Review: Good Girls Don't by Victoria Dahl

Good Girls Don’t (Donovan Brothers Brewery #1)

By: Victoria Dahl

Publisher: HQN Books

Release Date: August 30, 2011

Genre/Age: Adult Romance

Pages: 384

Source: ARC from NetGalley & Harlequin

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 thing he is – and neither is she.

Victoria Dahl is one of my favorite contemporary romance writers; it’s pretty much a guarantee that her stories are going to be funny, heartwarming, and of course, incredibly hot. Good Girls Don’t is a great start to her new series, featuring the three Donovan siblings. I love that each sibling gets their own book, because it means that we don’t have to leave the characters right away, plus we get to check up on how old relationships are doing throughout the series.

Tessa is the youngest sibling and only girl, and she was a great introduction into the dynamics of the Donovan family. I absolutely love stories centered around families, and as an only girl with two brothers in my own family, I could definitely identify with her. She’s a total firecracker, which is so fun to read about, and her growth and maturity throughout the novel was really satisfying. Eric and Jamie’s protectiveness did get very annoying though – she’s freaking 27 years old! She’s an adult! Sometimes they treated her like she was still 12. It was a relief to watch the two of them grow up and realize she’s not a kid anymore.

I also really enjoyed getting to go more in-depth into Luke’s situation. Even though this is a series about the Donovans, it just added so much to know where Luke was coming from and what was going on in his life. Luke and Tessa have great chemistry and their scenes together are all so fun to read, whether they’re talking, fighting, or getting up to some sexy sexy shenanigans.

I loved Good Girls Don’t, and I can’t wait to get to know Eric and Jamie better in their stories. If you like your romance with incredible heart, hilarious misunderstandings, and lots of sizzle, I’d definitely recommend checking this one out.