Badass: Book One in the Bombshells Series

Bombshells #1

by Carla R.

Molly O'Brien is a spitfire. She co-own a successful salon with her best friends and is living that single girl life. She's got a smart mouth, a warm heart and a string of terrible dates trailing behind her. After she meets sexy fireman, Brenden Clarke, she starts to think her luck with dating may have changed. When a very public altercation with her ex sets off a chain of events that has her fearing for her life, Molly has to decide if she'll be the damsel in distress or a total BADASS.

276 pages, Paperback

Published June 28, 2020

Reviews

[MarvelUsReads]

Carla R. weaves a fast paced romance, with suspense, and danger. After a series of disastrous dates, hair salon manager Molly’s luck changes when she accepts a last minute appointment with the handsome firefighter Brendon. As their relationship quickly flourishes, not only is Molly faced with a confrontation with her ex, but a number of alarming incidents as well.

A story with a strong, independent, and outspoken heroine, as well as secondary characters with expressive personalities. There were occasions in which we wished the chemistry between the two main characters was less raw, and more smooth and sensual. Thus, giving us an opportunity to be drawn in by their seductive desire for one another. However, that being said Carla R., leaves readers curious as she ends this book with a cliffhanger.

Thank you to Carla R. for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Amazeballs Book Addicts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Badass is a good read. Molly is a badass girl. She's feisty and funny. She does sugarcoat things. She's a pretty coll character. Molly meet Brenden. Brenden is sexy fireman. He's sweet good guy. He kind has it ingrained in his personality to be the protector but Molly like her independence and doesn't think she needs saving. Molly has and ex that pops up and she also has a stalker. I guessed throughout the story on who I thought her stalker was. It's a good read that kept me turning the pages.

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon today (6/30/2021)! 🎁

[Casey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn’t put it down! From the moment I met Molly, Sammy, and the rest of the Bombshells I fell in love with their rich friendships and witty charm!!

Molly and Brendan are steamy but that doesn’t mean that Molly is your typical damsel in distress... far from it actually! She and her friends are total BADASSES!!

I loved this story and can’t wait to find out what’s next. Great job for debut author Carla R!

[Laura Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

For a debut author, Carla has put forth an amazing quick read.. for the most part there isn’t a lot of violence and drama . I think the name sorta puts that thought in my mind .. so she owns a hair salon w/ her friends, each one specializing in the services offered .. while her circle of friends is small but tight everyone in the town knows her since she was born and raised there. Her ex boyfriend Hank really broke her heart and she has tried the dating scene and failed epically.. then she meets Brenden.. a sexy firefighter that works with her best friend Sammys husband.. Brendan seems a little obsessive and controlling and while it’s sweet and innocent it’s hard for independent Molli to get used to.. the stalker is the issue. The Who is it aspect really keeps you entertained and interested to find out who the heck it is!!! It’s a great read and I look forward to more from this author !!

[ReadonReader · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a new to me author and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. At first when we meet Molly she is explaining all her recent horrible dates she has been on and she had me rolling with laughter. She was burned by her ex that she was with for a while and after some time finally stepping out on the dating scene she has experienced all sorts of horrible characters. Then we are introduced to Brendon, he is this firefighter that is totally alpha yet caring and lovable. After a few run ins with each other these two have an attraction that the both want to react on, but Molly still wants to prove to him that she is an independent woman capable of taking care of herself. At times I found Molly to be a tad annoying because while being feisty I felt she sometimes was overly dramatic about things that were insignificant. These two are almost complete opposites but it works because they balance each other out. I found myself loving the over the top alphaness of Brendon and I ended up loving Molly as well. The ending had me glued in and I will definitely read more so I know what happens next.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Molly aka Red and Brenden aka Blue Eyes make a good couple. After all of Molly's disaster dates, she needed a knight in shining armor in Brenden. Although, I have to admit that I am a little sour that I will not get to hear about "Italian Job".

While, I am not always a fan of "insta-love" It worked in Brenden and Molly's case. This is because Brenden was so adorable that I could believe he was fell for Molly right away. He had a crush on Molly. Of course, it did not hurt that Molly was coming off a string of bad dates.

The chemistry between these two was hot and it just got hotter the more the story progressed. It is a good thing that Brenden is a firefighter and knows his way around fires. Molly and Brenden may have been the main romantic characters in this book but the other ladies of Bombshells helped as well to make this book entertaining. If you are looking for a spicy romance that will make you laugh; look no further than this series.

[Melissa Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious, Suspenseful and Sexy

I loved this book from page one! It's hilariously accurate when it comes to relationships, friendships, and the naming of bad dates.
I was not expecting the crazy twist in the suspense but I was pleasantly surprised. I took me longer than I would have liked to finish this story, as I had to keep putting to down, which killed me so much! I wanted nothing more than to hole up with this book until it was finished.
The ending had me grinning like a fool, until it left me screaming because of the cliffy. (My husband looked at me like I was freak.) I am eagerly starting the next book in the series ASAP!
If you love a good, sweet romance with lots of boy and ex drama, stalker suspense, self-defense kick assery and hilarious bad date stories, this is the book for you! What are you waiting for, go read it!!

[N. Biggs · Rating 3 out of 5]

My rating: 3.5 Stars

Badass is book 1 in the Bombshell series. Carla R. is a new-to-me author so I didn’t know what to expect going in. The heroine of the story is Molly. She’s an independent, fiery girl, who’s also sassy and funny. The story starts with Molly stumbling upon a mysterious intrusion. Her house is broken into more than once. She meets Brenden, a hot guy who’s charming and sweet. And during her worst nightmare, they develop a lot of chemistry. It’s an insta-love type scenario (in my opinion). Which is unlike Molly given her past rifts with men. Sour apples is what she’s gotten, but not with Brenden. The sexy fireman is caring, and is there for her when needed. I loved the secondary characters. Sammy (Molly’s best friend) was awesome. And for this to be the author’s debut, I’d say she’s done a phenomenal job.

[Neshaisabookworm’s Book Review · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!

This is my first time reading this author and holy fucking shit! This was a phenomenal book and I’m OBSESSED with this series now!

Molly is my new friend and I love her and all her girls. I want to be a bombshell!

Molly is a bad ass bitch! She takes shot from nobody!
I FLOVE a fierce heroine who is strong and stands up for herself and Molly has that in spades!

Brenden is hot AF! He’s the perfect guy for Molly. Protective but he lets her handle her own.

Brenden and Molly are cute AF, sexy AF, and their love story is a beautiful wild ride!

You will fall in love with the Bombshells, their men, and their families!

[Joyce Martinez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story!

I randomly found this story and was intrigued by the blurb. I was very pleasantly surprised by the writing and characters. Loved Molly and her strength. Story line so believable that I enjoyed every page. The side characters make it great also. Can’t wait to read the next stories in this series.

[C.R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first Carla R book. My bestie recommended it and I’m so glad I listened. I enjoyed the sassy Molly. She is one badass female who falls for one hot, steamy firefighter. Oh, how I like a good firefighter romance. Brenden has the pages on fire the moment were first met him.

I highly recommend this one, and I can’t wait to read more from this series.

[RomanceReader1 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Molly indeed is a bada** character!!! Simply loved her 😍

From the first page the author had me laughing 😂
Seriously, how does this keeps happening to Molly?

Molly is part owner of Bombshells, a beauty salon, after a three year relationship ended badly she’s been trying to find a person who she can connect to, so far she hasn’t had any luck.
Brenden is a new firefighter in town. He as seen Molly and knows he wants her. 😁
This two had me laughing so much trough out the whole story.

The suspense of not knowing who’s stalking Molly would have you on edge. I thought I had figured out!!! 😳😳

Such a good story.

There was also Sammy and Jared, and that ending...... I’m just hoping the author won’t rip my heart out on the next story... 😭😭😭

[BookFox · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this couple and the story line. It was funny and swoony with suspense and insta love my favorite type of book. The reason for 4 stars and not 5 is that it ended on a cliffhanger and the next book is about a different couple.

Safe
Dual POV
Neither virgins
Suspense
No ow/om drama
Bad guy drama
No epilogue ended on cliffhanger

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read!!

Loved the insta love between Molly and Brenden. Would recommend to read if you love fast paced romance and dirty talk.

[Carrie Audra · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was an interesting story. She is a mouthy girl and he is a sweet guy. It’s not a combination you normally see in a romance. FMC is badass! It was well written and I am actually almost finished with the next one in the series. I absolutely loved this book! Cheers.

[Breaux Reanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Romance and mystery wins again

A great fast read that keeps you going.

I'm usually able to guess early on who the culprit is but this book had me guessing and second guessing.

This book is a will read again book

[Dr M S Bhagyalakshmi Bhat · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the book a lot!This cover is gorgeous to say the least.
It was my first book in 2021. I love stories with women who are independent,fierce and sweet all in one.I loved Brenden.His chivalry,his thoughtfulness,his desire to be with his grandpa but balances his time with Molly and Brenden.Ohhh! There's a stalker too which is adds a mysterious element to the story and isn't too scary for me:)
It's a story I've re-read after my exams to enjoy it better and you'll have to read to find out if Brenden and Molly have a future together or not!

Why 4🌟?
There were a few errors in the e-book version but I have a paperback now and would love to reread it for a third time to see if it holds true and maybe edit my rating and review later:)

I won't bore you to tears by elaborating further.

Happy reading:)

[CYNDY · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow

I was really enjoyed the book; I was very surprised. I can't wait for more! I need to know what's going happen with Jared.

[Mica Rae · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the fun and feisty main character of this book! Molly is super relatable, making for a great read. I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait to read more by this author.

[WhiskeyandReading · Rating 4 out of 5]

You will laugh and you will cry with this book. The title fits this book. That twist was NOT what I expected. Do know this has a cliffhanger but the next book is a different couple

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the debut novel of new author, Carla R, and is Book 1 in the Bombshell series.

Molly O’Brien, our heroine, is my kind of woman! Strong, open about her sexuality and (disastrous) dating life, funny, smart business owner and independent but knows when to lean on a man (when she’s too lazy to carry her shopping bags to her car) - in short, a total badass!

Our hero, Brenden Clarke, is the kind of man heroes are dreamed of. He knows straight off the bat that he wants Molly and he does not mess about in claiming her once he spots her picture at the firehouse he works at. Yes, he’s a fire fighter *swoon*. He’s also caring (he moved to Molly’s hometown to take care of his ailing grandfather), a good son and extremely possessive but loving of Molly. He can be a little overbearing but Molly knows when to put him in his place.

The real story is not so much with these two - once they know, they know - and they’re pretty hot and heavy and serious straight off the bat.
No, the real story is who the fuck is stalking Molly and leaving her unpleasant (major understatement) messages and pictures? Is it her cheating ex, the by-the-book yet creepy cop or one of the many dreadful first dates she’d been on before meeting Brenden? The story had the right amount of whodunnits that even I didn’t see the culprit coming - and I’m usually spot on with guessing these kind of twists.

Coupled with a great supporting cast of hilarious friends (who most likely will be getting their own book in this series), a grumpy yet lovable Grandpa and a protective Britney Spears loving dog, this book was such a pleasant surprise and a great first debut novel from Carla R.

It does end in a cliffhanger, however, it has nothing to do with the relationship between Molly and Brenden but I’m guessing sets up the story in her next book. My gut is twisting hoping it’s not what I think it is.. I had a bad feeling everytime this person’s “episode” kept cropping up and I really hope it’s not what I’m picturing as this couple are so good together. BUT, that will also be an angsty good read whichever scenario happens and I will definitely be reading Book 2 in this series!

I received a free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review

[Cookie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is a romance book with a bit of suspense to the story line. Molly is a badass independent woman. She doesn't need any man to take care of her or to fight her battles. She meets Brendan through her best friend's husband and they have an instant connection. Shortly after they start dating, Molly discovers someone has been trying to get into her home multiple times. Brendan and Molly's relationship develops as she tries to deal with this mysterious intruder.

The beginning of this book pulled me in at the beginning. The supporting characters were great in this book and helped set the stage for Molly's life. As the story progressed, I had a hard time with the insta-love element to Molly and Brendan's relationship. Brendan was overly familiar with Molly from the very beginning, like calling her baby.

I think this author has potential. With more development of the story and adding some depth to it, the next book in the series could be good!

I was given a free e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[PlotTrysts · Rating 3 out of 5]

This sexy contemporary romance is the first in a series about a group of friends who own their own salon. Molly, the titular Badass, has been on innumerable bad dates, and shares the dirty deets with her besties. ⁠
⁠
The book is a sort of working-class, small-town Sex and the City with fewer sexual partners. Early on, Molly meets a hunky fireman, Brenden. They're so perfect for each other that it's hard to imagine what the conflict could end up being. It ends up involving one of Molly's exes and a Nice Guy cop who gets annoyed when she turns him down for a date. ⁠

Although we don't love a super angsty romance, there was so little conflict in Molly and Brenden's relationship that we were never in doubt that they would end up together. Even though mystery was pretty intense, it had very little effect on their relationship.

You may like this book if you are into relationships that start strong, end strong, and have a lot of hot sex throughout. Note that the book does end on a cliffhanger for the next one.

[Hayley · Rating 3 out of 5]

***3.5 Stars***

I really enjoyed this book, my first time reading Carla R. The story was easy to sink my teeth into, I quickly became a fan of Molly and her best friend Sammy. Their banter and friendship is relatable and entertaining. Brendan is a definite alpha book boyfriend. He comes in hot and all consuming, but is also incredibly sweet. Watching them get to know each other and fall for each other was so much fun. There is also a suspenseful story line and a sense of danger as you are trying to figure out who is responsible for the crime occurring in the story. This book floated closer to 4 stars for me, until the end of the book (Don't worry I won't give spoilers). I sat on this book for a couple days before writing my review but I ultimately felt the twist at the end took away from the story for me. I can't wait until the next book comes out because I have to know what comes next!

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Sassafrack · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good story.

I enjoyed so much of this book. So first I’ll say why, then I’ll explain why it was only a 3 for me.

So, I loved the characters. Molly was sassy and fun. She didn’t take crap, and took care of herself. If you love the jealous, possessive guys, you’ll love Brenden. He felt pushy and a little stalkery at first, but it didn’t take long for me to like his sweetness. Their friends and family were all nice to read, and the story was good. The ending was sweet and not predictable.

The “but” here, that had me giving this a 3 star rating, was that despite this story having so much potential, it could have used a little more revising. There was a fair few grammar errors and misspellings, but also, it was a little long winded and overly descriptive. A lot of it could have been skimmed down.

Overall, I thought the author had a great story, and I think she’ll just get better. I will be looking out for the next book.

[Jackie Mojica · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's cute, and pretty dirty ;)

The book was pretty cute. I did enjoy it for the most part. It could have stood a little more revision for grammar and spelling. A lot of over detailing, that could have been trimmed down.

I liked that Molly was an independent woman, with a smart mouth. Her friendship with Sammy was very very relatable. It reminded me of my own best friend and my relationship.

The sex scenes were pretty dirty which is always a bonus.

I...didn't love Brendon. Nothing bad about the author or her character. He's well developed and written. Just that overbearing jealous possessive type isn't really for me. A lot of his behavior annoyed me and as a fierce and sassy woman myself would have been a strain on a relationship for me.

Otherwise it was a pretty good way to spend a few hours. I kind of figured out who the villain was pretty quick but it's all good. If instant love, alpha jealous men, and stalkers are your thing you will love this.

[Kathi Simmons-Kuebler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I usually am nervous about reading NEW to me Authors. However I was so excited to find this Authors book, plus it's a series. I am giving this book 5 stars for these reasons. The female main Character is so strong. Her name is Molly a Salon part owner. The way she and her best friend Sammy interact with each other is how my friends and I do. This makes them very relatable.
Then you enter a hot, hot Fireman who's the male main Character named Brenden. Now he might be many readers idea of a great man. I know I found him not lacking in this book. Very strong himself, loyal protective and did I mention a fireman lol. This book has, steamy, romance, as well as danger and thrill vibes. You have to read the book to get to what I found to be the best part in the book which is what Molly tells Brenden when he wants to protect her. I honestly can not wait to dig into the rest of this series.

[Fictionlove_alwaysforever · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ellloooozzzz Booklovers!!!

Badass: Book 1 in the Bombshells series by @authorcarlar
Get ready to fall in love with Red and Blue Eyes!!!!

Molly is a part owner in a co-op salon and spa called Bombshells. She is a badass girl, sassy and funny.
She is ready to be maaried and have kids just like her best friend. However, her dating pool seems to attract a lot of disturbing species. Molly and Sammy, her best friend, nickname the guys they date, or she date, since Sammy's a married woman now. Most of the names are descriptive of something that happened during the date or their appearance, like Mr. Frybeard, Sir-Farts-a-lot, Mustachio, and the similar kind.
But she believes in love and forever and won't give up!
Cue...Brenden, the new fireman! Swoon...all blue eyes and drool-worthy. He is your protective alpha male. He is the guy who stays with her, all sweet and protective throughout.
Add an ex-boyfriend cheat and a stalker in the mix and its a complete drama waiting to happen.
The story is also a good suspense and you keep thinking you have it figured out until the end...

Molly's fav:-
Flowers: Kermit mums
Dessert: Blueberry cake donuts
Best friend: Sammy
Ex boyfriend: Hank
Love: Brenden and Britney

For her debut, the author has done amazing!

[Lourene · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to be like Molly! Molly is a total badass woman. Her and her friends own a salon called the Bombshells. She meets a firefighter Brenden and holy heck they can fire up the sheets!
This is a great read and I recommend it.