Bad Bachelor

January 15, 2018
A disgraced public relations executive agrees to help a struggling library with a fundraising event and is surprised to find himself falling for the skeptical, sharp-tongued librarian he's working with.Reed McMahon has spent years developing his corporate PR image, "a polished, curated, and tailored level of perfection he prided himself on." His emotional life is pretty surface-level, too, and he's always been up-front with women that he's not into relationships. Apparently, though, his past dates missed the memo, since he's become the No. 1 villain at Bad Bachelors, a new app that reviews New York men. Suddenly his slick demeanor, crazy good looks, and reputation for being able to rehabilitate disgraced celebrities have made him a target. Reed is excellent at his job and makes a good living, though most of his salary goes toward taking care of his ill father. Hoping that a pro bono project will help his own tarnished image, he agrees to plan an event to support a Brooklyn library. Darcy Greer, the inked and pierced librarian, unexpectedly gets under his skin despite her initial antipathy toward him, thanks mostly to those negative reviews. As the two work together, however, Darcy sees a different man than the one described online. Flattered by his attention and wildly attracted to him, Darcy agrees to a stealthy no-strings affair, but when word gets out, both Darcy and Reed have a hard time dealing with the aftermath, especially since the consequences play on their deepest insecurities. Author London's new series concept is vibrant and creative, though the Bad Bachelors reviewers cast women in a questionable light.A fun start to a sexy, engaging series.

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January 22, 2018
London (Trouble Next Door) launches her Bad Bachelors contemporary series with a heartfelt novel that’s surprisingly deep despite the whimsical premise. New York PR whiz Reed McMahon loves the ladies but is allergic to commitment. When the dating app Bad Bachelors anoints him their number-one bachelor to avoid, chiding him for his love-’em-and-leave-’em ways, the label soon goes from a minor annoyance to a potential career-killer. His assistant, Kerrie, suggests he rehabilitate his image by providing pro bono PR to a library in need—even though he hates libraries. Gutsy Brooklyn librarian Darcy Greer has been wary of men since catching her fiancé cheating on her just days before their wedding. When Darcy and Reed meet, the chemistry is immediate and explosive. But can two polar opposites attract long-term? London tosses in lots of delicious plot curves—including the identity of the Bad Bachelors founder and the real reason Reed hates libraries—along with achingly flawed characters who’ll have readers rooting for their romantic success. Though on the surface this is a quirky match, London’s skillful writing and expert characterization carry the day. Agent: Jill Marsal, Marsal Lyon Literary.

Starred review from February 1, 2018
A year after she caught her fiance cheating on her on the eve of their wedding, Darcy Greer's friends try to convince her to start dating again. Reed McMahon, a high-powered PR man, had decided that helping the library beloved by his assistant is the perfect project for his pro bono efforts, despite the fact he hates libraries and reading books. Darcy, a tough Brooklynite with piercings and tattoos, just happens to be the librarian in charge of her library's fund-raising project, which pairs her with the impossibly handsome Reed. Reed is facing his own struggles as a new app that warns women away from men behaving badly and which is sweeping Manhattan has named him number-one bad bachelor. London respects the reader enough to offer just enough titillation to inflame a romance lover's imagination without the explicit sexual details found in lesser romance novels. As the story deepens and it becomes clear that, behind their tough exteriors and professional expertise, both Darcy and Reed are vulnerable and wounded, London presents a genuinely entertaining and memorable read.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)