Good Girls Don’t by Victoria Dahl – A Review

Available Aug. 30, 2011

I got this book as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Book Description

Series: Hqn | Publication Date: August 30, 2011

Too much of a good thing…With her long ponytail and sparkling green eyes, Tessa Donovan looks more like the girl next door than a businesswoman—or a heartbreaker. Which may explain why Detective Luke Asher barely notices her when he arrives to investigate a break–in at her family’s brewery. He’s got his own problems—starting with the fact that his partner, Simone, is pregnant and everyone thinks he’s the father.Tessa has her hands full, too. Her brother’s playboy ways may be threatening the business, and the tension could tear her tight–knit family apart. In fact, the only thing that could unite the Donovan boys is seeing a man come after their “baby” sister. Especially a man like Luke Asher. But Tessa sees past the rumors to the man beneath. He’s not who people think he is—and neither is she.

Victoria Dahl is really really good at many aspects of storytelling but she shines with her dialog and sex scenes. One minute she has me laughing with snappy repartee between her heroine and hero and then, before I can catch my breath, she has me panting with  hot, steamy sex. Since I follow her on Twitter, more than once I felt her “Twitter” personality coming through in her heroine. Ms. Dahl seems to have so much fun with her always naughty heroines and this book continues with that theme.

The Donovan siblings lost their parents in a car accident (man, authors get rid of a lot of parents this way!) when Tessa was only 14. Her older brother, Eric, at 24 became the head of the household, responsible for raising Tessa and her other brother, Jamie.  Tessa is grown woman of twenty-seven, something her older brothers can’t seem to grasp, including continuing to believe Tessa is a virgin. That fallacy sets up a nice scene between Tessa and Luke, who believes her brothers when he is told Tessa is a virgin. Truly laugh out loud funny.

This is a wonderful read, and obviously book one of a trilogy starring the Donovan siblings. Personally, I can’t wait for Bad Boys Do in September and Real Men Will in October.