Ace & Ember

The Mavericks #2

by Kate Crew

Hop on for the wildest ride yet in the next installment to Kate Crew's extra spicy series, The Mavericks!

🏍️ Brothers best friend
🏍️Enemies to lovers
🏍️Forbidden romance
🏍️ Biker romance
🏍️ Morally grey MMC
🏍️ Found family

----------------------

A forbidden desire. A game of cat and mouse. A love that could ruin everything.

Evie Emberson is trouble. Smart-mouthed, confident, and relentless-especially when she's looking for answers. She's a hacker with a past that just won't stay buried, so laying low isn't exactly her strong suit. Especially when he's around.

Aiden "Ace" Callahan is her brother's best friend-brooding, loyal, and a walking contradiction. As a member of the motorcycle gang, he lives by a code. Rule number one? Don't touch Evie.

But she's not a kid anymore. She's fire and chaos and everything he shouldn't want. Getting involved would blow up the only family he's ever had-but walking away is getting harder every damn day.

When stolen glances spirals into something darker, hotter, they go past the point of no return. And the more they try to hide it, the more it threatens to consume them.

Genres: Dark Romance, Dark, Romance, Enemies To Lovers, Found Family, Friends To Lovers, Forced Proximity

Kindle Edition

Expected publication July 14, 2026

About the author

Sign up to her Newsletter here:
https://kcnewsletter.myflodesk.com/wj...

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/authorkatec...
TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@authorkatecrew

Reviews

[kimberly ⋆౨ৎ˚⟡. [semi-hiatus] · Rating 2 out of 5]

‎❝ i'm not scared of loving you, evie. i'm scared of what happens when i fucking lose you. ❞

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ guys, i fear ace & ember and i were in the most toxic little situationship i've ever had with any type of book.


₊˚꒰ ⟡ ˙ i. plot. ₊˚⊹ ꒱
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ this book should've had me chewing drywall, humping furniture, and making a fresh stan account with a medically concerning posting schedule. we've got evie emberson, hacker gremlin, family-trauma magnet, and a full-time employee of terrible decision-making. she's got secrets, attitude, dead-parent baggage, and the kind of reckless commitment to getting answers that makes you want to wrap her in bubble wrap and zip-tie her to a chair for her own safety. queen was out here sprinting toward catastrophe like it owed her money.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ then there's aiden "ace" hayes, brother's best friend, full-time bodyguard, motorcycle-garage brooder, and a man so allergic to acting on his feelings that yearning might literally be his primary source of income. he suffers from a devastating case of Hot Man With A Rule. and that rule, naturally, is "don't touch evie." which in romance novel language means he is going to think about touching evie, railing evie, and ruining evie every five seconds until he nearly bursts into flames.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ the issue is that the book kept feeling like three different stories got absolutely shitfaced, started a bar fight in a parking lot, and none of them won. there's the romance. there's the mystery around evie's shady parents and her tragic backstory. there's the biker-family drama. there's the danger in valeport's underground. and then there's evie herself, sprinting headfirst into bad decisions like she's training for the olympics of self-destruction and gunning for the gold medal. instead of all these pieces locking together in a deliciously unhinged way, the plot sometimes felt confused, disjointed, and weirdly repetitive.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ and i need to personally drag evie's blackmail scheme into the group chat because WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK WAS THAT. this girl is so catastrophically down bad for her brother's best friend that instead of trying basic human things like honesty, seduction, or literally any option available to a woman with free will, she goes straight to extortion. EXTORTION. straight to criminal-level emotional terrorism. not flirting. not emotional vulnerability. not even a good old-fashioned bad decision fueled by mutual horniness. i'm sorry, but trying to coerce a man into being with you is not sexy, clever, or deliciously unhinged in a fun way. it just made me sit there blinking at the page like "babes, are we in middle school? are we twelve?" and the worst part is that the book seems to want this to read as bold and chaotic, but for me it made evie feel immature, manipulative, and way harder to root for.


₊˚꒰ ⟡ ˙ ii. romance. ₊˚⊹ ꒱
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ now listen. brother's best friend plus bodyguard plus biker plus forbidden love is exactly the kind of trope stack that usually has me acting like a lab rat who just discovered the infinite dopamine button and started mashing it with both paws while screaming. this is my kind of nonsense. this should have had me foaming at the mouth.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ and to be fair, there are moments where aiden and evie actually work. i can absolutely see why some people are straight-up feral for this dynamic. frothing at the mouth, making edits, renaming their firstborn after them, the whole nine yards. the setup is filthy in the best way. the tension can slap harder than a raccoon on redbull. aiden being all broody and repressed while evie causes problems recreationally like it's her full-time job and side hustle? yes. i see the vision. i really do. some of y'all are out here losing your entire minds, and i get it, besties.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ BUT DEAR GOD this romance also stressed me out for all the wrong reasons. evie had such unhinged gremlin side-character energy in rook & rebel, but here she sometimes felt like she got replaced by a whinier, more manipulative version of herself, and i wanted to sit her down, hand her a juice box, and ask why blackmail seemed like her sexiest available option. BLACKMAIL AS FOREPLAY, BABES.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ also, i need to formally file a complaint about the middle of this book because it is literally the same dynamic wearing a trench coat, fake mustache, and sunglasses. they want each other. they fight it. they circle like two horny moons who forgot how gravity works. they bicker. they do something stupid. they refuse to have one single useful conversation. rinse, repeat, biker edition. i felt like i was trapped in a romantic roundabout where every exit sign had been stolen by raccoons and the only way out was more emotional constipation.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ and yes, the spice is spicy, but the logistics were beating its ass. and as someone who actually rides, that bike scene took me clean out. there is a scene with a bike idling in an enclosed garage, and instead of swooning i was sitting there like, "congratulations on the orgasm, bestie, but unfortunately you’re both about to meet god." i could not get past it. my biker brain was too busy screaming about ventilation, fumes, and the complete absence of survival instincts.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ to be honest, i can't even fully hate aiden because unfortunately this man rides a ducati panigale v4 and his backup bike is a honda cbr1000, which means kate crew knew exactly what she was doing when she built him in the lab. it's frankly a hate crime against my ability to review this book fairly, because now every time he annoyed me, my brain immediately betrayed me with, "yes, but unfortunately, he has immaculate taste in crotch rockets." how am i supposed to stay mad when the man is out here brooding on italian engineering that costs more than my entire bloodline?

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ i also kind of wish we'd gotten more sibling scenes because, honestly, some of the most interesting tension in the book lives right there. the brother-sister dynamic had more bite, more history, and more emotional potential than a lot of the repetitive romantic back-and-forth, and i would’ve happily traded a few laps around the horny miscommunication roundabout for more of that messy family energy.


₊˚꒰ ⟡ ˙ iii. conclusion. ₊˚⊹ ꒱
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ this is the most frustrating kind of book because i can SEE why it works for other people. the ingredients are chef's-kiss immaculate. hacker gremlin with baggage, tortured biker protector with loyalty issues, forbidden love, underground danger, family secrets, blackmail, motorcycles, and a man who looks like he's never smiled in natural daylight. this should've had me foaming at the mouth and chewing on the furniture like a rabid raccoon.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ instead i spent half the read blinking at the page like a woman being personally gaslit by aesthetics. the romance and the mystery were in a vicious custody battle and neither one wanted weekends or holidays. sometimes the mystery was lowkey more interesting than the love story. sometimes the tension would finally start cooking, getting spicy, getting me invested, and then the plot would burst in wearing a fake mustache, a trench coat, and zero chill yelling "MY TURN, BITCHES" and yank me somewhere else like a chaotic ex who refuses to let me move on.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ sometimes i was into it. sometimes i felt like i was reading a first draft that desperately needed one more ruthless editing pass, a whiteboard, an intervention, and maybe a priest to exorcise the subplot demons.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ so no, i did not hate this. 2.3 stars is not "bury this book in a shallow grave and salt the earth." i definitely see the vision, but the actual execution felt like it's wandering into traffic, getting hit, and then dragging me with it. i had fun in chaotic little flashes. i liked pieces of aiden. i liked pieces of evie (when she wasn't actively committing emotional war crimes). i liked the idea of them together more than i liked the actual experience of watching them orbit each other for 400+ pages like two horny, emotionally constipated moons who never quite collided.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ also, i know this is an arc, so i'm trying to keep my claws respectful. i get that early copies are not the finished product, and i'm genuinely hoping some of this gets smoothed out before publication. but right now, the awkward dialogue and random mistakes were doing parkour across the page. some conversations felt so clunky and unnatural that i got yeeted clean out of the story. this absolutely feels like a book that needs one more ruthless editing pass, because there’s potential here, but the current version is still stumbling over itself in places like a drunk biker trying to do a sexy strut in the middle of the road when it should be selling me the obsession, and that’s the real tragedy.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ this book is basically a very attractive mess. and sometimes that's enough to get you through the night. unfortunately for me, this time it was not. thank you, you lovely baddies, for reaching the bottom of my rant review.

— 2.3 stars. ⋆˚☆˖°.ᐟ


.° ༘🎧ྀི⋆ favourite quotes 🖇₊˚ෆ
❛ i was either going to give in soon, or burn alive trying not to. ❜

❛ he liked it. and that was dangerous. because i liked it too. ❜

❛ i love this caveman side of you. should i trip and fall to my knees? ❜

❛ you're a sweet, beautiful angel who is going to sink those nails into me and drag me right to hell like a psycho. ❜


‎── ⟡ ˙ 🪻༘ ₊ main tropes. ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎
⟢ brother's best friend
⟢ dark rom com
⟢ hacker fmc
⟢ unhinged biker mmc
⟢ she blackmails him
⟢ suspense
⟢ forbidden love


⌗ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎started: mar. 26th, 2026. ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎⌝
‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎⌞ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎finished: apr. 6th, 2026. ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ✦


₊˚⊹ ᰔ pre-review:
⤿ i need a minute. possibly a support group. maybe a cigarette even though i don't smoke. i survived. barely. my clown nose is dented but still honking.

₊˚⊹ ᰔ pre-read:
⤿ just got approved for this arc after absolutely body-slamming the first book into the pavement like it owed me money. i don't know if this is growth or stockholm syndrome, but here we are. listen. i am rooting for kate crew. i want to be gagged. i want to be silenced.


‎── ⟡ ˙ 🪻༘ ₊ review and ratings.
⊹ rook & rebel.┆ 1.5 ⭑.ᐟ ‎ ‎


‎thank you avon and harper voyager for the arc in exchange for an honest review! all opinions are my own.

[Berry ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Kate Crew, Avon and Harper Voyager, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

4 / 5 ⭐
I can for certain say I enjoyed Ace & Ember more than Rook & Rebel!

I personally loooove a brother's best friend romance, so I completely and utterly ate this book up.
Evie and Aiden were such an addictive couple, and the world of The Mavericks was more expanded upon in this book! I really enjoyed it.

I loved their banter, their hot and cold dynamic with each other for a lot of the book, and their eventual resolution. Aiden was such a swoon worthy MMC and the fact that he was just always so standoffish despite his feelings for Evie growing to the point he just.. snapped? Hell yeah. I loved all of that.

I cant wait for book 3!!

♡ pre-read ♡

AIDEN AND EVIE AHHHHHHHH i devour a brother's best friend romance ugh

[nadine 🫐]

I got the arc!! I’m so excited to read this!

I’ll be reading this soon.

[charisse ♡]

preread: i got the arc so now i have to actually read rook & rebel lol

[Stephanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had such high hopes for this one because of how much I loved Rook & Rebel… but whew 😅 this was a rough ride.

It legit took me almost two weeks to get through it. For like… 80% of the book there’s basically no real plot moving things forward. It’s mostly Aiden and Evie pining (while somehow not realizing how the other feels even though literally everyone else does 🙃) and Evie doing some random side research into her parents’ past.

And honestly? Evie was the hardest part for me.

I LOVED her in book one. She was giving badass boss energy 👏🔥 But this version of Evie? Not it. She felt self-centered, reckless, and honestly kind of bratty. She knows she’s off-limits because of her brother’s rules with their found family, but the second she suspects Aiden might have feelings, she keeps baiting him, pushing him, punishing him… with zero thought about how it could blow up his entire life. It very much felt like “I want what I want and forget the consequences.” If she truly cared the way she claimed, her actions didn’t match that at all.

Now Aiden? He felt real. He’s genuinely struggling with loving his best friend’s sister and knowing crossing that line could cost him everything. The tension from his side made sense. Even when he tries to cross that line (in disguise 👀), he still holds back until almost the very end.

But then when they finally get together, Evie gets upset because Aiden doesn’t want to shout it from the rooftops immediately. He wants to handle things carefully with Rook first (which… fair??), and she won’t even let him explain before storming off. Again.

The lack of communication was the real villain of this story 😩 If they had just TALKED, we could’ve avoided 80% of the slow, plotless trudge.

🚨 SPOILERS BELOW 🚨

That last 20%? Absolute chaos.

Evie gets abducted. Aiden and Rook go to rescue her… and the big scary operation has, what, four guys in the building?? For a crime ring supposedly desperate to get their hands on her? Make it make sense 😭

Then we have Order members so hyper-focused on Aiden that Rook and Evie basically just… slip away?? And when they come back to save Aiden, suddenly none of the Order has a gun?? And that mysterious fifth Order member? Vanished. Poof. Gone. 🫠

It all felt rushed and not fully thought through, like we sprinted to the finish line to hit a deadline.

I know this was an ARC, so I’m really hoping the editing issues (repeated phrases, missing words, incorrect pronouns, unfinished thoughts) are cleaned up before release because that definitely added to the frustration.

As disappointed as I was, I’ll probably still read the next one — I’m assuming Harper and Hero are up next 👀 — and I’m hoping we get better closure and a clearer explanation of this whole “Order” situation… even though the book should no longer be focused on Evie.

This one just wasn’t it for me. 💔

[Toriఌ]

I JUST GOT AN ARC!!
— — — — —

Coming out July 14

Let‘s see how this book will be…

[TheGreatandWonderfulBookWitch · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received an advanced reader copy through Netgalley.

Evie is a really dislikeable character. She comes off as very childish like a spoiled brat. Her awful personality seems to completely derail the entire plot. It actually pulls me out of the story.

I also don't really care for the miscommunication trope. In fairness though, the plot was good enough that it took reading half of the book to even realize it was a miscommunication trope.

The pacing for this feels off. It seems like a few weeks at most, but later in the book it mentions it being months.

The motivation for the antagonist doesnt make sense at all. Not even for a split second. It's just totally implausible. It's actually one of the weakest/wierdest motivations I've ever read.

The smut just doesn't connect for me. The writing is the same as book one, but something about Evie's attitude problem/childishness and the stupid constant fighting leaves the smut scenes feeling like an afterthought and thus not very good.

I have high hopes that the next book will be better, and I do intend to keep reading books by the author. I just feel that this one didn't hit the mark.

[Emma Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley & the publishers for giving me an e-arc copy to read and review! 🥰🥰

I truly love the trope 'brother's best-friend' SO MUCH. And let me say this did not disappoint. The push and pull from the very beginning of this story had me hooked, as it shows the very realistic feelings of the forced proximity that comes from it.


I read some other reviews while reading this book myself about some getting annoyed with the 'push and pull', but I think that's the whole point when dealing with this big of a trope in family matter. I think this story hit a lot of points being realistic of the thought of losing those you love while also choosing who you love.

I am honestly super excited to read the rest of the books in this series and how everyone's love story will play out!

[Grace Hennessy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for this eARC copy to review!

*Fair warning: this is gonna be harsh*

Actually, wtf did I just read? I fear I need to say this first before going into detail about what exactly I didn’t enjoy about this book; I was at a solid 2 stars for my ultimate rating. I had actively been skimming since the 50% mark, and I already knew I wasn’t enjoying it. What brought this down to a 1 star rating was not only the end/twist, but also the fact that I was crying by the time I finished reading because THANK THE LORD it was over (y’all think I’m joking, I’m actively sopping up tears with my sweatshirt while writing this review).

I really don’t want to be mean. Writing a book is hard. It takes everything out of you, inhuman amounts of patience, and causes endless nights of frustration. I give so much credit to anybody that becomes a published author. This book was not good though. Terrible is a harsh word but in this case it feels like a fitting one.

The first book’s writing, characters, and plot were fine. Nothing revolutionary or life changing by any means, but it was decent. I was expecting the same going into this sequel, but boy was I wrong. The writing was worse. It felt like reading one of those shitty shifter romances written by fifteen year olds. The chemistry between Aiden and Evie we saw in book 1 was replaced with increasingly frustrating scenes of an exhausted babysitter putting up with a petulant child. Their “romance” consisted of constant fighting, Evie literally blackmailing him into being with her, destroying his property when she gets jealous, and running off to another guy when she gets upset. It’s like somewhere between book 1 and book 2, their relationship turned toxic. Evie was fine in book 1! She completely changed in book 2, and not for the better.

Idek what to say about the plot. Things were happening, but at the same time, no progress was being made. And the ending. Y’all don’t even get me started bc this was my breaking point. The Big Mystery: What really happened with Rook and Evie’s parents? What were they really involved in? The question that has been plaguing us since the very first book.
Well lemme tell you.

SPOILER ALERT: they illegally adopted Evie from the shadow government (bc regular adoption is so not cool) and under their orders, trained her to become an elite hacker, until the shadow government wanted to recruit her, which her parents were very unhappy about. They said no! 😬 The shadow government burns down their home! 🤯 Rook and Evie escape! 😱 And The Order… does nothing! For like ten years!! 🤔 Until they decide they want Evie again, and by then, at least two of the members have fallen in love with and are obsessed with her.
…
Bruh. What?

Anyways, TLDR: if you didn’t like the first book, don’t read the second. If you did like the first book, stop there. My mind is mush, my spirit is broken, and I fear I’ve lost my sanity. Ok, bye for now. 🙃

[Barbara Leciej]

I got 59% in and just could not finish it

[Jayme Muraco · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg if you thought Rook & Rebel was amazing and had the best bike scene, just wait until you get your hands on this one. MORE spicy bike scenes and even more suspense. Is it possible that I may have loved Evie and Aiden a little more than Rook and Regan?!? I truly love them all the same, but these two made my heart so happy!! As much as this is more of a darker romance, some parts were really sweet and swoon-worthy. Evie, our little psycho girl, was really a romantic at heart. She kept her smart mouth, chaos, and tough image on the outside for everyone else to see, but Aiden knew her better than anyone else, even more than she knew herself.

Ace & Ember was the perfect brother’s best friend and forbidden love romance. Aiden basically became Evie’s personal bodyguard, never letting her out of his sight for any reason at all. They had such good banter and tension between them that it was for sure a cover up to hide their true feelings for one another. Rook would legit kill anyone who touched his sister, so Aiden never wanted to risk losing the only family he has ever had. This definitely put him between a rock and a hard place. But Aiden’s feelings kept getting stronger to the point that Evie was worth these consequences.

I really enjoyed there being an unknown third point of view character, a shadow that was following Evie at all times. Evie was digging up a lot of info that was never meant to come to light, and this person made sure she didn’t uncover more than they wanted her to. She needed answers and closure that involved her parent’s death, and she will do anything to find them. Also, not everyone is as they seem, and you’ll find out more secrets than you expected. This is one wild ride!

Does Aiden end up losing everything, including Evie? Or can he have it all while still keeping his family? 🫣🫣

This a must read and definitely worth the wait until release day in July!

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Kate crew for the arc! This was a great second book in the mavericks series! I love the banter with the characters, and the tension between the two characters was felts through the pages!

The brother’s best friend, ace falls for the one thing that’s off limits…


Book two in The Mavericks series!
⛓️Dark rom com
🏍️ Biker Gang
❤️‍🔥 she’s off limits
💻 Computer hacker FMC and dark ruthless MMC

This book had me sucked in and giggling and gasping and the spice 🌶️ 😍
Evie the sister of Rook, the head of the biker gang has assigned a protector to his sister, Aiden aka Ace. The tension these two have… they both have feelings for each other, but keep it inside, because she’s off limits 😉
In the second book the gang becomes target to a stalking lurking in the shadows.
The twist and turns with the spice sprinkled in was such a fun read!
Catch Ace & Ember out July 14, 2026!
Thank you @
For the opportunity to read this book early!

[Heather Houghtaling · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn’t know I was a dark rom com lover but the more I read, the more I love! Anyway, MY BABIESSSSS. I knew I was going to love Evie & Aiden before I even started page 1. Their dynamic in rook & Rebel had me knowing. I thought I knew who the stalker was but I didn’t. I did guess some other stuff beforehand and was proud of myself. So excited for this book to release! Kate Crew killed it again. Thank you for the ARC Avon 💓🫶🏻

[Katie Englehart · Rating 3 out of 5]

Did I eat this book up in one sitting? Yes.
Did half of it make sense if you think about it too hard? Absolutely not.


Ace & Ember by Kate Crew
⭐⭐⭐

Tropes:
• Found family
• Friends / enemies to lovers
• Motorcycle club vibes

This book gave me major Flock vibes by Kate Stewart. Very similar energy. Instead of hot rods we’ve got motorcycles and a slightly darker vibe, but the dynamic definitely felt familiar.

🖤 The good

Evie and Aiden definitely had chemistry. Their tension and banter carried a lot of the story, and the found family dynamic within the group was fun to read.

And honestly?

I devoured this book. It’s fast-paced and very bingeable.



🤨 The things that didn’t quite work for me

This is one of those books where it works as long as you don’t think about it too hard.

Because if you do start thinking about it… some things fall apart a little.

Evie and Aiden spend the entire book acting like they’re obsessed with each other while also pretending they’re not. Which is a trope I usually enjoy—but somehow no one around them notices until the very end??

Including Evie’s brother, who is apparently the most overprotective man alive but also completely blind to the very obvious situation happening in front of him.

His rules about Evie dating were also confusing. He says she can have a boyfriend… just not anyone in their group.

Except he also gives her no freedom to actually have a boyfriend, so the logic there never really made sense to me.

Toward the end there’s a big action/rescue sequence that didn’t quite add up logistically. It felt like the characters forgot information they should have known minutes earlier, which pulled me out of the moment a bit.


🌶️ Spice

Very dark romance energy.

There’s one knife scene that was… a lot. Personally I could have done without that one.

Also Aiden calling Evie “psycho girl” as a pet name the entire book just wasn’t my favorite.


⭐ Overall

Did I still eat this book up?
Yes.

Does that necessarily mean it was great?
…also no.

But it was entertaining, chaotic, and easy to binge.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. My thoughts are my own.

[Melissa Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The perfect blend of slow burn spice meets captivating storyline!!

This is my first book by Kate, and I am 100% a fan. I went in expecting something totally different than what I received, and my expectations were blown out of the water!

I have not read the first book in this series however the author made it easy for me to fall into this storyline without having to have done that. The world these characters live in is less than upstanding, but you forget about all of that because the background and character development is so good.

The slow burn romance hits just right with the perfect level of spice at the right moments! What I was truly impressed with was the level of storytelling and plot that was given to this novel! Normally, when I read something that is very “spicy romance” driven, the plot is lacking. Not the case with this author. She wove a page-turning narrative that kept me wanting more after each chapter.

Absolutely excited to read more from Kate! Thrilled I could get an ARC of this book.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an ARC read I received from the publisher.

Disclaimer: I’ve been waiting for this book since I read Rook & Rebel last year. It did not disappoint. But it is different.

First of all: I love Aiden and Evie. Their dynamic is so much fun. And since both Aiden and Evie are part of the pack, you get more glimpses into that whole dynamic and more banter with the other guys in the pack. I’m even more excited for the rest of the series now, because they are so fun in their own ways.

Kate Crew writes such wonderful characters. Evie is such a strong character. She’s smart, she’s creative, but she is a bit impulsive. Aiden is strong, witty, and a Rottweiler when it comes to protecting Evie. The push and pull of their relationship kept me wanting more.

The part of the plot with Evie’s digging and the unseen threat is gripping. And the plot twist is crazy. I didn’t expect the information that came out.

I 100% recommend this if you loved Rook & Rebel.

[Sasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hi, is this Maverick Moto?
Yes, I was wondering if you could schedule an appointment?
Yes, yes - ASAP would be great.
My bike model?
Oh no, I don’t have a bike - actually, I’m just asking for the time of one of your men.
Yes, an appointment for your most morally gray, unhinged, biker boy.
I plan to make him fall head over heels for me and would greatly appreciate your soonest appointment.

Okay, okay - cringe & jokes aside - Ace & Ember is the second book in the Maverick’s series by Kate Crew and I was not only given the luckiest opportunity to read this as an ARC from NetGalley, but it was also one of my most anticipated reads this year which definitely DID NOT disappoint. This was easily a FIVE STAR read for me and am DESPERATELY, crawling on my hands and knees, hoping for this series to continue!

We all know Biker Boys are one of the current obsessions within the book community and, as a fellow reader with the same interest, as a true friend if you will, I cannot recommend enough that you NEED to place this on your PREORDER list immediately.

🖤Morally Gray MMC? Check.
🩵Spitfire Hacker FMC? Check.
🖤Banter & Blackmail? Check.
🩵Spicy & Dark? Check.
🖤Delicious Yearning? Check.

Need I say more?!?

Let me set the stage for you…

We have Aiden, best friend, and right-hand man to Rook (main MMC in Book 1, Rook & Rebel), who has been assigned to watch over Rook’s little sister, Evie. For years Evie has had Aiden at her side per the request of her of her brother and has found it a game to see how much she can push Aiden’s buttons until his unhinged and protective side comes to play. Evie is tasked as the hacker and computer guru for the team and uses her skills to help not only her brother and his team, but also for her own interest, which brings an additional mystery to the plot’s storyline. Little does Evie know that Aiden, while irritated on the outside, is secretly yearning for her each day that he’s with her. Every banter, every touch, and every “blackmail” is taking Aiden one step closer to crossing that line that he promised his best friend he would never go over. And Evie? She can’t wait to see how close she can get Aiden to that line - in fact, what happens if he actually does cross over?

Interested yet?
Yeah, go ahead and click ADD TO CART now so that you can have this in your hands when it comes out JULY 14th. I promise - it’s going to be SO worth it!

What I love about this book is that it isn’t just a dark romance focused on the FMC and MMC’s storyline, it’s also tied with an intriguing mystery that keeps the reader thinking who and what as the plot unfolds. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a love story fangirl at heart and it’s definitely a huge part of this, but having this additional feature included brings so much more to the story and helps keep it not only fast paced, but fun, as you work through the burning chemistry between both main characters.

I also have a HUGE appreciation for authors who bring FMCs having STEM backgrounds. As someone in the computer industry as well, I love seeing characters who I can relate to and “feel seen” with. It doesn’t hurt that Evie and I also have “short tempered firecracker” personalities as well. I mean, sometimes you have to have that type of attitude when working with a mainly male dominated career, am I right?

If you are someone who is looking for a MUST HAVE read to add your ever piling TBR, one that brings sizzling chemistry, unhinged banter, spicy bike scenes, and action packed mystery, definitely get your hands on both Rook & Rebel (if you haven’t read the first in the series) available now and Ace & Ember when it comes out this July!

[Tori · Rating 5 out of 5]

thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy of Ace & Ember!!
Wow... Just wow. This book was absolutely INCREDIBLE. I thought Rook and Rebel was good, but daaaamn Kate you really did your thing again!
I loved the story between Evie and Aiden; the longing, the yearning, the witty banter, and the friendship they built.
This is hands down one of the best dark romcoms I have read! This series is right up there for me with Into Darkness trilogy and Ruinous Love trilogy.
The way the relationship between these 2 just built up seemed almost effortless, even though there was actually a lot of effort put into trying and failing to stay away from each other.
Aiden is Evie's bodyguard, and her brother Rook's best friend. They have both wanted each other since the day they met, but what would they sacrifice to have each other, and what would that cost??
As always, I adored the suspense in here. I won't give anything away, but let me just say that the ending is a SHOCKER. There's betrayal, there's confusion, and there's so much tension and conflict.

This was one spicy book too 🥵🔥 the dirty bike scenes, the mask scene in the woods, and in the cemetery we're just *chef's kiss*
Kate does an amazing job writing these stories and actually bringing them to life, to where you can visualize the characters and the plot twists.

I would HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone who loves dark romcoms, a bit of stalking and suspense, brothers best friend, unhinged main characters, and the occasional st@bbing (well deserved, of course).

**Book one in the Mavericks, Rook and Rebel, is available on kindle to purchase and Spotify. The audiobook is an incredible experience as well, the narrators are Soo good.

[angelina (letyourwiferead) · Rating 4 out of 5]

From someone who used to say I could never be into Dark Romance, Kate Crew really makes me want to keep on reading Dark Romances. I love The Mavericks series SO much not only for the romance but for how much plot she’s put into this series so far & let’s not forget THE EMPHASIS on the Bikes in this BIKER romance.

Reading this series made me feel like I was the “backpack” and I was hanging out with all these characters I’ve learned to love so much and AT Mavericks Motto.

I loved Rook & Rebel so much, I just knew I had to get my hands on the Ace & Ember ARC and from all the little hints that Aiden and Evie would be next in the first book, I knew I loved them from the start. Ace & Ember only amplified that because of course a Brothers Best Friend trope is GOING TO EAT EVERY DAMN TIME 🤏🏼 which only added to the secret yearning/pining for eachother and going ABSOLUTELY FERAL after one another each time they tried to fight their connect. I loved the jealous and with banter and seeing this little family of criminals more in this book and am so excited for Book 3 and just know we’re going to finally get a Hiro & Harper love story next!

I rated Rook & Rebel a 5 stars because of the plot but the spice & deeper connection between Aiden & Evie really had me turning the page nonstop while reading Ace & Ember and this book off starts off STRONG. I wish you could see the highlights from just the first 3 chapters because my kindle was lit up 🩵

If you loved Lights Out, Twisted Love, Butcher and Black Bird or The Legacy of Gods series, The Maverick’s series is forsure your next Dark Romance obsession.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

[Gina Lovelace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This is book two in the series following Rook & Rebel. We’re back in the dark romance, motorcycle club world gritty, chaotic, and full of tension. While this is a continuation of the story after book one, and I definitely recommend reading them in order for full context, I don’t think you’d be completely lost if you jumped in here.

This one centers on Evie, Rook’s little sister, resident hacker, and all-around computer genius and Aiden, Rook’s best friend and right-hand man. Evie is… a lot (in the best way). Aiden’s nickname for her is “psycho,” which honestly tells you everything you need to know. She goes hard, does what she wants, follows her own rules, and embraces a little chaos. The crew tries to keep her out of club business, but Evie is going to Evie.

When she starts digging into her parents’ past, it brings serious trouble to their doorstep. Add in the fact that she’s been crushing on Aiden, who was very clearly told by Rook that she’s off-limits, and you know things are about to spiral. The tension, the defiance, the secrets… it’s messy in a way that works.

This was a twisty, chaotic ride, but I genuinely enjoyed it. If you like dark romance with motorcycle club vibes, strong-willed heroines, and forbidden tension, brothers best friend, maybe a little blood, this one delivers.

[Marie-Elaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

4,5 ⭐

I LOVE AIDEN and EVIE SO MUCH 😩 The dynamic between these two?! And the banter and the tension?! You can feeeeel the love that's been burning for years between Aiden & Ember (even through book 1). I already loved them both after Rook & Rebel, but I think they're my favorite characters from the crew now. Aiden's loyalty and devotion, Evie's attitude and pure chaos. I was hooked from the beginning.

Also, Aiden felt so REAL. I really enjoyed his POV. Seeing him go through all of these emotions, fighting between his love for Evie and his loyalty for Rook. It felt so real and genuine.

The found family is also one of my favorite things about this series. How deeply they care about each other and how fiercely loyal they are. You just know they have each other's back and always will.

Thank you Netgalley for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion 🫶🏽

[Colleen Gulbransen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review the ARC of Ace & Ember!

I love a dark rom-com, and this one included some amazing tropes to create an exciting story! Morally grey MMC, touch him/her and die energy, blackmail, secrets, suspense, spicy bike scenes - what more do you need?

It was fun to continue the overarching storyline established in the first book, Rook & Rebel. The pacing of this book’s plot development didn’t grip me quite as much as the previous book, but the story itself was still exciting and spicy. I enjoyed the banter between the FMC and MMC, especially when their feistiness with each other basically turned into foreplay.

I appreciated the consistent series themes of found family and a down-bad MMC. I’m still very invested in all the characters after reading the two books out in the series so far, and I’m excited to see what’s next!

[naitwotimes · Rating 3 out of 5]

arc read!! RTC ⛓️🩶

[Sophia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much to Avon and NetGalley for the e-arc! 💟

If you loved Rook & Rebel, you’re gonna want to add the second installment of The Mavericks series to your TBR! This book contained two of my favorite got-me-giggling-and-kicking-my-feet tropes: brother’s best friend and forbidden love. The tension, banter, and spice between Aiden and Evie made it hard not to love them, and their character development and chemistry made for an incredibly enjoyable dynamic to read. The plot was definitely more suspenseful than the first book and I never would have guessed that ending! Overall, I thoroughly loved diving into this book and already can’t for the next one!

[see nic read · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5. Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the eARC! I really enjoyed the first book in this series, so I was excited to get this. Unfortunately, it fell flat for me. This was for three main reasons: first, Evie was insufferable and childish. She’s meant to come off as cute chaotic, but she’s just annoying and bitchy. Two, the romance plot hinges on a combo of small misunderstanding for 10 years + psycho older brother being way too much. Three, the side plot was really convoluted and forced. It felt like the original plot had been well wrapped up in the first. So dusting it off to add new things like unknown adoptions, stolen kids, and crime clubs didn’t make sense to me. I’d rather it be its own unique plot. And the whole time I just kept wishing this was Hero’s and Harper’s story. They seem so much more interesting. Hopefully that is next, in which case I would give it a go!

🌶️: 3/5

[Jordyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book! Thank you so much NetGalley and Avon/Harper Collin’s for allowing me the opportunity to read this early.

This book follows Evie a hacker wizz who is secretly in love with her brother’s best friend and her bodyguard Aiden. Aiden is equally obsessed but promised Rook he would never cross that line with Evie

When Evie blackmails Aiden into crossing the line, the spice and tension between them heats up until neither can deny they want each other.

Meanwhile Evie is being watched and everyone is racing to find out who is after her while she is on her own secret mission. As Evie uncovers more about her parents death, the stalkers become more obsessed with her and making sure she doesn’t get the answers she wants.

Kate crew did an amazing job with this book. I absolutely loved these characters in Rook and Rebel and I lived their story just as equally! I can’t wait to see who’s book is next in the Maverick Moto world

[Ali B. 📚🫶🏻 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an advanced digital copy from NetGalley for a review.

This is book 2 in the Mavericks series about Evie (Rook’s little sister) and Aiden (Rook’s right hand man/best friend) Both have been obsessed with each other, you can tell in book 1 there’s something there.
So I was really looking forward to this being the next story in this series, and I love a good Brothers-best-friend troupe but it didn’t quite hit the mark for me.

Evie is still wondering about her parents and how they got roped into the underground dealings from book 1’s plot. Aiden is constantly assigned to be her “bodyguard” so they orbit around each other all the time. Aiden helps Evie start digging for more information on her parents and Evie decided to blackmail Aiden into showing his true feelings for her and crossing the line that Rook set to “never touch his sister”.

The thing that kept me from loving this more was Evie antics actually. She was constantly as Aiden liked to say “psycho” and juvenile in her methods to communicate and show her own feelings. I mean blackmailing someone to give in and fall for you was a little too teenage love dramatics. If she really loved him then why try to ruin him. That’s just my opinion.

Aiden was made out to be obsessed with Evie and he definitely was. I just thought with his characters background and what he’d loose if he gave in would have made him put up more of a fight. I get that he had been wanting her for a while and loved her “psycho” games but it felt off for me on their true feelings. He seemed devoted, but her not so much. The first half of the book is them just messing with each other to see how far they could push it. Spicy yes, entertaining yes, but not enough real to keep me hooked.

The second half of the book was better. Once we got into the plot and A & E both started to show actual feelings, I enjoyed it more. I feel like they could have gotten to that sooner. Their story got better and more interesting when the relationship got less about games and more real life.

The big climactic unfolding of everything played out a little too easy imo. Shocking twist but some didn’t land as hard. Especially with the “Shadow” stalking chapters reveal.

I do enjoy the whole group dynamics scenes, the found family vibes and getting to see Rook & Rebel together again. I hope Harper and Hero are next up for the series.

The story could have been better but overall I liked it and don’t regret reading. 3.5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️

[H. P. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A big thank you to publishers Avon and Harper Voyager for granting me the opportunity to read and review this book ahead of its release date!!

I am a big fan of Kate Crew, loved her Hollows Garage series and loved Rook & Rebel (Maverick Moto #1). I was so excited to jump into book 2 of the Maverick Moto series!!

I was really happy to see that Rook & Regan held pretty prominent roles in this book and that we still got to see interactions with them. They were the couple that started this series so I loved that they are not only included but integral to the plot and woven into the story.

When it comes to the couple - Aiden & Evie… from meeting them in book 1 I knew that we’d be in for a treat but WOW! The tension between them was so taut it was palpable. The push and pull, the secret yearning and pining for each other was so engrossing I ate it all up. I loved how different these characters are but how they were also so well matched. There’s a quote in the book that really resonated and summed up their relationship perfectly: “Two sides of the same coin: he was my safety, and I was his chaos.” And DAMN if that doesn’t make quite the pair.

Aside for the hot passion and chemistry between the two, I also really enjoyed the mystery subplot. It was engaging and the “shadow” POV kept me on my toes guessing who our mystery antagonist was til the very end. I have to say it was done well because I didn’t see THAT coming. From where things were left I could also see where the plot is headed for book 3 and I’m excited to continue this series!

[Hope · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨ ARC Review ✨
“Ace” Aiden is a protector by nature — and unfortunately for him, the one person he wants to protect most is completely off limits.
Evie is a hacker who can run with the boys but is secretly a romantic at heart. Together? They’re absolutely dangerous.
If you thought Rook and Rebel was good, just wait until you dive into Ace and Ember by Kate Crew. This forbidden, brother’s-best-friend dark romance takes everything up a notch.
Evie is determined to uncover the truth about who killed her parents — but digging into the past comes with consequences. Secrets unravel, truths explode, and the tension between her and Ace is impossible to ignore.
The 🌶️🌶️🌶️ is next level (and yes… that motorcycle scene? 🔥🔥🔥). While I loved Rook’s story, Evie and Ace had me flipping pages at lightning speed. The chemistry, the danger, the angst — it all worked so well.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishing for the opportunity to read this ARC!
TROPES ✨
🖤 Brother’s Best Friend
⚡ Enemies to Lovers
🚫 Forbidden Love
🩶 Morally Gray MMC
💻 Hacker FMC
🏍️ Protective Hero

[kelsie · Rating 4 out of 5]

ok if there’s one thing y’all should know about me, i LOVE when it’s a dark romance & the girl is just as crazy & stabby as the guy. i LOVEEED the matched energy with aiden & evie!! i’ll take that anytime over meek/scared (they have their time & place i suppose)

let’s start with aiden: loved him. that’s it. that’s the tweet. trying his best to not fall for his best friends little sister & failing (hehehe). he’s definitely a touch her & die type of guy AND I ATE IT UPPPP. would read again & again.

now we have evie: hot, stabby, tech genius. would die for her. want her to marry me pls. i love that she pushed & pushed aiden to make him admit his feelings FINALLY!! miss girl did not give up & i love to see it!!! (also love that once a week she holes up in her room to secretly watch romance movies & cry)

if you like dark romance i do recommend 🥰 i’m so excited to see the author kate continue the series & see where it leads us. thank you to the publisher for providing this book for review via netgalley. all opinions are my own <3