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Bad Boys of the Bayou #6

Return of the Bad Boy

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She might be the teacher in the classroom.
But she wants this bad boy to teach her everything he knows in the bedroom.



The biggest bad boy of all is back in town and he’s got some unfinished business with the class goody-two-shoes. But as much as he’d like some revenge on the snitch who got him kicked off the championship football team, he’s ten years older and he knows there are more important things. Most days.


Like the opportunity to come home, atone for past sins, and prove he’s ready to give back to his hometown. And he knows just the person to help him—the same woman who brought him down all those years ago. As a well-respected and beloved teacher, if Annabelle is willing to take a chance on him, everyone will know Jackson’s a new man.


But he’s not the only one who’s changed. Though she’s just as smart as he remembers, Annabelle is also sweet, kind, loyal—and hiding some sexy surprises behind her flowery skirts and her cool attitude.


Suddenly proving himself to the town might be more difficult than he’d thought. Because while Jackson may have shed most of his wild ways, turns out nothing stirs his inner bad boy quite like Annabelle.

192 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 4, 2022

86 people are currently reading
227 people want to read

About the author

Erin Nicholas

152 books3,802 followers
Erin Nicholas is the New York Times bestselling author of over sixty sexy contemporary romances. Her stories have been described as toe-curling, enchanting, steamy and fun.

She lives in the Midwest with her husband who only wants to read the sex scenes in her books, her kids who will never read the sex scenes in her books, and family and friends who say they’re shocked by the sex scenes in her books (yeah, right!).


You can find Erin on the web at www.ErinNicholas.com, on Instagram at ErinNicholasBooks, Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ErinNicholas... and on BookBub at https://www.bookbub.com/profile/erin-...

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5 stars
309 (62%)
4 stars
131 (26%)
3 stars
48 (9%)
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
Profile Image for Darcy.
14.4k reviews542 followers
September 27, 2022
This one was just ok for me. Part of it was Jackson, not sure why, but he rubbed me the wrong way. I didn't like how it seemed like he didn't take any blame for what he did in the past, yet was guilty he let down his team, but not guilty for the why of it. Annabelle wasn't much better. At first she comes off as a bit of prude, also seems odd that she was the one that got Jackson in trouble and not much happened to her. You would have thought all the kids would have hazed her somehow. Then now, Annabelle still seems to have a crush on Jackson, lets out little hints and then lets him dictate their relationship. By the end, I was just glad to be done with this one.
Profile Image for Marie.
5,107 reviews52 followers
May 6, 2023
'Hang on, Mr Brady, you're about to have the ride of your life'

Jackson is the ultimate Bad Boy, but whilst the rest of Bad see him as the town wild child who went off the rails, those who really know him see his huge heart, his fear of letting people down, his need to help the kids who need guidance, his attention to detail....they see that the ultimate Bad Boy is actually really, really.....good!
Jackson's return to Bad doesn't go to plan, he meets resistance for his farm, Coach collapses again and he falls for the town good girl, who can actually be really bad! Only he could fall in love with a good girl, the town good girl, she is the only one with a bigger hero complex than him, she NEEDS to help people, she needs to help him. Jackson and Annabelle are amazing characters, she grounds him even as she revs his need for her off the charts with coy looks, tight yoga pants and sexy floaty skirts. And he gives her the confidence to ask for what she wants, not what people expect her to want.
Packed with dirty talk, sexy piano time, hidden tattoo treasure hunts and lots of steamy moments this visit to Bad is one of the best so far. I read this on Kindle Unlimited.
1,668 reviews41 followers
October 16, 2022
Return of the Bad Boy is the 6th book in the author’s Bad Boys series and IMHO her best work so far. As she readily admits at the beginning of each book this series began as a collection of unrelated standalone books she’d written that she cobbled together and massaged into a series based in the imaginary bayou town of Bad La. just up the bayou from Autre where her Boys of the Bayou and Boys of the Bayou Gone Wild series were based. If you’ve read some of my earlier reviews on this series maybe my OCD is showing because I’ve been frustrated from time to time about the lack of cohesiveness in this series from her efforts. Unlike most series the author tells us these books can be read in any order for a reason. The timelines from story to story seemed confused and characters that became couples in one book weren’t in the next which meant after I’d just read their happily ever after the next book they were single. For instance Marc and Sabrina find love in Bad Influence only for Sabrina to still be away from Bad and Marc still single in the next story Bad Taste in Men. Even in this story where all the previous protagonists show up only Pricilla and Jase from the first book The Best Bad Boy are acknowledged as a couple. For me the joy of reading a series is watching the cast of characters grow as characters from the previous story appear as secondary characters in the following stories. Anyway, in Return of the Bad Boy it seemed most everyone from the previous stories were at least present in Bad so that was a plus. Also, almost from the start the author made the characters and story a little unpredictable. After painting our heroine Annabelle as a straightlaced, never color outside of the lines, rule follower we discover that even before our hero Jackson returns to Bad and enters her life she isn’t quite as straightlaced and innocent as she first seemed to be. This is a very sexy story as Jackson helps Annabelle find the bad girl hiding below the surface and she helps Jackson find the acceptance he’s always longed for. As per usual in contemporary romances the woman Annabelle is far wiser than the man Jackson in matters of the heart. So when Jackson does his best to ruin the best thing that’s ever happened to him with some help from their friends she helps him find his way back to their happily ever after with a minimum amount of angst.
Profile Image for Anna-Marie Buchner.
928 reviews7 followers
June 21, 2024
Ok I think this so far is my favorite book of the series. Jackson and Annabelle have history and not a good one. Jackson left Bad for 10 years and came back because of a phone call from Carter about Coach. Jackson really turned his life around I was like super impressed. But he still had doubts about his worth. Annabelle was on the committee that was interviewing for a counselors position at the High School and Jackson had to make it past her. He needed to show her he changed. I personally think Annabelle had a secret crush on Jackson from when they were in High School. She's the town Good Girl and kept to herself. Never dated while in school, never went to prom or home coming, she'd rather stay home and read a book.

When Jackson and Annabelle brought up the elephant in the room with what happened 10 years prior it was interesting. Annabelle I guess was tired of being the conservative little Miss Goody two shoes so her and Jackson made a pact to help each other. Yeah they actually fell in love with each other. Soooooooooooooooo cute of a read. I totally enjoyed it.
494 reviews2 followers
October 5, 2022
Finding the Way Back to Bad

Jackson and Annabelle are native to Bad, Louisiana. He was the charming bad boy, but left town in disgrace, which Annabelle had a hand in. She's always been the town good girl. Now they are back in Bad and have different goals but decide they can help each other meet those goals. Her goal is personal, his goal is professional. As their deal progresses they find they have much in common, primarily explosive sexual chemistry. They also realize they compliment each other in their careers, passions and needs. Although not a long book, this story combines character depth, plot complications and emotionsl conflict in such a way that keeps you immersed in the story and all it's wonder.
Profile Image for Callie.
247 reviews
March 20, 2023
This is probably one of my favorites from the series. I like that it explained the relationship between the two of them almost immediately. The end is definitely a happy ever after. I wish that a book came out with all of the stories and where they are now. Everyone loves that part of a romance. How things are going.
170 reviews
August 14, 2024
Love this series!

Jackson is definitely a Bad boy! He left Bad after a scandal in high school. And Annabelle is a good girl from Bad, a well respected teacher. When they meet again after years, sparks fly. This is a great book with lots of LOL moments and chemistry off the charts! I highly recommend this book and the entire series! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
1,347 reviews5 followers
November 7, 2022
Annabelle is a good girl, Jackson has always been reckless now 10 years later he needs her help.

I like hat she helps him but it's up to him to show he's grown up. I would recommend this book and series for mature adult readers.
58 reviews
May 25, 2023
So far, my favorite book in the "Bad" series. I loved Marc and Sabrina but Jackson and Annabelle were amazing. I loved that they were able to quickly move on from their high school "history" and work together as adults. They were the perfect pair.
390 reviews
March 13, 2025
Spectacular

These Bad boys just take your breath away. But Annabelle and Jackson's story is it for me. The shy, introverted girl and the grown up bad boy. OMG...this one gives you all the feels. Another winner from Erin Nicholas.
835 reviews7 followers
August 28, 2022
I thoroughly loved reading this story set in Bad each story is a standalone & a fast paced read. Each is awesome & truly a delight to devour. Highly addictive & recommended!
Profile Image for Tami Schafer.
655 reviews12 followers
June 9, 2023
just as good the second time

I read this awhile back when it was the bad boys of summer. Loved it then loved it now !
Profile Image for Ali Foito.
325 reviews2 followers
July 20, 2023
Proving yourself

Jackson came back a different person and thought he had to prove to the town he was different but he didn't need to. Annabel showed him he was fine for who he was.
Profile Image for MN Book Lady.
2,263 reviews5 followers
October 21, 2022
These bad boys are so good!

Jackson has returned to Bad to help out his former coach after he suffered a heart attack. And he sees that he needs to stay and works to get a job at his old high school. The only person in his way is Annabelle, the woman who once ruined his life.

Annabelle now goes by AJ, something Jackson can’t get behind. And he knows that with her approval, the community will go for his farm idea to help underprivileged and troubled kids. And AJ’s willing to help, if Jackson will help her shed her good girl image to get the guy she wants. But somewhere along the way, feelings get involved without telling the other and Jackson sees an end date for him and Annabelle; something that he hates.

Annabelle and Jackson get their happy ending in this stand-alone book in a series.

I loved that they all started to help each other because Annabelle believed in what Jackson was doing for these kids. And it was great to see all their friends come together to show the rest of the Bad how great this program will be for the people who live there. And while Jackson is a Bad boy, he’s also a really good man!
Profile Image for Tammy Moldovan.
1,969 reviews27 followers
August 7, 2022
When the bad boy and the good girl get together it’s hot and sweet

I really related to Annabelle and Jackson. The feeling of inadequacy. Feeling like you’re stuck in the box people put you in and like being seen differently is an almost impossible task. The books in this series are filled with all the emotions, the connections and the love. Jackson is a guidance counselor from Omaha who helps troubled youths. He returns to his hometown of Bad, LA to help his beloved coach while he recovers from a heart attack. Jackson is a little rough around the edges and a little wounded. He is really a wounded soul that needs love and healing. Annabelle is a sweet, nice girl who teaches English in Bad. Annabelle is also a soul looking for connection and understanding. Annabelle and Jackson have history. In HS she reported an incident that derailed his life for a time. Now that he’s back in Bad, he asks to date her to improve his reputation and in return, she’ll be more attractive to a man she’s interested in. The best laid plans for a fake relationship quickly goes off the rails when the lines between real and fake blur almost immediately. The story included witty dialogue, three dimensional characters who grow, and an engaging storyline. I love all the big emotions in this story, the hard life stuff, and the relatable characters. And the feels - definitely expect them - you’ll swoon, grit your teeth, chuckle, groan, and cheer. I am excited to read about the rest of the Bad boys.
2,738 reviews127 followers
August 25, 2022
Return of the Bad Boy is part of Erin Nicholas’s Bad Boys of the Bayou series, set in the little town of Bad, Louisiana.

Jackson Brady and Annabelle Hartington didn’t date in high school. In fact, they barely spoke two words to each other. Jackson was the quintessential bad boy athlete while Annabelle was the quiet, by-the-rules scholar.

Jackson’s back in town to help Coach out, and he’s turned his life around. He just needs everyone else to see that too, and Annabelle might just be the best way to get the word out. Except they both connect in a way they never anticipated…

Such a hot, fun read! Erin Nicholas brings all the heart and the heat! It’s a real treat to see Annabelle and Jackson bring out the best in each other and find that being bad might just be the best thing of all!
Profile Image for J Lundsten.
965 reviews39 followers
August 12, 2022
This has been my favorite of the series (and I have loved them all!)!!

Jackson returns to town after his high school coach has a heart attack. He immediately has to impress the one person in town who is not at all impressed with him-Annabelle. The two have a complicated history but right away past misconceptions are cleared up and they start to see each other in a new light...one that just might make them fall in love.

Omg! Jackson is such a great hero. Bad boy all grown up and ready to do good....but is still bad in all the right ways? Yes, please! And Annabelle isn't the good girl everyone assumes she is....at least when she is around Jackson. So. Much. Fun.

I didn't think I could pick a favorite from this bunch but Jackson just may be it!!
Profile Image for niki_reads_romance.
883 reviews9 followers
August 18, 2022
Ok. I’ll start with my negatives— I REALLY dislike manwhores. And Jackson is basically the definition of that. I also sincerely disliked that Annabelle had seen him with another woman. 10 years ago or not… gross.

HOWEVER- positives. Erin Nicholas is an amazing author. She can turn a character that I think I really dislike into an absolute hero. She weaves his story of redemption and effort in a way that allows me to change my preconceived opinions, and see him in a different light.

Overall, I truly thought I’d dislike this story, and was wonderfully wrong. It was interesting, entertaining, and sexy, and I enjoyed every moment of it.
Profile Image for Luisa Baudino.
457 reviews3 followers
September 2, 2022
Jackson and Annabelle are to die for! I loved their second chance bad boy good girl romance and how they managed to mend fences after 10 years and brought the town to love Jackson again! I was super involved in Annabelle getting out of her shell and loved the glimpses at Michael LeClaire.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews

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