BLOG TOUR EXCERPT & REVIEW: Rough Ride (Chaos #5)

I have missed my bad ass Chaos bikers.

Rough Ride (Chaos #5), by Kristen Ashley
Publish Date: February 13, 2018
Publisher: Evil Eye Concepts
Format: e-ARC, provided by the author and Inkslinger PR
Genre: adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon

Rating: 5 STARS

(Synopsis) Rosalie Holloway put it all on the line for the Chaos Motorcycle Club.

Informing to Chaos on their rival club—her man’s club, Bounty—Rosalie knows the stakes. And she pays them when her man, who she was hoping to scare straight, finds out she’s betrayed him and he delivers her to his brothers to mete out their form of justice.

But really, Rosie has long been denying that, as she drifted away from her Bounty, she’s been falling in love with Everett “Snapper” Kavanagh, a Chaos brother. Snap is the biker-boy-next door with the snowy blue eyes, quiet confidence and sweet disposition who was supposed to keep her safe... and fell down on that job.

For Snapper, it’s always been Rosalie, from the first time he saw her at the Chaos Compound. He’s just been waiting for a clear shot. But he didn’t want to get it after his Rosie was left bleeding, beat down and broken by Bounty on a cement warehouse floor.

With Rosalie a casualty of an ongoing war, Snapper has to guide her to trust him, take a shot with him, build a them...

And fold his woman firmly in the family that is Chaos.

This book - this whole series - is so spectacular. It's everything I've come to love about the MC trope. It highlights family and loyalty and dedication. It is a little dangerous and a lot sexy and romantic. These Chaos men know how to treat their women like queens and their women in turn support their men in all they do. It's easy to love these characters, especially with the way Kristen Ashley writes them. 

In Rough Ride, we swing back around to Rosalie, who we met in the very first Chaos book. When Rough Ride opens, we see that things have gone horribly wrong for Rosalie, and she's in very desperate trouble. She turns to Chaos - and Snapper in particular - for help. And once they deliver that help (as they should, since she found herself in that situation because of Chaos), she is ready to get out of the MC world for good since it's caused her nothing but both literal and figurative pain. 

But, Snap is there to remind her of all the wonderful parts of MC life that she'd be turning away from. No - it's not perfect. But, no way of living is. Plus, MC life comes with him, and he's spent a very long time loving Rosalie from afar while she belonged to someone else. He's done with that, and he's now dedicated to winning her over. 

I don't know any woman that would be able to withstand Snapper when he really pours on the charm. He treats her like gold, even when she swears she hates him and his club. He puts her needs and safety above his own. And when she starts to break down, he shows her his best moves. It was all over from there. 

Now - I'm going to warn you. Rough Ride ends in a somewhat confusing cliffhanger. If I were you, I would read all of it except for the last page. Seriously - just ignore it for now. Then, this summer, when Wild Like The Wind (Chaos #6) comes out, go back and read that last page then. You will thank me for this advice. Because I'm going out of my mind for that sixth book. And not reading the last page of Rough Ride will not affect your enjoyment or grasp of Snapper and Rosalie's story in the slightest. 

Kristen Ashley has put one more incredible book under her belt, and I'm one step closer to thinking she can't do anything wrong. 

An old-style flip phone.

A burner.

We’d joked about it, Snap and me. He’d called me Scully. He had a burner too, so there’d be no caller ID when he phoned me. So I’d called him Mulder.

I was going to call him.

Not because I was working for Chaos anymore. I wasn’t. That officially ended on that cement. Definitely not because I was protecting Bounty. I’d tell the police. Absolutely, I’d tell the police my boyfriend’s motorcycle club beat the snot out of me. It didn’t matter that I broke the code, and knew it. It didn’t matter that I’d betrayed my man, and done it deliberately.

I was trying to save him. Save his brothers. Save his club. Save everyone.

I closed my eyes tight, my thumb moving over the phone from memory, knowing the way on its own, I called him so often. That was why I was calling him now rather than 911. I knew how to get to him. To Snapper. And the effort would be less. I could dial the digits to get him up on speed dial in my sleep, so I could do it lying on a cement floor, beat to hell and practically unable to move.

I couldn’t lift the phone to my ear so I just shoved it across the floor closer to my face, listening to it ring.

“Rosie?” Snap answered.

I closed my eyes tighter as understanding hit me with a blow almost as brutal as every strike I’d just taken.

God.

I hadn’t done it to save Beck. To save his brothers, his club…everybody.

At first, I’d done it to make Beck into Shy.

And then I’d done it to make him be Snapper.

And last, I’d done it to make his club Chaos.

“Rosie?” Snap’s Eddie Vedder baritone got sharper.

Oh no.

No.

The black was creeping in again.

“Sss…” was all I could get out.

“Rosalie,” he bit out, curt, alert, alarmed.

“Hurt,” I whispered.

And then, again, I blacked out.

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 accessorize 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.

BLOG TOUR REVIEW, EXCERPT & GIVEAWAY: The Farthest Edge (Honey #2)

Kristen Ashley's new Honey series is killing me in all the best ways. The Farthest Edge is out tomorrow and I loved it even more than book 1. Check out an excerpt from the book and don't forget to enter the giveaway!

The Farthest Edge (Honey #2), by Kristen Ashley
Publish Date: June 6, 2017
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Format: e-ARC, provided by the author and Inkslinger PR
Genre: adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Rating: 5 STARS

(Synopsis) Branch doesn’t exist. Living off the grid, he’s looking for a way to forget his past and the guilt that plagues him. But no woman has ever been able to bring him to the edge he craves. 

After a traumatic experience of her own, Evangeline stepped away from the decadent world of the Honey Club. But when she gets Branch’s offer—to play without boundaries or commitments—it’s too tempting for her to refuse.

As their passion ignites, Evangeline and Branch push each other to their farthest limit, fulfilling their darkest desires while falling harder and deeper than they ever imagined.

We never really met Evangeline in book 1, but we knew all about her. We knew that she was in a long-term relationship and that it went bad in the absolute worst way possible. After that happened, she withdrew completely from her friends, from The Honey and even from her lifestyle as a Domme altogether. Despite her wanting a lasting, permanent relationship with a man, her fear of it too damaging her is too great for her to try again. 

Until she lays eyes on Branch and he challenges her abilities. OH. GAME ON.

She was going to guide him to that edge, the one he wouldn't go near, the one that was farther than he would allow himself to see, and she was going to take them both over.

I get why Evangeline was afraid to come back. She was beaten in a playroom by her male sub who was also her boyfriend of seven months. She's supposed to have control over those situations at all times. She's supposed to know BEFORE they snap. Evangeline is not only devastated by what happened to her, but she's also embarrassed by it. And no matter how many of her friends assure her that she has nothing to be ashamed about, it doesn't change the fact that she doesn't share that sentiment. I can't imagine how disorienting it would feel to start calling into question your very nature. I'm sure she was floundering, with nothing to look forward to. 

Branch is a former military man who hires himself out for some pretty hard jobs. His former life as a member of an elite team means that he can never be HIM anymore. He had to become someone else. He became Branch Dillinger. But, some parts of him will never change, even if his name does. He needs certain things that only someone as skilled as Evangeline can provide. Branch is super skittish and is very hesitant to trust anyone with any part of himself beyond the physical. 

Evangeline is brilliant at what she does. She knows just what Branch needs without him having to say it. And I'm not just talking about sex. She knew when he needed space, knew when to force him to talk, knew when he needed it hard and when he needed it soft. She was inexplicably drawn to him, and more and more, she wanted him with her, even though he kept telling her he would never stick around. 

The Farthest Edge was such an intense book. Branch and Evangeline falling in love is not an easy thing for either of them. There are so many things to get in the way, but it's Evangeline's sheer determination that keeps them on track. Their times together were absolutely incredible. They went between having sheet clawing sex and eating spaghetti in front of the TV. They found happiness amidst chaos. And Branch went from being sure that his dangerous life meant he could never have one with Evangeline to doing everything in his power to make it so that he could be with her forever. 

Kristen Ashley tells the most epic stories. And the stories from The Honey are some of her most epic and unique ones yet. 

Aryas knew her.

He knew what she liked.

He knew how she played.

He knew exactly what would make her squirm in her seat.

And he knew precisely how long it had been since she’d had her kink.

“You’re throwing down the gauntlet,” she accused quietly.

“You feel like picking up the glove?” he shot back, shaking the piece of paper at her.

She stared into Aryas’s eyes.

No strings.

Anything she wanted to do to get him off.

When he was done with her, he’d vanish from her life.

Her gaze dropped to the paper.

“Be you, and we’ll make it interesting, lay five grand on that fucker, he’ll give you one go and then he’ll move on,” Aryas pushed, but it was a dare.

She looked back at him.

A dare.

Yes, he knew her.

“No reflection on you and your skills, which are sublime, my beautiful baby.” He grinned wicked grin. “Just that this guy is unbreakable. There’s no edge for him any Domme can get anywhere near to push him off and that’s what he’s looking for. Being taken to the farthest edge and shoved right the fuck over.”

Taken to the farthest edge.

Evangeline was not into that. She wasn’t into extreme. Not like many who were into that in the life.

No, the edges she coasted were exactly what Aryas wasn’t quite saying, but she read this guy couldn’t handle.

Unless he had the right Mistress to lead the way.

Damn it all, she was getting wet.

“Five grand?” she snapped.

Aryas pressed his lips together and she was too peeved to get more peeved that he did it to suppress his amusement.

He unpressed them to confirm, “Five grand. But Leenie, babe, just to get it straight, he walks away from you at first meet, we’re even. It’s only if you get a crack at him the bet is on.”

She lifted her nose at the same time she snatched the paper from his hand, declaring, “He won’t walk away.”

“He might,” Aryas said gently, and his sudden loss of humor and careful tone made her focus on him again. “Beware of that. He’s done it before. In some ways, he doesn’t give a shit about anything. In some ways, he can be frustratingly choosy.”

“If I want him, he walks away, I’ll still get him,” she announced.

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 accessorize 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.

WEBSITE * FACEBOOK * TWITTER * NEWSLETTER * GOODREADS * PINTEREST * INSTAGRAM

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BLOG TOUR REVIEW & EXCERPT: The Deep End (Honey #1)

THE DEEP END is almost here, and seriously, you do not want to miss this brand new series starter from the incredible Kristen Ashley. Check out my review and an excerpt from the book today, then buy it tomorrow!

The Deep End (Honey #1), by Kristen Ashley
Publish Date: March 7, 2017
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Format: e-ARC, provided by the author and Inkslinger PR
Genre: adult erotic romance
To Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Rating: 5 STARS

(Synopsis) Enter a decadent sensual world where gorgeous alpha males are pleasure slaves committed to fulfilling a woman's every desire. At the elite Honey club, no boundary will be left untested, and one's darkest desires will become a sensual reality.

Olivier isn’t sure what he’s gotten himself into when he joins the Honey Club, only that a dark part of him craves the lifestyle offered by this secret, exclusive club.

When Amèlie invites Olivier to surrender, she pushes him to explore his deepest desires as a submissive. As they grow closer and find themselves falling harder than either of them anticipated, the truth about Olivier’s past could threaten the budding relationship they both long for.

You know that saying, "There's a lid for every pot?" The Deep End is a perfect illustration of this concept. Kristen Ashley introduces us to The Bee's Honey, a BDSM club where you can find a little bit of everything and everyone. Along with the sexiness that one would expect from a book that centers around the goings-on in a sex club is the kind of love and romance that only Kristen Ashley can deliver. 

It wasn't about how someone looked. It was about how they played, their experience and training, their personalities. At the Honey, there were no boundaries, anything went as long as it was consensual.

Amelie is the prima Domme at the Honey. A seasoned veteran, she's had it all - except for the kind of everlasting love that she wants so desperately. She wants a man who craves her domination in the bedroom, but is his own person out of it. She wants a man who challenges her and doesn't always give in immediately to her demands. She loves the thrill of the moment when he submits and especially loves it when that submission doesn't come easily. But, she doesn't want a mindless slave. It's a tall order, and one she is beginning to think is impossible to fill. Until Olivier walks into The Honey. 

Olivier, too, thinks his wish list will be hard to get. He comes to the Honey under slightly false pretenses, having fudged his admission application a bit in order to gain entrance. He's a beast of a man - 6'6", 240 lbs. of muscle, hard earned in his job as a fire fighter. He is an alpha male in every aspect of the word - except he seriously loves being tied up. It's hard to find a woman who not only won't judge him for what he likes in the bedroom, but willingly gives it to him and doesn't question or make light of his manhood. 

Olly and Amelie are absolutely explosive together. They were each adrift in their separate worlds, and when they collide at the Honey, it is hot like you've never seen before. But, if chemistry and sexual compatibility were all they needed to work together as a couple, both in the club and out, they would be set. It's not though - Olly's got two problems. First is the fact that he lied a little on his application for The Honey. Amelie is a stickler for the rules of the club, so she definitely won't approve. And second is the fact that Amelie is filthy rich and Olly isn't. He might submit willingly in the bedroom, but out of it, he's a man through and through. And his woman having way more money than him sticks in his craw. Both of them make mistakes along the way, but that just proves that, despite their proclivities, they're just like every other couple trying to learn how to make their relationship work.

So Amelie was besotted with a beautiful, sweet man called Olly whose last name she didn't know and this thought didn't make her smile fade. No fear clutched her belly. Not that single nerve end frazzled. Because she actually was a thirty-three-year-old woman who was besotted. And for the first time in her life, she was perfectly fine with that. 

While the story centers around Olly coming to grips with his wants and desires and Amelie trying to hold on to her chance of having the kind of forever love she's always wanted, we get to meet a whole new host of side characters that I hope will some day be main characters. The Deep End is gripping and sensual and so incredible. It's got way more sex than I'm used to from Kristen Ashley, but with the way she writes, that's not a bad thing. I loved everything about The Deep End and can't wait for more stories from the Honey.

She turned back to him. “You seem to have a good deal of stamina.”

“Amélie…Mistress, I don’t think you’re getting’ that I seriously find you not hard on the eyes.”

She bent closer, as intended for this part of their session, some of her fair falling on his chest in another caress. She did this letting her amusement show, if not all of the emotion she felt at his compliment.

“I wonder, mon chou, if you think you can butter me up with compliments.”

“I don’t know. Maybe. Though not sure why I’d bother since I didn’t give you one and you just made me shoot a huge-ass load the like that have never come from my cock.”

“And he gives another compliment,” she said through a smile.

“You earn it, I’ll say it, he replied, his lips twitching. “That is, if I’m physically capable of speech.”

She was still smiling when she reached out a hand and delicately traced circles around his nipple.

His eyes darkened.

Her good humor increased.

“You’re of course aware I should do something about you being so audaciously cheeky.”

Another darkness crossed his face. “What?”

“I shouldn’t allow you to be cheeky with me.”

“Cheeky?”

“Impudent,” she explained.

The look fled. “You mean, in uppity, hot-chick speak, a wise-ass.”

Amélie couldn’t help it, she laughed softly.

“She’s got a pretty laugh, too, to go with that pretty accent,” he murmured and she saw his eyes on her lips.

I could get lost in this one, she thought. Lost and never found.

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.

WEBSITE * FACEBOOK * TWITTER * NEWSLETTER * GOODREADS * PINTEREST * INSTAGRAM

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: Ride Steady (Chaos #3)

Ride Steady (Chaos #3), by Kristen Ashley
Publish Date: June 30, 2015
Publisher: Forever Romance
Format: audiobook, purchased
Genre: adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Rating: 5 STARS

(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 . . .

How do I begin to tell you how much I loved this book? Where do you start with something like that? You know, after I finished reading Own the Wind (Chaos #1), I thought there couldn't be anyone more amazing than Shy. Then I read Fire Inside (Chaos #2), and didn't think it could get any better than Hop. But, Joker... seriously. He. Is. The. Best. 

This is a classic story with a modern face. The misunderstood bad boy in school who liked the prom queen, but never got noticed by her finally gets his shot years later when both of them are in a different place in their lives. But, in this case, the bad boy is a bad ass biker and the prom queen has fallen so far from grace that she can't even recognize herself. 

When Carson "Joker" Steele ran into his high school crush, Carissa Teodoro, years after the last time he'd seen her, he was thrown for a loop. Despite the fact that she is now unattached, albeit with an 8-month old baby, Joker is stuck in the belief that she's too good for him, so despite her obvious interest in him, he rebuffs her again and again. 

While I don't think I've ever met a biker I liked more thank Joker, I can honestly say that I've never met an old lady that I liked more than Carissa. This poor woman has been kicked while she was down again and again and again. And yet, she sees something in Joker that she hasn't seen in awhile - honesty, kindness, and someone pure of heart. And she wants that. So badly. So, she goes after it. I was completely on team Carissa. 

Carissa doesn't recognize Joker at first as the boy she knew in high school. Which makes her instant acceptance of him and his brothers and his club and his lifestyle even more special. After she realizes who he is, it was like the final sign that these two were meant to be together all along. Carissa is given multiple chances to question Joker, to turn away from him when things get hard or complicated, and she never once makes the wrong choice. 

From the very beginning, I was captivated by Carissa's and Joker's star crossed lovers story. I couldn't wait for Carissa's horrible ex to get what was coming to him. I ate up the moments when Joker played "daddy" to Carissa's baby son. And the moments between Carissa and Joker were so completely perfect. I loved how Joker always seemed to know what Carissa needed from him, and he gave it to her. And vice versa. 

About the Audio Version

Once again Kate Russell did a phenomenal job narrating Ride Steady. She is the same narrator that did Fire Inside, and she was brilliant in that as well. She voiced Joker and Carissa and all the supporting characters with the best intensity and inflection. I am absolutely loving the audio versions of this series, and can't wait for the next one. 

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: Fire Inside (Chaos #2)

Fire Inside (Chaos #2), by Kristen Ashley
Publish Date: June 4, 2013
Publisher: Forever Romance
Format: audiobook, purchased
Genre: adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Rating: 5 STARS

(From Goodreads) Lanie Heron isn't looking for love-no surprise, considering her last serious relationship nearly got her killed. So when Lanie propositions Hop Kincaid, all she wants is one wild night with the hot-as-hell biker who patrols with the Chaos Motorcycle Club . . .

For Hop, Lanie has always been untouchable. She's too polished and too classy for his taste. But when she gives Hop the once-over with her bedroom eyes and offers him a night in paradise, he can't say no. And he doesn't regret it when he finds that Lanie is the best thing that's ever happened to him-in or out of bed. Now the trick will be to convince her of that.

There was one main element to Fire Inside that absolutely MADE this book for me. And his name is Hopper Kincaid. At first, I wasn't sure I would like Hop. By his description, he doesn't sound like the typical guys that do it for me. First off, he has a mustache. Not my thing. Secondly, he wears lots of jewelry - rings, chains around his neck - that sort of thing. Also, not my idea of a hot biker. But... I don't know. I guess it was the essence that was Hopper Kincaid that turned me into a huge fan of his and made me fall in love again with the Chaos MC series. 

Lanie was a bit harder for me to get on board with. I was all for her plan in the beginning. It had been seven years since she and her fiance were caught in a hail of bullets. He died; she didn't. Lanie didn't want another relationship, but a round of hot sex with a biker she's had her eye on for a really long time? Yes please. And, initially, Hop was on board too. A hot chick who wouldn't press for a second date is a dream come true, especially for a man with relationship baggage of his own. But, for both Lanie and Hopper, that first night stayed with them long after it ended. 

Hop got used to the idea of a relationship LONG before Lanie did. It was one of the reasons it took me longer to warm up to Lanie. How could she NOT want to be with such an amazing man? Here was this guy who was a great dad, a loyal brother to his club mates, a man completely devoted to her and to taking care of her, and a pro at the sexy times. And yet, Lanie balked at something real with him again and again. 

And, Hopper was absolutely determined. He was never pushy in that he made her do things she didn't want to do. No - he made her do things she DID want to do, and he knew it. She was just scared, and understandably so. Hop saw through all that, and it became his mission to pull her out of her self-imposed darkness and into the light with him. 

There was less drama in Fire Inside than there was in Own The Wind. This was mostly a relationship book. There was very little danger and action. It was more about Lanie overcoming the demons of her past and her present in order to have a future with the man who is absolutely perfect for her. And it was about Hop learning that sometimes capitulation is okay and even healthy. 

What I'm coming to see as the hallmarks of the Chaos series was still there, though, despite the lack of drama and angst. The terms of endearment, the clipped language (particularly on Hop's part) the almost babbling inner monologues (particularly on Lanie's part) - they all blend uniquely together to make this interesting story set in a captivating world with intriguing characters. 

Lanie's and Hop's story takes place at the same time as Shy and Tabby's story from Own The Wind, so some of the events, as told from Tabby's or Shy's POV that involved Lanie and Hop were now fleshed out, and that was a lot of fun to read. But, because both stories were taking place at the same time, we saw very little from Shy and Tabby in this book.

Once again, I listened to the audio version of this book, and although it was a different narrator, I still loved it. At first I thought I loved the original narrator more, but as I got used to Kate Russell's higher pitch and slightly different delivery, I grew to love her as much as Angela Starling from Own The Wind.

I can't wait to continue the series, and intend to do so with my next Audible credit. I love how different this series is from most other MC books I've read. I love the relationships that form and how the men stand by their women no matter what.

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: Own the Wind (Chaos #1)

Own the Wind (Chaos #1), by Kristen Ashley
Publish Date: April 2, 2013
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Format: audiobook, purchased
Genre: adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble
 
Rating: 4.5 STARS

(From Goodreads) Tabitha Allen grew up in the thick of Chaos—the Chaos Motorcycle Club, that is. Her father is Chaos' leader, and the club has always had her back. But one rider was different from the start. When Tabby was running wild, Shy Cage was there. When tragedy tore her life apart, he helped her piece it back together. And now, Tabby's thinking about much more than friendship...

Tabby is everything Shy's ever wanted, but everything he thinks he can't have. She's beautiful, smart, and as his friend's daughter, untouchable. Shy never expected more than friendship, so when Tabby indicates she wants more—much more—he feels like the luckiest man alive. But even lucky men can crash and burn...

I must confess - this is my first Kristen Ashley book. Ever. I've shied away from her other series because of the length, mostly. But, Own the Wind landed on my to-read list because it's the first book in an MC series, and - hello - bikers rock. And, a lot of my friends really love this series, so I knew I had to give it a go. I'm so glad I did, and I'm so glad I chose the audio version for my first trip inside Chaos. 

I loved everything about Own the Wind. I feel like I could just fangirl uncontrollably. First - the characters. It's impossible to talk about Own the Wind without talking about the characters. 

Tabby is pretty cool. She's an MC princess. It's her world, and she knows it better than any other, despite her attempts to try and create a life for herself outside of it. She says it many times in the book - she IS Chaos. She is strong and resilient and a total bad ass. Tabby is fierce - if she loves you, she will fight tooth and nail for you, no matter who gets in her way. And don't get on her bad side, because if you do, she will cut you off from her indefinitely. Like she did with Shy. 

Shy Cage is the biker that Tabby has watched from afar forever. Until he dresses her down one night and says some not-so-nice things to her. Tabby doesn't really talk to him again for YEARS. And it kills him. I LOVED being in Shy's head. He is also a total bad ass. He's not going to let Tabby's freeze out stop him from living his bad ass biker life, but his thoughts are always on her, and he's always looking out for her. 

And then, something awful happens to Tabby, and Shy is the one she turns to. They start communicating again. They build a sweet friendship. They lean on each other - Tabby moreso than Shy. And, eventually, they become more. I loved the slow progression of their relationship. It was totally believable. There is definitely no instalove here. Shy's and Tabby's relationship takes real time and work. There are challenges they face - like, when her father found out about them and was less than thrilled or when her BFF got herself into trouble and called Tabby to bail her out. But, the absolute best part about this book is that, once Shy and Tabby get together, there is no back and forth. No dramatic breakup based on a misunderstanding. No scorned lover waiting to ambush them. Once Shy and Tabby realize that they are it for each other, that's just... it. 

The Chaos world that Kristen Ashley has created is pretty awesome too. You have the bikers themselves and the incredible feeling of family that they have. The club is pretty much legit, but they are not above going to extreme measures to protect the people they care about. As in most other MC books, there is a compound where parties are held, a place where the officers meet for "church," and a biker business or two. 

It almost seems like there are several stories within one larger story. Of course, the overarching plot is about Tabby and Shy's epic love story. Although they get together pretty early in the book, that doesn't mean that there aren't other hurdles to face. Each one of these speed bumps is like a little mini story in and of itself, which was fun. I was always wondering what was going to happen next to these two. 

If you like audiobooks, you should check out this one. Angela Starling does a fantastic job narrating. Own the Wind is told in third person, so we get chapters from Tabby, Shy and Tabby's dad, Tack. Most chapters are from Tabby's POV, though. And, Angela Starling reads all of it effortlessly. I loved her voices for Shy and Tack. I was easily able to discern who was who in a room filled with all the characters. And she was absolutely the perfect Tabby. Although I already own all the other books in this series on my Kindle, I already know I'm going to end up buying them from Audible. I really enjoyed her performance a lot. 

And yes, I do indeed intend to continue on with this series. The characters for the next book were set up perfectly. I have a feeling we'll go back in time just a bit, but that's okay. I want to know what I missed out on while I was following Tabby and Shy. And I have a feeling the next book will be just as good.