[Blog Tour: Review + Giveaway] Mia and the Bad Boy by Lisa Burstein

(Check out the rest of the tour stops HERE!)

Title: Mia and the Bad Boy (Backstage Pass #2)
Author: Lisa Burstein
Publisher: Entangled: Crush
Release Date: May 19, 2015
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This good girl’s about to meet her match…

Ryder Brooks is living the dream—he’s famous, loved by millions of girls, and miserable. All he really wants is to write his own music, not Seconds to Juliet’s sugary sweet pop. In order to do that, though, the “bad boy” of the band will have to play by the rules. And that includes behaving with his new—and super cute—über-good-girl tutor.

Mia Reyes is in fangirl heaven. Tutoring her favorite member of her favorite band? It’s a dream come true…until it turns into a complete nightmare. Ryder is nothing like she thought. He’s crude, arrogant, and pretty much a total jerk. And the worst part? She’s roped into pretending to be his girlfriend so that no one finds out he’s being tutored. Fake kisses, plenty of PDA, and even sharing his hotel room…

But sometimes even the baddest of bad boys needs a little redemption.

THOUGHTS:

A bad boy - every band has one. There's that one member brooding in the background of all the videos, and that one member that makes your breath catch whenever he stares straight at you. (Well, he's actually looking at the camera, but you get my drift!) He may or may not be covered in tattoos, but one thing is for sure - he is shrouded in mystery, and every single detail you find about him, you devour. He doesn't even have to be your favorite, you just want to know more about him!

After reading Mia and the Bad Boy's blurb, I knew deep in my heart (whoops who's getting a wee bit dramatic here) that I had to have this book... because I have to find out just who on earth Ryder is. I just have to know who he is beneath that bad boy persona, and I really wanted to see how his story would unfold. It's always interesting to get a behind the scenes look at how famous people act without the cameras shoved in front of their faces, and just who are the people responsible for their very fame.

Also... isn't its premise the cutest thing ever!? Come on - just imagine getting the chance to tutor your favorite member of your favorite band. I would have erupted in squeals... and I would have probably made him fail even more at that subject he's already failing...

And other than that.. a fake relationship. A FAKE RELATIONSHIP. 

MY FAVORITE TROPE OF ALL TIME.

But I digress.

From the first few chapters, we find out straight away that Ryder is not so different from the rest of us. He has big secrets that he's desperate to keep, and he's unable to do that one thing he really loves - he just wants to perform his own music, but he can't really do that when the music that made him a household name is so different from his own. He wants to go to college to learn more about music and writing, and to do that, he needs to graduate high school first. Mia is hired to help him, and the two slowly learn that things are never as simple as they seem...

I liked how the romance between Mia and Ryder player out. It was properly built up but not too drawn out, and the serious conversations and the flirty banter balanced each other out. The dual POVs helped flesh out the development of both Mia and Ryder, as well as how their relationship progressed. We learn so much more about their dreams about the future, and at the same time, we learn about their fears that have stemmed from expectations. Both Mia and Ryder are relateable characters that I had no problem connecting to.

While Mia and the Bad Boy works as a stand alone, I think it would be best that you read the first book in the series. I hadn't had the chance to do so, and as a result, I felt that I was missing out on a few things here and there. There were times wherein something that happened in the first book was touched upon, and while I did understand the general gist of what occurred, I still think that nothing beats actually reading something as it actually transpires. Nothing that vital, let me hasten to add, but ultimately, I feel like reading the previous book would have had me enjoy Mia and the Bad Boy more.

All in all, If you're looking for a cute, fun read with a little drama (AND ONE HOT ROCK STAR), Mia and the Bad Boy is the book for you. It's the perfect book to read after that difficult exam, or even after that long, hard day at work. I had no problem breezing throught it in one sitting, and I can't wait for the rest of this addicting series! 

Rating: 3.5 Stars

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