3 stars
I'm not sure what to say about this book. I both liked and disliked it.
Synopsis:
"Wes Silver wasn’t looking for love, but when July Mayson literally knocks him on his ass during their first encounter, his world is turned upside down by the quirky blonde, and every moment with her makes him more determined to protect her.
July Mayson doesn’t understand the pull she feels toward the bad boy biker Wes Silver, but she knows being with him is like nothing she’s ever felt before. Now all she has to do is tell her overprotective father, Asher Mayson, that she’s found her boom."
I feel so unsure about what to say because I'm on the fence. On one hand I really liked seeing all of the Mayson family, that was a lot of fun! I also really enjoyed how July didn't take any shit from anybody; I love characters that stand up for themselves no matter who they are standing against.
But I didn't like the fact that July would just follow her annoying friend into very dangerous situations, for no reason. That to me was beyond stupid. I also wasn't a fan of Wes sometimes. In general I liked him, I liked that he could apologize and own up to being an asshole; but it felt too frequent that he had to do that.
The writing was also something I felt an issue with. It felt off for some reason. I have read all but 2 of Aurora's books and I really enjoy her writing style and I feel pretty familiar with it, so I can say with some confidence that with this story something about it felt really off. I didn't like the big gaps of time that we didn't get to see or read and there were a few instances where I felt like I was being told instead of being shown. I don't know, it was almost as if the July inner dialogue was supposed to convince me that I was supposed to like or feel a certain way. I'm not sure how to explain it but I wanted to see what was happening that I apparently was supposed to like, instead of being told what had happened over a stretch of time that wasn't written.
Final thoughts:
Overall it was a pretty enjoyable read but I wasn't super impressed. I definitely think it is worth checking out if you have read the Until series, because I thought it was super fun to look at where the family is now.
I received this book in exchange for my honest opinion
4.5 stars out of 5
Wow this was such a (pardon the pun) ride. I really just had a great time reading this story, and there were very few things that I didn't like.
Synopsis:
"You don’t fuck with the club president's son.
Tooth. Vice President of the Coffin Nails Motorcycle Club. On a never ending quest for vengeance. The last thing he needs is becoming a permanent babysitter for a male hooker.
Lucifer. Fallen. Lost. Alone.
After a childhood filled with neglect and abuse, followed by his mother’s suicide, Lucifer set out into the world alone. There was nothing for him out there other than taking it one day at a time. As the bastard son of the Coffin Nails club president, Lucifer never got much fatherly love. So when the Nails show up at the strip joint Lucifer works in, the last thing he expects is to be put in the custody of Tooth, the Nails Vice President famous for his gruesome interrogation techniques. The man proves to be the sexiest beast Lucifer has ever met. He’s also older, straight, and an itch Luci can’t ever scratch.
Tooth’s life came to a halt twelve years ago. His lover got brutally murdered, police never found the perpetrators, and all leads were dead ends. To find peace and his own justice, Tooth joined the Coffin Nails, but years on, he’s gotten nowhere with the case, yet still lives on with the burning fire for revenge.
Babysitting a deeply scarred teenager with a talent for disappearing is the last thing on his bucket list. He promised himself to never get attached to someone like him again. To make sure the openly gay boy is safe in the clubhouse, Tooth is stuck keeping an eye on him. The big, blue, attention seeking gaze is drawing Tooth in, but fucking the president’s son is a complete no-go, even when both their feelings go beyond lust.
What Tooth doesn’t know is that Lucifer might hold the key to the closure Tooth so desperately needs."
This was a pretty gritty read, but it wasn't to the point where I felt uncomfortable or unable to read. I just really loved all of the complex aspects of every character, not just Tooth or Luci but also the other club members. This book felt so thought out and organized.
The book was a story about growing, strength, love, and valuing your worth. It also touched on allowing people to help you and being able to rely on their strength and love, without letting them become your sole source of strength.
I really loved Luci. He was such a great character and watching him grow into a person who valued and recognized his worth was so awesome. I loved how he was growing on his own, but also had Tooth there to help support him. They had such a great relationship even before it turned into a physical one; their friendship was something that I loved reading, and I felt myself smiling a lot throughout the story.
There were obviously some parts of the story that made me, not uncomfortable but wary. For example, the first time that Tooth *SPOILER*spanked Luci*END SPOILER* I didn't understand how a person could do that without knowing the other person. don't get me wrong I love reading about spanking, but it just felt odd that Tooth would do this the first time he had ever met Luci. I understand that that is how Tooth is, that he doesn't give a fuck and does what he feels is best. And I also was not too keen on how caricature-ized Priest's, the president of the club and Luci's father, wife was like she just felt really fake and the drama she caused felt so unreal and annoying. I was shocked that Priest never did anything to her after her last stunt that she pulled, and considering how gritty this club was and how "bad ass" Priest was.
I loved that Luci was written as androgynous and beautiful, but wasn't written as the cliched (and really offensive) stereotype of a "weak" gay man who acted flamboyantly. Yes he was gay and had a submissive streak, but he was never seen as anything but a man. I also enjoyed the fact that Luci wanted to be a barber. That is a profession I am not too familiar with and one that I never see written about.
I loved this so much. I loved that Luci took care of Tooth. That was something that I found to be so sweet and intimate, and something that happened even before they said their feelings for each other. Washing his beard and hair, and the scalp massages and hair masks were such sweet things that definitely showed the softer side of Tooth. I loved that they had their own little routine, and didn't care what others thought about their friendship (not that anyone cared).
I was/am obsessed with Tooth; plain and simple. I think that he is such a fabulous character; he had such a sense of right and wrong, and he never let slide discriminatory comments. His understanding and compassion really shone through and I think that he was exactly who Luci needed. His dominance was really a hot spot for me, and his "punishments" for Luci were odd but also hot. The way he handled Milk after doing the awful thing that he did was amazing, especially the way Tooth explained the reasons why what Milk did was wrong. Tooth was just a good man. Yes he was skilled in torturing and other illegal criminal activities, but that didn't change how caring and compassionate he was to those he loved.
Final thoughts:
Yeah man this book was just hitting all of my kinks, and the men were just such great complex and really attractive people. God, this was just so well written and executed. I highly recommend to anyone who loves well written biker stories. There are a few graphic parts, but nothing, in my opinion was overly disturbing.
This can be read as a standalone (that's what I did). This is definitely one of my comfort rereads. I would definitely love to read more about these characters. Even a short story or extended epilogue or something.
