'Bad', lives up to its name in the second part of the'Mad, Bad and Dangerous to Know 'trilogy. You need to read the first book in the series'Mad' to enjoy this book, although' Bad' does give a brief plot resume'.

Alvie wakes up hungover(no surprise there then) and finds her lover has taken all the money and the car. This story follows her pursuit of the said lover with flashbacks into her past illuminate her current state of mind and actions.

Alvie's character darkens even more in this story, her lack of insight increases and her grasp on reality weakens. Dark humour makes this all seem probable and perhaps not as terrible as sounds, but she carries on a killing spree, albeit accidental for the most part and exploits, drink, drugs and everyone she comes into contact.

There's enough in this book to make you want to see how it concludes but the plot is weaker in this story, as is often the case in middle trilogy books.

An enjoyable read for those liking erotic romance and dark humour, with larger than life characters and glamorous, richly descriptive settings.

I received a copy of this book from Penguin UK- Michael Joseph Publishing via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

This was a completely unique read and I’m not quite sure how to sum it up!

When I requested to read and review Bad, I didn’t realise it was book two in a trilogy. Thankfully you can read this one without having read Mad as Alvie, our female protagonist, gives us a handy recap of what happened in book one.

This book was a funny adventure through the catastrophe that is Alvie Knightly’s life.
After trying to take over her twin sisters life and then killing a bunch of people, Alvie finds herself on the run in Italy with her new boyfriend (it doesn’t really matter that she doesn’t trust Nino or that he thinks she’s her sister right?), her dead brother-in-law’s Lambo and €2 million in cash!
Finally Alvie is living the life she believes she deserves, until Nino abandons her with no money, no car and no idea what to do next.

Bad follows Alvie’s trials and tribulations whilst she desperately tries to find Nino and reclaim the cash that is rightfully hers!

The writing style wasn’t great but the plot line was so far fetched at times that I couldn’t help but laugh. Alvie is wonderfully deluded and totally self-centred. She has no clue about reality but that’s what makes her so funny.

Initially I was contemplating DNFing this book as it was so ridiculous and farcical however I stayed with it and I’m glad I did. As long as you don’t take the story too seriously and see it for what it is, you’ll enjoying the comedy aspects and the unbelievable events that take place.

I’m going to rate this 3.5 ⭐️’s because it did have me laughing!

Bad releases on 26th July 2018.

Thank you to the NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy. All opinions are my own and provided willingly.

Chloe Esposito’s Mad was one of my reading highlights of 2017. Fast paced writing that literally had you reading quicker and quicker. Bad follows in the same tradition, but for this reader anyway, the plot was pretty weak. Don’t get me wrong, this is not a “bad” book and the writing is still fast paced and pretty frenetic.
I won’t spoil it for you by revealing the plot, but I think you really MUST read the first book, Mad, before you start this. However, there is a brief introduction to what happened in the first book here, but that would just spoil the fun of reading both books wouldn’t it?
I will definitely read the third book in the trilogy next year, but I would so love these books more if they weren’t written in the present tense. It seems every new book, especially in the psychological thriller genre is written in the first person present tense. Enough already!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

A fab holiday read, full of sex. Lies and murder. Fast paced, keep ya gripped from page one with plenty of humour as well. Fab book nd highly recommend

I had not read the first one in the series but this didnt matter as picked up on the characters quickly,a glam read snd perfect for the beach with lies,sex and murder and more glam....slightly unbelievable towards the end but it didnt matter tbh,a good read and I would definitely read more from this author

I found myself getting a little frustrated with this book but that could be because it didn't hold me. I could not empathise with the characters and felt that the story jumped about. Sorry just not for me.

I just couldn’t get away with this book which is a shame as I enjoyed the first one. I know it’s meant to be tongue in cheek and not steeped in realism but it was just so far fetched to the point of the ridiculous. I ended up skim reading the last 50% as I just wanted it to be over. Thank you to Penguin, Netgalley and the author for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

In this second instalment the most apt description is made by Beth ‘You’ve reached a whole new level of crap decisions. Well done, Alvie. Bravo.’ The character of Alvie does not disappoint as she careens from crisis to crisis much to the readers' horror and entertainment.

Alvie is travelling on her own now after Neno ran out on her with all the money and the car. She has just the ghost voice of her twin, Beth, as her companion - just to make the reader wonder if she has a split personality as a result of the rising body count.

Eventually tracking Neno down in a suitably explosive way, we finally get some answers.

On top of it all her mother tracks her down and recognosing her as Alvina puts her in further danger. Its also a good way to increase the readers' sympathy as her mother shows just how little she cares for her.

By the end of this middle installment I was starting to like Alvina but a few choice moves makes the reader want to grab her and shake her again and again. This is not a conventional romance but I'm hoping Alvie will get her happy ending sometime in the next novel, that's if miracles really do come true!

Can't wait for the third witty and surprisingly addictive plot to emerge. The author has managed to give us a unique, well-written, modern romance. Maybe don't give this to your mum but I'm sure your Nan will love it!

I received a free copy from net galley.com for my fair and honest review.

I read 'Mad', the first book in this trilogy only a few weeks ago, so I was looking forward to seeing what mishaps Alvina ended up in in the second instalment.

Bad picks up where Mad left off and Alvina is left reeling after her soul mate/ arch enemy, Nino runs of with her two million euros, putting her plans to take over her twin sister, Beth's, life on hold.

She set of to Italy to retrieve what she thinks is rightfully hers. Alvina manages to get into more scrapes and nobody is safe, not even the odd nun! Her sexploits could make even the most unshakeable blush - It's just as well Ann Summers don't sell hand grenades

The book leaves Alvin set on revenge and with a third instalment on the horizon, I wouldn't bet on the object of her vengeance getting out unscathed.

Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to review this book, this is my honest opinion.

Oh wow, loved, loved, loved this book. What a great sequel! Full of suspense and intrigue and an amazing storyline. I would definitely recommend this book.

Not the best book I have read to slow and boring. It has took me weeks to read it I like a book that gets me intrigued within the first few chapters this one didn't it was just boring

Having never read bad I wasn't sure whether this book would confuse me but Chloé Esposito is brilliant of bridging the gap. When I first met Alvie I wasn't sure whether I was going to like her. She was crass and obnoxious, with a love for swearing that would beat any man. Her boyfriend Nino and Italian Mafioso has ran with her cash,car and clothes, and she vows vengeance. Alvie seems to have a ha it of people dying around her at a rate that would give Jessica Fletcher a run for her money. I'll be honest I initially the book was a hard read as my dislike for the protagonist was making me waiver. I am glad I continued as at the end I loved the story. This girl has issues but there is something so very slap stick about her approach that does have your equally grossed out and laughing in parts. She is a really bad assassin. She has more issues than vogue and I love her. I'm planning to now go back and read the first story whilst awaiting the follow up.
Esposito really does deliver the sopranos crossed with sex and the city and it works! This isn't a book for the faint hearted the ending is emotional, there is sexual scenes, swearing and drug use but if your brave enough to read I would say go for it.

Bad is the second book of a trilogy and continues where Mad ended.
It's another thrilling story of scandal, ruthlessness and revenge. Alvie is crazy, feisty and she knows what she wants and I never knew what she was going to do next, and so I was excitedly racing through the pages desperate to find out what would happen.
This is an addictive escapist read that will capture your attention, can’t wait for Dangerous To Know the final book in this thrilling series.

Thank you!

A strange book- it was really just a continuation of the first novel Mad. Not really my type of book.

Found this book quite difficult to read. Persevered but not one of my favourites.
Alvie wakes up with a huge hangover in the Ritz. However, her sister has just been found dead in Sicily and her brother in law apparently committed suicide three days earlier. Could it be the work of the Mafia?
Her boyfriend has disappeared with all the money they stole from her sister and now the Police want to talk to her about her sisters death.
What will Alvie do now?

I found this books to be a bit too much. I really enjoyed the first one, this just seemed to go on and on.

Alvie is one messed up Woman.

The second book in the Knightly Series, Alvie wakes up in London with a hangover, and her Boyfriend has stolen the car and her money! She sets out to kill him and get her money back. It does not take long for things to go wrong and the bodies again begin to pile up,

She has already killed her Sister, Brother – in – law and her sister's lover, and now she intends for Nino her Lover to join them, but several other deaths happen on the way.

I did not read the first book ‘Mad’, but it did not matter, this book explains the first book's storyline.

It was so funny, Alvie is a nutter and totally out there, and bad stuff keeps happening to her. It is written in the first person, and Alvie talks to the reader and her dead sister, with hilarious, sometimes rude and graphic language.

This Author must have a serious sense of humour, which she shows through her characters. Alvie’s Mother is a gas and Alvie’s poem are genius.

Please give it a read if you want a funny adult, Mob/murder story.

Truly a comical masterpiece.

Chester

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review

As a new author to me I was open minded as to what to expect. The fact it was the second book in a trilogy made things a little more difficult as I had missed the back story/previous story.
That said I persevered and although the story was intriguing and had many twists and turns along the way it wasn't to my liking. It was fast paced, witty and humerous. Again it's a personal choice but it is a good light summer read.

I wasn't a big fan of this book. I liked the idea of the story but felt it got lost along the way and became so far fetched it felt a little ridiculous by the end.

Alvie's story continues with her search for Nino, after he left her high and dry (and without knickers!) at The Ritz. What follows is a mad cap killing spree across Rome, via Romania.
I loved the continuation of Alvie and Nino's story and did not see the ending coming at all. I really need to read book 3!