Reaper's Legacy by Joanna Wylde

I am seeing myself in the minority once again. I took a while, after finish reading, to think on this novel and what got my attention. Unfortunately, that was harder than I expected.

I think the story began really strong with a lot of drama, angst and questions but the delivery left much to be desired. I never questioned the relevance of scenes or characters but they all seem to be standing and waiting on something spectacular or maybe that was just me o.O

I know I was interested in the story but it's hard to pinpoint what exactly I enjoyed. Interest is completely different from engaging and memorable. So while I was interested, I believe we could have used some more of the two latter, as I'm still not sure where the story climaxed.

Sophie doesn't embrace the life and that's fine. Not every one is cool with the coming and going of criminals and I don't judge or hate her for that. However, I think that her eventual acceptance was too lackluster in it's delivery. I had to also check if she was sure because if acts of kindness made a difference then she should have embraced the life a lot earlier. Maybe around the time her son almost got raped o.O

Ruger is interesting. He is loyal and honest to a fault but he's forgettable. I did not remember this man from 'Reaper's Property' and had to do a search of that novel. Can you imagine my shock at how important and frequent of a role he played?! Then again, maybe it's how long I took between novels.

Ruger is hot and quite the caveman aka sexist. Still, the man knows how to spoil a woman and I love the wild, possessive sex scenes. Those were definitely hot!

As I write this review, a few things hit me and one of them was how the women in this novel fought 3/4 of their battles, maybe even more. The MC always came in as cleaners and that just added to the already soft tone this novel carries.

Though Sophie and Ruger don't make a bad couple, they aren't that interesting as one either. Their romance story line was rather basic and I felt like Horse and Marie's relationship took center stage. In the end, I wasn't even interested in any of the couples and just wanted to get a peek at Noah's novel. Now that's a story I wanna read!

I was more interested in life after the story, especially as it relates to Noah, Ruger and now Faith's relationship.

This was a solid story line with some really good moments but the delivery wasn't as great. Exciting things happened but not all of them were exciting. It was good enough though to glide to the end and have me anticipating the next novel in the series. Not perfect but still a good read.

- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18076876-reaper-s-legacy

Take Me for Granted by K.A. Linde

In the beginning, I had to double check that this was in fact a K.A. Linde novel. It didn't feel like her usual writing style and it takes you a while to warm up to the characters, if at all. I'm still not the biggest Vin fan. He just doesn't know when to quit!

As usual, there were a few spin to the usual college/rockstar romance drama. Thing is though, this story wasn't riddled with music as much as I expected. As popular and present music goes, there was none and all the musicians outside of Contraband, with the exception of Vin, were tools. I don't know much about the music industry but this was the most unwelcome representation.

Grant is an interesting character because his first impression leaves everything to be desired. He was cheesy, trying too hard and I didn't buy into his "playboy" persona. He was just annoying. As the novel progressed, I started to warm to his character and like him a little more. He balanced the line between fiction and reality, with his 360 upon meeting Ari, but his continued appreciation of the female anatomy. After all, he isn't blind or impotent.

Ari was a banshee from beginning to end but I love her. She took her time, stayed focus and never lost sight of who she is and wanted to be. She never backs down and made for the perfect balance to Grant's character. Her dry humour and sarcasm helped also. Even though she was on the wealthier side, she held a more relateable and realistic tone in comparison to the other characters.

We really only got Grant's background but it was so out of left field and that ending did nothing to reassure or help me understand his past anymore. I was left even more confused and unsure of why we needed a happy, anxiety filled cliffhanger o.O

Overall, I feel like this story is an easy read, that keeps you interested enough to finish. However, there is hardly any substance and playing out all the cliches of a rockstar romance can only take it so far. I wish there was more music and less groupie focus but K.A. Linde has always taken her novel from the opposite POVs and this time was no different. The friends were questionable and God bless the few people who possessed any morals.

Minus the lack of musical influences, shock value and overall point, I would read book 2 mostly to see what's next for Grant, Ari and Contraband. Maybe it will get better as it progress and I would like to be apart of that when if it does, plus I have few questions that only K.A. Linde can answer :)

- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21801311-take-me-for-granted

Worth the Chance By Vi Keeland

Regardless of the fact that I began reading 'Worth the Chance' right after 'Worth the fight', I had no problem transferring from 13 year old Vinny to 25 year old Vince, because both have spunk that I like and this time there was an equal amount of POV between both main characters.

Vinny was definitely direct and fearless especially when mad and that was often. He came off as ungrateful at times in his relationship with Nico but the respect and value of both Nico and Elle's trust and relationships were present. He wasn't in a state of obligation and I even liked him as a 17 year old  because he kept the same persona and was always confident in his moves; It was definitely not the 13 year old Vinny who made shirts for Elle.

Olivia was another honest character when it came to her beliefs and I love the passion and pride she placed in her work. I liked her reactions and reservations, as well as, the fact that she thought through her actions. Their relationship is perfect for them but the level of conflict in this novel didn't match it's importance. After reading the first chapter in 'Worth Forgiving', I think that maybe that drama will be released using Jax's character, though I really wish he'd stick to banking.

Knowing what to expect this time made this novel easier to navigate and while I saw all the twist coming a mile away, this installment actually lived up to it's title because every one got a chance at something, even Elle and Nico but I'll save that tidbit for when you read :)

The sex was alright but not what I expected from Vinny based on his talk of agression and depravation in the bedroom. The boy's not bad but he's pretty basic too or maybe it's Olivia. I don't know.

It was good to be in touch with characters we were fond of from book 1, Preach included and even the Lake house made another appearance. Still, this story was so smooth that I occasionally forgot that there was an upcoming fight and secrets that date all the way back to 25 years ago. It's a mellow story with not much conflict or fight unless we get in the cage which once again amounts to only two times.

Also, the fights continue to be taken from the female's POV, as well as, so many other elements that left me feeling like we were re-enacting Elle and Nico's story but with a different set of characters. The MMA fights in this series are also sorely unfair, because if the fighter's don't have problems, they tend to end the fights in round one and even then it's tentative as to a round three.

I don't know when they fell in love but they are a comfortable couple and the fact that they knew each other from high school might have helped, especially with the fact that because they already knew each other, we didn't get the basic background on them. Olivia is suppose to have the perfect little family with no deep dark secrets but I never even hear her speak to a parent once. Where are they? o.O

Where the story line is concerned, there was plenty of potential for an angst filled, drama themed romance between the sweetest, most understanding girl and the course, brutally honest MMA fighter. As I have come to figure out with this series though, it takes the easy road so we got the mellow ride instead. It's by no means a bad story or even delivery but I just felt like so much more could have happened and been highlighted.

My problem with this series is that we never get the full disclosure or time to work out the issues until the last 5% of the novel and then we are given an epilogue that spans months or years, this time six months, only for it to abruptly end and ask us to wait for the next.

I guess until next time folks!

- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20739590-worth-the-chance

Underworld Champions By Ella Stone

Everyone keeps talking about this book being similar to some other biker novel. I haven't read that other novel, so I can't confirm or deny, but from my perspective, I think this novel brought it's own flavour to the world of bikers. I also appreciate that it was set in Australia, as oppose to the US and they spoke of their US charters instead of the other way around.

Once you have read one biker novel, you've read them all. The basics are the same, the names are ridiculously inappropriate or aiming to drive fear and the women are doing and aiming for the same thing. I have yet to find one on the caliber of Madeline Sheehan's 'Undeniable' series, but this one didn't do too bad in my opinion, I have definitely read worse.

There were some overly sappy moments and a few conversations that were premature in my opinion, but I eventually acclimated to it all and appreciate it for the individuality it possess for me.

Maddie is not your usual broken girl or biker novel heroine. Yes, she had a rough life, she is running from her past and a person in said past, but she faces it all like such a trooper. She doesn't curse and moan about her sad life and if not for her nightmares and occasionally voiced insecurities, you would never know that she is a really damaged girl that isn't even looking for love. She is looking for a better future and life, I would actually believe her if she gave that cheesy romance line of not looking for love.

Maddie is feisty, witty, straight forward and has no problem speaking her mind. She take what she wants and makes no apologies for it. She is a bad ass and I hate seeing her lose some of that fire as the novel progressed; She fell into a mold and she wasn't the girl that challenged biker's with guns and broke into their homes.

I don't understand or know much about Cole, or his feelings for Maddie, but he says they are there and they seem to work as a couple.We didn't get much of his back story, but there was so much going on that I didn't notice until the end. His family is a mixture of depravity, confusion and so much more.

Speaking of endings, this one was sad and depressing. I think it all happened too fast for the impact it possess and regardless of what the author wants us to think, I do blame Maddie and I am sure others do and will in the upcoming novel. The lost was surreal and personal for readers. It was over so fast that I didn't get time to reflect or review on the fallen. Major characters, that I expected to maybe even get a book of their own, didn't make it to the last page. I started hoping for the fairy tale recovery and after math. I got none :(

Maddie and Cole are like bunnies, so expect a lot of sexing all over the place. Public and private. It was entertaining to hear how some members got their alias and I definitely think Mango tops the bunch :)

Tthe story line is a good one but I would have loved to spend more time with Maddie and her immediate family. I didn't mind the insta-romance, but I wanted some family time too. I think it was important in this novel, especially as we got to the end.

This is a quick read, because I got up, read it then got ready for work. It's fast-paced, sticking to the points and wasting no time in getting to the matters at hand. It replicates no other biker romance novel that I have ever read and the characters and their personalities grow on you. I never heard of Aussie bikers before, don't even know if they exist, but I did like this story and have no problem reading the next one.

It's not perfect, gripping or that intriguing of a novel, but it's interesting enough and comprises of a different point of interest and scenery. Not only are the hero and heroine far from shy, they follow their own rules and take us on quite the ride down under!

- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20625140-underworld-champions

Rome By Jay Crownover

Rome. It's an up hill battle. There are good, bad and memorable moments. I wouldn't call their story line bad or boring, but it felt weak, when it came to the execution as a couple. I found myself fascinated with everything else going on around Cora and Rome, than I did with the main characters themselves. I was therefore equal parts surprised and not so much, when I saw how and when their story ended. It's a cliffhanger that has nothing to do with them as a couple o.O

At the end of this book, Rome and Cora's story is incomplete, but hold a really great line up for Nash. I know that his book is next, but I don't know what to make of the fact that their story isn't finished, while another is about to start.

I developed a strong interest in Asa. So strong, that part way through this book, I stopped to check Goodreads to find out when we would be getting his story. In case your interested, there's two more to go before his turn :)

Could be  the interlocking system of this series, or the personality traits of Rome and Cora, but I found that we got more of every one's story of past, present and future in this novel as much as we did the lead characters. I like Rome and Cora together as a couple. They just make sense. I did however, favour Rome's POV over Cora's. She had her moments, but I preferred a day in Rome's life. I think I expected much more depth into both their world's that I got, so I chose the better of the lot and that was Rome's. He had more of a struggle than Cora's childhood fantasies. The guy also made the ultimate sacrifice for his woman, nothing says hot than that!

We reconnected with the Archer's and Margot was a lot more melted than before. I just hoped for more time with Joe. Then again, this being an incomplete story and all, might help shed some light on him in Nash's book.

What puzzles me, is that this story stops at 90%. While I never mind the refresher course from 'Rule' and 'Jet', it could have been used to complete Cora and Rome's story. I like complete novels. Even though this wasn't a cliffhanger of Cora and Rome's story directly, it was a cliffhanger nonetheless and not something I noticed much from the novels before. We have always had those what's next ending from this series, but this one was glaringly obvious. It leaves a big what now? o.O

The fact that the next book is entitled 'Nash' I doubt they will be the stars of this show.

This installment held the prefect blend of characters and their issues. Cora and Rome came off so perfect, as a couple, that you just had to pay more attention to the people around them. They were the protectors and as such, they figured out their problems long before the others, even though they had a catalyst or two.

There is a lot of change in this novel and some reminders that I still can't remember witnessing. Guess that's why some series deserve re-reads before you start a new installment. -_-

I wanted more of Rome and Cora issues, but it was good to interact more with Rule again and to witness as him and Shaw try to make a life together. It was also nice that Cora at least, got along with her parent. Their dynamic seemed solid. I initially thought this would be a book strongly focused on PTSD, but I was wrong. I did however like the angle it was taken from.

As always, Remy's memory was kept alive and I really hope that one day Jay Crownover might be crazy enough to give us a book before 'Rule' when Remy was still alive.I love his character without ever meeting him and getting a chance to interact with Lando makes me feel like it would make for a great read! Honestly, I too miss him and wish he was alive.

- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17798233-rome