He uses his bad-boy persona as a shield

until she gets past his defenses…

After years in seclusion, music megastar Griff O’Hare is about to reboot his career. Performing at Ryder International’s elite charity ball will rehabilitate his tattered reputation. 

But Kinga Ryder-White, who’s managing the ball, is wary of risking its success on a charismatic, but unreliable, hell-raiser. She’s the most uptight woman he’s ever met—and the only one who makes him lose control.

After a searing night of passion, will Griff risk revealing the secrets of his bad reputation?

Titles in the Dynasties: DNA Dilemma series include — Secrets of a Bad Reputation – Wrong Brother, Right Kiss – Lost and Found Heir – The Secret Heir Returns – 

This is an adult 18+ story that may contain language, possible violence, and/or sexual situations geared to an adult audience.

Title:  Secrets of a Bad Reputation
Series:  Dynasties: DNA Dilemma #1
Author:  Joss Wood
Genre:  Contemporary Romance
Published:  February 22, 2022
Publisher:  Harlequin Desire
My Rating:  4.5 stars

Secrets of a Bad Reputation begins the Dynasties: DNA Dilemma series with a hero I fell in love with almost immediately, and a leading lady who is all business and a lot mistrustfulness of this bad boy singer who her grandfather has demanded perform for the foundation’s annual gala.  Neither was exactly what they appeared to be on the surface and discovering their real personalities was a huge part of my enjoyment of this story.  And, well, the series-long mystery hints that we get here pretty much guaranteed that I’ll be following this one until the final book because the possibilities are fascinating.

Griff is making a comeback, restarting a career that he walked away from by performing at a super fancy gala.  He definitely has a reputation as a bad boy personified… but is he, really?  I loved Griff for more than the obvious he’s sexy, handsome, charming reasons.  No, I loved him for the man he proved himself to be beneath that reputation of his.  It’s something that I, the reader, and Kinga his lady will discover as their story unfolds.  At first, we know more details than Kinga does which makes her dismissal of Griff harder to bear but does add additional tension to the situation this couple finds themselves in.  And no, I’m not going to give those intimate details here and spoil the story for you.  I’ll simply say that Griff is an amazing, loving man and the woman he’s falling for is going to be blessed with the love of this man… eventually.

I liked Kinga for several reasons, even if she does come off as an uptight control freak at times.  Kinga is in charge of the annual gala, something that is huge in her family.  Watching over her shoulder is the power-hungry patriarch of the family her grandfather who would fit right into the 1800s with his attitude toward women, his bullying tactics, and his tight hold over his entire family.  This gala must be perfect, and since her grandfather went over her head to hire Griff she has no choice but to keep a close watch over his actions in order to keep the gala out of the tabloids should he revert back to that famous reputation once again.  She’s strong, stubborn, determined and a perfect fit for Griff – but it’s going to take some time and some truths before she sees those possibilities.

The ongoing, underlying mystery of this series will be brought about by Kinga’s grandfather who is obsessed with family, reputation, and being first in every area of life.  His “gift” to every member of his family was a DNA kit as he wants to prove that his family is one of the founding families of the area.  That “gift” is obviously something that some members of his family do not want to take part in, at all.  There are secrets, lots of juicy secrets that we’ll get a glimpse of in this opening story.  It’s going to be fascinating to see how the dust falls, and who survives grandfather’s wrath once those secrets are revealed.

Secrets of a Bad Reputation is a well-written, intriguing story full of secrets of both the good and bad kinds, a couple that is both fiery and loving, secondary characters that I want to know more about, and the enticing hints of mystery and possible scandal abound.  I had a blast with this opening story and will definitely be keeping track of the Ryder-White family’s adventures into their futures.

I own a Kindle edition of this title.

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