Dove

The Soldiers of Bedlam #2

by Paisley Hope

"Paisley Hope is a masterful storyteller, with plenty of heat and so much heart-wrenching romance." —Kristen Proby, New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author

The Hounds of Hell motorcycle club takes care of their own...and every once in a while another rebellious soul catches their eye.

Sean "Ax" Hunter is both a former marine and Sergeant at Arms for the Hounds of Hell MC. His mind works like a twisted hamster wheel. Dates, facts, faces, memories, are all vivid and constant. Nothing holds his attention long, until the night a Georgia storm forces him into an upscale club and suddenly his attention belongs solely to her. Layla Monroe, the rebel without a cause, just trying to stay afloat after her parents' tragic death. A death that is surrounded by both unanswered mystery and shocking truth. The sins her parents kept covered up ran deep enough for Layla to question everything she's ever been taught, but they also keep her fighting her attraction to this monster she shouldn't want. The type of monster that just might be responsible for her loss in the first place.

Working for Sean doesn't seem like the smartest idea but when he promises to pay her enough to cover the rest of her schooling, she can't resist. All she has to do is make it through two weeks of helping him heal and resisting the urges she keeps feeling every time he's near her. Layla is convinced her knight in shining armor isn't destined to come riding in on a Harley, but maybe fate has other ideas. 

Content Violence expected with the life of an outlaw motorcycle club include but are not limited to torture, gun violence, murder, mild alcohol and drug use. Sexual triggers are not fully listed to conceal plot points and pivotal moments but are of a darker nature. Please check the author's note at the front for a brief list.

Genres: Dark Romance, Romance, Dark, Forced Proximity, Found Family, Audiobook, He Falls First

368 pages, Paperback

First published January 27, 2026

About the author

Paisley Hope is a USA Today and Sunday Times Bestselling author of spicy contemporary romance. Her books are full of found family, dreamy settings, swoony moments and happily ever afters. She also writes darker romances that will keep your pulse racing.
Paisley spends all her free time with her husband and kids. She loves to bake, garden and travel.

Reviews

[SK · Rating 5 out of 5]

"We might be weak for each other, but together we're strong. We're unstoppable. Unshakable. Infinite."

STOPPP THIS WAS PERFECT 😩🤌
I will not change a single thing or word about this book. Everything went right and exactly how it was supposed to. And boy, I had HIGHHH expectations especially with how good Wolf.e was. But dare I say, this was better.

I loved Layla, unlike Brinley in the last book, Layla was not judgemental and neither was she giving those subtle pick me vibes. Her character felt natural. At ease. She's smart, witty, sensual, fiercely independent and I loved it.

Sean was her perfect and equal in every way. He was supportive, dominant but not in the way that would suffocate her or overpower her. He was Layla's equal in every damn way. He cherished her, protected her and stepped his foot down when needed while lifting her up 🤌 Y'all this is your dream man. And bonus points for him getting her name tattooed on his cheek. It's unhinged but works 👀🤷‍♀️

The chemistry is instant and although the romance is insta lusty and spicy, the connection they form is chef's kiss. I loved how easy and natural it was between the two of them. It didn't feel rushed or forced at all. They have an emotional bond and such witty banter, it was hard to not love them. The spice though? As filthy as Wolf.e. That's all I'm saying 🥵🥵🤭 Had me blushing, giggling and panting.

The ending was a perfect wrap for these two and I genuinely cannot wait for the third book. Fyi, it's got its dark moments, so do check trigger warnings before diving in. I'm gonna be binging the author's other books/series as well.


~•~•~
Can we talk about how gorgeous this cover is? With how good Wolf.e was, I have such high expectations for this.

[Ana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so good!!
I was so excited for their story and it did not disappoint. It was more low stakes than the first book, but so enjoyable and emotional. 

Layla had her world flipped upside down when her parents were murdered. The picture perfect family everyone thought they were, wasn't so perfect.. A storm brings Sean into the restaurant she works at and her life changes in an instant.. He's the Sergeant at Arms for the Hounds of Hell MC and a former Marine.. Their connection is immediate and while she doesn't want to admit she wants him, he'll make it impossible for her to fight her feelings for too long...

I absolutely loved Sean, he might be my favourite. He loved Layla since the beginning, even when he didn't completely understand it, he still knew it was her for him. His love language was physical touch and acts of service and that was everything. He cleaned her house, because she said she didn't have the time, he cooked for her, he took care of her, he was always there for her. He was unhinged, direct and always so openly himself. He let her see all the broken pieces that made him and he never doubted their connection. He never believed in fate, but she was his. He had his fair share of trauma, having a photographic memory and being in combat makes it impossible for him to forget and I really loved the way she brought more light into his life. 
Layla was struggling with losing her mother, with everything that happened. Her whole life she felt like she was put in a cage, but Sean helped her soar. I loved seeing her be herself more and she held her own against Sean. She was strong and she never judged him, she loved him just the way he was. 

Their love story was fast, but beautiful. Their instant connection made sense, it was meaningful and honestly, I didn't mind that it all happened very fast. She tried to fight it, but it was a fight she knew she was going to lose. I loved their vulnerable moments so much, the way he let her in. They were destined for each other and the tattoo has such a sweet meaning. I honestly didn't expect their story to be so emotional, but I'm so happy it was. I adore them so much. Their chemistry was insane.
The spice was amazing, I really liked it. It was a bloody good time, pun intended. If that isn't your thing, this might not be for you.. I really had fun though.

I loved the MC even more now, they really are a family and I love the way they are there for each other.
There was some suspense, trying to find out the truth behind her parents murders and the man who murdered them.. Layla wanted answers and Sean wanted to make sure she got them..

The scene at the end was so sweet and special, I loved that he did it that way and that epilogue ahh, I'll always love an author that gives us that glimpse into the future. Paisley Hope is slowly, but surely becoming one of my favourite authors. Please, never stop doing the epilogue, it's my favourite part!!

*Thank you to Netgalley and to Random House UK, Cornerstone for providing me with an ARC.*

.·:*¨ ¨*:·.

I'm so happy I got an ARC!!
After reading Wolf.e, I'm even more excited to read how Sean's and Layla's story began.

[kimberly ⋆౨ৎ˚⟡. [semi-hiatus] · Rating 3 out of 5]

‎❝ i'll take care of you, layla, above anyone else, because the only place i've ever found peace is with you. ❞

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ my terminal weakness for bikers is officially a diagnosed condition, and dove absolutely exploited it. this man has tattoos, a harley, veteran trauma, and stalker tendencies, and my brain was like, "yes, imprint." i fear i would fold for the hounds of hell faster than layla did.


₊˚꒰ 𖧷 ꒱ ⊹ i. plot. ₊˚⊹ ꒱
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ welcome to harmony, georgia, which genuinely sounds wholesome and cute but everything is either tragic, illegal, or both. layla monroe is a broke, exhausted college girl still haunted by her parents' very suspicious deaths. she's working, studying, grieving, and trying not to dissolve into a puddle of human stress.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ then one cursed shift later, she meets sean "ax" hunter, former military veteran, currently the sergeant at arms for the hounds of hell, whose brain is kind of like a twisted hamster wheel, if that makes sense. he remembers everything. faces, dates, the exact angle of your trauma. nothing sticks until a georgia storm shoves him into a club, and he sees layla. that's it. that's the moment. his internal operating system immediately switches to "yes, hello, that one. mine now."

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ from there, the plot is simple. dead parents, a morally questionable biker who ends up cleaning her house and fixing her entire existence, forced proximity while layla works for him to pay for school, a murder-adjacent mystery, and an obsession arc so intense it should come with a warning label. who knows? he might be involved in the thing that destroyed her life, but he might also be the only one willing to burn down heaven and hell to give her the truth. pros and cons, bestie!

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ the vibes are violence, club business, guns, flashes of torture, and biker club politics, but the heart of the book is really just sean and layla being feral for each other while the plot lurks in the background. things happen fast. like, suspiciously fast. we're in insta-love territory with fate-coded breadcrumbs scattered everywhere, and logically, i should be concerned, considering the fact this all happened in like a week, but emotionally, i was chewing on the sleeve of my hoodie.


₊˚꒰ 𖧷 ꒱ ⊹ ii. the seven-day romance. ₊˚⊹ ꒱
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ layla's actually a pretty solid heroine. she's not a complete pushover. she's not stupid. she actually questions things, and she does have survival instincts. she's grieving and desperate for the truth, which makes her vulnerable, but not brainless. i liked her. i also wanted to gently smack the book closed on her head every time she went from "this man is terrifying and involved in some shady shit" to "well, my spine dissolved the second he called me 'little dove,' so i guess we ride." relatable? yes. healthy? absolutely not.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ sean is my exact flavour of a walking disaster. ex-military, hyper-observant, lethal, and so fixated on layla that i, a complete menace, still occasionally went, "okay, king, maybe dial it back a little before the fbi gets involved." he notices everything about her. his love language is cooking, cleaning, and a little bit of home repairs, financial support, information, and murder offers. he's weirdly tender in between all the bouts of violence, which is exactly the kind of thing my brain loves. he's great as an obsessive mmc, no notes there.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ my problem is not that they're feral for each other. i'm here for feral. my problem is how fast we get there. the insta-lust hits immediately, which is fine, because i get it, they're hot. but by the time we’re a few days in, they're thinking and acting like they've been soul-bonded for years. i love obsession when it has a little build, a foundation of shared moments, and some time to simmer. here, it jumps from "wow, hot stranger” to "i'd burn the world for you” so quickly my neck actually hurts.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ because it escalates so fast, some of the big emotional beats feel unearned. the devotion is fun to read, but the lack of build-up cheapens it a little. i wanted more time with them circling each other, more slow unraveling, getting to know each other outside of trauma and danger, more "oh no, i can't stand him" turning into "oh no, i can't breathe without him" over time.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ the middle of the book definitely sags under that weight. there's a lot of fucking repetition: her telling herself she shouldn't want him, him refusing to let her go, both of them circling the same emotional drain. we get it. you're broken, horny, and traumatically compatible. i didn't need the same internal struggle reworded fifteen times.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ the hounds of hell themselves, though? elite gremlin energy. loud, messy, questionably legal, entertaining, and weirdly wholesome. i will absolutely be clowning for kai's book like i didn't just talk all this shit.


₊˚꒰ 𖧷 ꒱ ⊹ iii. conclusion. ₊˚⊹ ꒱
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ in conclusion, dove is like biker romance crack. probably not good for me but definitely addictive. i had fun. i rolled my eyes. i highlighted lines. i complained about the insta-love and kept reading anyway, because i am weak and sean calls her 'little dove' like that.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ sooo, three stars! one for feeding my biker obsession, one for layla actually having a backbone, one for sean being an obsessive menace, but knocked down for the insta-lust-to-soulmate speedrun and the drag. if you love obsessive bikers and don’t mind your romance developing faster than a 24-hour shipping order, this will hit. if insta-love makes your eye twitch, welcome to the club. i'll save you a barstool at the hounds’ clubhouse.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ thank you paisley hope and the evermore team for the arc in exchange for an honest review! all opinions are my own.

— 3 stars. ⋆˚☆˖°.ᐟ


.° ༘🎧ྀི⋆ favourite quotes 🖇₊˚ෆ
❛ i need you to push me away, little dove, because i'm not strong enough to make you, and if i kiss you right now, i won't stop. i'll become something i never am. really fucking out of control. ❜

❛ i'm not longer just my club's soldier, little dove. above all, i'm yours. ❜

❛ you drive me out of my fucking mind, layla june. you take a man who's never wanted and make him want. you take a man who doesn't care, and you make him care. ❜

❛ she was made for this life. she was made for me. she is mine. and we are infinite. ❜

❛ strength commands worship. that's all you'll ever know with me. i will worship you, layla, every single day, and no one will hurt you. ever. ❜


⌗ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎started: jan. 13th, 2026. ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎⌝
‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎⌞ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎finished: jan. 21st, 2026. ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ✦


‎── ⟡ ˙ 🪻༘ ₊ main tropes.
⟢ forced proximity
⟢ insta-love/lust
⟢ biker romance
⟢ motorcycle club
⟢ written in the stars
⟢ age gap
⟢ former military mmc


₊˚⊹ ᰔ pre-review:
⤿ the most terrifying thing about this book isn't the bikers, the crimes, or even the violence. it's the speed at which they fell in love. my leftovers have been in the fridge longer than their entire relationship arc and still feel more emotionally stable. rtc!


₊˚⊹ ᰔ pre-read:
⤿ cracking open this book fully aware that my weakness for bikers is a terminal condition atp.

[Gry ☾ · Rating 1 out of 5]

i know i read this on 3x speed to be able to get through it, but was it written in 3x speed as well bc what the hell was this?
this shit was more instant than instant noodles.

like you can’t have an fmc swear she doesn’t want him while mentally(and often physically) undressing him any time they’re in the same room. pick a lane.
combining that with a love-bombing red flag for a man and calling it fate?
i don't know who they're trying to fool, this was just pure horniness.

[Shaz ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

There’s gotta be crack in these books, literal crack?! There is no other explanation for why this was so good 🕊️

Sean was perfection - down bad from the moment he saw Layla and unapologetically obsessed. This is a mamas boy done right!

“My girl doesn’t ride the bus” ok Mr Protector! He can tattoo my name on his face anytime he likes 🙇🏻‍♀️

[Brittany Ferraro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Only Paisley Hope could make me this feral for insta-love. I swear this is some of the best I’ve ever seen it written because their connection feels so deep and lived-in, like real time has passed and then you sit back and realize it’s only been about a week😅😅. Which is insane. And yet… it just works. Trust me. It works.

These two were electric. Their chemistry was out of this fucking world. Every time they got freaky I was panting, and that’s because the spice is done right. Every scene adds to the plot, the characters, and their connection. She writes it so damn well. And the blood play?!? HOW DOES SHE KNOW THESE ARE THE THINGS I NEED. She wrote everything I wanted and live for in this book.

I also loved that this is a prequel to Wolfe, which I now desperately need to reread because I genuinely don’t know who I love more, Sean or Gabriel. Right now it feels like Sean, but he’s fresh in my brain. Realistically? Both of those men could do dirty, nasty, filthy things to me and I would thank them.

Layla was such a standout FMC. She just needed a little push to fully be herself. Fierce. Sassy. Unapologetic. I love when an FMC gives the MMC hell and I love it even more when she makes him come in his pants.🤭

The motorcycle club vibes were immaculate. I’m always a sucker for found family, and I loved this whole gang and how hard they ride for each other. The storyline was genuinely emotional too their shared loss of a parent had me crying more than once. And not just during the sad parts… I was crying during the happy moments, which is how I know I was fully invested in this couple.

I love a man who knows exactly what he wants, and this was love at first sight for Sean. He knew almost immediately that she was going to be his wife. Masculine. Protective. Big and bad but also the softest man with the biggest fucking heart.

There is something so hilarious about the big, bad biker changing her locks because he says they aren’t keeping “bad people” out… and then immediately cleaning her house from top to bottom because he’s a clean freak. This man reorganizes her entire space, rearranges her cabinets, stocks her fridge, puts a bowl of fresh apples on the counter, and makes her homemade honey mustard because “store-bought shit is garbage.”

I was fucking cackling.

And just when you think it can’t get more feral, this man tattoos her name on his face in her handwriting. I was done. Finished. Deceased. SEAN HUNTER THE MAN THAT YOU ARE

I devoured this book. I am fucking obsessed. I love it so much, and this series is absolutely going to be a favorite.

😭🥹💓🫶🏻✨🤞🏼

“Do you know what they say about love at first sight? It’s an unbreakable promise that happens in an instant. That is what this is — what we are. I felt irreversibly in love with you from the moment you pushed me up against that cooler wall.”

[meggthereader · Rating 5 out of 5]

I ate this book UP. I thought the first one was good? This one was beyond amazing and I loved every second of it. The only time I will be absolutely feral for an insta love story.

Insta love, when it’s done right, always hits. Layla and Sean’s connection was like lighting. Both of their stories were so beautiful and yet so heartbreaking. I loved them from the very first moment. Sean was just the absolute perfect MMC and I am so weak for a man who knows what he wants and just takes it. Layla was such a badass and an amazing FMC. She really tried to stand her ground and kept telling Sean to “back off” but he wasn’t taking any shit from her either. The banter and spice alone made me kick my feet and pant like a dog in heat.

Their whole story was just perfection and I cannot wait to read the next book. This is definitely more of a fast paced dark romance which I will always eat up and will beg for more.

[Yuliia · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️
Мені дуже сподобалась пара Шона і Лейли ❤️‍🔥
Вони такі… швидкі 😅 але при цьому між ними є хімія.
Шон - це просто ідеал чоловіка 🤤 і наготує, і нагодує, і прибере, і ще такий власний 🥵 заверніть, будь ласка.
Лейла - гаряча, мила, чутка, і дуже йому підходить. Але залежна від думки оточуючих і відчуває себе в клітці.

Боже… сцена в туалеті стрипклубу ❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥
Я пищала як навіжена 😈 Це було настільки гаряче, що мене просто винесло. Дуже нагадало сцену з Джексом і Тарою з «Синів анархії» в 2 сезоні 💔 - той самий вайб, та сама напруга, та сама сцена ❤️‍🔥

І при цьому книга не тільки про «гаряче». Спогади Шона про бойові дії… 💔🥺 це було боляче читати. Такий контраст - від пристрасті до повного розйобу емоційно.

А оце з татухою під оком?
«Ти йобнувся?» - literally моя реакція 😂

Сюжет не супер насичений подіями - тут усе крутиться навколо їхніх стосунків. Багато 🔥 сцен, але вони не просто заради галочки, а реально працюють на динаміку між ними.

Мені сподобалось 😈

[Kayla | Kayla Reads Smut · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved Paisley Hope and her range of writing always blows me away. Like how she can go from small town to a darker more grittier MC romance, may surprise people but it only shows how amazing of a writer Paisley Hope is. When she first delivered us Wolf.e, that book had me in a chokehold. It still does. And when she announced that she was giving us Sean and Layla's story as a prequel, I didn't know how I would feel about it since we already see them as an established couple in Wolf.e but I'm gagged. And I think Sean tops Gabriel Wolfe in this series so far for me.

Now I will say this, Dove's timeline does take place before Wolf.e so if you have not read Wolf.e yet, I would recommend reading Dove first. It's the reading order I would prefer if I was starting this series for the first time. You will fall in love with Layla and Sean and have a little bit more of the backstory to their relationship, the MC club and the history of Wolfe and Sean.

If you love a man OBSESSED morally grey MMC who falls in love at first sight this is the book for you! Listen, sometimes instalove/lust doesn't hit but this one, I loved! A little background, Sean served in the military and suffers from some PTSD but he has a strong connection to the song Layla by Eric Clapton and doves. It's linked to a situation that happened while deployed that lives with him. So imagine what runs through his mind when he meets LAYLA for the first time and she has a dove tattoo. Essential, he sees this as the sign he was looking for. And boy does their connection go from zero to 100 real quick.

I do in fact love my fictional men OBSESSED and CLINGY with a side of being morally grey and if you do too then you will love Sean! This man is all of those things and so much more. Sean is the perfect example of not judging a book by its cover. Yes, he is rough around the edges. May be scary looking to some. But this man is complex in many areas of his life. And you know what, I love him. The way that he loves Layla and will do anything to protect her is what we love most about our fictional boyfriends!

At the end of the day, I loved Sean and Layla's story. I loved being able to get their back story after meeting them in Wolf.e. And dare I say I may love them more then Gabriel and Brinely 👀 At the end of the day, Paisley can do no wrong. And I can't wait to see the direction that this series goes in!

You should read this book if you like:
- MC Romance
- Instalove
- Age Gap
- Man Obsessed
- Bad Boy x Good Girl
- Ex Military Hero
- Mental Health Rep
- Touch Her and Die
- Forced Proximity
- Morally Grey Hero

* I would like to say a HUGE THANK YOU to Paisley Hope for allowing me to read Dove as an ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts, opinions and review.

[Soft Nectarine ~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

She cracks his back…PHYSICALLY but also sexually! just another MC romance that blends into the background ❤️‍🩹🖤

“I can’t wait to fucking ruin this cage you’ve been living in.”

Layla is still trying to figure her life out. She’s reeling from the death of her parents but finds safety in the most unexpected place…the arms of a local MC BADBOY. Shawn excitingly accepts her therapeutic back messages so he can get close to her…heart ❤️‍🩹 the way this girl blossoms in his care!

Favorite moment: when he TATTOOS HER NAME on his face

This felt like any other MC romance read. It was okay but nothing special. Extra protective mmc that falls hard & fast for his pretty lady. It wasn’t bad it just didn’t have any extra seasoning to make it special.

Lots of smutty goodness but at times all the groans & grunts just made me laugh with second hand embarrassment. I did enjoy how Shawn spoiled Layla to the high havens. Get you a man that will clean your apartment & meal prep for you!

3.5 ⭐️

motorcycle club romance
protective mmc
(extra) explicit dirty talk
insta love
wax play
age gap
degradation (lite)
found family
dual narration (audiobook)
HEA *loved the epilogue

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lettttt me know how I just gave five stars to an insta love story 🫨🫨🫨😍😍😍 This blew me away x10 over

I really enjoyed book #1, Wolfe, but this one was somehow even better???? I highlighted 126 things incase you were wondering 🤷🏼‍♀️💕✨

While veryyyyy spicy, this book is vulnerable, emotionally intimate, and raw. There is an emphasis on the idea of soulmates, destiny, & fate ✨✨✨

THE THINGS THIS MAN SAYSSS 👅👅👅 and I’m not talking about spicy things - I’m talking about things coming straight from his heart of gold 💛 pure, unfiltered, and outpouring with love

let’s run through a few quick things about our MMC:
- he cleans her ENTIRE house for her (he’s a little OCD)
- he has a super tough exterior but is super ooey gooey inside
- he comes undone in his 👖
- he packs her lunch & makes sure she eats
- he calls her “little dove”
- he is steadfast in his love for her & NEVER wavers, even once
- he is obsessed and possessed from the moment their eyes meet
- he’s constantly thinking about her >>>
- he is a tough biker, but cares deeply about his mother & helping veterans

Alright I think that’s enough to maybeee convince you 🥰🫠

I’m giving a lot of hype to our MMC, but the FMC is just as wonderful. She’s sassy & feisty, but loves with her entire chest. She’s not afraid to follow her heart and take risks. I love her, she’s hot as fuck, and I want to be her best friend. An absolute savage with a pure soul.

5/5⭐️ | 4/5🌶️ | Dual POV | 359 Pages
- dark MC romance
- strangers to lovers
- instalove
- boss / employee (just a little)
- age gap (24/32)

[Alla 🦋 · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️

Ну от вміють писати про ідеального чоловіка 👏 який піклується, готує тобі, прибирає, лагодить твоє авто, ну мрія 🥰
Звісно владний і одержимий, але ми тут для цього і зібралися 😈 а ще він має добре серце - його допомога ветеранам це дуже гарно ☺️

Книга гаряча як пекло 🥵 хімія між Шоном та Лейлою шалена, хоч я і не люблю троп інста-лав, тут він гарно обіграний)
Шон допомагає Лейлі розкритися, не боятися своїх бажань.
А ця сцена в туалеті в стрипклубі, бачила шо згадували у відгуку вже, ця відсилка до Джекса і Тари, це було гаряче і смачно 🥵🥵🥵

Книга легко читається, зосереджена на стосунках пари, і мені не вистачало байкерських заворушок, але і без цього цікаво було.

Рибка Дорі чек - я лише на 85% зрозуміла, що Акс і Лейла саме ті, хто одружувався в першій книзі 🫣😝

[Fiona · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️🎧

This was fast, messy and a little unhinged.
Naturally, I had a great time.

Not perfect by any means but entertaining enough that I didn’t even think about stopping and the audiobook definitely helped with that.

What Worked For Me
(aka: when the vibes were vibing)

Sean “Ax” Hunter is exactly the kind of man this genre thrives on. Hyper-focused. Slightly unhinged. Morally questionable with a very strong “mine” instinct. The moment he locks onto Layla, it’s game over.

Layla held her own. She’s not just there to be overwhelmed by his intensity, her backstory adds weight and the mystery surrounding her parents gave the plot something to chew on beyond just vibes and motorcycles.

The chemistry shows up instantly.
Was it subtle? Absolutely not.
Did it work? Eh.
Did I eat it up anyway? Absolutely.

This book is addictive in that “one more chapter” way. It’s fast, dramatic and easy to sink into, the kind of read where you blink and suddenly you’re deep in it.

The duet narration by C. J. Bloom and Aiden Snow did some heavy lifting here.
The performance gave both characters more personality, more tension and made the whole experience feel more immersive, especially when the pacing started wobbling.

Where It Lost Me
(aka: when the vibes started looping)

The insta-lust kicked in immediately. No warm-up, no slow simmer, just straight to we're obsessed with each other immediately. It fits the tone but we lose the build-up that makes the emotional payoff hit harder.

The emotional depth ends up feeling a little muted. I liked them, I was rooting for them but I never felt fully connected.

The spice was plentiful. Generous. Abundant.
At times… too generous.
There were moments where it felt like it interrupted the plot instead of enhancing it.

The mid-book drag comes from repetitive emotional circling, same tension, same internal debates, slightly different wording.
It slows the momentum before the story finds its footing again.

Final Thoughts

This was a fun, addictive, easy read that didn’t quite hit the emotional highs I wanted but still kept me entertained the whole way through.

The characters were solid.
The premise had bite.
The audiobook elevated the entire experience.

It just needed a bit more restraint and a stronger build-up to really land.

Final Verdict

A chaotic, spicy MC romance that trades slow-burn depth for fast-paced obsession and still manages to be a good time.

3.5 stars

Came for the biker chaos, stayed for the audio, left wanting more impact.

Tropes and Vibes:

• Outlaw MC romance
• Obsessive “you’re mine” hero
• Former marine x college girl
• Forced proximity (working for him)
• Suspicious family death / mystery subplot
• Insta-lust / fast-burn attraction
• Protective alpha energy
• Morally grey hero
• Touch her and die vibes
• Duet narration excellence

[lola · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5 stars:

this book had me on the worst rollercoaster experience. the first 1-10% had me intrigued and the way that Layla was presented to us already made her so likeable to me. I loved the concept of her being someone looking for freedom, having grown up in a conforming religious town to a religious family. She had potential to be a strong spunky character but her instant horniness for Sean basically killed that potential before we could even properly witness it.


The first signs of where it started to go wrong for me was the insta-lust. When Layla first saw him, her nipples are already hardening, etc... and long story short, they have some fun.
Sean is already convinced that she's his soulmate and basically makes it his mission to make her see that.


The next 20-50ish% were actually really enjoyable which is why this book gets that extra .5 stars. It becomes a slower burn (aka Sean refuses to properly boomshakalaka) so the story is more focused on the mystery behind Layla's parents and we gain so much insight into the Hounds of Hell club.
We're introduced to new characters and seeing the relationships between everyone in the club and how they interact with Sean and Layla has such a great found family aspect. (I especially loved Shelley, she was exactly the kind of strong but sweet person I was hoping Layla would be)


However, after Sean and Layla finally smash at around the 55% mark, Paisley decides to just give 5-6 chapters in a row with smut. Nothing wrong with smut but by this point I was debating on whether we would get back to the plot or have to endure all the different positions that they get up to.
By this point Layla was getting extremely irritating because every time Sean touched her, she was moaning and yowling like a cat in heat. There's also a lot of dialogue along the lines of 'please fuck me Sean' and her begging which just felt really cringe to read. I also didn't enjoy how Sean was the very contradiction to what Layla wanted; freedom. Whilst I'm sure he meant good by some his actions, eg. Repairing her car, cleaning her house - he did feel suffocating at other times.

By the last 81%, if anyone still stuck around after the continuous smut, there was some slight focus on the plot but it ended up being very anti-climactic and felt very lazy. Paisley just went: here you go. here’s the finale to the plot, let me sprinkle this on before I forget and write another smut scene - which fun fact, the last chapter (chapter 54) includes ‘Sean pushes the largest-size plug into my ass’ ✨

Overall, had so much potential but ended up being a very bad experience for me.

**ALSO WANT TO ADD: THE STORY IS VERY VERY INSTA-LUST. THE WHOLE STORY TAKES PLACE IN ONE WEEK. These are complete strangers ‘romancing’ in ONE WEEK.**

(minus the last chapter which happens 2 months later and the epilogue)


Thank you to NetGalley, Random House UK Cornerstone and Evermore for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is just beautiful and the end is perfect.
It’s worth reading.

[Tereza · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved Layla and Sean’s story, and I’m quickly becoming a Paisley Hope stan. The MMCs she writes aren’t your typical golden-retriever boyfriends, but rather rough-around-the-edges men who still manage to sweep you off your feet. I truly loved it.

Sean is incredible — the lengths he’s willing to go just to make Layla happy are amazing. Don’t get me wrong, this is very much a morally grey, sometimes dark story, but it’s laced with tender moments and flows beautifully. It’s a five-star read and an all-around great time with a book. I’d 100% recommend it!

Thank you to Random House UK and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC. All opinions are my own.

Overall rating: 5 stars

[Darlene I read WAY to many books · Rating 4 out of 5]

So we are going back to when Layla met Sean :) and its so cute. Layla a bartender working hard living life meets Sean when he steps into her bar. Already mesmerized by her he does hit on her. Layla not intrested lol turns him away. But that doesn't stop him from finger banging her lol. From there the trap is set. He does things for her like fix her door, clean her house, make her food. Hes all in. Because doves mate for life.
Heck he cyber stalked her online to know her story and told her lol. Layla does go back and forth because who falls in love with a guy asap?! Lol.

There is drama with Layla past and Sean finds out one of the biggest mysteries she wants to know. The spice is 💦💦💦
Like yummyyy!!!
We see other bikers


Saftey-a ow tries to get at Sean but he doesn't even acknowledge her turns her face down. Cause little jealously.

No om/tiny ow drama, no cheating, secondary characters, Drama, sexy times, no virgins

Recommend-yes
Cover-⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Heat level-🌶🌶🌶.5

Slowinsta
32H/25h
Degradation
Cnc
Praise kink
Violence
Mild torture
Tiny wax play
Gun violence
Murder
Mentions of SA of a 16 year old
Drug use
Mentions of ptsd
Breath play
Knife play
Hea
Epilogue

[Hannah Rhodes · Rating 4 out of 5]

LOVED this book👏🏻 LOVE Sean👏🏻LOVE Layla👏🏻 and LOVE this author!!! This new series has become one of my favs and you MUST read it!

I mean c’mon, who doesn’t love hot tattooed men who ride motorcycles?!

[manas]

i haven’t read these books, but i feel like i will eat up

[Kate V · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Soldiers of Bedlam just know how to treat their women. Wolf.e lives rent free in my head and now Sean does too. I loved stepping back into this world and seeing how Layla and Sean came to be. It was everything.

Layla is hyper independent and has relied on herself for almost everything, especially since her mother died. Until Sean steps into her life. Sean thrives on control and has a past that is not for the weak. When he lays his eyes on Layla, his past collides with his present and she WILL be his.

“You’ve fucking bewitched me, little dove. I don’t ever want any woman.” He adds, “But I fucking want you.”

Layla fights the attraction brewing between them but destiny is all. Slowly Sean proves to Layla he’s there for good and Layla slowly lets her feminine side blossom.

I loved Layla and Sean’s story. There was so much relationship development here with a sprinkling of club drama and revelations. The smut…my god…the smut was A++. Super superb story. Layla and Sean were endgame.

“We might be weak for each other, but together, we’re strong,” he growls as I close my eyes and tug him closer, shedding the remaining pieces of my former self. “We’re unstoppable.” He kisses my cheek. “Unshakable.” He kisses the other. “Infinite.”

I really hope Paisley continues to write in this world. I loved that Dove was angsty but not tooooo angsty. And I loved the raw humanity and passion Paisley was able to weave throughout the story. Loved it.

[Sarah | sarah.onemorechapter · Rating 5 out of 5]

No notes👏🏼

Paisley was meant to write gritty mc club romances because WOW they just keep getting better. I didn’t think anything would top my love for Wolf.e (book 1), but I’m pretty sure it just happened.

Another incredible edition to The Soldiers of Bedlam series. Dove is book two in the series. Sean and Layla are fated. It's love at first sight. It was as simple as that. One look and Sean was immediately obsessed with Layla. He's the type of obsessed that puts hearts in your eyes and a blush on your cheeks. This man is perfectly imperfect.

Sean & Laylas story is dark at times with suspense that keeps you guessing, but one thing you will be 1000% certain of is that these two characters are perfect for each other.

Thank you Paisley for the arc!! I can't wait to see what you do next.

•former marine
•suspense/spice
•rebel without a cause fmc
•he’s beyond obsessed
•Hounds of Hell Sgt. at arms
•mc club romance

[Марина · Rating 4 out of 5]

Справді, ця книга дуже гаряча - хімія між персонажами буквально іскрить.
Шон - упертий, але давайте називати це «цілеспрямований».
Його наполегливість базується не лише на бажанні володіти: він дає Лейлі вибір і трохи простору (хоч і небагато (c). І, що вже казати, це виглядає як доля. Мені сподобалися відсилання до його минулого й ті образи, які він сприймав як знаки, хоча сам заперечував віру в долю. Він турботливий, уважний до деталей;
його мова кохання - дотики й турбота. Чого ще бажати?
Лейла - дівчина з перчинкою, яка все життя жила в рамках, що стали для неї кліткою. Саме Шон показує їй, що ключ від цієї клітки - у її руках. Він не витягує і не виштовхує її, а лише задає напрямок - той, який вона сама хоче обрати, але боїться.
Було трохи неочікувано, що події цієї книги повністю передують першій. Після цього я навіть швидко переглянула історію Вулф, щоб освіжити памʼять (читала її близько року тому), і впіймала багато моментів із «ааа, то це вона. Як я могла забути».
Ця історія не надто насичена подіями, зате глибока в плані зближення героїв - і це мені сподобалося. Читалося легко й приємно. Втім, якби авторка додала трохи більше динаміки в сюжеті, оцінка була б вищою - відчувається невелика нестача розвитку подій.
Сцени 18+ гарячі, зʼявляються вже з 6 розділу, але не набридають: їх багато, проте все подано в міру й лаконічно.
Обкладинка задає правильний вектор для уявлення героїв - і цей стиль для мене окрема любов.
Моя оцінка: 4/5
P.S.Така четвірка, що впевнено тягнеться до пʼятірки.

[Literary Child (Tania) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Я в захваті❤️

Така чудесна книга, набагато глибша та чуттєвіша першої😻

Чоловік мрії, дівчина скромна запальничка🤌🏻

[Larareads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much Team Evermore and Paisley Hope for giving me access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

After reading Wolf.e I was so excited for Dove... but nothing could have prepared for the masterpice that is this book!!!
Sean and Layla are soulmates, literally written in the stars, love at first sight and it was sooo beautiful! The Dove showing up when Sean needed it and Layla having a tattoo of a dove. Their chemistry is fucking insane, like that freezer scene was sooo hot and I just new than that they will be together forever.
Layla might be one of my new favorite FMCs because she is sooo sassy and badass! And Sean is perfect. That man can cook!!!

Read if you love:
• dark Romance
• motorcycle club
• strong FMC
• man obsessed
• forced proximity
• all the steam and spice 🥵🌶

[♡Rissa♡ (sparklylibros) · Rating 4 out of 5]

So hot! I don’t typically like instalove but something about this story & this author works for me every time.

That being said while I did enjoy the plot & the action element to this (who am I) it felt slightly rushed at times.

I would still recommend it & I ADORE this series. Can not wait to continue reading about them all!

[Anja · Rating 5 out of 5]

♾️⭐️|4🌶️

This book was absolute perfection from start to finish. The tension between Sean & Layla was EVERYTHING. I ate it up with no crumbs left. Their chemistry was palpable from the moment they met. These two truly will have you believing in fate 🥹🤍

I loved how Sean fell fast and became completely possessive and obsessive over Layla. This man loves hard and is probably one of my top book boyfriends to date.

Layla was such a strong and fierce FMC. She always spoke her mind and I love how unapologetically herself she was.

Don’t even get me going on the spice in this book because MY GODDDDD🥵🥵🥵 It hits early and every single scene had me feral.

Thank you so much Paisley Hope for this ARC🤍

[Steph ✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I LOVE Paisley Hope and her books. So far (other than Protect which was 4 stars) everything had been 5 stars from me. I adored Wolf.e but I struggled with this one, unfortunately. I don't know what it was about it that didn't work but I found myself cringing a bit at the spice (which is very unlike me) and I also felt that Sean and Layla are not the Sean and Layla we're familiar with from Wolf.e. I'm aware this is set before Wolf.e but they just felt like completely different people. Too different. I just struggled with this one so much. I usually fly through Paisley's books, but this one too me over 2 months to get through. I still love Paisley and her books and I'm so excited to get into Chasing the Fire and also continue this series with Foxx.

[Michaela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Evermore for the ARC 🤌🏼✨

You know that feeling of when something is good and you aren’t sure if it can be topped? This is how I felt above Dove after Wolf.e because that was incredibly but..

Pat yourself on the back Paisley Hope 👏🏼

This book was everything! The emotions in this book are so gripping that it’s almost addictive! Sean & Layla are soulmates and you can’t prove me wrong. The Dove showing up when Sean needing it and then her ironically having one tattooed on her 👀

I honestly loved the first part of this book with him dragging her into the freezer! Like ain’t no way I’d freeze for anyone especially with the dry storeroom directly across from the freezer but Layla has balls il give her that!

Layla has had it rough with her parents being murdered and the murderer never being caught, she leaves the church community and everything she’s ever known to chase her own dreams instead of those of her mother (who was her best friend).

When she meets Sean she doesn’t want to trust him due to him being in a motorbike club but she cannot give up his offer of working for him.. she’s a trainee massage therapist and he has chronic back pain.. 😏

Layla finally getting the answers she’s always wanted since her mother’s death but the fact Sean kept giving her the option of having an “out” beforehand! Perfection 🤌🏼

Omg the epilogues. Beautiful. I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to Sean & Layla but those two epilogues hit me right in the feels. Honestly. Whole book was 10/10 💘

[em (whats.em.reading) · Rating 4 out of 5]

update : Feb 2026 - the audiobook is SO good, thankyou to the babes at Podium for sending it over !

I didn’t think anything could top Gabriel in the Soldiers of Bedlam series… but Sean may just take the cake!!

thank you @evermorebooksuk for the arc i am eternally grateful
Paisley Hope is one of my all time favourite authors, her characters are always complex, strong and so beautifully written, and there’s always the MOST deliciously spicy romance
Evermore sent a copy of Wolf.e a few months ago and i cannot express how much i loved it. I didn’t think anyone could top the possessive unhinged energy of Wolfe…enter Sean ‘Ax’ Hunter.
Sean and Layla are soulmates, love at first sight, written in the stars kind of love. Their story is fast paced, dangerous and oh so delicious.
Layla is feisty, strong willed and still mourning the loss of her parents, when Sean ‘Ax’ the Sgt at Arms of the Hounds of Hell MC, enters the bar she works in, and he is smitten the first time he lays his eyes on her. But he’s cloaked in danger, covered in ink and so completely wrong for her… or is he exactly right for her ?

there’s SO many good quotes in this :

“You’ve fucking bewitched me, little dove. I don’t ever want any woman. But I fucking want you.”

“I need you to be strong. I need you to push me away, Little dove, because I’m not strong enough to make you, and if I kiss you right now, I won’t stop.”

“I’ll take care of you, Layla, above anyone else, because the only place l’ve ever found peace is with you.”

“I’m no longer just my club’s soldier, little dove. Above all, I’m yours.”

I absolutely devoured this, i swear Paisley puts something into her books they are addictive.

If you want, unhinged levels of possessiveness and obsession, bad boy falling for the good girl, action, danger, spicy spice then the Soldiers of Bedlam is literally perfect.

Dove is out January 2026 and i cannot wait for you all to fall in love with them too

[Sandy (Sandy.Reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Going into the second book, I was honestly a little nervous after everything that happened in book one. But Dove completely eased those worries. Yes, there’s plenty of spice, but this time it never overwhelms the story or takes away from the emotional core. It actually complements the plot instead of distracting from it.

What I loved most was getting to go back in time and see how Layla and Sean first met and slowly fell in love. Their story truly feels like fated mates, with an invisible string tying them to each other all along. Watching their connection unfold made everything feel softer, deeper, and more meaningful.

Sean absolutely stole my heart. He lets Layla be fully herself and makes her feel genuinely loved and safe. He’s giving golden retriever energy, but in a very dark, protective way that somehow makes it even better.

This was such a strong follow-up, and it left me even more excited for what’s next. I can’t wait to see who the next book is about and where this world goes from here.