Thanks to financial backing from her big brother Dev, Mallory Carson has just realized her dream of owning a bar.  At Bad Reputation, Mallory calls all of the shots, which is just the way she wants it.  She will do whatever she feels is necessary in order to ensure success.  Having sexy female bartenders dancing on the bar seems like a stroke of genius and the bar is making money hand over fist. Mallory is pleased that she will be able to give Dev a return on his investment sooner than expected.

To head off potential problems, Mallory has implemented a policy forbidding the staff from dating customers.  However, she soon finds herself bending her own rules for a gorgeous stranger.  When she learns that the stranger was sent by her brother to check up on her, Mallory is quite upset to say the least!

Shay O'Connor is a good guy; he's responsible, levelheaded, trustworthy and caring.  He is happy to help out a good friend like Dev with a seemingly simple request: look in on his little sister's new bar and make sure things are running in such a way that isn't going to cause problems.  He chides himself from deviating from his purpose but can't help the pull of attraction to a tall, dark haired beauty he meets at Bad Reputation.  Shay feels even worse when he discovers that he has been putting the moves on his buddy's little sister.

How will good guy Shay and bad girl Mallory survive the ensuing battle of wills?

AS BAD AS CAN BE is just about as good as it gets!  This is no ordinary Blaze book with the standard red-hot love scenes, typical obstacles and a few laughs.  Instead, the author takes us to a more emotional level with far more realism than what is usually expected from this line.  Without a doubt, AS BAD AS CAN BE is Ms. Hardy's best work to date.

Shay is an easy to love hero though he has is share of faults; but then again, don't we all?  His commitment to friends and family is second only to his need for protecting Mallory--even from herself.  Mallory is an engaging heroine battling the specters of her childhood in a quest for happiness.  I just wish there had been a little more humor to balance some of the darker aspects of the story.  Also noteworthy is an entertaining secondary plot between Shay's brother, Colin, and a thoroughly Irish spitfire named Fiona, as well as a delightful cameo by Becka and Mace (SCORING, Blaze #78).

AS BAD AS CAN BE follows SCORING in the UNDER THE COVERS trilogy.  The trilogy concludes with SLIPPERY WHEN WET due out in July 2003 from Harlequin Blaze.