REVIEW: Bad Business by J.C. Harroway

Bad Business by J.C. Harroway is a sexy vacation romance for a woman newly single and the wealthy playboy she meets at a tropical resort.

When Dr. Grace Metcalf breaks off her engagement a month before her wedding, her two best friends Brooke and Neve are ready to console her. They want her to go on her planned honeymoon anyway, a destination trip to beautiful Fiji. With the offer from the resort to give her a refund for the stay if she’ll teach a first aid class for the staff, Grace is torn. But her friends convince her and they make a pact, to seize the moment and engage in a sexy hookup fling if the opportunity presents. With Grace’s upcoming trip, she’ll be the first in the group to take the plunge.

Ryan Dempsey is getting ready to take ownership of the resort and turn it into a singles, adults only, hedonistic paradise when he meets Grace while covering for the paddleboard instructor. It’s unusual to have a single woman at a honeymoon resort and Ryan is quick to express his interest. With the pact in mind, Grace doesn’t have to think hard about spending a night or two with Ryan. But can a vacation fling lead to something more?

I’m a fan of vacation romances and this is an enjoyable and entertaining read! Grace still feels guilty over calling off her engagement even knowing it was the right decision. Being able to get away and enjoy the tropical location, and knowing her friends are eager for her to get back in the dating game (or at least the sexy hookup game) gives her the courage to respond to Ryan’s invitation, leading to some steamy scenes. Ryan is very clear from the outset that he doesn’t believe in love or marriage and that he’s only interested in a good time, which is fine for Grace at the start. But as they spend time together and share things about each other, their feelings for each other change. Ryan’s initial deception over his true position on the island as the owner and not just an employee doesn’t last for too long and he apologizes for not being up front with her at the start, which I appreciated.

While Grace is willing to admit she’s falling for Ryan, he’s the one who gets cold feet. He makes some mistakes and then has to give a good grovel to get back in her good graces. The story is fairly predictable but fun and the tropical paradise setting will make you want to plan a beach holiday. Grace and Ryan get their happy ending and I’m looking forward to seeing how Brooke and Neve fare in the rest of the Pleasure Pact series!

Book Info:

Publication: May 01, 2020 | Harlequin Dare | The Pleasure Pact #1

An island honeymoon for one…becomes a racy fling for two!

My friends and I have a ‘pleasure pact’ – live more fully and indulge in a red-hot fling. Newly single and up to the challenge, I’m more than ready for some no-strings thrills in tropical Fiji – and gorgeous paddleboarding instructor Ryan Dempsey is the perfect man to share them with. But our electrifying chemistry soon becomes a more passionate connection…can I convince Ryan to risk our affair for something deeper?