For Cassie Storms and Derek West, the past means different things. For Derek, there is humiliation. For Cassie, there is embarrassment and shame. But what they share is the desire to rise above their pasts and succeed, to make a different life and to right past wrongs.

Derek is truly a self-made man. He’s risen from a past that left him always wanting more for himself and those he loved to become one of the three creators and owners of Blink, a hugely successful app. He is in a position of making a difference for himself and his family. He’s driven in large part by revenge, and it’s aimed at Cassie and her family. He’s determined to make them know what it feels like to lose everything that they love, and he has the means to do it.

Cassie is so much more than Derek expected. She’s far from the princess that he believed her to be. Cassie wants nothing more than to take the business started by her beloved grandfather and make it great, to use it for the good. And she’s willing to eat crow and take the step to engage Derek, the first step in her plan for success.

Carly Phillips has the magic touch when giving us a second-chance love with a twist. She’s a mistress of taking a relationship that ended badly and allowing the characters to find each other again, to work through the trials of their pasts, and to move forward to their HEA. She also knows how to bring the serious heat, because her reads are nothing short of sizzling.

I’ve enjoyed all of the books in Carly’s Billionaire Bad Boys series, and was looking forward to Derek’s story. It’s a bit of a Cinderella story, but, rather than seem like something that I’ve seen too many times before, Carly’s take is fresh and entertaining, and one that I savored from start to finish. I sometimes have issue with the whole idea of insta-love, and things did heat up quickly for these two, but I consider their an extension, if you will, because their interest in each other was interrupted by life way back when.

Strong women, the men that love them, and plenty of love to go around. What’s not to love? GOING DOWN HARD is an easy 4.5 stars for me, and a great addition to this series, which I highly recommend. Need something for your TBR? You’ve found it. Happy reading!

***ARC generously provided for an honest review.***