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Dartmoor #2
Price of Angels
Book II in the Dartmoor Series.
Holly Jessup came to Knoxville in search of the Lean Dogs MC, hoping to find a killer among them. She’s spent four months cozying up to Sgt. at Arms Michael, and it’s time to make her move.
Michael McCall isn’t in the habit of accepting contract hits, but Holly isn’t the kind of girl who chases after Dogs. She’s petrified, and infatuated, and she might be the first woman to see him for the man he is, rather than the outlaw he seems. Maybe, for Holly, he can become St. Michael at last.
After the events of FEARLESS, the Lean Dogs can’t afford any more scandals. Michael never expected he’d be the one to bend the rules. And no one thought his feelings for one woman could shake the balance of the Tennessee underworld.
Be sure to look for Book I in the Dartmoor Series, FEARLESS, and be on the lookout for Book III, coming Summer 2015.
Holly Jessup came to Knoxville in search of the Lean Dogs MC, hoping to find a killer among them. She’s spent four months cozying up to Sgt. at Arms Michael, and it’s time to make her move.
Michael McCall isn’t in the habit of accepting contract hits, but Holly isn’t the kind of girl who chases after Dogs. She’s petrified, and infatuated, and she might be the first woman to see him for the man he is, rather than the outlaw he seems. Maybe, for Holly, he can become St. Michael at last.
After the events of FEARLESS, the Lean Dogs can’t afford any more scandals. Michael never expected he’d be the one to bend the rules. And no one thought his feelings for one woman could shake the balance of the Tennessee underworld.
Be sure to look for Book I in the Dartmoor Series, FEARLESS, and be on the lookout for Book III, coming Summer 2015.
423 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 23, 2015
94 people are currently reading
1145 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 291 reviews
June 25, 2022
6/24/22: Continuing my post Wild Charge series re-read...
Re-read: 7/15/20
4.5 Stars 5 Stars
I loved this. Holly and Michael were delicious and I really enjoyed them together. Both of them had heartbreaking pasts and they deserved to find some happiness together.
Plus, Michael is a badass.
I will say that something Ghost did here kind of upset me and made me not like him...but then I realized/remembered it's his job to protect the club.
But still. Thankfully, the club voted the right way or I might not have wanted anything else to do with the men of this series. There's being an outlaw, yes...but there is also taking care of your own. And because #romancenovel
Regardless, another smash hit for me and Lauren Gilley. She truly is one of my favorite authors ever.
Re-read: 7/15/20
I loved this. Holly and Michael were delicious and I really enjoyed them together. Both of them had heartbreaking pasts and they deserved to find some happiness together.
Plus, Michael is a badass.
I will say that something Ghost did here kind of upset me and made me not like him...but then I realized/remembered it's his job to protect the club.
But still. Thankfully, the club voted the right way or I might not have wanted anything else to do with the men of this series. There's being an outlaw, yes...but there is also taking care of your own. And because #romancenovel
Regardless, another smash hit for me and Lauren Gilley. She truly is one of my favorite authors ever.
May 28, 2015
2 stars. DNF @70% (I skimmed the final 10%). Review posted May 28, 2015
"Sex terrifies you," he said, and she shivered, caught by the razor-edge of the truth. "And maybe you need someone to show you that it shouldn't," he continued, without one scrap of innuendo, "but
"Biker with a heart of gold?" she asked, feeling the wistful smile tug at her mouth.
"With a president to answer to."
Those quotes do sound good, don't they? Like I mentioned in my update at 30%, it started off good and I liked it, yet I did have a couple issues from the beginning. And those issues didn't change for the better until I had to cave in at 70%. I fast-forwarded to the final 10%, skimmed it and was glad that I DNFd because it was terribly cheesy, especially the ending.
There's the good, the bad and the ugly.
I do think the author has potential. I'd enjoy her writing IF she could tone it down substantially. Also, the story needs a very good editor who would tighten and comb it thoroughly.
Price of Angels is way too long, too wordy and the story dragged. I also have a problem with the author describing facial expressions ad nauseam and the way she writes about bodily reactions to emotions and feelings is freaking tedious. Geez. Is there something like overly empathic bodily descriptions? Her style is also way too corny for my liking.
Writing samples for your perusal:
…pressure of tears at the backs of her eyes and blinked against them.
Backs of her eyes sounds very awkward yet the author used it several times.
Her eyes opened again, studded deep with anguish, though her voice was even.
She felt panic welling at the idea of telling him. But she felt something else, too: a relief, so profound she could cry, lingering at the horizon.
The tight spiral of tension in her unwound and slithered to a place deep in her belly, where it began to reform, coiling again in a way that made her breath rough and choppy.
Her eavesdropping had shattered the fragile happiness she'd clung to like so many tattered clouds. It was vapors, the brief joy of her time with Michael, because it wasn't really hers.
He swallowed, his Adam's apple punching in his throat.
…his throat working, Adam's apple punching.
Beneath her, Michael was a straining, reaching creature, his tendons standing tall and taut beneath his skin, throwing shadows. His abs rippled and his biceps knotted.
He halted, his hands on his hips, aggression shimmering off him in invisible heat currents.
He saw them differently now, through the lens of Holly leaning into him and loving him. He saw the brilliant halo around them for what it was: union. That perfect blending of acceptance, sympathy, empathy, understanding and physical need that coalesced into glue, until there was only the union between them, and both were powerless to describe it.
There were unsaid words building between them, as they climbed from the car. His words. Holly could feel them pushing at her, and she wanted to pull the pin that would release them, but wasn't sure how to do it tactfully.
In the warm fall of sunlight, she felt his promise, shaking through his bones and skin;
I'm a sucker for the still-waters-run-deep type of hero. Michael fit that description rather nicely. He's a reserved and silent man. A taciturn, stoic thinker. Also, he isn't one of those extra-terrestrially handsome heroes either which, by the way, is fine by me. I enjoy ogling a gorgeous and handsome man like anyone else. However, it's very good to see that authors still write a hero whose physical appearance is not a stellar ten. That's more realistic anyhow.
I think there's hardly a romance story without TSTL moments.
As a couple, I actually liked Ava and Mercy more than Michael and Holly. Mercy was quite the smart mouth and I enjoyed the banter between Mercy and Ava.
Mercy reached for his soda. "An engine is like a woman in that you have to love it," he said, relenting. "You learn. You make understanding its strengths your top priority, and you help doctor it through its weaknesses. You become an expert, on that engine, and then you stand back and marvel at its power."
I felt very sorry for Holly because her fate and past were truly heinous. Yet I couldn't really warm up to her and all her waterworks started to annoy me after a while. Naturally the story had to end That's such an overdone plot device, it doesn't appeal to me anymore. Another issue I had was the lack of
Believe it or not but I'm actually interested to read Collier's story (if there will be one in the first place) and even though I liked Mercy very much in Price of Angels, there's no way that I will go back to the first book and torture myself through 800+ pages of storytelling. Nope. Not going to happen because I already feel like I read 500+ pages instead of those alleged 423 in Price of Angels."
Bottom line, I can see why this book would appeal to many readers. But, unfortunately, it wasn't for me. I'm sorry.
"Sex terrifies you," he said, and she shivered, caught by the razor-edge of the truth. "And maybe you need someone to show you that it shouldn't," he continued, without one scrap of innuendo, "but
"Biker with a heart of gold?" she asked, feeling the wistful smile tug at her mouth.
"With a president to answer to."
Those quotes do sound good, don't they? Like I mentioned in my update at 30%, it started off good and I liked it, yet I did have a couple issues from the beginning. And those issues didn't change for the better until I had to cave in at 70%. I fast-forwarded to the final 10%, skimmed it and was glad that I DNFd because it was terribly cheesy, especially the ending.
There's the good, the bad and the ugly.
I do think the author has potential. I'd enjoy her writing IF she could tone it down substantially. Also, the story needs a very good editor who would tighten and comb it thoroughly.
Price of Angels is way too long, too wordy and the story dragged. I also have a problem with the author describing facial expressions ad nauseam and the way she writes about bodily reactions to emotions and feelings is freaking tedious. Geez. Is there something like overly empathic bodily descriptions? Her style is also way too corny for my liking.
Writing samples for your perusal:
…pressure of tears at the backs of her eyes and blinked against them.
Backs of her eyes sounds very awkward yet the author used it several times.
Her eyes opened again, studded deep with anguish, though her voice was even.
She felt panic welling at the idea of telling him. But she felt something else, too: a relief, so profound she could cry, lingering at the horizon.
The tight spiral of tension in her unwound and slithered to a place deep in her belly, where it began to reform, coiling again in a way that made her breath rough and choppy.
Her eavesdropping had shattered the fragile happiness she'd clung to like so many tattered clouds. It was vapors, the brief joy of her time with Michael, because it wasn't really hers.
He swallowed, his Adam's apple punching in his throat.
…his throat working, Adam's apple punching.
Beneath her, Michael was a straining, reaching creature, his tendons standing tall and taut beneath his skin, throwing shadows. His abs rippled and his biceps knotted.
He halted, his hands on his hips, aggression shimmering off him in invisible heat currents.
He saw them differently now, through the lens of Holly leaning into him and loving him. He saw the brilliant halo around them for what it was: union. That perfect blending of acceptance, sympathy, empathy, understanding and physical need that coalesced into glue, until there was only the union between them, and both were powerless to describe it.
There were unsaid words building between them, as they climbed from the car. His words. Holly could feel them pushing at her, and she wanted to pull the pin that would release them, but wasn't sure how to do it tactfully.
In the warm fall of sunlight, she felt his promise, shaking through his bones and skin;
I'm a sucker for the still-waters-run-deep type of hero. Michael fit that description rather nicely. He's a reserved and silent man. A taciturn, stoic thinker. Also, he isn't one of those extra-terrestrially handsome heroes either which, by the way, is fine by me. I enjoy ogling a gorgeous and handsome man like anyone else. However, it's very good to see that authors still write a hero whose physical appearance is not a stellar ten. That's more realistic anyhow.
I think there's hardly a romance story without TSTL moments.
As a couple, I actually liked Ava and Mercy more than Michael and Holly. Mercy was quite the smart mouth and I enjoyed the banter between Mercy and Ava.
Mercy reached for his soda. "An engine is like a woman in that you have to love it," he said, relenting. "You learn. You make understanding its strengths your top priority, and you help doctor it through its weaknesses. You become an expert, on that engine, and then you stand back and marvel at its power."
I felt very sorry for Holly because her fate and past were truly heinous. Yet I couldn't really warm up to her and all her waterworks started to annoy me after a while. Naturally the story had to end That's such an overdone plot device, it doesn't appeal to me anymore. Another issue I had was the lack of
Believe it or not but I'm actually interested to read Collier's story (if there will be one in the first place) and even though I liked Mercy very much in Price of Angels, there's no way that I will go back to the first book and torture myself through 800+ pages of storytelling. Nope. Not going to happen because I already feel like I read 500+ pages instead of those alleged 423 in Price of Angels."
Bottom line, I can see why this book would appeal to many readers. But, unfortunately, it wasn't for me. I'm sorry.
November 12, 2017
I love it love it love it love it love it love it love it!
Review of the whole series: MY REVIEW
Review of the whole series: MY REVIEW
September 3, 2020
5+++ "Are you afraid?" Stars
Another stunning book from Lauren Gilley. The Dartmoor series blazes forward unapologetically with more phenomenal story-telling and brilliance from Gilley. This writing in Price of Angels takes the reigns leading the reader on a very deep and meaningful, a very dark and sinister, a very healing journey in the lives of Micheal and Holly. Nuanced with the constant running theme of family, Michael and Holly dive into a world unknown to each of them. The result of that plunge took me on an unbelievably emotional journey through the deepest shadows and haunted eyes of Michael McCall and his Holly - the likes of which catapulted Price of Angels to my list of greats.
Told from Gilley's signature style of 3rd person limited perspective, Price of Angels takes us back to Knoxville in the thick of the Lean Dogs MC propelling the plot of the club forward with it's motley crew of intriguing bikers, their equally intriguing old ladies, and their seriously compelling enemies. My expressions of awe in relation to this writing style of the Dartmoor series remain hard to fully explain and I refuse to even touch upon the breadth and depth of the captivating, creatively literary, dark plot of this book because it's something that Gilley's writing gives you completely.
What I felt when I was reading this book was a complete immersion into the story. With a 360 degree, vividly stimulating seat in the middle of Knoxville watching this story come alive, playing on a wide spectrum of my emotions, it's no doubt that reading Lauren Gilley's words is a total experience. It's not simply reading a book, it's not simply entertaining you for the sake of entertainment. It reaches into your reading soul, grabs hold, and rocks your world.
I can't pinpoint the exact reason my reading soul resides in utter fascination, loyalty, and devotion to archangel-type heroes avenging the morally corrupt and shadowy evils of the world while straddling their own moral and emotional codes of love and loyalty, of right and wrong. I don't know why the darkest stories are my best stories. All I know is that it does and they most definitely are. The tortured, broken men who give so freely in their own tortured and broken yet gorgeous offerings emotionally touches parts of me in the most glorious ways. Michael McCall is this kind of tortured, broken man. It takes the fractured, broken parts of Holly, the parts he recognizes so completely as their mirrors to his own soul; these parts blinding him as they exude the most strength, courage, and conviction the human spirit can create.
As mentioned I refuse to spoil the plot, what I've relayed about Michael and Holly's character I hope resonated. This is an experience in reading that needs to be wholly experienced. But I do want to mention, although lengthy yet still vaguely, one specific part of this book that held me enraptured to the point I've read it several times over with tears sliding down my cheeks each time.
This being the qualities of this hero that are so unmatched to me from any other hero, save one other archangel type. As a character, as a man, Michael McCall is who he is, absolutely atypical from your normal hero, without remorse, regret, or guilt. He's closed off emotionally because of who he is and what he does both being cloaked in mystery shrouded with a foreboding menace no one even tries to touch. Protection from him is like a salve to any bleeding wound, his safety is potent - transcendence floating right off the pages. His form of penance, if you will, comes from a naively, astute woman he's so strangely and securely tethered to. Her protection, her worth, her beauty all enslave him and her protection becomes his priority. Holly has both figurative and literal demons to escape. In one of the most brutally passionate, deeply haunting, romantically raw love scenes I have EVER in my life read Michael proved them both redeemed no matter what life holds for them from that point thereafter. His facing off with Holly's fears, her demons, had me crying and vulnerable and completely unraveled. The writing of that particular scene, the artistic choices Gilley chose to take me to that personal place so acutely - yeah, transcendence. Undeniable beauty.
The stories and people of the Lean Dogs MC are ones I fully recommend to MC loving readers. So full of intelligent dialogue, witty banter, happy as well as sad, honesty, and loyalty - The Dartmoor series is beyond worth the read. And while I loved Ava and Mercy and every single Lean Dog in Fearless so very much, I'm not in the least bit afraid to admit that Holly with her broken parts, her honesty and her will to survive coupled with Michael McCall, the archangel with his dominance and grace, are my favorite without question. Price of Angels is not for the faint of heart. In my opinion though, you should be brave enough to experience it's beauty.
**Major love to my reading bestie, Irene. My reading experience was further enhanced having read this book with her. Check out her amazing review here. Biker bitches for life, babe.
My 5+ Star review for Book One:
Fearless
First Read: January/February 2016
Second Read: January 2017
Third Read: September 2020 - Still my favorite. Dark and tragic, light and hopeful. These characters are ones for whom you can really understand and appreciate on deep levels. The story telling is incredible.
Another stunning book from Lauren Gilley. The Dartmoor series blazes forward unapologetically with more phenomenal story-telling and brilliance from Gilley. This writing in Price of Angels takes the reigns leading the reader on a very deep and meaningful, a very dark and sinister, a very healing journey in the lives of Micheal and Holly. Nuanced with the constant running theme of family, Michael and Holly dive into a world unknown to each of them. The result of that plunge took me on an unbelievably emotional journey through the deepest shadows and haunted eyes of Michael McCall and his Holly - the likes of which catapulted Price of Angels to my list of greats.
Told from Gilley's signature style of 3rd person limited perspective, Price of Angels takes us back to Knoxville in the thick of the Lean Dogs MC propelling the plot of the club forward with it's motley crew of intriguing bikers, their equally intriguing old ladies, and their seriously compelling enemies. My expressions of awe in relation to this writing style of the Dartmoor series remain hard to fully explain and I refuse to even touch upon the breadth and depth of the captivating, creatively literary, dark plot of this book because it's something that Gilley's writing gives you completely.
What I felt when I was reading this book was a complete immersion into the story. With a 360 degree, vividly stimulating seat in the middle of Knoxville watching this story come alive, playing on a wide spectrum of my emotions, it's no doubt that reading Lauren Gilley's words is a total experience. It's not simply reading a book, it's not simply entertaining you for the sake of entertainment. It reaches into your reading soul, grabs hold, and rocks your world.
I can't pinpoint the exact reason my reading soul resides in utter fascination, loyalty, and devotion to archangel-type heroes avenging the morally corrupt and shadowy evils of the world while straddling their own moral and emotional codes of love and loyalty, of right and wrong. I don't know why the darkest stories are my best stories. All I know is that it does and they most definitely are. The tortured, broken men who give so freely in their own tortured and broken yet gorgeous offerings emotionally touches parts of me in the most glorious ways. Michael McCall is this kind of tortured, broken man. It takes the fractured, broken parts of Holly, the parts he recognizes so completely as their mirrors to his own soul; these parts blinding him as they exude the most strength, courage, and conviction the human spirit can create.
As mentioned I refuse to spoil the plot, what I've relayed about Michael and Holly's character I hope resonated. This is an experience in reading that needs to be wholly experienced. But I do want to mention, although lengthy yet still vaguely, one specific part of this book that held me enraptured to the point I've read it several times over with tears sliding down my cheeks each time.
This being the qualities of this hero that are so unmatched to me from any other hero, save one other archangel type. As a character, as a man, Michael McCall is who he is, absolutely atypical from your normal hero, without remorse, regret, or guilt. He's closed off emotionally because of who he is and what he does both being cloaked in mystery shrouded with a foreboding menace no one even tries to touch. Protection from him is like a salve to any bleeding wound, his safety is potent - transcendence floating right off the pages. His form of penance, if you will, comes from a naively, astute woman he's so strangely and securely tethered to. Her protection, her worth, her beauty all enslave him and her protection becomes his priority. Holly has both figurative and literal demons to escape. In one of the most brutally passionate, deeply haunting, romantically raw love scenes I have EVER in my life read Michael proved them both redeemed no matter what life holds for them from that point thereafter. His facing off with Holly's fears, her demons, had me crying and vulnerable and completely unraveled. The writing of that particular scene, the artistic choices Gilley chose to take me to that personal place so acutely - yeah, transcendence. Undeniable beauty.
The stories and people of the Lean Dogs MC are ones I fully recommend to MC loving readers. So full of intelligent dialogue, witty banter, happy as well as sad, honesty, and loyalty - The Dartmoor series is beyond worth the read. And while I loved Ava and Mercy and every single Lean Dog in Fearless so very much, I'm not in the least bit afraid to admit that Holly with her broken parts, her honesty and her will to survive coupled with Michael McCall, the archangel with his dominance and grace, are my favorite without question. Price of Angels is not for the faint of heart. In my opinion though, you should be brave enough to experience it's beauty.
**Major love to my reading bestie, Irene. My reading experience was further enhanced having read this book with her. Check out her amazing review here. Biker bitches for life, babe.
My 5+ Star review for Book One:
Fearless
First Read: January/February 2016
Second Read: January 2017
Third Read: September 2020 - Still my favorite. Dark and tragic, light and hopeful. These characters are ones for whom you can really understand and appreciate on deep levels. The story telling is incredible.
February 15, 2020
Another book in my Dartmoor series re-read that was a huge win. The first time around I really struggled with Ghost. BUT, after already having read his story I totally got him this time around. He's ALL about his family (Mags, Ava and Aidan) and the club, regardless of what he has to do to keep them safe.
I absolutely adored Michael, more so because his brothers didn't (though he didn't afford them much of an opportunity to, he was that closed off). When a person is that closed off it's for a reason, so to see the huge character growth he had, to see him slowly opening up to his brothers (there's a scene in the next book (novella) that he has with Mercy and honestly I wanted to be his cheerleader it was so heartwarming).
Both Holly and Michael have demons, and they are brutal! I'm happy to say this is the first book in all the thousands I have read over the years where the evil parent trope totally worked for me. God, her father was less than crud, what a hideous, revolting specimen of a human being if ever there was one. Holly and Michael went through worse than hell to get to where they are now, and did this alone with no support or help but just got on with it. I LOVE the way the author told their story, in fact, I loved every re-read word.
I absolutely adored Michael, more so because his brothers didn't (though he didn't afford them much of an opportunity to, he was that closed off). When a person is that closed off it's for a reason, so to see the huge character growth he had, to see him slowly opening up to his brothers (there's a scene in the next book (novella) that he has with Mercy and honestly I wanted to be his cheerleader it was so heartwarming).
Both Holly and Michael have demons, and they are brutal! I'm happy to say this is the first book in all the thousands I have read over the years where the evil parent trope totally worked for me. God, her father was less than crud, what a hideous, revolting specimen of a human being if ever there was one. Holly and Michael went through worse than hell to get to where they are now, and did this alone with no support or help but just got on with it. I LOVE the way the author told their story, in fact, I loved every re-read word.
July 23, 2022
4.5*
Re-read 21st - 23rd July 2022
Ready for new book
Re-read 21st - 22nd February 2020
Re-read the 10th March -11th March 2018
Original Review
At 423 pages this is half the length of the previous book 'Fearless' but it's still a good length and again a book you can get totally lost in.
In 'Fearless' Michael was a bit of an enigma and I was pleased to discover this book was his, we'd also been briefly introduced to Holly so we hit the ground running so to speak.
Holly lives in fear and she's looking for a killer and thinks she's found that in Michael but Michael's not exactly approachable and even after four months she's still working up the courage to make her move.
Michael knows he's not friendly and he knows what people think of him and therefore Holly confuses him but he's not anywhere near as cold and unfeeling as people think and it's beautiful to see him open up and realise that he could have a chance at more, a 'normal' life is now more than just a dream.
We slowly discover not only what Holly needs Michael for but her past and it's awful, it makes difficult reading and while it's handled well be warned.
Michael and Holly are two damaged individuals direct results of their pasts but they slowly realise the future could be theirs.
One of the many strengths of this series is the fabulous characters and Ava and Mercy are not forgotten or even just a side note, they're still here and still very much part of this story which I liked.
In the interest of leaving a totally honest review I have to mention this is written the same way as 'Fearless' with the constant POV changes with no warning, even though I was ready for it it's still a little disconcerting at times
This is another enthralling read and even though I have a huge list of books waiting to be read I'm in this series for the long haul so it's onto 'Half My Blood' for me next.
Re-read 21st - 23rd July 2022
Ready for new book
Re-read 21st - 22nd February 2020
Re-read the 10th March -11th March 2018
Original Review
At 423 pages this is half the length of the previous book 'Fearless' but it's still a good length and again a book you can get totally lost in.
In 'Fearless' Michael was a bit of an enigma and I was pleased to discover this book was his, we'd also been briefly introduced to Holly so we hit the ground running so to speak.
Holly lives in fear and she's looking for a killer and thinks she's found that in Michael but Michael's not exactly approachable and even after four months she's still working up the courage to make her move.
Michael knows he's not friendly and he knows what people think of him and therefore Holly confuses him but he's not anywhere near as cold and unfeeling as people think and it's beautiful to see him open up and realise that he could have a chance at more, a 'normal' life is now more than just a dream.
We slowly discover not only what Holly needs Michael for but her past and it's awful, it makes difficult reading and while it's handled well be warned.
Michael and Holly are two damaged individuals direct results of their pasts but they slowly realise the future could be theirs.
One of the many strengths of this series is the fabulous characters and Ava and Mercy are not forgotten or even just a side note, they're still here and still very much part of this story which I liked.
In the interest of leaving a totally honest review I have to mention this is written the same way as 'Fearless' with the constant POV changes with no warning, even though I was ready for it it's still a little disconcerting at times
This is another enthralling read and even though I have a huge list of books waiting to be read I'm in this series for the long haul so it's onto 'Half My Blood' for me next.
August 25, 2021
4 solid Archangel stars
I am too lazy to write a proper review. 😣😣🙈🙈
I ended up loving this one but not as much as I love book 1.
This one is fucked up. Michael and Holly. 😭😭💔💔💔💔
I loved Michael. I hope he finds a bff in Mercy. He deserves a bff.
Holly needs therapy. Alot of therapy.
Overall it was another amazing addition to this series. 😍 Looking forward to the rest. I feel like I am a member of the club. 💕
Thanks Jan for holding my hand.😍😍
I am too lazy to write a proper review. 😣😣🙈🙈
I ended up loving this one but not as much as I love book 1.
This one is fucked up. Michael and Holly. 😭😭💔💔💔💔
I loved Michael. I hope he finds a bff in Mercy. He deserves a bff.
Holly needs therapy. Alot of therapy.
Overall it was another amazing addition to this series. 😍 Looking forward to the rest. I feel like I am a member of the club. 💕
Thanks Jan for holding my hand.😍😍
February 9, 2016
How do you repay a friend who recommends an author like Lauren Gilley?? I don't think you can but I certainly am going to try and even up the score. Somehow.
To say I am BLOWN AWAY by this series (and I am only two books in) would be a HUGE UNDERSTATEMENT! The first book Fearless left me breathless so I kinda knew what to expect [in terms of writing] going into Price of Angels. What I didn't expect [even though someone mentioned the word 'heartbreak' and the author herself said it's 'a dark one'] was how dark the subject matter really is in this story.
This book is about two people who were going through hell and just kept going. Two survivors. I am in awe of Lauren's ability to tell their story, as gruesome as it gets at times, in such poetic way. To me, noting tops the journey of two damaged souls who come together and find comfort in each other's arms.
There are many scenes in this book that are so raw that they bring tears to your eyes. The way they are written is so vivid that you feel character(s)' inner turmoil as you read them.
I think I stopped highlighting paragraphs about 30% into the book because, just as it happened with book one, it is easier to highlight stuff that doesn't leave your head spinning with the beauty of Lauren's writing vs stuff that does.
I mean, how can you not fall in love with this:
I would recommend this series to those who appreciate exceptionally well written stories that are more of a slow burn vs fast pace MC stories that are full of clichés.
TRIGGER WARNING: if reading about non-consensual sex and domestic violence is not something you can stomach, you may want to avoid this book.
For one of THE most amazing reviews of this book, please check out TeriLyn's spoiler-free review of Price Of Angels .
Cheers!
September 19, 2016
Another good read. Maybe I didn't connect with Michael and Holly as much as I did with Mercy and Ava, the characters in the previous book.
I liked catching up with the characters from the first book. Some fairly gruesome scenes. Poor Holly had a horrible life.
"I named you after Saint Michael. Do you know what that means? I named you after the archangel. The angel who put the devil in the pit."
"I think that there is a price ... and I think that we paid it already."
"Why is Dartmoor called Dartmoor?"
I liked catching up with the characters from the first book. Some fairly gruesome scenes. Poor Holly had a horrible life.
April 18, 2020
**** 4 Stars ****
Price of Angels is dark and twisted. It has a mindfuck plot solid in its darkness,
wich is something I give a lot of kudos nowadays since a big part of my dark reads tends to be based on a false foundation of shock value only.
That being said, book #1 in this series still my favourite. It is in my Crème de la crème shelf in the bikers subgenre and as such is totally unfair to compare book 1 and 2. After all, measuring up to The best of The Best is a tough accomplishment.
Right, that was my reason doing the talk.
But my foolish, bitchy and unreasonable side has to say, this one was not as good as the first, but still, very good.
Price of Angels is dark and twisted. It has a mindfuck plot solid in its darkness,
wich is something I give a lot of kudos nowadays since a big part of my dark reads tends to be based on a false foundation of shock value only.
That being said, book #1 in this series still my favourite. It is in my Crème de la crème shelf in the bikers subgenre and as such is totally unfair to compare book 1 and 2. After all, measuring up to The best of The Best is a tough accomplishment.
Right, that was my reason doing the talk.
But my foolish, bitchy and unreasonable side has to say, this one was not as good as the first, but still, very good.
March 15, 2016
The action or danger doesn’t stop in Lauren Gilley’s sequel! This hardcore author brings all kinds explosive drama, intensity and suspense you’d expect from a kickass MC novel. Making Price of Angels one of my favorite reads and beloved series…. now onto the review!
Tiss the season, to hang holly, string some lights, don the old Christmas tree, and maybe hire a hit man! An angel of death, who would kill without mercy and be the hand of salvation.
Michael prefers the quiet, blends in the shadows, being unobserved.
Rarely does the standoffish sergeant at arms spend Q&A with his fellow brothers, or anyone else for that matter. So when a certain terrified waitress seeks him out, his curiosity is more then piped. But getting involved with Holly on any level, tests the loyalty he has within the club and shakes the foundation of potential enemy.
Tiss the season, to hang holly, string some lights, don the old Christmas tree, and maybe hire a hit man! An angel of death, who would kill without mercy and be the hand of salvation.
Michael prefers the quiet, blends in the shadows, being unobserved.
Rarely does the standoffish sergeant at arms spend Q&A with his fellow brothers, or anyone else for that matter. So when a certain terrified waitress seeks him out, his curiosity is more then piped. But getting involved with Holly on any level, tests the loyalty he has within the club and shakes the foundation of potential enemy.
February 23, 2020
The second book in the Dartmoor series and just as good as the first one.
I highly recommend this series, it´s very well written, suspenseful and great characters.
I highly recommend this series, it´s very well written, suspenseful and great characters.
![Profile Image for Michelle [Helen Geek].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1448463806i%2F5557851._CR0%2C13%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
December 16, 2018
09/24/2016 -- Okay, my second time reading this and I'd bump it to 5+ Stars. I really love Michael. I really do. I bet this guy would score somewhere on the autism spectrum due to his lack of social skills. Saying this, he is self aware. He never thought he'd ever meet someone who would want to BE with him. Someone he'd like as a person anyway. Then came Holly and all her baggage. Baggage is probably too nice or generic a term. Really amazing the story Lauren Gilley gives us with this one. She weaves the title and its' meaning all through the story. I'm re-reading the whole series. Or at least this is my plan right now. I've rarely found an author who writes a book I can get so immersed in. When you read to escape the tension of life, for relaxation, like I do, books like these are rare. Love this author.
09/09/2015 -- I really like this author and this series. 4.5 - 5 Stars!
09/09/2015 -- I really like this author and this series. 4.5 - 5 Stars!
May 7, 2016
Another knock out adventure! Full review to come.
September 18, 2016
4.5 Archangel Michael Stars
One of the great things about this author Lauren Gilley is the writing. It makes such a change to read a book in this genre that's so well written. This is the 2nd book in the Dartmoor series and comes with a much more darker disturbing story....
Michaels and Holly's story.....
Michael a member of the Lean Dogs MC, he is a bit strange and different from the other Lean Dog brothers. He's a loner and doesn't mix, quiet, no friends except his Uncle Wynn who brought him up after his mother dies.
The only thing he does is each night, is to go to the local bar for his evening dinner. There he meets Holly.
Holly
Holly has been watching Michael for months because she has decided he is the one....
She has a proposition for him, one that will change their lives for ever.
This is another outstanding story. Michael the loner and Holly who is running from a terrible life. They come together because when Michael is with Holly he can really be himself and Holly scared, can finally find something in him that helps her heal too.
Once again this story pulled me in, the author writes in a way that you find yourself consumed by these characters.
Although dark, it opens into a beautiful love story of two broken people tarnished by their past, that together can overcome anything.
It does follow straight on from Fearless and is NOT a standalone.
I don't want to tell their beautiful story in my review I want you to read it for yourself.
One of the great things about this author Lauren Gilley is the writing. It makes such a change to read a book in this genre that's so well written. This is the 2nd book in the Dartmoor series and comes with a much more darker disturbing story....
Michaels and Holly's story.....
Michael a member of the Lean Dogs MC, he is a bit strange and different from the other Lean Dog brothers. He's a loner and doesn't mix, quiet, no friends except his Uncle Wynn who brought him up after his mother dies.
The only thing he does is each night, is to go to the local bar for his evening dinner. There he meets Holly.
Holly
Holly has been watching Michael for months because she has decided he is the one....
She has a proposition for him, one that will change their lives for ever.
This is another outstanding story. Michael the loner and Holly who is running from a terrible life. They come together because when Michael is with Holly he can really be himself and Holly scared, can finally find something in him that helps her heal too.
Once again this story pulled me in, the author writes in a way that you find yourself consumed by these characters.
Although dark, it opens into a beautiful love story of two broken people tarnished by their past, that together can overcome anything.
It does follow straight on from Fearless and is NOT a standalone.
I don't want to tell their beautiful story in my review I want you to read it for yourself.
June 3, 2022
Sorry, Lauren — I love you, but this one SUCKED.
I won’t even attempt to write a proper review, since it would devolve into a rant anyway. Because this book? It pissed me off like nobody’s business. It’s pissing me off right now.
Saying that the second volume of the Dartmoor series turned out to be a disappointment would be a huge understatement. Compared to book 1, this read like a filler, and a bad one at that. There was very little actual plot development when it came to the MC itself, the main focus was on the romance (which I found in turn icky and ridiculous, by the way), the backstories of the h and H (OTT to the extreme), and general domestic bliss, with itty-bitty plot crumbs hinting at some future happenings sprinkled throughout. (Tango 👀 Shaman 👀)
Spoilers ahead.
I’ll give this series a break for now, but I’m coming back as soon as I’m ready for more macho BS, and babies. Yes, it’s plural now.
I won’t even attempt to write a proper review, since it would devolve into a rant anyway. Because this book? It pissed me off like nobody’s business. It’s pissing me off right now.
Saying that the second volume of the Dartmoor series turned out to be a disappointment would be a huge understatement. Compared to book 1, this read like a filler, and a bad one at that. There was very little actual plot development when it came to the MC itself, the main focus was on the romance (which I found in turn icky and ridiculous, by the way), the backstories of the h and H (OTT to the extreme), and general domestic bliss, with itty-bitty plot crumbs hinting at some future happenings sprinkled throughout. (Tango 👀 Shaman 👀)
Spoilers ahead.
I’ll give this series a break for now, but I’m coming back as soon as I’m ready for more macho BS, and babies. Yes, it’s plural now.
May 6, 2015
You really should read
before reading this one. The H, Michael, is introduced in book 1 as well as other characters in this book. First let me say this author/series is turning into my favorite MC series for 2015. I love the writing style of this author and the way she brings all of the characters to life and makes you feel them. In this book we find that Michael isn't the cold hearted killer we saw in book 1. We find out about the tragic death of his mother and the events in his childhood that shaped the man he is today. We see a man that appears to the world as a supreme alpha, hard ass, unloving man but when it comes to Holly, he shows the deepest levels of love, dedication and loyalty. He will do anything for Holly, including killing. Holly has suffered immensely, a victim of incest, as well as physical and mental abuse. Michael is her savior and her true soul mate. Wonderful love story written in such a way that the author drags you into the story and makes you feel part of the cast.
We catch up with Ava and Mercy, major characters from the first book. I liked the way the author weaves these characters from previous books into the current story. Ghost, as usual, continues to be an awesome leader and is so funny when he calls his men down like a parent would with a child. There's angst, suspense, violence and continuing deep love between the romantic couples in the book.
I can't wait for the next book and hope the author keeps them coming.
before reading this one. The H, Michael, is introduced in book 1 as well as other characters in this book. First let me say this author/series is turning into my favorite MC series for 2015. I love the writing style of this author and the way she brings all of the characters to life and makes you feel them. In this book we find that Michael isn't the cold hearted killer we saw in book 1. We find out about the tragic death of his mother and the events in his childhood that shaped the man he is today. We see a man that appears to the world as a supreme alpha, hard ass, unloving man but when it comes to Holly, he shows the deepest levels of love, dedication and loyalty. He will do anything for Holly, including killing. Holly has suffered immensely, a victim of incest, as well as physical and mental abuse. Michael is her savior and her true soul mate. Wonderful love story written in such a way that the author drags you into the story and makes you feel part of the cast.We catch up with Ava and Mercy, major characters from the first book. I liked the way the author weaves these characters from previous books into the current story. Ghost, as usual, continues to be an awesome leader and is so funny when he calls his men down like a parent would with a child. There's angst, suspense, violence and continuing deep love between the romantic couples in the book.
I can't wait for the next book and hope the author keeps them coming.
July 2, 2025
Did I read the whole series? No. Do I know this one’s the best? Absolutely. It had me hooked, grinning, tense, and fully obsessed.
March 3, 2016
This is the second book in the Dartmoor series I think it is a must to read the first book Fearless before reading this one.
First I have to mention just how fantastically these books have been written, the way that Lauren Gilley was able to intertwine all the characters lives and feelings without it becoming disjointed and writing from all different POV point is just amazing. I thought this book would be about two new characters and may include the characters of the first book in passing but no. It was the story of two new characters as well as the continuation of the first story. I LOVE THIS SERIES!!!
I like a dark and brooding man so Michael caught my eye from the start and did not disappoint as I feel for him even more as the passion grew threw the book. Holly has a tragic story but is such a sweet girl. There was only one thing I was upset with and that was that this book was shorter than the first and I wanted it to keep going.
A testament to how good this series is, I am writing this review as fast as I can so I can continue reading this amazing series :)
If you have every liked MC books you HAVE to give this series a go.
First I have to mention just how fantastically these books have been written, the way that Lauren Gilley was able to intertwine all the characters lives and feelings without it becoming disjointed and writing from all different POV point is just amazing. I thought this book would be about two new characters and may include the characters of the first book in passing but no. It was the story of two new characters as well as the continuation of the first story. I LOVE THIS SERIES!!!
I like a dark and brooding man so Michael caught my eye from the start and did not disappoint as I feel for him even more as the passion grew threw the book. Holly has a tragic story but is such a sweet girl. There was only one thing I was upset with and that was that this book was shorter than the first and I wanted it to keep going.
A testament to how good this series is, I am writing this review as fast as I can so I can continue reading this amazing series :)
If you have every liked MC books you HAVE to give this series a go.
June 19, 2018
Michael McCall may call the members of his motorcycle club his "brothers" but that does not mean they are his friends. Sure, they love to stick him with the dirty work but in guise of thanks for his efforts, he instead gets the uncomfortable averted eyes, behind the back whispers, and aloofness from the rest of the Lean Dogs.
I thought it was very interesting how the author showed that despite all this talk of a family, brotherhood, and loyalty, an introvert like Michael can still be outcast from the bosom of a family, even one made up of outlaws. This is not talked about in other biker books I have read. It is mostly assumed that it is very black and white, either the club members are besties or they are traitors. I appreciated that the author went beyond the cliche here.
None of the club members have bothered to draw Michael out, to get to know him, the living, breathing person he is, not just the sergeant at arms. None of the club groupies have treated him as anything other than a quick notch on their bedpost either.
No one sees him, let alone looks at him, except for Holly Jessup, that cute new waitress at the bar Michael frequents. Holly is also very much a social outcast and a victim of a traumatic childhood, just like Michael, but that is not what initially draws her to him.
She is looking for a killer, someone who can finally free her from the terror that she has been hiding from and which is on its way to take her back. Holly's pretty, green eyes are the only ones not to look at Michael like he is a scary monster but rather, an avenging angel.
The Price of Angels is the second volume in Lauren Gilley's Dartmoor biker series and though it focuses on this new pairing of Michael and Holly, it also follows the story of the main characters from the first volume, Fearless, Ava Teague and Felix Mercy Lecuyer, as well as the extensive cast of characters who were introduced there.
I would not recommend reading Price of Angels as a stand-alone because you would simply not get the references and background story of the characters, which, in my opinion, are imperative to getting a full understanding of what occurs in this new story.
I was ambivalent about the new villains introduced in this second volume, as well as the many TSTL moments that these otherwise savvy characters displayed in order to move the somewhat predictable plot along.
I did not appreciate certain rather lengthy descriptions of abuse and torture, not because I squirm from stories that have these elements, but because I felt they were akin to torture porn. Simply put, sometimes, alluding to past events, and showing the reactions of the characters to those events, can pack a more powerful punch than meticulously reciting the details of those events in a lengthy flashback.
I recently read a book that deals with a character's traumatic past and it was done in such an effective way, showing the present emotional damage to the character rather than dissecting the past events themselves.
Having said all that, the romance aspect of the book was leagues above the romance in the previous volume. These were characters who I could one hundred percent get behind. Their coming together was so beautiful. It really was poignant. I am definitely hooked on this series now, especially because I see the author is not going to discard her characters in favor of new ones with each volume rather she is going to organically follow their storylines as well as introducing new ones.
I feel that we are getting something really epic here with the story of the members of the Lean Dogs motorcycle club, a slow build up until the inevitable volcanic ending, and I am looking forward to it very much.
I thought it was very interesting how the author showed that despite all this talk of a family, brotherhood, and loyalty, an introvert like Michael can still be outcast from the bosom of a family, even one made up of outlaws. This is not talked about in other biker books I have read. It is mostly assumed that it is very black and white, either the club members are besties or they are traitors. I appreciated that the author went beyond the cliche here.
None of the club members have bothered to draw Michael out, to get to know him, the living, breathing person he is, not just the sergeant at arms. None of the club groupies have treated him as anything other than a quick notch on their bedpost either.
No one sees him, let alone looks at him, except for Holly Jessup, that cute new waitress at the bar Michael frequents. Holly is also very much a social outcast and a victim of a traumatic childhood, just like Michael, but that is not what initially draws her to him.
She is looking for a killer, someone who can finally free her from the terror that she has been hiding from and which is on its way to take her back. Holly's pretty, green eyes are the only ones not to look at Michael like he is a scary monster but rather, an avenging angel.
The Price of Angels is the second volume in Lauren Gilley's Dartmoor biker series and though it focuses on this new pairing of Michael and Holly, it also follows the story of the main characters from the first volume, Fearless, Ava Teague and Felix Mercy Lecuyer, as well as the extensive cast of characters who were introduced there.
I would not recommend reading Price of Angels as a stand-alone because you would simply not get the references and background story of the characters, which, in my opinion, are imperative to getting a full understanding of what occurs in this new story.
I was ambivalent about the new villains introduced in this second volume, as well as the many TSTL moments that these otherwise savvy characters displayed in order to move the somewhat predictable plot along.
I did not appreciate certain rather lengthy descriptions of abuse and torture, not because I squirm from stories that have these elements, but because I felt they were akin to torture porn. Simply put, sometimes, alluding to past events, and showing the reactions of the characters to those events, can pack a more powerful punch than meticulously reciting the details of those events in a lengthy flashback.
I recently read a book that deals with a character's traumatic past and it was done in such an effective way, showing the present emotional damage to the character rather than dissecting the past events themselves.
Having said all that, the romance aspect of the book was leagues above the romance in the previous volume. These were characters who I could one hundred percent get behind. Their coming together was so beautiful. It really was poignant. I am definitely hooked on this series now, especially because I see the author is not going to discard her characters in favor of new ones with each volume rather she is going to organically follow their storylines as well as introducing new ones.
I feel that we are getting something really epic here with the story of the members of the Lean Dogs motorcycle club, a slow build up until the inevitable volcanic ending, and I am looking forward to it very much.
May 15, 2021
4.5 stars.
Not sure what to write, many good reviews out there.
I just love this series and the story is much more than just a shallow bikers drama! 😘
❤️❤️❤️
Not sure what to write, many good reviews out there.
I just love this series and the story is much more than just a shallow bikers drama! 😘
❤️❤️❤️
April 21, 2015
I probably should have waited awhile to read this one instead of a few hours after finishing the first book, Fearless. I wasn't over Mercy yet.
I did enjoy this one though although at times I felt myself wanting to skim through parts. We get to learn more about Michael the silent Sergent at Arms for the Lean Dogs MC and why he is the way that he is. Holly's past is just sad, so so sad. The whole gang of the MC is portrayed throughout the book and I loved those parts, especially Mercy and Ava's. The last 30 % of the book seemed to really draw me in.
I did enjoy this one though although at times I felt myself wanting to skim through parts. We get to learn more about Michael the silent Sergent at Arms for the Lean Dogs MC and why he is the way that he is. Holly's past is just sad, so so sad. The whole gang of the MC is portrayed throughout the book and I loved those parts, especially Mercy and Ava's. The last 30 % of the book seemed to really draw me in.
April 16, 2019
I love the writing style of this author and surely I loved Price of Angels as much as Fearless! Lauren Gilley has the ability to drag you into the story and make you feel part of it!! All these characters are fucking brilliant and so lovable!! Dartmoor series, certainly is a strong addition!!!
September 28, 2016
I'm liking this whole series...on to the next.
January 11, 2023
Michael and Holly’s story was amazing. These two broken souls have endured so much. I was so invested in their story and intrigued by how the author would make these two come together. Holly has experienced and been through hell and is still suffering from it but the way Michael showed her how to love and be loved intimately was beautiful. Holly is a strong heroine and taking charge in changing her life for the better by contacting Michael was step one. Their journey from there taught them both so much. He found his person and peace and so did she. They were so good for one another.
The rest of the Lean Dogs cast appeared and the overall story explored further. Like book 1 I could do without the long descriptions but it’s not going to stop me from continuing on with the series. It’s too damn good not to.
February 3, 2018
Book Soundtrack: Pain – The War on Drugs
“He wanted, if he was honest – and being this drunk, he could shoot straight with himself – to be something besides the angel of death for once. And for this girl, he could be. For her, death would be the most precious gift, a gift that would make her... Love him.”
How can you start a book firmly convinced of your principles, of the lines you know aren't supposed to be crossed, of what you believe is right and wrong, morally acceptable and utterly wrong, reach the end of the story and realize you've suspended them all in favor of the biggest anti-hero of all times?
You're no longer yourself. You rooted for the fucked-up, mean guy and come to the conclusion that you're probably bad, too, now, but at the same time, you can't go back.
You know you'd just hate and love him again, if you were to start from the beginning.
That's the thing with the “Dartmoor” series. I thought I'd endured enough cruelty and unacceptable behaviors the first time around. They were so overwhelming and raw, that I was sure the next books were going to be a piece of cake, compared to that.
I was so stupidly wrong! The lies, the violence, the revenge and pain of “Fearless” were nothing, compared to the ugliness expressed in “Price of Angels”.
I reached a point when I started feeling physically sick from it. My stomach ached, and my eyes teared up. I was disgusted and so shocked, my heart broken for the main characters and my thirst for revenge so fierce, I had to pause and realize in wonder how much I'd been both moved and repulsed by it.
Michael and Holly, the unlovable, broken protagonists. I hadn't expected the first to be the main character of this second installment, not because he wasn't interesting enough, but because I'd pretty much ignored his character's potential. I'd sensed something deeply wrong with him in “Fearless”, but hadn't anticipated the level of trauma he'd experienced.
And speaking of trauma, the opening of “Price of Angels” was a trauma all by itself. I kept asking myself why Lauren Gilley had decided to show him in such a light, shock the readers into basically hating him since the beginning. I knew, when more of his past was slowly revealed, the reason why she'd done that. I still couldn't accept it, though, and it stayed with me, this awful, resentful feeling that prevented me from understanding and accepting him with all his flaws and dark places.
After those first pages, I had to convince myself that, if I wanted to keep reading, I had to remove that fact from my mind. Pretend I hadn't read it. Wait for him to reveal himself completely.
And that's exactly what I did. I loved this book, with a passion I couldn't foresee.
But I didn't love it because of Michael. I loved it despite him.
I found it profoundly hypocritical and wrong. I got that he'd turned into the angel of death. He'd merely acted as a means for his club, without questions or moral doubts.
He didn't exist as a sentient human being, one who could act for himself. He had to depend on his president and feel meaningful, somehow. Necessary.
But it ruined him for me. Throughout the book I was constantly torn between cursing his mindless act of violence and caring and rooting for him and Holly. I wasn't sure he deserved a happy ending.
Despite my moral dilemma, I couldn't help falling in love with “Price of Angels”.
Lauren Gilley is a talented young writer. She's that kind of author who loves to dedicate herself to the little details. The result is not redundant or boring, though. There's nothing unnecessary in the particulars she decides to focus on; they're all important, critical to the plot and the characters.
They enrich it, turning it into narrative perfection.
I hadn't even finished this book that I'd already bought the next novella she'd published. That's how much I loved and respected her. When you spend your money on a book, and are happy to do so – can't wait even – you know you've found someone truly special.
October 16, 2015
Second in the Dartmoor Series, I loved Price of Angels even more than the first book, Fearless. Fearless had some problems but all that was fixed in Price of Angels. The beautiful wording, the pace, the action, and the characters – it all drew me in and I couldn’t put it down.
The Dartmoor series is turning out to be not your normal MC series. It does have lots of grit and action and triggers galore , but the books focus on the main couple, with the members of the MC as true background characters. We do get to know the other members, but I love that the main focus is the hero and his heroine and the battles and personal demons they are fighting.
Michael was beyond interesting to me. Usually MC books stress the thought of brotherhood, not by blood but by club. Michael is a brother that is so closed off, so socially removed he doesn’t seem to be accepted by his brothers. In fact, it’s almost like they don’t like him because he makes them nervous since they don’t know what goes through his head. I found myself questioning why he was a member and if all hell broke loose, would his brothers even back him up? Watching Michael come out of his shell for Holly was beautiful to behold, and as his backstory unfolded and I started to get a grasp on why he was so closed off, I started falling for his character just like Holly was.
Holly was unbelievably broken and scared, yet she was beating things back and trying to figure out how to survive the fight she knew was headed her way. Raised in the middle of a nightmare, once she escaped she had no idea how the rest of the world lived. Things we take for granted, she had no knowledge of. In order to learn, she read magazines and books and watched movies. I loved that she took all this with a grain of salt, instinctively knowing the difference between pop culture and what’s really “real”. I also had the utmost respect that she knew that in order to survive, she would have to find the baddest of the bad and convince him to help her. Hard to do when men scare you, but she made a plan and persevered. She set her sights on Michael (because she figured out he scared the baddest of the bad) and what a great choice that was. Holly’s not a badass heroine who can kickass and take names, but the inner strength she showed was impressive and the fact that she knew her limitations and gave everything she had to persevere made her almost more badass than the most kickass heroine out there.
I loved that this was not an insta-love situation. More like the blind leading the blind since both Michael and Holly had no idea how to interact not only with each other but with anyone else. Watching them figure things out with no unnecessary angst and straightforwardness was beautiful to behold.
We got to see lots of Mercy and Ava which I appreciated. Mercy and Michael started out pretty much hating each other, but as the book progressed it was nice to see they were more alike than they knew. Ghost lost some serious points in this book. I’m not going to spoil anything and I get where his head was at, but I vehemently disagree with where he was going with a certain situation. The Lean Dogs themselves I still love, and can’t wait to dive into The Skeleton King which is up next. If fact, I’m shoving aside an ARC and I’m going to start it tonight.
Spice’s Rating: 4.5 absolutely thrilled stars
For this review and more, check out http://edgyreviews.com
The Dartmoor series is turning out to be not your normal MC series. It does have lots of grit and action and triggers galore , but the books focus on the main couple, with the members of the MC as true background characters. We do get to know the other members, but I love that the main focus is the hero and his heroine and the battles and personal demons they are fighting.
Michael was beyond interesting to me. Usually MC books stress the thought of brotherhood, not by blood but by club. Michael is a brother that is so closed off, so socially removed he doesn’t seem to be accepted by his brothers. In fact, it’s almost like they don’t like him because he makes them nervous since they don’t know what goes through his head. I found myself questioning why he was a member and if all hell broke loose, would his brothers even back him up? Watching Michael come out of his shell for Holly was beautiful to behold, and as his backstory unfolded and I started to get a grasp on why he was so closed off, I started falling for his character just like Holly was.
Holly was unbelievably broken and scared, yet she was beating things back and trying to figure out how to survive the fight she knew was headed her way. Raised in the middle of a nightmare, once she escaped she had no idea how the rest of the world lived. Things we take for granted, she had no knowledge of. In order to learn, she read magazines and books and watched movies. I loved that she took all this with a grain of salt, instinctively knowing the difference between pop culture and what’s really “real”. I also had the utmost respect that she knew that in order to survive, she would have to find the baddest of the bad and convince him to help her. Hard to do when men scare you, but she made a plan and persevered. She set her sights on Michael (because she figured out he scared the baddest of the bad) and what a great choice that was. Holly’s not a badass heroine who can kickass and take names, but the inner strength she showed was impressive and the fact that she knew her limitations and gave everything she had to persevere made her almost more badass than the most kickass heroine out there.
I loved that this was not an insta-love situation. More like the blind leading the blind since both Michael and Holly had no idea how to interact not only with each other but with anyone else. Watching them figure things out with no unnecessary angst and straightforwardness was beautiful to behold.
We got to see lots of Mercy and Ava which I appreciated. Mercy and Michael started out pretty much hating each other, but as the book progressed it was nice to see they were more alike than they knew. Ghost lost some serious points in this book. I’m not going to spoil anything and I get where his head was at, but I vehemently disagree with where he was going with a certain situation. The Lean Dogs themselves I still love, and can’t wait to dive into The Skeleton King which is up next. If fact, I’m shoving aside an ARC and I’m going to start it tonight.
Spice’s Rating: 4.5 absolutely thrilled stars
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April 16, 2021
Price of Angels is book 2 in the Dartmoor series. I definitely enjoyed it more than the first book. That being said, I do think this book should have come with some trigger warnings. I know, I know, it’s an MC-romance so it’s a given that there’s going to be violence. But there’s violence and then there’s violence. And the violence against women in this book was of the italicized latter category.
Now, let me be clear, I read it and was fine but cringed REALLY hard on the inside.
A lot of stuff in this story reminded me of Dexter Season 5 and since I watched that season mostly like this:
I decided to stop watching the show altogether. To be honest though, I watched Season 4 the same way and still shudder thinking about some of that shit.
So, although millions of people loved that show, it just wasn’t a show for me. Which was FINE.
And I think this book kinda falls into that same boat, a lot of people are going to love it and some people really aren’t. There’s some dark shit in this and since you can’t cover your eyes while reading, a trigger-warning would be helpful. Just my opinion.
Anyway, moving on.
I really loved Holly and Michael together. They just got each other. And their devotion to one another and their ability to make the other one feel safe and loved, and well,
This book was a make or break for me and this series and since I ended up being a total sucker for it, I’m now going to have to read the rest.
Now, let me be clear, I read it and was fine but cringed REALLY hard on the inside.
A lot of stuff in this story reminded me of Dexter Season 5 and since I watched that season mostly like this:
I decided to stop watching the show altogether. To be honest though, I watched Season 4 the same way and still shudder thinking about some of that shit.
So, although millions of people loved that show, it just wasn’t a show for me. Which was FINE.
And I think this book kinda falls into that same boat, a lot of people are going to love it and some people really aren’t. There’s some dark shit in this and since you can’t cover your eyes while reading, a trigger-warning would be helpful. Just my opinion.
Anyway, moving on.
I really loved Holly and Michael together. They just got each other. And their devotion to one another and their ability to make the other one feel safe and loved, and well,
This book was a make or break for me and this series and since I ended up being a total sucker for it, I’m now going to have to read the rest.
July 24, 2017
This was oh so dark and definitely not recommended for those readers for whom abuse is a no go zone. But there was something so sweet and poignant about two really broken people who find the beauty in first love in spite of the violence of their past and ongoing future.
November 12, 2021
**3.5** Liked the first book so much better. Holly and Michael were a sweet couple, but they reminded me way too much of Maddie and Flame from the Hades Hangmen series. They both have horrific childhood trauma. I wasn’t very happy to read yet another
Ava and Mercy from book one, have sections of this story and I was so happy to hear how they are doing. I LOVE this couple.
Ghost is an ass.
I’m rounding up to four stars because I think the writing is excellent and there were parts of the story I loved. I’m just sooooo tired of reading abuse as a plot enhancer.
Ava and Mercy from book one, have sections of this story and I was so happy to hear how they are doing. I LOVE this couple.
Ghost is an ass.
I’m rounding up to four stars because I think the writing is excellent and there were parts of the story I loved. I’m just sooooo tired of reading abuse as a plot enhancer.
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