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Venom Riders MC #1
Dutch
Indira
I gave him my heart. He broke it on his desk with a club girl.
Dutch is the President of the Venom Riders MC. He's powerful, possessive, and used to getting exactly what he wants. He thought I understood the rules—that club girls were just a perk of his position, that my place was to look the other way. He was wrong. I walked away without a backward glance, leaving him to the wreckage he'd made of us.
Now, Dutch is a mess. Celibate. Obsessed. Finally realizing that his precious club traditions are relics of a past that deserves to die. Me? I'm flourishing. New city. Career success. And yes—new men who actually treat me like the prize I am.
Dutch wants me back. He swears he's changed.
Dutch
I destroyed the best thing in my life on my office desk.
For thirty-four years, I thought I knew what it meant to be a man. My father taught me that women were property, that club girls were perks, that real men took what they wanted without apology. I was an idiot. The moment Indira walked in on me with Crystal, I lost everything that mattered. I didn't understand it then—thought she was being dramatic, that she'd calm down and come back. She didn't come back. Now I'm fighting for a second chance I don't deserve. No club girls. No excuses. Just the brutal realization that I need to become a completely different man before I can even think about earning her forgiveness.
I have to watch as she dates other men. Men who treat her the way I should have from the beginning. But I'm not giving up. I'll prove I've learned. I'll prove I'm the one for her. I'll tear down everything I've built before I ever hurt her again. Because Indira isn't just the woman I want. She's the only woman I'll ever need.
This novel can be enjoyed as a standalone. It is also Book 1 of 5 in the Venom Riders MC series, each with its own HEA. Due to mature themes, it is recommended for readers aged 18+. This story may contain triggers. Dutch contains on-page cheating.
I gave him my heart. He broke it on his desk with a club girl.
Dutch is the President of the Venom Riders MC. He's powerful, possessive, and used to getting exactly what he wants. He thought I understood the rules—that club girls were just a perk of his position, that my place was to look the other way. He was wrong. I walked away without a backward glance, leaving him to the wreckage he'd made of us.
Now, Dutch is a mess. Celibate. Obsessed. Finally realizing that his precious club traditions are relics of a past that deserves to die. Me? I'm flourishing. New city. Career success. And yes—new men who actually treat me like the prize I am.
Dutch wants me back. He swears he's changed.
Dutch
I destroyed the best thing in my life on my office desk.
For thirty-four years, I thought I knew what it meant to be a man. My father taught me that women were property, that club girls were perks, that real men took what they wanted without apology. I was an idiot. The moment Indira walked in on me with Crystal, I lost everything that mattered. I didn't understand it then—thought she was being dramatic, that she'd calm down and come back. She didn't come back. Now I'm fighting for a second chance I don't deserve. No club girls. No excuses. Just the brutal realization that I need to become a completely different man before I can even think about earning her forgiveness.
I have to watch as she dates other men. Men who treat her the way I should have from the beginning. But I'm not giving up. I'll prove I've learned. I'll prove I'm the one for her. I'll tear down everything I've built before I ever hurt her again. Because Indira isn't just the woman I want. She's the only woman I'll ever need.
This novel can be enjoyed as a standalone. It is also Book 1 of 5 in the Venom Riders MC series, each with its own HEA. Due to mature themes, it is recommended for readers aged 18+. This story may contain triggers. Dutch contains on-page cheating.
265 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 15, 2026
About the author
Ivy Myst
83 books75 followersRomance addict, book lover, & eternal believer in happily-ever-afters whether it's an MC romance, the redemption of a groveling hero, or the mystical allure of fae, wolf shifters, or dragons! I write what I like to read.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 167 reviews
March 3, 2026
3 Stars
The angst was decent, but they basically spend the entire book apart. I would have liked a little more relationship foundation as well.
Still decent enough for me to want to check out the next book though.
The angst was decent, but they basically spend the entire book apart. I would have liked a little more relationship foundation as well.
Still decent enough for me to want to check out the next book though.
February 15, 2026
This was ok. Just not my preference when it comes to MC books. So I'm not sure if I'll continue the series. The beginning was brutal with Dutch's cheating, but in all honesty a civilian woman like Indira wouldn't belong as an ol lady to an MC president. Yes, he changed himself for the good, and he should have, but considering he's a criminal and she's a "I'm a boss bitch feminist" they actually didn't mesh well together here. And I felt that the entire book. The words were there on page telling me, but I couldn't find any real emotion unfortunately. But again this all comes down to preference. I prefer the alphahole MC and the ol' lady that wears the "Property of" kutte. I know this is fiction, but realistically a woman like Indira wouldn't have ignored and been ok with what he does for a living. She would have walked. So I'm scratching my head as to why the author wrote her this way. Yes, I get Dutch himself had to learn how to respect the opposite sex etc, but Indira wouldn't have stayed in all honesty. She demanded to be told club business basically. When it involved her I can totally understand that, but everything else? hmmm.... yeah not buying it. There's a reason why MC guys don't tell their significant others everything for safety purposes or the off chance of someone going to prison. That's full protection. Overall not bad. But I prefer my MC guys gritty and in charge. Have a strong ol' lady yes. But by the time I got to the end I wasn't convinced that Indira would actually have Dutch's back in the future. I do though like how Indira dealt with the ow. But then what Dutch did to ow at the end didn't really go with how the book was written. We got no grittiness or anything remotely violent, and then bang! Literally. Lastly, I would have liked to know what happened to Dutch's mom.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 17, 2026
1. Dutch said that “he didn’t understand why” Indira was angry at him for f*cking Crystal. That was bull$hit. He may not have thought it was wrong but he was a smart man and he knew that people who weren’t in the club life didn’t have the same beliefs when it came to fidelity.
2. Dutch used the excuse that he was actually fantasizing about Indira while he was f*cking Crystal. If that were true, he wouldn’t have been “annoyed” at Indira when she interrupted him.
3. Why was Indira so intrigued when she watched Dutch turn down the two girls that approached him in the club? I would think that she would have just assumed he did it because she was there and he didn’t want her to see him with other women.
4. Such a disappointment. When Indira walked out on Dutch, I thought I was finally going to read about a MFC with some spine but all he had to do was write her a letter and she let him back into her life.
5. Dutch hadn’t changed. He was still the same “controlling a$$hole” who had “treated Indira like property”. He wanted to hack Indira’s phone to see if she had read his emails and if she was talking to anyone about him. The only reason he didn’t was because Glitch refused to do it.
6. Another example that proved Dutch hadn’t changed - the very first time a situation came up with the rival club, Dutch broke his word to Indira. He intended to either lie to her or tell her it was “club business” both of which he promised he would never do again.
7. After Dutch broke his word to Indira about “total honesty” and “no compartmentalizing”, all he had to do was tell her half the story and she rolled over and let it go. She said that he was “choosing honesty”. He didn't choose to be honest; she literally had to force him into it. His first instinct was still to lie to her or put her off with “club business” and she saw that and let it go. So disappointing.
2.5 stars
2. Dutch used the excuse that he was actually fantasizing about Indira while he was f*cking Crystal. If that were true, he wouldn’t have been “annoyed” at Indira when she interrupted him.
3. Why was Indira so intrigued when she watched Dutch turn down the two girls that approached him in the club? I would think that she would have just assumed he did it because she was there and he didn’t want her to see him with other women.
4. Such a disappointment. When Indira walked out on Dutch, I thought I was finally going to read about a MFC with some spine but all he had to do was write her a letter and she let him back into her life.
5. Dutch hadn’t changed. He was still the same “controlling a$$hole” who had “treated Indira like property”. He wanted to hack Indira’s phone to see if she had read his emails and if she was talking to anyone about him. The only reason he didn’t was because Glitch refused to do it.
6. Another example that proved Dutch hadn’t changed - the very first time a situation came up with the rival club, Dutch broke his word to Indira. He intended to either lie to her or tell her it was “club business” both of which he promised he would never do again.
7. After Dutch broke his word to Indira about “total honesty” and “no compartmentalizing”, all he had to do was tell her half the story and she rolled over and let it go. She said that he was “choosing honesty”. He didn't choose to be honest; she literally had to force him into it. His first instinct was still to lie to her or put her off with “club business” and she saw that and let it go. So disappointing.
2.5 stars
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 16, 2026
I liked that she moved on, I liked that there was a background on whY he thought his behavior was justified but in no way would I expect her to come back to him in a year. The man slept with multiple other women while she was away and he didn't consider that cheating.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 19, 2026
This started out strong and the floundered. The storytelling got monotonous. When they finally hashed out Their feelings it was via email…way to go ! make the reconciliation as bland and boring as you can. I guess the positive is the first two chapters were good.
February 16, 2026
disapointing
I was so excited for a cheating MC book. This started strong then went into being a told atonement of the H. We don’t get to see the relationship before the betrayal. We are told in regurgitated words chapter after chapter then in two pages the conclusion.
I was so excited for a cheating MC book. This started strong then went into being a told atonement of the H. We don’t get to see the relationship before the betrayal. We are told in regurgitated words chapter after chapter then in two pages the conclusion.
March 17, 2026
This felt like it was written by ChatGPT...the characters and their interactions felt contrived, to say the least. Concept was good just poorly executed.
May 20, 2026
Would I ever swoon over a mmc club president who acted like his girlfriend is the love of his life but getting some strange on the side with club girls the entire tear and a half we'd been together. Then when you surprise him at his club's house, I find him on his desk pounding some club ho who meant nothing to him.
Nope..nope nope ..not in real life but this is a book. This is my escape from real life and what I wouldn't tolerate in my own love interest, I am willing to tolerate in a book hero as long as theres sufficient grovel and work on themselves/ real reconciliation and change. Without these elements a cheating her would be a absolute no.
The fmc, Indira comes home early to surprise her boyfriend of over a year, Dutch at his clubhouse. Instead shes the one surprised when she finds him seeing up the random club girl. He tells her that its what he grew up with as his dad cheated on his mom constantly and he thought it was normal. Indira is horrified and leaves him and the state to het far away from him.
Dutch realizes what he lost a little too late and goes on a journey to become a better man with the hopes but not the expectation that Indira will forgive him and give him a second chance.
This was a well written, engaging story.
Nope..nope nope ..not in real life but this is a book. This is my escape from real life and what I wouldn't tolerate in my own love interest, I am willing to tolerate in a book hero as long as theres sufficient grovel and work on themselves/ real reconciliation and change. Without these elements a cheating her would be a absolute no.
The fmc, Indira comes home early to surprise her boyfriend of over a year, Dutch at his clubhouse. Instead shes the one surprised when she finds him seeing up the random club girl. He tells her that its what he grew up with as his dad cheated on his mom constantly and he thought it was normal. Indira is horrified and leaves him and the state to het far away from him.
Dutch realizes what he lost a little too late and goes on a journey to become a better man with the hopes but not the expectation that Indira will forgive him and give him a second chance.
This was a well written, engaging story.
March 31, 2026
★★★. the stars are purely for the fact that the fmc fucked multiple men while the mmc was celibate and miserable. Also for the fact he wasn’t forgiven until like a year later and even then it wasn’t until the last 10%.
For my safety readers, not safe. He cheats pretty much throughout their whole relationship. She walks in on him finishing and saying something. She leaves immediately. His excuse was shit though. Like not even sorry because he has a brain(somewhat) and you’re trying to push the narrative all because he saw that with other presidents he had to follow????
Will unfortunately be reading the rest of the series because Ivy writes good grovel
For my safety readers, not safe. He cheats pretty much throughout their whole relationship. She walks in on him finishing and saying something. She leaves immediately. His excuse was shit though. Like not even sorry because he has a brain(somewhat) and you’re trying to push the narrative all because he saw that with other presidents he had to follow????
Will unfortunately be reading the rest of the series because Ivy writes good grovel
February 19, 2026
one big eyeroll
A year of sleeping with other women in the guise of “club culture” somehow gets forgiven by a letter, some emails, and a few months of abstinence? Give me a break. The whole grovel was so performative. Comparing Indira’s situation of dating (not sleeping with, mind you) a few men, to his attempt at repentance through “celibacy” for half a year like it’s some big sacrifice is ridiculous. Dutch wrote that letter hoping for something to happen despite saying he wasn’t, otherwise if he truly wished for her happiness he would have just let her be happy and move on without trying to have a voice in it. Again performative as hell.
Unfortunately Indira was the type to fall for that kind of performance. I couldn’t help but roll my eyes thinking “girl, be for frickin real.” Additionally, having to handle and stand up to the women from Dutch’s past that may pop back up is not the flex she thinks it is. Her man is so ran through that there is an actual need to assert her claim over him at a grocery parking lot. Indira can say that she put OW Crystal in her place, but Crystal will forever have one over her because of the fact that “her man” gave Crystal that power because he couldn’t keep it in his pants. Yeah, what a real catch that guy is.
*INSERT EYEROLL HERE*
Doing the “I’m whole without him because I have options” stint in Tennessee only to choose the same man in the end was the most counterproductive “I am woman, hear me roar” crap I’ve ever read. Indira was not endearing.
A year of sleeping with other women in the guise of “club culture” somehow gets forgiven by a letter, some emails, and a few months of abstinence? Give me a break. The whole grovel was so performative. Comparing Indira’s situation of dating (not sleeping with, mind you) a few men, to his attempt at repentance through “celibacy” for half a year like it’s some big sacrifice is ridiculous. Dutch wrote that letter hoping for something to happen despite saying he wasn’t, otherwise if he truly wished for her happiness he would have just let her be happy and move on without trying to have a voice in it. Again performative as hell.
Unfortunately Indira was the type to fall for that kind of performance. I couldn’t help but roll my eyes thinking “girl, be for frickin real.” Additionally, having to handle and stand up to the women from Dutch’s past that may pop back up is not the flex she thinks it is. Her man is so ran through that there is an actual need to assert her claim over him at a grocery parking lot. Indira can say that she put OW Crystal in her place, but Crystal will forever have one over her because of the fact that “her man” gave Crystal that power because he couldn’t keep it in his pants. Yeah, what a real catch that guy is.
*INSERT EYEROLL HERE*
Doing the “I’m whole without him because I have options” stint in Tennessee only to choose the same man in the end was the most counterproductive “I am woman, hear me roar” crap I’ve ever read. Indira was not endearing.
February 15, 2026
He cheated on her and she became a wh*re. Great story. Fmc was insufferable.
February 27, 2026
DNF @ 50%. The beginning was good until it turned into page after page of therapy talk.
April 27, 2026
3.5 stars
Spoilers below:
Writing was good. The premise was pretty good with all the right components but for me, there was something missing - maybe the story was a bit superficial. I was looking for the gut punch and his desperation that made him want to become a better man but I didn't really get that.
Dutch is the MC prez who was brought up thinking it was OK to use the club girls as his stress reliever. His dad, who was the prez before him, did it and his parents were happily married (he thinks) and it was just club business. He's been in a relationship with Indira for over a year. She comes back from a work trip early and catches him having sex with one of the club girls. She is understandably upset but he doesn't see the problem with it. In fact, he had never been faithful. She says she needs some time to think (just so she could get out of there) and then disappears. She builds a new life and gets promoted and finds new friends and dates new men, while Dutch is crushed and does a whole 180 - becoming celibate and basically a monk, etc. They reconnect after a separation and rebuild what they had... blah blah blah.
OK - here's the issue I had with this. I didn't really buy that someone could fundamentally change his ENTIRE personality because he lost the love of his life, especially in the short time span they were separated. There was no therapy, no crying, just boom - a new man. I've read numerous cheating books where there's redemption for the cheater but usually he goes through a whole journey and doesn't actually become a new person. He also really really suffers. In this story, she describes how he would have reacted in the past and that was the exact opposite of what he was doing now - not even a little bit the same guy. I'll be honest, I didn't really feel his despair or see him hit rock bottom. He was kind of bossy with his MC - making them focus on his problems and trying to find her and letting the other stuff fail initially but there wasn't really any down time before he all of a sudden became a new man. Indira also recovered surprisingly quickly for someone who went through what she did. I think they were back together within the year. It might be me. With all the books I read in this trope, I might need an extra spark to have it get my attention or have me rate it higher stars.
It's not a bad book. I just needed a bit more depth and feels.
Spoilers below:
Writing was good. The premise was pretty good with all the right components but for me, there was something missing - maybe the story was a bit superficial. I was looking for the gut punch and his desperation that made him want to become a better man but I didn't really get that.
Dutch is the MC prez who was brought up thinking it was OK to use the club girls as his stress reliever. His dad, who was the prez before him, did it and his parents were happily married (he thinks) and it was just club business. He's been in a relationship with Indira for over a year. She comes back from a work trip early and catches him having sex with one of the club girls. She is understandably upset but he doesn't see the problem with it. In fact, he had never been faithful. She says she needs some time to think (just so she could get out of there) and then disappears. She builds a new life and gets promoted and finds new friends and dates new men, while Dutch is crushed and does a whole 180 - becoming celibate and basically a monk, etc. They reconnect after a separation and rebuild what they had... blah blah blah.
OK - here's the issue I had with this. I didn't really buy that someone could fundamentally change his ENTIRE personality because he lost the love of his life, especially in the short time span they were separated. There was no therapy, no crying, just boom - a new man. I've read numerous cheating books where there's redemption for the cheater but usually he goes through a whole journey and doesn't actually become a new person. He also really really suffers. In this story, she describes how he would have reacted in the past and that was the exact opposite of what he was doing now - not even a little bit the same guy. I'll be honest, I didn't really feel his despair or see him hit rock bottom. He was kind of bossy with his MC - making them focus on his problems and trying to find her and letting the other stuff fail initially but there wasn't really any down time before he all of a sudden became a new man. Indira also recovered surprisingly quickly for someone who went through what she did. I think they were back together within the year. It might be me. With all the books I read in this trope, I might need an extra spark to have it get my attention or have me rate it higher stars.
It's not a bad book. I just needed a bit more depth and feels.
Read
February 19, 2026On page cheating at the start with smug club girl.
I will say the Hero was brought up in club life and genuinely thought this is how a healthy relationship is, using his parents as an example.
He later talks to his parents and sees it wasn't how he thought.
He does grovel, even offering to give up the club with actions to prove it and moves long term to be with her as she moved away after the initial scene.
I would read the next book as there have been breadcrumbs dropped for it.
I will say the Hero was brought up in club life and genuinely thought this is how a healthy relationship is, using his parents as an example.
He later talks to his parents and sees it wasn't how he thought.
He does grovel, even offering to give up the club with actions to prove it and moves long term to be with her as she moved away after the initial scene.
I would read the next book as there have been breadcrumbs dropped for it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 3, 2026
It was fine, but I just don't get into books where they spend more than half the book apart. Indira was a good character, who gained a lot of self-respect as the story continued, and Dutch turned into a good character over the course of the story (a huge focus was his attempts to change for her), but I need less respecting-boundaries-space and more angsty-drama to really love a book.
February 17, 2026
3.5⭐️
March 5, 2026
LOVE this MC
This series starter was very good, setting the story up for further books, the main couple in this book delivered some serious drama, romance and steam. Their road to an HEA would not be for the faint of heart, which is a good thing they were such strong characters!
This series starter was very good, setting the story up for further books, the main couple in this book delivered some serious drama, romance and steam. Their road to an HEA would not be for the faint of heart, which is a good thing they were such strong characters!
February 20, 2026
She walked in on him cheating on her (when they had been together for some time and she thought they were exclusive) and left him, moving to a different state. He worked on bettering himself to win her back. She dated while they were apart but he never touched anyone else while they were.
February 15, 2026
I was not sure what to expect when I went into this book. What I got was one amazing read.
Dutch is your typical MC Prez, has himself a girlfriend while still indulging in club whores. His life implodes when the woman he loves leaves him in the dust after catching him with his pants around his ankles.
What follows is a woman with a spine rebuilding her life and a broken man realising the life he thought was not worth what it cost him. You will love this one.
Dutch is your typical MC Prez, has himself a girlfriend while still indulging in club whores. His life implodes when the woman he loves leaves him in the dust after catching him with his pants around his ankles.
What follows is a woman with a spine rebuilding her life and a broken man realising the life he thought was not worth what it cost him. You will love this one.
February 28, 2026
Review of author, not book
I want to preface this review by saying it’s about the book, NOT the author. This author has written some other wonderful stories, this just isn’t one of them.
There is one glaring issue with this book and it made it unacceptable to me. Dutch was unforgivable. When you are with that many other people, it doesn’t matter if you had a bad role model as a dad. You can’t be forgiven. And if that isn’t bad enough, the fact he said he’d been waiting to be inside the club girl all day…there is no love there. Which means the hea isn’t believable at all.
Ther was one line that really stuck with me… “What if (Dutch) realizes what he lost?…Then he will have learned an expensive lesson.” This should have been the end of the story. She NEVER should have taken him back. She had no self respect.
Sadly a huge swing and misses by this often very talented author
I want to preface this review by saying it’s about the book, NOT the author. This author has written some other wonderful stories, this just isn’t one of them.
There is one glaring issue with this book and it made it unacceptable to me. Dutch was unforgivable. When you are with that many other people, it doesn’t matter if you had a bad role model as a dad. You can’t be forgiven. And if that isn’t bad enough, the fact he said he’d been waiting to be inside the club girl all day…there is no love there. Which means the hea isn’t believable at all.
Ther was one line that really stuck with me… “What if (Dutch) realizes what he lost?…Then he will have learned an expensive lesson.” This should have been the end of the story. She NEVER should have taken him back. She had no self respect.
Sadly a huge swing and misses by this often very talented author
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 16, 2026
Enjoyed the first half but must admit it got to be a slog the second half when we just seemed to go round and round in circles with an overly drawn out and unrealistic grovel that didn't fit the character.
March 3, 2026
I decided to pick up this book because I have a soft spot for cheating tropes. I’d never tolerate it in real life, but in fiction? Give me the heartbreak, the devastation, and the redemption arc. I love seeing a character fall apart, realise what they’ve lost, and work hard to earn it back. I’ve read this author before, so I went in hopeful — even though motorcycle club romances aren’t usually my thing.
This is Dutch and Indira’s story. They’ve been together for about a year when everything falls apart. They’re in love, settled, and she understands his club lifestyle — even if she isn’t deeply involved in it. Her job requires frequent travel, and during one of those trips, she decides to surprise him at the clubhouse. Instead, she walks into his office and finds him sleeping with one of the club girls, Crystal.
The heartbreak hits immediately. What makes it worse is that he isn’t truly apologetic. His justification? It’s part of the lifestyle. It means nothing. The club girls are “just easy.” In his mind, it shouldn’t change anything between them. There’s a confrontation, but he stands firm in his belief that physical infidelity doesn’t equal emotional betrayal. Indira doesn’t cause a public scene, but internally she’s done. She tells him she needs space, goes home, packs her things, and ultimately disappears without telling him where she’s gone.
They’re apart for several months — long enough for him to spiral and reflect. Dutch grew up in club culture where sleeping with club girls while having an “old lady” was normal. He watched his father and the other members behave this way, so he never questioned it. But once Indira leaves, he stays celibate. He starts to reassess everything, especially after seeing how unhappy his mother is in her own marriage. That seems to be a turning point for him.
Meanwhile, Indira thrives. She moves, earns a promotion, works remotely, dates other people, and rebuilds her confidence. When they eventually run into each other at a bar, it’s clear she’s grown — and he’s the one trying to catch up.
From there, the story shifts into redemption mode. Dutch courts her properly this time. He waits. He lets her date while still pursuing her. He proves he’s remained celibate. He promises change. Eventually, she returns to town for work — not for him — and they slowly rebuild. There’s another conflict when club business puts her in danger and he withholds information “for her protection,” repeating the same pattern of secrecy. But this time he recognises his mistake and chooses transparency.
There’s also a reveal that Crystal was actually a mole working against the club, which adds a suspense element. By the end, Indira claims her place as his old lady, but there isn’t much of an epilogue or extended payoff.
For me, the story was good — but something was missing.
I liked the concept. I appreciated the redemption arc. But the emotional depth didn’t quite land the way I wanted it to. Dutch admits he had been sleeping with club girls throughout their entire relationship — not just once. That’s significant. Yet we never fully unpack the betrayal. Was it only when she was away? Was he sleeping with someone at the clubhouse and then going home to her the same night? The lack of clarity made it harder to fully process the cheating or feel the weight of it.
I also struggled a bit with the pacing. At times it felt disjointed, and I found myself getting bored in the middle. The redemption was there, but it didn’t feel as raw or gut-wrenching as it could have been. It almost had a Wattpad vibe — not necessarily bad, but lacking the polish or emotional layering that would have made it unforgettable.
That said, I’m still interested in continuing the series. The foundation was solid, even if this one didn’t completely hit for me. I just wanted more depth, more grovel, and more exploration of the betrayal before the forgiveness.
This is Dutch and Indira’s story. They’ve been together for about a year when everything falls apart. They’re in love, settled, and she understands his club lifestyle — even if she isn’t deeply involved in it. Her job requires frequent travel, and during one of those trips, she decides to surprise him at the clubhouse. Instead, she walks into his office and finds him sleeping with one of the club girls, Crystal.
The heartbreak hits immediately. What makes it worse is that he isn’t truly apologetic. His justification? It’s part of the lifestyle. It means nothing. The club girls are “just easy.” In his mind, it shouldn’t change anything between them. There’s a confrontation, but he stands firm in his belief that physical infidelity doesn’t equal emotional betrayal. Indira doesn’t cause a public scene, but internally she’s done. She tells him she needs space, goes home, packs her things, and ultimately disappears without telling him where she’s gone.
They’re apart for several months — long enough for him to spiral and reflect. Dutch grew up in club culture where sleeping with club girls while having an “old lady” was normal. He watched his father and the other members behave this way, so he never questioned it. But once Indira leaves, he stays celibate. He starts to reassess everything, especially after seeing how unhappy his mother is in her own marriage. That seems to be a turning point for him.
Meanwhile, Indira thrives. She moves, earns a promotion, works remotely, dates other people, and rebuilds her confidence. When they eventually run into each other at a bar, it’s clear she’s grown — and he’s the one trying to catch up.
From there, the story shifts into redemption mode. Dutch courts her properly this time. He waits. He lets her date while still pursuing her. He proves he’s remained celibate. He promises change. Eventually, she returns to town for work — not for him — and they slowly rebuild. There’s another conflict when club business puts her in danger and he withholds information “for her protection,” repeating the same pattern of secrecy. But this time he recognises his mistake and chooses transparency.
There’s also a reveal that Crystal was actually a mole working against the club, which adds a suspense element. By the end, Indira claims her place as his old lady, but there isn’t much of an epilogue or extended payoff.
For me, the story was good — but something was missing.
I liked the concept. I appreciated the redemption arc. But the emotional depth didn’t quite land the way I wanted it to. Dutch admits he had been sleeping with club girls throughout their entire relationship — not just once. That’s significant. Yet we never fully unpack the betrayal. Was it only when she was away? Was he sleeping with someone at the clubhouse and then going home to her the same night? The lack of clarity made it harder to fully process the cheating or feel the weight of it.
I also struggled a bit with the pacing. At times it felt disjointed, and I found myself getting bored in the middle. The redemption was there, but it didn’t feel as raw or gut-wrenching as it could have been. It almost had a Wattpad vibe — not necessarily bad, but lacking the polish or emotional layering that would have made it unforgettable.
That said, I’m still interested in continuing the series. The foundation was solid, even if this one didn’t completely hit for me. I just wanted more depth, more grovel, and more exploration of the betrayal before the forgiveness.
March 16, 2026
Oh Dutch, you silly silly man. I'm actually glad I have this book a try, because I'm a sucker for a cheating romance that delivers a good redemption story. I feel like that's what I got with this book.
Sure, Dutch is a grown man with a silly outlook on life and love, and it takes him a while to truly pull his head out of his butt, but in the end I feel like true transformation happens, and I love that for our heroine.
Indira finds her long time boyfriend cheating red handed and quickly takes charge to put happiness back into her life. She's smart, strong willed, and knows her worth, and I love that for her. She doesn't make it easy on Dutch, doesn't settle for less than what she feels she's worth, and in the end finds a love that worth fighting for.
Sure, Dutch is a grown man with a silly outlook on life and love, and it takes him a while to truly pull his head out of his butt, but in the end I feel like true transformation happens, and I love that for our heroine.
Indira finds her long time boyfriend cheating red handed and quickly takes charge to put happiness back into her life. She's smart, strong willed, and knows her worth, and I love that for her. She doesn't make it easy on Dutch, doesn't settle for less than what she feels she's worth, and in the end finds a love that worth fighting for.
August 9, 2026
Is it weird that the cheating trope wasn’t my problem with this book? The characters were my problem. This story and some of its dialogue and wording were more formal than the characters and situations called for. Yay for the FMC choosing herself, I’ll even say yay for the MMC changing and growing. But my word some of his club brothers were dicks in how they reacted to him and the whole situation. This book also seemed in some ways and parts like it was a novella, where we were thrown into the middle of things and things happened quickly, but it was a full length novel! The novel version of this could have been an email perhaps? Safe to say that I won’t be continuing with the series though
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 27, 2026
I do love the whole "second chance" with grovel but...Indira was annoying me towards the end. Dutch/Jacob was really trying to win her back, and I felt she was waiting to leave. Hard to feel a connection with them after that.
April 10, 2026
Dutch grew up in the club, followed his father's example when it came to leadership and the way of club life when it comes to personal relationships. When his woman Indira walks in on him with two club girls, he thinks she is bluffing when she walks out trying to end things. When she disappears he realizes how wrong he was and while he is wallowing in self pity, he finds his life slipping in more ways then one.
Indira thought Dutch was the love of her life and he shattered her. He wants her back, she wants to move on. Dutch is determined for a second chance though and he has changed his way, now he has to get Indira to agree. Can he prove he is the man for her?
Was not quite what I expected. This was good and I am intrigued by the other characters in the series. Good beginning to new series.
Indira thought Dutch was the love of her life and he shattered her. He wants her back, she wants to move on. Dutch is determined for a second chance though and he has changed his way, now he has to get Indira to agree. Can he prove he is the man for her?
Was not quite what I expected. This was good and I am intrigued by the other characters in the series. Good beginning to new series.
February 20, 2026
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️½
Couple: Dutch & Indira
❋❋❋❋❋❋
First time reader of this author, and I enjoyed her writing and storytelling, a tad bit long winded but still good. I will continue this series definitely but this one didn't really hit for me. I like the betrayal/cheating books because they cause all type of feels, even knowing that they really would never get another chance. Dutch was literally never faithful to her from the moment they met. Club life yada-yada doesn't erase you being a grown a** man who can't be that stupid and be a president. I did like them when they weren't together and put work in on themselves. She should have never given him another chance. I would still liked to see his growth but she should have settled with someone else.
Couple: Dutch & Indira
❋❋❋❋❋❋
First time reader of this author, and I enjoyed her writing and storytelling, a tad bit long winded but still good. I will continue this series definitely but this one didn't really hit for me. I like the betrayal/cheating books because they cause all type of feels, even knowing that they really would never get another chance. Dutch was literally never faithful to her from the moment they met. Club life yada-yada doesn't erase you being a grown a** man who can't be that stupid and be a president. I did like them when they weren't together and put work in on themselves. She should have never given him another chance. I would still liked to see his growth but she should have settled with someone else.
June 11, 2026
The fmc is pathetic I like the cheating trope when it’s down right but nope this was ass
The fmc saw the mmc turn down two girls and suddenly she’s questioning everything about whether he really changed or not like die that was barest of bare minimum wtf to each their own I guess
The fmc saw the mmc turn down two girls and suddenly she’s questioning everything about whether he really changed or not like die that was barest of bare minimum wtf to each their own I guess
June 10, 2026
Feels like CHATGPT wrote it. and he cheats their whole relationship and gets mad at her because she is mad about it. NO. JUST FUCK NO.
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