Book Review – Cocky Bastard by Penelope Ward & Vi Keeland

Cocky Bastard
Okay so this is definitely one of my new favorite super funny, slightly angsty, but full on “new-adult feel” reads. Just a well rounded, fantastically written story, that flowed so well, I can’t even tell when one author stopped writing, and the other author kicked in.

A great pairing, both in authorship AND in main characters, and WE LOVE IT!!

Tee hee!! My reactions while reading “Cocky Bastard” (and yes… the goofiness continues).

Maryse: Okay I’m already chuckling with glee reading Cocky Bastard, and I’m only in the first few pages. Tee hee!!!

Jackie: Your going to absolutely love it!!!!!

Rebecca: Read it and loved it! So funny!

bev: Maryse after my current read I was thinking of starting Cocky Bastard too. I didn’t realize until yesterday it was a road trip book. Love those.

Cristina: I’m ready Cocky Bastard right now and yes Maryse it’s HILARIOUS!! Definitely lots of laugh out loud moments! I’m crushing on Chance BIG TIME! I’m taking a break right now to get some actual work done (BOO!), but I’ll be starting part two tonight! I already read the first page and I’m like, “Say what?!”

Johanne: I guess I’ll have to add it to my “to read” list. The cover model really looks like a cocky bastard… (<— My sister!! )

Maryse: It’s actually the cover that had me hesitating. It was a bit… er… “much” for me (I thought it might be too cliché in the bad-boy aspect) but the story came through big time! And now I actually understand the cover. It has it’s own little story.

There’s no doubt why “Cocky” (aka “Chance”) made so many of us fall head-over-heels. He’s… everything. EV-ER-Y-THING!!!!! He’s an ex sports star, hot as heck, sexy and silly, and a real guy, despite his seeming perfection. And best of all? He’s a true hero, but not that glorious, super-hero type. Chance makes mistakes. Big ones, even. But OMG when he tries to redeem himself, and when we find out the whys of who he is… I’m just TOTALLY JEALOUS of Aubrey.

Why does Aubrey get to have all the awesomeness?! Grrrrr.

But no… I’m so thrilled for Aubrey, and even better yet? I’m thrilled I got to “be” Aubrey for the first half of the book. I haven’t laughed that hard, reading, in weeks. Maybe months!! OMG if it wasn’t the hilarious dialogue (and mess-ups!!) between these two that could barely stand each other at first, to their amazing interactions, to the darn GOAT they picked up along their road trip,

“Let me get this straight,” Chance said with a skeptical tone.

“We didn’t hit the goat, but he faints when he’s scared and he’s blind.”

“That’s right.”

Chance erupted in laughter.

LOL!!! My friends. The goat. OMG THE GOAT!!!!!!!!! “Mutton”

The perfect “binder” to these two, and I loved that silly, fainting, smelly baaaaaa‘ing ball of goofiness.

I screamed at the top of my lungs.

We heard a thump against the window coming from the car parked just behind us. Chance hopped up to check on things. “Ah, crap. You scared the sh*t out of Mutton. He just dropped down.”

“Oh no.”

Tee heeeeee!!!!!

But what I loved the most? The intense attraction that had me glued, and my heart beating double-time!!!

Again… yes, I’m jealous. Imagine that… their “meet cute”, and what forced them to stick together for a bit, and then the true mini-adventure they found themselves on… getting attached every step of the way.

But OH NO my friends… this isn’t pure happy-sweetness. ‘Cause OMG the romance-angst kicked me in the gut and flipped me the bird. “Ha Ha!” it taunted. You thought we’d be road-tripping all through the book, didn’t ya? It all sure seemed promising… didn’t it? I even was SO SURE about one part of it, and thought it might be a twist. But I was wrong.

‘Cause then the story switches up, and I was left mouth agape!

1. Because of the surprise… umm… thingie that happened. <— Tee hee!
2. Because of the why. <— WOW!

So what’s it about?

Aubrey is at a rest-stop, playing with a bobble head when “Cocky” (aka “Chance” standing behind her) makes a joke at her expense, and she drops the bobble (and breaks him). Flustered and annoyed, she calls him a few choice words, and heads back to her car, giggling as she sees said hot “Cocky” (<— OMG!!! Hahahah!!) having issues with his motorcycle.

When he sees her smirking, he smirks back…

I rolled my eyes and muttered, “You again.”

He snickered. “Did you end up buying a sense of humor?”

“I used the change to buy you some couth instead.”

’cause it appears she, too, will not be going too far with her vehicle (flat-tire alert!!). That is, not without his help. And since they are both headed to California, he offers an exchange of services.

“If I change your tire, you let me ride with you.”

“Ride with me?”

“Ride me, yes.”

“What did you just say?”

“You’re hearing things.”

Ugh. She’s stuck with this hot, cocky, mess of cuteness!!! Poooooooor Aubrey. Grrrrr (yes… that’s my jealousy).

“What’s C.B. stand for anyway?”

“Those are my initials.”

“Let me guess… Cocky Bastard?”

“See… I would have told you my name, but since you’re so clever, I think I’ll just let you guess.”

“Whatever, Cocky.”

hahahahahahahahahahah!!!!!!! *snort* !!!!

But the fun is just beginning and you will be laughing your head off, I can promise you that!

And I’m going to stop there, ’cause the fun is in the road trip… and the angst is in the “getting attached” when both have their own lives that they need to tend to. You’ll see.

“Seriously, though, Aubrey. After we part ways, what are you going to do with him? You can’t keep him.”

My heart suddenly dropped.

After we part ways.

Yep. OUCH.

What did I love? All of it. Plain and simple, it’s a car-load (and romance book-load) of fun, and feels.

What didn’t I love? Well… this is just nitpicking, for the sake of nitpicking, but I wish we had stayed in her POV for the entire book. First half was hers, and second half was his, and while I sure as heck appreciated his POV (and still chuckled and swooned), experiencing this friendship and possible romance (and the angsty parts??) from only HER POV? Gave me much more thrills and chills, (and *oomphs*) than from his. Had we continued through her eyes only, we would have still gotten his story, but we would have gotten all of her angst. My angst. Which is how I love to feel it.

Still… SO worth the read, and I must insist on this one!

4 stars

P.S. Thank you to the author for sending me this review copy… again… er… awhile ago. Better late than never, and it was great!!! I’ll never forget it.

Tagged as: 4 stars, comedy romance, contemporary romance, Penelope Ward, Vi Keeland