I couldn't read this as an ebook for some reason so will get it when it comes out! Sorry! (Leaving a 4 star review to be fair.)

SPOILER ALERT

Having recently read and enjoyed Julie Mae Cohen's book 'Eat, Slay, Love,' I returned to this earlier book 'Bad Men.' It looked like it held the promise of being an entertaining romp. It started well after the main character, Saffy kills a man in order to protect her sister. The strong, principled female serial killer lead was set up and we were ready to go. However, I feel it lost its way and I was disappointed by the end which wrapped up too quickly and too obviously in my opinion. But this was not my main issue. All through the book we'd been told what a badass Saffy was - a confident, independent, feisty female with a penchant for killing bad men. Yet disappointingly she did not deliver at the end, taking a back seat role to Jon. I wanted and expected more from her.

I think if you are choosing to read one of Julie Mae Cohen's books, I'd recommend Eat, Slay Love over Bad Men. Despite some disappointments with this book, I'd certainly read more by this author, particularly if they continue to ramp up. Both books were both well paced and had moments that made me laugh.

Three stars

I loved this book so much! It was fun and entertaining, the perfect light read without being silly. We root for the bad guy (or woman in this case) as she falls in love and kills people... Just another day in the office.

This felt like two different narrative lines that really bore little or no relation to each other. It started off as a pacy book but was drawn out and I found it hard to stick with it. I couldn't particularly like any of the characters. I am not sure even the author knew what this book was meant to be - romance / mystery

This was such a captivating and fun read. I'm often drawn to these kinds of stories and I love it when it has a black comedy element to it.
Was it a bit predictable at times? Yes. But I couldn't stop reading and there were some nice twists too.
It also had some nice pacing and was a serious page turner.
I have a feeling that if you enjoyed Bella Mackie's How To Kill My Family or a show like Dexter, you will like this.
I can't wait to see what Julie Mae Cohen does next.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

"Bad Men" by Julie Mae Cohen is a darkly humorous and utterly gripping thriller that introduces readers to the unforgettable character of Saffy Huntley-Oliver, a feminist serial killer with a messy love life.

Saffy's secret is not that she's a serial killer – in fact, she takes pride in ridding the world of "bad men." Instead, her deepest shame lies in her uncontrollable crushes and her struggle to navigate the dating scene while plotting her next murder.

Cohen's storytelling is both witty and chilling, offering a fresh and unconventional take on the thriller genre. Saffy is a complex and compelling protagonist, blending humor, charm, and a hint of madness reminiscent of iconic characters like Villanelle and Sweetpea. As Saffy juggles her homicidal tendencies with her quest for love, readers are taken on a rollercoaster ride of suspense and dark comedy.

"Bad Men" is a sensational read that will keep readers on the edge of their seats from start to finish. Cohen's sharp writing and unique premise make this novel a standout in the thriller genre, earning it high praise from readers and critics alike. With its blend of suspense, humour, and unforgettable characters, "Bad Men" is a must-read for fans of dark and twisty thrillers.

Gorgeously, sickly, and darkly delicious. If you love true crime/serial killers and/or laughing at awful people, this book is for you.

unfortunately this was a DNF for me. it was promising at the beginning but eventually became very predictable and somewhat messy. i’ll definitely try this author again though!!

Bad Men is a funny book. I could leave the review at that but I won't.

You have heard of boy math. You have heard of girl math. Now we need to look at killer math. Saffy Huntley-Oliver is a bit of a sociopath. She has spent her life as a vigilante. She murders men who she thinks shouldn't be alive anymore. When Saffy falls in love with a crime podcaster she sets about staging a meet cute with very bad consequences.

Julie Mae Cohen has really struck a funny note with this book. I love the concept and the delivery was excellent. It reminded me of the Sweetpea series by CJ Skuse. Saffy is a seriously intimidating protagonist who you cannot help but love. There were things she did - not the murdery things, this isn't a confession - that I totally understood and I have to applaud Julie Mae Cohen for creating such a memorable character. I only wish there were more stories featuring Saffy Huntley-Oliver.

Bad Men. Buy it now!

Bad Men by Julie Mae Cohen is available now.

For more information regarding Julie Mae Cohen (@julie_cohen) please visit www.julie-cohen.com.

For more information regarding Bonnier Books (@bonnierbooks_uk) please visit www.bonnierbooks.co.uk.

I loved it! Quirky and surprising to the last page…
Thank you to NetGalley for providing this book for review.

If you like a light hearted look at serial killers, then this is the book for you! Packed with humour and clever twists, this was a real page turner. The characters were well written and engaging, e en down to Girl, the dog. I’ll definitely be on the lookout for more from this author.

I really enjoyed Bad Men.

We have two main protagonists Saffy and Jon.

Saffy is anunhinged but methodical 20-something socialite ho is also a serial killer of men she thinks are bad. She targets and only kills men if she has a reason she believes is legitimate – she's essentially a vigilante.

Jon is a true crime podcaster whose marriage is crumbling.

Saffy becomes obsessed with Jon and decides she wants him to be her boyfriend. She devises an elaborate meet cute to snare Jon.

I found the pace of this book fast to begin with hooking you right in and I was absolutely devouring page after page.

The pace does slow down towards the middle and then the action ramps up towards the end again.

There’s lots of dark humour throughout the book as well as tension of the thrilling and sexual kind.

I struggled to really like either Jon or Saffy at times but this didn't take away my enjoyment of the book.

There’s not too much gory detail of Saffy’s slayings if you aren’t much of a fan of blood like me.

We also get to see the darker side of fame – no work life balance, relationships suffering and obsessive fans!

This was a fun and thrilling read.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

LOVED this! It's my best read of the year so far. Funny, engaging and absorbing. Great characters and a plot that tears along.

Saffy started killing from a young age, Not exactly a life ambition but a moral decision taken by a psychopath. I suppose that if you're going to be a psychopath a moral compass is a blessing. However, unusual for a psychopath, Saffy has fallen in love and this has somewhat got in way if her usual hobby of bumping bad men off.
This is written in the first person of Saffy so we get full insight into why and how the next bad man is going to be murdered and almost makes the reader complicit,
The book is written with dark humour and much as you may feel it is wrong to like a psychopath, you can't help liking this sharp, sassy, sexy, feisty, intelligent, tastefully rich protagonist.
If you're after a book where men that are bullies, abusers and thugs get their comeuppance, a little bit gruesome and encompasses a thriller with wit, this is the boo for you.
With thanks to #NetGalley and Bonnier Books UK for this preview read of #BadMen

Daffy has a problem a big problem that is until she meets the love of her life. Daffy kills bad men, but are all the men bad? Follow Saffys messy life and how long can this go on for? A funny easy going love story, add a dog, and lots of laughs.

Loved this book. Great fun based on the main characters desire to hurt and kill 'bad men'!!! Right up my street. I could easily see a follow up for this and would definitely be up for reading one.

This is fairly insipid, to be honest, considering I chose it on the basis of what I expected to be: kind of a sharp, feminist, black comedy. Instead, the main character conforms to the stereotype of male-gaze ideal: skinny, sexy, blonde girl who devotes her money and time to getting plucked and waxed and mani-pedi’’d In order to get her man. I was bored mainly, though I did finish it so two stars for not making me give up!

Fun, thrilling and fabulous. I loved Saffy and I loved this book. Thanks NG and the publisher for allowing me to read early.

I thoroughly enjoyed Bad Men, and loved the wise-cracking character of Saffy, but hated the rather abrupt and stupid ending. However, it was an entertaining light read until the last ten pages.

If you enjoyed books like My Sister the Serial Killer and How to Kill Your Family then this serial-killer-romcom mashup is definitely one for your wish list.

Saffy is rich, beautiful and very protective of her younger sister, Susie. So protective, in fact, that she would do anything to keep her safe from predators. Including murder.

Then there’s the newly available Jon, handsome, a true crime podcaster and author. Surely theirs is a match made in - well, if not heaven, then somewhere similar?

There weren’t many surprises in this for me in terms of plot twists but there was deep satisfaction in seeing Boris Johnson meet a suitable end - sorry, I mean Rupert Huntington Hogg.

With thanks to NetGalley, Julie Mae Cohen and Bonnie Books UK for an arc of this novel in exchange for an honest review.