I sold my soul a long time ago to pay my father’s debts. Now my life is a prison: no friends. No family. Nothing it would hurt to lose.
I never should’ve touched Abby. I tried not to, but she is beautiful, magnetic, sexy. Everything I want but can't let myself have.
UNTIL HE MET HER
She seduced me not knowing who I was or what I really do in the shadows. I should have resisted her, but I wanted to be the man Abby thought I was for as long as I could.
But all debts must be paid, sooner or later. And mine are paid with blood.
Now Abby knows who I am, what I am, and she’s run from me.
I would have let her go for her own good. But when I find out she’s carrying my baby — there’s nowhere she can hide…
***************************
Baby, Come Back is a full-length contemporary romance and the sequel to Bad Neighbor.
Look for more of the sultry, provocative EVERYTHING I LEFT UNSAID series by M. O'Keefe
“Exquisite, thrilling, and toe-curlingly sensual . . . a delicious guilty pleasure I never wanted to end!”—New York Times bestselling author Katy Evans, on Everything I Left Unsaid
"The perfect blend of danger, passion, darkness and hope. Joan and Max will break you and remake you. Fans of the O'Kanes will fall in love with them." - NYT Bestselling Author Kit Rocha on Burn Down The Night
“This book ripped my heart out and put it back again bigger. Wait For It is a heart-pounding read full of searingly hot scenes and stunning emotional depth.” ~New York Times bestselling author Annika Martin on Wait For It
Jack sacrificed it all. An education, his family, his future. Now a gun for hire, not even mass will wash away his sins. And yet the blonde headed beauty will be his undoing.
"People instinctively got out of his way and as he passed them they followed him with their eyes.
Like he was a shadow they could not shake off. The Grim Reaper.
And I wanted him so badly I had to lock my knees."
Abby is accustomed to making bad choices. She knows firsthand that beauty is overrated. Although it hasn’t stopped her from using her looks to charm the boys if it gets what she wants. But, from her first meeting with Jack, he seems immune. He looks at her in a way that leaves her feeling vulnerable and exposed.
These two meeting at work was a coincidence, however Jack and Abby hooking up; one big fuckup. She knew that Jack was dangerous, he even warned her, and she didn't stay away. They thought they could be casual, but their hearts were already too invested…
"And then his mouth. His kiss. Whatever I expected from this man’s kiss… it was not what I got.
It was gentle. Soft. It was the kiss of a man with something he needed forgiven."
When Jack’s world spills onto Abby’s and she witnesses something she shouldn't, the fear is real. So, she flees. Set in the past to present, the second half sees Jack tracking down Abby now that she’s gone. And she’s carrying one big secret that will potentially bind them forever. He will have his work cut out for him convincing Abby that he isn’t what she thinks. That they can have a future together.
"I loved you from the second you walked over and asked me what I was reading."
"But my love…my love has little value," I told her. "I don’t know what I bring to you but the blood on my hands."
Although a standalone, Baby, Come Back is the sequel to Bad Neighbor. I may not have loved this as much as the first book, but I still enjoyed the hell out of it. Who doesn’t love a broken man and the girl who leads him back into the light. Plus, the two epilogues were fab!!
Hey guys!!! Here is Jack and Abby's book (previously titled The Bad Boy's Secret Baby... I know, so bad...) It will be out on May 1! Preorder link is up now...
After the first book, I wasn't sure I'd be able to like the characters, because of the way they've treated their siblings in the first book... But boy, did they redeem themselves!!
Abby and Jack were two damaged people with much potential, who somehow got stuck in dead end situations and stopped believing in deserving anything good for themselves. The first part of their story had a lot of heat and action, while the second one was full of raw emotions and so much sweetness, I wanted to hug them.
He scratched at his chest, the area over his heart, and I knew that feeling too, had felt it twice now. The itch of the heart as it began its expansion, preparing itself for more love. - Oh, Jack.
The author gave us some amazing character growth here and now I want to read everything by her.
PS. If you love Cara McKenna and Julie Kriss, you will definitely love Molly O'Keefe!!
Forget the slightly silly title, especially the one in brackets. Forget the silly cover.
I wouldn't normally touch a book as soon as I read a title and/or saw a cover like this. But this is Molly O'Keefe. And, oh man, can that woman put emotions into words, write dialogues that feel realistic and make me believe that in the span of only a few days two people can connect so deeply, that for them nothing will ever compare again. And the angst!
A rage so sharp it turned to grief. A grief so big it turned to rage.
Those words gutted me. You know the saying. Truer words....
Molly O’Keefe is making a name for herself lately with edgier and darker romances, in particular, the Everything I Left Unsaid series, and this one, the Bad Boy Romance series. While Baby Come Back is a sequel to Bad Neighbor, it stands well on its own, though it’s worth noting that Jack’s introduction in Bad Neighbor is one as a definite villain. In that story, we get a very distinct picture of him, and it isn’t pretty. In Baby Come Back, we learn what makes him tick, and learn those distinctions of ‘bad’ and ‘good’ aren’t always so cut and dried.
Jack knows he’s bad news for any woman he comes across, having taken up the burden of his father’s debts by working for mob boss Lazarus. When he meets Abby at his boss’s dance club where she and a couple of friends have been contracted to work the floor selling shots, he tries to convince her of this too. But Abby likes what she sees in Jack, the quiet attractive bodyguard in the corner whom she knows is keeping an eye on her. One thing leads to another (as it so often does) and they share an explosive few nights together. Jack’s made it clear that they don’t have a future together. And when she shows up at the club to talk to him, what she witnesses certainly leads her to believe that he was right all along. Abby becomes a woman on the run, and the clock is ticking for Jack to find her and convince her to give him another shot at earning her trust. Can they find their happy ending together?
I love how this author can take a flawed man and still make him a worthy hero! Jack and Abby’s relationship starts out with unrepentant sexual attraction and even though they both know it’s a mistake to give in to those feelings, they do it anyway in some very steamy scenes. Jack’s character is one of a man torn between duty and desire, decisions he makes on a daily basis scarring his soul but necessary for his survival and for his brother, with whom he is mostly estranged. He’s smart and intense and more of a listener than a talker, playing the role of hired gun when required.
Abby is quite the opposite, a flirtatious and fun young woman who takes things in stride day to day. She has big dreams but doesn’t believe she’s smart enough to pull them off, something Jack is quick to dispute. She knows she’s playing with fire when she’s teasing Jack, and it gets her singed. Jack has a lot of ground to make up to Abby and they have their share of ups and downs before they get to their happy ending. I had a hard time putting this one down, and the suspense along with the romance will keep you turning the pages! I can’t wait to see what this author has up her sleeve next.
Jack gave up everything to repay his father’s debt and keep his brother safe. Forced to play enforcer for the mob, Jack lives day to day alone with no hope of redemption. When a young woman comes into his life, bringing with her the light and warmth he’s missed for so long, he grabs on to her with both hands. He knows he should send her far away from him but for a brief moment of time he wants to pretend he has the right to a life with her.
Abby has always been the flighty one. The dumb one. Forever being rescued by her twin. Currently working as a shot girl for a liquor promotion company, she finds herself drawn to a mysterious man whose good looks and lack of interest only fuels her desire for him. He warns her to stay away, that she doesn’t want any part of him or his world, but she pushes her way in anyway and soon learns what Jack was trying to tell her. Now, she’s on the run with a secret and target on her back.
Jack let her leave to save them both, but when he discovers she is carrying his child, there is nothing or no one that will keep Jack from finding her and taking what’s his.
Ho boy. Gangsters, unplanned pregnancies, road trips, and two confused souls provide the base for Molly O’Keefe’s emotionally dark and bittersweet Baby, Come Back. Baby, Come Back is the sequel to Bad Neighbor. Though this book stands well on its own, I recommend reading in order as book one sets up the arc and gives readers the background needed in order to understand book two.
Molly O’Keefe doesn’t write easy. She has a gift for digging down deep into her characters and peeling back the layers to reveal their truth-regardless if it’s good or bad. Her stories engage because she doesn’t take the road most traveled but chooses to go her own path and give readers realistic romances with flawed characters, difficult situations, and bad choices. Romances where the couple must work at the relationship where no guarantees are offered.
Jack and Abby have each chosen certain paths in their lives and have paid a heavy price for them. When we first connect with them in book one, our impression wasn’t favorable. Jack comes off as a huge nasty threat and Abby as a manipulative narcissist. However, as we get to know them and hear the whole story in their own words, we see the truth of what happened and why. Jack never meant to be an enforcer for the mob. In college and working towards his degree, he was forced into the life after he discovered his father’s body and the huge debt he owed. The message was clear. His father’s debt was now his and unless it was paid off, he may find his younger brother’s body next.
I was a brother once. A son. A student. And despite the last two years and the sickening darkness overtaking me, I clung to the idea I was still a brother. A son. A student.
Abby is a contradiction Sexy, flirtatious, and fun, she stereotyped by many as a pretty but dumb blonde. Something even she’s guilty of thinking sometimes. Sheltered by her twin sister Charlotte growing up, Abby was able to skirt through life with few issues but it fueled her insecurity. Deep down, Abby is more than that. She’s smart, funny, fierce, and realistic. She’s made some mistakes in the past but she knows she can have better life. She just needs to stay on track. And if that means using her looks and body to get her there…so be it.
I looked hot in this dress. My makeup was perfection. My hair, too. This was me. I had this shit in the bag. And the men staring at me to prove it. To remind me. To show me, when I wasn’t sure or forgot who I was. What my value was. And if that made me sad? If I wanted more? […] I’d get over it. I’d adapt. I’d start the party. It was what I was good at.
Your heart hurts as you watch this couple dance around one another; two people struggling to keep their secrets and lies safe from prying eyes and listening ears. Dark, edgy, and emotionally turbulent, Jack and Abby must decide if the love they so desperately want is worth the pain that will come from reaching for it. O’Keefe writes the narrative in the past and present from dual POVS. This not only allows us to see get to know Jack and Abby intimately but also watch the growth of them individually and as a couple.
Abby has no idea why Jack blows so hot and cold with her but she can’t stay away. He is under her skin too deep. Jack pushes Abby away while holding tight to her at the same time. His emotions are a dark, sticky mess that lights up the story in bright bold neon. She is his savior and tormentor. She is everything he even wanted and knows he can never have.
“This is a warning, “ he said. “Keep your head down. Stop talking to me and don’t think about anything but leaving.”
“I shouldn’t think about you?”
He pulled on my hair, like his fingers twitched out of his control. “This isn’t a game, princess. I don’t exist for you. You don’t exist for me. Not even a little.
I admit I enjoyed watching Abby chase Jack without being written to lose herself respect for the sake of the story. To often it’s either the hero doing the chasing while pushing the boundaries or the heroine is allowed to chase by must pay the price through humiliation or embarrassed. O’Keefe finds the perfect balance as Abby flirts and tempts Jack without losing her identity.
The bold and explosive chemistry between them drenches the story and is delicious to behold when highlighted against the dangerous unpredictability of their relationship. Sexy bittersweet love scenes capitalize on their compatibility. Though their relationship begins on a strict sexual only note, the fall from lust to love was short and brutal.
No more absolution. No more forgiveness. This was a kiss with need and hunger and pain in it. It was too much almost, like hearing something so honest it hurt. It was a kiss that rocked me backward. […] Oh my God, I thought, dimly in the very back of my head, the only place I could still think in words. This man will ruin me.
Though the focus stays predominantly on Jack and Abby, I enjoyed seeing Charlotte and Jesse again and we are given a lovely epilogue showcasing both couple’s futures. O’Keefe retells a few pivotal scenes from Bad Neighbor, allowing us to see them again from Jack’s POV and experience the emotions behind his actions. O’Keefe’s growth of Jack and Abby as individuals is potent as they come to accept they deserve more, to be happy, and make the courageous decision to grab hold the brass ring.
“Your love has tremendous value. Your love might be the most valuable thing I have. “
Once again Molly O’Keefe blows the curve by writing a beautifully complex and intriguing romance that will appeal to all fans who enjoy the ride of a hard-won HEA.
After finishing Bad Neighbor I just had to know what happened with these two. Jack was such a tortured hero and despite coming off as cold and scary in Bad Neighbor it was lovely to see that underneath he was a good guy, forced into a life he never wanted.
I do read a lot of mafia books where violent men are made to be sexy and alluring so it was an interesting take to read about someone who desperately didn't want that life.
I really didn't like Abby in Bad Neighbor. I felt terrible for what she did to Charlotte so I was surprised to find that I actually really liked her. Again, such a flawed character that was written so perfectly and who dealt with everything thrown at them in not the most perfect way but in a way that felt real.
The epilogue!! I so so needed to read that because I really wanted to know how Jesse and Charlotte were doing and it did not disappoint at all.
I'm also now really intrigued by Bates. What a weird fellow.
I read this in the way some folks watch slow moving car crashes. The heroine is sexy, beautiful, knows it, and hasn't met a man she can't manipulate to get what she wants. The hero is a mob enforcer sucked into the life to pay off his degenerate father's gambling debts. He tells her he's no good. Her instincts tell her he's no good. And yet? When she's confronted with what he and her instincts have been telling her for days it's like some big shock to her. She gets bailed out by her twin sister (yet again) and goes on the run.
Mileage will vary here - but as much as I got sucked in, I needed more convincing that the heroine had grown as a person, and yes the guy was a very bad man (and you can make the argument it was justified) but it doesn't change the fact that the hero murdered a man in cold blood. So...yeah. Sucked in. I think I liked it? But so, so, so problematic.
“He laughed. “You like that? A little dirty economics talk?” “Yeah.” I took his ear lobe in between my teeth. “Give me more of that filthy economics, baby.”
This was good. Jack had to give up being a college student(economics major 🥵)to pay off his dad’s debt and Abby has a dream. It’s dark with guns involved sweet moments.
I love Molly's writing. I save her for slumps. It may not be fair, but I do. I know I'll like whatever she writes and if all else fails [other authors], I have her books to read and enjoy.
Just read this one and I loved the characters. I thought the story-line a bit much sometimes. Depth was a bit lacking -- from what I normally get from her, but I liked it and could recommend it to someone looking for an enjoyable books with gritty characters.
This is angsty af. It's late, I read until my eyes are crossing but I needed to finish it. I'm definitely re reading it. No cheating, not that kinda angst, but I'm all for angst of any kind in romance and this had it in spades. I'm starting to repeat myself and I just wanted to get something down so I don't forget how it really made me keep turning pages.
It was too long ago that I read the first book, so I could’nt remember Jack’s brother Jesse and what their relationship was like, but I should have re read it, it would have made more sense to me. This is a stand alone, but would be better to read book one first. I felt like i needed more depth. Jack was a bad man, but was he really? The chemistry between him and Abbey was great. Well worth the read.
Baby Come Back by M O’Keefe Jack is paying for the sins of his father. He works for the mob boss Lazarus. He knows he should never have a woman while working for this organisation. When Abby walks into the club the attraction in instant but her warns her off. Abby is intrigued by this man who keeps giving her mixed signals. When they finally give into one another, they know it can go no further than the few days they have together. When Abby goes back to the club to talk to Jack, she witnesses something that puts her in danger and she runs. Jack decides it is time to find her. Can he protect her and his baby? Can she forgive him? Can they have a HEA? Abby character was easy to love. She was direct and yet had insecurities. Jack character was mysterious. He was an enigma of sorts, one moment evil and bad and the next he was caring and sweet. The chemistry between Jack and Abby was electric, full of intensity and incredibly addictive. I enjoyed the suspense along with the romance of this story. Reviewed for Hot books and Sassy Girls book blog
Baby Come Back is the follow up to Bad Neighbor. It is Jack and Abby's story both of whom we caught glimpse of in Bad Neighbor.
I loved both of these characters, loved that they were a lot more than what met the eye. I think the author did a great job where character development was concerned as both were very well drawn which made it quite a compelling read one that I couldn't help but devour in a few short hours. I also couldn't help but root for them and fall under their spell especially Jack's.
I loved that he was a mix of light and dark, good and bad I won't tell you which side won but suffice it to say it was quite a heady and intoxicating mix. I was swooning and dreamy sighing while reading it.
Baby Come Back is a story of love in its many forms, redemption and seeing yourself through the eyes of someone who loves you unconditionally. I definitely recommend it
ARC provided by author in exchange for a honest review
This cover is so confusing. There is no baby in the story. Why is Jack clutching some random baby? *scratches head*
I mostly liked this book, but it's nothing special to write home about. The hero is your clichéd bad boy, and almost the entire story is spelled out in the blurb so there are no surprises. One thing I did find different was Abby's straightforwardness. She is the reason I finished chapter one and kept reading. Hooray for a unique heroine!
Finally getting around to writing my review for this!
This book can be read as a standalone, but I wouldn't recommend doing that. I think you get a lot more out of it if you read the first book (which is excellent), Bad Neighbor. These two books are about two brothers (Jesse and Jack) who fall in love with twin sisters (Charlotte and Abby), and their stories are pretty closely linked. I try to avoid spoilers in reviews, but this one contains mild spoilers for Bad Neighbor as it relates to Abby/Jack so using a spoiler tag for parts.
In Bad Neighbor, Charlotte had just moved into a rundown apartment complex in San Francisco after selling her condo and giving the money to her sister, Abby, who is on the run and going into hiding. They are twins, and Abby is the beautiful, impulsive twin who always needs "saving," with Charlotte being the more responsible one. We don't know many details about what happened to Abby, only that she fears for her life.
One thing that surprised me was how much of this book takes place before the events of Bad Neighbor. The first 60% or so is told exclusively from Abby's POV. I wasn't sure whether I'd like her as a protagonist. I felt so bad for Charlotte in the first book because she was used to being compared to her more beautiful twin her entire life and found wanting, at least physically. Abby came across as spoiled and irresponsible, and it seemed like Charlotte went out of her way to take care of someone who didn't seem to care that much about her.
In this book, we get a much better sense of Abby's character and understand her behavior more, and I found myself really liking her. She's beautiful (and knows it), but Abby has always felt inferior to Charlotte because Abby doesn't think of herself as being very intelligent. She's street smart, but not book smart, and actually quite insecure about this. Abby recognizes that Charlotte does a lot for her but she doesn't know how to change this dynamic between them. It's clear she loves Charlotte very much but doesn't always know how to show it.
When this book opens, Abby has taken a multi-day job working in a club promoting a particular brand of vodka. Her job is basically being paid good money to dress up however the club/promoter wants and sell their product. (Her secret desire is to open up her own cafe, so she has a little nest egg, but no one knows this about her.) When she arrives at the club with her coworkers/friends the first night, they're all a bit put off by the atmosphere. Something just seems "off." Almost immediately, Abby notices a really hot guy reading a book at the bar because he's so out of place. Used to men going out of their way to meet/talk to her, she's surprised (and challenged) when the man at the bar rebuffs her efforts to get to know him better. Once the nightclub opens and people start arriving, the man (Jack) takes up a position as a bouncer of sorts, but Abby notices him watching her all night and is even more intrigued.
Jack. Oh, Jack. I had no idea what to expect of him as hero material after reading the first book. O'Keefe doesn't sugarcoat or gloss over the "work" he's involved in. Outwardly, he's a bouncer of sorts, but even without reading the first book, it's clear he's involved in some nasty and dangerous business related to the owners of the club. His characterization here is consistent with the sinister man we meet in Bad Neighbor, yet he's also an utterly compelling hero (and keep in mind this whole first part is all Abby's POV, even more impressive). The fact that I liked both of these protagonists is a testament to O'Keefe's talent. She makes you care about people who would be the Evil Other Woman (Abby) or the villain (Jack) in any other story. And she does this over and over again in her books.
One other hallmark of the books I've read by O'Keefe is that she can pack so much action into a very ordinary, often confined setting--whether that's a trailer park (Everything I Left Unsaid); a bedroom where a main character is literally handcuffed to the bed for a significant portion of the book (Burn Down the Night); or two tiny neighboring apartments (Bad Neighbor). Here, the majority of Abby and Jack's relationship takes place at the club where they first meet and then heats up in his apartment over the course of a few days. Jack and Abby have some major insta-lust going on, but it didn't detract from their story for me because I believed their connection. They are able to share things about their pasts and their ambitions that they've never shared with their own families (despite Charlotte and Abby being close, on her end; Jack and Jesse are estranged, so this is less odd for him). In Romancelandia, these two people could fall in love in the span of a couple of weeks and change each other's lives; even when things turned to shit, I rooted for them.
There's a Major Event that splits them apart, and this is when the book shifts to Jack's POV for a bit. From there on out, it switches between the two of them, and the action finally catches up with the chronological setting of Bad Neighbor. I guess I expected this book to only mention their meeting/relationship in passing and take place almost entirely after the ending of Bad Neighbor, but as I said, at least 60% or so is "before" (all chapters are marked "before" or "after") The Event. I was pleasantly surprised, and it was much less of a secret baby plot than I expected, in that sense. This part of the book was a pretty solid 4.5 or 5 stars.
Interestingly, it's this second part of the book, the "after" (present day) that brought down the rating for me to 4. It felt wrapped up...kind of quickly? There was something anticlimactic about it. There's so much tension--both sexual tension between Jack and Abby and a different kind of tension that comes from knowing Something Bad is going to happen--up until this part. I have to admit feeling a bit let down, even though I appreciate that it wasn't dragged out too long, either, which can be just as frustrating.
At any rate, this is another winner for O'Keefe. I'm not sure her style is for everyone, and it feels so dark, but it works for me. She's earned a place on my autobuy list.
Often being termed a picky reader, I'm happy to admit that Molly O'Keefe has yet to disappoint me with any of her books (that's quite a feat). Many of them border on a bit of darkish grit with an anti-hero that totally deserves redemption. This holds true for our hero in Baby, Come Back. This is the second book in the Bad Boy Romance series and I'm inclined to say the first book, Bad Neighbor, really should be read first. The characters here are introduced in that book and there's cameos of the prior books' characters here. Plus, each H/h are siblings. Here we get Jack and Abby's story.
Jack gave up everything in his life to pay off his father's debt to the mafia. He lost his chance for a career, his relationship with his brother, his chance for a happy life. Just to spare his brother's safety and take the responsibility upon himself. Working in a nightclub disguised stomping grounds for the mafia, Jack sets eyes on a vodka shot girl. On contract for three nights to sell their brand, Abby is all beauty and allure. He tries to ignore her but her persistence is challenging. Anyone affiliated with him is at a safety risk but the girl is relentless. Maybe just for one night...or three.
Abby was so drawn to the tastefully suited guy reading a book, no less, at the bar. He tries his best to chill her out but she's not used to be turned down. She finds him a challenge. A darkish challenge. Because he may smell heavenly like Mass but he reeks of danger...
When I'd read Bad Neighbor, I'd been teased a bit to the character that is Jesse's brother- Jack. We'd known he was a 'bad dude' and though Jesse loved his brother, he knew he was into some illegal stuff. The villain. But also a bit of a hero too- sacrificing his goals, potentially his life, to spare Jesse losing his dreams too.
Jack is just the kind of hero I love. He's bad but under it all, he's doing it for good. Abby saw something in this guy that truly he let nobody else see. He was a total contradiction and she wanted to know the guy quietly sitting at a bar reading a book... not the tattooed guy with blood on his hands.
Molly O'Keefe never fails to give her readers suspenseful plot lines, strong heroes, though imperfect are perfect for their heroines. This book is seriously steamy too. It's got it all and I can't wait for more from her.
Advanced copy received by author in exchange for my honest review.
O’Keefe had some beautiful prose as always but this contemporary romance didn’t quite come together for me—and not because it contains one of my least favorite tropes: surprise pregnancy. Abby is drawn to Jack from the moment they meet, ignoring all signs pointing to danger. That goes about as well as you might expect. Cut to her hurriedly moving out of town so that Jack won’t be able to find her after she witnesses something she shouldn’t and finally wakes up and smells the coffee.
Because we get Jack’s POV, I was never worried that he was actually going to hurt Abby but his job as a mob enforcer was no joke and he was mixed up with some very bad people due to being on the hook for his dad’s gambling debt. Even once that’s no longer an issue, he didn’t do enough to show where he was going to go from there. Finish college? Do what for work? How would he be able to support Abby and the baby? Do they even have enough of a connection to sustain relationship??
The declarations of love felt very premature, given that they only knew each other for a couple of days and had a hot fling. If she hadn’t gotten pregnant, would Jack have felt the need to go after her? Would she have even run away in the first place, for that matter? She was so reckless and I could see not being enough of a red flag if she was only thinking of herself. I wanted and needed to see way more growth from Abby. From both of them, really. The book before this about the romance between his brother and her sister was much stronger.
Characters: Abby is a 24 year old white shots girl. Jack is a 24 year old white mob enforcer. This is set in San Francisco and Bloomfield, ID.
Content notes: brief intent of suicide , off page sexual harassment of secondary character, past intimate partner violence (FMC’s ex-boyfriend), nightmare, past HS teacher-student “relationship” (FMC does not see this as coercive but her using him to get a better grade), murder, physical assault, mobster involved in human trafficking (all the women found dead in a shipping container), past death of MMC’s parents (dad was killed by mobster for failing to pay gambling debt), childhood asthma and allergies, unplanned pregnancy (FMC immediately decides to continue the pregnancy), use of Plan B, unsafe sex practices (no discussion of STI status until after sex with condom; forgot to use condom one time for penetrative sex and FMC missed taking the pill a few days.), on page sex, car sex, choking, alcohol, inebriation, cocaine (secondary characters), STI stigma, gendered pejorative, ableist language, mention of weight loss
*Love it or Leighve it* (aka cleaning out my Kindle) Purchased: 2017
Oh my gosh! If Molly O’Keefe aka M. O’Keefe isn’t on you author buy list, she needs to be. Baby, Come Back is the sequel to Bad Neighbor and is oh so good. Molly has managed to combine hot steamy times with love and a little suspense. This is a standalone story, but if you’ve read Bad Neighbor any lingering questions you might have had are answered.
Baby, Come Back is the story of Jack Herrara (the older brother of Jesse from Bad Neighbor) and Abby Blakely (twin sister of Charlotte from Bad Neighbor). And before you think that Jesse and Charlotte set their siblings up, think again. Jack and Abby met at Moonlight Lounge, a club reportedly owned by Lazarus, a man who has his hands in anything bad. Abby is an upscale drink server and Jack is the quiet in the shadows hand for Lazarus.
There is no denying that the two have an attraction to each other, but Jack knows he isn’t what Abby needs and tries to push her way. When the attraction becomes too much, the two decide to act on it and put their time together on an expiration date. To their surprise, Abby gets pregnant. When Abby witnesses the evil that Jack is capable of, she runs. Knowing that Abby saw what he did and knowing that she is carrying his child, Jack will do anything necessary to make sure that she knows she is safe and that he will protect her and their child.
I loved the multi-dimensional layers Molly gave Jack and Abby. The real Jack is full of surprises and so much better than the position he finds himself in. Abby who has been known to be the “bad time girl” actually shows maturity and understands everything she’s done wrong in her past and wants to fix her mistakes.
One thing that I really appreciated about Baby, Come Back was that even though I knew what was going to happen, I was still surprised when it did. Molly will have you rooting for this couple from the very beginning. Prepare yourself to fall in love.
**Received a copy of the book from the author and reviewed voluntarily**
This is my first read of this author. Although this is a follow up to a previous book, I read it as a stand alone with no issues.
Romantic suspense is usually not my thing---I get too antsy to settle down and read--but this one kept the pages turning for me. Lots of twists and turns. Fantastic heat level between the two lead characters. Loved Abby and all her spunk. I also loved the true Jack--not the bad guy persona. I enjoyed the small town setting that finally brings things to a head. So many layers to uncover in this one.
Great read! I will check out more from this author!
We first met Jack and Abby in Bad Neighbor and now this is their full story. You can read each book standalone but I really think you'd enjoy it more of you read in order. Abby ran away from Jack but he's determined to find her and get her back. This is the story of the hunt.
I think M. O’Keefe has voodoo writing skills that give her the ability to hypnotize readers and transform reading into a virtual reality experience. I feel like I lived Baby, Come Back, and I had to remind myself after I finished that it didn’t really happen – comparable to when waking from a dream and being momentarily confused as to what was real and what was not. I was enthralled from the beginning to the end, experienced every emotion along the way and was completely invested in the resolution – and it was thrilling.
The secrets, lies and epic messes in Jack and Abby’s relationship could turn out to be insurmountable complications, and their journey isn’t easy or always pretty. Their chemistry is intense, their sexual encounters are fiery, and their love is overwhelming – and Baby, Come Back is simply mesmerizing. Settle in, buckle up and enjoy the ride.
2.5 I was hoping for so much more from this book....maybe a little more angst when he finds her. Most of this book was set in the "before" part of their relationship and I wanted more of the here and now.