3 Axiomatically Hot Stars
I found Saving Axe, the second book of the “Inferno MC” series, a lot more interesting than the first.
Axe, aka Cade, and his high school girlfriend, June, both left their hometown of West Bend, CO., after the death of June’s parents and sister turned their lives upside down. Cade headed into the Marine Corps (Semper Fi!), and June became a surgeon in the Navy. Twenty years later, both running from their pasts, they are back in West Bend, trying to figure out their future.
Axe, has been betrayed by Mad Dog, the head of his MC, and has returned to West Bend to hide out with Crunch, an MC brother, and Crunch’s family. His father’s ranch is the safest place he knows, and the only place he can think of going. June is a “hero surgeon” recovering from PTSD. Unable, and unwilling to perform surgeries any longer, she returns to her hometown to run a bed and breakfast, and recapture a quieter life.
There’s a lot of tension between Axe and June when they first meet again after almost 20 years. They were each other’s first loves, and those feelings are still strong, even though their adult selves are different people. It doesn’t help that outside forces are affecting the way they interact with each other, and the push and pull are heating things up between them.
While trying to come to terms with his need for June, Axe is also dealing with the betrayal of his MC, and the guilt that he has brought danger into the lives of the people he loves most. His father, while initially angry that he brought his MC danger to the town, and his home, soon reconciles with Axe, and welcomes Crunch and his family with open arms.
As the story continues, the relationship between Axe and June becomes more like their old relationship, but with restrictions. Axe becomes more confortable and secure that they won’t be found, and allows himself to relax. He finally comes clean and shares his experiences with June, telling her the secrets he has spent years keeping. They both begin to heal, and tentatively Axe opens up and shares his feelings with June.
Of course, this is when things go south things went very quickly and really badly. I knew that something bad was going to happen, I just didn’t expect what did happen, and how it would affect me. I got all teary eyed and walked away from the book so I could vent. I blamed the town sheriff, Jed, and his need to prove that he’s the biggest a-hole in the area, but the blame falls firmly on Mad Dog, the head of Inferno MC and his special brand of evil. After I dried my tears, I was left with a strong desire for revenge. I was ready to pack up a bag and go kick some ass. Axe, Crunch and Blaze, with the help of Benicio, handled it or so sweetly. The members of the MC that were responsible got theirs, but I still want Jed…dead. Has a nice ring, doesn’t it? I’ll wait, because I know it’s coming.
I really enjoyed this book. I had a few reservations about “Taming Blaze,” and wasn’t sure how I would like “Saving Axe,” but I’m happy to say that it is so worth the read. June’s strength, Stan’s love for his son, the strong sense of family and community (except for Jed), and the story of lost loves that find their way back together after 20 years are all the perfect recipe for a great story. I also loved the cameo of Dani, Blaze and Benicio, the mobster with a bit of a heart. If you have a few hours to spare, spend it with a hot biker and the woman who helps him reconcile his past, and build the future he never thought he could have. You will enjoy it.