Bartenders & Books with Christi Barth of Never Been Good + #Giveaway

Bartenders & Books


I love that you guys are letting me visit today, because Never Been Good  is a perfect fit for your blog—my hero is a bartender!

Well, sort of. Flynn Maguire used to be the head of a construction company. It was the legit business that provided a way to give Chicago mobsters W-2s and a paycheck. But then his boss – the boss – decided they needed a fall guy for a scam that went wrong. Rather than get sent to jail for something he didn’t even do, Flynn and his brothers entered Witness Protection. That comes with new names, a new location, and a new job.

The Maguire brothers don’t take well to their relocation (aka nobody is happy and trouble keeps finding them), so when the book opens, Flynn’s on his 5th name and new career. He’s a sullen, guilt-ridden mess, so standing behind the bar silently handing over drinks is a pretty good fit. Especially when he gets to use his MMA skills to act as bouncer on rowdy idiots.

Especially since his “career” had only started six weeks ago. It was true this job sucked the least of all the ones the Marshals Service tried to make stick. Flynn had always been “that guy” at parties. The one who made up cocktails and hung by the bar all night. It happened to be an awesome way to pick up women. Now he still had fun making up the cocktails and listening to people. That was the trick of being a good bartender—not talking, just listening. Which made it right up Flynn’s alley.

It isn’t a huge spoiler to tell you that Flynn falls for a pretty waitress who also happens to not be using her real name… If you’ve read me before, you’ll know that all my books come with a guaranteed, over-the-top happy ending. Because I think we all deserve to enjoy those – and as often as possible. Nothing perks up a week like romance. Flynn certainly perks up once he starts romancing Sierra in her Tiny House!

A super fun Easter egg in this book is dropping in specialty cocktails. He starts planning one for the town’s Cranberry Festival. Flynn, in fact, makes them for all the people he gets close to—which is a way he starts to realize that he actually likes this town and its quirky residents.

Norah ran Coffee & 3 Leaves—which also dispensed pot. Nice lady. Even nicer when she came in a little high and ordered every appetizer on the menu.
He’d made her a tequila martini. Drew the shape of a pot leaf in the foam on top, and stuck a sugared lime wheel on the rim. Called it the Weed Eater, and she’d cackled with laughter before sucking down six.

Go ahead – have some fun while reading this and make yourself the blackberry cobbler cocktail Flynn ‘invents’ for Sierra (👉 recipe here 👈, because I’m no bartender, LOL). I know I sure had a good time researching all of his specialty cocktails. Or I guess I should call it thirsty work…

Never Been Good 

(Bad Boys Gone Good #2)

by Christi Barth

ebook, 384 pages

Published April 3rd 2018 by Avon Impulse

ISBN 0062685651

Flynn Maguire isn’t really a bad guy. Sure, he worked for the mob, but he ran a legitimate business—on paper anyway—and it paid enough to keep his brother out of the lifestyle. Until they turned on him. Now he’s stuck in Witness Protection, tending bar in Nowheresville Oregon… and pissed the life he knew is gone. The only bright spot? Fantasizing about his quiet, secretive, beautiful coworker.

Sierra Williams is a woman on the run. All she wants now is to settle into small town life… and ignore the brooding, sexy bartender who can’t seem to take his eyes off her. Flynn’s bad-boy vibe pushes all her buttons, but Sierra fell for the wrong man once already. She can’t afford to let her guard down again. Except Flynn’s tough exterior is slowly melting away to reveal the sweet man beneath and their attraction is too strong to resist.

Sierra and Flynn are falling fast, but they’re both keeping so many secrets. The truth could ruin everything… unless a girl who’s a little bad is perfect for a guy who’s never really been good. 

AMAZON | B&N

Bad Boys Gone Good Series

About Christie Barth: 

USA TODAY bestselling author Christi Barth earned a Masters degree in vocal performance and embarked upon a career on the stage. A love of romance then drew her to wedding planning. Ultimately she succumbed to her lifelong love of books and now writes award-winning contemporary romance, including the Naked Men and Aisle Bound series.

Christi can always be found either whipping up gourmet meals (for fun, honest!) or with her nose in a book. She lives in Maryland with the best husband in the world.

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