She’d been broken. He was determined to help her put the pieces back together.
Looking after the woman he’d claimed as his was in Asher’s blood. It was what a Hutchins man did. Except…he hadn’t. He hadn’t been there for Melody when she had needed him the most. And now she was… Broken. But he couldn’t go back, couldn’t change the past. So, he was going to do the only thing he could. He was going to gather up every single piece of her. And he was going to make her whole.
USA Today bestselling author, Elise Faber, loves chocolate, Star Wars, and hockey (the order depending on the day and how well her team—the Sharks!—are playing). She and her husband also play as much hockey as they can squeeze into their schedules, so much so that their typical date night is spent on the ice. Elise changes her hair color more often than some people change their socks, loves sparkly things, and is the mom to two exuberant boys. She lives in Northern California. Connect with her in her Facebook group, the Fabinators or email her at elise@elisefaber.com.
After I finished Bad Rebound and read the epilog to Ash and0 Mel's story, I already knew I’d be a fricking mess and I was right.
What happened to Mel was horrific and sad and I’m not sure how I’d try to glue back the broken pieces if I were her. But she had Ash in her corner and boy what an amazing man he is. I know he's fictional, but I really and truly hope that there are men out in the real world, who would not give up and do just about anything to make sure. The person you love the most, comes out on the other side, healed and happy.
This story was a hard pill to swallow at the beginning, but with each turn we get to fall deep for both of our MC's. Ash for not wanting to give up, and Mel for showing what a survivor truly is. I love that they took both their relationship, friendship and romantic one, one step at a time. After finishing this I feel just happy and content and what more could I ask for…
The 2nd installment of the Bad Brothers series—which also makes it the 16th of the Billionaire’s Club series—Bad Romance features the 2nd Hutchins brother hero: Asher. Following up Cora Hutchins’ in Bad Best Friend and Jeremy Hutchins’ story in Bad Rebound, Bad Romance picks up with Asher and Melody, the twin of his brother Wyatt’s girlfriend Tiffany. Asher finds himself in the unenviable position of desperately wanting Mel, but of not wanting to stand in the way of the twins coupling off, as all the Hutchins’ initially anticipated. But after Asher pushes Mel away, he discovers Jeremy’s interest in Teresa and Mel ends up hurt. Determined to help her in any way he can, and feeling no small amount of guilt himself for what happened, Asher starts making serious effort. Only to find that Mel, as she works on healing and getting back to normal, is less afraid to push back. Especially with him, because she’s more than a little hesitant to take him at his word that he does want her, that the only thing he didn’t mean was when he pushed her away in the first place. There’s a definite push and pull between Mel and Asher, giving almost an enemies to lovers vibe, along with very unrequited love type vibes from both perspectives, because of the communication issues at the start. Very heartfelt, with more than a few tear-jerking moments because of what’s happened and Mel’s journey towards healing from the experience. Necessarily slow-burn, there’s a lot of work on Asher’s part that’s as much romantic as it is protective, as well as partly an extended groveling at the start. Bad Romance will hit you in all the feels, and it’s the kind of read that will hook you and demand your attention until you read all the way through. Mel and Ash have a lot of angst, and each step forward of their story is hard-earned, making it all the more satisfying watching them find their way together. I’m definitely looking forward to Rome’s story next—coming this fall—and the rest of the Hutchins brothers after! The Hutchins men are very shippable heroes, and the best kind of book boyfriend to fall in love with. Loving the Bad Brothers series every bit as much as the Billionaire’s Club series.
BAD ROMANCE is the sixteenth book in the Billionaire's Club series and after reading Tiff's story, I knew this one would be difficult. I was right, it is. If you have triggers, then please be careful. Saying that, it is also a story about surviving, about picking yourself up, putting all the pieces back together again, and living.
When Ash turned Mel down, it was for all the right reasons (or so he thought.) He quickly found out his mistake and had to live with the consequences. Mel called Ash in her hour of need, even though she regretted doing so. Once the lines of communication opened between the two of them, things started working out better. Ash knew just how much to push Mel, to bring her alive without being threatening. He also knew when to fall back, to give her time and space to regroup. Their relationship builds over time, step by careful step, until Mel is ready to move forwards.
Rome and Maddie are next, with a sneak preview in the epilogue - which was perfect for Ash and Mel, by the way. My heart is aching for him and I really can't wait to read how Maddie can help. The Hutchins family is definitely one I love and can't wait to read more of. HIGHLY recommended by me. ** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. * Merissa Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books! Mar 9, 2023
"Bad Romance" by Elise Faber wasn't easy to read at times, but IMO it was well-written and true to life, and I appreciated the emotional journey. When the story began, main character Melody Mercer was in a bad place as she struggled to put the trauma of her sexual assault behind her, but by the end, I was crying tears of joy right along with her. Mel was so much stronger than she realized, though I hated that she had to be. No person should ever have to go through what she did.
Mel's friend turned love interest, Asher Hutchins, was a wonderful source of support for her as she healed. He was protective without being overbearing, and I loved that he always let her take the lead in how to move forward in their relationship. I also appreciated his perspective on how trauma impacts those around the victim. Ash blamed himself for Mel's attack even though it wasn't his fault, and it took time for him to work through those feelings just as it took time for Mel to work through hers.
IMO this was a powerful read and I'd highly recommend it, but the subject matter was not always easy or comfortable. Please be kind to yourself and proceed with caution if necessary.
*Review copy provided by the author. All opinions expressed are my own.
Melody finally got up the nerve to ask her crush Ash on a date, but he turned her down flat. It hurt but it was what she needed to get on with her life. Unfortunately, her reaction to it set of a butterfly effect that ended with tragic consequences. Now she's just living life, not sleeping, faking her smile to the people who love her. Ash was the one she called that night, the one who saw her at her lowest point and it's an even better reason for her to avoid the man. Except he refuses to be put off any longer. He's bossing her around, and igniting that crush all over again by seeing through her fake smile.
Though this one is sort of painful to read, it was well worth it. So many highs and lows, an emotional rollercoaster, but a great story with a lot of heart.
This is the first book I have read in Ms. Faber's Billionaire's Club and I wish I had found this series before. I was such an emotional wreck while reading this book. Bad Romance is one book that will grab your attention right from the start with hating Ash and wanting to console Mel. Having a life-altering altercation that rips your soul from your body is hard but to have the man that you love to see you broken and not want you hurts even more. Mel is shy and very much an introvert but is willing to take a couple of chances. Well, the two that she does has her living a different life than she was. The only thing that is getting her through is having Ash there. He is the one that she wants but after what happened she fights the fact that she wants him but not if he sees her as broken. She wants him there because he wants to be there with her for the person that she was. Ash will move the world for her and he does. No matter how many times she yells and pushes him away, he comes right back to her even harder. The more you read this book the more you fall in love with Ash and he has you wanting an Ash in your life. Does Ash deserve Mel, yes he does and boy he has to work really hard for her. This book is an emotional one and be prepared to have knots in your stomach, and your heart in your throat but in the end, this book is worth every emotion that you feel. I am looking forward to the next installment Bad Business, Rome's story and if the ending of this one is any indication of what is in store, I am getting my tissues ready.
Bad Romance is the sixteenth book in the Billionaire’s Club series, but the romance could be read as a stand alone. Mel has been broken and she’s not sure if she can put herself back together again, especially when it comes to facing romance and the potential of something more with her long time crush, Ash. But he’s refusing to give up. Can they face their demons to find a future together?
Wow. Bring tissues. This book starts off super emotional, and while it definitely gets better by the ending, Mel and Ash will have you feeling all of the feels. There’s so much pain and heartache, but there’s also healing, empowerment, passion, and so much more love. Because their story is proof that love can conquer anything, and it doesn’t just have to be between the two main characters, but how side characters can and do influence and support. Oh my goodness, this book was so good. Mel is so brave and beautiful and kind and I loved watching her gain back her inner strength and courage. That ending, I was cheering out loud for her! Ash is selfless, especially when it comes to Mel finding love and joy again, and I loved that he was so willing to help her with anything. I hated what they had to go through, but it made both of them stronger individually and together. I highly recommend this book, I adore anything this author writes, and I can’t wait for more!
Note: I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Triggers: sexual assault, assault, death of a family member.
I loved this novellll! UGH, Asher was my ultimate bae, and Melody my friend. Ah so screw the title, it was anything but a bad romance. And lady gaga can also s- it.
I immediately fell under their spell, as I navigated alongside Asher and Melody, their lives, and them being together, the ups, and many downs as well. I thoroughly enjoyed the development from frost to warmth to eventual love, and going through a grieving period after her assault, and Asher and everyone else being there for her. Now that is true bonding at its' finest.
I loved the romance, the chemistry, the emotional bonding (now that is seen so rare honestly in other novels), and just family found vibes. I loved Melody's sister as well, though not often mentioned, but it was there, all FEELS WERE THERE!
I even almost cried at the ending, because Asher is just so perfect and wonderful and aaaah...raising my expectations as always of men in real life, oops.
Now I'll stop here before I further rant about how amazeballs Asher and Melody are. #couplegoals
PS: Cannot wait for Maddie and Rome's book next, ah they're gonna shatter and put me together again, that's for sure, from that little sneak peek. Can't wait!
Oh boy. This book was intense and hard to read at times, but worth the bruising your heart will endure. Asher made a horrible assumption which led to him turning down the woman he has been interested in for awhile, which sent her on the path of online dating. Melody has always been shy, so when Ash turned her down, she decided to try to get over her crush. Unfortunately, on of her dates drugs, beats and takes advantage of her. She now views herself as broken and dirty. This is a major trigger book because a lot of the book deals with her emotions about her attack and how to move on. Ash is so supportive and when he finally admits to the reason he turned her down he becomes even more swoony. He knew he wanted her but had to take it slow. She was still attracted to him but didn’t want to open herself up again. This book was so good and I loved how supportive his family was to her. I also liked how supportive he was and how she supported him when he needed it. I can’t wait for more in this series and to catch up with the members of this family. I received an ARC and this is my honest, volunteer review.
5 Star review of Bad Romance (Billionaire’s Club: Bad Brothers #1) by Elise Faber
After Bad Rebound I could not wait to see what Elise Faber had in store for Ash and Mel as their emotional journey continued. There are some triggers so you have been warned,
I loved how supportive and caring Ash was. He really did what he could for her and I really admired him; he was there to catch her when she fell and that made me love him even more. This book brought out so many emotions and I found myself in tears at times.
I admired their strength and determination to move forward. Their journey was not easy, in fact I was anxious of they would be able to survive all that happened. The chemistry between them is overwhelming and added to the intensity that surrounded them.
The story of Melody and Asher is intense. When Mel asks Ash on a date and he bluntly turns her down, she makes a decision that changes the trajectory of both their lives. The guilt Asher feels threatens to overwhelm him, so he does what he feels he should have done from the start - protect her. He can't go back and change the past, so all he can do is move forward, take things slowly and make Mel feel safe and loved. Ms. Faber writes with heart, makes the characters relatable, the story enjoyable and tumbles toward a wonderful HEA. This book deals with real life issues, with the aftermath of trauma and the path forward to recovery and a new normal kind of life. A great addition to the Billionaire's Club series.
Melody wanted Asher and had finally gotten up the nerve to ask him out only to be told no he didn't want to go out with her.
Ash thought his brother Jer wanted her and he wasn't going to get in the way and that's why he turned her down. When his brother sets him straight he knows he needs to fix that but she keeps avoiding him until he gets a hysterical call from her asking for help.
Asher is feeling so much guilt that now all he wants to do is protect her. Their journey is not easy but he's not going to back down but to be there for her and to move forward slowly.
Mel has gone through a traumatic event that has nearly broken her but with support she is finding a road to recovery.
Bad Romance is a story about healing and empowerment for Melody after she was raped and for Asher it is about forgiving himself for not being the guy he needed to be for Mel when she went out of her comfort zone and asked him out and then had her life turned upside down. He denied his true feelings because he thought his brother wanted her. He did, however, step up to protect her after her ordeal and show her that she was cared for and that she was stronger that she ever imagined. It was through his support that Mel found her way out of the dark hole she was existing in.
It was easy to fall for both of these characters and become invested in their journey of heartfelt struggles as they slowly found their connection and love.
Absolutely amazing! Elise tackles a very tough subject and did it perfectly.
Mel has hung with the Hutchinses and their family for awhile now. Her crush on Asher is stronger than ever and she decides to go for it. When he turns her down, she is heartbroken. Deciding to move on she puts herself out into the dating scene. One night turns horrible and she calls Asher. While Asher is there for her, he is being super protective now and it is also driving her crazy.
Asher has like Mel for awhile but has stayed away thinking his brother had a thing for her. The night she needed him there was no hesitation, now he needs to help her move forward in more ways than one.
Watching the interaction with these two was amazing.
Bad Romance, book sixteen in the Bad Romance series, follows Asher Hutchins and Melody Mercer. When Melody finally gets the courage to ask Asher on a date, he refuses which sets off a series of events they never saw coming. In her moment of weakness, she calls Asher who takes care of her even though he is overwhelmed with guilt at having turned her down and into the trauma she faced. Now Melody is living a life of fake smiles and fake relationships while trying to keep the pain inside. When Melody tries to turn away from Asher, he refuses to keep his distance, working his way back into her heart and trying to make her fake smile real once more. Will Melody be able to overcome her pain and move on with Asher?
Bad Romance is the third book I've read in this series and like the other two, it was just okay. With this one I found quite a bit of grammar issues - words missing, misspelled, or weird sentence structure. I thought there was lots of tell and no show or just context missing altogether like the drama with Asher's brother Rome being introduced in the middle of the book and then not being explained until the last chapter as a ploy to get you to buy the next book in the series. On the topic of Asher, I didn't really care for him (especially in the beginning) he needed to communicate more and not act so rashly. Mel was okay and she had a lot of strength deep inside that popped out at the end. It was a cute book with some heartfelt moments but it could have been so much more.
This is the 16th book in this phenomenal series, and this is Asher and Melody’s story. Melody is shy, quiet, and an introvert, who has been left broken and struggling to overcome what happened to her. Asher is patient and determined to help Mel heal, no matter how many times she pushes him away, he just comes back more determined. This is a well written emotional roller coaster, with chemistry, family, friendships, misunderstandings, and love, which leads to a heartfelt, unpredictable, and realistic story. I look forward to reading more from this talented author whose work I highly recommend.
I was so excited for Ash and Mel’s continuing story in Bad Romance and I wasn’t disappointed but I do feel I need to note there are some triggers in this emotional journey. I loved everything about Ash and his supportive and caring ways and when he finally admits to why he turned Mel down my heart skipped a beat. When Mel hits rock bottom it’s Ash who steps up to help her pick up the pieces and look to a future…… This is a roller coaster of a ride and my emotions were all over the place, I cried and at times I got angry but Bad Romance has something for everyone and it certainly ticked all my boxes.
There is nothing that Asher regrets more than declining Melody’s when she asked him on a date but he had his reasons and it wasn’t because he didn’t have feelings for her. When he learned the devastating cost of turning her down there is nothing he won’t do to help her heal.
The hurt that Melody felt by being rejected by Asher starts a domino effect that has her reaching out to him when she needs someone the most. She is no longer the same woman but now the tables have turned and she is determined to push her away and he is determined to stay.
What Melody endured is heartbreaking, but Asher is so supportive and understanding as he helps her heal and gives her hope for the future.
This story was great,I didn't think I had read anything by this author but I found out I did and I enjoyed what I read before and this story too.I was kind upset with Ash for letting Mel down when she just ask him for a date and he said no because he thought his brother cared for her then she goes on a dating app and get stuck with a bully and jerk and really turns her life in n a living hell. But Mel comes back slowly with help of Ash's Mom and Ash but it was very slow but Ash was very patient, she was able be her self and her feelings for Ash came back and they were able to make a couple and fine happiness and love!
Melody was into Asher and tried to get his attention he turned her down all because he thought his brother wanted to date her and just as Melody is trying to move on she makes a fatal mistake one that cost her and the one who saw her at her worst moment in life her lifeline was Asher so were do they go from here. This book wasn't easy to read at times you hurt for both Melody and Asher she's shut down and he won't walk away again he sees the pain behind her smile can Asher show Melody that not all men are evil and he just wants to love her.
I was allowed to read and advance copy of this book and I purchased a copy as well.
Another great add to the series, I love this family and characters!! This read does touch on touchy subjects and there could be triggers for some, I thought approaching this topic was gently and well done. Ash is such a sweetheart hero, and watching him push and pull but not to much with Mel was heartwarming. Watching them fall in love slowly, helping and doing things for eachother was definitely swoon worthy. There are steamy moments and the chemistry is there from the start. Very enjoyable read and I can't wait for the next one!!
This book was amazing. Subject warning the main female character is raped off page but the entire book is about her finding herself and moving on with her life. Since she was interested in Asher prior to the rape he blames himself for it. We see his struggle to not blame himself while seeing Mel do the same. I loved seeing Mel take back her life and get her happily ever after. The best proposal was in this book. I finished this book and wanted to start it over and find all the nuances thus 5 stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Melody is a shy, quiet person even though she is part of the Hutchins’ extended family due to her twin sister dating one of the Hutchins siblings. She fell in love with Asher even though she didn’t want to admit to any feelings she had towards him after they met. Unbeknownst to her he fell in love with her when they first met. Due to a misunderstanding on his part they had to pave their way through a major bump in the road. They do get their happy ending and hopefully we’ll see them in the next book for the Hutchins’ sibling just like we got to see the others.
Wow! I loved this book! It was a very emotional story with many twists and turns that keep you glued to the story! I couldn’t stop reading! I loved Melody and Asher! Melody has been in love with Asher for a while, so when she decides to act on it he turns her down. Not because he doesn’t want her, but he thinks his brother does. So she turns to on line dating and it doesn’t end well. Asher helps her get through everything and their relationship grows. Bad Romance is a well written story that hits on real life problems. Elise has written another wonderful story! I can’t wait for her next book!
Bad Romance is heartbreaker with a lot hurdles for Mel and Asher to jump to get their happy. Mel's life took an unfortunate and devastating turn (not described in full detail, but mentioned so be aware of possible triggers). Asher made a stupid mistake at the start of the book and part of me wishes he had cleared the air right away. But I also think it allowed Asher to take things slow, at a pace Mel could handle. I loved how patient he was while encouraging Mel forward. They really complemented each other well and I enjoyed their story.
Bad Romance is so good. I loved this one. Melody and Asher are wonderful. I love how Asher changes and really sees Melody and everything she has been through. He is patient and works hard to make things right. Melody is broken and trying to overcome what has happened to her. She has such strength and your heart just reaches out to her during this one. I could not get enough of this one. Melody and Asher have this fantastic chemistry. I cannot wait for more of the Billionaire's club series.
This was a heart felt story. I felt so bad for Melody, what she went through. It is sad that they let sick people join dating sites. I hope the book gets thrown at the guy who hurt Mel. To bad Ash didn't ask Jeremy beforehand if he was interested in Mel. A lot of heartache could have been avoided. Just letting you know there are a few errors. A big one is where you put Wyatt's name instead of Jeremy. Just letting you know. Thank you.
Take a deep breath and brace yourself because this book is a heavyweight power puncher that is going to give your heart and emotions an intense beating that will leave them bruised, bumped, broken and mangled. Yeah, so this isn't always an easy read, but I thought Ash and Mel's story was worth every tear I shed in the end. I am posting an unbiased, unsolicited review.
Mel’s been in love with Asher for a long time, and finally makes her move, but he shoots her down! So she decides it’s time to change things up and find someone else to date. But, that date has an unexpected ending that takes a toll on everyone. Once again Elise Faber addresses real life problems in another beautifully written book!