RELEASE DAY REVIEW: Dare to Lie (The Sons of Steel Row #3)

Dare to Lie (The Sons of Steel Row #3), by Jen McLaughlin
Publish Date: February 7, 2017
Publisher: Berkley Romance
Format: e-ARC, provided by the publisher
Genre: adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Rating: 5 STARS

(Synopsis) As an undercover DEA agent in the most powerful gang in Boston, Scott Donahue accepts the risks of living a double life. But when Tate Donovan, leader of the Sons of Steel Row, assigns Scotty to take his place in a bachelor’s auction sponsored by his sister’s sorority, he’s exposed to a whole new level of danger. Even though Tate makes it very clear—Skylar is off limits—the second Scotty sees her, he’s a goner. But how does he tell Sky she’s falling for a man who doesn’t exist?

Sky can’t resist Scotty’s cool confidence or the raw, edgy power oozing from his perfect body. She’s always been the good girl, but he brings out the bad in her. And even though she knows so little about who he really is, Sky’s willing to take the biggest risk of all. But putting her heart on the line is no guarantee that Scotty won’t slip through her fingers...

I've been looking forward to Scotty's book since the very beginning. He's been stuck between a rock and a hard place - willingly - and in Dare to Lie, things get even harder for him to manage. 

Scotty's days as a DEA agent undercover in the Sons of Steel Row gang are wearing on him. He's been playing both sides of the fence for so long that sometimes he forgets who he really is - a good guy or a bad guy. This is never more true than when he meets his gang leader's sister who is goodness personified. It drives home the differences in their lives and the need to keep away from her. Well, that and the fact that his gang leader threatened to chop him up into pieces if he touched his sister. 

But, it's hard when Skyler seems to always be there. And she obviously has no problem acting on the attraction that they have. There's no way Scotty can deny himself something that he truly wants - a good woman and a shot at happiness. But, his life is dangerous, and his enemies will use the people he loves against him. Scotty knows that the end of the Sons is near, and he is trying to make sure Skyler doesn't get taken down at the same time. 

I can appreciate Scotty's impossible situation, and it really does seem like there's no good answer for him. He does lead a very dangerous life, and it seems like there's not going to be a way for he and Skylar to be together. It's frustrating because Scotty really is one of the good guys. He might not believe that, but he is. And after his brother and then his brother's best friend found happiness and love, it's impossible to not want that for him too. 

"I don't know what you're doing to me, but every time I close my eyes, I see you. And when I see you, I need you close by, to fill an emptiness I have a feeling will never stop."

So, I loved the constant question that ran through my mind of how Scotty and Skyler would find a way to be together in the end. It was always there, and it wasn't clear how that might happen until the very end. 

That wasn't the only question I had, though. There was also the question of whether Tate was really as cold and ruthless as he projected. There always seemed to be more to him than what met the eye - sometimes I would catch glimmers of a good man who was capable of a lot of love and goodness. Other times, he was that calculating, horrible man that he would need to be as the leader of a gun-running gang. I loved how Jen McLaughlin kept me guessing on all accounts. 

I also loved the peek we got into the next book. I was thinking there would only be three books in this series, but I'm thinking now that we might see a fourth. The door was certainly opened in the end, and I definitely want to know more. I loved how we were able to keep up with Chris and Molly in Dare to Lie, but I feel like I need one more book to give us the chance to bring Logan and Heidi back for a reunion too. If that book gets written, I'll be first in line on release day. 

RELEASE DAY REVIEW: Dare to Stay (The Sons of Steel Row #2)

Dare to Stay (The Sons of Steel Row #2), by Jen McLaughlin
Publish Date: August 2, 2016
Publisher: Signet
Format: e-ARC, provided by the publisher
Genre: adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Rating: 4.5 STARS

(Synopsis) Bruised and bloodied on Boston's mean streets, Chris O'Brien is reeling from the loss of his childhood best friend. But after barely escaping a hit placed on his head, Chris is desperate to live. A safe haven comes to mind - the home of the perfect girl from his childhood, Molly Lachlan. Before he has fully considered what it would mean to involve her in his mess, he finds himself on her doorstep.

When Molly agrees to let Chris inside her home, she realizes she's also letting him into her life. Danger and desperation are coming off him like steam, and yet she can't bring herself to turn him away. His bad boy charm always had a hold on her, but now there's a soulfulness and sorrow in him that she's never seen before. And despite the heart-stopping risk of helping him, she hopes against all reason that he'll stay...

When I learned that Jen McLaughlin chose to make the hero of her second Sons of Steel Row book the villain of the first book, I have to admit - I was scratching my head. I thought for sure it would be all about Scotty (who, incidentally, is going to be the focus of the third book). Instead, I was left wondering how in the world I could ever grow to love someone who was so horrible.

As it turns out, it was ALL about Chris. 

Jen pulled this off absolutely perfectly. The only way she could've won me over to Chris' side was to make him contrite and just pathetic enough that we feel badly for him, but not so much so that he loses his bad boy appeal. The thing is, I was won over within the first two chapters. Chris knows that his screw up has pegged the needle on the screw up meter, and he's prepared to do whatever he needs to in order to make up for that. He has a plan that he hopes will lead to his redemption. 

And then the girl next door totally fubars his plan.

For years now, I'd watched her from afar, silently wishing I could be good enough for her. That I stood a winter in hell's chance of claiming her as mine some day. But I didn't, because I wasn't. And we both were all too aware of that.

Chris broke my heart into little pieces. Between how his parents - particularly his father - treated him (and still treat him) and then losing his best friend the way he did, Chris is absolutely at the lowest point in his life when Molly finds him. She's everything he has always wanted but has never felt he deserved. She's sweet and good and sunshine personified. He doesn't want to dirty her up with his existence. Good thing she's also stubborn as hell. And it becomes her life's mission to show Chris all the wonderful things about himself that she sees, but he can't.

There was something about him, and the way he made me feel, that called to me. That told me not to write him off or send him away. Maybe it was his utter certainty that he was a horrible person or the haunted emptiness in his dark brown eyes that made me want to help him. Heal him. Change him. 

Chris is walking a very fine line. He's got to stay close to the bad guys, but find a way to keep talking to the good guys - including Molly. He's had a taste of what his life could be like with her and he wants more of that so very, very badly. But, if he stays with her, he puts her in constant danger from Chicago's gang scene. He's stuck between a rock and a hard place and he has no idea how to fix the situation. 

Neither did I. No matter how much I read, I couldn't find a way out for Chris and Molly. But, I wanted there to be one so much. I wanted all the best things for both of them. I wanted her to continue teaching and for Chris to draw and live and be happy with her. He totally redeemed himself to me, and that is amazing. It helped that he was really sexy. He and Molly were so awesome together. The sexual tension between them was off the charts. And, when they finally gave into it - cue explosion sound effect here. 

Well done, Jen. I seriously can't wait to see what's in store for Scotty. And I'm really hoping for a happy reunion at the end of his book. ;)

REVIEW: Dare to Run (The Sons of Steel Row #1)

Dare to Run (The Sons of Steel Row #1), by Jen McLaughlin
Publish Date: February 2, 2016
Publisher: Signet Eclipse
Format: ARC, provided by the publisher
Genre: adult suspense romance
To Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Rating: 4 STARS

(Synopsis) Lucas Donahue is not ashamed of his criminal past, but after a brief stint in prison, he’s ready to go legit and live a normal life. The problem is, no one leaves the gang without permission—even if he is one of the boss’s top men. Plus someone’s placed a hit on him. And then there’s that feisty little bartender who’s going to cause him even more trouble.

Heidi Greene knows to keep her distance from a ladies’ man like Lucas—even if she can’t keep her eyes off him. When he rescues her from an attack in the alley outside her bar, she’s forced to stay by his side for safety. But the longer she spends time with him, the greater her chances are for getting hurt in more ways than one.

Dare to Run is the first in a new, gritty series by Jen McLaughlin about the mean streets of Boston and the gangs who run them. 

Lucas Donahue is a bad boy. No really - he's a bad. Boy. After working his way up the ranks of Boston's Sons of Steel Row gang, he ended up in jail for two years. Now he's back to his old ways - running guns and meting out violence when the need calls for it. 

Like when he has to save the pretty lady who runs his favorite bar's bacon. 

Independent and fierce Heidi Greene is my favorite kind of heroine. She's bold and brave and doesn't need anyone. She's learned to fight for what she wants and to stand up for what she believes in. I love strong women. I love women who could live by themselves and be happy that way, but when the right man comes along, they're woman enough to admit that they're better when they're with him. Heidi is like that. 

Lucas isn't the guy she would've picked for herself. He's in a gang, and he's domineering and controlling. But, he is also keeping her alive after saving her from rival gang members, and she can admit that she needs him. And hey - if they give into the carnal pleasures they both are feeling while waiting for the heat to die down, all the better, right? Lucas might be overbearing, but he's still super hot. 

I really loved Dare to Run. It was dark and dangerous and sexy. I didn't see any way for Lucas and Heidi to end up together, which really kept me guessing. There was the question of how they could possibly work out all the roadblocks so that they could have their HEA, and then there was also the question of who was trying to kill Lucas and why. And what role Heidi played in it. It kept me guessing for the entire book. At the end, it was one crazy revelation after another, and there was no way I was putting it down for anything. 

I can't wait for the next book in this series. I think Dare to Run was an incredible start, and if the rest of the books planned are anything like this one, I'm all in.