This book was very different from what I was expecting but I enjoyed it thoroughly . Highly recommend

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This started out really interesting. I felt like the whole prank aspect went on and on though and was wanting the author to hurry along. It's never a good sign when I find myself thinking...when is this going to be over. I did really like the relationship between Felicity and Alex.

There is SO MUCH to love about this book!

This is a beautiful story about grief, helping someone in need, love, bravery, selflessness, survival…

Felicity has lost her mother. She still calls her mom’s old phone number and leaves lots of messages about what’s going on in her life. One day, though, that number calls her back. It’s Alex. They don’t know each other. But Alex didn’t really have anyone else to call from jail when she needed bailed out…….

Felicity and Alex were the most unlikely of friends but I loved them so much! It was fun watching them play pranks all over town together.

The blueberry farm setting sounded so serene - I wish I could give there. Wade’s character was the perfect love interest. I teared up at the ending!

🫐 “Without a word, I led her from the waiting room, unsure what fate would greet us on the other side but knowing we were strong enough to face it.”

The narrator was great and really brought life to the characters!

This was way too melodramatic for me. While the two point-of-view characters, Felicity and Alex, are distinct and easily distinguishable, the narrative itself dwelled unnecessary stuff and their actions simply didn’t make sense a lot of the time. For Felicity especially, going on and on about her late mother bored me instead of making me feel sympathetic towards her. Everything is overt, no subtext, turning every character into an uninspired stereotype I’ve seen a thousand times.
Overall, the writing style veered into over-explanations too often for my taste. The pleasant voice acting couldn’t save me from giving up. Bummer! The premise sounded so intriguing.

Thank you to NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for the audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was so grateful for the chance to read Such A Bad Influence early! This is a heartwarming small-town story with a cozy feel, yet it also tackles big topics in a thoughtful, realistic way. I loved the author’s writing style and really enjoyed experiencing it through the audiobook.

Felicity, the main character and owner of a blueberry farm, is navigating grief, town drama, and hurt from her past, all while working to preserve her mother’s legacy. When she takes a chance on helping Alex, an 18-year-old who has aged out of the foster system, their unlikely partnership helps them both in meaningful ways. Watching these two characters grow and find family through the challenges, life lessons, and brave choices definitely tugged at my heartstrings!

I'd happily recommend this book to anyone who enjoys thoughtful, heartfelt stories!

Thank you netgalley and Brilliance Audio for this alc!

The Narrator did a FANTASTIC job with the single pov of Felicity and really brought the heavy emotion of story to life. She did all the different parts and people so well. 👏🏼😮‍💨🫶

Ugh my heart!! Such A Bad Influence was an emotional ride.
Felicity,27yo, lost her mom and was on the verge of losing her blueberry farm and everything her mom had. She didn’t have anyone in her life and left voicemails to her mom’s number. Alex, 18yo, was freshly out of the foster system, with felicity’s mom’s number, and struggling. She got in trouble and called Felicity when and hoped she would pick up.

The way Felicity took in Alex and loved her like a sister she never had and was willing to give up everything for this young stranger. As their relationship grows, there is butting heads but there is love and laughter and finally trust. When Felicity decides to run aim the towns Man Of The Year contest, Alex is all in. She really shows her trust and her love to Felicity. And it made my heart BURST with happiness.

While there is a relationship between Felicity and her Neighbor, Wade, it off page but beautiful. Wade also sees himself in Alex and their relationship is like big brother little sister and it’s also beautiful.

If you are a fan of women’s fiction, you’ll love it. Give the audio a chance when it releases, too.

Audio Review: I found the narration very enjoyable to listen to!

Audio Run Time: 11 hrs, 3 mins
Narrated By: Charlotte Lobdell

Story Review: A blueberry farmer grieving the loss of her mother to cancer a few years prior, winds up taking in a troubled teenager who has her deceased mothers phone number. She feels her mom sent Alex to her. But she’s barely able to take care of herself and her mothers blueberry farm, how can she possibly care for a teenage girl too? She’s the black sheep of the town and taking in a criminal isn’t doing her any favors. But to make ends meet and try and save the farm, they team up with a side hustle that’s not exactly legal… Meanwhile, the sexy neighbor has a thing for her, but she’s holding on to past grudges. - This story features a slow burn, tumultuous budding romance; a troubled teen who really just needs love; a woman blinded by grief and stuck in the past with her regrets; a dog that ties them all together; a series of funny hijinks; a town with some small minded, bitter people; lots of blueberries; a small town that eventually comes together to help support these ladies and a connection that brings two floundering people together to heal over time.

Spice level: 2/5.

A few content warnings 👇

- Loss of a parent
- Foster kid/cast off child
- Thieving
- Pranks
- Dog injured by car
- Prejudice against FMC


Release Date: October 21, 2025

Thanks to NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for this ALC in return for my honest review.

This book stole my heart. Packed full of sentimental and emotional moments, this story about chosen family does not fall short on delightful wit and laughter to balance out the mood!

Felicity is living in Ohio, running the blueberry farm she inherited from her late mother. With bills mounting and the fear of losing the farm, the one thing of her mother’s that she has left, Felicity finds comfort in calling her mom’s old cell phone each day, leaving messages recounting her day. The messages go unanswered, until one day, the phone number calls her back.

Alex, the eighteen-year-old foster kid with no family who has aged out of the system is the new owner of the phone number. She is in need of help and one day reaches out to the stranger on the other end of the phone. Felicity agrees to take Alex in and give her a place to stay on the condition that she helps Felicity scare off some of the local kids who have been terrorizing her and vandalizing the farm. The two hatch a devious plan which is the beginning of a very special friendship and partnership.

Filled with delicious revenge and pranks galore, this beautiful and touching story takes a raw and honest look at grief and the healing process. The bond between Felicity and Alex is truly special and the author masters the perfect balance of serious emotion and reflection with lighthearted humor.

Such a Bad Influence was such a fun, laugh out loud, touching, heartwarming and emotional read. It filled my heart in such a special way.

Thank you to Brilliance Audio for the ALC of this book. Narrator Charlotte Lobdell and the Brilliance Audio team did a superb job of bringing this story and the delightful characters to life. It was such a special listen!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you NetGalley, Brilliance Audio, and Grace Demyan for this audio copy.

Let me start by saying that Charlotte Lobdell does a fantastic job with the narration! She really brings the friendship between Felicity and Alex to life. She really helps to drive the point home that the Callaway’s are THE worst!!!

The rural Ohio blueberry farm setting had me from the get go. Then I found out there is a sweet Border Collie in the story, and I was sold!

Once I started reading, I loved that there is a second-chance romance in the mix, but it’s not the main focus of the story. The novel’s priority is the found family relationship between the two main characters, Felicity and Alex. There is a charity fundraiser scene with these two that is absolutely hilarious! And heartwarming!! Grab your tissues!

Grace brings some very important topics to light in this novel, and she does so with care:
- Foster kid representation (i.e.: “Aging out of the system”)
- Mental health representation
- Parental loss and grief

If you’re looking for a found-family, second-chances, small town drama romcom, you’ll love this one!

The revenge plot interested me right away. This is a fun, light-hearted read that was easy and quick to finish. The audiobook narration was wonderful! Really enjoyed it.

What I liked: The dynamic between Alex and Felicity. A late 20s straight-edge, self-conscious woman befriends a rebellious, sassy 18-year old. Wade, the fun and witty neighbor had some great banter back and forth with Felicity.

What I didn’t like: I felt like the beginning was a bit rushed. Not enough character development with Alex. Then, felt slower towards the middle. I don’t know if this book knew which way it wanted to go. Is it romance? Is it women’s fiction? Felt like a lot of themes mashed into one. Clearly I’m an outlier as it’s got pretty good reviews so I’ll chalk it up to just not being for me.

Thank you to the author and Net Galley for the opportunity!

I thought this was going to be super cheesy with the blueberry farm setting, but don’t worry, the author gets the Lifetime movie joke out of the way early.

Felicity isn’t doing great. She’s grieving the death of her mom, at risk of losing the home and blueberry farm she inherited, and dealing with neighbor kids who regularly steal from her. To make matters worse, her neighbor constantly throws loud late-night parties.

As a way of coping, Felicity still calls her mom’s phone number and leaves long voicemails. When the number calls back and it’s Alex, needing to be bailed out of jail, Felicity takes it as a sign from her mom.

The narrator was great, perfect for Felicity’s voice and spot-on with the teenage tone for Alex.

This book has a little of everything. It’s sad as we feel Felicity’s loss, but it’s also funny, has a touch of romance (maybe that annoying neighbor isn’t so bad after all), and keeps things moving. Bonus points to the author for the Kip Moore reference, and especially for the Cedar Point mention. As someone from Michigan who grew up going to Cedar Point, I loved that little detail. If you know, you know.

There were a few times Felicity bugged me a little. I wish she hadn’t been written to be quite so pathetic, and I wanted more of a revenge arc toward the end that never really came.

Overall though, I really enjoyed this one and would definitely check out more of this author’s work. If you’re looking for a heartfelt, slightly quirky story with a touch of romance, I’d recommend it.

Thank you NetGalley and Brilliance publishing for the advance listening copy.

If you cant join them, get even!!

Thank you do much to Netgally for the ALC of “Such a Bad Influence”.

“Such a Bad Influence” is a charming, small-town story full of revenge pranks, found family, life after loss, and unexpected heart.

Plot:
This story follows Alex and Felicity two strangers who meet by happen stance. Alex is a troubled teen who is in and out of foster care and jail. Felicity is grieving the only friend she ever had, her mother, who passed away and left Felicity a declining blueberry farm. Felicity is stuck in her grief outcasting everyone around her, until she gets an unexpected phone call from a very familiar number. With a trouble teen now living at her farm and bills piling up, Felicity and Alex devise a plan to get back out the town that has abandoned them while making them some much needed money….the business of Revenge!!

What I Loved
-Alex and Felicity’s relationship – Their dynamic felt so heartfelt, with real personal growth for each of them as they learned to lean on each other.

-The hilarious/brilliant pranks – They kept me laughing and brought such a lightheartedness to the story. I wish there would have been a few more pranks

-Felicity’s neighbor/love interest Wade– He immediately reminded me of Wade from the show Hart of Dixie. His bad boy bartender demeanor, and his helpful vulnerable side, when it came to Felicity, made me adore him even more.

-The small-town charm – I loved the full cast of characters that made the setting feel alive and authentic. Being someone who use to live in the state of Ohio, I loved reading about all Ohio nuances throughout the book.

-The growth arc – Watching Alex and Felicity push each other to heal, grow, and move forward was really rewarding.

-Alex and Felicity’s serendipitous meeting – I love a good fated, meant-to-be feeling.

-The Narrator of the audiobook did a great job

What I didn’t like as much:

The story started off strong, but I felt it could have wrapped up a little sooner without losing impact. It just seemed to drag on a little after all the pranks

While Felicity showed growth—stepping out of her comfort zone, opening up, and moving forward—I didn’t love how she treated Wade….Even in the epilogue, I wished she would’ve let him in a little more.

Read if you love:
Quirky small towns with unique traditions
Found family
Personal growth stories
Second chance at happiness
Hilarious Pranks

Overall, this is a witty, heartfelt novel. That is full of small-town charm. It balances laugh-out-loud humor with personal growth and sweet romance, making it an enjoyable read

I loved this debut and highly recommend if you work with teens or live with teens. The narration was excellent as was the eBook version- I alternated listening and eyeball reading this. It started off a little uneven and slow but once I continued to read the dialogue and listen to it, I came to really love this novel about second chances in life and romance. The small town setting was authentic with the mean girls & boys clique vs. the underdog trope and it was great to see the care given to the story about a teen given up by her biological mother yet mothered by another. The support shown by a great cast of characters for the MCs made this a super novel!
4.25/5 stars