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Deacons of Bourbon Street #1
Make You Burn
Sean “Ajax” Harding’s oaths are inked into his skin. Once second-in-command of the Deacons of Bourbon Street motorcycle club, he left New Orleans to protect the brotherhood, and only the death of his beloved mentor, Priest Lombard, could lure him back. Walking into the old hangout gives him a familiar thrill—especially when he gets an eyeful of the bar’s delectable new owner. A wild ride with her is just the welcome Ajax needs. Then he realizes that she’s Priest’s daughter, all grown up and totally off limits.
Sophie Lombard loved her father, not his lifestyle. She’s done with bikers . . . until Ajax roars into town—arrogant, tough, and sexy as ever. And although he treats her like the Catholic schoolgirl he once knew, Sophie’s daydreams tend to revolve around sin. With the very real possibility of heartbreak looming, Sophie knows better than to get too close to an outlaw. But every touch from Ajax is steamier than the Louisiana bayou—and heat like this may just be worth getting burned.
Sophie Lombard loved her father, not his lifestyle. She’s done with bikers . . . until Ajax roars into town—arrogant, tough, and sexy as ever. And although he treats her like the Catholic schoolgirl he once knew, Sophie’s daydreams tend to revolve around sin. With the very real possibility of heartbreak looming, Sophie knows better than to get too close to an outlaw. But every touch from Ajax is steamier than the Louisiana bayou—and heat like this may just be worth getting burned.
217 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 4, 2015
73 people are currently reading
1329 people want to read
About the author
Megan Crane
67 books697 followersUSA Today bestselling, multi-award-nominated, and critically-acclaimed author Megan Crane has written more than 150 books and shows no sign of slowing down. She publishes contemporary romance and paranormal romance as Megan Crane (and briefly M.M. Crane) with an extensive backlist of women’s fiction, rom-coms, chick lit, and young adult novels—among other things. She’s also won a large and loyal fanbase as Caitlin Crews with Harlequin Presents, Harlequin Dare, Harlequin Historical, and contemporary cowboy books. And for Midwestern small town coziness, found families, romance, and some paranormal scariness thrown in, Megan partners with Nicole Helm to publish as Hazel Beck.
Megan has a Masters and Ph.D. in English Literature, has taught creative writing classes in places like UCLA Extension’s prestigious Writers’ Program, and is always available to give workshops (or her opinion). She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her comic book artist husband, though, at any given time, she is likely to either be huddled in a coffee shop somewhere or off traveling the world. Preferably both.
You can find out more than you ever wanted to know about her at www.megancrane.com
Megan has a Masters and Ph.D. in English Literature, has taught creative writing classes in places like UCLA Extension’s prestigious Writers’ Program, and is always available to give workshops (or her opinion). She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her comic book artist husband, though, at any given time, she is likely to either be huddled in a coffee shop somewhere or off traveling the world. Preferably both.
You can find out more than you ever wanted to know about her at www.megancrane.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 229 reviews
July 10, 2015
1 star. DNF @42%. Full review posted July 10, 2015
"If you want to hop on and ride my dick, just ask."
Not even if my life depended on it. Dick.
She could feel Ajax's gaze on her like a touch, a little bit dirty and very, very thorough, and she was fiercely glad she was practically naked. Men were simple and bikers were even more elemental than that. He'd be a lot more likely to look at her exposed skin than the pulse she could feel doing backflips and assorted acrobatics in her neck and her wrists and deep between her legs.
This time, when Ajax laughed, it made every single part of Sophie's body clench down hard in instant, molten reaction, and that chill down her back ice over in warning--but it was too late.
Yeah, it's too late for me as well because I just wish I hadn't requested the ARC.
He was already up and moving like a smooth shot of pure whiskey or a bullet aimed straight for her. And she had the dazed thought that no man who looked that solid, packed sleek with hard muscle and holy hell in his deep blue gaze, should be capable of moving that way, so swift and so sure.
What.The.Hell?
Ajax pushed up further into her, into her space and against her body. He smelled like soap and sun and something far darker, far earthier, that teased over her skin like a whisper. Like sex.
She remembered him in his feral early twenties, bright and blonde and so stunning that tourists had followed him around the French Quarter like they thought he was a harmless wolf cub set loose from his pack, like that hard smile of his was merely teeth and there was something more than violence in his sweet blue eyes.
A different sort of grin lit his face then, changing that look in his eyes and then dancing all over her.
The author seems to have a fixation on Ajax's grin, an odd writing style and a strange obsession with that little four-letter word then.
Ajax lifted his gaze to hers then, and his blue eyes had gone hot. It shuddered through her, intent and heavy. A threat, she told herself. Dark and hard and life-altering. A distinct and deliberate threat.
There's nothing life-altering about this book, that's for sure.
He felt her shake against him, the kind of fine, high tremble that came from deep inside, and he took her mouth again in a wet, deep, searing possession that was dangerous in public.
You don't say.
Back to when she'd been a curious teenager with a strict father and he'd been so beautiful his smile made the gargoyles weep. Back when she'd had to awkwardly navigate around this house with him always underfoot, always oozing that deadly, feral charm of his all over the kitchen table, but never at her.
Er…I'm close to weeping too. Shall we sit at the table?
(…) his voice harder than it should have been, scraping out of him and into the afternoon around them.
I…have to identity him.
How about…identify?
Her heart thudded hard and her stomach twisted into a bulky knot.
That must be one hell of a knot. It might affect her digestive system.
The October afternoon heaved on around them.
Baba heaved a sigh.
She had that raw, swollen hollow inside of her, so she curled herself around it and she tried to get used to the unwieldy, impossible weight of it.
I'd like to get rid of thatheavy weight book.
She heard the low rumbles of male voices that she identified in an instant as friendly, and then she watched the complicated rituals of masculinity performed before her in a series of intricate handshakes and shoulder bumps, man to man.
He started up his bike, the roar of it splitting the night apart and welcome, somehow. Sophie could feel it in her bones, like a jazz band on a French Quarter street corner, the rhythm of life beneath everything.
His cock didn't give a shit that she was the kind of trouble that lasted a lifetime. It just wanted in.
"You were threatening me," she prompted him, all that smart mouthed heat she'd hidden all night right there on those lips of hers that he couldn't taste enough.
(…) Or so she told herself when her heart pounded hard inside her chest, then kept at it, like a drum. Boom. That sleek, black, infinitely sexy machine, gleaming dark and dangerous in the night. Boom. Ajax and that steel-crafted body of his that wouldn't be safely across the width of a car tonight. Boom. The long, long stretch of road between here and New Orleans, with this man and this machine brooding and hot between her thighs. Boom.
Dear me! Boom. I'd rather read something else.
As a side note
I'm not sorry for using filthy language in my review of Make You Burn. Consider this some kind of tit-for-tat response. After all, this book is filled with expletives.
Time and again I'm very surprised to see that books like Make You Burn even see the light of day. Catching myself rolling my eyes countless times and shaking my head after having read a few percent is a very bad omen, to say the least. Make You Burn was down to a one-star rating at 9%. I knew I couldn't abandon ship that early, so I kept on reading in the hope of…what exactly? My gut feeling rarely betrays me. I didn't expect for any wonders to happen. However, I hadn't thought it could get any worse. Oh boy, did it ever, though.
I have read and enjoyed biker romance books before, but smashing filthy and crude language in my face ad nauseam, shoving insipid F-bombs down my throat, extraterrestrially bad dirty talk, sopping wet cunts (here, you poor thing, take a sip of water), electricity zinging through bodies all the time (I've been electrocuted numerous times already while reading crappy books, thank you very much), heat and more heat sweeping between legs and around bodies, arousal permeating the already thick air, tongues practically choking each other's throats, moaning, desperate groaning, delirious grunting, growling or what-the-fuck-ever, countless and mindless body worship, shockingly poor writing, shallow and trivial characters who only think with their dicks, tits or cunts, and crappy sex that will make me go on the run is the perfect formula to make me drop a book like a hot potato.
Writing (emphasis on writing) chemistry and sexual tension is a very fine work of art. There was none to be found here whatsoever. No build-up either and I couldn't for the life of me connect with the highly annoying characters. I think the author tried to come off as somewhat poetic but failed miserably. When you can't pull it off then let it be. Stick to simple and solid writing.
Going into the story, I knew that the hero's name was Sean "Ajax" Harding, so I thought it would work just fine for me to ignore that ridiculous nickname. Well, poor writing has a way of making it hard to disregard certain unfortunate aspects of a romance book, such as nicknames…
Streak free window cleaning:
Let's watch a soccer game, shall we? The team of Ajax Amsterdam:
To sum this book up in eight little words: a pile of horribly dull and brainless rubbish.
It's harsh but it's my honest opinion. I guess I'll keep on digging through the dirt to find a few rare gems each year. Make You Burn isn't among those, that's as sure as day follows night.
Movin' on…
Expected publication: August 4th, 2015
All quotes are taken from the pre-published copy and may be altered or omitted in the final copy
**ARC courtesy of Random House Publishing Group - Loveswept via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**
"If you want to hop on and ride my dick, just ask."
Not even if my life depended on it. Dick.
She could feel Ajax's gaze on her like a touch, a little bit dirty and very, very thorough, and she was fiercely glad she was practically naked. Men were simple and bikers were even more elemental than that. He'd be a lot more likely to look at her exposed skin than the pulse she could feel doing backflips and assorted acrobatics in her neck and her wrists and deep between her legs.
This time, when Ajax laughed, it made every single part of Sophie's body clench down hard in instant, molten reaction, and that chill down her back ice over in warning--but it was too late.
Yeah, it's too late for me as well because I just wish I hadn't requested the ARC.
He was already up and moving like a smooth shot of pure whiskey or a bullet aimed straight for her. And she had the dazed thought that no man who looked that solid, packed sleek with hard muscle and holy hell in his deep blue gaze, should be capable of moving that way, so swift and so sure.
What.The.Hell?
Ajax pushed up further into her, into her space and against her body. He smelled like soap and sun and something far darker, far earthier, that teased over her skin like a whisper. Like sex.
She remembered him in his feral early twenties, bright and blonde and so stunning that tourists had followed him around the French Quarter like they thought he was a harmless wolf cub set loose from his pack, like that hard smile of his was merely teeth and there was something more than violence in his sweet blue eyes.
A different sort of grin lit his face then, changing that look in his eyes and then dancing all over her.
The author seems to have a fixation on Ajax's grin, an odd writing style and a strange obsession with that little four-letter word then.
Ajax lifted his gaze to hers then, and his blue eyes had gone hot. It shuddered through her, intent and heavy. A threat, she told herself. Dark and hard and life-altering. A distinct and deliberate threat.
There's nothing life-altering about this book, that's for sure.
He felt her shake against him, the kind of fine, high tremble that came from deep inside, and he took her mouth again in a wet, deep, searing possession that was dangerous in public.
You don't say.
Back to when she'd been a curious teenager with a strict father and he'd been so beautiful his smile made the gargoyles weep. Back when she'd had to awkwardly navigate around this house with him always underfoot, always oozing that deadly, feral charm of his all over the kitchen table, but never at her.
Er…I'm close to weeping too. Shall we sit at the table?
(…) his voice harder than it should have been, scraping out of him and into the afternoon around them.
I…have to identity him.
How about…identify?
Her heart thudded hard and her stomach twisted into a bulky knot.
That must be one hell of a knot. It might affect her digestive system.
The October afternoon heaved on around them.
Baba heaved a sigh.
She had that raw, swollen hollow inside of her, so she curled herself around it and she tried to get used to the unwieldy, impossible weight of it.
I'd like to get rid of that
She heard the low rumbles of male voices that she identified in an instant as friendly, and then she watched the complicated rituals of masculinity performed before her in a series of intricate handshakes and shoulder bumps, man to man.
He started up his bike, the roar of it splitting the night apart and welcome, somehow. Sophie could feel it in her bones, like a jazz band on a French Quarter street corner, the rhythm of life beneath everything.
His cock didn't give a shit that she was the kind of trouble that lasted a lifetime. It just wanted in.
"You were threatening me," she prompted him, all that smart mouthed heat she'd hidden all night right there on those lips of hers that he couldn't taste enough.
(…) Or so she told herself when her heart pounded hard inside her chest, then kept at it, like a drum. Boom. That sleek, black, infinitely sexy machine, gleaming dark and dangerous in the night. Boom. Ajax and that steel-crafted body of his that wouldn't be safely across the width of a car tonight. Boom. The long, long stretch of road between here and New Orleans, with this man and this machine brooding and hot between her thighs. Boom.
Dear me! Boom. I'd rather read something else.
As a side note
I'm not sorry for using filthy language in my review of Make You Burn. Consider this some kind of tit-for-tat response. After all, this book is filled with expletives.
Time and again I'm very surprised to see that books like Make You Burn even see the light of day. Catching myself rolling my eyes countless times and shaking my head after having read a few percent is a very bad omen, to say the least. Make You Burn was down to a one-star rating at 9%. I knew I couldn't abandon ship that early, so I kept on reading in the hope of…what exactly? My gut feeling rarely betrays me. I didn't expect for any wonders to happen. However, I hadn't thought it could get any worse. Oh boy, did it ever, though.
I have read and enjoyed biker romance books before, but smashing filthy and crude language in my face ad nauseam, shoving insipid F-bombs down my throat, extraterrestrially bad dirty talk, sopping wet cunts (here, you poor thing, take a sip of water), electricity zinging through bodies all the time (I've been electrocuted numerous times already while reading crappy books, thank you very much), heat and more heat sweeping between legs and around bodies, arousal permeating the already thick air, tongues practically choking each other's throats, moaning, desperate groaning, delirious grunting, growling or what-the-fuck-ever, countless and mindless body worship, shockingly poor writing, shallow and trivial characters who only think with their dicks, tits or cunts, and crappy sex that will make me go on the run is the perfect formula to make me drop a book like a hot potato.
Writing (emphasis on writing) chemistry and sexual tension is a very fine work of art. There was none to be found here whatsoever. No build-up either and I couldn't for the life of me connect with the highly annoying characters. I think the author tried to come off as somewhat poetic but failed miserably. When you can't pull it off then let it be. Stick to simple and solid writing.
Going into the story, I knew that the hero's name was Sean "Ajax" Harding, so I thought it would work just fine for me to ignore that ridiculous nickname. Well, poor writing has a way of making it hard to disregard certain unfortunate aspects of a romance book, such as nicknames…
Streak free window cleaning:
Let's watch a soccer game, shall we? The team of Ajax Amsterdam:
To sum this book up in eight little words: a pile of horribly dull and brainless rubbish.
It's harsh but it's my honest opinion. I guess I'll keep on digging through the dirt to find a few rare gems each year. Make You Burn isn't among those, that's as sure as day follows night.
Movin' on…
Expected publication: August 4th, 2015
All quotes are taken from the pre-published copy and may be altered or omitted in the final copy
**ARC courtesy of Random House Publishing Group - Loveswept via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**
August 3, 2015
DNF @67%
You know what my main problem with this book is? It's not the clichéd plot or the one-dimensional characters. Not really because I've read plenty of books containing the same cliché and ended up enjoying it. My main problem, which led to my chucking this to my DNF pile is I just couldn't bring myself to care. Simple as that.
I didn't care about Priest's murder or why he was murdered, and I couldn't bring myself to care about Jax & Sophie as a couple. They barely register to me. The inner monologue were so mind-numblingly boring and nonsensical that my brain just started shutting down to protect itself. And because I respect my brain's call for self-preservation, I had to DNF.
ARC provided by Loveswept in exchange for an honest review.
You know what my main problem with this book is? It's not the clichéd plot or the one-dimensional characters. Not really because I've read plenty of books containing the same cliché and ended up enjoying it. My main problem, which led to my chucking this to my DNF pile is I just couldn't bring myself to care. Simple as that.
I didn't care about Priest's murder or why he was murdered, and I couldn't bring myself to care about Jax & Sophie as a couple. They barely register to me. The inner monologue were so mind-numblingly boring and nonsensical that my brain just started shutting down to protect itself. And because I respect my brain's call for self-preservation, I had to DNF.
ARC provided by Loveswept in exchange for an honest review.
May 30, 2015
2 *Not What I expected* Stars
I wear my priorities on my back. That doesn’t change, Sophie. The club itself might shift direction. The world might change. But the brotherhood never does.”
After giving this one a whopping 2 star rating I guess I better start by clarifying that I by no means disliked this book. In fact there were parts I truly enjoyed. Unfortunately the issues that bothered me far outweighed the good and at times I really struggled with this one.
I’m a glass half full kind of gal so let’s start with the good to begin with. The sexual chemistry between Sophie and Ajax was hot as hell and very well written. Sophie had a crush on Ajax when they were both younger and he was still a fledgling member of the MC her father was president of. Ajax always saw Sophie as the protected daughter of his mentor and closest thing he had to a father, thereby making her strictly off limits. When he returns for his club president’s funeral and gets a glimpse of Sophie shaking her ass through the French Quarter, all bets are off. Because this book basically took place over the course of a week or so, this immediate and new to Ajax attraction felt a whole lot like insta-love but I let that go because their chemistry ended up being my favorite part of the book.
That being said, there were quite a few aspects of this book that simply didn’t work for me. There’s a story here somewhere that will continue through the three additional planned books of the series, but for the life of me I had a hard time giving a shit. The death of Sophie’s dad may or may not have been planned, there are issues surrounding two other club members getting books and their apparent club deflection (maybe), but we’re not really given enough information to either peek my interest or keep me glued to the series. Add that to the fact that other authors will be writing the three remaining books in the series and I foresee a possible clusterf*ck just waiting to happen.
She was broken and she was beautiful, his high class Creole whore of a hometown. Creeping vines and streetcar poetry, cracks in the sidewalks and zydeco in the thick air. This was home.
I could probably overlook those issues had it not be for the incredible amount of inner dialogue and a complete lack of actual conversation and interaction between characters. There were literally pages and pages of descriptions and character ramblings like the above passage that never made it to the verbal level. Basically, this left me reading a question or exchange from one character, muddling through the inner ramblings of the other character for pages at a time then having to flip back and reread the original question by the time an answer was finally given because I’d already forgotten the damn question. This happened so many times that I finally stopped caring and made it my personal goal to finish the book and move on.
ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
I wear my priorities on my back. That doesn’t change, Sophie. The club itself might shift direction. The world might change. But the brotherhood never does.”
After giving this one a whopping 2 star rating I guess I better start by clarifying that I by no means disliked this book. In fact there were parts I truly enjoyed. Unfortunately the issues that bothered me far outweighed the good and at times I really struggled with this one.
I’m a glass half full kind of gal so let’s start with the good to begin with. The sexual chemistry between Sophie and Ajax was hot as hell and very well written. Sophie had a crush on Ajax when they were both younger and he was still a fledgling member of the MC her father was president of. Ajax always saw Sophie as the protected daughter of his mentor and closest thing he had to a father, thereby making her strictly off limits. When he returns for his club president’s funeral and gets a glimpse of Sophie shaking her ass through the French Quarter, all bets are off. Because this book basically took place over the course of a week or so, this immediate and new to Ajax attraction felt a whole lot like insta-love but I let that go because their chemistry ended up being my favorite part of the book.
That being said, there were quite a few aspects of this book that simply didn’t work for me. There’s a story here somewhere that will continue through the three additional planned books of the series, but for the life of me I had a hard time giving a shit. The death of Sophie’s dad may or may not have been planned, there are issues surrounding two other club members getting books and their apparent club deflection (maybe), but we’re not really given enough information to either peek my interest or keep me glued to the series. Add that to the fact that other authors will be writing the three remaining books in the series and I foresee a possible clusterf*ck just waiting to happen.
She was broken and she was beautiful, his high class Creole whore of a hometown. Creeping vines and streetcar poetry, cracks in the sidewalks and zydeco in the thick air. This was home.
I could probably overlook those issues had it not be for the incredible amount of inner dialogue and a complete lack of actual conversation and interaction between characters. There were literally pages and pages of descriptions and character ramblings like the above passage that never made it to the verbal level. Basically, this left me reading a question or exchange from one character, muddling through the inner ramblings of the other character for pages at a time then having to flip back and reread the original question by the time an answer was finally given because I’d already forgotten the damn question. This happened so many times that I finally stopped caring and made it my personal goal to finish the book and move on.
ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
May 20, 2015
Thanks to Net Galley and Random House I was able to review an advanced copy of this book prior to its August release date for an honest review. This is a new author for me and I am a voracious MC romance reader. That genre is flooded on a daily basis with new books and it is honestly hard to find one that truly grabs you and pulls you into the story and the characters. Well, this author succeeded in doing just that. Her writing style is fresh, unique and captivates you. The story is set in New Orleans and having been there I was familiar with all of the landmarks referenced. Based on the author’s descriptions I could see myself in the French Quarter, walking down Bourbon St and seeing all of the scenery in my mind. This author doesn’t write crude, basic sentences similar to a basic elementary reader. She brings you into the story. The main characters Ajax and Sophie jumped off the page and engaged you completely in their interactions.
Ajax has returned to New Orleans after a 10 year absence. He and other club officers were banished for 10 years because of fallout for a run gone wrong and Priest’s, the club president, attempts to move the club into a legitimate world. Priest has died under suspicious circumstances and Ajay is heartbroken that his mentor and father figure has died. Priest is also Sophie’s father. Sophie was 18 years old when Ajax left and was seen only as the president’s little girl who was protected both by and from the club members. So upon his return, Ajax barely recognizes her as the young girl he last saw. The opening scene is an attention getter but could totally occur in the Big Easy.
The sparks fly and there’s an immediate connection, albeit with a lot of conflict, between Ajay and Sophie. The author develops their relationship slowly and with a lot of sexual tension. Sophie and Ajax both fight their attraction but it’s an unsuccessful fight. Even though, at times, I wanted to slap both of them I was totally caught up in their relationship. Sophie is a strong heroine, she doesn’t back down at all.
Ajax calls the absent club officers home and the suspense, intrigue starts as Ajax tries to solve the mystery of what killed Priest. Priest is a big part of the story as his daughter and loyal followers gather to put him to rest. The descriptive section on the funeral in New Orleans and the cemetery really put me there almost with a visual perspective. Several of the returned club officers don’t want to be there and have made other lives. Ajax is determined to bring the club back together to its former glory.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and really want to read more stories about this group. I want more Ajax and Sophie as well as solving the mystery about Priest’s death. There is so much potential in this story for future books. This book is a standalone (no cliffhanger) and there is a HEA. No cheating and an overall excellent romance with prose that will draw you in. You may not like Ajax or Sophie in the beginning but you will fall in love with them by the book’s end.
Ajax has returned to New Orleans after a 10 year absence. He and other club officers were banished for 10 years because of fallout for a run gone wrong and Priest’s, the club president, attempts to move the club into a legitimate world. Priest has died under suspicious circumstances and Ajay is heartbroken that his mentor and father figure has died. Priest is also Sophie’s father. Sophie was 18 years old when Ajax left and was seen only as the president’s little girl who was protected both by and from the club members. So upon his return, Ajax barely recognizes her as the young girl he last saw. The opening scene is an attention getter but could totally occur in the Big Easy.
The sparks fly and there’s an immediate connection, albeit with a lot of conflict, between Ajay and Sophie. The author develops their relationship slowly and with a lot of sexual tension. Sophie and Ajax both fight their attraction but it’s an unsuccessful fight. Even though, at times, I wanted to slap both of them I was totally caught up in their relationship. Sophie is a strong heroine, she doesn’t back down at all.
Ajax calls the absent club officers home and the suspense, intrigue starts as Ajax tries to solve the mystery of what killed Priest. Priest is a big part of the story as his daughter and loyal followers gather to put him to rest. The descriptive section on the funeral in New Orleans and the cemetery really put me there almost with a visual perspective. Several of the returned club officers don’t want to be there and have made other lives. Ajax is determined to bring the club back together to its former glory.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and really want to read more stories about this group. I want more Ajax and Sophie as well as solving the mystery about Priest’s death. There is so much potential in this story for future books. This book is a standalone (no cliffhanger) and there is a HEA. No cheating and an overall excellent romance with prose that will draw you in. You may not like Ajax or Sophie in the beginning but you will fall in love with them by the book’s end.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 27, 2015
In the first Deacons of Bourbon Street book, Sean “Ajax” Harding left New Orleans ten years at the request of his President, Priest Lombard. The day Priest dies, Ajax rolls up and sees a woman walking towards the Priory, the club’s bar, wearing gold pants, headdress, tassels...and nothing else. It’s lust at first sight. Until he realizes that woman is Priest’s daughter, Sophie, and theoretically off limits. So while arranging for her father’s burial, Ajax and Sophie need to stay the hell away from each other. You know that’s not happening...but (hot and steamy) romance is.
Like the setup : MC romances are crack for me - it’s so outside my realm of experience, it fascinates me. The misogyny, the aggressiveness, the overt sexuality, the potential for a badass who is crappy to everyone else except for you (mostly)... just reading about it leaves you feeling like that Wedding Crashers line - it’s dangerous but also safe. And here, Ajax, well...come on - how do you NOT see a certain Charlie Hunnam when you read this blurb? I know I can’t. And that’s not a bad thing.
WTFery rating is low : Ajax is a hardcore biker with no plans to go on the straight and narrow, but it’s fairly mild as far as MC romances go. There’s alot of misogyny, but actual criminal deals and violence is mostly implied not shown. That’s why I’d rate this as a 1-2. There is potential is there for future books to get grittier, especially once they unravel what exactly happened to Priest and get to some good old fashioned revenge.
Lots of steamy, steamy sex : I could practically feel the sweltering heat of New Orleans coming off my kindle in waves while reading this book. Ms. Crane certainly likes to set the scene and there is no problem with developing the heat between Sophie and Ajax. If you’re into alot of sex and really descriptive prose, this has it in spades. But I think it’s almost too much of a good thing because...
There’s not much else : While I’m in favor of alot of great steamy sex, I would have liked more time spent developing the actual story of the Deacons MC. There’s little time devoted to what happened with Priest, what happened to Ajax when he left, and what deal went wrong that sent the MC’s top four men off in completely different directions in the first place. I understand that there will be three other books, but I would have loved to have had a solid foundation for this mystery and this club. The book’s timeline is super condensed - half of the book happens within a day of Priest’s passing and it was about 45% before the mystery of Priest’s death is even addressed. The majority of the tale is all about the fact that Sophie and Ajax can’t keep their hands off each other. Or want each other, or are thinking about what they can do to each other.
It’s a style thing : I love descriptive prose and the ability of an author to put me in the headspace and location of a character. That’s great - but I also need a balance between that and actual dialogue, or else it feels like the characters don’t actually speak or connect with each other, except on a physical level. There was a tendency to be very wordy (I know, hi pot I'm kettle) and internal musings can take paragraphs between lines of dialogue. There were opportunities to expand the story that were ignored, such as Ajax’s catch-up talk with Rigger. It could have been used to set up the Deacons MC, but was simply glossed over and recapped which was a shame.
I liked it but I wanted more story to go with my steamy sex. But if you’re into MC romances with a high steam factor and don’t mind that it’s a bit low on plot, you may enjoy this. I have the second book queued to review and I definitely want to read Ms. Johns’ take on the Deacons MC.
**ARC provided by publisher via netgalley for review**
Like the setup : MC romances are crack for me - it’s so outside my realm of experience, it fascinates me. The misogyny, the aggressiveness, the overt sexuality, the potential for a badass who is crappy to everyone else except for you (mostly)... just reading about it leaves you feeling like that Wedding Crashers line - it’s dangerous but also safe. And here, Ajax, well...come on - how do you NOT see a certain Charlie Hunnam when you read this blurb? I know I can’t. And that’s not a bad thing.
WTFery rating is low : Ajax is a hardcore biker with no plans to go on the straight and narrow, but it’s fairly mild as far as MC romances go. There’s alot of misogyny, but actual criminal deals and violence is mostly implied not shown. That’s why I’d rate this as a 1-2. There is potential is there for future books to get grittier, especially once they unravel what exactly happened to Priest and get to some good old fashioned revenge.
Lots of steamy, steamy sex : I could practically feel the sweltering heat of New Orleans coming off my kindle in waves while reading this book. Ms. Crane certainly likes to set the scene and there is no problem with developing the heat between Sophie and Ajax. If you’re into alot of sex and really descriptive prose, this has it in spades. But I think it’s almost too much of a good thing because...
There’s not much else : While I’m in favor of alot of great steamy sex, I would have liked more time spent developing the actual story of the Deacons MC. There’s little time devoted to what happened with Priest, what happened to Ajax when he left, and what deal went wrong that sent the MC’s top four men off in completely different directions in the first place. I understand that there will be three other books, but I would have loved to have had a solid foundation for this mystery and this club. The book’s timeline is super condensed - half of the book happens within a day of Priest’s passing and it was about 45% before the mystery of Priest’s death is even addressed. The majority of the tale is all about the fact that Sophie and Ajax can’t keep their hands off each other. Or want each other, or are thinking about what they can do to each other.
It’s a style thing : I love descriptive prose and the ability of an author to put me in the headspace and location of a character. That’s great - but I also need a balance between that and actual dialogue, or else it feels like the characters don’t actually speak or connect with each other, except on a physical level. There was a tendency to be very wordy (I know, hi pot I'm kettle) and internal musings can take paragraphs between lines of dialogue. There were opportunities to expand the story that were ignored, such as Ajax’s catch-up talk with Rigger. It could have been used to set up the Deacons MC, but was simply glossed over and recapped which was a shame.
I liked it but I wanted more story to go with my steamy sex. But if you’re into MC romances with a high steam factor and don’t mind that it’s a bit low on plot, you may enjoy this. I have the second book queued to review and I definitely want to read Ms. Johns’ take on the Deacons MC.
**ARC provided by publisher via netgalley for review**
September 23, 2015
Make You Burn, by Megan Crane, is the smokin hot 1st book in the Deacons of Bourbon Street series.
Set in New Orleans, this is Ajax and Sophie's story. After the unexpected death of Sophie's father Priest (president of the motorcycle club) exiled Ajax returns home after 10 years to take over as VP. The moment he lays eyes on Sophie, who was a little girl the last time he saw her, he sees the woman she has become and knows nothing will stop him from making her his.
Sophie's world is spinning out of control with questions regarding her father's mysterious death, the exiled brothers returning to reunite and the undeniable attraction between her and Ajax.
Their passion is off the charts HOT and the story is raw, gritty, sexy and intense.
I can hardly wait to see what happens next in the 2nd book of this series.
Set in New Orleans, this is Ajax and Sophie's story. After the unexpected death of Sophie's father Priest (president of the motorcycle club) exiled Ajax returns home after 10 years to take over as VP. The moment he lays eyes on Sophie, who was a little girl the last time he saw her, he sees the woman she has become and knows nothing will stop him from making her his.
Sophie's world is spinning out of control with questions regarding her father's mysterious death, the exiled brothers returning to reunite and the undeniable attraction between her and Ajax.
Their passion is off the charts HOT and the story is raw, gritty, sexy and intense.
I can hardly wait to see what happens next in the 2nd book of this series.
July 20, 2015
2 'Not For Me' Stars
Ajax is back in New Orleans to pay his respects to Priest, his closest friend and the guy that was like a father to him growing up. His first day back he runs into Sophie, Priest's daughter. But she isn't the innocent little girl that he remembers. All grown up now Sophie is trying to hold it together enough to plan her fathers funeral. But with Ajax back in town she has a hard time keeping her mind focused on the task at hand and off of the sexy as hell biker.
When this book started with Ajax having Sophie pressed against a wall and dry humping her within the first couple of pages, I was beyond excited and thinking that this would be a hot as hell book.
I wasn't wrong. This story was full of sexy encounters and there was some major sexual tension going on between Sophie and Ajax. Oh and angry sex, lots of angry sex! The problem was, that's all that happened. The two barely talked to each other, only yelled insults and there was no romance. This was sex, yelling, and that's about it. There is a little bit of a mystery surrounding Priest's death but it was mentioned only once or twice and then wasn't brought up again. I guess it will be resolved in the next books.
I was looking forward to a MC romance and this wasn't it. There wasn't a biker club, only four members coming back together for the funeral and seeming to hate each other. It was a bit of a disappointment since I wasn't expecting this type of story at all. The plot was good and interesting but the actual story couldn't keep my attention.
Another problem I had was the writing style. One sentence would have so much information in it that I had trouble following along sometimes. It was only here and there that this happened but it was annoying when I had to go back and re read something to actually understand it. This is just my own issue, though, and I'm sure most people won't have the trouble I did.
Here's an example:
Overall this was an okay story, it was just a little rough around the edges. It was off the charts sexy, I just needed more actual interactions between the characters and less angry sex (wow, can't believe I just said that). Anyone looking for a steamy, smutty book would highly enjoy this, I just advise you to go in with no expectations of a romantic book.
Edit: Apparently the other books in this series will all be written by different authors. Still not sure how I feel about continuing with this series, though. The "mystery" wasn't enough to actually make me care about finding out what happened.
ARC kindly provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Ajax is back in New Orleans to pay his respects to Priest, his closest friend and the guy that was like a father to him growing up. His first day back he runs into Sophie, Priest's daughter. But she isn't the innocent little girl that he remembers. All grown up now Sophie is trying to hold it together enough to plan her fathers funeral. But with Ajax back in town she has a hard time keeping her mind focused on the task at hand and off of the sexy as hell biker.
When this book started with Ajax having Sophie pressed against a wall and dry humping her within the first couple of pages, I was beyond excited and thinking that this would be a hot as hell book.
I wasn't wrong. This story was full of sexy encounters and there was some major sexual tension going on between Sophie and Ajax. Oh and angry sex, lots of angry sex! The problem was, that's all that happened. The two barely talked to each other, only yelled insults and there was no romance. This was sex, yelling, and that's about it. There is a little bit of a mystery surrounding Priest's death but it was mentioned only once or twice and then wasn't brought up again. I guess it will be resolved in the next books.
I was looking forward to a MC romance and this wasn't it. There wasn't a biker club, only four members coming back together for the funeral and seeming to hate each other. It was a bit of a disappointment since I wasn't expecting this type of story at all. The plot was good and interesting but the actual story couldn't keep my attention.
Another problem I had was the writing style. One sentence would have so much information in it that I had trouble following along sometimes. It was only here and there that this happened but it was annoying when I had to go back and re read something to actually understand it. This is just my own issue, though, and I'm sure most people won't have the trouble I did.
Here's an example:
"The men started toward the building, but she waited until Ajax, in conversation with the one she'd picked out at a glance as a club officer - young to be President, she thought, though that was probably only a matter of time if he wasn't already - beckoned her over to him with a seemingly casual curl of his fingers."
Overall this was an okay story, it was just a little rough around the edges. It was off the charts sexy, I just needed more actual interactions between the characters and less angry sex (wow, can't believe I just said that). Anyone looking for a steamy, smutty book would highly enjoy this, I just advise you to go in with no expectations of a romantic book.
Edit: Apparently the other books in this series will all be written by different authors. Still not sure how I feel about continuing with this series, though. The "mystery" wasn't enough to actually make me care about finding out what happened.
ARC kindly provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 4, 2015
Ajax..um...yeah! Did I mention that I DEVOURED this book...I just didn't want to put it down! My MC Romance Ladies...we have a new Alpha Male in town...and he is everything I love in a hero...the sex was insanely HOTT and the tender moments were just "SQUEEEEEEEEEE"...I loved it!
(And I got my hands on Book two...and devoured that in a few hours too!)
Great New Series...Fantastic writing from a New to me author, Megan Crane. I think I might have been singed by how HOT this book was!
(And I got my hands on Book two...and devoured that in a few hours too!)
Great New Series...Fantastic writing from a New to me author, Megan Crane. I think I might have been singed by how HOT this book was!
August 4, 2015
Leigh's review posted at Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews
4.5 Stars
There’s hot and then there’s smoking, and Megan Crane’s start of the Deacon’s of Bourbon Street series is the sexiest thing I’ve read in a while. I think my kindle may have melted. After reading this, I’m tempted to buckle on my stripper heels, stick on my pasties and walk down Bourbon Street myself!
Set in the Louisiana bayous and the sultry decadence of the French Quarter, Make You Burn introduces us to a motorcycle club that has all but disappeared. Coming back to town after his exile in the wake of hurricane Katrina, Ajax has returned for the funeral of the MC president, Priest. But nothing about the situation sits well with Ajax and he intends to fix that. His job is to find out what happened to Priest and make Priest’s daughter, Sophie, understand that she belongs to him. A problem when Sophie has sworn that she would never follow in the life that her father led.
Ajax is quite simply over the top. He is all alpha-male violence, brotherhood and sex. He is raunchy, dirty, and shows his attraction to Sophie in the only way he knows how. Sophie is the perfect match for him. Mouthy and strong, she doesn’t let him walk all over her, and stands up to this beast of a man that terrifies those around him.
Make You Burn was not a light MC book. Once I was finished, I will admit to sneaking a peek at other reviews to see if everyone felt the same way I did, and was surprised to find criticisms about the foul language and the way women were viewed as property. This was not walks on the beach holding hands and candle lit dinners people! It was an MC book! It was dark and seedy and oh so dirty, and Megan Crane’s writing style worked perfectly with this. As a new author to me, it took me a few pages to get into the rhythm of her writing. But once I did, I fell in love. Her style was so sultry and thick that I could almost feel the sweat of the bayou and the pulse of Bourbon Street as I read. I sunk deep into the story and enjoyed every minute of it.
This story completed the arc of Ajax and Sophie’s relationship, but there are still three other Deacon brothers that returned to town, each I assume with a story to be told as they figure out what happened to Priest. What really intrigues me about this series is that each book is written by a different author. I’m chomping at the bit to see what each book brings and can only hope I enjoy Rachael John’s story, which releases next, as much as I thoroughly loved this one.
Review copy provided for an honest review.
4.5 Stars
There’s hot and then there’s smoking, and Megan Crane’s start of the Deacon’s of Bourbon Street series is the sexiest thing I’ve read in a while. I think my kindle may have melted. After reading this, I’m tempted to buckle on my stripper heels, stick on my pasties and walk down Bourbon Street myself!
Set in the Louisiana bayous and the sultry decadence of the French Quarter, Make You Burn introduces us to a motorcycle club that has all but disappeared. Coming back to town after his exile in the wake of hurricane Katrina, Ajax has returned for the funeral of the MC president, Priest. But nothing about the situation sits well with Ajax and he intends to fix that. His job is to find out what happened to Priest and make Priest’s daughter, Sophie, understand that she belongs to him. A problem when Sophie has sworn that she would never follow in the life that her father led.
Ajax is quite simply over the top. He is all alpha-male violence, brotherhood and sex. He is raunchy, dirty, and shows his attraction to Sophie in the only way he knows how. Sophie is the perfect match for him. Mouthy and strong, she doesn’t let him walk all over her, and stands up to this beast of a man that terrifies those around him.
Make You Burn was not a light MC book. Once I was finished, I will admit to sneaking a peek at other reviews to see if everyone felt the same way I did, and was surprised to find criticisms about the foul language and the way women were viewed as property. This was not walks on the beach holding hands and candle lit dinners people! It was an MC book! It was dark and seedy and oh so dirty, and Megan Crane’s writing style worked perfectly with this. As a new author to me, it took me a few pages to get into the rhythm of her writing. But once I did, I fell in love. Her style was so sultry and thick that I could almost feel the sweat of the bayou and the pulse of Bourbon Street as I read. I sunk deep into the story and enjoyed every minute of it.
This story completed the arc of Ajax and Sophie’s relationship, but there are still three other Deacon brothers that returned to town, each I assume with a story to be told as they figure out what happened to Priest. What really intrigues me about this series is that each book is written by a different author. I’m chomping at the bit to see what each book brings and can only hope I enjoy Rachael John’s story, which releases next, as much as I thoroughly loved this one.
Review copy provided for an honest review.
July 25, 2015
I Love a good MC book and I have read tons of them and though this one has some of the same aspects this book felt very different that most books. Megan Cranes writing style is very different and unique, you would almost think she is writing a great literate piece of work but about a MC romance(as crazy as that sounds). This book is gritty and raw and beautiful in it's romance and heartbreak. In short this book was refreshing and different.
Ajax was the VP now that the president is dead Ajax is back and even though it has been ten long years he wouldn't rather be any place. When Ajax see's Sophie he wants her instantly, then he finds out she is Priest's daughter and Ajax knows that she is off limits. Sophie grew up in the MC but was always on the outside of the MC, her father was the president and the MC was his life now that he is gone Sophie is confronted with Ajax the VP who left. Neither can deny the attraction but the death of her father overshadows her feels.
As they prepare to put Sophie's father to rest the feelings they try so hard to resist become to difficult to deny and they not only find comfort in each other arms but a passion neither knew could exist. Ajax came home to a MC in shambles and he sets out to put it back together again, and while doing that the pieces of Priest's death don't seem to add up. As the new future of the MC begins to come together Sophie is given a blow she isn't sure she can come back from but Ajax has made up his mind that Sophie is his and he will gladly do whatever it takes to keep her.
I was really excited about this book when I read the books description and this book didn't disappoint. This book had so many different elements to it, that just created a great book. Ajax is rough and tough around the edges and is happy staying that way but he quickly falls head over heels in love with Sophie and though he will always have the MC in his blood Sophie quickly takes over his heart. Ajax is possessive and demanding and a great hero who drives Sophie crazy but is just what she needs. Sophie not only has to deal with the loss of her dad but the new future that unfolds now that her father no longer runs the MC and at the same time deal with unresolved issues with her dad. Sophie is strong and tough and loving and broken, she's a great heroine who grows a lot in this book and learns so much about herself.
What really surprised me was how much I liked Priest Sophie's dad. Even though he is dead at the beginning of this book he felt like a huge part of this book and he was so real and important through out this book. I will say that there is a lot and I mean a lot left unresolved in this book, but I am guessing that is because the story will continue to unfold and progress with the books yet to come because there is no way the story could be considered finished. The main issues are yet to be resolved and the issues with the other MC members are yet to be finished. I think this series will be great there is so much left to happen that I know this will be a great series. The MC members have so much they each have to deal with I can't wait to read their books and see how it all ends.
Thank you NetGallery and Random House Publishing Group - Loveswept for my ARC copy to review
Ajax was the VP now that the president is dead Ajax is back and even though it has been ten long years he wouldn't rather be any place. When Ajax see's Sophie he wants her instantly, then he finds out she is Priest's daughter and Ajax knows that she is off limits. Sophie grew up in the MC but was always on the outside of the MC, her father was the president and the MC was his life now that he is gone Sophie is confronted with Ajax the VP who left. Neither can deny the attraction but the death of her father overshadows her feels.
As they prepare to put Sophie's father to rest the feelings they try so hard to resist become to difficult to deny and they not only find comfort in each other arms but a passion neither knew could exist. Ajax came home to a MC in shambles and he sets out to put it back together again, and while doing that the pieces of Priest's death don't seem to add up. As the new future of the MC begins to come together Sophie is given a blow she isn't sure she can come back from but Ajax has made up his mind that Sophie is his and he will gladly do whatever it takes to keep her.
I was really excited about this book when I read the books description and this book didn't disappoint. This book had so many different elements to it, that just created a great book. Ajax is rough and tough around the edges and is happy staying that way but he quickly falls head over heels in love with Sophie and though he will always have the MC in his blood Sophie quickly takes over his heart. Ajax is possessive and demanding and a great hero who drives Sophie crazy but is just what she needs. Sophie not only has to deal with the loss of her dad but the new future that unfolds now that her father no longer runs the MC and at the same time deal with unresolved issues with her dad. Sophie is strong and tough and loving and broken, she's a great heroine who grows a lot in this book and learns so much about herself.
What really surprised me was how much I liked Priest Sophie's dad. Even though he is dead at the beginning of this book he felt like a huge part of this book and he was so real and important through out this book. I will say that there is a lot and I mean a lot left unresolved in this book, but I am guessing that is because the story will continue to unfold and progress with the books yet to come because there is no way the story could be considered finished. The main issues are yet to be resolved and the issues with the other MC members are yet to be finished. I think this series will be great there is so much left to happen that I know this will be a great series. The MC members have so much they each have to deal with I can't wait to read their books and see how it all ends.
Thank you NetGallery and Random House Publishing Group - Loveswept for my ARC copy to review
August 9, 2018
Spoilers ahead
Hmmmm I almost rated this first time read by a new to me author 5 stars but as much as I love my bikers as big, badass Alphas, Ajax was a little too much on the controlling side for me. He returned to town after 10 years(apparently he was told to leave along with 3 other brothers for the good of the club, which I'm hoping is explained at some point) because of the death of his mc president Priest who is Sophie's father. Immediate attraction blooms to the extent he followed her ass(literally) through the streets to her bar. Short while later they're making out which leads to a relationship on speed. The mystery behind her father's death I'm assuming continues into the other books but the relationship seems settled. I just found Ajax too harsh,yes he's a big raw biker dude but some of the things he said , the way he just disregarded all she'd done for the bar after the reading of the will and just enforcing the biker way in public upset me.He was content to take over after 10 years and just acted like she didn't have a say. Sophie was sassy wit her mouth, no action to back it up. She melted for him or he f**ked her temper away leading to a borderline doormat h. I did like that Ajax fell hard even though he fell kicking and screaming😂 . His pov had me laughing as he tried to convince himself he wasnt a pu**y for Sophie. All in all I liked this one but I'd have liked Sophie to have a backbone and Ajax to not be as harsh and dic*ish ,however I got a sexy, badass LOYAL biker with a filthy mouth and a book so laced with sexiness and intense attraction between the mcs that I started an instant reread so I'm counting this as a desperately needed win!
Hmmmm I almost rated this first time read by a new to me author 5 stars but as much as I love my bikers as big, badass Alphas, Ajax was a little too much on the controlling side for me. He returned to town after 10 years(apparently he was told to leave along with 3 other brothers for the good of the club, which I'm hoping is explained at some point) because of the death of his mc president Priest who is Sophie's father. Immediate attraction blooms to the extent he followed her ass(literally) through the streets to her bar. Short while later they're making out which leads to a relationship on speed. The mystery behind her father's death I'm assuming continues into the other books but the relationship seems settled. I just found Ajax too harsh,yes he's a big raw biker dude but some of the things he said , the way he just disregarded all she'd done for the bar after the reading of the will and just enforcing the biker way in public upset me.He was content to take over after 10 years and just acted like she didn't have a say. Sophie was sassy wit her mouth, no action to back it up. She melted for him or he f**ked her temper away leading to a borderline doormat h. I did like that Ajax fell hard even though he fell kicking and screaming😂 . His pov had me laughing as he tried to convince himself he wasnt a pu**y for Sophie. All in all I liked this one but I'd have liked Sophie to have a backbone and Ajax to not be as harsh and dic*ish ,however I got a sexy, badass LOYAL biker with a filthy mouth and a book so laced with sexiness and intense attraction between the mcs that I started an instant reread so I'm counting this as a desperately needed win!
August 10, 2015
I love gritty MC books - and this had that potential - but it also has a hero who is SO unlikable. I'm all for a jerky hero - but not one that has ZERO respect for the heroine. This was not romance.
Review coming
Review coming
did-not-finish
September 4, 2015I wanted to read this one because book 2 sounded interesting but this book couldn't keep my focus. I couldn't tell you what I read. Ugh. On to the next.
April 14, 2017
For the gritty, scorched-earth chemistry and wicked-filthy sexy times alone, this one gets 5 Stars from me! Megan Crane, I likey 😉 Must read your other books NOW! *eyebrow wiggle*
July 1, 2015
Review copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley.
I've read a few Motorcycle Club (MC) romances and I really enjoyed them. But I've seen that others had reviewed those books and called them sweet or lite so I've always wondered if what I've been reading hasn't been real, actual MC romances. Well, if I didn't know any better (and I'm not saying I do), this book, Make You Burn, by Megan Crane is real MC romance and I'm not sure it's really my style.
I wanted to like Sophie and at the start of the book, I did! Her dad, president of a formerly outlaw MC, had just died and she's reacting to her grief in a maybe unhealthy way: She's decided to walk Bourbon Street, during Mardi Gras, in only gold hot pants, pasties, a mask, and an elaborate headdress! I absolutely loved her for that. I thought she was ballsy and silly and occasionally made no sense! But I felt like that kind of behavior - the acting out - is a bit normal after such a momentous loss. As the book continued, I liked her less and less. I felt like she became one of those women who seem to be lead around by their vaginas and by the inability to turn down an orgasm, even if turning it down means hanging on to a shred of dignity. Sophie couldn't speak her mind or do what she wanted unless her biker guy allowed it. Uhhh, what the effing eff?! I hate that and I hate it even worse when the heroine (like Sophie) allowed it to happen because...orgasms. Ugh!
Ajax was a real prick. First of all, his name. What, when he was a newbie, did he get to clean the toilets all the time? Also, it wasn't really all that clear to me why he was run out of town by Sophie's dad 10 years earlier. Yeah, he's been away for 10 years... like, literally no contact. Now, he comes roaring back into town like he owns the place. Now, I love a hero with confidence. Confidence is a key requirement! But Ajax was arrogant and it was a way overboard arrogance that I didn't find sexy at all. I didn't find his domineering ways sexy. I didn't find him not allowing Sophie to express herself sexy. I mean, he definitely thought his dick was a gift from above to us mortal women and from start to finish, I thought Ajax was a douchey asshole.
The Sexy Time was hot and plentiful - exactly what I'd expect from an erotic romance. But no real boundaries were pushed so it felt a little bit on the tame side. I didn't really care for Sophie and Ajax's relationship, such as it was, since it felt like Sophie was expected to be seen and not heard. Even better if she wasn't seen either. She was property, plain and simple, and I didn't dig it at all. I understand that Sophie was raised to understand the MC guys' ways and that she was used to this but I am not and I didn't care for it. I don't like when the heroine is treated like chattel; it leaves me pissed and cold. And I felt that's exactly how Sophie was treated.
Maybe this is how REAL MC romances are? Women are hot, sexy, and ready to give a blow job at a moments notice. They have no thoughts in their head, other than when the next orgasm will come from the magic penis, so they don't mind being not permitted to speak when they want to speak. Me, I'm not impressed with it. I like the hero to work for the heroine. Sure, I definitely like the hero to be alpha or dominant but I also like for the hero to truly cherish and value his woman. I just didn't feel that here. It felt more like Ajax barking orders (or giving meaningful,dark looks) and Sophie reluctantly giving in and obeying. No thanks. Maybe readers who enjoy that kind of dynamic between the hero and heroine will dig this book - and that's totally awesome. But I didn't enjoy it and it's just not my thing.
I've read a few Motorcycle Club (MC) romances and I really enjoyed them. But I've seen that others had reviewed those books and called them sweet or lite so I've always wondered if what I've been reading hasn't been real, actual MC romances. Well, if I didn't know any better (and I'm not saying I do), this book, Make You Burn, by Megan Crane is real MC romance and I'm not sure it's really my style.
I wanted to like Sophie and at the start of the book, I did! Her dad, president of a formerly outlaw MC, had just died and she's reacting to her grief in a maybe unhealthy way: She's decided to walk Bourbon Street, during Mardi Gras, in only gold hot pants, pasties, a mask, and an elaborate headdress! I absolutely loved her for that. I thought she was ballsy and silly and occasionally made no sense! But I felt like that kind of behavior - the acting out - is a bit normal after such a momentous loss. As the book continued, I liked her less and less. I felt like she became one of those women who seem to be lead around by their vaginas and by the inability to turn down an orgasm, even if turning it down means hanging on to a shred of dignity. Sophie couldn't speak her mind or do what she wanted unless her biker guy allowed it. Uhhh, what the effing eff?! I hate that and I hate it even worse when the heroine (like Sophie) allowed it to happen because...orgasms. Ugh!
Ajax was a real prick. First of all, his name. What, when he was a newbie, did he get to clean the toilets all the time? Also, it wasn't really all that clear to me why he was run out of town by Sophie's dad 10 years earlier. Yeah, he's been away for 10 years... like, literally no contact. Now, he comes roaring back into town like he owns the place. Now, I love a hero with confidence. Confidence is a key requirement! But Ajax was arrogant and it was a way overboard arrogance that I didn't find sexy at all. I didn't find his domineering ways sexy. I didn't find him not allowing Sophie to express herself sexy. I mean, he definitely thought his dick was a gift from above to us mortal women and from start to finish, I thought Ajax was a douchey asshole.
The Sexy Time was hot and plentiful - exactly what I'd expect from an erotic romance. But no real boundaries were pushed so it felt a little bit on the tame side. I didn't really care for Sophie and Ajax's relationship, such as it was, since it felt like Sophie was expected to be seen and not heard. Even better if she wasn't seen either. She was property, plain and simple, and I didn't dig it at all. I understand that Sophie was raised to understand the MC guys' ways and that she was used to this but I am not and I didn't care for it. I don't like when the heroine is treated like chattel; it leaves me pissed and cold. And I felt that's exactly how Sophie was treated.
Maybe this is how REAL MC romances are? Women are hot, sexy, and ready to give a blow job at a moments notice. They have no thoughts in their head, other than when the next orgasm will come from the magic penis, so they don't mind being not permitted to speak when they want to speak. Me, I'm not impressed with it. I like the hero to work for the heroine. Sure, I definitely like the hero to be alpha or dominant but I also like for the hero to truly cherish and value his woman. I just didn't feel that here. It felt more like Ajax barking orders (or giving meaningful,dark looks) and Sophie reluctantly giving in and obeying. No thanks. Maybe readers who enjoy that kind of dynamic between the hero and heroine will dig this book - and that's totally awesome. But I didn't enjoy it and it's just not my thing.
August 7, 2015
I have to think about the star rating because I don't like the story, but I loved how she wrote it. This novel is 80% sex & 20% plot. Forget the murder mystery, that was just a distraction from all the hot sex Ajax & Sophie were doing.
I don't like the characters much. Ajax is a caveman, an asshole, and needs to be educated on what the feminist movement is. Women are NOT property. I don't care if it's an MC thing, we are NOT cattle. Sophie for her part might be feisty, but she let her "sweet tight cunt" rule her head. Your tough-girl attitude didn't really do you any good except ending up as someone's PROPERTY.
That said, Crane made this story addictive. It's like doing drugs, you know it's bad for you, but you just can't stop partaking in it.
I don't like the characters much. Ajax is a caveman, an asshole, and needs to be educated on what the feminist movement is. Women are NOT property. I don't care if it's an MC thing, we are NOT cattle. Sophie for her part might be feisty, but she let her "sweet tight cunt" rule her head. Your tough-girl attitude didn't really do you any good except ending up as someone's PROPERTY.
That said, Crane made this story addictive. It's like doing drugs, you know it's bad for you, but you just can't stop partaking in it.
May 25, 2015
Ajax was exiled from his club ten years ago, but when the President dies in an accident, the time is right to come back. What he didn´t expect was the President´s daughter, or how grown up she´d be.
Sophie´s spent the last decade helping her father with the bar in New Orleans but with this loss everything changes. The old brothers return and demands are made. Can she accept what is happening, or resist the chemistry with Ajax?
Contemporary romance, Bikers and smutty fluff in a great combo, can´t wait to continue with this series!
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in return for an honest review.
Sophie´s spent the last decade helping her father with the bar in New Orleans but with this loss everything changes. The old brothers return and demands are made. Can she accept what is happening, or resist the chemistry with Ajax?
Contemporary romance, Bikers and smutty fluff in a great combo, can´t wait to continue with this series!
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in return for an honest review.
November 29, 2015
ARC received via NetGalley
The beginning of the book didn't really grab me. I might possibly have stopped reading after about the first chapter but, as I don't particularly like not finishing books I start, I stuck with it and kept reading.
For some reason, I found that even as I continued reading, the book just wasn't holding my attention enough and I was getting a little bored. I felt like the story was missing something (what, I'm not too sure though). Therefore, I am going to say that this book just wasn't for me.
The beginning of the book didn't really grab me. I might possibly have stopped reading after about the first chapter but, as I don't particularly like not finishing books I start, I stuck with it and kept reading.
For some reason, I found that even as I continued reading, the book just wasn't holding my attention enough and I was getting a little bored. I felt like the story was missing something (what, I'm not too sure though). Therefore, I am going to say that this book just wasn't for me.
August 15, 2015
This has honestly got to be THE HOTTEST book I've read all year. No exaggeration. It is "fan yourself before you overheat" kind of hot. Phew! The plot was interesting. It's more internal conflict than anything else. Ajax and Sophie don't sizzle, they combust! I am a new fan that anxiously awaits the next book in the series!
June 8, 2015
I'm disappointed a little sad. I was so excited to read this book and happy that Netgalley extended to me free in exchange for an honest review I wasn't aware that it was more of a novella than a full length novel but ok, I love Biker books so I was still ok. I started and reading the book and I was in love. I adored that the book was set in New Orleans it gave a whole new feeling, the mystery of the bayous, the festival feel of the city. I was so excited. Then we met the H/and H and Megan Crane still had me in the palm of her hand. Ajax was all alpha, over bearing, bossy, rough as only a biker can be, he was perfect. I really like how Sophie was no pushover well in the beginning but had a plan and a mind of her own. The chemistry between the two was off the charts, it just sizzled off the pages. The first sexy scene was sweat dripping hawt and they didn't even have intercourse. I needed a cold shower after that one. I was one happy camper.
Then things started to go wrong, there was so much inner dialogue and no conversation between the characters or anyone else either. There was however sex, then more sex, then even more sex. I thought to myself, where the heck did the plot go? There was no real character building or world building. There was a bunch of mystery around the remains of the club. Mystery around the death. This was all great but we never got anywhere..except sex.
This novella had so much potential it was a real shame it never went anywhere. I am aware this is book one of a three book series but since there are more characters that I am sure will require their story and so many things open ended in this book it truly needed a full length books and a lot more plot building. This novel had so much potential and I was feeling it...but it just petered out...I was sad .
I awarded this novel 2 stars because of the potential I see in it and because what plot there was was intriguing. I'm sorry that I can't give a recommendation, there are just so many books in the genre that would be time better spent.
Then things started to go wrong, there was so much inner dialogue and no conversation between the characters or anyone else either. There was however sex, then more sex, then even more sex. I thought to myself, where the heck did the plot go? There was no real character building or world building. There was a bunch of mystery around the remains of the club. Mystery around the death. This was all great but we never got anywhere..except sex.
This novella had so much potential it was a real shame it never went anywhere. I am aware this is book one of a three book series but since there are more characters that I am sure will require their story and so many things open ended in this book it truly needed a full length books and a lot more plot building. This novel had so much potential and I was feeling it...but it just petered out...I was sad .
I awarded this novel 2 stars because of the potential I see in it and because what plot there was was intriguing. I'm sorry that I can't give a recommendation, there are just so many books in the genre that would be time better spent.
May 14, 2015
Ajax is a man who is full of himself, "is that an invitation?” He eyed her, feeling a little less solid than he usually did, and he didn’t want to look at that too closely. “Because I don’t care who sees me eff, little girl. I consider it a public service. Thought you might disagree." He has some manners but at times I don't think he really likes to show them, "I’m a southern man, Sophie,” he gritted out at her. “I can hold a goddamned door." I think he likes to complain just to see his woman get worked up, "you’ll suck my c*** happily but serving me coffee is a problem for you?” he taunted her, some message droning in his ear. She could hear a tinny male voice in the distance. “Not gonna argue with your priorities, babe, but you know that doesn’t make any sense, right?" I liked this book Ajax was quite the character.
May 13, 2015
CAN'T WAIT for the rest of this series!!!!
*ARC courtesy of Netgalley and Random House Publishing*
*ARC courtesy of Netgalley and Random House Publishing*
November 29, 2016
No. No. No. No. Just no!
I've got a serious thing for bikers ever since Sons of Anarchy (and turns out the author's a fan too) but this book seriously turned me off.
I can't stomach that bullshit.
I've got a serious thing for bikers ever since Sons of Anarchy (and turns out the author's a fan too) but this book seriously turned me off.
I can't stomach that bullshit.
August 28, 2021
This was actually so good that i will have to write a review later. My friends who love MC books with asshole hero are missing out so bad by the one star reviews for this book 😤
August 6, 2015
I have spent a good twenty four hours plus agonizing over how to rate this book never mind review it ; a two seemed two harsh but yet maybe a three too generous .
Sean " Ajax " Harding. Has come home to anew Orleans after ten long years in exile , unfortunately not to the happy reunion he expected but to attend the funeral of the president of the Deacons of Bourban Street; a man he respected and thought if as more of a farther than his own abusive father . With the death of Priest , Ajax being the clubs Vp is now acting president so recalling the other exiled members and making sure priest is sent off properly are high on his agenda. If he can keep his. Ind on the agenda, coming into town and watching a gorgeous women wearing nothing but too short shorts , pasties , mask and a headdress is just a bit of a distraction, even more so when the distraction enters the very same bar he I s heading to, the old club headquarters " the Priory" . Following what he assumes is a stripper inside he is further suprised .to find out , she is no stripper but Preist little girl Sophia Lombard, all grown up and he should definitely not be having the thoughts he is having about her, not that other parts of his body will agree with that.
Before you know it Ajax has her pinned against a wall and the chemistry is off the wall
“Come, baby,” he ordered her, his mouth at her ear. “Come all over me.” He heard a soft, high noise, cut off fast and then muffled, and he could feel her mouth open against his neck as she shook and shook, coming for him just as he’d commanded, in wave after shuddering wave, right there against the back wall of a Bourbon Street bar in broad daylight. He’d never been so hard in his life..
So I thought my god these two have incredible chemistry this book is going to be great, so maybe I expected too much .
Yes, Ajax and Sophie had sexual chemistry to spare but , when they were not having sex they just did not Come across as developed.
The author , goes into some background. For both characters and introduced the three other club brothers that were exiled after Katrina, due to some sort of score going badly, this is never made clear, then at one point " Ajax " realizes that Priest was most likely run off the road, he and his buddy go around smashing heads in a quest to get answers and some revenge , not that you ever find out if they do. To spite the member introduction other than names You do not get much info about them so though I know they will be in the remaining books of the series I have no vested curiosity to follow up.
Sophie and Ajax have a love hate relationship, but Ajax is. Cold and unemotional character and Sophie as much as she admits she wants nothing to do with the biker life just allows him to walk all over her and easily submits , even when her own father I his will. Slights her in favor of the bike club.
So , overall, the sex scenes and the couples chemistry during are well written, I was not happy with the plot holes and came away still feeling like I needed more!
Book graciously provided by Loveswept via netgalley for an honest review .
Sean " Ajax " Harding. Has come home to anew Orleans after ten long years in exile , unfortunately not to the happy reunion he expected but to attend the funeral of the president of the Deacons of Bourban Street; a man he respected and thought if as more of a farther than his own abusive father . With the death of Priest , Ajax being the clubs Vp is now acting president so recalling the other exiled members and making sure priest is sent off properly are high on his agenda. If he can keep his. Ind on the agenda, coming into town and watching a gorgeous women wearing nothing but too short shorts , pasties , mask and a headdress is just a bit of a distraction, even more so when the distraction enters the very same bar he I s heading to, the old club headquarters " the Priory" . Following what he assumes is a stripper inside he is further suprised .to find out , she is no stripper but Preist little girl Sophia Lombard, all grown up and he should definitely not be having the thoughts he is having about her, not that other parts of his body will agree with that.
Before you know it Ajax has her pinned against a wall and the chemistry is off the wall
“Come, baby,” he ordered her, his mouth at her ear. “Come all over me.” He heard a soft, high noise, cut off fast and then muffled, and he could feel her mouth open against his neck as she shook and shook, coming for him just as he’d commanded, in wave after shuddering wave, right there against the back wall of a Bourbon Street bar in broad daylight. He’d never been so hard in his life..
So I thought my god these two have incredible chemistry this book is going to be great, so maybe I expected too much .
Yes, Ajax and Sophie had sexual chemistry to spare but , when they were not having sex they just did not Come across as developed.
The author , goes into some background. For both characters and introduced the three other club brothers that were exiled after Katrina, due to some sort of score going badly, this is never made clear, then at one point " Ajax " realizes that Priest was most likely run off the road, he and his buddy go around smashing heads in a quest to get answers and some revenge , not that you ever find out if they do. To spite the member introduction other than names You do not get much info about them so though I know they will be in the remaining books of the series I have no vested curiosity to follow up.
Sophie and Ajax have a love hate relationship, but Ajax is. Cold and unemotional character and Sophie as much as she admits she wants nothing to do with the biker life just allows him to walk all over her and easily submits , even when her own father I his will. Slights her in favor of the bike club.
So , overall, the sex scenes and the couples chemistry during are well written, I was not happy with the plot holes and came away still feeling like I needed more!
Book graciously provided by Loveswept via netgalley for an honest review .
August 7, 2015
For an MC romance, Make You Burn was heavy on the crudeness/sexually explicit content but light on everything else. Especially the non-existent plot. The book synopsis lead me to believe otherwise.
When Sean “Ajax” Harding returned to New Orleans after a ten year exile that was never fully explained, he immediately sets his sights on the now deceased MC president’s daughter, Sophie Lombard. Well, that shouldn’t be too surprising, since she was walking down the middle of a crowded New Orleans street basically topless/almost naked. After following her into the MC biker bar, they shared an over-the-top, indecent, public, grinding session that left me embarrassed for both of them. Nope, it wasn’t even Mardi Gras. I think the author’s intent may have been to relay the normalcy of the decadence/depravity that many associate with “The Big Easy” and how well the stereotypical MC would melt into that backdrop. Frankly, I didn’t buy the “doing it to get back at my dead father/deal with my grief” excuse.
Ajax has returned to attend the funeral and step in as the acting Pres, since he used to be the VP. And that, folks, pretty much is the rest of the story. There were hints of impending drama with a revival gang but nothing happened. He makes some phone calls to former members (Cash, Prince, and Blue) demanding their return to the now almost defunct MC. One by one, some of them very begrudgingly, start to appear. The sequels, of course, center around each of them. Prince, in his expensive, fancy suit, and Cash, wearing mostly an angry snear, in particular, seem to resent being forced out of their ten year exile. Blue was the only one who seems ready to jump back in. Again, their exiles were also not explained. This is surprising, because, after all, this is book 1, with no prequel. What we do know is the Pres left all his possessions to this group of four, while leaving Sophie, who he supposedly loved, with nothing. Again, an explanation would have been appreciated.
By far the majority of the story was about Sophie and Ajax’s steamy, confrontational encounters. Though we were often told how strong and tough she was, to this reviewer her actions spoke otherwise. She seemed too quick to cave into Ajax’s crude behavior/demands. I would have loved to have seen her pack her stuff and leave, forcing him to go after her.
Overall, unless you are only looking for an erotic read, this MC romance came across below average.
(This review is based on ARC copy generously provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest, unbiased opinion.)
Title: Make You Burn, Series: The Deacons of Bourbon Street (Book 1), Author: Megan Crane, stand-alone, no cliffhanger, HEA, VERY sexually explicit, quick read.
Book 2 – Fire Me Up (Cash’s story), 9/1/15, Author: Rachel Johns
Book 3 – Hold Me Down (Blue’s story), 12/8/15, Author: Jackie Ashenden
Book 4 – Strip You Bare (Prince’s story), 11/3/15, Author: Maisey Yates
When Sean “Ajax” Harding returned to New Orleans after a ten year exile that was never fully explained, he immediately sets his sights on the now deceased MC president’s daughter, Sophie Lombard. Well, that shouldn’t be too surprising, since she was walking down the middle of a crowded New Orleans street basically topless/almost naked. After following her into the MC biker bar, they shared an over-the-top, indecent, public, grinding session that left me embarrassed for both of them. Nope, it wasn’t even Mardi Gras. I think the author’s intent may have been to relay the normalcy of the decadence/depravity that many associate with “The Big Easy” and how well the stereotypical MC would melt into that backdrop. Frankly, I didn’t buy the “doing it to get back at my dead father/deal with my grief” excuse.
Ajax has returned to attend the funeral and step in as the acting Pres, since he used to be the VP. And that, folks, pretty much is the rest of the story. There were hints of impending drama with a revival gang but nothing happened. He makes some phone calls to former members (Cash, Prince, and Blue) demanding their return to the now almost defunct MC. One by one, some of them very begrudgingly, start to appear. The sequels, of course, center around each of them. Prince, in his expensive, fancy suit, and Cash, wearing mostly an angry snear, in particular, seem to resent being forced out of their ten year exile. Blue was the only one who seems ready to jump back in. Again, their exiles were also not explained. This is surprising, because, after all, this is book 1, with no prequel. What we do know is the Pres left all his possessions to this group of four, while leaving Sophie, who he supposedly loved, with nothing. Again, an explanation would have been appreciated.
By far the majority of the story was about Sophie and Ajax’s steamy, confrontational encounters. Though we were often told how strong and tough she was, to this reviewer her actions spoke otherwise. She seemed too quick to cave into Ajax’s crude behavior/demands. I would have loved to have seen her pack her stuff and leave, forcing him to go after her.
Overall, unless you are only looking for an erotic read, this MC romance came across below average.
(This review is based on ARC copy generously provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest, unbiased opinion.)
Title: Make You Burn, Series: The Deacons of Bourbon Street (Book 1), Author: Megan Crane, stand-alone, no cliffhanger, HEA, VERY sexually explicit, quick read.
Book 2 – Fire Me Up (Cash’s story), 9/1/15, Author: Rachel Johns
Book 3 – Hold Me Down (Blue’s story), 12/8/15, Author: Jackie Ashenden
Book 4 – Strip You Bare (Prince’s story), 11/3/15, Author: Maisey Yates
August 12, 2015
Coming home can be difficult, but coming home after losing someone important is even harder. Ajax is home but he's grieving the loss of his mentor and surrogate father Priest. He still hasn't been able to figure out why he and his brothers were exiled a decade ago and now he's tasked with calling his brothers home. Things have changed though, both in his city and family. The biggest noticeable change is Sophie Lombard, the daughter of the man he respects most.
The attraction between Sophie and Ajax was instant and undeniable. It seemed like even before they'd exchanged names they were getting off with each other. I like how the insta-lust between them was not confused for insta-love on either of their parts. I really liked Sophie. My heart hurt for her knowing she'd lost her only family. I also hurt when she realized her father whom she'd sacrificed so much for hadn't cared enough to do the same. It was certainly jarring. I liked Sophie and her wits. She was smart and mostly level headed. She was reliable and responsible for someone so young. She also had a wild streak.
Ajax was an interesting character. I liked him, sometimes. Other times I felt like he was too overbearing and rude. Ajax might have been short on words and emotions but the ones he shared and showed carried a lot of weight. I also felt horrible for him when I learned how he came to be a Deacon. I loved Ajax's loyalty and commitment to family, even if he knew pursuing Sophie broke the rules. Once he made Sophie his, she was his concern, even if she didn't like it.
I think I liked watching Sophie and Ajax butt heads as much as I did seeing them get along. I was a little concerned about how blase they were regarding Priest's death especially when they realized it might not have been an accident. I don't feel like it was given the attention it deserved and when you have characters like Sophie and Ajax who have strong connections to the deceased, it felt wrong. I do feel like the murder mystery was pushed aside and Sophie and Ajax's bedroom romps took center stage. Now I'm not complaining because they were hot, but I would've liked the story and sex to be balanced. However since there are more books coming, I'm hoping that there will be more about finding the truth.
As it is, I'm really excited to see Megan Crane writing something new and unfamiliar. It's definitely the hottest book of hers I've ever read. I like that she's pushing her boundaries. Overall, this book was a great introduction to a new story and characters and a great way to start off a new series. I'm already eagerly looking forward to the next book.
The attraction between Sophie and Ajax was instant and undeniable. It seemed like even before they'd exchanged names they were getting off with each other. I like how the insta-lust between them was not confused for insta-love on either of their parts. I really liked Sophie. My heart hurt for her knowing she'd lost her only family. I also hurt when she realized her father whom she'd sacrificed so much for hadn't cared enough to do the same. It was certainly jarring. I liked Sophie and her wits. She was smart and mostly level headed. She was reliable and responsible for someone so young. She also had a wild streak.
Ajax was an interesting character. I liked him, sometimes. Other times I felt like he was too overbearing and rude. Ajax might have been short on words and emotions but the ones he shared and showed carried a lot of weight. I also felt horrible for him when I learned how he came to be a Deacon. I loved Ajax's loyalty and commitment to family, even if he knew pursuing Sophie broke the rules. Once he made Sophie his, she was his concern, even if she didn't like it.
I think I liked watching Sophie and Ajax butt heads as much as I did seeing them get along. I was a little concerned about how blase they were regarding Priest's death especially when they realized it might not have been an accident. I don't feel like it was given the attention it deserved and when you have characters like Sophie and Ajax who have strong connections to the deceased, it felt wrong. I do feel like the murder mystery was pushed aside and Sophie and Ajax's bedroom romps took center stage. Now I'm not complaining because they were hot, but I would've liked the story and sex to be balanced. However since there are more books coming, I'm hoping that there will be more about finding the truth.
As it is, I'm really excited to see Megan Crane writing something new and unfamiliar. It's definitely the hottest book of hers I've ever read. I like that she's pushing her boundaries. Overall, this book was a great introduction to a new story and characters and a great way to start off a new series. I'm already eagerly looking forward to the next book.
July 6, 2015
MC Romances are usually hit or miss for me. On one hand I love the OTT alpha bikers but on the other hand I hate all the club drama that is usually involved. Well, when I read the blurb for Make You Burn I knew I had to give it a go.... And let me tell you, I'm so glad that I did!
Ajax was a badass biker asshole to the max... And I mean that in a good way. He knew what he had to do to get his club back together and he let nothing stand in his way. Except for Sophie, that is. Of course he fought it at first, which is expected for a guy that never wanted to claim a woman, but claim her he did.... And holy hell, was it Hot with a capital H!
After being raised by Priest, the president of the Deacons of Bourbon Street, Sophie knows all about bikers and club politics and wants no part of it. When her dad passes away she expects the boys to show up, pay their respects, and then be on their way. No way did she plan on Ajax wreaking such a havoc on her normal life... And, of course, she didn't expect the combustible chemistry between them.
Sophie and Ajax were hot from the get-go and I seriously couldn't get enough of the two of them. I wish we would have been able to see more of Ajax's sweet side when it came to the romance aspect of the book, but he showed how much he cared in his own way and I can't fault him for that.
Along with the smoking hot sexy times between the two, there's a decent story involving the club, the rest of the brothers, and the fact that they don't want to be part of the life anymore. There's also a little mystery around Priest's death that will follow into the next book in the series.
Overall, this was a great start to this series and although we didn't get much interaction with Cash, the hero in the next book, I'll still be jumping into it ASAP to see where the story takes us.
*ARC kindly provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Ajax was a badass biker asshole to the max... And I mean that in a good way. He knew what he had to do to get his club back together and he let nothing stand in his way. Except for Sophie, that is. Of course he fought it at first, which is expected for a guy that never wanted to claim a woman, but claim her he did.... And holy hell, was it Hot with a capital H!
After being raised by Priest, the president of the Deacons of Bourbon Street, Sophie knows all about bikers and club politics and wants no part of it. When her dad passes away she expects the boys to show up, pay their respects, and then be on their way. No way did she plan on Ajax wreaking such a havoc on her normal life... And, of course, she didn't expect the combustible chemistry between them.
Sophie and Ajax were hot from the get-go and I seriously couldn't get enough of the two of them. I wish we would have been able to see more of Ajax's sweet side when it came to the romance aspect of the book, but he showed how much he cared in his own way and I can't fault him for that.
Along with the smoking hot sexy times between the two, there's a decent story involving the club, the rest of the brothers, and the fact that they don't want to be part of the life anymore. There's also a little mystery around Priest's death that will follow into the next book in the series.
Overall, this was a great start to this series and although we didn't get much interaction with Cash, the hero in the next book, I'll still be jumping into it ASAP to see where the story takes us.
*ARC kindly provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
May 17, 2015
Holy freaking hot sauce! I hope you ladies grab a fan and some extra panties before you start reading this book, because I can assure you, you will need them! Ajax is one Alpha male you WON'T be forgetting any time soon!
From the very start, you can FEEL the attraction between Ajax and Sophie. It's been 10 years since they last saw each other, and neither are the same as they were back then, but that doesn't change a thing. There's no denying the fire that's between them, and it doesn't take long for them to give in. And when they do you will be ruined for every other steamy scene you read ever again! Megan Crane has a way of making you feel the characters, and boy is it a great feeling ;)
It's not just some hot sexy time for these two though, they have to deal with the loss of Sophie's father who was the president of the Deacons of Bourbon Street MC. And things aren't as they seem there.
As the old MC members come around and they learn what's happened since they've been gone, tensions are high. Add to the fact that Ajax feels for Sophie like he's never felt for any female before, even though she stands toe to toe with him, Ajax is like a loose cannon.
Will these two be able to tame the fire that they feel in side, or will they just add fuel to the fires and ruin each other?
Seriously a MUST READ for any of you that love a good MC book!
**ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review through NetGalley**
From the very start, you can FEEL the attraction between Ajax and Sophie. It's been 10 years since they last saw each other, and neither are the same as they were back then, but that doesn't change a thing. There's no denying the fire that's between them, and it doesn't take long for them to give in. And when they do you will be ruined for every other steamy scene you read ever again! Megan Crane has a way of making you feel the characters, and boy is it a great feeling ;)
It's not just some hot sexy time for these two though, they have to deal with the loss of Sophie's father who was the president of the Deacons of Bourbon Street MC. And things aren't as they seem there.
As the old MC members come around and they learn what's happened since they've been gone, tensions are high. Add to the fact that Ajax feels for Sophie like he's never felt for any female before, even though she stands toe to toe with him, Ajax is like a loose cannon.
Will these two be able to tame the fire that they feel in side, or will they just add fuel to the fires and ruin each other?
Seriously a MUST READ for any of you that love a good MC book!
**ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review through NetGalley**
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