Bikers

Review: Game of Hearts by Cathy Yardley

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Title: Game of Hearts (Fandom Hearts #3)
Author: Cathy Yardley
Genre: Contemporary romance, Fandom, Cosplay, Bikers
Release date: 30 Jan 2018

 Author links: Website / Facebook / Twitter 
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My rating: 5 stars

Blurb

Kyla Summers has been offered the opportunity of a lifetime to get her cosplay business off the ground, and only one thing stands in her way. She needs someone to take over the auto shop, and there’s only one person she can think of to call…

Jericho Salomon hasn’t been back in his home town since he joined a biker gang and rode off nine years ago. When his best friend’s kid sister calls begging for help, he knows that he owes the family a debt and he intends to pay. This is easier said than done once he finds that the kid is all grown up…

She needs a pair of skillful hands. He needs to keep his hands off. When sparks begin to fly, can they keep things strictly business, or will their hearts get hopelessly tangled? No more games, it’s time to play for keeps.
Review

I really enjoyed this story. It's sweet and funny with unexpected depth and exploration of serious issues. It's a variation of the friends to lovers trope mixed with big brother best friend trope.

It had an easy flow and all the characters were very much likable. I loved the heroine who is wonderfully real and complex. She works as a mechanic (a bit reluctantly) running the family business with her bother after their parents retired.

Kyla is caring, strong, determined. I found it easy to relate to her reluctance to call for help, to rely on others (her brother has not being exactly reliable so far in their lives), she was used to being the one who always helped the other, who as always there to help when needed. 

Jericho was a great hero, complex on his own. I loved how he was a biker and rode with other bikers but theirs was more of a group of gearheads than a biker club of any kind. It's the discussion of the future of his group of riding budies that was part of the conflict of him. I appreciate that the story presented a different type of bikers - not criminals, brutal and violent, but rather people who love bikes and tinkering with them and riding them.

He had a difficult journey to go through - reconnecting with his estranged family, going back to his tribal roots. Jericho also had to deal with the sudden realization that he had more than friendly feelings for his best friends sister which led to him navigating a relationship for the first time in his life.

It all happens rather quickly at quite an inconvenient time for both. They are stressed and under a lot of pressure and getting together both added to that but it also prompted them to make some much needed changes in their lives.

I really, really like the positive fat representation of the heroine in this story. She is never described as anything but gorgeous in the eyes of the hero despite her own insecurities which showed up at times. It was lovely to see Kyla and her friends being passionate about their fandoms and cosplay. Introducing Jericho to the Game of Thrones was so much fun. 

Another aspect of Kyla's world and in a way it was reciprocated in Jericho's world, was the close circle of friends that had and the support they got from them. 

Overall it's light-hearted, funny story which touches on all sorts of issues without seeming overburdened and scattered. The romance was at the heart of it, with the initial hesitance and  shyness through getting to know the other person intimately, turning a brief affair into the possibility for something long term. Recommended read. 

Purchase links: Amazon

Bikers

Review: Ride It Out by Cara McKenna

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Title: Ride It Out (Desert Dogs #4)
Author: Cara McKenna
Genre: Romantic suspense, Bikers
Release Date: 19 Sept 2017

Author's links:
Add on Goodreads

My rating: 3.5 Stars


Blurb

There’s a new deputy in town, and she’s a law unto herself. 

Jeremiah Church is still aching for justice to be served after his father’s murder. Though the killer has been caught, the authorities are no closer to knowing why the Churches were targeted—and if the family’s still at risk. When Miah receives an anonymous letter hinting at a darker conspiracy, he decides it's high time he seeks justice on his own terms, with the help of his fellow Desert Dogs. 

Patrol Deputy Nicki Ritchey is new to Fortuity, and hoping to make a clean start for her and her son. Involved in the Church’s case, she's kindled a friendship with Miah that's evolving into something more. But Miah is crossing lines with his personal vendetta, and Nicki’s attraction is making it tough to tell right from wrong…

Review

This was a long-awaited but fitting end to a great romance suspense/crime series which I enjoyed a lot. I've loved Miah all through the series and was so happy how it all turned out for him in the end. It was a struggle, not what he planned or expected but oh, so worth it and happy making.

We kept getting glimpses of his characters throughout the series and we got more insight into his character in the novella, Drive It Deep, his brief but passionate affair with Raine which left him shattered.

I loved Miah's character arc, the change of perspective he underwent. He was a man with a plan, girlfriend-marriage-kids and things were not happening for him for various reasons.

His grief felt real, his loss of direction felt real to, his desire to desire to get his life back on track felt real. And his relationship with Nicki, from friendship to love felt real and easy to relate to.

Nicki was a back female deputy, newcomer from the big city to the small, mostly white Fortuity. She was divorced single mom, as far away as possible from Miah, yet she was the perfect fro him. They stated as friends, helping each other through grief and Miah's sense of hopelessness.

Ii liked how the story was very much grounded in everyday life. They had to put efforts to make their relationship work and it was not because of their own feelings/insecurities but because life was happening around them and they had obligations and responsibility. They couldn't leave everything and just be together, it was a lot more complicated for both of them In the midst of a murder investigation which concerned them both they had to take time to be together.

I liked how the intimacy between Miah and Nicki took place, tentative, exploitative at the beginning, always open and honest. I felt Miah's claustrophobia was better handled in Drive It Deep, while here it seemed to easily 'cured'. Still, I very much enjoyed the intimacy between them.

I loved seeing the rest of the gang and the story had the sweetest epilogue. I don't need marriage and kids in every romance but here they were fitting considering Miah's character.

On the whole, I can recommend the whole Desert Dogs series as a well crafted, smart and sexy contemporary romance with a side of crime plot series. And do not miss the prequel novella about Miah and Raina which is not a romance per se since they don't end up together but it's an intense, emotional story about passion and love and well worth a read!

Purchase links: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iTunes / Kobo

Bikers

Review: Walk the Edge by Katie McGarry

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Title: Walk the Edge (Thunder Road #2)
Author: Katie McGarry
Date of publication: 29 March 2016
Genre: YA/NA romance, bikers

Author's links:

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My rating: 4 Stars


Synopsis

One moment of recklessness will change their worlds.

Smart. Responsible. That's seventeen-year-old Breanna's role in her large family, and heaven forbid she put a toe out of line. Until one night of shockingly un-Breanna-like behavior puts her into a vicious cyber-bully's line of fire—and brings fellow senior Thomas "Razor" Turner into her life. 

Razor lives for the Reign of Terror motorcycle club, and good girls like Breanna just don't belong. But when he learns she's being blackmailed over a compromising picture of the two of them—a picture that turns one unexpected and beautiful moment into ugliness—he knows it's time to step outside the rules. 

And so they make a pact: he'll help her track down her blackmailer, and in return she'll help him seek answers to the mystery that's haunted him—one that not even his club brothers have been willing to discuss. But the more time they spend together, the more their feelings grow. And suddenly they're both walking the edge of discovering who they really are, what they want, and where they're going from here.

Review 


This is the second book in Katie McGarry’s Thunder Road series of YA/NA motorcycle club stories. I haven’t been reading much YA lately but I love Ms McGarry’s books and though the first one in this series was not a big hit with me, I was excited to try the next one.

I can honestly say I loved this one. It was so real and emotional, nothing light-hearted and easy about it. Its depth and seriousness were convincingly presented and the author made me care deeply about the characters.

I loved both Breanna and Razor and their romance was such a pleasure to follow. They seem complete opposites and two people who have nothing in common, yet they turned out to be just what the other needed.

I liked how the story explored serious issues they both face – her difficult family situation, the isolation even from her siblings and parents, all her hopes and dreams crushed because of  family obligations, her parents' lack of care or proper concern about Breanna’s feelings. Her family were not downright bad, just complicated, well-meaning but also oblivious and missing a lot of what was going on with their kids.

Razor’s troubles and issues were much heavier in a way – troubles with the motorcycle club, his distrust of those closest to him (and it was well deserved because they were all keeping secrets from him, which was the least pleasant element of the story for me and one I really disliked), problems at school, the unresolved issue of his mother's death and the public opinion of him as crazty, unstable, dangereous bad boy biker.

Ultimately, what brought Breanna and Razor together was a mix of their own issues and just a little help of a truly nasty classmate. The whole blackmail situation was very interesting and highlighted a problem common for many young people, online harassment/bullying. I think the author handled the issues really well drawing attention to its importance in present day and how difficult it is for young people to fight it.

I also really loved the romance in the story – tender and tentative, first-time love, some naivete, some misunderstandings, but so much heart-warming love and desire to be together despite everybody’s disapproval. Things didn’t magically work out for Razor and Breanna. They issues they had were serious and needed time and interference from all the adults around them to be properly solved by the end.

It’s a story of personal growth, of first love, of (re)building family relationships and building your way into the future.

Depth and profoundness, a YA romance that deals with real issues many young people face. It’s tender and sweet but doesn’t shy away from the rougher edges of life, especially keeping in mind that Razor is a member of a (legitimate) motorcycle club.

It explores ideas of image and appearances, how the other see and judge you and how you see yourself and finding your way into adulthood.


Ms McGarry is my to-go author for YA romance and heartily recommend all her books for her realistic and compassionate treatment of the many of the issues young people face today. There will be more books in this series and I can’t wait to see what she has prepared in store for us with them.

Purchase links: Amazon / B&N | ibooks | Indie | Kobo

Bikers

Review: Burn It Up by Cara McKenna

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Title: Burn It Up (Desert Dogs #3)
Author: Cara McKenna
Genre: Romantic suspense, Bikers
Release Date: 3 Nov 2015

Author's links:
Website / Twitter / Tumblr / Goodreads

My rating: 3.5 Stars
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Synopsis 
After a decade spent chasing shadier pursuits, Casey Grossier has come home to the badlands to settle down in Fortuity. Vowing to put his days of dirty money behind him, he’s cleaned up his act and become co-owner of Benji’s Saloon. But despite his efforts to be a better man, he can’t shake his crush on his sweet-faced bartender, even though the woman screams trouble.

Abilene Price hopes she can outrun her mistakes and build a safe, respectable life for herself and her baby. So she’d be wise to keep her distance from her boss, Casey, and the rest of his roughneck motorcycle club, the Desert Dogs. But she just might need their help. The return of a violent figure from Abilene’s past ignites a powder keg—and it’s only the beginning…

Review 

I love Cara McKenna's writing and her erotic stories push many of my boundaries in reading. This romantic suspense series is tamer in terms of sex scenes but it still has the depth of exploring relationships and the human mind/emotions which I consider typical of Ms Mckenna's romances.

While I liked this story it is not my favourite in the series. The premise of a single mother and a wayward but nice guy who finally gets his stuff together is one a usually like but I had some issues with the heroine here.

I liked Casey, he really grew up in this story, his struggle what to do with his life felt real. We see more of the rest of the gang and their relations and I especially enjoyed this aspect of the story. The author managed to create a real sense of community and friendship without turning the what the characters have into the typical, semi-illegal, violent biker club.

We see Casey as a brother, a bar owner, being responsible, trying to break up with his past. His desire to be needed, to be useful, appreciated was presented really convincingly.

My main problem in this story was Abilene. I understood a lot about her, being a young, single mom, hiding from the father of her daughter who is violent criminal, yet there were a lot about her that annoyed me. She was not honest with or about her baby's father - leading everyone around her to believe is a danger to her and her kid. I felt it was a strong point in the story that he is a criminal, yet he cared about his kid and wanted to change, to be a good dad, give Abilene and Mercy what they needed.

I was most angry with the way Abilene rejected Casey because of  his criminal past. Like, she is the one to talk, when she was keeping her own (no less grave) mistakes a secret. I understand her desire to move on, to be better, to provide the best possible future for her daughter but I felt she was unfair to Casey. She didn't value his efforts to change, to become someone worthy of love and trust.

The chemistry between them was strong, their physical coming together was done with the intensity and depth typical for Ms McKenna's writing. The intimacy was real and moving and I loved it. In a way, Abilene's (unforgiving and dismissing) attitude after that was even more hurtful and unacceptable for me because of that.

Ms McKenna once again creates multi-layered, complex characters dealing with their past and present to the best of their abilities, often failing but never really giving up

There is a common suspense plotline running through the whole series and it gets further developed here though some questions still remain unanswered. We get some hints about Miah's potential HEA and I'm really looking forward to it in the next and final book in the series.

Overall I'd say this book is a good addition to the series, with a wonderful Casey and slightly annoying Abilene.

Purchase links: Amazon / B&N / Kobo / iBooks

Bikers

Waiting on Wednesday: Ride Steady by Kristen Ashley

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Waiting on Wednesday is a book meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine and it features books that we are eagerly awaiting to be released.

Title: Ride Steady (Chaos #3)
Author: Kristen Ashley 
Genre/Themes: Romance, Bikers
Release Date: 30 June 2015

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Pre-order:  Amazon – Apple – BAM! – B&N - Google Play – Kobo



Synopsis


The ride of her life . . . 
Once upon a time, Carissa Teodoro believed in happy endings. Money, marriage, motherhood: everything came easy---until she woke up to the ugly truth about her Prince Charming. Now a struggling, single mom and stranded by a flat tire, Carissa's pondering her mistakes when a vaguely familiar knight rides to her rescue on a ton of horsepower.

Climb on and hold tight . . . 
In high school, Carson Steele was a bad boy loner who put Carissa on a pedestal where she stayed far beyond his reach. Today, he's the hard-bodied biker known only as Joker, and from the way Carissa's acting, it's clear she's falling fast. While catching her is irresistible, knowing what to do with her is a different story. A good girl like Carissa is the least likely fit with the Chaos Motorcycle Club. Too bad holding back is so damned hard. Now, as Joker's secrets are revealed and an outside threat endangers the club, Joker must decide whether to ride steady with Carissa---or ride away forever.


Why am I waiting for this? - Kristen Ahshley is a hit or miss for me. Some of her stories are my all-time favoruites (Motorcycle Man, For You, Lady Luck), others are a big disappointment. Furthermore, I'm in the mood for a biker romance and hope Joker and Carissa will be just as good as Tack and Kiara!

Bikers

Review: Nowhere but Here by Katie McGarry

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Nowhere but Here
Title: Nowhere but Here (Thunder Road #1)
Author: Katie McGarry
Date of publication: 26 May 2015
Genre: YA/NA romance, bikers

 Author's links:
Facebook / Website / Twitter / Goodreads
Add to Goodreads

My rating: 3 Stars


Synopsis


Seventeen-year-old Emily likes her life the way it is: doting parents, good friends, good school in a safe neighborhood. Sure, she's curious about her biological father—the one who chose life in a motorcycle club, the Reign of Terror, over being a parent—but that doesn't mean she wants to be a part of his world. But when a reluctant visit turns to an extended summer vacation among relatives she never knew she had, one thing becomes clear: nothing is what it seems. Not the club, not her secret-keeping father and not Oz, a guy with suck-me-in blue eyes who can help her understand them both. 

Oz wants one thing: to join the Reign of Terror. They're the good guys. They protect people. They're…family. And while Emily—the gorgeous and sheltered daughter of the club's most respected member—is in town, he's gonna prove it to her. So when her father asks him to keep her safe from a rival club with a score to settle, Oz knows it's his shot at his dream. What he doesn't count on is that Emily just might turn that dream upside down. 

No one wants them to be together. But sometimes the right person is the one you least expect, and the road you fear the most is the one that leads you home.

Review


I really like Ms McGarry Pushing the Limits series and I think they are some of the best realistic YA/NA stories out there. She creates truly memorable young people fighting for their place in life, figuring out who they are and what they want to be which I greatly enjoy. 

This book is similar, yet different. It's book 1 in her new YA/NA series, Thunder Road, and the blurb describes it as a mixture of Sons of Anarchy and Westside Story. Now, I have to admit that SOA is one of my favourite TV series of all times though or may be because of that, most biker romances I've read don;t really work well for me.

I was curious to see a biker's club from a teenager's perspective (OZ's family is part of the club) and I have to say that this book didn't live up to my expectations, maybe they were too high, but still.

The story is told from dual POV, Emily and Oz, it's fast paced with some elements of suspense, but tame overall as far as Motorcycle clubs go. The storyline itself  is quite complex and initially it was difficult to keep track of who is who and why things were happening the way they were.

The focus was on the bikers' world, the club business. It was all well developed and detailed but got repetitive and boring since it was all everybody was talking/doing. It read like cliche after cliche, just witht he insistence of their club and its business being legal. Things were rather tame, this being a YA/NA story the focus definitely was not on sex and violence (they were implied but not graphically presented).

Most of the characters really confused me and I didn't understand their actions or motivation. The heroine, Emily was not very likable. I understand the difficult situation she found herself in, but she came off naive and immature, further more everybody treated her like a small child all the time. The main conflict was based on this big secret everybody knew (or at least parts of it) kept from her. I really struggled to understand why everybody was so insistent on not telling her anything and I couldn't the logic behind their decisions. Why not just tell her? It's not something that can stay hidden forever. And Emily is 17 years old, your daughter, granddaughter, friend, lover, someone you care about. After all honesty is the basic element in any relationship, at least I think so.

I liked the hero, Oz, better than Emily, but still he didn't completely win me over.  He was too focused on the becoming member of Reign of Terror, at least initially he was ready to do anything to get this, including hurt Emily. I liked his character development and felt there was real depth and growth. Emily was supposed to overcome her fear but she remained detached and somewhat bland for me till the end.

I was frustrated with the way the parents acted in this story - both Emily's biological family and her adoptive father, even Oz's parents seemed rather dysfunctional.

The romance was sweet, teenage, first-time of everything love and I liked it. I enjoyed the other teenagers (Oz's friends), Rachel was a particular favourite of mine, together with Razor and Chevy and I'm curious about their stories.

Overall, not a bad NA biker story, though I expected more.

Purchase links: Amazon * Kobo * BAM * B&N * iBooks * IndieBound

My reviews of previous books by Katie McGarry:
Dare You To (Pushing the Limits #2) - 3.5 Stars
Crash Into You (Pushing the Limits #3) - 5 Stars
Red At Night - 4 Stars

Bikers

Release Day Blitz for Nowhere but Here by Katie McGarry

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Nowhere But Here RDL Banner  

We are absolutely thrilled to bring you the Release Day Launch for Katie McGarry's NOWHERE BUT HERE!I It is a Young Adult Contemporary Romance and is a part of Katie McGarry’s Thunder Road Series, published by Harlequin Teen.

Nowhere But Here - cover

Amazon * Kobo * BAM * B&N * iBooks * IndieBoundAdd it to your Goodreads!


Synopsis


Seventeen-year-old Emily likes her life the way it is: doting parents, good friends, good school in a safe neighborhood. Sure, she's curious about her biological father—the one who chose life in a motorcycle club, the Reign of Terror, over being a parent—but that doesn't mean she wants to be a part of his world. But when a reluctant visit turns to an extended summer vacation among relatives she never knew she had, one thing becomes clear: nothing is what it seems. Not the club, not her secret-keeping father and not Oz, a guy with suck-me-in blue eyes who can help her understand them both. 

Oz wants one thing: to join the Reign of Terror. They're the good guys. They protect people. They're…family. And while Emily—the gorgeous and sheltered daughter of the club's most respected member—is in town, he's gonna prove it to her. So when her father asks him to keep her safe from a rival club with a score to settle, Oz knows it's his shot at his dream. What he doesn't count on is that Emily just might turn that dream upside down. 

No one wants them to be together. But sometimes the right person is the one you least expect, and the road you fear the most is the one that leads you home.

  Hand rider on handlebars, close-up   

About the author


Katie McGarry Author Photo
Katie McGarry was a teenager during the age of grunge and boy bands and remembers those years as the best and worst of her life. She is a lover of music, happy endings, reality television, and is a secret University of Kentucky basketball fan. Katie is the author of full length YA novels, Pushing the Limits, Dare You To, Crash Into You, Take Me On,  Breaking the Rules, and Nowhere But Here and the e-novellas, Crossing the Line and Red at Night. Her debut YA novel, PUSHING THE LIMITS was a 2012 Goodreads Choice Finalist for YA Fiction, a RT Magazine's 2012 Reviewer's Choice Awards Nominee for Young Adult Contemporary Novel, a double Rita Finalist, and a 2013 YALSA Top Ten Teen Pick. DARE YOU TO was also a Goodreads Choice Finalist for YA Fiction and won RT Magazine’s Reviewer’s Choice Best Book Award for Young Adult Contemporary fiction in 2013.   

Website * Twitter * Facebook * Goodreads * Pinterest * Tumblr * Instagram


        Nowhere But Here - Teaser 1 
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Bikers

Mini Review: Salvation of Vengeance by Nancy Havilland

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Salvation of Vengeance by Nancy Haviland
Title: Salvation of Vengeance (Wanted Men #2)
Author: Nancy Haviland
Genre: Romance, bikers, mafia
Release date: 24 March 2015

Author links: Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads
Add to Goodreads

My rating: 3 Stars




Synopsis


Only something as important as her best friend’s wedding to mob boss Gabriel Moretti could allow Nika Paynne a reprieve from captivity. Her abusive husband has kept her under his thumb with footage of her beloved brother, Caleb, killing another man. But the respite from her violent life isn’t the only draw. Vincente Romani—Gabriel’s deadliest guardian—will be one of the best men at the wedding, and Nika has lingering thoughts about the fascinating mobster…covetous thoughts that may put her life in danger.

With the heartbreak he’s suffered and the brutality he effortlessly delivers, Vincente knows he’s the last person who can offer Nika a happily-ever-after. But his vow remains. He will do everything in his power to free his redhead from her violent prison—even if that means losing her forever.

In the second thrilling and passionate Wanted Men book, a dangerous line is drawn between loyalty to the mob and loyalty to one’s heart.

Review


I haven't read many mafia romance and was curious to try more. this is the second book in Wanted Men series and it can be read as a standalone but I do feel it would be better if you read book 1 first in order to meet the characters,

I did enjoy the story both in terms of romance and suspense. I'd describe the beginning as a bit overwhelming - too many characters too quickly and briefly introduced. It was difficult for me to keep track of who's who. That is where having read book 1 before comes in handy. 

Despite this, the story grabbed me from the start. Nika's sacrifice for her brother and her husband's abuse were powerfully presented giving the book a rather raw and gritty feel. The main conflict kept the suspense going strong till the very end. In fact I felt it overshadowed the love story a lot of times which is unfortunate for a romance novel.

I liked Nika for her sacrifice for her brother, she appeared weak and vulnerable but was actually determined and loyal to her family. She had issues with intimacy and trust but her attraction to Vicente was overpowering. 

Vicente had his tragic past to deal with and his relationship with Nika started with forbidden lust and moved on to protectiveness and care without losing the chemistry between them. I expected him to act more roguh and tough but I also quite liked how patient and tender he was with Nika. What annoyed me about him how he kept seeing himself as unworthy of her love, his self-doubt was too much.  

The story involved a intermix of Russian and Italian mobsters together with bikers which created a lot of tension but also brought to the fore the relationships typical for both organizations - loyalty, sense of honour and brotherhood.

Purchase links: Amazon / B&N 

Bikers

Review: Give It All by Cara McKenna

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What an intense and suspenseful ride on the wild side this book was! I enjoyed Lay It Down but Give It All got me even more emotionally invested in the story and the characters' journeys.

 Title: Give It All (Desert Dogs #2)
Author: Cara McKenna
Genre: Romantic suspense, Bikers
Release Date: 3 Feb 2015

Author's links:
Website / Twitter / Tumblr / Goodreads

My rating: 4.5 Stars
Add on Goodreads




Synopsis


Keep your friends close and your enemies closer....

Bar owner Raina Harper can’t say for sure what Duncan Welch is to her. With her small Nevada town under siege by a ruthless casino development and still reeling from a spate of murders, she knows that trusting the public face of the corporate invaders is risky to say the least. Though, damn, it’s one fine-looking face.…

Duncan may be a mercenary when it comes to getting the job done, but he’s no villain. In fact, the calculating fixer soon finds himself in the bad guys’ crosshairs, framed and facing professional ruin. To clear his name, he’ll need help from Raina and her roughneck motorcycle club, the Desert Dogs. Gaining their trust won’t be easy, and the molten sexual tension between Raina and Duncan only makes things more complicated—especially since Miah Church, Raina’s friend and ex-lover, would sooner strangle Duncan than shake his hand.

One thing’s certain, though: If they don’t deal with their incendiary attraction soon, the whole damn town might go up in flames.…

Review


This is the second book in the Desert Dog series of romantic suspense biker stories by Cara McKenna and it's an addictive read with great characters and a twisty suspense plot. 

The hero, Duncan, oh, boy, he was something else - I really hated him in the first book and when I learned that the sequel will be about him and Rain, I was anxious if and how the authro will developed his character in a convincing way for me to accept him as good enough/right for Raina. I needn't have worried. Ms McKenna not just made me accept Duncan but she basically made me fell in love with him, with his weirdness, his obsessions and pretences.

It's a very character driven story and the focus is on the journey/transformation of Duncan from the perfect emotionless almost robotic man in book 1 into a real human being with weaknesses and messy emotions. I felt deeply for Duncan and loved the person he was deep down and just let himself be in the end of the end. The relationship with Raina seemed impossible, illogical, they had nothing in common besides hot chemistry and they acted on it without too much expectations. He needed love and acceptance and the feeling of being wanted, valued, needed and Raina was not the most nurturing woman out there, at she was unwilling to open up to needing anyone, giving them more of herself than just sex. The love scenes were passionate, both rough and tender at the same time creating a sense of true intimacy, something Ms McKenna is a true master of.

Duncan and Raina went by trial and error in their relationship and there were some spectacular errors made by both sides. Apparently, a diamond bracelet given as a gift can the absolute thing to do, go figure :) On a more serious note, Ms McKernna examines the human heart, how difficult is to open up, to let ourselves feel any emotion since they could hurt us.

The suspense plot was not my favourite and I think it was the weakest element of the story. the characters and their interactions were much more interesting and well developed. I loved the glimpses of Miah and Casey.

I'm excited about the next book in the series and I hope it will be about Miah (he deserves his own HEA), though it might be about Casey, since we saw a lot of him in this book and by the looks of it things with him are pretty messed up. Meanwhile, Ms McKenna shared that she is working on a novella on Raina and Miah (back when they were together).

Recommended read for fans of romantic suspense with strong characters and focus and human relationships and matters of the heart!

Purchase links: Amazon / B&N

Check out my reviews of other books by Cara McKenna:
Her Best Laid Plans - my review

Bikers

Waiting on Wednesday: Give It All by Cara McKenna

21:30


Waiting on Wednesday is a book meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine and it features books that we are eagerly awaiting to be released.

Title: Give It All (Desert Dogs #2)
Author: Cara McKenna
Genre: Contemporary romance, Bikers

Release Date: 3 Feb 2015
Add on Goodreads
Pre-order links: Amazon / B&N





Synopsis 

Keep your friends close—and your enemies closer....

Bar owner Raina Harper can’t say for sure what Duncan Welch is to her. With her small Nevada town under siege by a ruthless casino development and still reeling from a spate of murders, she knows that trusting the public face of the corporate invaders is risky to say the least. Though, damn, it’s one fine-looking face.…

Duncan may be a mercenary when it comes to getting the job done, but he’s no villain. In fact, the calculating fixer soon finds himself in the bad guys’ crosshairs, framed and facing professional ruin. To clear his name, he’ll need help from Raina and her roughneck motorcycle club, the Desert Dogs. Gaining their trust won’t be easy, and the molten sexual tension between Raina and Duncan only makes things more complicated—especially since Miah Church, Raina’s friend and ex-lover, would sooner strangle Duncan than shake his hand.

One thing’s certain, though: If they don’t deal with their incendiary attraction soon, the whole damn town might go up in flames.…
*** *** *** 

Why am I waiting for this? - Cara McKenna is a favourite author of mine. She writes intense erotic stories which I absolutely love. The first book in this series, Lay It Down, was a 5-star read for me and I don't expect any less of this one. Duncan was not my favourite person in book 1 and I feel bad for Raina choosing him over Miah but I hope that Ms McKenna can win me over on their side.
Aaaand, Ms McKenna will be giving us a novella of Miah and Raina when they were together. I can't tell you how excited all this makes me. You can read more about this over at Wonk-o-Mance.

Bikers

Review: Lay It Down by Cara McKenna

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Title: Lay It Down (Desert Dogs #1)
Author: Cara McKenna
Date of publication: 5 Aug 2014
Genre: Romantic Suspense, Bikers

Author's links:
Website / Twitter / Tumblr  /Goodreads

My rating: 5 Stars - Recommended Read




Synopsis

Backbreaking days, wild nights, and the hard hum of steel between your thighs...

That’s a life well lived, according to the Desert Dogs—four friends who call Fortuity, Nevada, their badlands home.

Vince Grossier is the self-crowned outlaw king around here. But when Fortuity’s slick new mayor invites a casino development to town, greed isn’t far behind—and it claims Vince’s good friend as its first casualty. With the law turning a blind eye to the mysterious death, Vince must seek his own brand of justice. The pretty photographer hired by the developers might be the key to uncovering the truth. And she’s a temptation too good to pass up.

Finally free of a controlling ex, Kim Paget’s not looking to be taken for a ride—not on the back of some tattooed roughneck’s bike and definitelynot in his bed. But when she uncovers evidence supporting Vince’s suspicions of murder, Kim must entrust her safety to a man whose body threatens danger of a whole different kind.

Review

Cara McKenna is quickly becoming one of my favourite author of  romance (including erotic romance). I love her writing style and the characters she creates feel so real, yet complex and unique, that I get completely lost in them.

This is my favourite of her books that I've read so far. It's not an MC book, though some of the characters can be described as bikers. It's more of a romantic suspense set in a small, run-down town in the middle of the Nevada desert. It's not an epic love story, but a love story of discovery. He is not her type, she is not his either, yet they get together, as a one-time hook-up, which grows into an affair, then into the forever-kind of love.

The hero, Vince was a typical Cara McKenna's character - rough around the edge, a small-time criminal, fighter, yet he was honourable, loyal to his friends and family, to his town and ultimately he was on quest for justice. 

He was not romantic or gentle in his pursuit of the heroine, Kim. On the contrary, he was pushy and insistent, rather direct and blunt in expressing his desires. Yet, the relationship which developed between them took him by surprise - he developed feeling for her, feelings that were new for him - he wanted her to stay, to be his, he wanted to take care of her, to protect her, to love her. 

Their relationship was journey of revelations for her, a sort of self-discovery. Kim had been sheltered all her life, discourage from taking chances, so her stay in Fortuity and her affair with Vince was all about tasting freedom, risking her heart (and life) to experience love (life) to the fullest. I liked her a lot and it was easy for me to relate to her. He had her doubts and insecurities, yet she was curious and determined, in a way brave both in love and in helping Vince solve a murder mystery. 

My least least favourite aspect of the story was the vision/prophecy of Vince's mother. It added a different dimension to the romance (and the suspense). I felt it was down-played eventually but I'm not sure how well it fits into the rather realistic story.

Ms McKenna introduces a cast of great supporting characters around the main couple, whose stories will be feature in the next books in the series. Raina and Declan are to the in the center of the next release, and they are both rather unique and intriguing characters, especially him. He did good for Vince and his friends but I'm still not convinced of his good nature or intentions. 

The romance was honest and real, very intense and emotional which is one of the things I like the best in Ms McKenna writing. The suspense was strongly present in this book, though it didn't overshadow the love story. It did give fast pacing to the story and kept me turning the pages in a hurry to find out what happens in the end. 

There is no cliffhanger ending, Vince and Kim get a nice HFN, yet there is a lot to look forward to in the next books, both for them and for their friends (and enemies). 

It's a highly recommended read!

Purchase links: Amazon / B&N / iTunes

Here are my review of other books by Cara McKenna:

Bikers

Teaser Tuesday 66

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Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Here are the rules:

• Grab your current read 
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) or a few more “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page.

It's been a while since I've done a Teaser Tuesday post but I'm back in the game today. I'm sharing an excerpt from Lay It Down by Cara McKenna. It's a contemporary romantic suspense and I absolutely loved. It releases on today, 5 Aug. I'll be posting my review later this week.

Four days to get real good at avoiding Vince Grossier. The rest of her life to get by forgetting him.


Synopsis

Backbreaking days, wild nights, and the hard hum of steel between your thighs...

That’s a life well lived, according to the Desert Dogs—four friends who call Fortuity, Nevada, their badlands home.

Vince Grossier is the self-crowned outlaw king around here. But when Fortuity’s slick new mayor invites a casino development to town, greed isn’t far behind—and it claims Vince’s good friend as its first casualty. With the law turning a blind eye to the mysterious death, Vince must seek his own brand of justice. The pretty photographer hired by the developers might be the key to uncovering the truth. And she’s a temptation too good to pass up.

Finally free of a controlling ex, Kim Paget’s not looking to be taken for a ride—not on the back of some tattooed roughneck’s bike and definitelynot in his bed. But when she uncovers evidence supporting Vince’s suspicions of murder, Kim must entrust her safety to a man whose body threatens danger of a whole different kind.
 

Bikers

Waiting on Wednesday: Lay It Down by Cara McKenna

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Waiting on Wednesday is a book meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine and it features books that we are eagerly awaiting to be released.


Title: Lay It Down
Author: Cara McKenna
Genre: Romance, Bikers
Release Date: 5 August 2014


Pre-order: B&N / Amazon





Synopsis

Backbreaking days, wild nights, and the hard hum of steel between your thighs...

That’s a life well lived, according to the Desert Dogs—four friends who call Fortuity, Nevada, their badlands home.

Vince Grossier is the self-crowned outlaw king around here. But when Fortuity’s slick new mayor invites a casino development to town, greed isn’t far behind—and it claims Vince’s good friend as its first casualty. With the law turning a blind eye to the mysterious death, Vince must seek his own brand of justice. The pretty photographer hired by the developers might be the key to uncovering the truth. And she’s a temptation too good to pass up.

Finally free of a controlling ex, Kim Paget’s not looking to be taken for a ride—not on the back of some tattooed roughneck’s bike and definitely not in his bed. But when she uncovers evidence supporting Vince’s suspicions of murder, Kim must entrust her safety to a man whose body threatens danger of a whole different kind.

*** *** *** 

Why am I waiting for this? - One, I've a couple of Cara McKenna's previous books and I really enjoy the way she writes erotic romances. Second, I have a soft spot for biker stories and I hope this will be a good one. I already have an ARC for review and I can't wait to get to it.

Bikers

Review: Behold the Stars by Susan Fanetti

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Title: Behold the Stars (Signal Bend #2)
Author: Susan Fanetti
Date of publication: 7 Dec 2013
Genre/themes:

Author's links:
Website / Goodreads

My rating: 4 stars




Synopsis

Lawrence Ellis, with vast wealth and power, has made it known that he wants control of Signal Bend, Missouri. He is a man who always gets what he wants; there are no limits to the lengths he'll go, and he has the means to pay all manner of people to do his dirty work for him. The Night Horde MC, led by its President, Isaac Lunden, is wildly outmatched but prepared nonetheless to defend their hometown to the last man, and they are willing to do whatever they must to protect their home. Lilli Accardo, Isaac’s old lady, with her own special skills and resources, stands with them, rebelling against Isaac’s need to shield her.

After toying with them for months, Ellis loses patience for the game and rains down destruction on the Horde, their families, and the town itself. Tested to their very limits, beyond anything they could have imagined, forced to travel dark roads, the citizens of Signal Bend fight a war no one—not even they themselves—thinks they can win.

Challenged constantly from without, beset by their own inner demons, Isaac and Lilli must find the true strength within their bond. Isaac needs to protect what is his; Lilli needs to stand on her own; but they are stronger side by side.

Even in the deepest darkness, love brings hope.

NOTE: dark themes; explicit sex and violence.

Review

This is the second book in the Singal Bend series and it continues the story of Issac and Lilli and follows the Horde MC throught he attack on its town and the aftermath. 

This book had a different feel compared to the Move the Sun (my reivew). It was much more violent and the focus was not only Lilli and Issac but other members of the MC and the fate of Signal Bend. 

The writing still has the same solid, strightforward and raw beautiy we saw in book 1. The journey of the main characters in their relationship was well down and convincing. Lilli appreared weaker than before but I think it's understndable since she was so out of her element - being an old lady, living with Issac, being pregnant and on top of it all being ivolved in some horrific act of violance both as a victim herself and as a witness. 

The initial portion of the story was focused on Lilli and Isaac working things through in their relationship. There was depth to their characters and the journey they undego to their happily ever after. 

The middle section was non-stop violence and was overwhelming at times, espcially Show's story and later Lilli's encounter with Ellis. I was quite taken aback by it and wish it was toned down a little.

My main issue is not with the violance itself - it can be expected when the Horde MC is involved in drug trafficking and other illegal activities. What bothered me was that the good guys were just as merciless and brutal in their retribution as the bad guys. I liked Issac and Show and Bart and most of the Horde brothers but still they resorted far too easily to physical violence and even torture to achieve their goals. I am not a big supporter of "The end justifies the means" philosophy.

Final qaurter of th story took us back to the personal level of things and focused on Isaac and Lilli's relationship again. There was some painful moments and some heart-warming oneswhich left me with tears in my eyes. I liked that things worked out for everyone in the end but if felt too good to be true. It can't be that easy for former criminals and people who were forced to do or be involved in acts of cruelty and violance suddenly become upstanding citizens and just forget everything that happened before. It took away from the realistic nature of the rest of the story.

The next book in the series, Into the Storm, tells Show's story and after suffering the ultimate loss, he deserves happiness more than anyone else in this series.

Bikers

Teaser Tuesday 51

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Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Here are the rules:

• Grab your current read 
• Open to a random page 
• Share two (2) or a few more “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page 
• Be careful not the include spoilers!

My teaser this week comes from Behold the Stars by Susan Fanetti. It's a biker romance/thriller and it's the second book in the Signal Bend series. It can't be read as a standalone since it continues with the story of the main couple from book 1, Move the Sun (my review). I just finished Behold the Stars and it was an intense read, quite brutal at times but it had its tender moments, as well. I will be reviewing it later this week.

Here is the teaser:
... He'd been rocked on Christmas morning to discover how scared, how scarred, his warrior woman was. He'd known that she wasn't all right - he could feel it like a low-voltage current under everything she said and did, especially when she thought he wasn't watching - he'd had no idea how high the voltage was in her head.


Behold the Stars - Susan Fanetti

Synopsis

Lawrence Ellis, with vast wealth and power, has made it known that he wants control of Signal Bend, Missouri. He is a man who always gets what he wants; there are no limits to the lengths he'll go, and he has the means to pay all manner of people to do his dirty work for him. The Night Horde MC, led by its President, Isaac Lunden, is wildly outmatched but prepared nonetheless to defend their hometown to the last man, and they are willing to do whatever they must to protect their home. Lilli Accardo, Isaac’s old lady, with her own special skills and resources, stands with them, rebelling against Isaac’s need to shield her.

After toying with them for months, Ellis loses patience for the game and rains down destruction on the Horde, their families, and the town itself. Tested to their very limits, beyond anything they could have imagined, forced to travel dark roads, the citizens of Signal Bend fight a war no one—not even they themselves—thinks they can win.

Challenged constantly from without, beset by their own inner demons, Isaac and Lilli must find the true strength within their bond. Isaac needs to protect what is his; Lilli needs to stand on her own; but they are stronger side by side.

Even in the deepest darkness, love brings hope.

NOTE: dark themes; explicit sex and violence.


Bikers

Review: Move the Sun by Susan Fanetti

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Title: Move the Sun (Signal Bend #1)
Author: Susan Fanetti
Date of publication: 4 Dec 2013
Genre/themes: Romance, Bikers
Author's links:
Website / Goodreads

My rating: 4 stars





Synopsis

Lilli Accardo moves to the dying town of Signal Bend, Missouri, where the citizens have made a devil’s bargain to stay afloat. Lilli quickly garners the attention of the whole town, particularly Isaac Lunden, President of the Night Horde Motorcycle Club and de facto protector of the town and its citizens. When it turns out that Lilli is there under murky circumstances, Isaac decides to get close and try to figure out what she’s hiding. Their chemistry is instantaneous and electric, but each is a potential danger to the other. Action, sex, and drama ensue as Isaac and Lilli try to navigate the rocky terrain between trust and threat. Note: Explicit sex and violence.

Review

The biker books are really popular at the moment and it feels like a new one is published everyday. I've only read, Motorcycle Man by Kristen Ashley and it's one of my favourite books of hers.

After reading some great reviews of Ms Fanetti's book and decided to give it try and I'm more than happy I did. It can definitely rival Motorcycle Man in my affection, though the writing style of the two books is completely different.

Move the Sun is more than just a biker romance. It's a vividly told story of love and trust, honor and justice. It has a strong Sons of Anarchy and Justified vibe, and since I'm a fan of both TV series, I liked it a lot.

On the surface it is just another biker book - there is violence and illegal activities, sexy bad boys and easy women and ultimately true love. What makes this story stand apart are the well developed main characters, especially the heroine. Lilli is not your typical good girl falling for the bad boy biker. She isn't your typical bad girl, either. She is an ex-soldier, strong and smart, completely alone after losing her family, but she is comfortable in her skin and she knows what she wants and  doesn't hesitate to goes after it.

Issac is more predictable than her -  president of an MC club, de facto leader and protector of his city. He has a softer side, though - he cares for his people, his town and comes to care most of all for Lilli. He is no stranger to violence and his adherence to the principle of the end justifies the means, didn't sit very well with me.

They are a perfect match - strong, challenging each other but accepting the other with his/her baggage and issues. I think that they really formed a strong relationship, by overcoming issues of trust and choosing to be together against all odds.

I liked how the author created the perfect atmosphere of a dying small rural town. In succinct and a bit melancholic style Ms Fanetti  manages to build the right settings for her story to develop - the town, the crafts fair, the Horde MC - they all had a character of their own.

The story flows very well, the writing is smooth and engaging. I liked how the plot is developed through flashbacks to Lilli's past. There was a good mix of romance (hot love scenea where the sex was on the rough side) and suspense. I found a minor loophole in the plotline of Lilli's mission but it didn't bother me too much.

Technically the book doesn't end with a cliffhanger in terms of Isaac and Lilli's relationship. Still, the whole story works as a build up for a certain conflict and it's all left to play out in the next book in the series, where Issac and Lilli are again the main characters.

I generally think this is a great biker story that got me deeply invested in the characters, despite the questionable morality of some of their actions. I will be continuing with the next book, Behold the Stars, as soon as possible. 

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