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Texas Cattleman's Club: Heir Apparent #4
The Trouble with Bad Boys
Can a social media playboy make over a plain Jane?
A playboy who’s all about the likes…
Is about to get a lesson in love!
Notorious social media influencer Zach Benning is happy to swoop into Royal, Texas, promote the Soiree on the Bay and leave with a fat paycheck. While he’s at it, he’ll give plain-Jane event planner Lila Jones a makeover, online and off. The last thing he expects is to fall for his ravishing creation! But is he really seeing the captivating woman underneath all the newfound hype?
A playboy who’s all about the likes…
Is about to get a lesson in love!
Notorious social media influencer Zach Benning is happy to swoop into Royal, Texas, promote the Soiree on the Bay and leave with a fat paycheck. While he’s at it, he’ll give plain-Jane event planner Lila Jones a makeover, online and off. The last thing he expects is to fall for his ravishing creation! But is he really seeing the captivating woman underneath all the newfound hype?
- GenresRomanceCategory Romance
219 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published April 21, 2021
19 people are currently reading
51 people want to read
About the author
Katherine Garbera
798 books660 followersKatherine Garbera is a USA TODAY bestselling author of more than 100 novels, which have been translated into over two dozen languages and sold millions of copies worldwide. She is the mother of two incredibly creative and snarky grown children. Katherine enjoys drinking champagne, reading, walking and traveling with her husband. She lives in Kent, UK, where she is working on her next novel.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
June 6, 2021
The Trouble with Bad Boys by Katherine Garbera is the fourth book in the Texas Cattleman's Club: Heir Apparent series. New readers of the series should have no problem following the story and figuring out some of the key past events. Already established readers will love the new details provided for the overall series arc.
Lila Jones is your typical girl next door. She's liked by those who know her, but her plain clothes and demeanor make her easy to overlook. Lila has lived in Royal, Texas her entire life. She works for the Royal Chamber of Commerce and wants to make sure that the upcoming Soiree on the Bay is a huge success. Ticket sales for the luxury food, art, and wine festival being held on Appaloosa Island aren't doing so well. Lila gets the idea to message social media influencer Zach Benning, hoping he will mention the event and get the buzz going. Never did she expect him to actually come to Royal.
Unbeknownst to Zach, he crossed a line he swore he would never cross and now he just needs to get away from LA for a while and let the scandal surrounding him die down. He shows up in Royal never expecting to have an instant attraction to Lila who is unlike the women he's usually attracted to. When Lila asks him to promote Soiree on the Bay on all his platforms, he gets the idea to give her a social media and appearance makeover. In the back of his mind, he's thinking that if he can turn her into a replica of the women he usually dates, having a fling with her wouldn't be such a bad thing.
When I initially read The Trouble with Bad Boys, I wasn’t head over heels in love with Lila and Zach. I know they complimented each other and brought out the best in each other, but I just didn’t love them. Sitting back, thinking about them now, I like them more. I see their vulnerabilities and fears. I can actually appreciate them as a couple. There’s this one little part of the story that I’m sure is uber important to the overall series arc. I have a couple of ideas of what’s happening or going to happen. I can’t wait to see if I’m right.
~ Favorite Quote ~
“Manners are never wasted.”
**Received a copy of the publisher and voluntarily reviewed it. Also personally purchased a paperback copy.**
Lila Jones is your typical girl next door. She's liked by those who know her, but her plain clothes and demeanor make her easy to overlook. Lila has lived in Royal, Texas her entire life. She works for the Royal Chamber of Commerce and wants to make sure that the upcoming Soiree on the Bay is a huge success. Ticket sales for the luxury food, art, and wine festival being held on Appaloosa Island aren't doing so well. Lila gets the idea to message social media influencer Zach Benning, hoping he will mention the event and get the buzz going. Never did she expect him to actually come to Royal.
Unbeknownst to Zach, he crossed a line he swore he would never cross and now he just needs to get away from LA for a while and let the scandal surrounding him die down. He shows up in Royal never expecting to have an instant attraction to Lila who is unlike the women he's usually attracted to. When Lila asks him to promote Soiree on the Bay on all his platforms, he gets the idea to give her a social media and appearance makeover. In the back of his mind, he's thinking that if he can turn her into a replica of the women he usually dates, having a fling with her wouldn't be such a bad thing.
When I initially read The Trouble with Bad Boys, I wasn’t head over heels in love with Lila and Zach. I know they complimented each other and brought out the best in each other, but I just didn’t love them. Sitting back, thinking about them now, I like them more. I see their vulnerabilities and fears. I can actually appreciate them as a couple. There’s this one little part of the story that I’m sure is uber important to the overall series arc. I have a couple of ideas of what’s happening or going to happen. I can’t wait to see if I’m right.
~ Favorite Quote ~
“Manners are never wasted.”
**Received a copy of the publisher and voluntarily reviewed it. Also personally purchased a paperback copy.**
August 22, 2021
This is the fourth book in the series, and the Soiree on the Bay is beginning to come together. The venues are built; now they need the acts to fill them and the publicity to sell the tickets and bring the customers. The ticket sales aren't where they should be, which worries Lila, who works the event for the Chamber of Commerce.
Lila is a born-and-bred Royal resident. Everyone who knows her likes her, but nothing about her stands out. She's sweet and smart and determined to do her part to make the Soiree a success. She gets the idea to ask social influencer Zach Benning to mention the event and hopefully get some buzz going. She never expected him to show up in person.
Lila's message arrived at the perfect time for Zach. He unknowingly crossed a line with one of his women and needs to let the scandal die down. When he arrived in Royal, he didn't expect his instant attraction to Lila. The quiet, girl-next-door woman is nothing like the women he usually dates. In addition to promoting Soiree on the Bay, he decides to give Lila a personal and social media makeover. If he can turn her into the kind of woman he usually dates, he can sleep with her without feeling guilty.
I enjoyed seeing the relationship develop between Lila and Zach. Both of them are more than what they appear on the surface. Lila looks like a quiet, unassuming woman, content to stay in the background. In reality, she is a vibrant, passionate woman who simply lacks the confidence to stand out. Under Zach's tutelage, Lila changes the way she dresses, gaining confidence from the positive feedback. She also learns how to use social media for herself and her job. As for Zach, in the beginning, he appears to be all flash and no substance. Everything he does is staged for maximum public display and to put himself in the limelight. But it isn't long before we see a vulnerable side to him.
I loved seeing them spend time together. While Lila really gets into the whole lifestyle, there is still a part of her that sees its superficiality. When she spends a few days in LA with Zach, deep down, she misses Royal. She knows she is falling for him but can't see him giving up the fast pace of LA for the quiet of small-town Texas. Zach has it a little rougher. Spending time with Lila stirs up emotions that he has spent his life avoiding. When he realizes the depth of his feelings, Zach freaks out and pushes her away. It takes some straight talk from an unexpected source for him to accept the changes in himself and see what he needs to do. His big moment was terrific, and I loved seeing his plan for the future.
Near the end of the book, during a Soiree on the Bay committee meeting, head organizer Rusty Edmonds drops a bombshell that could derail the event. Since the start, one character has rubbed me the wrong way, and I suspect this person is involved. I can't wait to see if I'm right.
Lila is a born-and-bred Royal resident. Everyone who knows her likes her, but nothing about her stands out. She's sweet and smart and determined to do her part to make the Soiree a success. She gets the idea to ask social influencer Zach Benning to mention the event and hopefully get some buzz going. She never expected him to show up in person.
Lila's message arrived at the perfect time for Zach. He unknowingly crossed a line with one of his women and needs to let the scandal die down. When he arrived in Royal, he didn't expect his instant attraction to Lila. The quiet, girl-next-door woman is nothing like the women he usually dates. In addition to promoting Soiree on the Bay, he decides to give Lila a personal and social media makeover. If he can turn her into the kind of woman he usually dates, he can sleep with her without feeling guilty.
I enjoyed seeing the relationship develop between Lila and Zach. Both of them are more than what they appear on the surface. Lila looks like a quiet, unassuming woman, content to stay in the background. In reality, she is a vibrant, passionate woman who simply lacks the confidence to stand out. Under Zach's tutelage, Lila changes the way she dresses, gaining confidence from the positive feedback. She also learns how to use social media for herself and her job. As for Zach, in the beginning, he appears to be all flash and no substance. Everything he does is staged for maximum public display and to put himself in the limelight. But it isn't long before we see a vulnerable side to him.
I loved seeing them spend time together. While Lila really gets into the whole lifestyle, there is still a part of her that sees its superficiality. When she spends a few days in LA with Zach, deep down, she misses Royal. She knows she is falling for him but can't see him giving up the fast pace of LA for the quiet of small-town Texas. Zach has it a little rougher. Spending time with Lila stirs up emotions that he has spent his life avoiding. When he realizes the depth of his feelings, Zach freaks out and pushes her away. It takes some straight talk from an unexpected source for him to accept the changes in himself and see what he needs to do. His big moment was terrific, and I loved seeing his plan for the future.
Near the end of the book, during a Soiree on the Bay committee meeting, head organizer Rusty Edmonds drops a bombshell that could derail the event. Since the start, one character has rubbed me the wrong way, and I suspect this person is involved. I can't wait to see if I'm right.
June 6, 2021
What he needed
Zach thought he was coming to help out Lila but he found was what he didn't know he was looking for.
Zach thought he was coming to help out Lila but he found was what he didn't know he was looking for.
May 28, 2021
great book.
May 26, 2021
Good book
April 10, 2021
Another excellent read in the TCC series. Each book sucks you into the world of Royal Texas. Take one outgoing bad boy and one shy girl, throw them together and see what happens next. Read the adventures of Zach and Lila in this part of the series. Promoting Soiree on the Bay. What happens between this couple while promoting the event. A page turner.I do believe that we got a mighty hint of who the bad guy is going to be.
July 24, 2021
Reviewed at Happily Ever After Romance
I’ll be frank and say that I’ve yet to read a Katherine Garbera story that I didn’t completely love and enjoy – so, The Trouble with Bad Boys, the fourth title in the Texas Cattleman’s Club: Heir Apparent multi-author series gave me exactly what I always expect from this author… an excellent story. Yet. What a unique spin on bad boys Zach turned out to be!
There were so many times that I really wanted to dislike Zach, and many of his actions or reason did give me pause. But there is a vulnerability beneath the surface of Zach that was easily seen from the start. All that attitude and bravo were like a cloak that he settled on his shoulders, a role that he took on perhaps without really seeing what he’d been doing. He admits to many of his shortcomings to himself along the way, yet it will take a deep emotional smack to get him to finally toss away the chic sunglasses and take a good hard look at himself. I adored Zach, even when he was being his baddest.
Lila is such a sweetheart, the town good girl, one who might dream of more but probably wouldn’t take that jump on her own. One bet, one man, and the future of the “Soiree on the Bay” depends on Lila getting Zach involved – she simply didn’t expect to lose her heart along the way or to discover what lays beneath her own surface dreams. I’ll admit to quietly smiling while reading of every new adventure, new experience that Lila took in The Trouble with Bad Boys. I ended up adoring this couple and had a few nail-biting chapters on their way to an eventual happy ending.
We’ll run into some familiar faces as the “Soiree on the Bay” slowly comes to life… and that mic drop of an ending (that I think most readers of this series have been waiting for) was simply a perfect segue into the next story. I had such fun with Lila and Zach – if you haven’t started the Texas Cattleman’s Club: Heir Apparent series just yet… now would be a good time.
I’ll be frank and say that I’ve yet to read a Katherine Garbera story that I didn’t completely love and enjoy – so, The Trouble with Bad Boys, the fourth title in the Texas Cattleman’s Club: Heir Apparent multi-author series gave me exactly what I always expect from this author… an excellent story. Yet. What a unique spin on bad boys Zach turned out to be!
There were so many times that I really wanted to dislike Zach, and many of his actions or reason did give me pause. But there is a vulnerability beneath the surface of Zach that was easily seen from the start. All that attitude and bravo were like a cloak that he settled on his shoulders, a role that he took on perhaps without really seeing what he’d been doing. He admits to many of his shortcomings to himself along the way, yet it will take a deep emotional smack to get him to finally toss away the chic sunglasses and take a good hard look at himself. I adored Zach, even when he was being his baddest.
Lila is such a sweetheart, the town good girl, one who might dream of more but probably wouldn’t take that jump on her own. One bet, one man, and the future of the “Soiree on the Bay” depends on Lila getting Zach involved – she simply didn’t expect to lose her heart along the way or to discover what lays beneath her own surface dreams. I’ll admit to quietly smiling while reading of every new adventure, new experience that Lila took in The Trouble with Bad Boys. I ended up adoring this couple and had a few nail-biting chapters on their way to an eventual happy ending.
We’ll run into some familiar faces as the “Soiree on the Bay” slowly comes to life… and that mic drop of an ending (that I think most readers of this series have been waiting for) was simply a perfect segue into the next story. I had such fun with Lila and Zach – if you haven’t started the Texas Cattleman’s Club: Heir Apparent series just yet… now would be a good time.
June 10, 2021
Opposites attracting has never been quite so adorable! With book four in the Texas Cattleman's Club: Heir Apparent series Katherine Garbera delights us with a sure of himself man being brought to his knees by a plain Jane in THE TROUBLE WITH BAD BOYS. The characters are cute, their connection is temptingly delectable and though the end was too rushed for my liking, I really enjoyed their story!
Lila is a sweetheart. She needs publicity to make the Soiree on the Bay a roaring success, but she's really having to put herself out there with the likes of ZB to make that happen.
Zach is adorably cocky and I loved every minute of him. He's successful and self-assured, but he has scars beneath the surface that hold him back from being real with himself.
I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a fast paced Cinderella type trope with lots of laughs and a whole lot of heart.
Lila is a sweetheart. She needs publicity to make the Soiree on the Bay a roaring success, but she's really having to put herself out there with the likes of ZB to make that happen.
Zach is adorably cocky and I loved every minute of him. He's successful and self-assured, but he has scars beneath the surface that hold him back from being real with himself.
I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a fast paced Cinderella type trope with lots of laughs and a whole lot of heart.
July 18, 2021
I am having trouble with this version of the Cattleman series. There is not enough of the cattleman club working together for the Town of Royal, i am not sure what I think of Zac. There is not enough of family backgrounds.
Lila is hard working but a make over and clothes does not really make everything magical. Now there is money missing from Rusty. I have a suspect.
Lila is hard working but a make over and clothes does not really make everything magical. Now there is money missing from Rusty. I have a suspect.
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May 1, 2021Categories
Contemporary Romance, Sagas
Miniseries
Texas Cattleman's Club: Heir Apparent (Book #4)
Contemporary Romance, Sagas
Miniseries
Texas Cattleman's Club: Heir Apparent (Book #4)
July 1, 2021
Loved how the good girl learned how to balance her inner diva with her sweet side. another great addition to the Texas Cattleman's Club series.
September 25, 2022
I absolutely loved this book the characters were great! All the setting were brilliant! It made the places seem real. I loved how it turn out in the end!
This is a keeper,
This is a keeper,
April 4, 2023
Good book
July 3, 2024
This is the 4th book I read by Katherine Garbera. I liked the hot 🔥 & steamy scenes, but the storyline didn't grab my interest.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews