Sherrilyn Kenyon first introduced her readers to the Bureau of American Defense (BAD) in a series of novellas. BAD is a shadow antiterrorism agency whose existence is known to few beyond the agents themselves and the president of the United States, and most days the president would deny all knowledge of their existence. Situated in the unlikely spot of Nashville, Tennessee, the agency works outside the confines and rules of other agencies such as the FBI, CIA, and ATF. Their only mission is to protect their country at any the cost, using any means necessary. Bad Attitude is Kenyon’s newest full-length novel, and it takes us deeper into the inner workings of BAD and the agents who work there.

In the hot desert of Iraq, military sniper J. D. Steele, grief-stricken over the death of his best friend, makes one stupid mistake that changes the course of his life. Dishonourably discharged from the army and disowned by all his family and friends, he is now serving a twenty-five-year prison sentence at Leavenworth, Kansas. Two years into his sentence, he is working in the kitchen detail when he gets an unexpected summons. Steele has visitors. These unknown people are about to make him an offer he can't refuse.

BAD agent Sydney Westbrook needs a man, but not just any man. She needs the perfect sniper for a counter-terrorism mission. Asset Protection System (APS) is a “security” company that is a known front for organized crime, freelance mercenaries and contract killers. APS has been contracted to assassinate the president of Uhbukistan, a former Soviet block country, when he visits the United States. His death has the potential to cause an international disaster and must be prevented at all costs. Now, she needs a sniper of her own who can infiltrate the group and kill the assassin before he can execute his target. Sydney’s list of possible candidates has shortened to only one, convict J. D. Steele.

Along with two of her bosses, Sydney pays a visit to Steele. It’s immediately apparent to her that Steele trusts no one and does not like taking orders, so how can they convince him to take orders from her? But Steele is no fool and when they offer him the chance to be released from prison and have his prison record erased, he accepts. But Sydney is under no illusions that it will be easy to work with him.

But Steele isn’t the only one with a bad attitude. Sydney herself has lost faith with people in general and men in particular. She’s been hurt one too many times and now she uses her vicious tongue as a weapon to keep others at arm’s length. From the very first moment they meet, their personalities clash. They are also fighting a growing attraction for one another that only deepens as they are forced to work together.

Both Sydney and Steele are all-too-human characters with flaws and vulnerabilities that they try and hide from the world. But beneath their facades are two strong, intelligent people who have a deep sense of honour and commitment. As their mission takes them deeper into the dangerous, shadowy world of contract killers, they must learn to trust and depend on each other if they are to stay alive and complete their mission.

Once again, Kenyon has penned a page-turning novel filled with alpha males and kick-ass females. BAD is much like a family of misfits, filled with interesting, complex secondary characters whose stories are just begging to be told. Both the main characters are strong, while remaining quite human in their emotions and actions. Action-packed, Bad Attitude takes you on a wild ride that includes some unexpected twists and turns. This book will certainly please Kenyon fans and make new ones of anyone who reads it. I’m already anticipating the next instalment in this series.