A Little Bit Wicked

Wow what a great read ! Love this authors writing. Bravo so real to
Life 👍

4.5 stars--A LITTLE BIT WICKED is the first instalment in Melissa Foster’s contemporary, adult THE WICKEDS: DARK KNIGHTS AT BAYIDE erotic, romance series focusing on the residents of Bayside Cape Cod, and the members of the Dark Knights motorcycle club. This is biker/ sculptor Justin ‘Maverick’ Wicked, and twenty-nine year old, director of the assisted living facility Chloe Mallery’s story line. A LITTLE BIT WICKED and The Wickeds: Dark Knights at Bayside is a spin off from the author’s Bayside Summers, The Whiskeys, and its’ numerous franchises.

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise, there may be some triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Justin and Chloe) A LITTLE BIT WICKED follows the friends to lovers relationship between is biker/ sculptor Justin Wicked, and twenty-nine year old, director of the assisted living facility Chloe Mallery. Justin Wicked has lusted after Chloe Mallery since the day they first met but Chloe continues to place Justin in the ‘friend zone’ until a late night heart to heart reveals a similar past of heart break and pain. As Chloe and Justin’s relationship crosses into the area of romance and love, our couple find themselves pulled into the family, friendships and growing relationships of the people in Bayside, and the protective bubble of the Dark Knights MC but all is not well on the flipside for our story line couple as they both struggle with demons from the past. What ensues is the building romance and relationship between Chloe and Justin, and the potential fall-out as Chloe finds herself with some unwanted attention that threatens her safety, and peace of mind.

Justin Wicked is the adopted son of Rob ‘Preacher’ and Reba Wicked but a past mired in abuse and the darkened memories of a time long ago often find Justin lost in his head with guilt and grief about was and what will never be. Meeting Chloe Mallery gave Justin hopes for a future but Chloe continues to give mixed messages between their friendship and wanting more, as she traverses the late night dating apps to no avail.

The relationship between Chloe and Justin is one of a friends to lovers; an immediate attraction that does not go unnoticed by family and friends. Chloe secretly becomes Justin’s ‘Uptown Girl’, as Justin becomes Chloe’s bada$$ bikerboy but Chloe isn’t looking for a bad boy, having lived her life watching her mother’s numerous men, come and go. The $ex scenes are intimate, erotic and intense, without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful and energetic secondary and supporting characters including all of the couples we met in the Bayside Summers series as well as Chloe’s sister Serena and her husband Drake; Justin’s parents Preacher and Reba, his sister Madigan, and brothers Blaine, Zeke and Zander, and cousins Tank and Dwayne Wicked. Tank and Leah’s story is next in The Wicked Aftermath.

The world building is detailed, descriptive and engaging but a little bit darker than most of the author’s previous series. I am a big fan of the darker romances-the conflict, the vulnerability and the anxious moments all leading to a requisite happily ever after.

A LITTLE BIT WICKED is a story of family, friendships, betrayal and love. The premise is captivating, compelling and encouraging; the romance is seductive and erotic; the characters are dynamic, charismatic and animated…but I did have one complaint and it was the 137 times the author used ‘baby’ and 52 times the use of the word ‘babe’-at one point I thought Justin had forgotten our heroine’s name. Definitely something to think about for future stories, editors and proof readers. A LITTLE BIT WICKED is a wonderful, tenacious and emotionally satisfying introduction to THE WICKEDS: DARK KNIGHTS AT BAYIDE erotic, romance series.

The Dark Knights have rolled into Bayside in A Little Bit Wicked which is a wickedly sexy friends to lovers, opposites attract love story told in the third person point of view and is part of the large Love in Bloom world.

Justin had a rough time growing up after his mother passed away and his father turned into a thief. Rob “Preacher” & Reba Wicked took Justin into their home, raised him as one of their own and taught him the true meaning of family. Chloe had a rough upbringing dealing with her mother and her revolving door of boyfriends as well as make sure her sister, Serena was safe. Justin has wanted Chloe since the day he saw her but Chloe has put him in the friend zone as she does not want to get involved with someone who looks likes they just walked out of her past. Justin is determined to prove to Chloe that he is not who she thinks he is and that they are meant to be together.

Melissa Foster has come through again with another heartwarming, funny, big family romance. A Little Bit Wicked is the beginning of The Wickeds series but also interconnects with The Dark Knights at Peaceful Harbor and the Bayside crew. I was so happy to see Justin and Chloe finally come together and get their HEA as it has been a long time coming. Whenever I heard Justin’s Dark Knight name, Maverick I kept hearing “Highway to the Danger Zone” in my head and had the urge to watch Top Gun, lol. As always I will now be patiently waiting for the next addition to Melissa Fosters Love in Bloom world!

*ARC was generously provided in exchange for my honest review*