Blog Tour and Giveaway: Bad Son Rising: Julie A. Richman

by - Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Bad Son Rising
Julie A. Richman
RELEASE DATE: Sept. 12, 2014
People think I'm a douche.And maybe I am.
I use most people.
It's what I know.
But if I love you,
I'd die for you.
I just don't know that I'm worth loving.

Handsome, privileged bad boy Zac Moore has always played by his own rules - at school, in business, with women. He's rewritten the rules to suit his own needs and his needs are all that matter. 

Serious and focused family friend Liliana Castillo has one goal. Leave the pre-Med program at Yale to help people in developing nations. 

As their paths cross and uncross, a tale of love, agony, betrayal and growth is woven, transforming two people who've hidden from relationships and love.

This is a stand-alone novel.


"Lils, I don't know that I'm great boyfriend material. I'm used to being a dick. It's what I know." He was hoping she'd say something, but she didn't. "But I would want it to be different with you. You're not a drive-by. And I don't really know how to do the other stuff. But you make me want it. You make me want to try." 

Sweeping her hair to one side, he buried his face in her neck. 

Finally, she spoke, "Are you saying this to me because we're stuck here? Because if you are, don't. I don't want a one night stand with you, Zac." 

Letting his teeth graze the soft skin of her neck, he felt her shiver, "I don't want a one night stand with you either and with my track record I know that may be hard to believe. And of course the one girl I want to believe it, doesn't." Pulling his mouth away from her delicious tasting neck, he rested his chin on her shoulder. 

"Ok, I've got nothing to lose here," he began. "The weekend we met, all I wanted to do was make you notice me," he laughed, "and you didn't even know that I was alive. I wanted to make you smile, Lils. Isn't that crazy. I just wanted to make you smile." 

Turning herself fully within the circle of his arm, she was on her knees facing him, "You wanted to make me smile?" 

He nodded. 

"I was so miserable. I just wanted to be over here. I didn't want to be back at Yale." Surprising him, she placed her hands on his cheeks, "And you wanted to make me smile?" 

He nodded again. 

And there it was, beautiful and elusive, and Zac could feel his emotions rising dangerously close to the surface. Liliana Castillo had a heart stopping smile and the only thing he could do was return it with one of his own.

... Zac moore was never, ever going to play it safe. It just wasn't who he was. 

When we first met Zac Moore in Searching  For Moore he was a troubled bad boy...egocentric, selfish, manipulative, hateful, confused and did things that hurt others. But as the series went on, we began to see some healing and growth in him.

Zac is gorgeous, built, cocky, wealthy by birth right, and is like a magnet for the ladies. He can usually have any woman he wants, but is soon done with them. Then one night he meets Liliana Castillo. A shy, smart, giving, college student who makes a huge impression on him, but barely gives him the time of day.

Zac's life moves on to experience college and new friends. During this time we really get to know Zac. Sure he is still a bit arrogant, flippant, and a big player. But he is also more...intelligent, a  loyal friend, creative, and thinks outside the box. He carries damage and insecurities from events in his childhood/teens that still affect him. He does not always make the best decisions in hindsight, but he is no longer just the mean, selfish, isolated bad boy we loved to hate. He uses some of his ingenuity and entrepreneur skills in creative ways that gain him attention and have consequences. But he loves his family and core group of friends and will do anything for them. Most women have only wanted to use him for his looks, body, or what he could do for them. And he has never had a meaningful romantic relationship. 

When an opportunity comes up two years after their initial meeting, Zac takes on a new adventure following Lily to do volunteer work in the Congo. He likes the idea of  new experiences, using his practical engineering skills, and most of all protecting and being near the girl he can't seem to forget. 

As their volunteer work together begins, it is challenging for Zac in many ways. There are new people, adversaries, problems to solve, and work to accomplish. And most importantly his strategy to gain the attention and favor of Lily while not drawing unwanted attention of others. 

Lily is a bit of an enigma at times. She could seem cold and shy, but then fiery and assertive. She challenges and intrigues him like no one else. She is strong willed and has definite beliefs and plans. But deep down she also has fears and insecurities. But she also has her own set of tricks up her sleeve and could be surprising.  I admired her spunk, strength, initiative, heart, and her willingness to fight for what was important to her. 

"Lils, you're not some girl I'm just going to screw...You're the girl I don't want to f*** up with."

Their time in the Congo has consequences, good and bad. Zac wants to protect her, but sometimes protection comes with a cost. These two seemingly different people who truly do compliment each other face challenges, fear, heartbreak, distance, and misunderstandings. It is not an easy road for them personally or together. 

Zac Moore prayed that his dream wouldn't be ripped from him, but his track record of good things remaining in his life was not exactly stellar. 

This is the story of Zac coming to terms with his past, finding his purpose and passion, and fighting for what is important. He has been hurt and made his share of mistakes. He is far from perfect, but the real Zac Moore is so much more than a cocky, selfish schemer. Sure he has skills, charm, and charisma that often pave the way for him. But he is also loyal, protective, and loves freely those people he lets get close to him. He can be sympathetic and tries to help fix problems for others. I have loved seeing the growth in him in all of the books and peeling back his layers. Oh I hated him in Searching  For Moore and it took a while to begin to see anything positive in him but he wore me down as I saw more of what he was hiding under his challenging exterior. He was a a young broken boy who had only ever felt used and unloved and had a skewed sense of right and wrong and felt unworthy. His positive response to the power of love and support was not a fast, easy journey, but it was a meaningful one. He truly became a bad son rising. 

"I think you've let the bad sh** dictate who you are, Zac. You need to stop that. You need to rise above it."

I enjoyed the side characters especially his best friends Brian and Liz, Liz's mother Neelie, and even quirky Niles. Of course, more Schooner, Mia, Portia and Nathaniel from the Needing Moore series always makes me smile. I really enjoyed seeing the progression of their family unit and connections. The characters, even the supporting ones, have personality, strength, and depth. They add comic relief, support, drama and complications. 

The story line covers time, distance and personal growth. Despite an instant attraction, it is not a tale of insta-love, but is a slow building relationship based in perseverance, friendship, openness, passion and true feelings with a more realistic time line. The characters have time to change, grow, connect, and react on many different levels. It is a full and emotional story of self discovery, hope, love, sacrifice, and redemption.

I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review. 


Zac Moore has never been a perfect son. From his devious activites during the Needing Moore series, to the illegal and questionable activities he engages in during his first two years at Bryson College, Zac Moore is a bad boy. He is confident and has a major ego that follows (or leads) wherever he goes. Despite some major mistakes, he is beginning to grow up, beginning to look out for the people around him. But still, his streak as a bad boy continues, and his choices are not always on the up and up, even if he does have the best of intentions. 

Liliana Castillo, on the other hand, is the epitome of good girl. At least, she is until she leaves her Yale pre-med path behind for time working on water projects in remote and impoverished areas of the Congo. She is generally quiet, shy, and dedicated to her pursuits. 

Zac had some big shoes to fill. Schooner Moore and his love for Mia set the bar high for Zac and Lily. But they were both up for the challenge. The ups and downs throughout the story felt natural. The course of the entire relationship, facing serious dangers, and dirty pasts, everything about Bad Son Rising was nearly perfect as a spin off of Needing Moore and as a standalone in it’s own right. 

On the surface, these two are complete opposites, but following an attraction sparked at Mia and Schooner’s wedding, they discover they have far more in common than they could have ever imagined. I loved watching Zac try to figure out how to get Lily to notice him -- a challenge he had not faced when attracting female attention ever. And Lily made him work for her attention. 

Bad Son Rising became everything I could have hoped for in Zac’s story. It was as much his story as an individual as it was a story about a couple. Interactions with Schooner, Mia and his siblings, learning about himself and taking chances on a real relationship show a Zac beginning to move beyond the troubled teenager we initially met. Yes, his past is still a big trigger for him, and something he has to face. But there is such a fantastic arch of events that bring Zac from the boy who hated everyone around him to the man who will someday influence his surroundings just like his father. And Lily? She’s just about the perfect compliment to Zac’s mischievous, fun-loving self as I can imagine.

Though this is a spin-off, having read the Needing Moore series is not a prerequisite. I devoured the original series, and this edition was no exception. Readers of the original series will love the continuity, and the chance to see more of Schooner, Mia, Nate, and Po as they pop in and out of Zac’s life.

I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review. 
Bad Son Rising is a standalone, but Zac is introduced in the Needing More Trilogy

Box set: 
All three Bestselling, Top-Rated Books from The Needing Moore Trilogy by USA Today Bestseller Julie A. Richman, PLUS never before seen BONUS CHAPTERS for each book.
Add to Goodreads


SEARCHING FOR MOORE – Book 1
Currently on sale for 99 cents if purchased individually.
Buy Amazon/B&N/iTunes/kobo

I lost the love of my life when she disappeared without even a goodbye. 
It was the 80’s – there was no internet, no Google, no cell phones. 
If you wanted to disappear, you could. 
And she did. 
She crushed my soul. 
A friend just told me he saw her on Facebook. 
And now I’m a keystroke away from asking her the question that’s haunted me for two decades. 
“Why did you leave me?” 

Two decades after she broke his heart, sexy entrepreneur Schooner Moore uncovers the truth and betrayal his life has been built on when he Facebook friend requests college love, Mia Silver. Determined to win Mia’s love once again, Schooner embarks on a life-altering journey that could cost him everything.

MOORE TO LOSE – Book 2 

Continuing the fight for their happily ever after that began in Searching for Moore, Schooner Moore and Mia Silver struggle to overcome the ghosts and baggage they accumulated during their time apart. 

Exploring the missing 24 years when they were separated, Moore to Lose follows Mia's journey from heartbroken teen to kickass businesswoman to her emotional reunion with Schooner and the exploration of the love that was ripped from them. 

But is their love really strong enough to overcome the damage of those missing 24 years or will they continue to be ripped apart by pasts that can't be changed?

MOORE THAN FOREVER – Book 3 

"You have no idea of what you do to me, Baby Girl." 
"It's smoochal." 

Is the love they always dreamed of enough? 

Continuing the emotional journey of love and betrayal that began on a college campus in Searching for Moore and turned their worlds upside down in Moore to Lose, handsome, California entrepreneur Schooner Moore and sharp and sassy, New York advertising agency owner Mia Silver continue to be confronted with the harsh reality of the remnants from the lives they lived apart for 24 years. 

Now, Schooner Moore and Mia Silver face the ultimate challenge - were they really meant to be together or will their pasts continue to tear them apart? 

On the heels of the birth of their newborn son, Nathaniel, Schooner and Mia must decide if their love and loyalty to one another is strong enough to learn to grow together as a couple or if the life they always dreamed of sharing was better left as a teenage fantasy.

See Kim and Rachel's 5 star reviews of Moore Than Forever

Julie A. Richman
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads |Pinterest

Author Julie A. Richman is a native New Yorker living deep in the heart of Texas. A creative writing major in college, reading and writing fiction has always been a passion. Julie began her corporate career in publishing in NYC and writing played a major role throughout her career as she created and wrote marketing, advertising, direct mail and fundraising materials for Fortune 500 corporations, advertising agencies and non-profit organizations. She is an award winning nature photographer plagued with insatiable wanderlust. Julie and her husband have one son and a white German Shepherd named Juneau.


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