With a title like As Bad As Can Be and a plot clearly inspired by Coyote Ugly, a movie I couldn’t sit through (it’s all about gorgeous half naked female bartenders who writhe around on a bar to rake in loads of cash), it’s a miracle that I enjoyed this recent Blaze at all. But enjoy it I did. But I still detest that movie.

Bartender Mallory Carson is living out her dream as the new owner of a bar she’s named Bad Reputation. Like most new businesses, Mallory’s bar is struggling to pull in a profit and it needs that special something to attract and keep new customers. While serving drinks one night, Mallory’s saucy female bartenders begin an impromptu, sexy dance and the male clientele goes wild. Mallory decides to make the dancing a regular thing and names her girls The Bad Girls, encouraging them to wear skimpy outfits to further tease those horny guys into throwing away their cash.

Shay O’Connor, owner of a quiet Irish pub that has been in his family for decades, has heard all the rumors about both the Bad Reputation and the Bad Girls. While he has no interest in visiting the rowdy place, he’s forced to change his mind when his good buddy Dev calls asking for a favor. Mallory’s brother and silent business partner (he supplies the money), Dev lives in another state and wants Shay to keep an eye on both his wild sister (whom Shay has never met) and his investment. Always willing to help out a friend, Shay reluctantly agrees to check things out.

Mallory’s goal is to keep the customer happy and drinking. When she sees a gorgeous, but obviously bored guy (Shay, of course), she saunters over to coerce him into buying a drink or three. Heated glances and provocative talk leads to a kiss and before they even learn each others names, they’ve nearly made it past third base (hey, this is a Blaze, after all). But, wouldn’t you know it, an employee calls out Mallory’s name and Shay is stunned to realize he’s been fondling his pal’s sister. He doesn’t know what came over him and vows to back off, walking away without an explanation. Mallory figures it’s a good thing because she shouldn’t be messing around with a customer anyway.

When Mallory learns that Shay is the owner of a local pub, she assumes he’s been spying for nefarious reasons and confronts him. Bold, fearless and royally ticked off, she blasts him for playing “grab ass” to get a better look at the competition and their fiery opposites-attract romance begins anew.

Despite the rocky and somewhat contrived beginning, I was hooked by the sexy, snappy writing and, yes, even by “Bad Girl” Mallory. She’s a woman who lives each day as it comes and whose only goal is to have fun. Owning the bar both invigorates her and scares her to death since it means she’s setting down roots and won’t be able to pick up and move when she gets itchy feet. Because Mallory grew up surrounded by negativity, she views relationships as a thing to avoid at all costs. Meeting and falling for Shay, whom she views as too serious, alarms her since she’s certain he’ll try to reform her just like all the previous men in her life.

Shay, who at first glance appears to be exactly as Mallory assumes, turns out to have a hidden wild streak that adds much to his sex appeal. He’s run the family business since he was a teenager and even though the responsibility hasn’t allowed him to have a life or nurture a serious relationship, he’s more than ready to try when Mallory comes into his life. Shay manages to be practical and very down to earth without ever being stuffy or doormat material.

The best and worst thing about this book is the way it takes an honest look at the relationship. Sure, things start out on a purely sexual level, but as the book advances, so does the emotional connection. Because both characters don’t know how to handle a relationship, they make a lot of mistakes and even get downright ugly with each other. As a reader, this can be frustrating, but it eventually opens the way for a tender, loving relationship. After all the turmoil that came before, though, the ending feels both too neat and too rushed.

Those readers looking for a romance featuring more than simply “red hot” sex (as offered by Blaze), should consider As Bad As Can Be. It takes a silly premise and turns it into something more.