HERE WITH ME by New York Times Bestselling author Heidi McLaughlin will be released in just 2 weeks (on October 23rd!)! Today we have a few teasers from the book and a bio teaser for Evan Archer.
Synopsis for HERE WITH ME:
Ryley Clarke has grown up with the military in her blood, with both parents serving their country. Ryley knows the risks of being married to the military. But when the unthinkable happens, and her future husband is killed in action, Ryley can barely survive… until Evan’s twin brother, Nate, helps her pick up the pieces.
After serving on a special mission with the military for six years, Evan Archer returns home to find the unthinkable – the love of his life, Ryley Clarke – engaged to his brother, Nate. With Nate on deployment, Evan needs to figure out what happened in his absence, and more importantly, how to win Ryley back from the man he once considered his best friend, but now thinks of as his rival.
Heidi is a New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author.
Originally from the Pacific Northwest, she now lives in picturesque Vermont, with her husband and two daughters. Also renting space in their home is an over-hyper Beagle/Jack Russell and two Parakeets.
During the day Heidi is behind a desk talking about Land Use. At night, she’s writing one of the many stories planned for release or sitting court-side during either daughter’s basketball games.
Twenty-one years ago, Gabriella’s life was stolen from her before it even began.
Orphaned at birth and encompassed in a fortress of lies to protect her identity, she never truly understood her purpose on this earth. But now that she has ascended, embracing her destiny, the ghosts of her past have come back to haunt her.
Even with insurmountable power running through her veins, part of Gabriella is irreparably broken. And with old enemies working to destroy the tiny shred of normalcy she has left, she’ll be forced to face the ugly truth about Dorian, the man she chose to love despite his darkness.
Everything she loved is a lie, and everyone she thought she knew is a stranger. And now that Gabriella is about to be thrust into the battle of her life, she discovers that she may be fighting for the wrong side.
*This is book 3 of The Dark Light Series, the highly anticipated conclusion to Gabriella and Dorian’s beautifully tragic love story.
Excerpt
I finally turn to Dorian to find him naked and so close that my breasts press against the top of his abs. My lips part automatically, but he doesn’t kiss me. He never gives me what I want—just what I need.
“You want to explain that look earlier?” he deadpans looking down at me, his voice low and sinister.
“What look?” I slide my hands up onto his shoulders, yet he still doesn’t touch me.
“Between you and my brother. And don’t lie. I know when you lie. And it will just make it worse for you.”
Without looking him in the eye, I give him a carefree smile. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Suit yourself.”
He’s kissing me hungrily, angrily, painfully before I even know what’s happening. His greedy hands cup my breasts, so swollen for him, and pinch my nipples hard enough to leave a lingering sting. I yelp into his mouth and he nips my bottom lip with his teeth.
“Hurts, doesn’t it?” he rasps, pulling away just enough to utter the words. He doesn’t even give me a chance to answer before he’s kissing me again, smothering my little whimper and whines with his lips and tongue.
Still devouring my resistance, he parts my thighs and cups my sex possessively, as if he’s holding a rare jewel in the palm of his hand. Then, without warning or provocation, he sinks two fingers inside of me to the knuckle.
“What are you doing, Dorian?” I manage to gasp against his demanding lips.
He looks at me—wild with lust or fury or both. I feel myself grow hotter and a bead of sweat trails its way between my breasts. Dorian doesn’t even think about it. He bends his head and licks the salty droplet, his tongue not stopping until his lips are at my jaw. His voice is gruffer than I have ever heard it and it frightens and entices me. “Reminding you.”
I blink once…twice…before good sense returns. “Of what?”
He eases his fingers out slowly, those pale blue eyes lit with passion trained on me, before pushing them back in to the hilt. “Who owns this.”
His face is buried in my neck in the next second and he inhales deeply, breathing me & fingering me all at once. Bringing us both to heaven with such deviant acts. I try to swallow my screams as his skillful fingers beckon my orgasm, commanding I come for him, but he won’t have it. His other hand fists a handful of my hair and pulls so hard that my head snaps back, ensuring that I can see him and only him.
S.L. Jennings is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling author of contemporary and paranormal romance, reality TV junkie, obsessive coffee drinker and collector of crazy.
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Wait for You and Be with Me comes a daring tale that pushes boundaries . . .
At 21, Calla hasn’t done a lot of things. She’s never been kissed, never seen the ocean, never gone to an amusement park. But growing up, she witnessed some things no child ever should. She still carries the physical and emotional scars of living with a strung-out mother, Mona—secrets she keeps from everyone, including her close circle of college friends.
But the safe cocoon Calla has carefully built is shattered when she discovers her mom has stolen her college money and run up a huge credit card debt in her name. Now, Calla has to go back to the small town she thought shed left behind and clean up her mom’s mess again. Of course, when she arrives at her mother’s bar, Mona is nowhere to be found. Instead, six feet of hotness named Jackson James is pouring drinks and keeping the place humming.
Sexy and intense, Jax is in Calla’s business from they moment they meet, giving her a job and helping her search for Mona. And the way he looks at her makes it clear he wants to get horizontal . . . and maybe something more. Before Calla can let him get close, though, she’s got to deal with the pain of the past—and some very bad guys out to mess her up if she doesn’t give them her mom.
As I lay there, trying to swallow a loud, obnoxious yawn, I remembered something he’d said when we first met, about life being too short. I imagined he had firsthand experience with shortened lives while he was serving. That mentality came from experience. I got that now. Could even understand it, but there was something I didn’t understand.
“Why?” I asked.
There was a beat. “Why what?”
Jax sounded tired, and I should shut up or point out that I was now tired and could sleep, so he could leave. But I didn’t. “Why are you here? You don’t know me and . . .” I trailed off, because there really wasn’t anything left to say.
A minute went by, and he hadn’t answered my question, and then I think another minute ticked on, and I was okay with him not answering because maybe he didn’t even know. Or maybe he was just bored and that was why he was here.
But then he moved.
Jax pressed against my back, and the next breath I took got stuck in my throat. My eyes shot open. The sheet and blanket were between us, but they felt like nothing.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
“Getting comfortable.” He dropped an arm over my waist, and my entire body jerked against his. “It’s time to sleep I think.”
“But—”
“You can’t sleep when you talk,” he remarked.
“You don’t need to be all up on me,” I pointed out.
His answering chuckle stirred the hair along the back of my neck. “Honey, I’m not all up on you.”
I freaking begged to differ on that point. I started to wiggle away, but the arm around my waist tightened, holding me in place.
“You’re not going anywhere,” he announced casually, as if he wasn’t holding me prisoner in the bed.
Okay. The whole prisoner thing might be melodramatic, but he wasn’t letting me up. Not when he was getting all kinds of comfy behind me.
Oh my God, this was spooning. Total spooning. I was spooning with an honorary member of the Hot Guy Brigade. Did I wake up in a parallel universe?
“Sleep,” he demanded, as if the one word carried that much power. “Go to sleep, Calla.” This time his voice was softer, quieter.
“Yeah, it doesn’t work that way, Jax. You have a nice voice, but it doesn’t hold the power to make me sleep on your command.”
He chuckled.
I rolled my eyes, but the most ridiculous thing ever was the fact that after a couple of minutes, my eyes stayed shut. I . . . I actually settled in against him. With his front pressed to my back, his long legs cradling mine, and his arm snug around my waist, I actually did feel safe. More than that, I felt something else—something I hadn’t felt in years.
I felt cared for . . . cherished.
Which was the epitome of dumb, because I barely knew him, but feeling that, recognizing what the warm, buzzing feeling was, I fell right asleep.
Michel’s Review
Stay With Me by J. Lynn is another fine addition to the Wait For You series. It delivered an emotional romance that brought me to tears. This story showed readers the true meaning of unconditional love. It redefined the term “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder”. It also showed how building ones self esteem and confidence can heal more than the wounded soul.
Stay With Me is quite different from the other books in Wait For You series. Unlike the other books, this book takes place off campus. It also has an edgier plot that has some violence. The background and undertones of this book are bit darker than campus life. It depicts the ugly underside of a failing small town. But in all it’s darkness the characters make this book shine brightly.
Calla has endured many ugly things in her young life. Her mother is a junkie and has brought the dregs of society into her home too many times. Calla finally thought she escaped her mother for good when she left for college. Her mother has managed to pull her back when she takes all of her college money and runs up her credit cards. Calla is forced to return home to get her money back.
When she arrives home, not only has her money gone missing, her mother has gone missing as well. Left destitute, she cannot return to college. She is forced to take a job as a waitress in the family bar. She is dreading going back to that hole in the wall where she spent many of her childhood years. But like most things in life, the bar has changed since she has been gone. It no longer seems as seedy as it once was. There is a better crew running the place in her mother’s absence. One of these people is the sexy bartender Jax.
Jax sends her world spinning with his sexy flirting, genuine concern, protectiveness, and fun personality. He gives her a chance to let her guard down and be the person she really is. He gives her the hope that she can finally find a real boyfriend, experience a real kiss, and maybe find a love loyal to her.
Jax fell for Calla the moment she walked through the door. She is the kind of girl he has been waiting for to share his life. He wants to see Calla healthy, happy, and at peace. He knows her history, he knows how her mother is, he knows the demons she fights, and he loves her all the more for it.
Calla’s mother has severely scarred Calla emotionally and physically. She has ruined their lives. She has brought trouble to Calla’s doorstep when she skipped town with Calla’s money. Her mother has buried herself deep with the dregs of society. She has burned the wrong people. She has stole drugs from the wrong people. They want their money back. They don’t care how they get it, who they hurt, or what consequences will be paid. They want retribution. That retribution is Calla. Jax will do everything in his power to protect Calla from her mother’s enemies. It looks like the only thing that is going to save them both is the reappearance of her mother. No one is holding their breaths.
Through all the threats and violence, Calla and Jax will find a love filled with beauty.
Stay With Me was loaded with suspense and mystery. It also had all the elements we love in a new adult romance. The wonder of new love, the recognition of self worth, and finding the inner strength to build a better life. Some of the old characters from the series put in their appearances and we met quite a few new intriguing characters.
I highly recommend Stay With Me. It can be read as a stand alone novel or in series order.
Jennifer L. Armentrout/J.Lynn Bio:
# 1 NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki.
Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her book Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture and her Covenant Series has been optioned for TV.
She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.
His life was never easy. Hers wasn’t supposed to be this hard. They come from different worlds, but fate lures them together in a way neither expected in Cecy Robson’s raw, steamy series debut—perfect for fans of Monica Murphy and J. Lynn.
Evelyn Preston’s future once looked perfect—until her wealthy father was caught in an embezzlement scandal and took his own life. Alone and struggling to pay her college tuition and bills, Evelyn finds a job as a waitress at the ultra-hip nightclub Excess, where she used to have more in common with the privileged private-school clientele than her fellow staff members. But something attracts her to the sexy six-foot-four bouncer and underground MMA fighter Mateo Tres Santos. Although they’ve led different lives, their troubled pasts bonds them in both survival and love.
Mateo is ex-army who wound up in prison for assaulting the man who harmed his sister. Now he’s feeling the same protective impulse for this petite blond waitress. When Evelyn experiences a panic attack at the club, Mateo comes to her rescue. And when Mateo is wounded shielding her from a brawl, Evelyn returns the favor and comes to his aid.
As their attraction intensifies, Mateo is determined to find out what nightmares are lurking in Evelyn’s past—even if that means tackling his own to save her.
Evelyn: the Riches-to-Rags cocktail waitress. She was once one of the social and financial elite then became a pauper when her father’s embezzlement scandal surfaced, the IRS confiscated everything, he committed suicide, any remaining family disowned her & her so-called friends dumped her. Now she’s struggling through school loans, trying to get a degree and pay the bills by waitressing in one of the most elite nightclubs in Philly – Excess.
Mateo: the head bouncer at Excess. Mateo was a stellar soldier in the Army until, while on leave, he nearly beat a man to death in the heat of passion. Dishonorably discharged and sentenced to prison, Mateo did his time. Now, he participates in the underground fighting circuit and is the lead bouncer at Excess.
Once Perfect is written in a first-person (Evelyn’s) POV style.
Mateo and Evelyn had both had a less-than-ideal upbringing for different reasons & their family issues play a huge role in the development of the story. Learning to accept and understand one another’s differences is the biggest challenge.
The characters are multifaceted. The plot flows smoothly. I was a little disappointment with the lack of dimension & wished for a little more conflict or plot diversity. I really enjoyed the secondary characters & find myself wondering what will become of several of them, BUT I did not care for the continuous racial jabs between friends.
Michel’s Review
I thoroughly enjoyed this new adult romance by Cecy Robson. I liked the originality of the characters backgrounds and family. Both of the characters had less than stellar family lives and upbringings. Although their experiences are on opposite sides of the spectrum. But opposites attract , Mateo and Evelyn prove this in sexy romance.
The chemistry between Mateo and Evelyn is sizzling. Their passion is contagious.
I thoroughly enjoyed Once Perfect and would recommend it to other readers. I am looking for some of the secondary characters to have their own book.
Go read Once Perfect by Cecy Robson
Author Bio:
Cecy (pronounced SESSY) Robson is the Penguin Random House New Adult author of Once Perfect, Once Loved, and Once Pure and the award-winning author of the Weird Girls Urban Fantasy Romance series. A self-proclaimed professional napper, Cecy counts among her talents a jaw-dropping knowledge of useless trivia, the ability to make her hair big, and a knack for breaking into song despite her family’s vehement protests. A writer, registered nurse, and mother living in the South, Cecy enjoys spending time with her family and silencing the yappy characters in her head by telling their stories.
The one time he broke that rule, he killed the woman that was carrying his child.
Then comes Baylee Roberts. She makes Sebastian want to break every single rule he’d ever implemented. Hell, but she even makes him consider that dreaded H word. A helmet.
To My…
Baylee Roberts innocently walked into her bathroom never expecting that she’d find a man in there. It is her bathroom after all, and she lives alone.
From the instant he placed his hat on her head to protect her from the sun, Baylee’s mind becomes filled with thoughts of a certain biker.
She really shouldn’t go there. There’s no telling what kind of dangerous things he does for The Dixie Wardens MC.
Siren…
Nothing is ever as easy as it should be. Their relationship’s one of them.
Baylee’s brother is a cop. Baylee’s father is a cop. Which inevitably means that Baylee’s going to have certain hang-ups about being with a man like himself.
Sebastian has a lot on his plate with his busy job as a firefighter, a single father, and the vice president of The Dixie Wardens MC.
Not enough, though, to keep him away from Baylee.
When a series of arsons rattle their hometown and puts Sebastian’s life on the line, Baylee finally realizes the only fire Sebastian can’t put out is the one inside her heart.
From the moment that Baylee Roberts walks into her bathroom and found a man, literally with his pants down, life got a whole lot more interesting. Meeting Sebastian, hot guy, firefighter, and vice president of the Dixie Wardens motorcycle club, is about to change Baylee’s world in ways that she could not have anticipated.
LIGHTS TO MY SIREN is the first book in Lani Lynn Vale’s ‘The Heroes of the Dixie Wardens MC series.’ I have to admit that I have not read many MC books, but found this to be a nice introduction. Sebastian and all of his MC/firefighter brothers are hot and loyal, and, in a twist on the MC ideology, at least from my perspective, different in that they are out there doing good in the community, as well as performing their own brand of justice. They, along with Baylee, Winter, and the rest of Lani’s characters, are fun and well-defined, and the action is non-stop. And, while the chemistry between Baylee and Sebastian is explosive, their growing love for each other burns just as hot.
I enjoyed this introduction to Lani and her writing, and look forward to reading future books in this series.
Author Bio:
I am a married mom of three. I’m in school for my BSN. I’m an avid reader and go through books like candy. Romance books are my vice, and you will never catch me not reading something. I’ve had Boomtown’s story floating around in my brain for some time, and finally decided to just go ahead and write it.
Jack Rossi is Dare Island’s new police chief. The laid-back North Carolina community is just what he needs to recover from a rocky marriage and a big-city police department. He’s learned his lesson: no more high-profile women or high-pressure jobs. The last thing he wants is an unconventional alt girl rocking his world.
Grad student Lauren Patterson made headlines when she kept a bank robbery from going bad. She’s fled to Dare Island to clear her head and focus on writing her story. However, sexy Jack Rossi is a distraction that’s too hot to ignore, and it’s igniting an affair too combustible to resist—or quit.
Jack Rossi, Philadelphia born and bred, is a cop and military veteran. Reeling from the ultimate betrayal, Jack has relocated to Dare Island, NC, trading a high profile professional life in his hometown for one where his duties revolve more around making sure that vacationers abide by traffic laws and finding out what is making the noise under Dora Abrams’ house. Lauren Patterson is a grad student and bestselling author. She’s come to Dare Island to try and find the inspiration to write the follow-up to her bestselling book Hostage Girl, and to escape the pressure of living a life under the magnifying glass of the public eye. And, while these two people have, at first glance, very little in common, it isn’t long before they find that they may be just exactly what the other needs.
I really enjoyed this book. I have to admit that I had no real idea of what to expect beforehand, having never read any of the previous books in the Dare Island series. What a pleasure to learn that Virginia Kantra writes such a great story, one that truly engaged me from the first page. The setting, the characters, the relationships, all of these things together made Carolina Blues a winner for me. Jack is jaded and just a little bitter, but not so closed off that he can’t recognize that Lauren’s openness and free spirit make him feel things that he thought he’d never feel again. And Lauren, although she talks a good game, is in need of some of the therapeutic wisdom that she so freely dispenses, and Jack is able to meet that need in every possible way.
I am a big fan of books that are not only sexy, but that bring a fresh take on things, and tell a story that makes me want to be a part of it. The community of Dare Island, and all its residents and their stories, make Carolina Blue, and the rest of this series, one that I would not only read, but would absolutely recommend.
Author Bio:
New York Times bestselling author Virginia Kantra has written over twenty books of contemporary romance, romantic suspense, and paranormal romance. Her deeply emotional stories have won numerous writing awards, including Romance Writers of America’s RITA Award and two National Readers’ Choice Awards. Married to her college sweetheart and the mother of three kids, she is a firm believer in the strength of family, the importance of storytelling, and the power of love.
Her favorite thing to make for dinner? Reservations.
The world knows the notorious Kevlar Killer, but few have ever seen what lies beneath his armor. The abused child. The neglected teenager. The broken man. He always did whatever he had to do in order to survive.
It’s kill or be killed.
Throughout his life, he has been there in the shadows, a witness to everything from beginning to end. Bound by loyalty and honor, there’s only one thing he would sacrifice it all for: family.
Never get close. Never get attached. It’s a lesson that has been brutally pounded into him since childhood, but they’re words the DeMarcos make it difficult for him to follow. Through them he finds love and grieves loss, realizing the world isn’t quite as black and white as it’s made out to be.
Made.
Teaser Excerpt
The low groan on the first floor roused Corrado from sleep. His eyes snapped open, suddenly alert, as the relentless noise seemed to echo through the house. A window. He often slept with them open a crack to let the air circulate, but someone shoved one open the whole way.
His heart thumped wildly in his chest as he reached onto his bedside stand and grabbed his gun. He habitually checked it, ensuring it was still loaded, and jumped out of bed. There was no time to waste getting dressed; he crept down the hallway in his plaid boxers, his bare feet lightly touching the floor, making not a sound.
The second he made it downstairs, a breeze struck him from the living room. A few steps later he appeared in the doorway, pointing his gun at the form halfway through the window. He flipped off the safety as his finger lightly touched the trigger. Two seconds. Two seconds were all it would take to blow them away.
A pair of wide brown eyes instantly met Corrado’s. “Whoa, there, big guy.”
Just as fast as he’d aimed, prepared to kill whoever was breaking into his house, he lowered the gun. “Dammit, Celia!”
“Nice to see you, too.” She swung both legs inside but remained perched on the windowsill. “You weren’t really going to shoot me, were you?”
“Yes,” he said, no hesitation. “I was.”
“Well, I’m lucky you didn’t.”
“Lucky?” Corrado stared at her with disbelief. “I would’ve shot you, Celia. Two more seconds and I would’ve killed you. And then your father… your father would’ve killed me.”
“Yeah, he probably would’ve.”
“There’s no probably about it. He would’ve mutilated me. You… you wouldn’t have felt a thing. But me…” He shuddered just thinking about it. “What are you doing here? Are you in some kind of trouble?”
“I wanted to talk to you.”
Corrado gaped at her. “You broke into my house to talk?”
“Well, I would’ve called, but I don’t have your number.” Celia stood and strolled around the darkened living room, glancing at his belongings. “Besides, something tells me you’re not the talking-on-the-phone type.”
Novellas:
FRIENDS:
One moment.
One wrong choice.
That was all it took to destroy a friendship.
*takes place before Sempre*
FOREVER:
Halloween.
With a three year old.
‘Nuff said.
*takes place after Sempre: Redemption*
Author Bio:
JM Darhower is the author of countless stories and poems, most of which only she has ever read. She lives in a tiny town in rural North Carolina, where she churns out more words than will ever see the light of day. She has a deep passion for politics and speaking out against human trafficking, and when she isn’t writing she’s usually ranting about those things. Chronic crimper with a vulgar mouth, she admits to having a Twitter addiction. You can find her there.
It’s time!!! Jennifer L. Armentrout’s FALL WITH ME cover is here! And you are going to love it! This New Adult Contemporary Romance in Armentrout’s With You Saga is the 4th book in the series, and is being published by Avon Romance, an imprint of HarperCollins. You should definitely add it to your Goodreads now.
Eleven months ago, bartender and weird-shirt-wearing extraordinaire Roxy and Officer Reece Anders had a one night stand. Well, kind of. She’s been in love with him since she was fifteen, and he wishes that night they shared never happened. She’s sworn him off forever, but the past and future collide, forcing her to rely on the one man who broke her heart not once, but twice.
Her best friend since birth has been in a long-term care facility since he became a victim of a hate crime years ago, and the person who put him in there is out of prison and wanting to make amends with him and Roxy. She’s not sure she has room for forgiveness in her and when she begins to receive frightening messages and is on the receiving end of escalating violence, she thinks she knows who is to blame. The man who already destroyed one life already.
But Reece isn’t convinced. The threats are too personal, and even if Roxy doesn’t believe him, he’s not willing to let anyone hurt her. Including himself. He’s already messed up more than once when it comes to Roxy and he’s not going to let history repeat itself.
# 1 NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki.
Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her book Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture and her Covenant Series has been optioned for TV.
She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.
Deacon has an ugly history, a history that broke him, leaving him a ghost of a man. Out of necessity, he left the normal world to descend into the criminal world and found he fit. So he stayed. Cold as ice and living off the grid, Deacon has no intention to connect, not with anyone.
Then he returns to some remote cabins in the Colorado Mountains and finds they have new owners. One of them is Cassidy Swallow, a young woman willing to work hard to live her quiet dream in a house by a river surrounded by aspen and pine.
Suddenly, Deacon finds he’s at war. Cassidy’s pull for him to connect is strong. He fights it, but he loses, always coming back for more. But when he does, he gives her nothing.
From the first time she sees him, Cassidy knows Deacon is dead inside. She knows he’s the kind of man who could destroy a woman. But one night when Deacon’s control slips, Cassidy takes a chance.
He might break her. He also might be her dream come true.
The Unfinished Heroes are back. Kristen Ashley’s rugged alphas that live on the edge, live by their own laws, and contain the dredges of the underworld have stolen the reader’s hearts. Throughout the series, there has been one of those alphas that has stood out among these bad boys. His air of mystery, intrigue, lack of emotions, unfathomable personality, and expertise in the dregs of humanity have had the reader’s in love with him before he uttered one word. We have been anxiously waiting for Deacon to open his mouth and tell us his story. We have been waiting to embrace this badass alpha and give him the love he desperately needs. It looks like Cassidy Swallow beat us to it and she is not letting Deacon go.
Deacon is quite a surprise. I don’t think any of us could see the man he kept behind closed doors. I can honestly say that I am head over heels in love with this man. He has one of the most beautiful souls. When he finally opened up his closed doors the sunshine he let out was blinding. The pure radiance of Deacon will warm the readers through and through. How can you not love a man that cleans gutters, BBQ’s, and uses songs that speak of the emotions he’s feeling?
What could bring the true Deacon out of hiding and appear to be an open book? Cassidy Swallow of course. She is a strong independent, caring, yet vulnerable woman that has always showed Deacon that the sun shines even on the dreariest day. He has been coming to her rental cabins for six years on his down time. Throughout these six years, she has stayed consistent with her bright personality, quit wit, and acceptance. She doesn’t push him to open up but leaves the invitation open at all times. She always makes him feel welcome.
When these two finally come together after skirting around each other for six years it is HOT! They are perfection together. They build a strong and steady relationship that not only burns passionately, but is also built on a foundation of acceptance and trust. Their passionate need for one another will have the readers fanning themselves. Their charming relationship will have the readers swooning. They may appear to have the perfect relationship but Deacon is still keeping some secrets. Those secrets will eventually tear them apart. Deacon will have to let go of all his secrets in order to have the sunshine in his life that only Cassidy can give.
Of course the badass alpha gang will make their appearance and lead the Unfinished Heroes into another adventure. It looks like Nick has dug himself into a hole. With that, Kristen Ashley left us dangling and dying for Nick’s book.
Deacon had all the special elements that only Kristen Ashley can conjure up. Her alphas with their badass personalities and unique charm never fail to have the reader’s falling hard. Her lovely leading ladies are strong women with enough humor to handle these badass alphas.
The one thing I will say is that the tone in this book was not overly original. It had the same kind of voice that all the other books have had. I found quite a bit of the dialogue and interaction predictable. The pacing was a bit dragging in areas. This book did not have the suspense and action that the other Unfinished Heroes books have had. Also some of the kinkier sex scenes were very awkward. They felt kind of mechanical rather than passionate. I don’t think Kristen Ashley has found her zone in writing this kind of kinky sex scene. There was something off in each of these scenes that just didn’t make my tummy tingle.
Because of these things I could not give the book a five star rating. I was expecting a little more originality and growth in the writing.
I still enjoyed the book. I love Deacon and Cassidy. I closed the book with the tingly feel good smile that Kristen Ashley always delivers. I would highly recommend the book and the Unfinished Heroes series. It will charm your soul.
Author Bio:
Kristen Ashley was born in Gary, Indiana, USA and nearly killed her mother and herself making it into the world, seeing as she had the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck (already attempting to accessorise and she hadn’t taken her first breath!). Her mother said they took Kristen away, put her Mom back in her room, her mother looked out the window, and Gary was on fire (Dr. King had been assassinated four days before). Kristen’s Mom remembered thinking it was the end of the world. Quite the dramatic beginning.
Nothing’s changed.
Kristen grew up in Brownsburg, Indiana and has lived in Denver, Colorado and the West Country of England. Thus, she’s blessed to have friends and family around the globe. Her family was (is) loopy (to say the least) but loopy is good when you want to write. They all lived together on a very small farm in a small farm town in the heartland. She grew up with Glenn Miller, The Everly Brothers, REO Speedwagon and Whitesnake (and the wardrobes that matched).
Needless to say, growing up in a house full of music, clothes and love was a good way to grow up.
And as she keeps growing, it keeps getting better.
Psychologist Mia Richards wants revenge. Her new client, tattooed Cole “Shank” Shepherd, provides the perfect means. She just has to manipulate the felon-turned-informant into eliminating her husband’s killers—members of Cole’s rival motorcycle club. The first step, seducing Cole, is simple. As for walking away before she falls hard—it’s already too late.…
Dirty Eleven practically raised Cole, and he plans to double-cross the cops rather than sell them out. But smart, sexy Mia is an irresistible distraction. While she’s evaluating his mind, all he can think about is her body… until he discovers her true intentions. Walking a fine line between desire and betrayal, they’ll have to outrun her past, his enemies and the law for a love that’s dangerously real.
Wow, Riding Dirty was a complete surprise. I was expecting the typical type of biker romance that we have all come to love. Biker Romances that can either have the reader fully engaged or throwing the book across the room because of the ridiculous portrayal’s of the MC life. What Riding Dirty gave the readers was unique. Yes, the main character is a lifer in the Dirty Eleven MC. But this book did not revolve around the Dirty Eleven MC and their club activities. The Dirty Eleven MC played a crucial role in the plot but was not the main focus. Riding Dirty focused on the individual member himself and his life. This book portrayed how the Dirty Eleven MC molded Cole “Shank” Shephard from childhood to present day. We saw how he evolved from a wild teenager to an enforcer and officer in the Dirty Eleven. We saw how not only was he related to the president of the Dirty Eleven MC, but was also part of the brotherhood that embraced their own codes of living. We also saw how this kind of living has damaged Cole’s life and tarnished his soul. We also get to see how Cole evolves from a ruthless, lawless man to a man that wants a very different kind of life. After years of imprisonment, Cole wants a new life with intimacy, commitment, peace, and meaningful purpose. But once you are part of the brotherhood, the only ticket out is death or expulsion. Cole struggles with his new desires and turning his back on the only family he has ever loved. This time the choice has been taken out of his hands and has forced him to choose life or death. He is forced by the DA to become an informant against the Dirty Eleven or stay in prison and face death from the club’s enemies. Cole craves his freedom and wants to live.
Mia Richards is a forensic psychologist. For the past three years she has been living under an assumed identity and in the WITSEC program. She survived a home invasion that resulted in the murder of her husband. She was presumed dead and is the only witness that can identify the perpetrators. The perpetrators are presumed to be a rival MC club to the Dirty Eleven. Mia has been waiting patiently to extract revenge for her husband’s death. The opportunity arises when she is assigned to counsel Cole Shephard for the DA. She sees this as an opportunity to extract this revenge by using Cole Shephard as her weapon. She knows he has a soft spot for women and an extreme hatred towards the White Lightening MC. She carefully plans to manipulate Cole through seduction to kill her husband’s murders.
Once the counseling sessions begin, everything changes. Mia begins to see Cole as an individual. He is a man with intelligence, compassion, quick wit, a true desire for redemption, and complete honesty. He owns his crimes, life of violence, and his personal shortcomings. She finds herself attracted to him after living emotionally numb for the past three years. She can no longer use Cole to extract her revenge.
Mia and Cole can’t deny their attraction to one another. They begin a secret relationship that is sensual, passionate, and erotic. They cling to one another while their world tumbles into complete chaos. Mia’s secrets will come out. Cole will have to make a choice he didn’t want to make. The DA will stop at nothing to bring down the White Lightening MC and Dirty Eleven MC. The Dirty Eleven secret dirty dealings will be exposed. All hell is about to break loose. Cole and Mia are right in the middle of it all.
This book was a dark erotic romance. There are quite a few sexually explicit scenes, including a F/F/M ménage scene. There is a lot of violence and explicit language.
The writing was flawless. The plot was well delivered with the right amount of twists and turns. The tension and suspense were thrilling. The focus on the main characters lives in their violent world made this book stand out in the Biker Romance sub genre. The sexual tension and bedroom scenes were sensual and daring. Riding Dirty was the perfect combination of Erotic Romance and Romantic Suspense.
I highly recommend Riding Dirty by Jill Sorenson. I am looking forward to the next book in The Dirty Eleven series. I hope it will be Ace’s story because his character is full of dark intrigue.
Author Bio:
Jill Sorenson is the RITA-nominated author of more than a dozen novels, including the Aftershock series with HQN. She lives in the San Diego area with her husband and daughters.
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