Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3/5 Stars)
Title: Bad Influence
Author(s): Stefanie London
Character(s):
― Leanne "Annie" Maxwell : Twenties, Brunette, Brown Eyed
― Joseph Preston: Twenties, (Sandy) Brunette, Blue Eyed
Setting: New York City, New York
Tag(s): Romance, Contemporary
Content Rating: R
POV: Third Person
Smexy Level: Hot
Favorite Quote(s):
― “You’re not under any obligation to date a boy. Ever. And there’s nothing wrong with being friends, so if he can’t deal with it, that sounds a whole lot like his problem. Not yours. You’re not punishing him by saying no.”
“Never let anyone tell you that you can’t do something. Never let someone else’s limitations define you.”
Overall Opinion:
The opening montage starts off with the lead heroine Anna trying to build up the courage to tell her boyfriend Joseph that she is not going to their months worth plan move to Singapore due to her mother's sudden cancer diagnosis. Ultimately taking it upon herself to make the decision to stay, Joseph felt left in the dark and due to the lack of communication and trust, he abruptly leaves to start his dream career in the faraway country.

Fast forward three years later, Anna is slowly picking up the broken pieces Joseph left behind and being inspired by the heartbreak, she launches Bad Bastards, an app that helps the women of New York avoid men like her ex and provides women a tool to help them navigate the dating world. As soon as Bad Bastards starts gathering media attention, anonymous threats in the form of letters and photos are being forwarded to Annie's email and home, and with Joseph sudden return, the only person she can rely on is him. Miscommunication, resentment and betrayal tugs and pulls Annie and Joseph in every which way, and once suppressed feelings quickly emerged.

With the blurb like that, I was immediately drawn to the series and was slightly let down by the end result. It started off in a high note but as the story progress, I found myself skimming through pages and counting down the minutes I would finally be done. Annie's back and forth switcheroo between loving and hating Joseph became redundant and how she completely ignored the hero's feelings in the prologue was a game changer (Side note, am I the only one that thought Anna was at fault for the relationship ending?) and that set the mood for me. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't bad and I applaud Stefanie London for taking the time to write this good book, but for me, it was mediocre at best. Nothing particularly stood out and it left me desiring more.

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This book had it's good moments and very frustrating moments. So Annie and Joseph were supposedly so in love until Annie's mom got sick and she made a decision for both of them. Now to me she should have stayed with her mom, but as adults they should have sat down and put everything on the table. However him leaving and then getting engaged to someone else fast, nope sorry but no, supposedly Annie was the love of your life, really..Yes I was angry because I do not understand that..Anywho we do have laughter, and eventually they work things out, but I never fell in love with them, they actually annoyed me. All in all I will still follow Stefanie London.

Rcvd an ARC at no cost to author..(netgalley) Voluntarily reviewed with my own thoughts and opinions. ( )