Review: Good Girls Don't by Victoria Dahl

Good Girls Don't
Victoria Dahl
Series: Donovan Brothers Brewery #1
Publisher: HQN
Publish Date: August 30, 2011
Mass Market Paperback {p.376}
Source: Personal Library
Genre: Contemporary
Characters: Tessa Donovan, Luke Asher
Challenge: 100+
Buy the Book: Amazon

Too much of a good thing...

With her long ponytail and sparkling green eyes, Tessa Donovan looks more like the girl next door than a businesswoman—or a heartbreaker. Which may explain why Detective Luke Asher barely notices her when he arrives to investigate a break–in at her family's brewery. He's got his own problems—starting with the fact that his partner, Simone, is pregnant and everyone thinks he's the father.

Tessa has her hands full, too. Her brother's playboy ways may be threatening the business, and the tension could tear her tight–knit family apart. In fact, the only thing that could unite the Donovan boys is seeing a man come after their "baby" sister. Especially a man like Luke Asher. But Tessa sees past the rumors to the man beneath. He's not who people think he is—and neither is she.

I didn’t like Tessa’s brother Jamie at all in this one. He was so quick to believe the worst about Luke but would get upset about his brother Eric doing that very thing to him. The difference being that with Jamie, believing the worst of him was warranted and 99% of the time correct. He was very immature and irresponsible that I couldn’t summon up an inkling of like for him. I hope he is redeemed in his book.

Tessa annoyed me at times with her constant need to fix Jamie’s problems and hide things from Eric. I felt that if Tessa would let Jamie catch heat for his actions, maybe he would grow up and become a man. If she had been upfront about a lot of this stuff instead of trying to sweep it under the rug, the majority of it could have been avoided.

Luke on the other hand, I truly loved. Dahl did a great job of writing this tortured, misunderstood hero. He wasn’t perfect, but he was very close to it. Another great read to add to your keeper shelf.