The Bastard by Inez Kelley (The Baddest Boys in History #1)
Released: May 18, 2014
Paranormal Romance
Self Published

Reviewed by Mandi

I realized when I started reading this, how much I am craving a fun, new paranormal world. Something full of  characters like Kresley Cole or JR Ward gives us. This book gives us some bad boys – Vike, our hero isn’t the baddest of the bunch, but it’s a pretty nice start.

This book has the premise of the Creator of All waging war on the evil. Angels Michael and Sela have been told to awaken “an army to combat evil incarnate.” And while Michael chooses to wake the brave, honorable men who fought to their death, Sela has a different idea…

“She didn’t need good, wholesome winners on her side. She needed the best of the worst, the opponents who had nearly toppled the champions from their thrones. Human men and women so familiar with wickedness, with treachery and deceit, they could anticipate and counter anything Samael could plan. She needed the sinners.”

And she wakens them. Vike, along with five or six of his…sinner friends (friends only because they have been alive so long with each other in a brotherhood type relationship) are the only ones left now to fight Samael and his evil soul leeches. Each of these warriors are able to pull weapons out of their tattoos when they need to battle, they can ‘leap’ from place to place and with a deep sleep, can overcome most injuries. Sela is warned an apocalypse is brewing, but before Vike can even worry about that, he has to get control of his lust.

He can’t seem to keep his eyes off of the local diner waitress Lacy, and he has been secretly watching out for her. One night he sees her get attacked, and jumps down to help her. He realizes this night that she is special – her blood contains that of a Scion, blood and a soul Samael needs to build his army so the apocalypse can start. She needs forty more days to live, so that immunity hits her and she is no longer special to Samael, and Vike decides it’s up to him to keep her safe. Telling her that a crazy cult leader is after her so the paranormal world stays a secret, he becomes her 24/7 bodyguard. But Samael and his minions have some tricks up their sleeves and he will need the help of his brothers to keep Lacy alive.

This is the start to what I think will be a pretty fun paranormal romance series. Vike and his fellow sinners are very…crass. Which isn’t a bad thing in a paranormal romance. I like my heroes with a harder edge, especially because these guys are supposed to have been awoken due to their sinfulness. These guys are rough – violent, and use very abrasive language. Most love having sex with anything that moves. They’ve been living a long time and their morals and humanity are kind of washed out.

But Vike has a softer side when it comes to Lacy. I didn’t mind this side, although I do hope that some of the future books with the boys show a hero who is more cold initially with his heroine. I know that Rex is next – he LOVES having sex, with both men and women and is more funny than most of them, so his book should be amusing.

“This Cake’s got your ‘nads in a knot good in tight. You want her alive, fine. But if she’s not stoned, she’ll act like bait and draw them out. That works for me. I could use a good fight. Or a good fuck. Or both.” Rex took a deep drag of the cigarette and dropped his voice. “I hate waiting, it makes my balls itch.”

“You need a nap.”

Rex’s snort forced a tight stream of smoke from his thinned lips. “I need to get laid. It’s been two days.”

But back to Vike. He was killed in his first life because he loved a woman who had other motives, so he deals with falling for Lacy verse being a good warrior for Sela. Lacy and Vike fall for each other pretty quick. It’s not an insta-mate,  but Lacy sees Vike as her hero for saving her that first night they meet and well..he is super sexy so she goes for it. I like that she is honest about her lust for him, but there isn’t a ton of sexual tension. I thought the sex scenes could have been a little dirtier. They were a hot, but I wanted more dirty and less sweet. (what can I say?)

Lacy becomes the cook/housekeeper for Vike and his men. At first I wanted to shake her and say, Lacy! You deserve more than just cleaning up after nasty men! But later she shares that keeping house and caring for others is a true passion for her  – so you go right on ahead girlfriend. I thought she accepted the kooky things happening (like supernatural things happening) too easily, and let too many things go without a lot of questions. But that is often a complaint of mine with I read paranormals with human heroines.

I had fun reading this one. A few niggles along the way, but I’ll definitely pick up book two.

Rating: B-

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