Our team went wild over the chance to read Horribly Harry, let's see if they're pleased with their choice...
From the blurb:
Bad Boyfriend, Inc—when you can’t find a good boyfriend, why not hire a bad one instead?
To supplement his income while he’s completing his Early Education degree, Harry Townsend hires himself out as a terrible date—for a set fee, he’ll horrify parents and family members in all sorts of interesting ways. But when it comes to actual relationships—and sex—Harry doesn’t get the appeal. He doesn’t get the same tingly feelings everyone else seems to when they meet someone attractive, and he’s fine with that. He’d rather spend his evenings watching TV anyway.
Jack Windsor abandoned his uni degree to do an apprenticeship as a mechanic, much to his parents’ dismay. He’s happy with his choices, but leaving uni meant losing his accommodation, and now he’s crashing on his sister Mia’s couch. It isn’t ideal, but it’s only until he finds something else—which is proving difficult in Sydney’s brutal rental market.
When Jack almost kills Harry with a strawberry smoothie, he discovers that not only was Harry’s disastrous date with Mia a set up, but that Harry is looking for a roommate. Moving in with Harry is great, if only he wasn’t so distractingly cute—and totally uninterested in Jack. Except as they grow closer as friends, for the first time in his life, Harry tells Jack he’s developing feelings for him—tingly ones.
But how can Harry and Jack be together when Jack’s family thinks that Harry is the worst human being in the universe? And how can Jack convince them that his Bad Boyfriend is the best boyfriend he’s ever had, without admitting that Mia hired him to be terrible to them? When an approaching family event brings everything to a head, Jack’s going to have to step up to prove to Harry that he wants him in his life. And it might just take some bad timing, some good luck and the ugliest suit known to mankind.
Jacquie's Review:
I loved everything about this one. The bad dates, shopping for clothes, Jack and Harry bonding... it all really worked.
The ace representation was good and because of this it's a slow burn and lower on the heat scale. I felt that was natural for Harry and adored how Jack never pushed and was willing to accept a relationship on any terms, even without sex, just to have Harry.
There's a little bit of drama with Mia's wedding approaching, but it was well done.
The next book is set up perfectly.
Rating: 5 Stars
Sheena's Review:
This is the second in the Bad Boyfriends series but could be read as a standalone. Harry is a bad boyfriend for hire, with the idea being parents will be so happy to see the back of him they'll be delighted with their child's actual choice.
I loved Harry and Jack, right from the moment they met and Jack turned out to be the sweetest guy on the planet, after the initial misunderstanding was out of the way. There is wonderful demi/ace representation in this book, it's handled so well and I just adored how Jack would let Harry dictate the pace and never asked for more than Harry was willing to give him.
Honestly I love the premise of this whole series, this book felt very different from Ambrose and that's a good thing, they're both great in their own way. Harry and Jack just work perfectly together, and it was so good to get to join them on their journey with very little angst, and a lot of fluff and happy times. I'm so glad I got the chance to read this book.
Rating: 4 Stars
Reedkaye's Review:
Horribly Harry is the first I’ve read of this series and if you want an easy to read, slow moving relationship, great characters and a fun story this fills that.
Harry and Jack are both so likable. Harry lacks so much knowledge for his age. He is totally unaware of his sexuality until he meets Jack.
Jack is the most patient guy I’ve read about. He is so attracted to Harry that he is willing to take things at Harry’s pace which at times is comical.
Harry’s extra job keeps things interesting. This is a career I’d have never thought of. Toss in the side characters such as Beryl and Tristan to add to the humor of this story.
I have to say finding out the next book is for Tristan makes me anxious to read it.
Rating: 4 Stars
Heather's Review:
I absolutely love this series - the idea of being hired to be someone's 'bad date' and the aftermath that follows makes for hilarious happenings when the bad date finally connects with his one and only... in this second Bad Boyfriends book, Harry is assaulted with a deadly drink (strawberry allergy) and in trying to make it up to him, one of his bad date's brothers becomes enamoured with him...
Both Jack and Harry are adorable - Harry is such a sweet, naïve man and Jack is such a caring and patient guy and they just click... and of course the extra angst comes from the fact that Harry's bad date with Jack's sister also involved her parents...
Horribly Harry is sweet, funny and well written. I finished it in one sitting and the book hangover was just as sweet as the read.
Rating: 5 Stars
Janet's Review:
Horribly Harry is the second book Bad Boyfriend, Inc series.
Seriously hilarious!
Harry is working his way through uni. He plays the bad boyfriend so well that one of his former clients dumps a strawberry smoothie over his head not knowing Harry is allergic to Strawberries! Jack feels horrible after Harry has an allergic reaction.
I adored Harry and Jack! I loved Harry’s awakening! Sweet, steam and spicy! I seriously wanted to be a fly on the wall when they were in the resale shop! Loved Tristan and cannot wait for his story!
Overall, a seriously funny and fantastic story. Well written with great pacing that just flows! Highly recommend!
Rating: 5 Stars
Sarah's Review:
Sarah Honey and Lisa Henry are both new to me authors that I will be exploring more, because Horribly Harry was anything but horrible. In fact, the book was so incredibly sweet that my cheeks actually hurt from smiling so hard.
We start with two amazing characters. Harry is finishing university to become a preschool teacher, something he's paying for by being a not so traditional escort. He hires himself out to be a bad boyfriend so that whoever his client wants to shut up about their love lives will or so they'll accept who they really want to be with because anyone is better than Harry. He's also this incredibly adorkable boy who loves his friends and doesn't get what the big deal is with sex or dating.
Jack is a good balance to him. He's mature, but has his dorky moments that lead him to be willing to play along with some of Harry's dorkier traits. He's incredibly patient - which is good because Harry has never had a relationship before and is on the ace spectrum so the relationship likely doesn't look like anything Jack has had before. He's also the brother to one of Harry's previous clients - which both starts the book off with a great meet ugly and also plays a large part in the conflict later in the book.
Aside from two amazing main characters, we have a great supporting cast. Their roommate, Tris, stole almost every scene he was in. Harry's best friend and former roommate, Ambrose, felt very real in his interactions with Harry. Jack's sister, Mia, was awesome. Even Beryl, the old woman from the Op Shop, felt fully developed and more than just a way to eat a few pages. And as someoen who has had stories made or broken by characters, this is a good thing. I love a fully developed cast of side characters.
The story itself is incredibly sweet. Its enemies to roommates to lovers with an incredibly slow burn and low steam. There's a little bit of angst, but its resolved quickly enough. There's a great deal of humor and so much fluff I could take an actual nap on it. While this is the second book in the series, you don't need to have read the first to understand it. (I can say this with certainty as I've not read the first book and could fully understand it.)
All in all, Horribly Harry was a great read and I would highly recommend it.
Rating: 5 Stars
Jacquleen the Reading Queen's Review:
Ok this was just a TEN on the cuteness scale. Harry was obliviously adorable in all his ace/demi glory. I have no idea how someone as sweet and innocent as him could make a living working as Bad Boyfriend Inc. Jack was also ridiculously sweet, despite his and Harrys disastrous meet cute. I mean who meets the love of their life by almost murdering them?
This one was a slow burn and I loved how patient Jack was with Harry. It really made no difference to him whether or not Harry would want to engage in sex. He started falling for him when he thought he was just an adorable ace man. As it turns out to both Jack AND Harrys surprise, Harry likely falls in the demi category as well. Getting to see Harry explore these new feelings for the first time was so fun. He had so much enthusiasm and joy. But I have to say some of my favorite moments of the book were the trips to the OP Shop. Oh Bertyl you evil old woman you. Got to get your kicks somewhere at that age I guess.
I'm excited that Tristan is next. I can't wait for that loveable man whore to fall in love. Say what you want about his extracurricular activities and self awareness, but the man cares about his friends. He has a good heart and I'm dying to read the story about who he gives it to.
Rating: 4 Stars
Nicole's Review:
It's almost impossible to believe that a character as sweet as Harry could ever be a Bad Boyfriend. I love that he called himself Jacksexual. I couldn't get enough of his interactions with Beryl. The transition from Ace to Demisexual was very well written, and the sexual awakening was not as awkward as it could have been.
Jack was the most patient boyfriend, letting Harry take the lead so he wouldn’t be overwhelmed by his inexperience. The strawberry experience was probably the most creative meet cute (or not cute in this case) that I have read. I hated that he felt like he had to hide Harry to protect Mia, especially since she never followed through on her promise before the wedding.
Rating: 5 Stars
Lori C's Review:
Harry is a university student whose job is to be a horrible date so that parents will then be more approving of the current men and women in their child’s lives. He is gets paid on a scale depending on how horrible and what kind of date he needs to go on. Sounds like a pretty good acting gig, huh? It is until he meets Jack. Jack lights him up in ways he never thought possible. In fact, he never really understood the big deal about sex and wanting. But Jack is Mia’s brother and he was Mia’s horrible date. How is that ever going to work?
Horribly Harry is the second book in the Bad Boyfriends, Inc. by Sarah Honey and Lisa Henry. While the books are truly stand alone, you do miss some bits and some wonderful characters by not reading in order. Also, I will tell you that I loved this book so much that I find buying the first book Awfully Ambrose worth it to catch those bits!! I can also say that the third book Terribly Tristan will be an automatic one click purchase (these books are not in KU) based off how much I enjoyed Horribly Harry. Sometimes you just know and I know that the writing team of Sarah Honey and Lisa Henry are going to be a team to watch and definitely tbr for all future books.
Rating: 5 Stars
Want more? Check out the release blitz with excerpt and giveaway by clicking on the graphic below:
Great reviews! Thank You
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