REVIEW: Bad to the Bone by Roxanne St. Claire

In Bad to the Bone (The Dogfather #5) by Roxanne St. Claire, Veterinarian Molly Kilcannon has kept a secret for almost fourteen years from her daughter Pru as well as her beloved family. The only person who knew the story of how she got pregnant and who Pru’s father is, Trace Bancroft, was Molly’s mother–who unfortunately passed away a few years ago. But with her daughter now bent on finding out the truth about her father, Molly is going to sit down for a long chat with Pru and confess that one night with Trace was all she had before he skipped town and died in a bar fight. When a handsome man with an extremely sick dog shows up at Waterford Farm, though, Molly’s life changes instantly. Trace is very much alive. And she is very much frightened to have to tell him about Pru. Once she learns the truth, the next hurdle will be to explain to her daughter that her father is a convicted murderer. And for a rule-following, straight-laced girl like Pru, that might be a very hard sell.

“We have to operate now, or this dog is going to die.”
She blinked at the man, trying to process her father’s words and the pure impossibility of the situation, but nothing made sense.
Pru’s father was standing in front of her.
“Molly,” Trace mouthed her name, raw desperation in his eyes. “Please save my dog.”

When Trace showed back up in Bitter Bark, North Carolina, after thirteen years in jail, he never expected to be on the front steps of Waterford Farm, begging Molly Kilcannon to save his sick pupper Meatball. But that was only the first of many unexpected things to happen upon his return. Still feeling a strong connection to Molly was a nice surprise, one that Trace remembered from their single night of steamy fun in the back of her van years ago. But finding out that he’s a father to a teenage daughter? Now that was a true shock. He wants more than anything to be involved in Pru’s life from here on out but Trace is honestly not sure he’s worthy of such a brilliant, genuinely *good* young girl to call his daughter. Will she be devastated to find out her dad is an ex-con? Or can he and Molly find a way to break the news to Pru, letting her see the real person he is, not just the unfortunate circumstances he’s faced in life so far.

“God knew what he was doing when he gave Pru to you,” he said. “You are a stunning mother and the most beautiful woman I’ve ever known, inside and out.”

So. Much. Incredible. Goodness. Bad to the Bone was another knockout in Roxanne St. Claire’s heartfelt Dogfather series where every single story makes me fall more in love with the Kilcannon family and their canine companions.

‘Trace kissed his head, closing his eyes, so affectionate with the animal that Molly could literally feel the love.
She watched, a little mesmerized, a little moved. She often judged people by how they dealt with their animals, whether that was right or wrong… And this moment reminded her how wrong she’d been about Trace. He was strong, quiet, gentle, and not anything like the troubled teenager she remembered.’

Special note: As with the other books in the series, Rocki will be donating a portion of the first month sales to the Alaqua Animal Refuge in Florida, a no-kill shelter. So go forth and buy!

This Dogfather series (and actually all of Rocki’s work) is my catnip. Seriously, I can’t imagine how she’s going to top each story after I finish it, but when I pick up the newest release I’m wowed all over again. Bad to the Bone had a LOT going for it, right out of the gate. It was a second chance romance *and* a secret baby trope all rolled into one, with some interesting twists and of course family drama. This can be read as a standalone, as can all of the books, but I highly recommend reading them in order so you’ll get to see the progression and really get a sense of the Dogfather, Daniel Kilcannon’s, love for his children–along with his superb matchmaking abilities. (lol)

Molly and Trace…gah! Boy, they were truly the perfect couple in my eyes. And kind of an opposites attract situation: he was the town’s former bad boy with a broken past, and she was a studious do-gooder who came from a prominent family. But their love story–which started in their late teens–broke my heart into pieces. Poor Trace never got any good breaks in his life. It reminded me a lot of Phoenix from Brenda Novak’s This Heart of Mine. He was basically in the wrong place at the wrong time and was punished for trying to do the right thing. And I was frustrated and brokenhearted over the situation on his behalf. I absolutely adored Trace, though. He was gracious, kind and thoughtful, but still had a slight edge of charming mischievousness to him. The fact that he would do anything for his dog Meatball also won me over. But it was how Trace treated Molly and Pru that knocked me out.

Molly was a wonderful woman, a superb mom, and the one who sort of took over the role her mother left behind with her untimely passing. It obviously shocked her that Trace was alive and I completely understood how she was afraid that he wouldn’t take the news of being a father well. It was complicated, heartwrenching at times, but I think ultimately the connection from fourteen years ago that never went away ended up helping Molly and Trace. They had to get to know each other again and let Pru make up her mind about him as a man, an ex-con, before they broke the news about him being her dad. Pru was a terrific character and I loved her compassion and kindness. (And I admired/envied her organizational skills!!) So after much yelling/crying/sighing at my kindle, I have to say Rocki delivered an utterly swoon-worthy romance with a tender, sentimental HEA worth every emotional struggle her readers will endure.

Grab your tissues and get ready for some ugly crying. Bad to the Bone was an unputdownable story that ripped my heart apart and then pieced it back together with the hope, joy and indomitable loving force that is the Kilcannon clan.

Book Info:

Publication: January 26th 2018 | South Street Publishing | The Dogfather #5

Trace Bancroft has been in prison for fourteen years, paying for a mistake that cost a man his life. Now released, Trace heads back to Bitter Bark with his mutt, Meatball, and runs into Daniel Kilcannon, who offers to provide some medical care for the dog. Trace knows that would mean seeing Molly Kilcannon, a girl who shared one crazy night with him before his life took a turn for the worst. But when Meatball’s illness intensifies, Trace has no choice. He has to face Molly again and pray she’ll save his dog, no matter what their history.

When Trace Bancroft arrives at Waterford Farm with a critically ill dog, Molly Kilcannon’s entire world is rocked to the core. Firmly believing Trace died in a bar fight years ago, Molly never told anyone that the bad boy of Bitter Bark was the father of Prudence Kilcannon, her very good thirteen-year-old daughter. But Molly has promised to tell Pru the truth about her conception, and now that truth is a living, breathing ex-con whose very existence could change everything, including a precious mother-daughter relationship.

It doesn’t take long for Molly to realize there’s more to this sexy man than his dark past and tattooed arms. And while the realization that he’s a father is the best thing to ever happen to him, Trace doubts anything could make him worthy of Pru or her spirited veterinarian mother. As they nurse Meatball back to health and grow ever closer, Trace and Molly have to decide when and how to tell Pru the truth. But will the secret that binds their hearts be the very thing that breaks them apart?