Vivienne LaBlanc is thrilled to be selected to be the Saint in the annual Saints and Sinners pageant… until she finds out that her nemesis, rock star Connor Mansfield, has been named the Sinner.  Growing up together, Vivi and Connor were constantly at odds and, even though Connor has been away from New Orleans for years, that animosity is still alive and well.  But when Vivi starts having less than saintly thoughts about Connor, will she be able to resist his bad boy appeal?

The Downfall of a Good Girl is part of Harlequin’s new KISS line, which are all about flirting and the “delirium of a potential new romance.”  And it definitely is a good fit.  Vivi and Connor love to bicker and the battle of wills is fun.  It becomes even more fun, and steamy, when they lay aside their swords and decide to be “civil.”

As a former pageant queen, and Miss America runner-up, Vivi has spent her whole life being good.  Deciding to loosen up some, and give in to her attraction to Connor, is definitely a walk on the wild side for her.  Connor has to deal with all of the pitfalls that go with his celebrity and is coming off a particular bad PR nightmare.  But he has been looking at other options for his life and being back in New Orleans, working alongside Vivi, has caused him to re-evaluate where he wants to be.

I really liked both Vivi and Connor and enjoyed watching them let go of some long held beliefs about the other in order to get along.  It’s so easy to fall into a pattern with someone and it can be very difficult to set that aside and view them with new eyes.  The resulting introspection is definitely good for both of them and makes them into even more enjoyable characters.

The Downfall of a Good Girl is actually the first in a two book series by Kimberly Lang and I look forward to getting to know Vivi’s sister, Lorelei, in The Taming of a Wild Child.  Lang’s writing style is very fluid and entertaining, creating a smooth and easy read, so the next book should be just as good.