This was honestly one of the best books I've read this year. I just feel sad for only coming around to it now, but I will not make that mistake again. (see what I did there....). Well written, gripping from beginning to end, and I can't wait to read more by this talented author in future.
TB

What a brilliant book
I was hooked within the first few pages
It is a gritty thriller with lots of twists and turns
The characters were all great
A good book

Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

This book was good I read it within a couple of days. The storyline and pace kept me intrigued and interested. There was also a good element of suspense

All she wanted was to be left alone to start her life over and work hard to get ahead, but no, it seems fate is not going to answer any of her prayers.
Jess has been released from prison on parole. She feels lucky to have a job and has even met a new friend. But circumstances, in the form of her boss's actions, will conspire to make all of Jess's efforts mean nothing. But they did not reckon on just how badly Jess does not want to go back......

#BadGirls #NetGalley.
Gemma Rogers Is turning into a favorite author for me. I am really enjoying reading her books. I find them gripping , fresh and easy to read.
I have just started reading this book and realized quite early that i had already read it. So re read it.
Great read for anyone who enjoys a good gangland type read. Great characters and story line that was enjoyable and interesting.

Jess has left prison. Jess wants to move on with life but it seems trouble has a way of finding her. Working in a laundry which she hates and has to put up with her sleazy boss. Just how much will Jess put up with before she flips.
Be prepared to go on a rough journey with Jess and the characters.

For some reason I just couldn’t get into this book, even though I think I will really enjoy it for some reason I just couldn’t get lost in the story , I will try again in the future as it’s normally something I would very much enjoy

Thank you #boldwoodbooks #netgalley and #gemmarogers for the arc of this book.

Jess works at Bright's Laundry. Work is hard to come by when you are an ex felon with a criminal record, even if the crime was done in self defense. When her case worker Barry finds her a job at the laundry, she is thankful.
Unfortunately her boss is an abuser who takes advantage of all the vulnerable women who work for him and when he takes it too far one evening with Jess, she finds herself in an impossible situation. With the help of fellow work friend Karla, Jess has to find a way to clean up what happened and move past it.
Unfortunately someone is determined to not let her forget what she did, both what happened to her boss and what happened in the past.

This was a decent thriller with plenty of twists to keep you entertained. I was never invested in the characters even though I did feel for their circumstances.
This is a fast read that keeps you entertained but isn't too heavy or thought provoking.

This the first book I’ve read by this author and being as gangland fiction is one of my favourite genres, I was looking forward to this one.

Briefly the story comprises of Jess, who having been released from prison, finds herself working at a laundry and is put in a position she could do without. Here she meets Karla.
Jess also has issues she needs to sort out with her mother, but her sister is determined to make that difficult.

This book, despite having several themes that may be uncomfortable for some readers, is written in a light, easy to read style. There are lots of lies and blackmail in this story, with many twists. Most of these twists I could immediately see where they were going, so it wasn’t an “edge of the seat” read, at least for me, but regardless of this, I enjoyed the book and it moved at a good pace.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the digital ARC. My opinions on the book are unbiased, honest and voluntary.

Dang you gotta just love Gemma Rogers this girl can write! I sat down with a cuppa to read a few chapters of #BadGirls and it grabbed me from the getgo before I knew it I was halfway through it and tea hadn't been put on so takeaway for tea it was, not for the first time I might add. The worst thing about finishing her books are the wait to get my hands on the next book.

This is a story about family and friends and what we would be prepared to do for them. I mean lets think about this honestly, what WOULD we do for our loved ones, would we lie, steal or even murder? We meet Jessica Strickland who is newly released from prison after serving 4 years for something done when she was a teenager. Her parole officer Barry got her a job working in Terry Brights Laundry (that did make me chuckle). Almost from her first day at the laundry she hated it, she hated her sleazebag boss Terry even more, he takes advantage of his position with his attitude and behaviour towards his employees. I'm going to stop there no spoilers from me.

All Jess wanted from her freedom was a fresh start, a job, a home, a new relationship but what she wanted most of all was to reconnect with her mum. Sadly this is going to be much more of an issue than she originally thought, specially has her sister has been telling more lies than Pinocchio.

I've been a fan of the author from the beginning and I feel that she just gets stronger with every new novel, so I'm hoping that she has quite a few more up her sleeves as yet. I highly recommend this to all my fellow bookworms as I do everything Gemma Rogers has written. There's twists and turns with more than a little action in her books which all serve to keep you turning the pages, in all honesty there's just about everything you could wish for blackmail, lies. and secrets to name but a few.

Read for an honest review. Thanks to Ms Rogers, #Netgalley and @boldwoodbooks

Jess comes out of prison and takes a job at Brights, an industrial laundry, where she meets Karla.
They become friends and an incident occurs where they have to have trust between them to keep a secret.
As time goes on, it becomes obvious that there are secrets they both have and this tests their resolve in helping each other.
The story continues sucks you in from the beginning and has you wondering how it all works out, and the suspense as to whether their secret is revealed, as the plot keeps revealing secrets of others.

When I first read the description for this book I knew instantly that I just had to read it!. This book grasped my attention right from the start, and I found it impossible to put down at the best of times…. I read this book in one day!.

In this book we meet Jess, who – after serving a four year prison sentence – returns to her hometown to work out her probation period in an Industrail laundry company alongside other ex-convicts. It soon becomes apparent that all is not quite as it seems. When her parole officer keeps bringing in girls who all have a similar look, they soon realise it is all for the pleasure of the business owner.

Karla – a fellow ex-con begins to show a lot of interest In Jess, and as the story progresses Karla’s secrets are brought to light, as well as Jess’s freedom being put at risk.

This book was a page turner from beginning to end. The story was plotted to perfection, with the level of suspense building at the perfect speed throughout, keeping you hooked until the very end. The characters were brought to life brilliantly, with their own unique characteristics that added so many levels to this incredible story.

Gemma’s writing style is truly brilliant, and really does take the reader on a journey, one of which certainly had my heart racing at times. I found myself fully invested in this story and the outcomes of each characters actions.

Perfectly paced, full of suspense and a storyline that keeps the reader hooked. This is without a doubt a must read for 2021!.

Gemma Rogers delivers a disturbing look at life after prison in her novel Bad Girls. This gritty crime thriller is riveting while also making you feel like the book is alive. The magic inside these pages is palpable.

Throughout the novel, you can’t help but feel for Jess. I spent the first two-thirds of the book trying to solve the mystery. I had my hunches, but when the truth came out, it was stunning.

The setting of the laundry was so real that I could feel the sweat falling off of me. I could taste every cigarette smoked and taste every last bit of alcohol. I was so engrossed in this book that I truly felt as though I were there.

The book did drag a bit in a few places. It was noticeable, but not so bad that it detracted from my pleasure in the book. Though, it could have felt like dragging because I was eager to get to the next bit.

By the end, I was a sobbing mess. The ending was incredibly satisfying, and I am feeling all the feels. I am happy to award Bad Girls 4 out of 5 stars. If you love crime thrillers, you will enjoy this book. It makes the dastardly world around us come to life.

Harrowing and hard-hitting, Gemma Rogers’ Bad Girls is a high stakes thriller that will keep readers on a knife’s edge and guessing until the very last word.

Jess Strickland has just been released from prison and she has six months’ probation left to serve until she can finally be free to get back to the life she had left behind four years ago. As an ex-con, Jess’ options are rather limited and with her track record, she is well aware of the fact that prospective employers will not be falling over themselves to offer her a job. When she is offered a job at Bright’s, an industrial laundry company, Jess has no choice but to accept. The job is far from ideal and the pay is lousy, however, as beggars cannot exactly be choosers, Jess accepts the position even if it might very well end up plunging her back into the dangerous world she had hoped to leave behind once and for all.

Jess’ new job is not exactly fulfilling, but at least it keeps the wolf from the door and allows her to have some form of financial independence. While her colleagues are all former convicts, Jess at least manages to find a kindred spirit in Karla and the two soon strike up a fast friendship. Karla urges her to stay on her guard and to trust nobody – especially their boss, Terry, who believes that one of the perks of his job is to ask his employees for favours which he is all too willing to take, regardless of whether they are given consensually or not.

Realizing that she is no safer in the outside world than in prison, Jess needs to keep her wits about her and to try her hardest to stay on the straight and narrow and avoid another spell in jail. Jess is willing to do whatever it takes to avoid being locked up again, but what price is she willing to pay for her freedom?

A tense and terrifying thriller, Gemma Rogers’ Bad Girls is one electrifying rollercoaster ride that grabs readers from the off and keeps them completely hooked throughout. Full of shocking twists, jaw-dropping revelations and kickass heroines who are bold, brave and daring, Gemma Rogers’ Bad Girls is a chilling tale of power, sacrifice and survival full of grit and guts that is definitely not for the faint-hearted.

Bad Girls by Gemma Rogers is a twisty, gritty and intense thriller that I really couldn't put down for any length of time. Jess has just been released from prison after serving her time. She is on probation for six months and knows if she does wrong she is right back in prison. In an attempt to get somewhere she is given a job in a laundry. There she meets Karla herself an ex-con and her boss, Terry, who expects favours from his women employees. He decides to make advances on Jess and she decides enough is enough and stands up against him...but will she end up back in prison or worse through making a stand?
I have read previous books from Gemma and loved them. This book is as brilliant as the others as she really knows how to create a vivid story that draws you into Jess's world. The characters of Jess and Karla feel so real to the point that I was even thinking about them when I wasn't reading! The fast pace of the story helped to build the tension so it almost felt like I was onboard a rollercoaster with the ups and downs of the emotions that ran through my head when reading. With twists and turns aplenty to keep you gripped throughout, it is an excellent crime thriller as I always expect when I open a Gemma Rogers book.
Thank you to Rachel's Random Resources, Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the copy of the book.

It's not easy coming back into the world after 4 years in jail for killing your best friend's boyfriend, being sanctioned to a laundry facility for the duration of her probation. But it's better than still being inside... isn't it? It would be if the boss wasn't taking advantage of her (and the rest of the girls) predicament.

This is a solid thriller that I found on the light side despite the subject matter. I never really felt invested in the characters but was still curious how they were going to navigate what happens very early on. This kind of reminded me of a Lifetime movie (no shade, I LOVE Lifetime movies). Some things didn't quite make sense but then Bright's full of ex-cons who don't make the best decisions. There are a few twists and turns which you'll likely figure out as you go along, but there was one scene between Jess and Karla that did touch my heart. Dammit.

I do like the author's writing style - she keeps you engaged and it's a fast read that will surely keep you entertained. If you like life after prison stories laced with blood and blackmail, add this to your TBR.

5☆  A Gritty & Compelling Thriller

Oh wow what a gripping and gritty read! I devoured in just 2 nights!
From the first few chapters you just know things are about to get interesting!

Jess has just been released from prison and been sent to work in Terry's Laundry Factory.
But things are quickly becoming apparent that all is not what it seems, when she gets called into his office!

Karla works in the factory too and despite her aloof personality she is the only person Jess has that resembles a friend. Or is she something more?

But that is all I'm going to say!
This book is nothing like what it seems with so many twists and turns and unexpected revelations it wasn’t till near the end that I had an inkling of what might be going on.
Although nothing prepared me for the reality of it 🙊

There's blackmail, abuse, secrets, lies, relationships, lust, family drama, rekindled relationships, police investigation oh my gosh it has a lil bit of everything!

I have read a few of Gemma's books and they just keep getting better and better.  So if your looking for a Twisty, Gripping, Highly Compelling Read that will have you turning the pages long into the night, then I highly recommend you pick up a copy of Bad Girls!

Unfortunately circumstances have meant I have been unable to get to this book prior to publication day. I hope to get to it soon and will leave feedback then.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Bad Girls, the characters were epic. The story itself was intense and gripping. There was plenty to keep you engrossed throughout the book.

I have read each and every book that Gemma has released to date and I have thoroughly enjoyed them all. As soon as I finish reading her newest book, I immediately start looking forward to the next. ‘Bad Girls’ is Gemma’s most recent novel and it was released on 14th January 2021. It’s another corker of a read, which I thoroughly enjoyed but more about that in a bit.
As soon as I started to read ‘Bad Girls’ I knew that I wasn’t going to be able to put the book down. I got straight into the story and I found I couldn’t put the book down. The book wasn’t exactly glued to my hand but it might as well have been because it travelled everywhere with me. I couldn’t bear to miss a single second of the story. I really felt for certain characters and I had to keep reading to see what happened. The pages turned increasingly quickly as I raced my way to the finish. I found ‘Bad Girls’ to be a gripping and shocking read, which held my attention from start to finish and kept me on the edge of my seat.
‘Bad Girls’ is superbly written but then I have thought that about all of Gemma’s books that I have had the pleasure of reading. Gemma has one of those easy going writing styles that is easy to get used to and easy to get along with. She certainly knows how to start the story in a memorable way. For me, the story hit the ground running and maintained a fast pace throughout. Reading ‘Bad Girls’ felt like being on a scary and unpredictable rollercoaster ride with more twists and turns than you would find on a ‘Snakes & Ladders’ board. ‘Bad Girls’ is a gritty, tense and dramatic read.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘Bad Girls’ even if it did scare me at times and I would definitely recommend it to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Gemma’s work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.