Bad Joey (Mayberry Protectors Book 2) by Rhys Everly

When no one believes you are good but you find that one person that accepts that you, no matter the chaos, then its worth risking everything to be with them. Bad Joey is there to protect Santiago, but Santiago end up being the man that can protect Joey's heart.

From the blurb:

Joey

The whole world is against me.

Everyone's turned their back on bad, evil Joey.

They all believe the lies.

Until him. Santiago.

The man I can't stop thinking of.

He believes me and in me.

He doesn't care a damn what the world thinks.

And when he finds himself in danger the only one that can protect him is me.

Santiago

He's what nightmares are made of. He's the stuff crime documentaries warn you about.

But that's not the real Joey.

The real Joey craves one thing and one thing only.

To be loved.

And to save me from the awful people I've gotten mixed up with.

So even though all signs tell me to run as far away from him as possible, I can't.

Because I want to love him just like he needs me to.

Welcome to Mayberry Holm, a small island in the Atlantic full of crime, secrets and happily-ever-afters, and the ex-Navy SEALs that come to deal with them all.

SNik's Review:

Second in series (Mayberry Protectors), but can be read as a standalone. Action/suspense. Insta-love. Hurt/comfort. Dual POV. 

Joey feels like he is bad luck for everyone around him, and he can't seem to catch a break since his old SEAL teammates don’t trust him and he's been discharged from the military. However, meeting Santiago changes everything for him, and with Santiago in danger, Joey will do anything to protect him, even though staying away is not in the cards. 

As a journalist, Santiago is willing to take risks, so what if he fears for his life from a local drug cartel? Why not also risk his heart to the man protecting him, and Santiago decides he is more than willing to be that man. I really enjoyed that Joey is instantly committed to Santiago, and that Santiago accepts it and becomes a safe and protective person for Joey as well. 

The sweetness when they are together, the steamy times, and just the companionship and caring made this a fun read. I liked the supportive secondary cast and the bits of action as well.

Rating: 4 Stars

Janet's Review:

Bad Joey is the second book in the Mayberry Holms Protector series. Ohh Joey! Life really threw a curveball at him! He’s treated like a pariah by his teammates for something he was accused of but did not do. He’s given a second chance and meets Santiago. Santiago makes a report to law enforcement and nothing is done. He feels like his life is in danger. 

I freakin loved Joey and Santiago! They communicated like adults should, but they were also fun. Santi was sassy and snarky, but so very protective of Joey when others treated him badly. 

Wonderful secondary characters, a bit of action and a sweet romance makes Bad Joey a fantastic read! Well written with addicting pacing. 

Rating: 5 Stars

Jacquie's Review:

Bad Joey was a bit if a surprise for me, I really didn't think I'd love it as much as I did. I found it difficult to put down, something rare for me just now.

Does it have a bit of insta-love? Sure, but that really worked here. Santiago and Joey spoke about everything. No secrets, so the plot didn't quite go where I thought, and that was a whole lot of fun.

Both characters needed someone to believe them. Joey especially so. He's so damaged to begin with, trying to restart his life when he meets Santiago, who gives him purpose and a family.

Of course, this series has the small town vibe going on, a bunch of interesting secondary characters and a heap of action.

I was team Joey from the first chapter. I think he's my favorite Rhys character.

Rating: 5 Stars

Bad Joey is available to buy as an ebook, paperback, or to read with Kindle Unlimited subscription.