Bad Attitude [Large Print] [Hardcover]

Sherrilyn Kenyon (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 2006

BAD agent Sydney Westbrook must find the perfect assassin for a risky counter-terrorism mission. J.D. Steele, a military sniper whose attitude problem landed him in prison, seems a good candidate. But as they're dragged into a secret world of freelance killers, Sydney begins to discover the man of honor and passion beneath Steele's arrogant façade. It's a man even Steele didn't know he could be -- and a man whose mission will risk the life of the only woman he's ever loved....

--This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Josh Steele's violent rage over the death of his best friend in Iraq because of bad intelligence lands him in Leavenworth Prison, but he is released because he is needed on a sniper counterterrorism mission for the Bureau of American Defense (BAD). He is supposed to infiltrate an organization that is being paid to assassinate a visiting head of state. He is paired with special agent Sydney Westbrook, a somewhat notorious "ball buster." She tries to manipulate him but soon feels a grudging respect for someone she feels is an honorable man, despite his offbeat humor. Because of difficult backgrounds, both he and Sydney have trouble with intimacy, but that does not stop their fierce attraction to each other. Kenyon, known primarily for her paranormal romances in the Dark Hunter series, turns in her first "bad-boy" romance adventure, a fast-paced, one-sitting read featuring vulnerable but formidable and sexy characters who will appeal to fans of Catherine Mann and the Silhouette Bombshell series. Mary K. Chelton
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"Sexy...A fast-paced, one-sitting read."

-- Booklist --This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 432 pages
• Publisher: Wheeler Publishing (April 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1597221619
• ISBN-13: 978-1597221610
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,166,337 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

In the past two years, New York Times bestselling author Sherrilyn Kenyon has claimed the #1 spot twelve times. This extraordinary bestseller continues to top every genre she writes. With more than 23 million copies of her books in print in over 30 countries, her current series include: The Dark-Hunters, The League, Lords of Avalon, BAD Agency and the Chronicles of Nick. Since 2004, she has placed over 50 novels on the New York Times list. The preeminent voice in paranormal fiction, with more than twenty years of publishing credits, Kenyon not only helped to pioneer, but define the current paranormal trend that has captivated the world.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I can't wait for the next in this series!, September 21, 2005

By 

M. Nix - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: Bad Attitude (Hardcover)

J.D. Steele is in jail serving 25 years in an Army prison for shooting at his commanding officer. Considering that his commander is still alive, he should count his lucky stars because Steele is one of the best snipers around. He doesn't miss unless it's on purpose! Now he has an opportunity to use the "Get Out of Jail Free" card but there is a catch. He needs to help find and disable a fellow sniper before he kills a powerful politician. The clock is ticking and time is running out.

BAD agent Sydney Westbrook is a no-nonsense agent whose luscious curves and Angelina Jolie-like looks make it difficult for her to be taken seriously. Now she has a chance to make her case and save the world from chaos by working with Steele. All they have to do is stay alive, fight their physical attraction and find the other sniper before it is too late.

BAD Attitude is the first full length BAD novel by Ms. Kenyon. It has non-stop action and suspense mixed in with some hot attraction and sex appeal. Steele is a hardened man who has pretty much lost everything. He is basically expendable because no one will miss him if he fails. I can't imagine living alone with no emotional support, but I admire his dedication to Sydney and his friend Jake. Steele is a strong man who just lost his way, but this assignment helps him to at least find himself again and open himself to the possibilities of love.

Sydney is a rather unconventional agent who seems to bumble the assignment, causing Steele more problems than what it's worth. She just doesn't get that sometimes life doesn't always follow the book. I didn't like how she totally dismissed Steele's opinions or thoughts. However, I do believe that Sydney brought out the good inside Steele. He came alive when he was with her. The secondary characters play a very important part in their story, not just on the assignment, but helping to shape their relationship. The twists and turns in BAD Attitude made it difficult to put down. I couldn't even figure out who the other sniper was and was honestly shocked when the person was unmasked. I truly enjoyed BAD Attitude and I can't wait to read Sherrilyn Kenyon's next installment in the BAD series.

Lee

Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Being BAD Has Never Been So GOOD!!!, November 19, 2005

By 

Kristi Ahlers (Illinois) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bad Attitude (Hardcover)

Ms. Kenyon's full-length effort "Bad Attitude" is bad in a very good way! This story was really a page turner with two very strong leads which at times can be overwhelming but here played perfectly.

Josh Steele former Army sniper is cooling his heels in Leavenworth after letting his temper get the best of him. So life for him is now peeling carrots and potatoes with a spoon. That is until BAD comes and waves a "get out of jail free" card. Only Steele doesn't want to pick up a rifle again and the concept of going blindly into a situation with the intel he's forced to use does not sit well with him. When he's told that he has to have a partner on his mission he wants to refuse but he can't. Sydney is not your average partner or lady. She's something special but will Josh figure that out before it's too late?

Sydney learned the hard way that men lie and cheat and can't be trusted. That's okay though because her work as a BAD agent doesn't leave room for romance. So why is it she can't think of anything else when around tough guy Steele? Will these two wounded people be able to help each other find the light at the end of the tunnel and abort an assassination or will they fail?

Sydney and Josh were compelling characters that were strong and not willing to back down all that often. This may put off readers but I recommend that they stick with the story, as they will be well rewarded in the end. Old friends as well as new ones are introduced over the course of this read. Ms. Kenyon truly knows how to weave a story and I don't think it's possible for her to pen a dud. If she has...I haven't read it yet.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Strong writing almost saves flawed story, December 14, 2005

By 

booksforabuck "BooksForABuck" (Long Beach, CA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Bad Attitude (Hardcover)

America's leaders know that if they just follow the rules, lives will be lost--American lives. That's why they've created the Bureau of American Defense--B.A.D. Headed by John Q. Public, BAD specializes in bringing in rule-breakers who'll do whatever it takes to make things happen. When they get information on the planned assassination of a foreign leader on American soil, BAD decides they need ex-Army sniper J. D. Steele to infiltrate the private security company that serves as a world-class murder-for-hire organization. Steele has plans of his own--plans that don't include working for anyone, but the possibility of getting sprung from his 25-year term in the Army brig, and the pure sex-appeal of BAD agent Syd Westbrook, just might make him re-consider.

Since eco-terrorists killed her brother and nephew in an attack on lobster boats, Syd Westbrook has hated extremists, even though she knows doing so turns herself into one. She swears she won't be attracted to another agent, but Steele is the kind of guy who makes her want to break the rules. Although she's not a one-night-stand kind of girl, Steele is persuasive.

Author Sherrilyn Kenyon takes the two in a thrill-packed adventure of chase, kookie sidekicks, and strange plot twists. Kenyon's strong writing kept me reading this story despite a number of problems that would have led me to toss aside the book were it written by a less capable author. Unfortunately, these problems still detract. First, Kenyon couldn't quite make up her mind whether she was writing an adventure or a comedy. Many of the names (B.A.D, John Q. Public, and The Thi Ho), Steele's pet names for the foreign nation (Oompa-Loompas), the back history with lobster terrorists (really!), and Syd's Toyota that supposedly can go from zero to sixty in 2.2 seconds (compare to 5.0 seconds for a Porshe 911 Targa or 4.5 seconds for a Maserati 3200 GT and you get the idea how silly a 2.2 second figure is), all point to humor. And the over-the-top willingness to violate American Law for the protection of the American Way points to a certain irony. But the setup, adventure, and writing are anything but comic.

Major editing blunders also weaken the story. (Warning--possible spoilers). At one point, Syd realizes that Steele has not fired a shot--a strong moment in their relationship arc--except that he had fired several shots. Steele's statement that he'd never broken a promise was another relationship moment, contradicted by the fact that the opening scene was about Steele breaking a promise to his late spotter's wife. Finally Steele's conclusion that the suspected assassin was too unimaginative to have left a false name at a bed and breakfast strains all credibility.

BAD ATTITUDE required more suspension of disbelief than I expect in a romantic suspense, but Kenyon's writing is strong enough to propell the reader through the story.