry.
She's also a #1 Kindle & #1 Nook Bestseller and has written a series of fun and flirty contemporary romantic comedies, such as ON ANY GIVEN SUNDAE and PRIDE, PREJUDICE AND THE PERFECT MATCH, along with a bestselling coming-of-age romantic mystery (THE ROAD TO YOU), a sweet holiday romance (THE KNIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS), and the 7-book "Mirabelle Harbor" contemporary romance series. Look for her latest releases, THE SECRET LIFE OF MAGGIE BLAKE, a modern romantic spy comedy inspired by the Scarlet Pimpernel (May 2022), and NOT ANOTHER ROMAN HOLIDAY, a rom-com novella set in Italy (November 2023)!
Marilyn lives in the northern Chicago suburbs with her family, analyzing novels for the storytelling website Save the Cat! and working on her own writing projects. When she isn't rereading Austen's books or enjoying the latest releases by her author friends, she's daydreaming plot ideas for her next novel, eating chocolate indiscriminately and hiding from the laundry.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
January 24, 2016
OK, the ..."Half agony, half hope" letter...is my favorite excerpt of all Jane Austen's writings. But Blake's tribute to Mademoiselle Vicky Bernier as the Homecoming Dance draws to a close has me in tears and sighing. Well done.
This couple is only thrown together because the Homecoming Dance committee has voted to ask Blake to be the DJ for that dance…against this teacher's internal better judgment.
Getting to know Blake Michaelson was quite the experience….this man who is described as having a split personality by someone close to him. But to the public eye he is the quintessential playboy: handsome, sexy, with a deep enthralling voice but a love 'em and leave 'em pattern in his relationships. He doesn't believe in love even as the disk jockey for the local voice of love on the radio (LOVE FM). He scorns "romance" and even gets looks of warning from his boss when his sarcastic views of such begin to sneak into his broadcast persona. But then his love of family, his heartache when his parents die and his adoption of and relationship with a mutt puppy give us peeks into another side, a hidden side.
Then there is that French high school teacher, the romantic who is looking for “the one”, a lasting relationship but also has learned a lot about “looking before you leap” in her relationships. She likes to read JAFF books and all those historical romances I (we) like to read. And she does believe that there are those heroes out there. So in observing this drunk, crass, ready to leap-into-a brawl man, who is also the sister of her good friend she puts up all the barriers around her heart.
She calls him on all those lines, all those “chance” meetings around town and then when she calls him on his budding relationship with her, for some reason…he is angry, he is not at all happy…one night stands??? What? OK, now we have to talk.
I loved the back and forth points of view and the development into understanding these two very opposite personalities. And part of understanding Blake was in getting to know his family better. But we also get to see that there is more to the romantic Vicky as we learn what she knows about her students. Indeed, this also had me with blurry eyes. Young people can have issues that are hidden but just as serious as some of the adults around us.
I was captivated by this story and recommend it to all those other romantics out there. There is some brief MA content with a few “choice” words as any realistic modern story might be expected to contain. I look forward to more in this series as there are a few often mentioned characters who do not yet have their Happily Ever After endings.
This couple is only thrown together because the Homecoming Dance committee has voted to ask Blake to be the DJ for that dance…against this teacher's internal better judgment.
Getting to know Blake Michaelson was quite the experience….this man who is described as having a split personality by someone close to him. But to the public eye he is the quintessential playboy: handsome, sexy, with a deep enthralling voice but a love 'em and leave 'em pattern in his relationships. He doesn't believe in love even as the disk jockey for the local voice of love on the radio (LOVE FM). He scorns "romance" and even gets looks of warning from his boss when his sarcastic views of such begin to sneak into his broadcast persona. But then his love of family, his heartache when his parents die and his adoption of and relationship with a mutt puppy give us peeks into another side, a hidden side.
Then there is that French high school teacher, the romantic who is looking for “the one”, a lasting relationship but also has learned a lot about “looking before you leap” in her relationships. She likes to read JAFF books and all those historical romances I (we) like to read. And she does believe that there are those heroes out there. So in observing this drunk, crass, ready to leap-into-a brawl man, who is also the sister of her good friend she puts up all the barriers around her heart.
She calls him on all those lines, all those “chance” meetings around town and then when she calls him on his budding relationship with her, for some reason…he is angry, he is not at all happy…one night stands??? What? OK, now we have to talk.
I loved the back and forth points of view and the development into understanding these two very opposite personalities. And part of understanding Blake was in getting to know his family better. But we also get to see that there is more to the romantic Vicky as we learn what she knows about her students. Indeed, this also had me with blurry eyes. Young people can have issues that are hidden but just as serious as some of the adults around us.
I was captivated by this story and recommend it to all those other romantics out there. There is some brief MA content with a few “choice” words as any realistic modern story might be expected to contain. I look forward to more in this series as there are a few often mentioned characters who do not yet have their Happily Ever After endings.
January 24, 2016
Marilyn's third book in the Mirabel Harbor series does not disappoint. Blake, a DJ at 102.5 "LOVE" FM does not believe n love. Vicky, a French teacher adores Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice believes in love and will not settle for less. Vicky's thought that "all the good men in the world were either gay, taken, or fictional" seems to be true, upon her first meeting with Blake when he makes a less than stellar impression upon her. Vicky is quite disapproving of Blake, but they are thrown together as the High School Homecoming Committee has chosen him to DJ their dance.
As we get more and more deeply into this story, I see characteristics that put me in mind of Darcy and Lizzy in Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. As with Darcy, by the time Blake realizes Vicky is worth keeping he has dug himself such a hole. Vicky's attitude is very similar to Elizabeth's 'last man in the world' attitude. Can Blake and Vicky overcome their differences?
This is a wonderfully written story that takes you on a roller coaster ride with a modern Darcy/Lizzy couple. There is so much to love about this story I can't pinpoint any one thing that grabbed me. As with my favorite couple, I can only say, 'I can't pinpoint the day or the hour. I was in the middle before I began.' A not to be missed story that will not disappoint. A definite must read.
I recommend this book for a mature audience as it contains some sensual scenes.
I was given this book by the author in exchange for my honest review.
As we get more and more deeply into this story, I see characteristics that put me in mind of Darcy and Lizzy in Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. As with Darcy, by the time Blake realizes Vicky is worth keeping he has dug himself such a hole. Vicky's attitude is very similar to Elizabeth's 'last man in the world' attitude. Can Blake and Vicky overcome their differences?
This is a wonderfully written story that takes you on a roller coaster ride with a modern Darcy/Lizzy couple. There is so much to love about this story I can't pinpoint any one thing that grabbed me. As with my favorite couple, I can only say, 'I can't pinpoint the day or the hour. I was in the middle before I began.' A not to be missed story that will not disappoint. A definite must read.
I recommend this book for a mature audience as it contains some sensual scenes.
I was given this book by the author in exchange for my honest review.
February 13, 2016
My second book by Ms. Brant. My first of her Mirabelle Harbor series. I really liked the first of her books that I have read, but I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED! You Give Love a Bad Name. I love everything about this book. I liked the heroine, Mademosille Vicky Bernier and adored the hero, Blake Michaelsen. He was the hot bad boy, but not so bad that he was unlikable, and irredeemable. Ms. Brant did an excellent job showing us what made him tick. And showed us his heart and vulnerability, and she did it perfectly. I'm not a fan of 'bad boy's.' When I first the introduction of Blake, I thought, "Ugh, he's one of those." But because 's. Brant so eloquently showed us why Blake was the way he was, and showed us his heart and vulnerable side. Particularly with his fur buddy Winston, and his family. I was in love with a new book boyfriend in no time. Extra points for Blake for adopting a little dog. I love a guy who has a little dog. It shows they're secure enough in their masculinity. Any man can have a big dog. Which I love all dog's. I think it takes a special man to own a little dog.
I didn't take French in High School, so I learned French. Lol. I love when I actually learn something in the romance I am reading.
"Nothing but love 24/7 on 102.5 love FM. on Mirabelle Harbor' s one and only radio station. To bad DJ, sexy on air voice Blake Michaelsen doesn't believe in love.
High School French teacher, and friend of Blake's sister, Shar, Vicki Bernier is a romantic who adores Jane Austen, and Pride and Prejudice and would like to find a guy like the hero's in her novels and old movies. Too bad they don't seem to exist. She has no interest in men with big egos. Blake. Men who are reckless. Blake. Or men who act like teenage boy's. Blake again.
Vicky is staff advisor for the upcoming homecoming dance, and who do the kid's pick as their DJ? Not one of his coworkers, but Blake himself. Forced to work together with the kid's on the homecoming dance, Blake makes a bad impression on Mademosille Bernier. The kid's though love him. Determined to change her impression of him as some dumb, reckless, playboy, he speaks French to her. Showing up in the same places in their small town, like walking his little dog Winston in the park at the same time Vicky does her run, listening to her audio books. Vicky falls instantly in love with Winston. Things come to a head when little Winston is spooked by a crowd of joggers and off his leash he runs into the street and is hit by a car. Devastated and in shock, Vicky drives him to the vet and stays with him until they both know Winston will recover. Seeing this different, vulnerable side of Blake, she decides to give him a chance. I cried like a baby when Winston got hit. I felt for Blake. I think, like Vicky, that's when it changed for me and I fell in love. I also liked Vicky' s kid's, and how Blake was with them. And his relationship with his siblings. Especially his sister, Sharlene. Totally realistic. I can't wait to read more of Ms. Brant. Especially her Mirabelle Harbor series.
I was given a PDF version of this book from the author for an honest review.
I didn't take French in High School, so I learned French. Lol. I love when I actually learn something in the romance I am reading.
"Nothing but love 24/7 on 102.5 love FM. on Mirabelle Harbor' s one and only radio station. To bad DJ, sexy on air voice Blake Michaelsen doesn't believe in love.
High School French teacher, and friend of Blake's sister, Shar, Vicki Bernier is a romantic who adores Jane Austen, and Pride and Prejudice and would like to find a guy like the hero's in her novels and old movies. Too bad they don't seem to exist. She has no interest in men with big egos. Blake. Men who are reckless. Blake. Or men who act like teenage boy's. Blake again.
Vicky is staff advisor for the upcoming homecoming dance, and who do the kid's pick as their DJ? Not one of his coworkers, but Blake himself. Forced to work together with the kid's on the homecoming dance, Blake makes a bad impression on Mademosille Bernier. The kid's though love him. Determined to change her impression of him as some dumb, reckless, playboy, he speaks French to her. Showing up in the same places in their small town, like walking his little dog Winston in the park at the same time Vicky does her run, listening to her audio books. Vicky falls instantly in love with Winston. Things come to a head when little Winston is spooked by a crowd of joggers and off his leash he runs into the street and is hit by a car. Devastated and in shock, Vicky drives him to the vet and stays with him until they both know Winston will recover. Seeing this different, vulnerable side of Blake, she decides to give him a chance. I cried like a baby when Winston got hit. I felt for Blake. I think, like Vicky, that's when it changed for me and I fell in love. I also liked Vicky' s kid's, and how Blake was with them. And his relationship with his siblings. Especially his sister, Sharlene. Totally realistic. I can't wait to read more of Ms. Brant. Especially her Mirabelle Harbor series.
I was given a PDF version of this book from the author for an honest review.
January 23, 2016
REVIEW
This, the third in the Mirabelle Harbor Series is just as endearing as the two previous stories. Even though each of the stories can be read in total enjoyment without having read the other books in the series, the characters of each of the novels seem to spill over the covers and into the flow of each other’s storylines, like a tight knit community.
The tone of YOU GIVE LOVE A BAD NAME seemed to be a little lighter at the outset than the two previous installments. Reading the story had me shaking my head over the mis-match of a wild “playboy” disk-jockey from the local 102.5 “LOVE” FM radio station mixing it up with a very conservative, intelligent, bookish, French high school teacher. The sparks were flying from the first meeting. It wasn’t the kind of sparks that spelled attraction, either. It was more “mama bear protecting the cubs from the wolf at the door” sparks.
I found myself laughing quite often at the banter between Vicky and Blake, as they found themselves constantly at the same places, but of course Mirabelle Harbor is a small hamlet. The only thing that they seemed to find common ground on was Blake’s dog. A near tragedy turned the tables on the sparks, as they both focused on the care of the dog, and ultimately turned to each other. But alas, Blake continues to play the “bad boy”, much to Vicky’s not-so-happy chagrin, when it comes to the planning for the homecoming dance with the Student Homecoming Planning Committee.
As with all of Marilyn’s novels, we can’t get away with light and fluffy. There is always hidden depth to her stories. Just like in real life, there are reasons why people insist on continually acting out, misbehaving. This time, I just missed all the clues. So this time around, I found myself just a little ticked at the behavior of the hero. Come on man, grow up!!! You are in your thirties. But then, good lands, there are people in real life, just like that. Writing a character like this into the protagonist character of the book was a chance, but it worked!!! It worked well enough to catch me off guard and give me pause when the answers finally started revealing themselves. It just made me love the heroine all the more. Vicky was just who Blake needed. On the other hand, Blake was just who Vicky needed.
Marilyn, even after writing for this many years, continues to polish her craft. She continues to entertain her readers with new and fresh material that keeps us laughing and crying. I love that I can pick up a novel written by her in any of several genre and know that it will be well written. It does not matter if it is a light comedic novel, a hard hitting women’s fiction, a mystery action-packed thriller, or a historical fiction. She nails them all. She did it again with the writing of YOU GIVE LOVE A BAD NAME. Once again she has managed to rate a 5 STAR rating from this reviewer. Way to Go!!!! Don’t miss this novel, or the whole series. They are a true delight for the reader’s palette.
This, the third in the Mirabelle Harbor Series is just as endearing as the two previous stories. Even though each of the stories can be read in total enjoyment without having read the other books in the series, the characters of each of the novels seem to spill over the covers and into the flow of each other’s storylines, like a tight knit community.
The tone of YOU GIVE LOVE A BAD NAME seemed to be a little lighter at the outset than the two previous installments. Reading the story had me shaking my head over the mis-match of a wild “playboy” disk-jockey from the local 102.5 “LOVE” FM radio station mixing it up with a very conservative, intelligent, bookish, French high school teacher. The sparks were flying from the first meeting. It wasn’t the kind of sparks that spelled attraction, either. It was more “mama bear protecting the cubs from the wolf at the door” sparks.
I found myself laughing quite often at the banter between Vicky and Blake, as they found themselves constantly at the same places, but of course Mirabelle Harbor is a small hamlet. The only thing that they seemed to find common ground on was Blake’s dog. A near tragedy turned the tables on the sparks, as they both focused on the care of the dog, and ultimately turned to each other. But alas, Blake continues to play the “bad boy”, much to Vicky’s not-so-happy chagrin, when it comes to the planning for the homecoming dance with the Student Homecoming Planning Committee.
As with all of Marilyn’s novels, we can’t get away with light and fluffy. There is always hidden depth to her stories. Just like in real life, there are reasons why people insist on continually acting out, misbehaving. This time, I just missed all the clues. So this time around, I found myself just a little ticked at the behavior of the hero. Come on man, grow up!!! You are in your thirties. But then, good lands, there are people in real life, just like that. Writing a character like this into the protagonist character of the book was a chance, but it worked!!! It worked well enough to catch me off guard and give me pause when the answers finally started revealing themselves. It just made me love the heroine all the more. Vicky was just who Blake needed. On the other hand, Blake was just who Vicky needed.
Marilyn, even after writing for this many years, continues to polish her craft. She continues to entertain her readers with new and fresh material that keeps us laughing and crying. I love that I can pick up a novel written by her in any of several genre and know that it will be well written. It does not matter if it is a light comedic novel, a hard hitting women’s fiction, a mystery action-packed thriller, or a historical fiction. She nails them all. She did it again with the writing of YOU GIVE LOVE A BAD NAME. Once again she has managed to rate a 5 STAR rating from this reviewer. Way to Go!!!! Don’t miss this novel, or the whole series. They are a true delight for the reader’s palette.
January 8, 2017
This is my first adventure but definitely won't be my last into the wonderful words of Marilyn Brant.. my first visit to Mirabelle Harbour.. and we get to meet the charming but seemingly arrogant radio DJ Blake and the prim and proper French teacher Mademoiselle Bernier.. Vicky... who wants her hero to be like her romantic book boyfriends and certainly not at all like Blake Michaelson. I straight away felt a connection with the characters and saw the underlying nice guy under Bloke's facade and was rooting for him to win Vicky over.. I had tears more than once ... once in my lunch break at work !!.. and a few laughs along the way too. A real feel good book showing how love really can conquer prejudices and that opposites really can attract. . I look forward to delving into the other Mirabelle Harbour books now !
January 26, 2016
This is my favorite book so far in the series, I love Blake he is the ultimate hottie, who happens to not see himself that way, He is a jerk at times, a romantic, a caring brother and friend, But it's hard to say which is the real Blake. He needed the right woman to come along. Vicky is stuck with her head in her books and looking for the man who doesn't exist. Face it we all have that one book boyfriend that we compare every male to, and that's why they only exist on paper. Vicky finally gets her nose out of the books and begins to see Blake for what he is!
terrific romance novel, great story line and amazing characters
terrific romance novel, great story line and amazing characters
March 16, 2016
Blake and Vicky have chemistry, but is it enough? Blake is known for his playboy ways. Vicky is a straight-laced teacher. But is she really? Or is what people see their ways to cloak who they really are? This book brought back so many memories for me, and the scenes felt so real. I felt like I was there. There were intense moments, funny moments, heartbreaking moments, and sweet moments. A wonderful book, and I highly recommend it.
May 27, 2016
Once again, Marilyn Brant has written a book with a story and characters I fell in love with!
March 22, 2016
The first book I have read by Marilyn and I will definitely be reading more. A good read with believable, likable characters. Got to love a good guy hiding behind a not such a good guy image!
June 13, 2025
You give love a bad name by Maryilyn Braant, 202 pages 4/5
Disclaimer: Although I don't usually read straight romance, I know the author's brother. So I got a copy and decided to give it a try. Granted, it's only 202 pages. I read it in 2 days. We aren't having garlic scape pesto tonight because I wanted to finish the novel before I went to pick up my husband, and now don't have time to make the pesto.
What a fun read. I loved that the characters were written in a way that was real and weren't predictable the way they normally are in romance novels. There was some spice, but not over the top.
Disclaimer: Although I don't usually read straight romance, I know the author's brother. So I got a copy and decided to give it a try. Granted, it's only 202 pages. I read it in 2 days. We aren't having garlic scape pesto tonight because I wanted to finish the novel before I went to pick up my husband, and now don't have time to make the pesto.
What a fun read. I loved that the characters were written in a way that was real and weren't predictable the way they normally are in romance novels. There was some spice, but not over the top.
April 20, 2016
Mistaken First Impressions
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
In her latest contemporary romance series, talented and bestselling author, Marilyn Brant, takes readers to Mirabelle Harbor, a charming suburb near Chicago. All the books in this series take place in the same town, and readers are able to recognize the main characters of each book as the siblings or friends of other main characters in the series. Which really brings a lovely sense of community and familiarity with this town and the people in it! You Give Love a Bad Name is the third book in this series, and lucky for me, all these books are stand-alone.
In this story our hero and heroine couldn’t be more different from each other. Blake Michaelsen, is a way-too-charming-for-his-own-good radio DJ who likes to be a little bit reckless, irresponsible, and has a very negative view about love. Mademoiselle Vicky Bernier is a high-school French teacher who is kind, cultured, and even though she has had some bad relationships in the past – a faithful believer in romantic love. (Girlfriend loves her some JAFF!) While Blake and Vicky might feel some instant attraction and interest for each other, their interactions are more prickly and tense than friendly.
Besides having very different personalities and views on love, Blake and Vicky have made bad impressions on each other. Based on his outward persona and a public display of drunkenness, Vicky has formed the opinion that Blake is a self-destructive, unprincipled, and well-practiced seducer. And Blake, seeing nothing but disgust and distrust in Vicky’s eyes and manner, has formed the opinion that she isn’t worth his time and effort. But the two are thrown together to prepare for the upcoming homecoming dance and with their frequent meetings together, these misconstrued opinions start to change…
With our hero and heroine being so different and having inaccurate preconceived notions about each other, you might notice this story has a bit of Pride and Prejudice flavoring. However, I wouldn’t label Vicky and Blake as a modern-day Elizabeth and Darcy, they are just a couple who made similar mistakes to Jane Austen’s beloved couple. Vicky was definitely wrong about Blake, and it was lovely to see his character slowly unfurl. His bad-boy veneer hides some insecurities and unknown depths. In addition, it was wonderful to see Blake, even though he tried so hard to fight it, feel some stirrings of love and be quite the romantic. (Loved his mode of declaration and his über romantic surprise at the end!)
Another part of the story I enjoyed was seeing Blake’s sweet relationship with his dog, Winston, and Winston’s immediate fondness for Vicky. In addition, I also liked how the point-of-view kept switching back and forth between Blake and Vicky, giving the reader a balanced understanding of both characters. And it was super fun to see the inclusion of and reference to so many 80’s songs. Turns out I don’t know as many 80’s songs as I thought I did! (Must listen to Marilyn’s playlist and educate myself!)
While I don’t read very many contemporary romances – like Vicky, I’m a devoted reader of historical romance and JAFF – I do love reading contemporary romances by Marilyn Brant. I love the complex romances Ms. Brant chooses to write about, I love the depth and substance she gives her characters, and I love the little details and touches she adds that make her stories so vivid and captivating. You can be sure I’ll be revisiting Mirabelle Harbor soon and checking out the rest of this enchanting series!
Note: Due to some use of profanity and intimate scenes, I’d recommend this book for Mature Audiences only.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
In her latest contemporary romance series, talented and bestselling author, Marilyn Brant, takes readers to Mirabelle Harbor, a charming suburb near Chicago. All the books in this series take place in the same town, and readers are able to recognize the main characters of each book as the siblings or friends of other main characters in the series. Which really brings a lovely sense of community and familiarity with this town and the people in it! You Give Love a Bad Name is the third book in this series, and lucky for me, all these books are stand-alone.
In this story our hero and heroine couldn’t be more different from each other. Blake Michaelsen, is a way-too-charming-for-his-own-good radio DJ who likes to be a little bit reckless, irresponsible, and has a very negative view about love. Mademoiselle Vicky Bernier is a high-school French teacher who is kind, cultured, and even though she has had some bad relationships in the past – a faithful believer in romantic love. (Girlfriend loves her some JAFF!) While Blake and Vicky might feel some instant attraction and interest for each other, their interactions are more prickly and tense than friendly.
Besides having very different personalities and views on love, Blake and Vicky have made bad impressions on each other. Based on his outward persona and a public display of drunkenness, Vicky has formed the opinion that Blake is a self-destructive, unprincipled, and well-practiced seducer. And Blake, seeing nothing but disgust and distrust in Vicky’s eyes and manner, has formed the opinion that she isn’t worth his time and effort. But the two are thrown together to prepare for the upcoming homecoming dance and with their frequent meetings together, these misconstrued opinions start to change…
With our hero and heroine being so different and having inaccurate preconceived notions about each other, you might notice this story has a bit of Pride and Prejudice flavoring. However, I wouldn’t label Vicky and Blake as a modern-day Elizabeth and Darcy, they are just a couple who made similar mistakes to Jane Austen’s beloved couple. Vicky was definitely wrong about Blake, and it was lovely to see his character slowly unfurl. His bad-boy veneer hides some insecurities and unknown depths. In addition, it was wonderful to see Blake, even though he tried so hard to fight it, feel some stirrings of love and be quite the romantic. (Loved his mode of declaration and his über romantic surprise at the end!)
Another part of the story I enjoyed was seeing Blake’s sweet relationship with his dog, Winston, and Winston’s immediate fondness for Vicky. In addition, I also liked how the point-of-view kept switching back and forth between Blake and Vicky, giving the reader a balanced understanding of both characters. And it was super fun to see the inclusion of and reference to so many 80’s songs. Turns out I don’t know as many 80’s songs as I thought I did! (Must listen to Marilyn’s playlist and educate myself!)
While I don’t read very many contemporary romances – like Vicky, I’m a devoted reader of historical romance and JAFF – I do love reading contemporary romances by Marilyn Brant. I love the complex romances Ms. Brant chooses to write about, I love the depth and substance she gives her characters, and I love the little details and touches she adds that make her stories so vivid and captivating. You can be sure I’ll be revisiting Mirabelle Harbor soon and checking out the rest of this enchanting series!
Note: Due to some use of profanity and intimate scenes, I’d recommend this book for Mature Audiences only.
February 1, 2016
Coming soon!
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