Broken Boys Crave Chaos by JB Heller {a review}

 

Broken Boys Crave Chaos, by JB Heller, is book four in a sexy, new adult romance series that can be read in order or as standalones. If you love books with strong, independent, female leads and swoon-worthy, cinnamon roll heroes that know how to please their partners, then you should definitely one-click Kass and Ariel's story today.

I have read all the books in the Broken Boys (formerly Moments) series, and have been eagerly anticipating Kass as a main character. Seeing how he was as a side character, and the nerdiness that he exhibits, had me falling. Whoever he was going to be paired with was going to need to be strong, be able to hold their ground, and willing to fight for their relationship.

In Broken Boys Crave Chaos we have Kass who is willing to just remain single. He doesn't need a partner in his life right now, so it's not an issue. Now if he could just get his career in order, that would be great. Flash forward a bit to when Kass is at his condo, and he watches a woman kick ass in the lobby. Ariel is a bounty hunter, and she just caught her man. Of course her actions also ignited a spark in Kass, and he had to know who this woman is! Turns out this is the same woman who had commented about his appearance earlier when he had been at lunch with Chance. After a conversation with his friends, it is discovered that Trick knows exactly who this woman is, and sets up a plan for Kass to run into her. That encounter at the gym, plus the events that happened right after lead to a conversation. In that conversation, Kass was placed firmly in the friend zone. He's going to do what he can to get out of it, and turn this friendship into a true relationship.

Let's start with my rating...I gave Broken Boys Crave Chaos 3.5 stars over on Goodreads. I loved the meet cute. Loved the premise of the story. Love the characters. This book had potential. That being said, it wasn't my favorite of the series. It was still a good read, it just missed the mark a bit.

Ariel is a strong, badass woman who takes no crap from anyone. She also goes after what she wants. She's confident in who she is, and she doesn't want a relationship. She's perfectly content with how things have been going. The way she loves her family, and the heartache of the past, have her keeping her circle tight, and outsiders do not get in easily. Ariel is a fantastic partner for Kass. 

If you're not familiar with Kass, he is you quintessential cinnamon roll hero. He's sweet, he's loving, he's passionate, he has alpha tendencies, and he'll have you falling in no time. Kass is a writer. He could easily take advantage of his family's business, and go that route, but he wants to write. Now if the paper he works for would just give him the chance. Earlier I mentioned about his nerdiness. He is extremely intelligent, and he also happens to enjoy the "nerdy/geeky" fandoms. Which those don't always appeal to the masses, but he is who he is. 

While I loved certain parts of the story, something was missing. Or at least from my perspective.

Part of me feels that Ariel and Kass wanting different things, relationship wise, steered the book in an unexpected way. And perhaps it wasn't fully flushed out. We had this budding relationship that went from introduction to steamy to the emergency brake being pulled. 

In the beginning I wasn't rooting for them. Not at all. I could not see these two getting together for a happily ever after. For me there just wasn't the believability that these two would make it. And that's all on me, not on the author. Did that opinion change through the course of the book? Slightly. I never found myself getting emotionally invested. Which if you know me, that isn't how it usually is. Usually the characters draw me in, hold me hostage with their story, and I am 100% invested. That didn't happen with Kass and Ariel.

When it came to the moment of conflict, it was decent. Not over the top, and it didn't blow me out the water. I understand the reasoning behind it all of it. Really though that conflict was just fear based. It was getting in the characters head, and them needing to work out their issues.

Part of me wishes that Kass and Ariel's careers had intertwined a bit more. I know they briefly did, but then that storyline disappeared, and nothing (but jealousy) came from it. I think that if Kass had been doing more of an investigative type story on Ariel's family business, it would be have been more intriguing. Plus then it could have brought in the forced proximity trope. Also it may have added the element of suspense. Not knowing what was going to happen as she "hunted" for these people, and the how each take down would go. But that's just me, and what I wish had happened.

Still though the story was decent. We briefly were able to catch up with former characters. I do wish we had seen more of Chance and Carter, or even more of Scout, but it is what it is. Mase was in it plenty. Quite honestly this was a launching point for the new Hunter Sisters series that is coming sometime in 2022. That is really the only reason that I can see Ariel and Kass being together. I know. I know.

Don't get me wrong, I did like the story. I loved the characters. Separately. I loved the bounty hunter aspect. Putting it all together just missed for me. Do I still think you should read it? Absolutely. What is the saying..."No two persons ever read the same book". (Edmund Wilson) So just because this is how I felt about the book, doesn't mean you will feel that way.

A 3.5 star rating, is still a pretty fabulous rating if I do say so myself. I mean on my rating chart I say "I enjoyed this book, but it was missing something, or didn't give me what I wanted." I stand by that.

Go give Broken Boys Crave Chaos a read for yourself, and let me know your thoughts. I bet we will differ. Which is awesome. Because that leads to conversation, and understanding the other readers perspective.

Thank you for taking time to read my thoughts. I greatly appreciate it.

Laura

Cover Design: Tall Story Designs
Photographer: Miguelanxo

Is there anything worse than the friend zone? I think not...

I'd just given up on relationships when a pocket-sized Lara Croft came storming into my lobby and knocked me on my ass.

We're opposites in nearly every way, but there's something about her that calls to the most primal parts of me.

Problem is, she's planted me firmly in the friend zone. At first, I thought I could deal with it. However, the better I get to know the badass bounty hunter, the more certain I am that friendship can go screw itself...

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New to the series? Check out the other books!

Amazon | Goodreads | My Review

Amazon | Goodreads | My Review

Amazon | Goodreads | My Review

Meet J.B. Heller

JB Heller is an average Aussie housewife and Momma in her early 30's with a wicked sexy imagination. She's also the owner of a randy Eclectus parrot with boundary issues.

These days she writes mostly contemporary romance and romantic comedies, drawing inspiration from her everyday life.

Monday to Friday you can find JB glued to her laptop weaving words or trolling Pinterest for her next potential muse. Come the weekend, it's family time. (And of course lots of reading and Netflix binges.)

Connect with J.B. Heller here!

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Thank you to J.B. Heller and Wordsmith Publicity, for providing me with an advanced review copy of Broken Boys Crave Chaos.