Mia and the Bad Boy

Backstage Pass #2

by Lisa Burstein

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.

Genres: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Music, Contemporary Romance, Young Adult Romance, Young Adult Contemporary

220 pages, Paperback

First published May 12, 2015

About the author

Lisa Burstein is a tea seller by day and a writer by night. She received her MFA in Creative Writing from the Inland Northwest Center for Writers at Eastern Washington University. She is the author of Pretty Amy, The Next Forever, Dear Cassie, Sneaking Candy, The Possibility of Us and Again. As well as a contributor to the essay collection, Break These Rules: 35 YA Authors On Speaking Up, Standing Out, and Being Yourself. She lives in Portland, Oregon with her very patient husband, a neurotic dog and two cats.
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Reviews

[Sarah Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Entangled Publishing, LLC and NetGalley.)

“You are one weird girl,” Ryder said, but in his head he really meant, You are like no girl I have ever met. You are like no girl I ever thought I would meet.



This was a cute YA contemporary romance with a bad-boy rock star.

I liked both Ryder and Mia, Ryder was a bit of a bad-boy and was adorably rude, whilst Mia was very much a good girl, and not the type to drop everything for a fling.

“Her mother would do whatever was necessary to make sure Mia’s future was safe.
Unfortunately, alone in a room with Ryder, she had no idea how she would be.”



The storyline in this was pretty good, even if it was a little predictable, and I liked the way the romance moved slowly. Ryder and Mia made a really cute couple, and it was so sweet the way they gave things up for love.

“You get a question right,” she flirted, “You get a kiss. You get it wrong…”
“I still get a kiss?” he replied with a devilish smile.
Amusement teased her lips. “Let’s just hope for your sake that you don’t get one wrong.”



The ending to this was pretty good, and I liked the happy ending.
7 out of 10

[Paula M · Rating 3 out of 5]

You swooned over Miles. Now ready your hearts... because Ryder is about to steal it. Turns out, our bad boy is not so bad after all. When does fake becomes real? Hearts gets tested, secrets were revealed but the swoonfest continues!

I love how Ryder isn't what you really see and there's so much more from him. I enjoyed every moment of getting to know Ryder and his past and his road to redemption was so hilarious and heartfelt! His whole persona was really mysterious from the first book and its incredible how readers still demanded more of Ryder even though we already have him bared and out in the world. There's just something about him that we couldn't get enough of.

Mia.., Mia is incredible! She can be innocent and shy, but she's also sassy and can be feisty when she needs to be. I actually adore how she's not hot and cold in here, And that she takes no crap from anyone. Her heart is big and the story tells us that she is the one to teach our Ryder, but along the way, she learned a lot as well. Her character development was something I really celebrated because from the start, I can really see her potential and I was so glad that she made it. That she achieved it. And surprise surprise, Ryder is the one who helped her realize that potential.

The romance was intense, perfect paced and very sweet, Lisa Burstein really captured that classic we-cant-but-we-should kind of romance. It was not annoying or irritating but instead, you'll find yourself totally caught up in Ryder and Mia's story. You can't help but root for them too. There was an actual chemistry between these two and you will feel it oozing from every chapter they're together.

Although I wished Ryder's family was dealt and discussed more, I was satisfied by that knee buckling ending. It was every teenager's dream. Ryder sure knows how to make a statement. And you want a bonus? You got it! Miles and Ryder had a very heart touching moment in here and it was everything I was hoping for, It was hilarious and the bromance was off the charts. I loved it!

All in all, Mia and the Bad Boy is another success in this incredible on going series. I couldn't wait for more from the boys! This book has a perfect amount of drama you want. With music and hot boys in the mix, Mia and the Bad Boy is another book you can't resist.span style=span style=span style=

[Glass · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sweet story and perfect pick for fans of boy bands like One Direction.
I think I would have probably enjoyed it more back when I was 12 or 15.

[Miranda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was so excited to read this book because I love the premise of a good girl and a bad boy falling in love. I often feel like I can relate to the good girl character, so I love putting myself in their shoes and pretending like the bad boy is falling in love with me. Mia was the good girl character in this book, but she wasn't as relatable as I thought she would be. What I didn't really understand about Mia's character was how snarky/sassy she was right off the bat. Her character came off as being sheltered and quiet, but she really wasn't. I enjoy characters that can be sassy, but she came off as way too sassy right away for a "shy girl". I would have enjoyed it more if she eventually grew into a character that could be sassy at the perfect moments.



I absolutely loved Ryder's character. I am a sucker for bad boys. He was the perfect bad boy. Ryder could be a total jerk, but underneath he had a big heart. I really enjoyed seeing him slowing grow and become more comfortable and open with Mia. Chapters in his point of view were the best because he was hilarious and I loved reading what he was thinking about.

The romance was cute, but I felt like it wasn't really developed as well as it could have been. Their feelings seemed to be instant, and I wish it had been a little bit more of a slow burn relationship. They had some really cute moments, and I highly enjoyed those little moments. Even though the relationship felt rushed, it was still really adorable.

The ending was one of the cutest endings that I ever read. I loved it to pieces and it made my heart feel like it was full of rainbows. This book overall was very sweet, and it was an enjoyable read.I would recommend this book to people who love the good girl and bad boy romance. It is a quick and fun read, and it definitely will put a smile on everyone's face (especially the ending).



4 / 5 Fangs

Cliffhanger: No

*This ebook was given to me in exchange for an honest review *

MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It

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[Joli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Warning: Reading the Backstage Pass series will lead to endless hours of watching your favorite boy band videos on YouTube.

When I found out that Lisa Burstein was writing a new YA novel, this author fangirl did a fist pump to more books from a favorite author. When I found out that the book was about boy bands and fangirls and it would be part of a series, I did a giddy happy dance because I knew that this would be such a "me" book. And it is. I loved it!!

Mia and the Bad Boy is the second book of the Backstage Pass series. I got a glimpse of Ryder's bad boy side in Aimee and the Heartthrob where his bad boy image was established. In Mia and the Bad Boy, he tries to be the bad boy (because he does have a naughty side), but readers find out that there is more to the persona he puts on.

From Mia and Ryder's first meeting, their chemistry is on! I loved the banter, the feistiness between them, and their undeniable attraction to each other. They each had an image that they needed to keep up, but whenever they were together, they unknowingly let their guards and let their true selves come through.

Mia and the Bad Boy is more than just a story about teenage romance and first kisses and swoon-worthy boys. It's about following dreams while trying to live up to your family's expectations. It's about letting people know who you really are when you've had your guard up for so long. It's about taking chances and making the impossible possible.

This series is for any teenage (or former teenage) fangirl or fanboy. It's for anyone who ever covered their walls with posters of their favorite bands. It's for readers who spent countless hours reading Teen, Bop, and Tigerbeat to get a glimpse into the lives of their favorite musicians.

I have immense love for Mia and Ryder. Their story is fun and innocently sexy. (Yes, that's a thing.) I love how Burstein infuses so much humor into her stories while filling up a small space in your heart. Reading Mia and the Bad Boy will make you laugh and smile and then laugh some more. It will make you want to eat a corn dog.

[Brooke's Epic Emporium · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want to thank Entangled Teen for supplying me with a copy of this book to read and give an honest review. Receiving this book for free has not altered my opinion or review.

I liked the first book in this series. It was really cute. But this one? This one was really great. I mean bad boy meets good girl? What could go wrong/right there? Just about everything!

Mia is a good girl. She has spent her life pleasing her parents. Doing as they say so she can be successful in what her future holds. When her mom signs her on to be tutor to one of the most popular guys in a boy band, she thinks it's just about tutoring. But it becomes so much more. My favorite thing about Mia is how she grows in this book. Even though she's a "good girl" she still sticks up for herself. She's not afraid to tell it as it is from the beginning. But during her time as a tutor to the bad boy of Seconds to Juliet, she learns she more than just her studies and pleasing her parents. She takes chances and lets herself experience things she never thought she would.

Ryder has a reputation. One that screams bad boy and no commitment. But he holds a secret: he never graduated high school and yearns to break away from S2J so he can form a solo career by attending a prestigious music college. The only way to do this is to get tutored and earn his GED. Enter Mia, a girl Ryder is sure is more good two shoes than anything else. A girl who challenges him, both in his studies and in life. But Ryder keeps himself guarded, knowing for sure there's no way he could never give his heart over to anyone because it will just get hurt. His years in a foster home and the constant texts from the mother who abandoned him prove that.

So what happens when you put the bad boy and good girl together? Sparks fly, of course. A relationship that starts off as her tutoring him slowly grows to more. And neither Mia nor Ryder is really sure what to do with any of it. Mia constantly questions if Ryder could possibly ever want more from her than her brains and Ryder battles with hoping Mia will see him for more than just his boy band image.

Burstein has a way of drawing you in and pulling you along on this emotional journey of love and self-discovery. I am not usually a fan of third person writing, but it works well in this book. You really are able to get into the heads of both characters and feel the emotional tug of the string that tethers them.

I'm a sucker for a bad boy turned good, and Ryder really fills this role. Outside he has to maintain his image: stoic, rough, incapable of committing to anyone. But deep down, he has so much love in his heart. He's loyal and fierce. Mia, well, I'm not usually someone who loves the good girls. They often irritate me, but not Mia. I loved that she was willing to open herself up for new experiences.

Of course any book that revolves around music and how it makes people feel suckers me right in. I grew up with music, as in speakers in my crib when I was an infants and going to concerts at an early age. And not a day goes by when I don't listen to some kind of music, it's like my body craves it. Mix that with me being a child of the 80s, a time when boy bands really started to make their rise, and you've got someone who cannot resist this book.

If you're looking for a quirky, intelligent and sassy heroine and a bad boy who just can't resist his goodness, this is the book for you. I ended up enjoying this one even more than the first one. I hope you do, too!

[Ideally.Portia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review from Entangled via Netgalley.

This is the second book in the Backstage pass series. The first one followed Aimee and Miles from the boy band Seconds to Juliet, and this one follows the BAD BOY, Ryder, and Mia.

I definitely liked this one better!

Ryder is so funny. I found myself laughing out loud at a lot of his comments - mostly the one directed at Miles! The jokes are so terrible and hilarious! Maybe I am easily amused, but I also pick up on all his references, even though many dont make sense, so if you dont get them then it wont be funny. He was cracking me up!

Also, maybe I am still a sucker for a bad boy, because they are usually hiding good hearts (in these types of stories anyway). I really loved who Ryder became with Mia. Mia was actually pretty funny too, and so smart.

Now of course, these stories are unrealistic. But I am enjoying them for what they are. The romance an humor in them has put a smile on my face through 2 books now, even though they aren't something I would normally pick up.

What I do believe, though, is that these are a jump away from being a new adult novel! If the people in these were all 18, it could be. There is a surprising amount of really great make-out scenes, and other obvious things happen without going into detail, which keeps it YA level. The sexual tension and steamy kissing scenes are pretty fun. I would love to see this books series with them as 18 or older.

I think this was a great addition to the Backstage Pass series, and it is definitely a fun YA contemporary novel!

[Ophelia London · Rating 5 out of 5]

I snagged this ARC extra-early bc I'm friends with the author. Heehee And, DUDE, am I glad I did! This book had me smiling, laughing, melting and swooning with every turn of the virtual page. Yes, I obviously adored the scenes with "Miles" from book #1 (and Ms Burstein did a fab job with him!), but the whole book is so much fun. Ryder is the perfect surely, smartass, sexy bad boy. And oooh, when sweet, good girl Mia starts to soften him, it's swoon central!

“Program your number in here in case we get separated at the fair.”
“I think I’ll be able to spot you anywhere,” Mia said, mussing up his wig.
“Maybe I just want to be able to call at a moment’s notice to tell you how beautiful you are,” Ryder said, shifting closer to her. “In and out of that wig.”

See what I mean? And there's so much more! I can't wait for everyone to fall flat butt crazy in love with Ryder Brooks. And you will. Oh, how you will!

[Rahmi · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Bad Boy Stars

The story was still about the member of famous boyband, Seconds to Juliet (S2J) and I was still imagining them like 1D. I'm sorry but I couldn't help it.



This time, it was the ‘bad boy’ Ryder Brooks. Short story, no one know that Ryder didn’t graduate from his high school, except his manager for S2J, LJ Pearl. To solved that, LJ hired a tutor to helped Ryder study so he can pass his GED. Mia Reyes was a smart girl and her parents were working for LJ. LJ hired Mia to became Ryder’s tutor. Mia had to act as Ryder’s girlfriend so the boys and media wouldn’t be suspicious why she always with Ryder.

***

I like this better than the previous book. The problems were more real and I feel more connection to Ryder than Miles. Even though Ryder didn’t graduate from high school but I think he was the smartest boy from S2J. I could understand how he feel about LJ and his rules and how he feel trapped. And for his past I think it was lack of explanation so it felt too plain.

Since I’m majoring in Biology, everytime Mia said something related to human physiology it always made me grin.

"She took another deep breath, filling her diaphragm, allowing the oxygen to penetrate into her lungs through the alveoli, passing into her blood and up her pulmonary veins to her heart, before she finally got the courage to knock on Ryder’s door."

"She blushed, the blood vessels in her neck, ears, and chest dilating as adrenaline sent more blood to her heart."

"She felt tears scratch at her eyes—her stupid endocrine system releasing hormones into her ocular area."

In this book Mia’s job was to help Ryder study but there were only a glimpse of the studying session part. I wanted to yell at Mia. like “What the heck, stop flirting with Ryder and start doing your job, Mia.” I mean, I didn’t hate Mia because she was flirting with Ryder it just that, please be responsible with your job. Seriously, I hate irresponsible MC.

[Kei • fiction court • · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 bad boy stars!

Good old young adult with all the swoony moments and the fun stuff. Seconds to Juliet is fast becoming one of my favorite fictional boy bands to be honest and I'll just fangirl for a moment... OMG I loved it just like the first one, this series is really restoring my faith in YA to be honest! Happily looking forward to more S2J boys! There...

One band, five boys, five stories written from five different authors, still part of the same series, how freaking cool and unique is that? The more I read from this series the more I want; backstage with a big band as each of the boys have something unique to add to the mix. Is it a little YA dramatic? Yup. But teenagers usually are and they have the teen youth to justify it, adults are not that lucky, so this series makes perfect sense, in a world where teens have to live this kind of life a lot of things can and will happen!

The first book made me want to dive back into the YA world and have a fun fluffy summer and so far it's working! Totally recommend it for boy band book fans, music fans, definitely YA fans and everyone who wants a good summer read full of swoony moments backstage ♥

[Jess F. (From Me to You ... Book Reviews) · Rating 5 out of 5]

"5 out of 5 stars!! When Mia gets the chance of a lifetime to associate with her all-time crush--Ryder--for a month, she leaps at the opportunity. However, as soon as she arrives all her hopes of it being a "fun" experience disappears in the wake Ryder's personality. Yet, as their "relationship" progresses they find that they have more in common than they thought. Though will their differences be too much for them to overcome or will they be able to work through whatever comes their way?

This was one sweet novel that pleasantly surprised me!! I was prepared for a good girl/bad boy singer romance but what surprised me was how these two seemly different people find common ground. Their common ground being how they are both being pushed into lives/careers that don’t make them happy."

Read more of my review and THREE TEASERS here: http://frommetoyouvideophoto.blogspot.com/2015/04/idolizing-in-backstage-pass-series-book.html

[Sparkles · Rating 5 out of 5]

„Sie hatte ihn wohl mindestens in dieser Sache falsch eingeschätzt. Er war nicht einfach irgendein Party-Playboy. Er hatte Träume und Ambitionen, Wünsche, genau wie sie.“ (Mia über Ryder in Backstage 2)

Worum geht’s?

Ryder Brooks, Badboy der Band Seconds to Juliet, ist durch seinen Schulabschluss gerasselt. Da er aber nicht für immer bei der Band bleiben und stattdessen lieber ein Musikstudium beginnen möchte, braucht er diesen dringend. Kurzerhand wird die 16-Jährige Mia als Nachhilfelehrerin engagiert. Mia ist ein Genie und genießt das Vertrauen des Bandmanagers. In einem Monat soll sie Ryder fit machen für die Nachprüfung. Doch als dieser sie plötzlich als seine Fake-Freundin vorstellt, fangen die Dinge an, kompliziert zu werden…

Backstage – Mia auf Tournee ist der zweite Band einer mehrteiligen Reihe um die fiktive Band Seconds to Juliet. Jeder Band handelt von einem anderen Mitglied der Band und ist in sich abgeschlossen, einzelne Charaktere aus Vor- und Nachfolgebänden kommen aber vor. Das Buch kann jedoch ohne Vorkenntnisse aus Band 1 gelesen werden.

Schreibstil / Gestaltung

Das in rot und rosa gehaltene Cover mit der Silhouette eines Mädchens passt sowohl zur Thematik des Buches als auch zum ersten Teil sehr gut, wenn auch eine klare Abgrenzung zwischen den Büchern nicht direkt offenkundig ist.

Das Buch startet mit einem kurzen Steckbrief zu Ryder und wird sodann linear erzählt. Die Erzählweise erfolgt in der dritten Person durch einen Erzähler, der aber abwechselnd die Perspektive von Ryder und Mia einnimmt. Hierbei wechselt teilweise im Kapitel selbst mittendrin durch einen Absatz die Perspektive. Obwohl das Buch von einer anderen Autorin geschrieben wurde als Band 1, ist der Schreibstil absolut vergleichbar. Er ist locker und einfach zu lesen, die Sprache ist jugendlich und nutzt teilweise auch Umgangssprache. Die Absätze, welche aus Ryders Perspektive sind, haben einen eigenen Tonfall, der zu seiner Badboyeigenschaft sehr gut passt.

Mein Fazit

Band 1 der Backstage-Reihe hatte es mir bereits sehr angetan und mich positiv überrascht. Nachdem ich Band 1 als sehr süße Geschichte ohne viel Tiefe empfunden habe, bin ich mit einer ähnlichen Erwartung an Band 2 herangegangen. Etwas Bauchschmerzen hatte ich damit, dass Band 2 von einer anderen Autorin geschrieben wurde, da ich befürchtet hatte, dass der Schreibstil vielleicht nicht zusagt. Am Ende hat Band 2 mich aber deutlich mehr überzeugen können als Band 1. Wie kommt’s?

Der Einstieg in das Buch gefiel mir sehr gut und war für mein Empfinden untypisch, denn wir starten mit Ryder und seiner Situation, dass er Nachhilfe benötigt und sich dafür schämt, keinen Abschluss zu haben. Erst kurz danach tritt Mia auf die Bildfläche als jugendliches Genie, was ihm Nachhilfe geben soll. Da der Bandmanager sie kennt und sie Geld fürs College benötigt, nimmt sie den Job an. Doch bereits das erste Aufeinandertreffen wird zum Desaster, denn Ryder entpuppt sich als Ekel und Mia fragt sich, ob sie das alles wirklich machen will. Mit der Zeit entwickelt sich eine solide und glaubhafte Chemie zwischen den beiden und es ist wirklich schön anzusehen gewesen, wie beide miteinander und durcheinander wachsen und sich verändern. Die Geschichte steht für mich grundsätzlich zwar auf sehr wackligen Beinen, denn tatsächlich erschließt es sich mir nicht, wieso der Bandmanager Ryder keine ältere und ggf. männliche Nachhilfeperson sucht, wenn Ryder für seinen Nachhilfelehrerinnenverschleiß bekannt ist. Wenn man hier aber drüber hinweg schaut, steht man vor der nächsten Frage: Wieso ist es Ryder so hochgradig peinlich, dass die Band erfahren könnte, dass er Nachhilfe bekommt, dass er sich dafür entscheidet, dass Mia seine Fakefreundin spielen muss? Hat man diese zwei Hürden genommen und es einfach akzeptiert, unterhält einen das Buch wirklich sehr. Mia und Ryder gehen sie gelegentlich an, zeigen sich beide als starke Charaktere und ihre Päckchen, die sie zu tragen haben, fügen sich gut in die Geschichte ein.

Überraschungen gibt es über die weite Strecken nicht, auch der Drama-Bogen ist eher niedrig gehalten. Die Story überzeugt an vielen Stellen mit schönen Momenten, die sehr süß und in wirklich klassischer Filmart daherkommen. Doch es gibt auch Einblicke in das Tour- und Bandleben und hier wurde ich sehr überrascht. Denn Ryder ist unglücklich mit seinem Leben in der Band und zeigt das im Buch an vielen Stellen auch deutlich. Zudem gibt es auch darüber hinaus einige Situationen, die die Schattenseiten und Probleme von Tour- und Bandleben ansprechen. Dadurch wirkt Backstage 2 im Gegensatz zu Band 1 nicht wie ein Friede-Freude-Eierkuchen-Buch. Zum Ende hin gibt es das zu erwartende Enddrama, was mich hier wirklich überrascht hat. Was enthüllt wird, war zu erwarten, aber nicht, wer es ist und wieso. Da hat das Buch mich tatsächlich unvorhersehbar getroffen! Zudem ist auch Backstage 2 wie bereits Backstage 1 wieder sexfrei (allenfalls angedeutet).

Mia fand ich von Anfang an super. Sie ist ein etwas untypisches Mädchen. Sie wirkt sehr steif und zurückhaltend, denn in ihrem Leben gab es immer nur Lernen und Collegevorbereitung, da ihre Eltern verlangen, dass sie Medizin studieren soll. Hobbies gibt es nicht, auch ihr Singen und Songwriten wird von den Eltern im Keim erstickt. Ich habe mit Mia mitgelitten und den kontrollsüchtigen Einfluss ihrer Eltern mit Herzschmerz beobachtet. Umso schöner ist die Entwicklung und der Einfluss von Ryder auf Mia mitanzusehen. Ryder hingegen startet also absoluter Mistkerl ins Buch. Mit jedem Satz merkt man, wie wenig ihm an der Band liegt. Er will singen, aber seine eigenen Songs, nicht diesen Popkitsch. Ryder wirkt permanent wütend und je weiter die Geschichte fortschreitet, desto mehr versteht man, wieso. Ryder ist jemand, der Probleme mit Bindungen hat, weshalb er reihenweise Groupies für eine Nacht abschleppt, aber weder zu den Jungs der Band eine freundschaftliche Beziehung aufbaut noch sonst sonderlich umgänglich ist. Hier ist es Mia, die Ausdauer und Vertrauen in ihn beweist. Ryders Entwicklung im Buch ist glaubwürdig und holprig, was dem Buch sehr viel Tiefe gibt und mit einer überzeugenden Hintergrundstory daherkommt. Es kommen zudem als Randcharaktere die anderen Bandmitglieder vor, in einigen wenigen Sätzen wird sich auch auf Miles und Aimee bezogen, allerdings ist der Fokus klar und deutlich auf Mia und Ryder. Anders als bei Band 1 haben Mia und Ryder auf mich nicht so eindimensional gewirkt und konnte mich mit einer eigenständigen Persönlichkeit überzeugen, was mir bei Backstage 1 doch sehr gefehlt hat.

Backstage 2 konnte mich insgesamt mehr begeistern als Band 1. Es ist und bleibt ein Jugendbuch, welches locker und leicht daherkommt, kein übermäßiges Drama benötigt und einfach ein Wohlfühlbuch für einen sonnigen Nachmittag oder einen kuscheligen Abend auf dem Sofa ist. Fans von Filmen wie Groupies bleiben nicht zum Frühstück oder Starstruck werden hier voll auf ihre Kosten kommen. Ich war fast schon traurig, als das Buch zu Ende war, da es nur knapp 280 Seiten hat und ich gerne noch viel mehr über Mia und Ryder gelesen hätte. Das Buch ist kurzweilig, unterhaltsam und bringt anders als Band 1 sogar eine etwas tiefgründigere Story mit, sodass es meiner Meinung nach für alle Altersklassen funktioniert. Daumen hoch von mir und ich freue mich bereits jetzt unheimlich auf Band 3.

[Diese Rezension basiert auf einem Rezensionsexemplar, dass mir freundlicherweise vom Verlag überlassen wurde. Meine Meinung ist hiervon nicht beeinflusst.]

[Elizabeth Mathis · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

- - - - -

Rating: 4.75/5 Penguins
Quick Reasons: good girl meets bad boy...and they find a wonderful happy medium; super adorable, swoon-worthy romance; awesome dual personal-growth stories; they help each other find themselves, and I love it; more butterfly-inducing feels; complex, well-written characters

Gah. GAAAAAAAH. I'm devouring these, but the feels, man! The feeeeeeeeels! My heart feels a little bit floppy right now...and I can't say I'd want it any other way.

He didn't usually go for brainy and modest, but there was an intensity in Mia's spirit that he craved. A fire in her eyes she was consistently extinguishing. He couldn't help but be curious what might happen if she let it burn.

If he forced her to let it burn.

This is the second book in the Backstage Pass series, all written by different authors (which is just, let me tell you, AWESOME! I mean, I don't mind series written by the same author at all...but to have a series written by multiple authors? That's taking collaborations to a whole new level!)

Once again, this book mostly focuses on our main duo—Mia, the good girl tutor...and Ryder, the “bad boy” of a popular boy band. And these two? Are absolutely adorable. They both learn so much from one another, they both grow exponentially from start to finish...I mean, you can practically SEE the transformations taking place as you read, and it's amazingly beautiful. But while they are the main two, we do still get to see the rest of the crew pop up. New relationships are forged, mutual respect is found by all... I just really, really adore that while this series picks two characters for each book to really focus on, it doesn't forget that the other characters also exist. So far, each author has gone out of their way to include the various quirks and bonds formed in such confined, tight quarters.

She was glad he had willpower. The way he made her feel when he kissed her, touched her, like she was a solid turned to liquid and then to mist, she might have done a lot more than she said she was ready for—just because it felt so good.

Being ready had little to do with being when you were in the moment.

Again, the plot is steady—but the read is so, SO quick. I found myself at the 60% mark wondering where the time went, where my heart was headed, where I could find MORE (of course, I still have three books in the series to get through, so I'm set on that front). There is, as always with contemporary romances, angst and drama. There is a lot of self-doubt, a lot of confused emotions, a LOT of nostalgia (for me, at least). But penguins, these books are a ton of fun—and while the characters are, obviously, nowhere close to perfect...they ALWAYS redeem themselves in the end.

There are some more...mature, themes running throughout—mostly dealing with premarital sex, underage drinking, and band manager manipulations. No, seriously, the more I learn about LJ, the more I want to bash his face in—he's such an awful, gross character, I feel SO BAD for these boys working under him. BUT—all these subjects are handled with sensitivity, and each character's backstory is beautifully integrated into the story and plot.

It was amazing how things could change so quickly between two people. How hate could turn to amusement could turn to like could turn to love could turn to hate again. Relationships were like a roller coaster with the safety bars broken.

I am really, really enjoying this series, and have a feeling I might polish the rest of these books off before I pick up anything else—I'm just really in the mood for contemporary romances, I guess. The butterflies in my stomach demand it. I definitely recommend to lovers of love, all things gushy, and angsty dramatic relationships. Also, loving stories about band members doesn't hurt either.

[Cristina (My Tiny Obsessions) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read full review HERE



I’ll be honest here, we weren’t exactly excited to read this book, because neither me or Cátia liked Aimee and the Heartthrob, but we have the whole series, and we just wanted to advance a bit, so we went for it. Oh boy… yeah… NO. At this point I’m thinking that I just kind of want to give up on the whole thing, even though it’s an ARC and I should really read the whole 5 books, right?!

EITHER WAY, WE READ IT. WE DIDN’T LIKE IT.

The plot is simple enough and it could have worked if done differently. Ryder needs a tutor, his manager provides him with Mia, but he doesn’t want anyone to know that he’s failing high school, so they pretend to be in a relationship. The fake turns to real, until everything falls apart. Simple, right? I’ve read a lot of fake relationships stories, and even a few about boy bands and rock bands, and this story was definitly the most unbelievable of them all. In some ways it kind of reminded me of Online Girl, and I really didn’t like that book at all.

The writing felt very much like the first book – OK, but nothing special – and if I didn’t know any better, I would have thought that it was by the same author. But again, my issue was how young this book felt! The two main characters are supposed to be 17 and 16 years old, but their thoughts and actions were younger, while trying to look older.

I didn’t like Ryder. I understood that he had a sort of tragic past, but that didn’t excuse his douchiness. And while he does have his good moments, it bothers me a lot the way he talks about the guys of the band, even when he’s “better”, he’s still never nice or just okay to them.

Then we have Mia, and the nicest thing I have to say about Mia is the fact that I really like that the author included diversity and Mia is also from Mexican descent. Mia has spent all her life doing what her parents wanted, and I was kind of glad she had some spunk when dealing with Ryder, but even that was a bit inconsistent. But I didn’t exactly hate her or anything, she was just very “meh”, but then after a few decisions made by HER she has a huge regression, and it didn’t make any sense to me.

To be honest, a lot of things didn’t make sense to me. Ryder is worried about people finding out he failed high school… ok… he had been on tour for a while, he was in the band for almost 2 years… where did he go to school? He should have a private tutor to begin with, right? Also, there’s a 16 yo guy in that band, I’m assuming he has classes in some form too… RIGHT?

Then Mia… this is a girl who wasn’t allowed to own a cellphone at the age of 16 because she had ultra protective parents, and yet they send her to tutor a member of a boyband, while on tour, without any supervision or strong plans made? I don’t buy it.

Book 1 was already way too sexualized for what the characters were, but this one was even more, and idk, it just wasn’t believable.

That’s my main issue with this series so far, I don’t buy anything in these books, and that is not good. I mean, sometimes these YA romances are a bit out there, but there’s usually at least one element that you say: “yeah, i see it”, right? I don’t see it here. These relationships would have been cute and fine if they were written outside this context. But the boyband scenario behind everything is just not well done.

Another thing that I really hate is the fact that these 5 boys don’t even seem to like each other. They have been together for almost 2 years, and they barely know each other. Hmmm, no, I don’t like that. I would like it a whole lot better if I actually saw any affection or friendship between them. I hope this is something I feel in book 3. I really really hope I do, because otherwise, I’m about ready to give up on this series, and that’s not something that pleases me.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Check out my full review on Bookaholics Not-So-Anonymous.

Note: This ARC was provided by Entangled Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

Mia and the Bad Boy by Lisa Burstein is the second novel in the multi-authored Backstage Pass series from Entangled Publishing young adult (YA) arm, Entangled Crush. Ryder Brooks, Seconds to Juliet's very own bad boy, has a dream and wants to take the necessary steps in order to achieve that dream by hiring a private tutor to help him study for his GED. When he meets Mia Reyes, she isn't what he expects--she's a teenager and she looks studious, serious, and innocent, three things he's never been attracted to before but there's something about his beautiful tutor that makes him pay closer attention to her. On the other hand, Mia's celeb crush on Ryder falters when she realizes that he really is a bad boy, but there's also more to him than meets the eye. They both have their own secrets that they don't easily or readily divulge.

Ryder caught my attention in the first book, Aimee and the Heartthrob, which was written by Ophelia London and finding out more about him and the motivations behind the stuff he does made him all the more interesting. He reminds me of a former boy band member who recently quit the immensely successful group he was part of all of a sudden. Ah, the sobbing of fangirls everywhere was on the news, but soon enough, he announced his plans of going solo. I don't think the ambition of becoming a solo artist is limited to just boy bands so Ryder's tale is a familiar one, though I do like that he wanted to actually go to Berklee to study music, making him seem quite serious about pursuing life beyond bubblegum pop and the hordes of screaming fans that he was growing tired of. He was obviously a bad boy with good dreams.

Mia's predicament with her parents is one I'm sure a lot of teenagers and even adults can empathize with. It's not as if her parents are evil people; they simply want their daughter to have the best future possible, even if it does mean following a plan they came up with and without taking into consideration what Mia would have wanted. It's sad that a lot of those in older generations think that creative or artistic leanings aren't worthy of pursuing simply because they aren't as profitable as other fields. Mia was obviously passionate about writing lyrics and that made her being with Ryder sweeter because it was like he was the music to her lyrics. The chemistry between the two of them was definitely, though it seemed to be more subtle than you would expect in a romance between a seemingly ordinary girl and an extraordinary guy.

This book can be read as a standalone, but I do highly recommend that you read the its predecessor, Aimee and the Heartthrob by Ophelia London, since it is one of my favorite reads for 2015, and it does introduce readers to Seconds to Juliet as well as their less than trustworthy manager, Lester "LJ" Pearl, who brings to mind the Backstreet Boys's and *NSync's former manager and now convicted criminal, Louis Jay "Lou" Pearlman. I enjoyed Ryder and Mia's love story and I liked that readers get a bit more insight on the three other remaining S2J members who have yet to have their stories told: Will Frey, Trevin Jacobs, and Nathan Strong. This was a sweet read and I'd recommend it to anyone out there who's ever fantasized about being with their favorite boy band member. Lisa Burstein's Mia and the Bad Boy gets 4.5 stars, rounded off to five stars. ♥

[Cyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

GENRE: Young Adult
THEME: Romance, Rock Band, Contemporary
RECEIVED: Tour
BLOG: http://seeingnight.blogspot.com/
3.5 Stars

REVIEW:
I’m a fan of the bad boys, it’s those dark, moody and mysterious guys that have such an interesting story. Even though I hadn’t read the first in the backstage series, I was easily able to grasp the world of the band boy life and how each guy is struggling with many different personal issues.

Mia and the Bad Boy follows, Ryder Brooks who the “bad boy” of the band Seconds to Juliet. However its not his ideal life, he gets to be around his love of music. But he eventually wants more, he needs to get his GED in order to attend the music college of his dreams. Now this bad boy gets a tutor but it needs to stay secret not only for his image but because being a celebrity he has many secrets. Mia is not prepared to be the tutor of Ryder especially since his persona is not so nice, but Mia is the only one who can help him. Together they need to get along to reach their goals but aren’t prepared for the blooming connection that they have the longer their together.

Ryder is a complex guy; young and talented in writing music, he hopes to one day take his career in another direction. But he needs and education and wants to go to music school. Luckily his manager gets him a secret tutor, not so lucky she is forced to pretend to be his girlfriend so not to ruin his image and make him seem uneducated. I loved this concept, Ryder is hard to get along with, and I mean everyone has a hard time including his band mates. So it was nice to see Mia, his new tutor gives him a piece of his own medicine but also be kind enough to understand his feelings. Ryder has an interesting past with his family, it effects him greatly and also pushes him to move forward and be better. I liked that he had goals set for himself and how much Mia pushed him to do better and be better.

Mia is a smart and sweet girl, who has done everything in life to make her parents happy. She is hoping to get accepted to UCLA for medical school, because its what her parents want. When she meets Ryder she is taken back by his demeanor but she slowly sees the better person he is and how much music means to him. He also opens her up to expressing herself and her true talents. I loved how they both pushed eat other to become the person that they wanted to be, not what others wanted them to be,

Overall this was a sweet romance between two talented people. They were both misunderstood by their parents who were blind to their children’s talents and didn’t love them for them. I wished we knew more about the families since it seemed to focus hugely on what they thought of their children; this also made their decisions in life change. In the end I enjoyed seem the band members interact, they are so different and hilarious get along and don’t get along. But it was nice to see how they dealt with their rise in fame. I also was hoping for more drama and more clashes then there were, but its sweetness won over. I look forward to continuing the series and seeing how each member finds their happiness.

[Jackie (Jackie's Book World) · Rating 5 out of 5]

****Review can also be found at Jackie's Book World.****:)

I absolutely loved this book! The first book in the series, Aimee and the Heartthrob was such a cute romantic story that when I found out that there was going to be a second book in the series, I couldn't pass down the opportunity to read it. The characters are different just so that everyone knows, but they are linked since they are part of a band, so we do get to see the previous characters in the this book as well. This book had me laughing, and swooning over the main characters, it was just a very enjoyable read.

In this book, it follows another member of the Seconds to Juliet band, Ryder Brooks. He is the ultimate bad boy and an essential member of the band, yet what everyone doesn't know is that he really wants to do something more than just be a heartthrob to millions of girls around the world. He wants to go to college and write his very own music. But to do that he needs to pass an exam, so he enlists the help of Mia Reyes, his new tutor.

Mia Reyes never dreamed of tutoring one of her favorite members of her favorite band, but when Ryder's manager asked Mia to tutor Ryder in return for a generous offer. Mia had no choice but to leave her family and go on tour with the band, but nothing could have prepared her when she finally got to meet Ryder Brooks, never in a million years she would have thought that he was going to be a total jerk to her. Now to make things worse, he has decided to have Mia as his fake girlfriend so that no one knows that he's being tutored, not even the other members of the bad. But the soon fake kisses in front of reporters, and the alone time that have to together start to turn into something neither of them expected.

There were a lot of things that I enjoyed about this book, it sets the pace right away, and as readers we get to see Mia and Ryder connect as the two spend more time together. Mia has a sweet personality, yet she knows how to handle herself when she is caught up in all sorts of situations. One of her biggest dreams is to sing, but her parents have always told her that singing was not going to be a good career for her. Now that she is with the band, and Ryder, she soon starts to discover what she truly wants for herself. Whereas Ryder, he is a charming playboy who knows what he wants to achieve with his career and how to get there. When the two connect, they understand each other and their fears that makes the book relatable to read. I personally liked their scenes when they're not with the band, they are just so romantic! Overall, the story was well-written, and thought out. The ending was my favorite part overall, it truly brings everything together. I highly recommend it. :)

*ARC provided by Entangled Teen in exchange for an honest review.*

[Lindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Thoughts:

Mia and the Bad Boy, is the second book in the Backstage Pass Series, but can be read as a standalone. It was a sweet, and cute little romance, that was low on angst, and drama. The story is told from the dual perspectives of famous "bad boy" musician, Ryder Brooks, and intelligent, dedicated, and hardworking, high school student, Mia Reyes.

Despite fame and fortune, Ryder Brooks is miserable in his band, Seconds to Juliet. He is in a "boy band" and forced to write and sing pop music. He longs to have the freedom to be creative and express himself musically. Ryder's dream is to attend Berklee, a college known for its excellent music program. However, something that nobody knows is that Ryder never graduated from high school. He tasks his manager with finding a tutor to help him pass his GED, so he can apply to the college of his dreams.

Mia Reyes comes from a hard working, blue-collar, Mexican-American family. Her parents want her to go to UCLA and become a doctor. She is under a lot of pressure, because she wants to make them proud, and be the first person in her family to graduate from college. When her mother's boss offers her a job tutoring, Ryder Brooks, she is ecstatic. The money she will make from tutoring him for a month will pay for her college tuition, not to mention that he is gorgeous, and in her favorite band!

When Mia meets Ryder for the first time, she thinks he is rude, and egotistical. However, he convinces her to stick to their tutoring arrangement. It is important to Ryder that nobody knows that he didn't graduate high school, and that Mia is his tutor. Therefore, he devizes a plan for Mia to "pretend" to be his girlfriend. However, along the way, lines get crossed, feelings grow, and it leaves both Mia and Ryder wondering what is real and what is pretend.

Mia and the bad Boy was a fun romance. For anyone that's ever fantasized about a rockstar, you will be able to relate to Mia. I enjoy the pretending to be in a relationship trope, and enjoyed watching Ryder and Mia go from pretend feelings to real ones. I loved learning about the depth to Ryder's character. He may have appeared to be a "bad boy," but more than anything he was emotionally scarred and misunderstood. I also enjoyed the character growth that Mia underwent in this story. At the beginning of the story, she was passive, when it came to controlling her own life. Her parents were overbearing (especially her mother), and I enjoyed Mia breaking out of her shell, experiencing life, and finding her voice.

My Rating:

I give, Mia and the Bad Boy, 3.5 Fun, Sweet, Romance with a Sexy Musician Filled Stars!



*To Read More Book Reviews, Visit A Bookish Escape at http://www.abookishescape.com

[diana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Click here for MIA AND THE BAD BOY Blog Tour and enter the giveaway!

Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
I have been a huge fan of Lisa Burstein ever since I've read Dear Cassie. So when I heard about her newest book that is sure to make anyone swoon, who am I not to jump on the chance to read it?
I've always been a softie when it comes to ya contemporary. Especially so when it comes with a bad boy, big time rockstar who falls for the ordinary, small town good girl. So just imagine my excitement when I got accepted as part of the book's tour.

One of the things I really loved about MIA AND THE BAD BOY is the writing style. It was so easy to get lost in and from the very first chapter, I was hooked. I actually started the book late in the night thinking I'd just read a few chapters just to help me fall asleep. I should have known how wrong I was.
Also, I love that the chapters were told in alternating POVs. Ryder's was my favorite. I have a soft spot for bad boys. Especially bad boys who could sing and play a guitar and I was just swooning over Ryder from the start. Reading his thoughts was never boring and I grew to love him more. He seemed a bit of a jerk when Mia first met him but underneath he's truly a guy with a big heart. He's hilarious and sweet and I just love it when he opens up to Mia and bares himself. I just enjoyed seeing him grow.

One thing I didn't love about the book though is Mia. It's not that I dislike her character or got annoyed with her. It's more because I couldn't relate with her. I have mentioned that Ryder's POV was my favorite and this actually had a lot to do with me not finding Mia to be a relatable character. Also, for someone who is supposed to be "shy", Mia didn't have any problems whatsoever to be snarky from the start. She was supposed to be a sheltered, quiet girl but she seemed way too sassy for a sheltered, quiet girl.
Second thing I didn't like - the romance. Although I am in love with Ryder and Mia dynamic, the romance just seemed to move a bit too fast for me. I will always be a sucker for swoony, slow burn romance so I was a bit disappointed.

The ending though! It was perfection! And that scene between Miles and Ryder? I love it when guys pretend they don't care about their friends but they actually really do. It was totally a bromance moment and I loved it.
Overall, I greatly enjoyed this newest addition to the Backstage Pass series. I would definitely check out the rest of the books!

I received a copy of the book to read and review.

[Melissa (thereaderandthechef) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual Rating: 3.5 Stars

Mia and the Bad Boy was a fun quick read. I didn't know that this book was part of a series (the second book) and although I would have loved to have known more about the other characters mentioned, it didn't stop me from enjoying this book because it reads like a good stand-alone.

Mia is the good girl. Ryder is the bad boy. She is paid to become his tutor, but because Ryder doesn't want anyone else to know about why she's hanging around with Seconds to Juliet, he claims she is his girlfriend. Now Mia has to go along for the sake of gaining money for her college tuition, and even though it didn't sound like a horrible idea at first (because seriously, who doesn't love rockstars?), it soon gets terribly complicated in the matters of the heart.

The plot of this book was sweet and a bit predictable, though I didn't mind it that much. It's inevitable for the nice girl to make the bad boy sweeten up or show his true self around her. However, if I had to choose the best part of this book I'd definitely would say it was the boy. Ryder was rude, arrogant and hot, but beneath the bad boy persona, lied a colorful person worth meeting. I had a very small conversation with the author on twitter where she raved about my her Ryder, and she was right to say how wonderful he was because yeah, I fell in love with this character too.

Mia, on the other hand, was an okay character. I liked her, but I was expecting more from her. She is painted like a really smart girl (and I know she was in school material), but I disliked how easily swayed she got by Ryder. I wanted her to put up a bigger fight or to make Ryder fight more for her, but nope, she fell too easily before getting to know him that well. Not even I fell for him that quickly.

Even so, Mia and the Bad Boy was a cute book to take my mind off of things and I enjoyed that it wasn't heavy on the angst. It's just the kind of read that I'd recommend for whenever you're in the mood to hang out with a sweet bad boy rockstar.

*Thanks go out to Entangled Crush for the eARC in exchange of my honest opinion. This review can also be found at my blog, The Reader and the Chef.*

[Deanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

rc provided by Publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review *

I am so in love with this series, and I’m seriously in love with Ryder Brooks. There’s just something about a bad boy, especially when he isn’t nearly as bad as he pretends to be. He doesn’t want to care about people, about Mia, but it’s very obvious that he does. He cares what people think. What Mia and the guys think. Their opinions matter to him, even if he pretends they don’t, which is what makes Ryder so endearing to me. He’s a bad boy with a poet’s heart that he does his best to hide.

One of my favorite things about this book is the fake/pretend relationship aspect. Ryder needs to get his G.E.D. to save face in front of the rest of the band, and the world, because he lied and led everyone to believe he has his high school diploma, and he doesn’t. Instead, he has plans to take his G.E.D. in a month and he got the band’s tour manager to find him a tutor. Who he finds is smart, straight-laced, far too interesting and tempting, Mia.

Mia is a somewhat sheltered girl, a secret Seconds to Juliet fangirl, who had a little bit of a crush on Ryder, before she met him and found out what a jerk he is. Still, she agrees to be his pretend girlfriend so he can save face in front of the rest of the guys, but she wasn’t expecting to find depth beneath his bad boy exterior, depth she actually begins to like.

If you are a boy band fangirl at heart, do yourself a favor and buy this book. It’s so good. So fun and heartfelt. And so very well-written. I couldn’t put it down!

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

See more of my reviews on my blog Thoughts At One In The Morning.

My Thoughts:

It's been a long time since I've read a YA (at least, one that wasn't about to come out on the big screen). When I saw this one and learned about Entangled's new YA line, Crush, I was intrigued. It almost has a feel of NA in it--the main characters are under 18, but the theme is a little more mature. So, I was sold...and I devoured the story!

Mia gets the opportunity to tutor Ryder in his studies while he tours. Unfortunately, Ryder doesn't want anyone to know he has a tutor, so he asks her to pretend to be his girlfriend. She's less than psyched about this prospect, but goes along with it. It isn't as difficult as they thought it would be--just pretend to be together around the band, then spend their alone time studying. As they spend more and more time alone, they get to talking and get to know each other. Pretty soon, they realize there's more to their relationship than just tutoring. But Mia isn't sure if Ryder is the kind of guy willing to settle down with one girl.

Mia and the Bad Boy is what the young adult genre should be made of! A story full of heart and humor with the right mixture of romance throughout. I loved the friendship that blossoms between Mia and Ryder, and seeing it develop into more. I will absolutely be reading more from the Crush line, and more of Lisa Burstein!

My Rating: Very Good

[Michelle (Adventure in Bookland) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mia and the Bad Boy is the second book in the backstage series. I loved Aimee and Miles, but I was very excited to know the other boys in S2J. In Mia and the Bad Boy, we get to know Ryder a bit more; I mean who wouldn’t want to read a story about the bad boy in the band. Ryder needs to get his GED so he can apply to college, the thing is he needs a little help studying, and that’s where Mia comes in. Mia is on tour to help him study, but he doesn’t want anyone to know so Ryder pretends that Mia is his girlfriend. Little did they know that pretending would bring them closer together.

I think this was a very sweet story and that really like Ryder. I think he grew so much and changed. I really enjoyed Ryder’s pov and I think I would have even enjoyed the book if it were solely his pov as much as I did with the duel pov.

There were so many adorable moments between Mia and Ryder, like the day at the fair and the video. That is all I can say with out giving the adorable moments away!!

I must confess I read would like to read Will’s story next. I know there’s more to him and the reason he is “The Shy One”. But honestly I know I would enjoy reading any of the other boy’s stories too.

[Kristi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story was so, so good. From the beginning I was hooked. I just loved the edginess to this story. A rocker falling in love with a high school girl that is his tutor. It was just a really heartwarming, lovable story. This story had me smiling, laughing, some awww moments. Some sad moments, it just gave you so many moments that makes you feel good. You will want to continue to read until the very end.

I loved Ryder as the bad boy rocker. There was just something and I knew he was going to turn into an enjoyable character. Then Mia she was the super sweet fangirl. I just loved from the beginning. I loved how she was the innocent girl. That has never fooled around and then she starts really liking a bad boy. This was just a really enjoyable story that a teenage girl will love.

This story would be perfect for summertime, maybe a beach read. Its a young adult, contemporary, romance. Such a sweet, amazing read. Very fast paced. You will definitely read this quick maybe in one sitting. I had no real issues with this story. It was so good from beginning to end. Definitely worth picking up. Snatch it up while you can.

http://hulsey2007bookblog.blogspot.com/

[Irene · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Mia and the Bad Boy was a sweet, fun and entertaining read, I really enjoyed it.

Both Ryder and Mia were great characters, I enjoyed seeing them connect.

This was a quick and fun read. I'm really enjoying the Backstage Pass series, looking forward to the next book Daisy and the Front Man

Thank you Entangled Crush via Netgalley for the advance copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

[mandi✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

**I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.**

I really really really liked this book. I think I liked it more than the first in the series. I just loved these characters so much more. Again, this series is just super fun and easy to read which is just what you need sometimes am I right? I really enjoyed seeing more of this world and all these characters. I hope that there continue to be more books in this series!

[Heather andrews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ryder was such a sweet boy and had exceptional manners warm and inviting, not, "eff me.” He ran a hand through his bangs. “I guess you should come in, then." He's one of those guys that says what comes to mind, "I kind of figured you weren’t easy,” he said, staring down at her Keds." He's not afraid to show his real emotions, "eff, Miles, yes, I’m crying, or as close to it as I get." I enjoyed this book there were no naughty bits, but there was some kissing.

[Leslie Penrod · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was givin this book via net galley ih exchange for review
I loved Mia and the bad boy it was a sweet romantic read If you loved Amiee and the heart throb than this is your next read !!!! MORE SECONDS TO JULIET HOTTIES PLEASE :)

[Erica · Rating 2 out of 5]

The complete version of this review can be found on What Am I Reading?

Rate: 2

I received this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Misleading cover and synopsis: The cover, if you really analyse it, makes it seem like Mia is the type of girl that wears rockstar style clothing, plays the guitar, and makes out with guys against a brick wall. That's not true. Mia is the pink-polo-shirt-wearing type of girl, she can't play the guitar to save her life, and until much later in the book, she's never been kissed. The cover tries to make it seem like Mia is some sort of bad-ass or that she turns into some type of bad-ass, but that's not what happens (but more on that later).

Furthermore, the synopsis makes it seem like Mia can't stand who Ryder really is and that she doesn't want to be making out with him, but really she gets over crass attitude fairly quickly and wants to be with him. The summary implies that Mia is trying not to vomit when kissing Ryder when really she's trying to stop herself from kissing him more.

Descriptions: If you like science, then this story is for you. Imagine an author just trying to explain that a character blushed, but using the scientific process of it happening in the body to get the point across. That is Mia and the Bad Boy. I didn't sign up to read a science textbook so I rather see blush or cry than the scientific equivalent. Additionally, at the beginning of the book, it seemed like Burstein added descriptions as an afterthought. For example, (this is NOT a direct quote) she would write, "Mia nervously smoothed down her hair. It was stick straight." Instead of saying, "Mia nervously smoothed her straight hair." The former just seems like a hasty addition instead of a deliberate description.

Mia: Mia begins as your stereotypical goody-two-shoes: to her, curse words are jarring, talking and thinking about anything sexual is embarrassing, and rules are meant to be followed. These aren't bad things. I'm sure people are raised like this. What bothered me about Mia was that she had a difficult time separating fantasy-Ryder from real-Ryder and she blamed Ryder for turning "bad." The first problem is pretty self-explanatory: either accept people for who they are or cut them out of your life. The second, however, shows a problem with Mia than a problem with Ryder. Ryder didn't make Mia bad, he didn't force her to do anything she ultimately didn't want to do. However, away from the watchful eyes of her parents, Mia was able to fully be herself, take risks, and do things she normally wouldn't do. She blames this change of behavior on Ryder when really her behavior is a product of her taste of freedom. The blurb insinuates that Ryder pressures Mia into "being bad", but other than a brief incident of breaking and entering, Mia doesn't do anything that's essentially wrong. Yes, she's going against her parents' well wishes, but that doesn't make her bad. I just didn't like how Mia blamed Ryder for her taking advantage of being away from her parents.

Why I gave this story a 2: At the beginning of the book, Entangled Teen Crush warns that the story contains mature language and sexual situations, which I didn't mind. The story is by no means an erotica, but I wasn't going to be surprised by some curse words or heavy petting. What bothered me was the realisticness of the situation. Mia and Ryder are together a month. That's not how long they're dating, that's how long their arrangement will last. Yet Mia goes from having never been kissed before to giving up her V-card. I'm by no means slut-shaming, but I didn't find it at all realistic that she would be making such progress in a relationship that she wasn't sure was a relationship with a guy that she wasn't completely sure would still talk to her at the month's end. I told myself while reading this book that if Mia and Ryder had sex, I was giving up on this book. I wasn't going to stop reading it, though I was pretty sure of how the story was going to go from all the romance movies I've watched, but I knew that if it happened there was no way I was rating this book above a two so now this story is stuck with a 2.

Overall, Mia and the Bad Boy isn't bad. It may not seem that way from my review, but it isn't bad. Mia and the Bad Boy is what I imagine a rom-com would be like if it starred One Direction and one of the members of the group was the lead actor.

[Sheri (Tangled Up In Books) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally posted on my blog: Tangled Up In Books

I received a copy of this book, from the publisher, in exchange for an honest review. In no way did this sway either my review or my rating!

This has been such a fun series so far. I mean, I realize it's only two books in but with 5 books from 5 different authors you never know what to expect. The only one of the 5 authors I'd ever read any books from before this was Ophelia London, so it was a bit worrisome reading and falling in love with the first book, being by her, and not knowing for sure if I'd get that same vibe as I continued the series. Writers all have different styles and was I going to like the rest of them? Well in the case of Lisa Burstein, and Mia and the Bad Boy at least, I feel like this is going to be my favorite book in the series. I've become an instant fan of Lisa Burstein and can't wait to read more of her books.

I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about Ryder. As the infamous bad boy of Seconds to Juliet, Ryder can be...well, kind of a jerk. Once you read this book and really get to know him however, it's easy to see that he doesn't just act the way he does simply to be a jerk, it's more of a defense mechanism and there are deeper issues there. Ryder has been let down constantly in his past and his story is a sad one. Even though I was unsure of him when I started this book it didn't take long for me to realize that it's very easy to lose your heart over this guy. Trust me, I did. He may be a bad boy but he's got a beautiful and good soul. Oh wow, am I the smitten kitten or what?

I think what I loved most when it came to this book was Mia's character. She is so sheltered and innocent in so many ways and yet she was still just your typical teenage girl, boy band crush and all. She's also funny, sweet and wickedly smart. She was exactly the kind of YA heroine that I love to read about.

The relationship between Ryder and Mia was sweet and angsty and incredibly swoon worthy. Not only was Mia the perfect girl to tame the bad boy, but Ryder had a lot of positive influence on Mia as well. I loved seeing how much she changed by the end of the book. Well both of them really.

What I really love though, is how these books make me get in touch with my inner teenage self. The nostalgia of having that boy band that I just couldn't get enough of. Having all their posters on my walls, buying all the magazines, going to concerts, though I won't name my boy band obsession because that will age me haha. But I'd definitely have been a S2J fan if they existed and Ryder would absolutely be my guy! I can't wait to get to know the rest of the guys better and continue on with this series. The first two were amazing and I can only hope that that will continue on with the rest!

Thanks to Entangled Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book!!