A chance encounter at a conference leads Alaric to dive into a world of adult content creation… and right into shy and gorgeous Siana’s private messages.
Their connection ignites through late-night chats and tantalizing video exchanges, but their budding romance takes a harrowing turn when gunshots ring out during one of their video calls.
With adrenaline pumping, Alaric rushes to Siana's side, only to discover the chilling reality of danger lurking in her neighborhood.
Determined to keep her safe, Alaric whisks Siana to his home, where they find solace in each other's arms, and work through their own anxieties and insecurities as their feelings start to grow.
But as they unravel the mystery behind the attack, they realize that the danger is far from over…
-- all books in this series can be read as stand-alones --
Jessica Gadziala is a USA Today bestselling author who lives in rural New Jersey with her parrots, dogs, and an ever-growing collection of houseplants. A lifelong dreamer, she’s been writing stories since childhood and published her first book in 2015. When not at her desk, she’s usually feeding backyard birds, rewatching crime dramas, period pieces, and 90s supernatural TV shows, or adding to her towering stacks of unread books.
This one has so much Emotional stuff going on, And not as much action as we usually get from JGS books but that’s fine for me……. Jg makes it up in different ways When you look around Frida and Siana’s Apartment, you might just think pretty little prison that she’d made for themself here…. See they both suffer from severe anxiety….
It had been heartbreaking watching Alaric Spiraling out of control with his issues in the last few books…. To make matters worse that I sat on this book for so long before I picked it up……….
This is just such a sweet story In my opinion……….
One of the reasons why I enjoyed JG’s books so much is due to the fact that her characters are always interesting and diverse…. She somehow makes night and day fit together … Good and evil etc
Okay I’m not going to lie this one’s going to be difficult for me to write I am going to be as vague as possible due to everything that I just stated above and then some
I sometimes feel like I suffer from bipolar due to the fact that I cannot keep my mind on one particular series yes I love this author but I also get easily distracted with other series so this is why sometimes you’ll catch me reading 3 to 4 even five books back to back from this author because I Fell behind so much
I love the fact that we had got a glimpse of one of the potential prospects that will be in I’m guessing in the next several upcoming books
We've all been waiting for Alaric's story for a very long time. He was one of the quiet guys in the background in other books from the series, but lately, he's become more and more noticeable because of his strange behavior. It was always mentioned in passing and we couldn't really understand it, because he was the most laid back and let's be real here, also most attractive of the men, but in this book we finally found out his tragic and complicated story and his mental problems connected to it.
As they say, don't judge someone by their looks because who knows what's behind those beautiful green eyes 💚
Siana would much rather be at home with her dog and read a book than socialize outside with people. She has a lot of problems with anxiety and managing huge crowds. It's all just a coincidence that she met Alaric. And to be honest, their whole relationship from the beginning up to a certain point was just coincidences. One that saved her life several times and put her in uncomfortable situations several times, but also gave her the man of her dreams (or rather, the man from her bookish dreams) in her life.
Let's be real here, Siana got exactly what each of us dreams of - the man about she usually read in her books - in her real life 😉
A very real scorching hot and extremely nice outlaw biker. A biker that's exactly interested in her. What she doesn't understand at all.
Yeah, I know. It sounds sooo good. I could write about it endlessly, but that would be mean. Read this book. It's a hot and exciting romance with lots of action and excitement.
This series is just so FUN! I love this group of guys & the women they discover HEAs with! Alaric has had us all worried since the beginning of the series. He had some struggles & would always brush everyone off when they tried to talk with him about them.
And then he goes to a meeting with a friend & meets Siana. Something about her calls to him & he gets to know her in a ... unique way. 😉
Siana is introverted and shy, but that only highlights her strengths even more. I adore her & Frida & the way they fit right into Alaric's home. She & Alaric are one of my favorite couples of the series! Their connection & the way they just fit with each other makes me smile!
I love the found family that keeps growing, and I'm THRILLED with the way her friend Kylo fits in, too. I sincerely hope he's scheduled for his own HEA!!
I think I loved this one so much because Siana really does resonate with a lot of people, and Alaric wasn't this perfect specimen of a man. He had his own struggles.
I love that they were good for each other. Their relationship was an easy one that was uncomplicated, and I loved how they both reassured each other when it was needed.
Every girl needs an Alaric in her life! Siana lucked out but it was violence that brought them together. This storyline was different in a good way. Once again this author has given us a story with characters old and new we can love!
Love a quiet heroine who comes out of her shell when the right attention is given to her. And having the “found family” is the icing on the cake. Loved Alaric and Siana’s story, Freida was a cute addition too. 5 stars from me
No one would say Henchmen stories are cozy - typically someone is getting roughed up, kidnapped, or shot at - it makes a good foundation for an MC romance. But this one for some weird reason felt cozy to me.
Maybe it was that Siana had some flaws I could identify with? Maybe it’s because while Alaric is traditionally gorgeous, he struggles with disordered eating and his appearance? Might be my trust in Jessica to give me a great story finishing in a good happy ending with zero other woman drama and a killer epilogue? Likely just all three with a heaping dash of new characters and peeks at old but beloved ones.
Alaric when we met him was an exotic dancer and over the last several Henchmen Golden Glades books we’ve watched his bulk and food intake decline and those that love him start to get more and more concerned. Now that we are sharing his brain space we see he’s struggling with the loss of the attention from the stage and funneling that energy into obsessing over his appearance. Which, I’m not going to lie, after this last baby I can’t stand walking past a mirror or seeing myself in photos which I think so many people in the romance audience have dealt with at least once in their lifetime. You lose 10lbs and suddenly you’re seeing the scale differently and calculating numbers you’ve never mathed before and berating yourself when you eat a half a can of Pringles. I love a flaw in a character that I can identify with, it makes the story not only feel more real but shows you looking in how something healthy like eating better can turn on a dime and become something altogether.
In the same vein, Siana the nervous adorable little shut-in, loves her life with take out places in her contacts list and states away from her overbearing mother. While I call my mom nearly on the daily, so that part is inaccurate, I understand the life of a recluse. So for me at least, both main characters held a part of my heart with them on their journey. Though her selling pictures of her feet for six figures and being anxious is NOT the same as working nights with two small kids and currently without a car….you know…. I have good looking feet. Huh.
Anyway.
We meet a newbie and get appropriate amounts of old and still-waiting for their book mixed in. Kylo maybe had me trying not to picture Adam Driver but once I got past it and firmly cemented another male Hollywood face in place I was personally happy to tack another maybe-someday story on to the list of those waiting for their happily ever after. Coast however…he’s a side character I can’t get enough of. I’m so completely intrigued. Jessica always has me wanting more.
I liked the forced proximity and that while still involving action like most will never see in real life, I still got a warm cozy vibe from this whole book. I feel it could be read as a standalone but if wanting a fuller picture of how far this Henchmen chapter has come, check out Huck where it all started in Florida.
Alaric is one of those characters that I’ve always wondered about every time he shows up in a scene. JG has hinted that he suffers from a couple of issues/disorders, which we finally learn about in this book. Additionally, he is Saskia’s brother (she’s married to Che whose story we got earlier in this series) which I totally forgot about.
Siana is a sweetheart. She suffers from anxiety which I can honestly relate to how she feels. I understand her need for privacy and her need to control every situation she’s in. Her sweet puppy Frida has more issues than she does, but it gives her something else to concentrate on and helped her more than I believe she realized.
Both Alaric and Siana suffer from insecurities that get better with each day they spend together. They have a mutual respect for one another and things just click from almost the moment they meet. Alaric is protective of her and feels a connection he’s never felt with another woman. Siana feels safe with him in a way she hasn’t with anyone before. I loved watching them fall in love and realize how much they meant to each other.
I liked Kylo’s character and am so glad with how things turned out with him and his future. I’m also now more intrigued by Coast and Velle and can’t wait to get their stories as well. I’m also hoping that Eddie gets a book. He’s such a really sweet man looking out for everyone and helping in any way he can. These men may be tough on the exterior but they’re all big softies on the inside.
I liked that the MMC actually had an eating disorder. It was just a part of his character that he realized throughout the story and it worked well with his past as an exotic dancer. I also really loved how understanding he was with the MFC’s anxiety.
I very much appreciated the MMC’s clarity around not having sex while drunk,
“As hot as she’d been, though, drunk was a no-no when it came to sweaty, naked times. Even if she wasn’t a stranger. Even if I was seeing her.”
Even though she had given him consent, it doesn't count when a person is drunk and it doesn't matter that they had been together already.
Another example from this author's work on How to be a Grown Ass Man,
“This isn’t a high school party full of dickheads who think they make themselves look better by tearing down the girls around them. We’re all grown-ass men.”
It doesn't matter that it sounds obvious, to most guys in RL it's not.
And then I just liked the wording of this,
“...she would be anxious about other people watching her fail her way toward accuracy.”
Falling our way toward accuracy - a great way to frame failure in a way that actually is more accurate. Most babies keep “failing” to walk until they succeed and get good at it. It's the nature of learning new things.
Alaric finds his match, and it's not who you'd imagine.
Alaric has been struggling with body image issues since he gave up exotic dancing. In the previous books of the Golden Glades Henchmen, we see his found family becoming increasingly concerned with his unhealthy habits.
Siana is a mess of anxiety issues with a dog who surpasses her on every front. Although she lives a quiet life, the feeling of being overwhelmed persists. Can this mismatched couple be the thing the other is missing?
As always with Jess' books we have found family, excellent side characters (Kato in particular, I can't wait to read his story), a heroine who kicks ass in her own way and a hero who will do anything to keep her safe. Add in the conversation with an angry parrot, getting to know the new members and the HEA - exactly what we have come to expect from the Henchmen books, a brilliant escape from the harsh realities of life.
Just because you're shy and timid, doesn't mean you can't capture the eye of the tall, handsome, charming, sweet guy you see in a hotel conference room. Does it?
Jessica Gadziala takes us on a ride with the Henchmen's own Alaric. And it does not disappoint!
Interwoven in this love story are Gadziala's trademark challenges and battles. A sweet love story? Absolutely. A boringly sweet love story? Never!
The only thing I don’t like about Jessica Gadziala’s books is that I read them too fast and am sad when they’re over. I love the unique characters she creates and how she not only introduces new ones (Hey Kylo!) and continues developing future main characters (I’m desperate for Eddie’s story), but she also lets us have glimpses of the lives of past main characters. Alaric’s story was another hit!
We finally get the story of Alaric. I enjoyed how Alaric and Siana came together. This book brings to light different anxieties that men or women face in a thoughtful way. I find that I really like these two characters and was rooting for them. This book was an easy read and flowed really well.
I hope to hear more about Kylo in a future book but I really want to know more about Coast.
A sweet story, the book was released at the same time as finn, and somehow both had a mental health angle. This was a bit like he was overwhelmed by her presence and moving one with the house shores that he forgot about his obsession, yet it was also explained early one that he believed that his issue was regarding "attention", which he received via her and then life took over. I miss out on how the security knew that she was at the stairs , and how to alaric manage to be alerted but not the other security guys ? We were introduced to an upcoming biker ( her neighbour), although he did give me the vibe that he is an older guy at the beginning .
Body dysmorphic disorder, anxiety disorders in both humans and animals, are at the heart of this latest in the Golden Glades series.
Jessica does such a great job of giving us great fiction sprinkled with real life issues. Certain disorders are not just limited to men or women and can even effect animals. How she blends that along with her sexy stories is always a great read.
This is another Henchmen MC winner! I have had an attachment to the Golden Glades Henchmen from the beginning. The members are so interesting and diverse. I was looking forward to Alaric because, although he hadn't had a big role, he was mentioned a lot in the last books. It was good to see him come into himself. I loved the way he was so adoring and so patient with Siana and her anxieties. I even adored the dog, Frida. With a great storyline and plenty of action, Alaric is one of my new favorites. A great book for anyone who loves MC's and the Henchmen MC.
As always, Jessica Gadziala has given us another five-star book! I was truly worried for Alaric from witnessing him in previous books, but Siana, along with Frida, gave him what he needed. I loved their connection because they were opposite in many ways, but they worked. Their first meeting and some “things” afterward were a bit unorthodox, but it made for a great read. This book gave us more interactions with the brothers and prospects, so now I’m curious about who’s up next.
Alaric has had a rough time trying to figure out what was going on with his life. His mind wouldn’t settle. Finding an old friend who gave him a new outlet but also leads him to another way or shall we say person to finding that peace and happiness. Of course there are bad guys and new characters introduced but that’s the great thing about the Henchmen they find new adventures around every corner.
The thoughts that come to mind when thinking about this book is aawww so sweet. Yes, there is adventure, spice and drama but the sweetness is beautiful. Alaric found the perfect girl for him in Siana. He also found what he needed in himself to be healthy. She found her missing pieces of found family. A great finding yourself story with so much STEAM! HOTT! The chemistry between them is explosive.
So I’m going to admit I have a girly crush on Siana, so much about her resonated with me. All the anxiety and low self esteem plus the fact she is blind as a bat without her glasses. Alaric has been somewhat of a mystery to me, apart from being Sass’s brother, ex stripper and verging on an ED I couldn’t get a bead on him although now I’d love to get him in my therapist chair and work through his childhood.
Goodness JG can you even write a horrible book? Pretty sure the answer is no. If you love Henchmen then this is a no brainier babes love it read it in one day sweet hot spicy and of course just a bit bad ass. Lighter version than some but still the best.
These Henchmen men…Oh, my God! A girl can’t help but fall in love with each and every one of them! Alaric is no exception. A former male stripper, current part of the Henchmen MC – and Saskia’s younger brother. Alaric is the brother with the sniper quality. He likes being a Henchmen, but he misses the attention and the validation, one can say, he got by being a stripper. So, when he attends a conference regarding an adult content site a friend of his (from his previous stripper days) started, he not only decides to start his own account (but not showing his face) but also meets an interesting girl. A shy, reserved, petite, cute, glass-wearing girl who seems out of place in a conference regarding adult content. Siana makes a living using a unique way. She shows her…feet (a popular fetish, it seems) in an adult content site! Then a mutual friend request in their site profile lead to a few…interesting cyber naughty encounters. Alaric knows who she is, she suspects at first and confirms it a bit later. But when danger knocks on her door, Alaric rushes there to protect her and the on line relationship turns into so much more. I loved every single line and I can confidently say that Alaric is my favorite Henchmen so far! Swoon! 5 stars unquestionably from me!
Another amazing read from JG! Alaric and Siana will have you falling in love-- their connection, their ability to just understand each other is a joy to read. I love the Golden Glades Henchmen & I love this amazing cast of characters!
Alaric is the eight book in the Golden Glades Henchmen Series by Jessica Gadziala. We finally get Alaric's story and it was well worth the wait. I loved the connection between Alaric and Siana, Jessica gets into mental health and real-life issues that plague us all.
Just because you're shy and timid, doesn't mean you can't capture the eye of the tall, handsome, charming, sweet guy you see in a hotel conference room. Does it?
This book was a very easy read and flowed so well. I read it in one sitting. Highly recommend.