Trick Growing up, I knew how my future was going to go, I knew that I was going to be a brother, Not just any brother—an officer brother. I knew I was going to be the Vice President, taking over the role from my father, I knew I was going to be a doctor, And with everything laid out, I knew I was never going to settle down. Between school and the club, I didn’t have time for a relationship, But someone messed up, And a brother's little sister, a friend, got the consequences, I got the consequences. I always tried not to look at Clark romantically, She was quirky, sweet, and a little buttercup, Until I had no choice but to marry her for her safety, And I started seeing the feelings I tried to squash, And it scared me. I pushed her away and hurt her, I allowed her to believe things that weren’t true, I treated her like an acquaintance, And now after six years she wants to leave me. Someone got into her head, and instead of questioning me, she left me, She made me realize I can’t live without her, And whether we like it or not, she’s mine, And I won’t lose her….
Clark Growing up, I never really took notice of the brothers, My father was one, my brother was joining the club along with his friends, And I was just the club princess, searching for my place in the world. I had my best friend and my love for helping people, I had my education, and nothing was going to get in the way of that. Until something did. I always admired my brother's best friend from afar, I thought he was pretty to look at but that was all I allowed myself to feel, Until I was forced to marry him for safety. Slowly over the years I realized the attraction was love, Slowly, he dug himself deep into my bones, He became the reason I breathed. But he didn’t see me that way, Instead, in his eyes, I was his friend, the nuisance he was stuck with, And I didn’t know how to change his view of me, But when I decided to try, Reality hit me, and it hit me hard. I decided divorce was the right way to go, For him, for me, for the family, I thought setting him free was what he wanted, But what I thought was wrong, And now I don’t know what to do….
This can be read as a standalone. It is book 2 of 7 of the Carnage MC Series, with a HEA. Due to mature content and themes, this book is recommended for readers aged 18+; this novel may contain triggers.
Absolutely not. And the plot gets more OTT. Gotta say though the combination of the date rape drug, cocaine, and viagra is going to send you into cardiac arrest not Mr. Horny.
I think I need to officially step away from this author now. It's recycled plot on top of recycled plot. And I'm starting to think the author may dislike her mother IRL because all the MC's mothers are shit and patch chasers themselves.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
★. The books name is trick because the reviews are playing jokes with how high they are rating it.
This had so much potential. It was good plot wise because you don’t read it as often and it was handled well. I can forgive him making it seem like he was cheating during their marriage because he felt like he assaulted her. What I can’t forgive is the immediate forgiveness from her.
Regardless of how the situation was, FOR YEARS she thought he was cheating while he was ignoring her. He took away all her choices after the incident with them. We barely got an apology because it was turned around to make the readers feel bad for HIM.
REGARDLESS OF THAT, why on earth would we write in birth control tampering? Every thing with this fmc was taken non-consensually and now the birth of her second baby was taken away because he wanted a baby? And she wasn’t even mad. Ignored him for three days and forgave him saying she wasn’t even mad. THIS GIRL IS A NURSE AND SHE COULDN’T TELL THAT THE BIRTH CONTROL WAS NOT CORRECT?
I absolutely hated how the author wrote the best friend as the “villain”. Her whole relationship for decades is hidden and she’s supposed to be onboard with her bestie and her husband after he humiliated her for years and knows what the fmc went through, but she’s the bad guy? Get out of here!
The one star is simply due to the fact he was celibate after the incident. Anything else, nothing.
I absolutely love Clark and Trick together ad a couple. They both felt responsible for what happened even though it was done to them. They overcome ever challenge that was thrown at them. Crazy Lavender, The Doctor, and a parent, oh and let's not forget the other MC.
Trick has always been in Clark's life, being best friends with her brother who is in the same MC helped bring that about. One night though both Trick and Clark are betrayed and Clark ends up pregnant. Forced into a marriage neither are ready for, Trick has been working on his feelings with everything that happened for years. He has not communicated any of this to Clark, who feels guilty as well and has solely focused on raising their daughter. Now she wants a divorce. Can Trick right the wrongs that have happened since they went from friends to husband and wife.
I really enjoyed this one. So far best in the series. Really liked Clark and understood her reasonings with shutting her family out. Very curious about her friend and brother. Excited for the next book.
I liked it! Clark and Trick definitely belong together, and I'm glad things worked out for them the way they did. I hate the drama with the Mamas, but I am definitely intrigued by Crash's love life.
I love Charlotte McGinlay. I always look past the editing issues and misspellings because I absolutely love her stories. Some more than others, of course, I've had a couple that I've disliked, but those are few and far between.
This book was no different. I enjoyed it very much, but I couldn't quite give it 5 stars.
I'll explain why below, but warning: there are some spoilers ahead!
The Spoilers...
Trick marries Clark for "protection" because she is pregnant due to some shady circumstances that happen early on. After six years of stupidity, he finally figures out that he loves her, so he tries to convince her to give their marriage a real chance. If you read Cage, you already know she serves him with divorce papers. I get it—the idiot ignored her for almost six years. I'd have left him sooner, but I digress. None of that was really the issue for me. The actual issue comes toward the end of the book when Clark explains that all of her choices were taken away from her. When she explains this, the idiot literally says he's not sorry because he has her and their daughter, blah, blah, blah.
Look, I understand he's grateful for the way things turned out, but that was absolutely not the point she was trying to make. Geez! If nothing else, just acknowledge that you messed up. Tell her that even though everything got carried away, you're sorry for how it happened, you love her, and if circumstances had been different, you would have done things differently to get to the same outcome. That would have been so much better than saying, "I'm not sorry things happened the way they did." Now, I'm not saying I wouldn't have forgiven him eventually, but I definitely would have punched his pretty face first. Ugh, he made me so mad!
The other small thing that bothered me was how Clark held onto the doubt that he could do a complete 180 after six years. She has known him her whole life; she knows he's not lying. Once she learned why he did the things he did, I wanted her to just move on. Stop whining about the six years he ignored you, because guess what? She ignored him too. So, they're even Steven.
Final Thoughts
Other than those gripes, I really enjoyed it and can't wait for Knuckles and Kodi, that should be awesome!
Oh, one last thing: Crash (Clark's brother) is in a relationship with Belle (Clark's BFF), but I don't like Belle at all. I really hope he finds his "one," and I hope it's not her. So, Charlotte, if you read your reviews... please consider giving Crash someone else! Just a suggestion.
Talk about miss communication or really no communication making the main characters kinda miserable apart … 🙄
I kind of kept reading because I wanted more spoilers on what’s going on with Belle. Loved her, real MVP for the FMC for so long. And then the poor girl evidently made so many dumb decisions and lied a lot. I hope there is a reason behind her behaving like that. But also when her so called boyfriend says to everyone but her that he loves her but he’s not in love with her .. I would also be acting messed up, because a girl knows when a dude is with her because it’s convenient. Let the girl go so she can find someone that really loves her in the romantic way. I really hope that Crash’s book make me understand why she acts this way, someone must be in her ear about shit and making her be MIA.
But yeah this isn’t Belles book but the main couple was kinda boring to be honest.. they could have solved everything in one conversation before they even married.
The book begins with a clusterfluff of epic proportions. Clark and Trick are drugged and end up having sex for the first time- for Clark’s VERY first time. Because Clark gets pregnant, Trick and the club force her to marry him for her safety against the rival MC. The club Ho-ho-ho who doctored Trick’s drink doesn’t even get booted, which is another reason Clark doesn’t trust the club. (I’m with Clark on this one- Lavender gives off the impression that she’s got crazy eyes like Jill Rodrigues of fundie fame). Six years on, the couple barely speaks unless it’s about their daughter. They are emotionally remote from each other. It doesn’t help that both Trick and Clark blame themselves for what each sees as an SA on the other. With the help of some truly Ebil people. Clark is miserable because Trick’s supposed mistress has just shown her an ultrasound photo and she is heartily tired of having no agency. So she files for divorce. The twist? Trick never cheated (although he did try to kiss another woman once and freaked out). And the cherry on top? Trick has been undergoing psychological therapy in order to recognize and deal with his emotions, to understand the nature of the attack and its impact, and to realize the factors of control and helplessness and how disempowering that is. It’s no wonder that Trick is having trouble. McGinlay’s MC romances, in my experience so far, are high on the angst factor. And high on the groveling. To the point of hysteria, if not wangst. But this book is angsty, but definitely not wangsty, and it’s emotionally heavy without being draining. THE FOLLOWING IS UNDER A SPOILER SCREEN BECAUSE IT MAY BE TRIGGERING: They were separately wrestling their feelings of guilt towards each other because both of them took the blame for the event, emotionally speaking, and all of this wrapped itself up into a very messy package that was their marriage. (TRIGGERY STUFF UNDER THIS SPOILER SCREEN) The author does not dwell on the fear they must have felt being at the club in the years afterwards, although McGinlay acknowledges it more from Clark, but could have done a much better job exploring the uncertainty and discomfort, at the very least, that Trick would have felt having to visit the scene of his ordeal pretty much daily, and the traumatic nature of having to see his attacker there and deal with continued harassment, both physical and sexual. I feel like the author really didn’t delve deep enough there, and it could have elevated the book into something groundbreaking and truly special. Still, the book was very strong and, although there was an emotional journey for the characters, it didn’t devolve into self-indulgent hysteria and stayed true to the course, making for a touching, engaging read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
SA/R = the H and h were drugged and got together so in effect, they were both SA/R because of being drugged. The each separately blamed themselves for being the others "rapist"...therapy helped.
MC = it's there
F-Preg = as a result of the above mentioned drugging, they had a child. When H found out the h was pregnant they immediately got married
Both had issues to overcome due to the trauma they experienced together. They have loved each other for years, but after getting married had shut down both ways. h was under the impression that the H was being a man-ho which he was not and had been faithful the whole time. They had to learn to communicate and more importantly actually hear each others' words.
OW drama = there were several....CW who wanted the H was the one who spiked his drink but too bad for her it worked with the h and not her. Same CW also was repeatedly in h's face to say the CW and H were together (not true). Comeuppance? H added another hole to her head. H's mom tried to murder him on his 7th birthday and H's dad just swept it under the rug. H never trusted his mother and blamed his father for forcing H to ignore it ever happened. It eventually all comes out. Comeuppance? H's dad eventually divorces the mom and she is banned from club property. It is not real apparent or clear in this book and may be cleared up in another book, but it appears as if the h's bff may not be a real friend. Some shady things have happened but it has not been cleared up or addressed in this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Mikes “Trick” & Clark grew up together, best friends and always had a connection. Their story spanned over five years, misunderstandings, lack of communication, heartbreak, guilt, betrayal, anger, hurt, lies, family and ow drama, unexpected pregnancy, perceived cheating, forced marriage and attempted drug/rape. Trick is drugged by a club bunny looking to trap him and unknowingly to Clark shares his drink. Next morning they wake up to find they had sex and he believes he raped her and she believes she raped him. Over five years he lets her believe he has a mistress and pushes her away because of his guilt. They do get their HEA after two more additional years and start to build up their family. Epilogue and he ends up having five girls and his sixth is a boy. Enjoyable. What I don’t understand is why they couldn’t vote a club bunny out because she is not club property? ODD.
Another "can't stop, need answers" book! I do wonder though, if there's something in the water? All these women are crazy! Glad all the "brothers" have even crazier women, but I love their type of crazy. Didn't think I'd like anyone more than Drew, but Clark, is a good second. I enjoy that the men are just as terrified by them. Love how they compliment each other. There were a few typos, but less than the first & no one is perfect. I'd definitely recommend this one as well & will definitely be diving into the next. Who needs sleep, right? Really conflicted on if I like Belle for her brother now. Hoping he has a book soon! On to the next!
Another enjoyable book from CL McGinlay, Loved spending more time with the Carnage MC. Trick was protective, loyal, and easy to root for. I really enjoyed the balance between the club life, the romance, and the emotional moments. I found myself wanting to keep reading to see what happened next. I enjoyed getting to know more about the other characters, but can honestly say I’m not a fan on belle. It has definitely left me excited to continue with the rest of the series. Let’s hope for more surprise drops.
What a great beginning to new series, this is the second book . Trick and Clark grew up together, they fight the attraction they have for each other. Something happens and both feel like they hurt the other. But lurking in the shadows is someone trying to get her hands on Trick only for her plan to fail. But the drama doesn’t stop there, can we say crazy women, jealousy, losing the trust of the brothers, communication problems , and choices being taken away. This book was nonstop amazing! Until the next book.
Another great addition to the series! Trick and Clark have been friends forever, but one night changes everything—and not in a good way. Your heart breaks for these characters before it's slowly put back together again. The story keeps you questioning how you really feel about certain characters, and by the end, you'll be desperate for the rest of the series to be released. I can't wait to see what happens next!
No cheating, as the biker knows he is in love with his wife but can't seem to get the thoughts out of his mind about what happened to make them get married.
Years later, he finally goes to therapy and starts righting all his wrongs, only for his wife to finally file for divorce. However, he will not let that happen. They go to therapy together and find out they have both been in love with one another for a long time.
Other woman drama is a delusional woman who finally gets hers.
A great ending...and I am excited to read about her brother and if he will really stay with sister's best friend or move on.
A love that has been fighting outside sources from the beginning. You can feel the pain they are both in from the start and even though you want to yell at them for not talking to eachother you are cheering for them when they finally do. One crazy woman after another they fight and make it. Can't wait to figure out what is going on with her best friend.
I’ve read all of her MC books and appreciate how they are interconnected, allowing characters from other series to appear. This series has a distinct tone compared to her other books. It features ups and downs, with characters experiencing significant self-development to overcome trauma and achieve their HEA. It’s a great story, and I’m eagerly anticipating Knuckles!
Best friend’s sister, Friends to lovers, forced marriage of convenience, forced, surprised pregnancy… There is a lot going on but i enjoyed that organized chaos. I loved the banter between the brothers, the drama was good, a bit all over the place but it’s the author’s MO. Now I can’t wait to read about Crash hoping he doesn’t end up with Belle as she sounds toxic.
I absolutely loved Clark and Trick’s story. Definitely a rough beginning for them both, but they got their HEA! I love that Clark is not afraid to stand up for herself and not afraid to throw a punch! I loved the story! Definitely recommend reading it, but if you want the full effect start with book one!
Goodness me what a brilliant read, I absolutely loved Trick and Clark’s story ❤️❤️❤️ so much going on in their lives, it’s a definite page turner and very entertaining. Chaos, drama, danger, jealous, delusional club girl, amazing. 100% recommend this book to everyone ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ you will not be disappointed 😎🖤
Yet again didn't disappoint, loved all the authors books read every single one and not 1 I did not love ,always waiting for the next one . A must read from the beginning of the series. So looking forward to the next book in the series 😍.
I love all the books by this Arthur.But I love the drama more and this didn’t teach her drama rate. Hahaha. But I know not all of them are drama filled. Regardless can’t wait for the next.
Every book I read from this author just gets better and better, this book was absolutely perfect. Even though you wanted to smack Trick a few times it was just perfect
I actually couldn’t put this book down. I read it in a day! I love this series so far. I love this couple. They went thru it but came back together better and stronger. They were perfect for each other. I cant wait for the next book!!!!
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Couple: Trick & Clark ❋❋❋❋❋❋ Umm... I really just felt bad for Clark most of this story. Trick wasn't a hero I could get behind. I will say she comes up with the most traumatic parents possible for these dudes.
I love this book. What the FMC goes through with the MMC and the MC shows she is such a strong woman. I love how it worked out in the end. Neither one of them gave up totally.
An other amazing story by Charlotte. I absolutely loved Trick and Clark! Clark was a badass Mc princess and Trick is the perfect man for her. Can't wait for next one!