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Skulls Creek #2
Vipers Rule
From the New York Times bestselling author of Vipers Run, here is the latest Skulls Creek novel, starring the outlaws of the Vipers Motorcycle Club and the women in need of their protection—and love.…
Even though he’s no longer a U.S. soldier, Talon “Tals” Garrity hasn’t lost his desire for living on the edge. As the enforcer for the Vipers Motorcycle Club, the eternal bad boy is always getting into trouble—especially with the ladies, who can’t seem to resist him. But when Maddie Wells returns to Skulls Creek, he’s shocked that she can’t seem to keep her hands off him either. Good thing Tals doesn’t mind playing with fire.
Growing up with her family’s prestigious name and money, Maddie could never indulge a bad-boy biker like Tals. Now that she’s back, she finds herself irresistibly drawn to him. But if Maddie ends up getting what she wants, they might both be sorry. Because some very dangerous men are hot on her trail—and Tals and his MC will have to put their lives on the line to protect her.…
Even though he’s no longer a U.S. soldier, Talon “Tals” Garrity hasn’t lost his desire for living on the edge. As the enforcer for the Vipers Motorcycle Club, the eternal bad boy is always getting into trouble—especially with the ladies, who can’t seem to resist him. But when Maddie Wells returns to Skulls Creek, he’s shocked that she can’t seem to keep her hands off him either. Good thing Tals doesn’t mind playing with fire.
Growing up with her family’s prestigious name and money, Maddie could never indulge a bad-boy biker like Tals. Now that she’s back, she finds herself irresistibly drawn to him. But if Maddie ends up getting what she wants, they might both be sorry. Because some very dangerous men are hot on her trail—and Tals and his MC will have to put their lives on the line to protect her.…
304 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 7, 2015
13 people are currently reading
763 people want to read
About the author
Stephanie Tyler
80 books1,280 followersNew York Times Bestselling author Stephanie Tyler writes what she loves to read - romantic suspense novels starring military heroes and paranormal romance novels novels starring warrior heroes, all complete with happy endings. She also writes as SE Jakes.
And because she's not busy enough, she also co-writes as Sydney Croft. She lives in New York with her husband, her kids and her crazy Weimaraner, Gus.
For more information on Stephanie, please visit www.stephanietyler.com or email her at stephanie@stephanietyler.com.
For more information on SE Jakes, please visit SEJakes.com.
For more information on Sydney, please visit www.sydneycroft.com or email Sydney at sydney@sydneycroft.com
And because she's not busy enough, she also co-writes as Sydney Croft. She lives in New York with her husband, her kids and her crazy Weimaraner, Gus.
For more information on Stephanie, please visit www.stephanietyler.com or email her at stephanie@stephanietyler.com.
For more information on SE Jakes, please visit SEJakes.com.
For more information on Sydney, please visit www.sydneycroft.com or email Sydney at sydney@sydneycroft.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
January 21, 2016
4.5 Stars
Eternal bad boy Talon “Tals” Garrity is always getting into trouble and protecting Maddie Wells may well land him in a whole of it but Tals doesn’t mind playing with fire in this exciting romantic suspense.
Maddie grew up with her prestigious name and money so she could never indulge a bad boy like Tals but when she returns to Skulls Creek she finds that she is still irresistibly drawn to him and the reader finds themselves drawn into emotional turmoil, danger and passion as Tals and Maddie struggle with the past, present and future. The chemistry between them is certainly not a problem but Maddie has an independent streak a mile wide and Tals has a protective streak as wide as the Grand Canyon not to mention their completely opposite background which causes emotionally turbulent and fiery clashes that spices things up quite a bit. The characters are strong, compelling and demand attention while the fast paced, smooth flowing plot thrills readers with suspense, action and romance.
Despite their past, when some very dangerous men come to Skulls Creek putting Maddie’s life in danger, the Vipers Motorcycle Club closes rank to protect her which causes lots of excitement especially when the law and Maddie’s ex gets involved and surprising twists keeps readers guessing. Well written scenes and details capture the imagination making it easy to get ensnared by the story and the intriguing events ensure that the reader has to turn every last page.
With bad boys like the ones belonging to the Vipers Motorcycle Club you get a whole lot of sexy, attitude, loyalty and protectiveness – did I mention sexy? (Sigh). Okay where was I, oh yeah, Tals is definitely a Viper cause I tell you he can make the heart pound and his story held me hostage from the beginning and I can’t wait to read the next book… I’m hoping its Preacher’s or it could be Bear’s heck I’ll take any of them.
- Eva
Eternal bad boy Talon “Tals” Garrity is always getting into trouble and protecting Maddie Wells may well land him in a whole of it but Tals doesn’t mind playing with fire in this exciting romantic suspense.
Maddie grew up with her prestigious name and money so she could never indulge a bad boy like Tals but when she returns to Skulls Creek she finds that she is still irresistibly drawn to him and the reader finds themselves drawn into emotional turmoil, danger and passion as Tals and Maddie struggle with the past, present and future. The chemistry between them is certainly not a problem but Maddie has an independent streak a mile wide and Tals has a protective streak as wide as the Grand Canyon not to mention their completely opposite background which causes emotionally turbulent and fiery clashes that spices things up quite a bit. The characters are strong, compelling and demand attention while the fast paced, smooth flowing plot thrills readers with suspense, action and romance.
Despite their past, when some very dangerous men come to Skulls Creek putting Maddie’s life in danger, the Vipers Motorcycle Club closes rank to protect her which causes lots of excitement especially when the law and Maddie’s ex gets involved and surprising twists keeps readers guessing. Well written scenes and details capture the imagination making it easy to get ensnared by the story and the intriguing events ensure that the reader has to turn every last page.
With bad boys like the ones belonging to the Vipers Motorcycle Club you get a whole lot of sexy, attitude, loyalty and protectiveness – did I mention sexy? (Sigh). Okay where was I, oh yeah, Tals is definitely a Viper cause I tell you he can make the heart pound and his story held me hostage from the beginning and I can’t wait to read the next book… I’m hoping its Preacher’s or it could be Bear’s heck I’ll take any of them.
- Eva
June 28, 2015
I read the first one in this series and was on the fence about a few things, but overall, I liked it. And here I am again, about to say the same thing even though my like is a few degrees less since this is the second time I feel this way. Sexy bad boy biker guys with dangerous entanglements involving their gals? All to the good. But... Yes there is a but and I'll get to that.
This is the second book in the series. It can standalone in the sense that the main plot thread involves a new story and new main characters. However, I hesitate to say that it's fine to read it out of order because there is spoilerish info in this one for the first story plus there is an assumption that many of the biker club characters, the police detective, and the volatile situation of the area are already familiar territory.
This story opens when Maddie Wells pulls the plug on her empty and lonely life that she built for herself when she left her old home. She went after her career with a vengeance, married the 'perfect' guy, and on paper it all looks good. Instead, she's a workaholic with no personal life and her husband is running around on her. She wants to blame the fail all on him, but he reminds her that she never engaged in their marriage or put the time in there either. Maddie packs up her Mustang and heads home to Skulls Creek ready to face her past and hope for a second chance though she knows that Tals Garrity probably hates the very sight of her and will want nothing to do with her after what she pulled and then left town.
Tals is a wild son and living free doing what he likes whether it is the illegal street racing or backing his brothers in the Vipers MC. He once raised his sights to the unattainable perfect girl and she walked away without a backward glance. Now here he is fixing her flat tire on the road and fighting off her version of a courtship. Maddie wants a do-over and he's just not sure he has it in him to open up and let her trample on his heart before she runs again because that's what she's good at when stuff gets real. They come from the opposite sides of the tracks and he knows she'll never see him or his biker brethren as anything, but low lifes.
Right when Tals and Maddie both are on the verge of ending their reunion before it gets started someone tries to kill Maddie. Tals goes into protective mode as does the rest of his brothers. His own twin, Tenn, and many of the brothers who remember the bad stuff with Maddie from before are leery of her, but they pull together and help especially when the hard-nosed police detective jonesing for a chance to take them down gets wind of the situation. Things are getting pretty tense when they learn of the mob involvement, Preach and Holly blow up, and Tals puts it all on the line for Maddie to see if things have really changed or if its more of the same.
Alright, so this one jumps right in. It alternates perspectives and jumps back and forth between the past and the present. It basically felt all over the place much of the time and I felt like a pinball bouncing off stuff while I tried to keep up. There's no transitions or introductions. It just dives right in. There was also a sense that the story was going through the motions without really going for depth. There was so much potential for more whether it was the overall plot, the romance or the characters. For the most part, I was detached in the beginning and pretty much stayed that way. The end left me scratching my head. There was a lot of drama, but when the danger element was right there, the story pulled back and went passive voice and summarized. There was telling and not showing. I wanted something more visceral especially in a biker romance.
This is true of the romance, too. Maddie was a disappointment. She seemed shallow. I felt like she was playing games and wishy-washy. In one chapter, she went back and forth three times with what she wanted with Tals. She was dinking around with someone's feelings and I really got tired of it. He was this great guy. He protected her and rescued her so many times. He was honest with what he felt and what he wanted. I asked myself many times what he saw in her. The book kept telling me that they were alike and understood each other, but nope, not alike at all.
Anyway, I wasn't really impressed. There are some nice bones to this story and big opportunity, but it didn't follow through on it. It was a fast read and I was intrigued enough by several bits including the Preacher and Holly romance as well as the Rocco and his fiery police detective. I'm on the fence whether I'll keep going with the series since two in a row left me with similar reactions. It's a mild biker romance so those who enjoy that type of story might want to give it a try, but I recommend it with reservations.
My thanks to Penguin Group for the opportunity to read this story in exchange for an honest review.
This is the second book in the series. It can standalone in the sense that the main plot thread involves a new story and new main characters. However, I hesitate to say that it's fine to read it out of order because there is spoilerish info in this one for the first story plus there is an assumption that many of the biker club characters, the police detective, and the volatile situation of the area are already familiar territory.
This story opens when Maddie Wells pulls the plug on her empty and lonely life that she built for herself when she left her old home. She went after her career with a vengeance, married the 'perfect' guy, and on paper it all looks good. Instead, she's a workaholic with no personal life and her husband is running around on her. She wants to blame the fail all on him, but he reminds her that she never engaged in their marriage or put the time in there either. Maddie packs up her Mustang and heads home to Skulls Creek ready to face her past and hope for a second chance though she knows that Tals Garrity probably hates the very sight of her and will want nothing to do with her after what she pulled and then left town.
Tals is a wild son and living free doing what he likes whether it is the illegal street racing or backing his brothers in the Vipers MC. He once raised his sights to the unattainable perfect girl and she walked away without a backward glance. Now here he is fixing her flat tire on the road and fighting off her version of a courtship. Maddie wants a do-over and he's just not sure he has it in him to open up and let her trample on his heart before she runs again because that's what she's good at when stuff gets real. They come from the opposite sides of the tracks and he knows she'll never see him or his biker brethren as anything, but low lifes.
Right when Tals and Maddie both are on the verge of ending their reunion before it gets started someone tries to kill Maddie. Tals goes into protective mode as does the rest of his brothers. His own twin, Tenn, and many of the brothers who remember the bad stuff with Maddie from before are leery of her, but they pull together and help especially when the hard-nosed police detective jonesing for a chance to take them down gets wind of the situation. Things are getting pretty tense when they learn of the mob involvement, Preach and Holly blow up, and Tals puts it all on the line for Maddie to see if things have really changed or if its more of the same.
Alright, so this one jumps right in. It alternates perspectives and jumps back and forth between the past and the present. It basically felt all over the place much of the time and I felt like a pinball bouncing off stuff while I tried to keep up. There's no transitions or introductions. It just dives right in. There was also a sense that the story was going through the motions without really going for depth. There was so much potential for more whether it was the overall plot, the romance or the characters. For the most part, I was detached in the beginning and pretty much stayed that way. The end left me scratching my head. There was a lot of drama, but when the danger element was right there, the story pulled back and went passive voice and summarized. There was telling and not showing. I wanted something more visceral especially in a biker romance.
This is true of the romance, too. Maddie was a disappointment. She seemed shallow. I felt like she was playing games and wishy-washy. In one chapter, she went back and forth three times with what she wanted with Tals. She was dinking around with someone's feelings and I really got tired of it. He was this great guy. He protected her and rescued her so many times. He was honest with what he felt and what he wanted. I asked myself many times what he saw in her. The book kept telling me that they were alike and understood each other, but nope, not alike at all.
Anyway, I wasn't really impressed. There are some nice bones to this story and big opportunity, but it didn't follow through on it. It was a fast read and I was intrigued enough by several bits including the Preacher and Holly romance as well as the Rocco and his fiery police detective. I'm on the fence whether I'll keep going with the series since two in a row left me with similar reactions. It's a mild biker romance so those who enjoy that type of story might want to give it a try, but I recommend it with reservations.
My thanks to Penguin Group for the opportunity to read this story in exchange for an honest review.
June 7, 2015
This review was originally posted on Cocktails and Books.
As I’ve stated many times before, I’m a sucker for second chance stories and this wasn’t any different. Poor little rich girl falls for the bad boy from the wrong side of town. It’s a story we’ve all heard before, but with a twist. Maddie ran away from her feelings for Tals years ago unable to face staying in their small town and becoming just like her father. Tals knew from the moment he first laid eyes on Maddie when they were in high school that she was the one for him, but Skulls is a small town and Maddie, with her gated home and wealthy family is way out of his league. That doesn’t stop him from trying to get her attention any way he can. Unfortunately that wasn’t enough to keep them together. Now years later, Maddie is getting divorced and coming home. Can things be different this time?
I haven’t read the first book in the series, however, as most with most people, I can never say no to a good MC book. So with high hopes, I grabbed Viper’s Rule and sat back hoping for a few good hours of motorcycles, mayhem and hot men in leather cuts and patches. Lucky for me, my hope was not misplaced. Although I did find the sheer number of names I had to keep track of and side stories to be a bit confusing at times, I couldn’t help but have all the action play out like a movie in my head.
Apparently Maddie just seems to attract trouble no matter where she goes. Her life is in danger and the only people that can keep her safe is Tals and the Vipers. I loved that Tals didn’t just let Maddie sweep in to town and pick up where they left off a decade ago. He made her work for it. But once he decided to give them a chance he put his heart in to it. Tals is the tough mc enforcer who is really a marshmallow deep down inside. That tough outer shell hides a sensitive individual and soft heart and I loved that Maddie was the one person, other than his family who could see though all the layers to the real person underneath.
Side stories aside, I really enjoyed reading Viper’s Rule. I can’t wait to see what happens with Preacher and Holly and the rest of the Vipers.This book was reviewed by a member of the review staff at Cocktails and Books. The name of the reviewer can be found under the post categories.
As I’ve stated many times before, I’m a sucker for second chance stories and this wasn’t any different. Poor little rich girl falls for the bad boy from the wrong side of town. It’s a story we’ve all heard before, but with a twist. Maddie ran away from her feelings for Tals years ago unable to face staying in their small town and becoming just like her father. Tals knew from the moment he first laid eyes on Maddie when they were in high school that she was the one for him, but Skulls is a small town and Maddie, with her gated home and wealthy family is way out of his league. That doesn’t stop him from trying to get her attention any way he can. Unfortunately that wasn’t enough to keep them together. Now years later, Maddie is getting divorced and coming home. Can things be different this time?
I haven’t read the first book in the series, however, as most with most people, I can never say no to a good MC book. So with high hopes, I grabbed Viper’s Rule and sat back hoping for a few good hours of motorcycles, mayhem and hot men in leather cuts and patches. Lucky for me, my hope was not misplaced. Although I did find the sheer number of names I had to keep track of and side stories to be a bit confusing at times, I couldn’t help but have all the action play out like a movie in my head.
Apparently Maddie just seems to attract trouble no matter where she goes. Her life is in danger and the only people that can keep her safe is Tals and the Vipers. I loved that Tals didn’t just let Maddie sweep in to town and pick up where they left off a decade ago. He made her work for it. But once he decided to give them a chance he put his heart in to it. Tals is the tough mc enforcer who is really a marshmallow deep down inside. That tough outer shell hides a sensitive individual and soft heart and I loved that Maddie was the one person, other than his family who could see though all the layers to the real person underneath.
Side stories aside, I really enjoyed reading Viper’s Rule. I can’t wait to see what happens with Preacher and Holly and the rest of the Vipers.This book was reviewed by a member of the review staff at Cocktails and Books. The name of the reviewer can be found under the post categories.
March 15, 2016
This was really more like MC Lite version than a true MC book with all the real and not so pretty dealings of MC world. Almost too clean, superficial and idealistic in a sense that those guys in motorcycle clubs are really no angels. Only here, in a weird way, it worked.
Not the best writing, some jumping and inconsistencies in story and almost no sexy times, but I liked Maddie and Tals together, especially the retrospects to their friendship in high school.
More like 3,5 stars actually, but I'm gladly rounding it up for GR rating. I've read better MC books but it was entertaining in it's simplicity.
Not the best writing, some jumping and inconsistencies in story and almost no sexy times, but I liked Maddie and Tals together, especially the retrospects to their friendship in high school.
More like 3,5 stars actually, but I'm gladly rounding it up for GR rating. I've read better MC books but it was entertaining in it's simplicity.
July 10, 2015
A review by The Blogger Girls.
Vipers Rule is a good follow up to the first book, Vipers Run. While this doesn’t have quite the excitement as the first one did, I ended up enjoying it just as much for different reasons. This could be read on its own, but I definitely recommend reading book 1 so you get to know some of the other characters a bit better.
Here, we have Tals, brother to Tenn, who were both taken in by Preacher and the Vipers when they were teens. Tals is a member of the Vipers and is their main enforcer, while Tenn remains an honorary member not actually involved in the club. These guys are all bad ass, but even though they get lumped in with the other seedier biker gangs, they actually try to keep the peace and the riff raff out of the area.
So, Tals had a crush on Maddie way back in high school, but, Maddie was from the other side of the tracks, so to speak, and they never really had a chance to have any kind of relationship before things turned sour. Now, Maddie is leaving her cheating husband and her high paying successful career to start fresh by going back home and trying to pick things back up with Tals now that she realizes what she may have missed out on. There is quite a bit of bad history to get past though, and not just with these two. Some of the other guys were there at the time and remember all too well what happened and are not very quick to forgive and forget. But, before Tals and Maddie can get very far in their reunion, trouble follows Maddie and is brought to the Vipers doorstep.
After some grumbling and a few arguments and fights, the gang jumps in to protect Maddie, and of course to have Tals’ back. This adds a bit of excitement to the story as the guys try to figure out who is behind it all and their motives. Maddie’s soon-to-be ex is involved, as well as her family, and things get a bit heated. There is some repetitiveness that I could have done without where Tals, Maddie and even some of the others repeatedly remind us of past events, whether Maddie belongs and why she does or doesn’t, etc. There are also time jumps that tell of the past events and memories that seemed to blend a bit too seamlessly to really keep up with. It took me out of the story when I had to figure out the scene had changed or where we actually were in the story. But, it moves along at a pretty good pace and kept my interest with everything else that was going on.
I really liked Tals. He is a tough guy who has been through quite a bit and knows what he wants even if the others don’t think it in his or their best interests. He stays steady and true to form, being loyal and protective, just as he has always been. I had a harder time warming up to Maddie but I’m not exactly sure why. I just didn’t feel their relationship as much as I had hoped, even though their sexy encounters were smoking hot. But, in the end, I was rooting for them and happy to see how things ended up.
It was really great seeing the other guys again. I absolutely love Tenn and really really hope we get to see more of his story. I do not actually read very much in the way of male/female romance, so for one to keep my interest, it has to be good. I definitely enjoyed this one and am definitely interested in seeing more of the Vipers again.
October 13, 2015
Vipers Rule Vipers Rule (Skulls Creek #2)by Stephanie TylerEven though he’s no longer a U.S. soldier, Talon “Tals” Garrity hasn’t lost his desire for living on the edge. As the enforcer for the Vipers Motorcycle Club, the eternal bad boy is always getting into trouble—especially with the ladies, who can’t seem to resist him. But when Maddie Wells returns to Skulls Creek, he’s shocked that she can’t seem to keep her hands off him either. Good thing Tals doesn’t mind playing with fire.Growing up with her family’s prestigious name and money, Maddie could never indulge a bad-boy biker like Tals. Now that she’s back, she finds herself irresistibly drawn to him. But if Maddie ends up getting what she wants, they might both be sorry. Because some very dangerous men are hot on her trail—and Tals and his MC will have to put their lives on the line to protect her.My Review: Okay so I liked this installment better than the first, I always like reunion stories even though the rich/poor thing is getting a little tired - along with the MC theme Stephanie stepped it up this time. Keep in mind for readers that haven't read the first book should definitely start at the beginning since there are plenty details and history that you'll want filling in on. We get some much needed maturing out of Maddie and Tal and now we get some sexy and some drama as the two put their feelers out and attempt to heal some of the broken parts of their past and their relationship. Mad and Tal are a hot couple with some fantastic interaction. Ofcourse reality bites and not everything is happy as you hope for it to be for everyone involved but I enjoyed the ride and I look forward to seeing where the journey takes us in the next installment. My Rating:4 StarsReviewed By:Krissy's Bookshelf Reviewshttp://kkmalott.booklikes.com/Note:I received a print copy in exchange for an honest review from Berkley.
July 14, 2015
Rich girl, bad boy and trouble…
Maddie Wells has been given a second chance to make things right with Tals Garrity. She was rich and he wasn’t, though that wasn’t the only thing that drove them apart. When Maddie comes back to town, it’s a new beginning but not entirely a clean slate.
Tals is not going to pretend that their past didn’t happen and Maddie has to prove that she will go the distance this time.
“So what, I’m your dirty little secret, your roll in the hay so you have a story to share with your high-society friends? Or am I always going to be your secret?”
If that wasn’t enough to contend with, Maddie also brought enemies with her and it seems the Vipers MC were going to have to band together once again as they deal with a threat to one of their own.
This is the second in the series, but I started with this one. I enjoy this author and I’m not sure if it’s because I did start with book two, but for some reason I didn’t get invested into the story until it was well under way. Thankfully, things seem to pick up as the story progressed quickly and the tension between Maddie and Tals percolated nicely.
Tals is a wonderful blend of tough biker and protective lover who knows how to heat things up. He was looking for something that was real and Maddie had to prove that she was worth it. Maddie is likable but she didn’t come across as approachable as I would have liked.
The heat is high, the intrigue and danger as well, so when the story kicked into high gear, I was happy to be along for the ride. I’m definitely going to catch up with book one and I am looking forward to more in the series. ~ Diane, 3.5 stars
Maddie Wells has been given a second chance to make things right with Tals Garrity. She was rich and he wasn’t, though that wasn’t the only thing that drove them apart. When Maddie comes back to town, it’s a new beginning but not entirely a clean slate.
Tals is not going to pretend that their past didn’t happen and Maddie has to prove that she will go the distance this time.
“So what, I’m your dirty little secret, your roll in the hay so you have a story to share with your high-society friends? Or am I always going to be your secret?”
If that wasn’t enough to contend with, Maddie also brought enemies with her and it seems the Vipers MC were going to have to band together once again as they deal with a threat to one of their own.
This is the second in the series, but I started with this one. I enjoy this author and I’m not sure if it’s because I did start with book two, but for some reason I didn’t get invested into the story until it was well under way. Thankfully, things seem to pick up as the story progressed quickly and the tension between Maddie and Tals percolated nicely.
Tals is a wonderful blend of tough biker and protective lover who knows how to heat things up. He was looking for something that was real and Maddie had to prove that she was worth it. Maddie is likable but she didn’t come across as approachable as I would have liked.
The heat is high, the intrigue and danger as well, so when the story kicked into high gear, I was happy to be along for the ride. I’m definitely going to catch up with book one and I am looking forward to more in the series. ~ Diane, 3.5 stars
July 22, 2015
Review: Vipers Rule: A Skulls Creek Novel by Stephanie Tyler http://wp.me/p3d0RZ-2Ln
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Publication Date: July 7, 2015
Reviewed by: Reading in Pajamas/ Donna
Rated: 4 Stars
REVIEW:
I enjoyed this latest addition to the Skulls Creek series and the hot Vipers MC. Ms. Tyler does a good job of blending all the different personalities into one cohesive group so you believe they've been together a very long time.. Tals and Maddie were almost a fated couple and I loved how they finally worked their way back together despite everything going on around them. My only comment would be that at times I had to work too hard trying to keep track of the time period as the memories just popped into the middle of something else. I found that I had to reread to see when it switched back to the present. Also at the end during the climax of the story I would have liked to read it as it happened instead of them referencing it. That being said, I loved it and look forward to the next one.
*Review copy provided by Penguin in exchange for an honest review.
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Publication Date: July 7, 2015
Reviewed by: Reading in Pajamas/ Donna
Rated: 4 Stars
REVIEW:
I enjoyed this latest addition to the Skulls Creek series and the hot Vipers MC. Ms. Tyler does a good job of blending all the different personalities into one cohesive group so you believe they've been together a very long time.. Tals and Maddie were almost a fated couple and I loved how they finally worked their way back together despite everything going on around them. My only comment would be that at times I had to work too hard trying to keep track of the time period as the memories just popped into the middle of something else. I found that I had to reread to see when it switched back to the present. Also at the end during the climax of the story I would have liked to read it as it happened instead of them referencing it. That being said, I loved it and look forward to the next one.
*Review copy provided by Penguin in exchange for an honest review.
January 20, 2016
Can I just say it without doubt or any second thoughts, disappointing ending with the rest being at least interesting enough to keep me second guessing whether Maddie and Tals would ever make it work.
July 8, 2018
This book started out really well, and had the rich girl/biker trope I’m a sucker for, but it really lacked follow-through. The MMC is being chased by the mob, she needs protection— and then, magically, it’s taken care of! There’s all this build up, and no action. We see a tiny bit of the aftermath of violence, but no actual climax, and it was just very unsatisfying.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 26, 2017
Viper review
Love the Viper had boys. Bad boys with hearts of gold. As long as you respect the club and the family.
Love the Viper had boys. Bad boys with hearts of gold. As long as you respect the club and the family.
October 9, 2020
Was s great story. ☆☆☆☆♡♡♡♡☆☆☆☆
July 21, 2015
I read the first book in the Skull’s Creek series and have been looking forward to seeing what happens with these men and women who live the MC lifestyle. This second book brings us a bad boy hero and the rich heroine who left him years ago; she now wants to make a new beginning.
Maddie Wells is coming home after a broken marriage and career, she wants to reconnect with someone she lost years ago but is uncertain if he will have her. She is willing to face his anger and ask for forgiveness but little does she know what her actions caused so many years ago.
Tals Garrity is a Viper enforcer who has been a part of this MC family for years. He and his twin brother Tenn will do anything for the club and its members. In high school he formed a friendship with Maddie, one that defied the odds, a rich socialite hanging around a MC member without anything to show for himself. One night when Maddie got involved in a bad situation, Tals came to help but she got scared and he took the brunt of the law, causing trouble not only for him but also for the Vipers. Many of the members are still pissed and are unhappy when she walks back into Tals’ life.
Tals is not sure what to think when Maddie comes home and wants to see him, she even tries to woo him with flowers and asks him on a date. He does not immediately take her up on her offer; in fact it is not until she is in danger that he even lets her get close to him or the Vipers.
This was all over the map for me, I like the premise of a rich girl hanging with a bad boy from a biker gang and then years later she wants him back. However the book does not just focus on them, there are several stories going on and it takes away from Maddie and Tals.
Maddie has the potential to be a great heroine; she is ready to move on from her cheating husband and go back to a place that she misses, to reconnect with Tals after all these years. She wants to apologize for how she handled things; she misses him and wants what could have been. Yet I was disappointed in how she acts, both in the flashback scenes and present day. She assumes he will accept her back and is unprepared for the reception she receives from him and those in the MC.
I really like Tals; he is a great hero who buried his hurt years ago. He has moved on, creating a life with the Vipers. When Maddie comes back he frequently pushes her away but she is persistent. When he finds out someone is trying to hurt her, he becomes very protective but still does not let her in to his “space”. I like how she also has to win over several members, both Preacher and Tenn want nothing to do with her and try to force her to leave, there is a lot of tension and it helps with the storyline.
The story’s pace is both fast and slow, there are a lot of flashbacks as the author tells how Tals and Maddie met in high school and how it is all relevant. However I had to pay very close attention while I was reading because I could not tell when it was a flashback, all of the sudden the story did not fit until I realized we were looking back, I had to do some re-reading to get my bearings. Also, there are several other stories going on at the same time as Tals and Maddie’s. I realize this is a very tight group of people and their lives are going on at the same time, but I usually like one romance at a time, especially when the others are unresolved and will likely spill over to the next book in the series. His brother Tenn is still avoiding a relationship with a man named Wade who we do not see but Tenn has moved away because of this, Holly, the tattoo artist and Preacher are dancing around an attraction and their story is very predominant in the book but things are left up in the air at the end, Rocco the MC’s lawyer and Lola the police detective have some history and we witness the push and pull of their relationship that also is unresolved toward the end. I am not sure whose book is next, the lead-in seems to be Preacher and Holly and I would be happy with that choice as I want to read their story. I will be a bit more cautious about my excitement with the next book and hope for the best because I love this author and have read several of her other series.
Review at: Ramblings from a Chaotic Mind
Copy from the publisher for an honest review
Maddie Wells is coming home after a broken marriage and career, she wants to reconnect with someone she lost years ago but is uncertain if he will have her. She is willing to face his anger and ask for forgiveness but little does she know what her actions caused so many years ago.
Tals Garrity is a Viper enforcer who has been a part of this MC family for years. He and his twin brother Tenn will do anything for the club and its members. In high school he formed a friendship with Maddie, one that defied the odds, a rich socialite hanging around a MC member without anything to show for himself. One night when Maddie got involved in a bad situation, Tals came to help but she got scared and he took the brunt of the law, causing trouble not only for him but also for the Vipers. Many of the members are still pissed and are unhappy when she walks back into Tals’ life.
Tals is not sure what to think when Maddie comes home and wants to see him, she even tries to woo him with flowers and asks him on a date. He does not immediately take her up on her offer; in fact it is not until she is in danger that he even lets her get close to him or the Vipers.
This was all over the map for me, I like the premise of a rich girl hanging with a bad boy from a biker gang and then years later she wants him back. However the book does not just focus on them, there are several stories going on and it takes away from Maddie and Tals.
Maddie has the potential to be a great heroine; she is ready to move on from her cheating husband and go back to a place that she misses, to reconnect with Tals after all these years. She wants to apologize for how she handled things; she misses him and wants what could have been. Yet I was disappointed in how she acts, both in the flashback scenes and present day. She assumes he will accept her back and is unprepared for the reception she receives from him and those in the MC.
I really like Tals; he is a great hero who buried his hurt years ago. He has moved on, creating a life with the Vipers. When Maddie comes back he frequently pushes her away but she is persistent. When he finds out someone is trying to hurt her, he becomes very protective but still does not let her in to his “space”. I like how she also has to win over several members, both Preacher and Tenn want nothing to do with her and try to force her to leave, there is a lot of tension and it helps with the storyline.
The story’s pace is both fast and slow, there are a lot of flashbacks as the author tells how Tals and Maddie met in high school and how it is all relevant. However I had to pay very close attention while I was reading because I could not tell when it was a flashback, all of the sudden the story did not fit until I realized we were looking back, I had to do some re-reading to get my bearings. Also, there are several other stories going on at the same time as Tals and Maddie’s. I realize this is a very tight group of people and their lives are going on at the same time, but I usually like one romance at a time, especially when the others are unresolved and will likely spill over to the next book in the series. His brother Tenn is still avoiding a relationship with a man named Wade who we do not see but Tenn has moved away because of this, Holly, the tattoo artist and Preacher are dancing around an attraction and their story is very predominant in the book but things are left up in the air at the end, Rocco the MC’s lawyer and Lola the police detective have some history and we witness the push and pull of their relationship that also is unresolved toward the end. I am not sure whose book is next, the lead-in seems to be Preacher and Holly and I would be happy with that choice as I want to read their story. I will be a bit more cautious about my excitement with the next book and hope for the best because I love this author and have read several of her other series.
Review at: Ramblings from a Chaotic Mind
Copy from the publisher for an honest review
December 24, 2021
I liked this book about an alpha male MC named Tals and the rich girl from the "right side" of town. This is book two of a series but can be read as a stand alone. Tals is a typical take charge kind of guy and when high school flame Maddie returns to town and finds herself in trouble, Tals and his brothers are there to protect and bring it to a stop. What happens next will keep you turning the pages until the end
June 28, 2015
3.5 / 5 Fangs
I was surprised with how much I grew to like this book. It took me a little while to get into this book. I found the beginning to be slow moving. I enjoyed the idea of what the author was doing in the first few chapters, but something was just lacking for me. I was happy that the pacing of the book picked up around the 100 page mark. After that, I was hooked on the book. I found the book to then be fast paced and well developed. The only issue I had with the plot was Maddie's romantic history. I felt her "ex" husband story line a little cheesy. I wish there would have been a different reason for Maddie to get involved with Tals and his MC.
I really enjoyed the romance in this book because it was about a girl chasing after a boy. Usually, it is the other way around, so I enjoyed that part of the romance. There were a lot of flirty conversations and heart felt conversations between Maddie and Tals that made their relationship very cute. I really liked them together. I thought Stephanie did a very good job at a creating a believable relationship between them. The romance progressed at a natural speed, which I was thankful for.
Maddie was a very strong and witty character. My only issue with her was that she made some dumb decisions through out the book. I though Tals was a great character. He was a perfect book boyfriend. I definitely fell hard for him in this book!
The main characters and the side characters were well developed in this book. I hope to see some of the side characters get books in the future, because I want to see more of their romances develop. I was a little disappointed with the ending of this book because it wasn't a very positive ending for some of the side characters. The ending was also a slight cliffhanger. I was hoping for a happier ending.
Overall, I liked this book a lot. I think this book would be a great read for biker fans. It was a fun story about second chances with a mix of actions. There a few things that could have been improved, but as a whole, this was a very satisfying book.
3.5 / 5 Fangs
*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review*
I was surprised with how much I grew to like this book. It took me a little while to get into this book. I found the beginning to be slow moving. I enjoyed the idea of what the author was doing in the first few chapters, but something was just lacking for me. I was happy that the pacing of the book picked up around the 100 page mark. After that, I was hooked on the book. I found the book to then be fast paced and well developed. The only issue I had with the plot was Maddie's romantic history. I felt her "ex" husband story line a little cheesy. I wish there would have been a different reason for Maddie to get involved with Tals and his MC.
I really enjoyed the romance in this book because it was about a girl chasing after a boy. Usually, it is the other way around, so I enjoyed that part of the romance. There were a lot of flirty conversations and heart felt conversations between Maddie and Tals that made their relationship very cute. I really liked them together. I thought Stephanie did a very good job at a creating a believable relationship between them. The romance progressed at a natural speed, which I was thankful for.
Maddie was a very strong and witty character. My only issue with her was that she made some dumb decisions through out the book. I though Tals was a great character. He was a perfect book boyfriend. I definitely fell hard for him in this book!
The main characters and the side characters were well developed in this book. I hope to see some of the side characters get books in the future, because I want to see more of their romances develop. I was a little disappointed with the ending of this book because it wasn't a very positive ending for some of the side characters. The ending was also a slight cliffhanger. I was hoping for a happier ending.
Overall, I liked this book a lot. I think this book would be a great read for biker fans. It was a fun story about second chances with a mix of actions. There a few things that could have been improved, but as a whole, this was a very satisfying book.
3.5 / 5 Fangs
*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review*
July 13, 2015
Vipers Rule by Stephanie Tyler is the 2nd book in her Skulls Creek series. This series is about the Skulls Creek Vipers motorcycle club members and the women in their lives. Vipers Rule is about a couple who have not seen each other since just before graduation, which had ended badly. Maddie Wells is our heroine, and she returns to Skulls Creek to stay with her grandmother, after leaving her cheating husband and their business. On the way home, Maddie has a flat tire, and when someone stops to help her, she is shocked to see Tals.
Tals Garrity is the enforcer for the Vipers, and he is the boy she left years before. Tals is equally shocked to see Maddie, and though he helps her fix the tire, he tries to remain distant. When Maddie ran away years before, she left Tals in trouble with the law. Though he is ok, he is afraid to allow himself to become involved with her again. Maddie comes from a rich family, and he is considered unworthy of her, as he is part of the motorcycle club.
But Maddie is determined to win Tals back, as she knows she still cares for him. Her youthful mistake was to protect him too, as well as run from her fears. She is now strong enough to face them, and fight for the man she truly wants. At first it isn’t easy, but soon Tals can’t resist the woman who owns his heart. But at their first date, someone has made an attempt on Maddie’s life, and Tals will pull her into Vipers to protect her.
We get to spend time with many of the characters we met in the first book; Calla, Cage, Preacher, Tenn, and Holly. The Vipers protected Maddie, as they knew she belonged to Tals, though some of them remembered the past, and were not too kind to Maddie. This will in time change, as they see how much she loves Tals.
This is an intense exciting story, as Maddie’s ex will accidently bring danger to her, due to his unsavory connections. The romance between Maddie and Tals was hot, volatile, causing the steam to rise. I loved Tals and Maddie together..a great couple. Once again, Stephanie Tyler has given us an exciting storyline, with great characters, dangerous adventure. and a wonderful sizzling couple to root for. I wholly recommend you to read this series.
Barb
The Reading Cafe
Tals Garrity is the enforcer for the Vipers, and he is the boy she left years before. Tals is equally shocked to see Maddie, and though he helps her fix the tire, he tries to remain distant. When Maddie ran away years before, she left Tals in trouble with the law. Though he is ok, he is afraid to allow himself to become involved with her again. Maddie comes from a rich family, and he is considered unworthy of her, as he is part of the motorcycle club.
But Maddie is determined to win Tals back, as she knows she still cares for him. Her youthful mistake was to protect him too, as well as run from her fears. She is now strong enough to face them, and fight for the man she truly wants. At first it isn’t easy, but soon Tals can’t resist the woman who owns his heart. But at their first date, someone has made an attempt on Maddie’s life, and Tals will pull her into Vipers to protect her.
We get to spend time with many of the characters we met in the first book; Calla, Cage, Preacher, Tenn, and Holly. The Vipers protected Maddie, as they knew she belonged to Tals, though some of them remembered the past, and were not too kind to Maddie. This will in time change, as they see how much she loves Tals.
This is an intense exciting story, as Maddie’s ex will accidently bring danger to her, due to his unsavory connections. The romance between Maddie and Tals was hot, volatile, causing the steam to rise. I loved Tals and Maddie together..a great couple. Once again, Stephanie Tyler has given us an exciting storyline, with great characters, dangerous adventure. and a wonderful sizzling couple to root for. I wholly recommend you to read this series.
Barb
The Reading Cafe
June 23, 2015
* Received an ARC in exchange for an honest review *
I was pleasantly surprised by this one! It was quick to pull me in and kept my focus clear through the last page. The characters were well developed and the storyline was one that will appeal to all biker fans. The flow was fast paced and the writing was top of the line. It was a story about getting a second chance at love and while it was romantic, it was also suspenseful and angsty.
The book started with playful flirting and a romantic game of cat and mouse. It had a unique twist though... Instead of the guy doing the chasing, it was the woman. Maddie was feisty and witty. She knew what she wanted and wasn't going to give up until she got him. Speaking of Tals... He instantly captured my heart. He was the ultimate book boyfriend. Tall, dark, and handsome... and kind with a hint of stubbornness. Together him and Maddie were a whirlwind of emotions. They had a past and when reunited, the sparks fly. Its a relationship that started with friendship and slowly turned to something serious and sexy.
Overall, I really enjoyed the book. However, I did feel that the beginning outshined the ending. The beginning made me feel like I was living the story and the ending made me feel like I was watching the story unfold. It was still a great read... I just prefer that all consuming feel throughout the whole book.
I was pleasantly surprised by this one! It was quick to pull me in and kept my focus clear through the last page. The characters were well developed and the storyline was one that will appeal to all biker fans. The flow was fast paced and the writing was top of the line. It was a story about getting a second chance at love and while it was romantic, it was also suspenseful and angsty.
The book started with playful flirting and a romantic game of cat and mouse. It had a unique twist though... Instead of the guy doing the chasing, it was the woman. Maddie was feisty and witty. She knew what she wanted and wasn't going to give up until she got him. Speaking of Tals... He instantly captured my heart. He was the ultimate book boyfriend. Tall, dark, and handsome... and kind with a hint of stubbornness. Together him and Maddie were a whirlwind of emotions. They had a past and when reunited, the sparks fly. Its a relationship that started with friendship and slowly turned to something serious and sexy.
Overall, I really enjoyed the book. However, I did feel that the beginning outshined the ending. The beginning made me feel like I was living the story and the ending made me feel like I was watching the story unfold. It was still a great read... I just prefer that all consuming feel throughout the whole book.
June 6, 2016
Fun read from new-to-me author Stephanie Tyler. I jumped in with book two in the Skulls Creek series so I did have some confusion on characters and overall storyline but not enough to deter from my enjoyment of this story. Tals is from the wrong side of the tracks, Maddie grew up with all the privileges. But no matter the differences of their upbringing there is a connection that neither can deny. When Maddie comes back to town, fresh from a divorce, she can't deny that Tals is the man she's always wanted but will her poor choices made as a teenager keep them apart? Tals has always loved Maddie and will do anything to protect her from the threat that seems to be chasing her but will he be able to open his heart up again to the potential pain that she can bring in to his life? Really good story but I felt like a lot happen off the pages. It was exactly a closed door sex scene book but pretty close. No idea why it was written this way, maybe due to novel size restrictions, but I felt like I was missing something because of it. Other than that, great read!
January 24, 2016
Talon “Tals” Garrity has always been hooked on Maddie Wells. But family and other issues kept them apart in the past. Now in the process of getting a divorce, Maddie has returned to Skulls Creek, determined to find Tals. Maddie plans to find Tals and get the chance with him that she missed out on in the past. Tals has never forgotten Maddie but he’s not sure he wants to revisit the past, no matter how much he’s dreamt about Maddie over the years. Now with her soon-to-be ex-husband’s shady business deals bringing danger to Maddie, Tals is set on protecting her. But will he protect his heart or will he take a chance on Maddie?
Vipers Rule is the first book of Stephanie Tyler’s Skulls Creek series that I’ve read but I’ve quickly added the others to my must read list. Talk about missing out on a series! Tal and Maddie kept me enthralled as I turned the pages but the tease of Preacher and Rocco left me wanting more! Sexy with just the right amount of danger, Vipers Rule shouldn’t be missed.
Reviewed by Melissa for Joyfully Reviewed
Link: bit.ly/1CVpB3z
Vipers Rule is the first book of Stephanie Tyler’s Skulls Creek series that I’ve read but I’ve quickly added the others to my must read list. Talk about missing out on a series! Tal and Maddie kept me enthralled as I turned the pages but the tease of Preacher and Rocco left me wanting more! Sexy with just the right amount of danger, Vipers Rule shouldn’t be missed.
Reviewed by Melissa for Joyfully Reviewed
Link: bit.ly/1CVpB3z
March 19, 2016
Viper's Rule is the second book in the Skills Creek series. Tals and Maddie have a past together that Maddie is trying to reinvigorate by leaving her husband and job while moving back home. I had some trouble with this story. I understood Maddie's need to reconnect with Tals, but throughout the story, Tals seemed to be afraid that Maddie considered him just a fling and would leave again. Maddie's personality and previous life choices supported the idea that she was simply disillusioned with her life and would eventually leave again. Much of the book was bogged down in constant talking and inner monologues that I found difficult to equate with an MC. The little action that there was in the story was relegated to the background and told about through dialogue. Despite all of these problems, I enjoyed the overall story. The next story, which I assume will involve Preacher and Holly, offers hope for more action and emotion.
July 14, 2015
Eternal bad boy Talon “Tals” Garrity is always getting into trouble and protecting Maddie Wells may well land him in a whole of it but Tals doesn’t mind playing with fire in this exciting romantic suspense. With bad boys like the ones belonging to the Vipers Motorcycle Club you get a whole lot of sexy, attitude, loyalty and protectiveness – did I mention sexy? (Sigh). Okay where was I, oh yeah, Tals is definitely a Viper cause I tell you he can make the heart pound and his story held me hostage from the beginning and I can’t wait to read the next book… I’m hoping its Preacher’s or it could be Bear’s heck I’ll take any of them.
4 ½ STARS
See my full review at: http://paranormalhaven.com/2015/07/re...
4 ½ STARS
See my full review at: http://paranormalhaven.com/2015/07/re...
February 10, 2017
Okay, I liked this Skull's Creek book better than the first one. The romance was much more believable. And now I'm even looking forward to Preacher and Holly's story as well as Rocco and Lola's story. This was good romantic-suspense like I've come to expect from ST. Three and a half stars.
July 26, 2015
I found myself really bored when reading this one. I liked Tals, loved how he protected people important to him and loved how he interacted with Preacher. I didn't care for Maddie at all. She was so wishy-washy. She wanted Tals, both in the present and the past, yet she never really stood up for him.
I was actually more interested in the side story between Holly and Preacher. I didn't like how things ended there and really hope there is a good reason for things.
I was actually more interested in the side story between Holly and Preacher. I didn't like how things ended there and really hope there is a good reason for things.
July 26, 2015
Great book! Maddie and Tals are perfect for each other. They have known one another since high school, but haven't seen each other in over 10 years. Things are strained between them when Maddie arrives back in town, but she is determined to make Tals see things her way. He is reluctant after what happened all those years ago. I love Stephanie Tyler's writing and can't wait to read more.
July 12, 2015
Awesome story
I loved reading about second chances with Tal's and Maddie. They danced around each other in high school, Maddie left town at seventeen and came back after leaving her ass of a husband. She came back for Tal's but doesn't expect that big trouble would follow her and try to blow her up. Very good.
I loved reading about second chances with Tal's and Maddie. They danced around each other in high school, Maddie left town at seventeen and came back after leaving her ass of a husband. She came back for Tal's but doesn't expect that big trouble would follow her and try to blow her up. Very good.
July 10, 2015
Surprisingly good novel
Lots of good in this novel. Who you believe is the best person for you is not always right because they come from the right side. Sometimes the heart knows best.
Lots of good in this novel. Who you believe is the best person for you is not always right because they come from the right side. Sometimes the heart knows best.
August 28, 2015
only giving 3 stars because of technical hiccups. i'd be reading along, then thinking i must have skipped a page, because it switched to someone else's POV. interrupted the flow. i did like the characters - and i will be reading the next in the series.
July 21, 2015
Loved it
July 6, 2015
3.5 stars ... review to come on romance at random
July 9, 2015
Good read!
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