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A Bad Boy trying to be good, a Good Girl driven to be bad and a five year old who wants to rule the world...

Being good is so freaking hard. And boring. Flynn Boyle has only been doing it for a couple of hours and already he's had enough. For some reason everybody thinks he's out of control when all he's doing is living his life, having fun and trying to get over an injury that's ruined his soccer career. Now he's being blamed for the fact Abby's family want to take her kid from her. He's got one week to prove he isn't a bad influence on Abby or her terrorist child. If he screws this up Abby loses the kid and Flynn loses his chance to get into his sexy neighbor's bed. He's never backed away from a challenge--on the field or off. He can be good for one damn week...maybe...hopefully...

334 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 12, 2015

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779 people want to read

About the author

Janet Elizabeth Henderson

51 books713 followers
Janet grew up in Scotland but now lives in New Zealand. Among other things, she’s been an artist, a teacher, a security guard at a castle, a magazine editor, and a cleaner in a drop in center for drug addicts (NOT the best job!). When she isn’t living in her head and writing about the people she finds there, she raises two kids, one husband, and several random animals. She survives on chocolate and caffeine.

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5 stars
460 (49%)
4 stars
322 (34%)
3 stars
114 (12%)
2 stars
23 (2%)
1 star
5 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 103 reviews
Profile Image for Mela.
2,013 reviews267 followers
October 28, 2022
I adored the humour. I hadn't expected how much I would enjoy it. One of the funniest books I have read. Mostly thanks to the five-year-old outspoken girl.

“It wasn’t my fault.” Katy blinked huge doe eyes intended to melt Abby’s heart. The little master manipulator. “My tummy made me do it. It needed chocolate. I tried to tell it you said no chocolate till after lunch, but it wouldn’t listen.” She held her hand to her mouth and whispered loudly, “My tummy doesn’t like the soup.”


"I need to talk to you about a sister. I’ve decided you can marry my Muma, but only if I get a sister. You have to promise me or the deal is off.”


I solidarized with Abby a lot. Some of the traits of her character I understand perfectly (I have the same).

Of course, I admit, the romance was rather fast. Some of the threads were far-fetched, not much realistic, and the last plot twist was totally unnecessary (the story didn't need that drama twist).

Yet, despite all the unrealistic aspects of the novel, it was great fun.

I got a few of Janet Elizabeth Henderson's e-books as a freebie some time ago. I was postponing trying her. Now I am going to check more written by her. It looks like she delivers laughter and a positive mood (I am tempted to compare her to Jennifer Crusie, but I need to read more).
Profile Image for Miss Rail.
502 reviews82 followers
June 25, 2017
3.5 stars
Ex-football star and renowned bad boy recovering from a career-ending injury (Flynn) meets widowed single mom(Abby) with very precocious daughter (Kate the "terrorist" LOL) and due to circumstances tries to reform...and grow up.

Lots of silly/over the top stuff but if you "go with the flow" you'll probably enjoy this book as much as I did!

Flynn at some point got on my nerves but his interactions with little Kate made me smile throughout the story. He's a 29 years old CHILD.
Abby didn't stand out much as a MC.
She acts like she's affronted by Flynn's behavior but she always ends up doing whatever he and her daughter Kate want...
I rated it 3.5 stars because I was entertained all the way through and little Kate was AWESOME ...even if I've never met a 5 years old that's so precocious and witty.
Who cares! She was hilarious XD

Also...I didn't see the twist coming!
It's a good thing, but it was rushed and wrapped up too quickly and I didn't quite believe Abby's reaction.

I Loved the Invertary community and I'll definitely read more about them in this series ;D
Profile Image for Honest Mabel.
1,252 reviews40 followers
October 3, 2018
Nice plot twist

A very good story with an unseen plot twist towards the end! It wrapped up a bit quickly for me but the epilogues are nice to get that hint of the future so when she tells her final story there is closure amongst them all
Profile Image for Suzanne.
1,443 reviews24 followers
April 5, 2025
3.5 Stars

An enjoyable light read. I would have loved to see the .



Profile Image for Sandra Bain.
110 reviews3 followers
March 15, 2017
Dialogue is whitty, prose descriptive!! Makes for a great read!! Read and you'll have a smile on your face for days!! I ran into a pair of red tartan shoes yesterday and had a secret chuckle!!
720 reviews5 followers
July 7, 2020
EXCELLENT STORY!!!😊

What a great treat this book was! It was so charming, sweet, sexy and heartwarming. Loved Flynn and Abby but my heart really belonged to Katy!!! I laughed at her comments and life observations and couldn't wait to read what she was going to come up with next! I always love how the family and the friends come through with their affection and support through any type of situation. I highly recommend this book... I'd give it 10 stars if I could. It was a really satisfying, uplifting, humorous and enchanting book!!!😇
Profile Image for Chessela Helm.
Author 7 books26 followers
March 6, 2019
Another enjoyable romp in Invertary. I'm not usually a fan of single parent books since I really don't like young kids, but Katy is written as an adorable little hustler who will steal your heart. I don't think Flynn is ever really a 'bad boy' as much as he is a spoiled kid. He learns to grow up in the book and become comfortable in his own skin, which is nice. I liked Abby and the problems with her family were written well.
405 reviews17 followers
July 28, 2018
Can't stop reading it til the end.

This story gives you everything you need. Romance, action,comedy and even drama. Abby's character makes your want to admire, protect and be in her corner. Flynn is an epitome of fun, enjoyment, relaxation and confidence. Finding each other is so natural for them. They're a perfect combination.
Profile Image for AmandaJR.
867 reviews9 followers
July 7, 2020
It took a turn!

Wow, so there was kind of two separate love stories in this book. And there was a twist and turn I totally didn’t expect but it was all wonderful! Katy is my absolute favorite book child ever!
Profile Image for Maria Hutchins.
38 reviews
July 27, 2020
Great read. Love the little terrorist, monster. And her relationship with the egotistical, self centered, so and so bad boy. A two thumbs way up.
Profile Image for Bette Stanek.
2,137 reviews3 followers
March 27, 2022
This is book five in the Invertary series set in Scotland, a series I have enjoyed tremendously. I read the first four books in a short timeframe, but for some reason I can’t remember, I put off reading Bad Boy. I think it’s because from the first books I felt like Flynn was a self-absorbed, spoiled, immature guy and I really wasn’t all that interested in him. My bad! I should have known that JEH had more substance to his character. I shouldn’t have joined the masses in thinking that. I should have given him a chance.

Flynn still has a lot of that child in him, but it isn’t necessarily because he refused to grow up, more like he gets bored with life easily and gets into mischief. Abby has been a single mom for a while and exists day-to-day. She’s tired and just barely surviving. She has had to sell part of her land to Flynn in order to stay afloat. Now, he’s making her life more stressful than it already is. It has to stop. Then there’s Katy, aka The Terrorist. She absolutely steals the show.

The dialogue between these characters is witty, the story is fast-paced, and the writing is descriptive. There’s the charm of the town and people of Invertary and an evil stepmom character who has held her children hostage throughout their entire lives. Add in a soulless agent, lawyer, and unscrupulous journalist, and you get a fun and entertaining story. I’ve always been able to count on JEH to give her readers a good story!
1,218 reviews
February 15, 2020
This completely captivating story set in the charming, picturesque Highland community of Invertary, Scotland was a delight to read. Flynn's life of debauchery and excess become a nightmare for his attractive and reserved widowed neighbor, Abby and Katy, her five year old daughter. Katy's devious scheming is hysterical and addictive as she quickly makes her presence known to a very immature and pleasure-seeking version of Flynn Boyle. It soon becomes clear that Flynn has just recently experienced a life altering event where he sustained a painful leg injury ending his professional soccer career. This event has left him struggling to recovery and figure out what to do with the rest of his life. It was such a pleasure getting to know the residence in this close knit town and watch how they came together to help and protected their own. This is a truly an inspiring and funny story that everyone will enjoy. Great! Great! Read!!!!!
Profile Image for Andrew Palmer.
99 reviews
April 7, 2020
Funny and sexy with surprising charm

In book 5 of this series, we have Abby, mother and widow raised in high society and Flynn, a man recovering from a career ending football (soccer) injury. Both characters had been introduced before this, Flynn only briefly. Abby had already been established as someone to root for, and with Flynn we get another man returning to hits roots in quirky Invertary.

At its surface, this is an opposites-attract romance, but throw in the threat of Abby losing her daughter, and the hilarious antics of that precocious little girl and you have so much more. Full of very clever twists and surprises, Bad Boy also delivers on some heartwarming and heartbreaking moments, smoothly transitioning the reader from laughing out loud, grabbing for tissue, and, er sitting up to pay more attention to the sexy parts.

The secondary romance in this book is the sweetest of the lot and the inclusion of the daughter, Kate, into the whole mix adds a deeper layer.
809 reviews8 followers
June 27, 2018
Whenever I'm in the mood to read something really funny, I grab one of Janet Elizabeth Henderson's books - especially if it takes place in Invertary.
In this 5th book I especially loved the quotes of dumb things footballers say at the beginning of each chapter. Such chapter beginnings often distract from the story, but not here.
Flynn is Abby's neighbor from hell. He also needs to grow up, as he's is also told by family and friends. Yet it is perhaps the child in him that helps him connect to the little terrorist, aka Katy, Abby's 5-year old daughter. Abby still suffers bouts of grief; the scene at the stream wherein she talks to her dead husband brought me to tears. Entertaining with a very cute epilogue.
Profile Image for Gail.
Author 25 books216 followers
January 17, 2020
Cute contemporary romance about a widow with a 5-year-old daughter and the retired soccer player who bought land from her next door, and not only has been partying and creating havoc at all hours, he's been exposing the daughter-- aka the terrorist-- to unsuitable influences. He's also being filmed by a reality TV show. So when she loses it and stalks over to rescue her daughter from the unsavory influences and complain again about the noise, and stabs the inflatable swimming pool to death with the paring knife she was using on potatoes for dinner and forgot she was carrying, every action is caught on film. And that's only the intro. It gets better from there. It's hilarious at moments, poignant, and a delightful story. I liked it a lot. Good read.
Profile Image for Cait M.
1,363 reviews10 followers
January 21, 2021
Loved it! Flynn is a man-child at the crossroads of finally growing up and realizing his actions impact other people and that he's actually not the centre of the universe.
Abby is waking up and wanting more for herself and her daughter than a life of routine and grief over her husband's death a few years before.

The two are antagonistic neighbours whose love/hate dynamic was so fun to read.

Added points for Abby's daughter, a 5 year old spifire nicknamed "The Terrorist" by Flynn. Some if the things that kid said were magnificent.

Also the little quotes at the beginning of each chapter were hilarious!

Characters from previous books make appearances, but this can be read stand alone.

This book contains descriptive love scenes.
Profile Image for Lauri Tribbey.
359 reviews1 follower
May 21, 2017
Hilarious, romantic and devilishly witty!

Abby is a widow with a precocious 5 year old daughter that will bust your chops at the drop of a hat. Flynn is a football player who had a career ending injury who moved in next door. The problem is Flynn's life style..partying, loud music and naked women prove to be to much for Abby the quiet conservative mom, so it's understandable when she snaps. Her melt happens to be caught on film and televised, which sets in motion events that could cost Abby her daughter Katy. This was such a fun read. I think the real star of this one was Katy. 🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌!!
Profile Image for Karen.
235 reviews1 follower
April 4, 2020
Good story about a Bad Boh

Damn I love this woman's writing!
Abby, disowned by her well-to-do family years before, finds her new neighbour, Flynn, irritating beyond all levels of hell. What follows is an hilarious story, of terrorists, terrorism and downright terror...all from a five year old.
There's a twist in the story, but it's endearing, and just makes you fall in love with Invertary and it's inhabitants just a little bit more.
Great characters, unique situations and way too much being viewed by a camera crew add to the story. Probably my favourite Invertary story so far.
826 reviews8 followers
June 28, 2018
I'm so thrilled I found this author and this series. It's fantastic. This installment had some very emotional moments that brought a tear to my eye and then there was the balance of the book which made me chuckle and laugh out loud a lot. Flynn calling the Katy a terrorist got a smile from me every time. The book is so engaging you don't want to put it down. I've got two books left in the series and I'm already feeling sad that it's coming to an end as I love Invertary and all it's quirky loving characters.
Profile Image for Charlene.
202 reviews3 followers
November 27, 2018
Hilarious Fun and crazy Good Love

I absolutely loved this book!!! Ms. Henderson has written a story filled with memorable characters and a great plotline that make you wish you could follow this group through the years. The dialogue between the male lead, Flynn, and Katy, a five year old with her own ideas and the negotiating skills of a true pro, are fabulous! And, let's not forget the very steamy love scenes. Plus, a bombshell of a surprise. All told, I will be reading more of this series!
Profile Image for Jodie Lauren.
1,953 reviews3 followers
November 10, 2019
Abby has been trying to hold onto everything after her husband died, leaving her a single mother and the collapse of her business after the mine fell. When she sold land to Flynn she did so because she needed the Money but the excessive parties and noise were too much. Flynn didn’t know what to do after his football career ended but there had to be more than this. When Abby’s mother appears and tries to take her daughter Katy away because of the influence of Flynn he knows he needs to step up!

Xx
Profile Image for KathyFalk.
1,003 reviews3 followers
December 27, 2019
Love this series! It is always so much fun. This author has a way of just letting the characters be real enough to market you want to be their friend. This one was not different. I also love when the story includes a smart mouthy child that says some really off the wall things that make you want to chuckle Great her ion in this book and I appreciate that we get to see a strong woman who is not afraid to be alone and stand up for herself and her child and not back down from anyone! Love love love this feel good series!
2,354 reviews14 followers
January 3, 2017
This was funny. Loved Abby, the pool scene was hilarious. Finn definitely needed someone to knock him out. Eventually he did realize his stupidity affected others, and the romance of him and Abby was sweet. Abby's family was a nightmare. Finn's family was the best, he is related to the Matt, Heather, the Donaldson twins, and they told him what needed to be done. Abby's daughter was so cute, and no joke.
Profile Image for Jennifer Johnson.
436 reviews10 followers
October 16, 2018
Such an amazing read!

I don't think I will ever get enough of Janet Elizabeth Henderson 's Invertary series. The books are so amazing funny, with great stories. I have yet read any of her books and not loved them. I have already reread several of Janet's books and will continue to reread them because I get such a great laugh each time. I highly recommend any and all of her books. You won't be disappointed.
83 reviews1 follower
December 6, 2019
Funny!

Really enjoyed this book. Love this author's sense of humor. I was worried from the title that this book would be full of profanity and sex every other page. I was pleasantly surprised that this book, unlike so many contemporary romances these days, relied on content instead. Lots of humor, great characters, a bad boy hero with a soft heart, and a heroine who really deserves a happy ending. And chemistry that sizzles. This book made my day! Well worth your time.
Profile Image for April Neal.
473 reviews
October 6, 2018
Top-notch yet again

Another amazing story with lots of fantastic characters that you just fall in love with. Follow their story and laugh along the way. Such a wonderful creative comedic love story, and personally, I love the addition of all the animals, it brought such depth to Flynn.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 103 reviews

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