Summer Sparrow

Jackals and Vipers #2

by Emmerson Hoyt

Rylee Adder left Eden thinking she’d put the worst day of her life behind her.

She was wrong.

Separated from her new family and Colton—the man she never thought she’d have to live without—Rylee finds herself in Boston facing her biggest challenge yet: surviving the Vipers’ Den.

Plagued by nightmarish memories, she throws herself into uncovering evidence to bring down those threatening the ones she loves.

If Rylee fails, Eden’s dark history is destined to repeat itself. But she’s not the only one on the hunt for answers, and some secrets are desperate to stay buried.

Genres: Dark Romance, Romance, Enemies To Lovers, Contemporary, Dark, Found Family, Spicy

684 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 5, 2023

About the author

Emmerson Hoyt lives in Central Texas with her husband and a small horde of animals. When she’s not writing, she’s getting floral tattoos or playing video games.

Reviews

[M]

What a satisfying conclusion to an absolutely remarkable duet by a debut author.

Part 1 caused a bit of emotional turmoil, but I understand why the author chose to write the story this way. One of the main themes in the book is “how far will you go to protect the people you love?” and boy, did she push these characters. At times it was hard to read, but I knew their HEA was coming.

Part 2 balances Part 1 perfectly. To see the character growth achieved due to their time in the trenches of Part 1 was oh so satisfying. Colton and Rylee are such a good pairing, and the Jackal family has my heart.

Even though this is book is on the larger side, I almost wished for more content at the end. I hope there are some bonus epilogues coming in the future because I’m not ready to say goodbye to Eden or any of the Jackals.

[Mia S.]

Duet, cannot read this one before September Doves it won’t make sense. But absolutely loved! The only reason not 5 is the timeline of the accident and who was involved doesn’t match up….. but other than that it was extremely intense, super hot spice but didn’t overwhelm book, and last chapters had me in suspense. Loved!!

[☆EmilyEverAfter☆]

This book was incredible! The plot was much more prominent in this book, focused less on the love story and more on the take down of Charles Eastman. The story was devasting and gritty and something I would absolutley read again. Riley continued to over come hurdle after hurdle.. Colt, Riley, Danny, Jack, Alex, and Minho are charcteras that I won't be forgetting any time soon. 6 stars!

[Smutty Little Books]

Loved this duet!! Book 2 delivers all the plot and emotions missing in Book 1 and I read it in one day because I couldn’t put this beast down.

[Corinne’s Chapter Chatter]

What a great follow up to this duet. I’ll miss the characters but I prefer singles or duets so I can move one so this suits me! And it’s so well written and engaging. I feel like the slide is nicely balanced and not cringy to read.

I did this as an immersion read and enjoyed the performances of the narrators Marie Hawkins and Ash Beverly. It was fun to have the addition of the male narrator to join Hawkins who also did book one. I definitely enjoyed her more but i appreciated that he spoke typically and didn’t add that after gravel to his voice that can be in darker romances.

If you like mafia type romances this book is definitely for you!!

[Leonie]

"I´m still so in love with you that sometimes I think my bones will break beneath the weight of it."

This is a two POV book, told by the POV´s of Rylee and Colton.

I loved Rylee´s character. She is resilient and so strong in every aspect. Her journey with the traumatic events and her processing everything felt quite realistic. Also I love that the other characters suggested therapy for her and told her that it is nothing to be ashamed of. Really loved that aspect of her journey. I liked her character development and how she became more independent. Colton is still broody, possessive Colton. I liked how he always looked out for Rylee or tried to to his best capability. I also love how he didn´t pressure her into anything.

Regarding side characters, I love Mac. That man is a gem. That irish accent paired with the dark haired and his overall golden retriever personality and him looking out for the people he loves; you just have to love that man. I loved Holly and the journey she went on as well in this book, dealing with her grief and becoming more trusting of the people around her, especially her sister.

Regarding the plot, I´d say romance is getting paired with some good character development and a lot of emotional journeys and some emotional growing that the characters undergo. It definitely feels more dramatic and more heartbreaking than the first book. And at one point I was fearing I wouldn´t get a HEA, but don´t worry it has one. I loved the groveling in this one, the spice scenes were good and I love Colton´s "tiger" for Rylee because of the "beautiful and fierce", it really does fit her. I liked the mental health rep in this, as well as the angst, chemistry and yearning between the characters. My only slight issue is the pacing. As much as I enjoyed the first half of the book, it does feel a bit dragging somewhere towards the middle but picks back up towards the ending. I have to say I´d definitely love a separate book about Holly and her journey after the events in this book, but maybe that´s in the works!?

Overall a great book that I really enjoyed.

trigger warnings: death/murder, PTSD/dealing with trauma

[Melanie Jakusz]

I was hoping for a thrilling, fast paced Robin Hood retelling and what I got what some *big* things rarely happening in the background of a drawn out love story where their problems could have been avoided by simply sending one measly text message.

Also… Cook…. Really….. I get the trauma but the things you could have prevented!!!????

[What.Nikki.Reads]

669 pages read in 28 hours... That has to tell you something!!! This duet!!!! An absolutely must read. The fact that this duet is a debut too absolutely mind blown. I will officially read everything she writes. Hand over your grocery lists Emmerson!

I feel bad for the next book I pick up.

Full RTC

[Aiste Tauras]

Jau per sukastus dantis, taaaaip pavargau ir nežinau duočiau ⭐️⭐️, vien del to, kad tokia ilga ir prašvaistė mano laiką😆

[Maegan]

I love Emmerson's writing and her ability to weave together a story. Book 2 didn't hit as hard as book 1 for me.
I wasn't sure I was going to like the Mac storyline, but it was executed so well that by the end, I had grown to love the character.

[Julianna Byington]

just wow.. did want to throttle rylee a few times but let’s be honest she’s stronger than me i would’ve folded immediately if i were in her position.. cried on a plane for this book 👌

[Jordan Wirth]

I liked the first book better, but still enjoyed seeing how the story ended. The first part of the book felt too long and dragged out.

P.S. this will make sense to like 2 people but Colton and Rylee are giving biker gang version of Xaden and Violet

[Mandy Sickle]

I received Summer Sparrow in return for an honest review from the author.

First off let's talk about how amazing this cover is it's just stunning one of my favorite covers.

I loved Rylee and Colton they have overcome over the course of this book. I love all of the Jackals as well as Holly they have special places in my heart for the whole crew. I love the connection between Rylee and Colton even when they are apart the connection is undeniable.  We've also got dual point of view so we can see both of there stories at they are apart. 

I really enjoyed Summer Sparrow it pulls out all the emotional feelings I found myself blushing and tearing up a few times. The author has created a beautiful story that captured my heart and my soul. The characters are engaging and I was able to connect with them all. 

I ended up devouring Summer Sparrow in just 24 hours it was hard to put down and I had to know what would happen next to Rylee and Colton. This is a powerful story filled with tough situations, emotions just the right amount of spice and a story that will blow your mind. I loved September Doves it's one of the best books I read in 2023 but this one was even better. The author has a gift for storytelling and I can't wait to see whats up next. My only complaint is that it's over. I want more I'm not ready to say goodbye to my favorite characters.

[Marissa Papp]

solid 3.5 ⭐️ i really did enjoy this series overall but this last book could have been 1/2 as long. there was soooo many details that were not needed and didn’t add to the story line. i wouldn’t rush to recommend it to someone but im glad i read it

[Marissa.Reads]

684 pages in one day, because I couldn’t put it down. There was rage, and there were tears.

[Saedie]

Swooning for Colton Archer, the things that come out of this man’s mouth are impeccable.

This was such a good duet. The story is *chefs kiss. Character depth, plot, spice, you’ll laugh. You’ll cry. You’ll hate, forgive, and love.

[Alex Cali]

This duet took me by surprise and I AM SO THRILLED.

This picks up right after September Doves and is essentially a roller coaster ride of fear, heartbreak, ROMANCE, suspense, and sadness. But my gos did that ending have me on the edge of my seat and then immediately melting my heart into a puddle.

Rylee and Colton will hold such a special place in my heart. They go THROUGH it in this installment, and there will be so many moments you want to scream at them and hug them (I know it’s not just me). Their love is epic and will make you fan yourself and cry. I just adore them.

The overall plot and “no one is free while others are oppressed” tale was insanely entertaining and stressful from start to finish. I was hooked and had NO idea what was going to happen the entire time.

I loved every single side character. Emmerson wrote one of the best found family stories I have ever read. Danny, Minho, Alex, and Mac all have my whole heart.

I absolutely devoured this duet and it’s quickly skyrocketed to one of my fave reads of the year. Loooooved it.

[Medollga]

I'm glad it's over 😐

[Janae]

What an epic ending to this story! Loved Rylee’s growth from the first book. She truly became such a bad ass. I really enjoyed the way this “new to me” author writes. The pacing was great and the suspense and action kept me constantly engaged. The ending was such a satisfying conclusion!

[Danielle]

4.5 stars

Summer Sparrow by Emmerson Hoyt is a sequel worthy of September Doves, which had me hooked for every page. A bonus for the final book in the duet; it’s basically twice the length of the first and it’s worth every page written as it doesn’t suffer from slow points or unnecessary feeling scenes. Each moment matters, and if anything I just want more.

Summer Sparrow particularly intrigued me with its setting in the thick of the Vipers as I was very interested to learn more about the Jackals opposition. Not to mention this inside looking into the Vipers was also really the first chance to get to learn more about Rylee’s father, while also giving more of a chance for Rylee and Holly to connect.

With the events that took place at the very end of September Doves, the first part of this book spends a good deal of time with Rylee coping with the trauma of it all which is so heartbreaking to witness. On top of this is the difficulty of being separated from Colton and not knowing where things stand, if he’s safe, or generally what is going on. This does create one upside however, which was one of my favourite things about this sequel; Colton point of view chapters.

These chapters were particularly enthralling because it gives an inside look into the Jackals goings-on and how they work from the inside. His chapters were so insightful and getting to know more about this club from an insider was such a beneficial addition to this duet. Colton’s story isn’t any easier than Rylee’s however, as he has to endure some of his own horrors in order to keep both the Jackals and Rylee safe. Both points of view were so heartbreaking in their pains and had me feeling so deeply connected to the characters.

These two go through so much. At times it was even hard to let the story play out not knowing where things were going to end up. The struggle is what makes Summer Sparrow so raw and real, however, and is what makes the characters so easy to love and invest in. And most importantly, it’s integral to their growth and who they become. Seeing the strength they gain and the people they become, particularly throughout the second half of the book is so satisfying and helps justify the struggle.

As with September Doves, the side characters were once again a great strength of this book. From Minho, to Danny, to Alex, and even new characters introduced such as Mac. I couldn’t help but love these more minor characters as well, and was so deeply invested in their stories as well as Colton and Rylee’s. I couldn’t get enough of all of them and seeing characters after periods of time without them on the pages had me so happy and filled with relief, like I hadn’t seen them in ages. The characters for sure make this duet the incredible, impossible to put down work that it is.

Suffice it to say, I loved the conclusion to this duet. I legitimately could not put it down once I settled in with it and blasted through a huge chunk of it in one go. Summer Sparrow was somehow even better than the first book in the series and I’m so sad to see this world and these characters go. I just want more and am definitely going to be stuck in this world for a bit mentally as I miss it already.

[Brittany]

September Doves - Emmerson Hoyt

*DUET REC*

𝑯𝒆 𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒌𝒔 𝒂𝒕 𝒎𝒆 𝒐𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆, 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝑰’𝒎 𝒂 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒃𝒍𝒆𝒎 𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒂𝒏’𝒕 𝒅𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒅𝒆 𝒊𝒇 𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒐𝒍𝒗𝒆 𝒐𝒓 𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒕𝒆

Holy Crap. I went into this duet without a clue of how much I would LOVE IT! It has Ravenhood vibes, but dare I say...better? I flew through this in 2 days. Even tropes that would generally not be my thing and annoy me....I was ok with (huge deal for me 😆) because it made sense for story and the character. I HIGHLY recommend this duet and can not wait to see more from Emmerson.

𝑰’𝒎 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝒂 𝒇𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅 𝒇𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒚 𝒊𝒔 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔 𝒘𝒆’𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒈𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒕 𝒃𝒊𝒓𝒕𝒉.

Rylee is the daughter of what she thought was an absentee father. She rarely hears from her sister. She's basically alone. Until one day she gets a cryptic text from her sister saying her brother in law is dead and she needs her. So she literally runs away from the life she has unknowing what's in store for her. Colton had a rough life, but found his calling with his best friend and his new found family. He wasn't expecting Rylee to disrupt everything. He didn't know if he could trust her, but quickly learned she would be his everything.

“𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒕’𝒔 𝒊𝒕, 𝑻𝒊𝒈𝒆𝒓. 𝑴𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒎𝒚 𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒘𝒓𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒇𝒖𝒄𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒐𝒂𝒕.”

I don't want to say too much without spoiling things. If you like good guys doing bad things for the right reason, a soul mate kind of love, angst and suspense then read this. It was SO well written and the story was a drug. I inhaled it and hope you will too. The first book IS only single POV, but it's SO worth the weight for book 2 where you get to see both 🫠 Just trust the process because you WILL get upset and want to throw your kindle, but I promise it all works out.

“𝑭𝒊𝒓𝒔𝒕 𝒐𝒇𝒇, 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒊𝒔𝒏’𝒕 𝒇𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈, 𝑻𝒊𝒈𝒆𝒓. 𝑰𝒇 𝒂𝒏𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈, 𝒊𝒕’𝒔 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒚. 𝑻𝒓𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒎𝒆, 𝒚𝒐𝒖’𝒍𝒍 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒘𝒆’𝒓𝒆 𝒇𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈. 𝑺𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒅, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑰 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝒐𝒇𝒇 𝒎𝒚 𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒎𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝑰’𝒗𝒆 𝒇𝒖𝒄𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖.”

🏹Robinhood Retelling Vibes
🥊Enemies to Lovers
🏹Pining / Angst
🥊Found Family

[Kylea Clough]

Hot people. Bad choices. Emotional damage.
10/10 would cry again.

[Elena]

First book was way better

[Emily]

4.5 ⭐️

This entire duology has me in a chokehold!!! Absolutely loved it and want to see it on the big screen!! Riley and Colton are true end game and honestly I loved how Riley didn’t just cave to Colton when he returned! A FMC with a backbone I just love it!

Now in Boston and away from the Jackels, Riley deals with PTSD from the events surrounding the death of Jack. On top of that… she’s losing her touch with Colton unaware of what he’s doing to protect her and his brothers. Colton is the definition of a man who knows what he wants and will do what he needs to do to protect those he loves. And Riley is just as stubborn and strong willed!! The way everything comes out in the end is the best epic revenge and I wish we got to see it all played out! The only thing I wish we had a wrap up of is Holly, Mack and little JJ other than that… perfection!! Robin Hood meets secret society of people demanding justice!

[Kayla Kelly]

This duet really took me by surprise!!! I loved the journey we were taken on for both Rylee and Colton. The angst and heartache was written so beautifully! The mental health rep on this is sooooo realistic given the trauma these characters have endured. The found family in this is top tier!

Definitely recommend for the Ravenhood fans!

4.5 ⭐️
2.5
🌶️

[Hanna Petersson]

3,75 ⭐️ Den var absolut bra, men lite i längsta laget. Men helt klart en mini-serie att rekommendera med vibbar likt ravenhood-serien! 🖤

[Mel]

4.5 ⭐️ addictive plot with the perfect amount of suspense? check. bad ass fmc? check. found family? check. hot as fuckkkkkkk mmc who wrote the book on being down bad? check. well written spice? check. if you haven’t read this duet yet, what are you doing????

[✨️ Jessica's Bookshelf ✨️]

Rtc

[anxious_bookaholic]

| 𝙅𝙖𝙘𝙠𝙖𝙡𝙨 & 𝙑𝙞𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝘿𝙪𝙚𝙩 by Emmerson Hoyt
ALL THE FREAKING STARS!!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘐 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘮𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘬, 𝘛𝘪𝘨𝘦𝘳.”

SCREAMING ABOUT THIS DUET!! 😍😍😍 Hands down…. My fav read of the year!! Without a doubt. I won’t shut up about it til I get everyone to read this one. THATS how much I’m obsessed with it!! All the heart flutters and coochie twinges. Utter perfection in every way. Colton Archer…. 😮‍💨 I was not prepared for you to wreck me for all future book boyfriends. I’m so crazy obsessed with him. It’s unhealthy.

This duet is a little bit of Ravenhood, SOA & Robin Hood all rolled into one. This may cause a little chaos but… I actually enjoyed it more than Ravenhood 🫣 It has all the mysterish vibes but with do gooder biker boys thrown in. And one badass jackal of a FMC. I absolutely loved Rylee and I’m the pickiest when it comes to FMCs. But she was so feisty and strong and you can’t help but feel all the feelings she’s feeling.

Now on to Colton. Sigh… Colton. The king of hand necklaces. 😮‍💨 I can’t get over him. He’s so broody but such a softie deep down that just wants to take on everything and protect the people he cares about it. And it broke me. 😩 And the mouth on that man!! Phew… 😮‍💨 but also this side cause 🥺

“𝘐’𝘮 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘴𝘰 𝘪𝘯 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘐 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘮𝘺 𝘣𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘬 𝘣𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘪𝘵.”

The miscommunication though in the second one killed me. KILLED me. I hate miscommunication in books but this one was needed. To understand the man that is Colton. Did I wanna throw my book constantly? So many freaking times. The angst. The turmoil. Gah. It was torture but oh so worth it!!

I’m currently in one of the biggest book hangovers ever and it’s because of this. This duet is a literal drug and I inhaled it so quickly. I can’t stop thinking about this world and these characters. They’ll have a place in my heart forever. And I seriously cannot wait to see what else Emmerson writes cause I’m a major fan girl now. 😍

[Gabrielle (belle.bookcorner)]

“He was mine for the season, but never mine to keep.
My summer Sparrow...”

Jackals and Vipers duet finally comes to an end with this sequel, Summer Sparrow!
I had a wonderful time reading this duology and I’m satisfied with how it ends.

The plot started right after the end of the 1st book, Rylee is struggling to deal with herself after going through a traumatic event and being away from the family she just found is making it harder.
Such an emotional journey for Rylee to build herself back up again and moved on but I admire her strength and compassion for her loved ones.

There’s also a new character addition – Mac, I absolutely adore him! He’s a softie despite the brooding stone cold face he gave to everyone else.
At first I kinda wish Rylee and Mac got together instead with Colton (MMC) cause I don’t like his choice of action towards Rylee in the first half of the book. I get that Colton is trying to save everybody but, the miscommunication slightly annoyed me.
I have to admit, seeing him grovel his way back to his family and girlfriend is kinda worth it though.

The ending is wrapped up nicely, justice is served with the evil mastermind behind bars. All the hard works and sacrifices of the Jackals are finally paid off. I’m glad to see they got the ending they deserved!

Overall, this is a good conclusion to this duology. Love the plot and the writing style, I’m looking forward to read more books from this author in the future!
Maybe a prequel of how Mac and Holly met would be nice ?!

I received an advanced review copy for free from the author, and I am leaving this review voluntarily!

⚠️ 𝐓𝐖: See here for the list of content warnings for this duology