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Axle Alley Vipers #1
Crashed
She swore never to trust him again...
Fiery mechanic Alexandra Franco should have known better. Years ago, her best friends' older brother took her virginity and broke her heart — or rather, doused it with gasoline, lit a match, and then walked away. And Alex definitely should not have indulged in another hot night with him after the fact. He's not the same boy she fell for, and she sure as hell doesn't want anything to do with the wealthy, ruthless man he's become.
Walking away from Alex was the biggest mistake of Deacon West's life. She belongs with him, and if getting her back means playing dirty, so be it. If she'll grant him a three-month, no-strings affair, he won't sell the building Alex and her sisters use for their auto repair business. Hell, he'll even sign it over to them. But will Alex ever entrust her heart to him again, or are they destined to crash and burn?
Fiery mechanic Alexandra Franco should have known better. Years ago, her best friends' older brother took her virginity and broke her heart — or rather, doused it with gasoline, lit a match, and then walked away. And Alex definitely should not have indulged in another hot night with him after the fact. He's not the same boy she fell for, and she sure as hell doesn't want anything to do with the wealthy, ruthless man he's become.
Walking away from Alex was the biggest mistake of Deacon West's life. She belongs with him, and if getting her back means playing dirty, so be it. If she'll grant him a three-month, no-strings affair, he won't sell the building Alex and her sisters use for their auto repair business. Hell, he'll even sign it over to them. But will Alex ever entrust her heart to him again, or are they destined to crash and burn?
232 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 14, 2015
99 people are currently reading
1669 people want to read
About the author
Sherilee Gray
53 books1,260 followersSherilee Gray is a kiwi girl and lives in beautiful New Zealand with her husband and their two children. When she isn't writing sexy contemporary and paranormal romance, searching for her next alpha hero on Pinterest, or fueling her voracious book addiction, she can be found dreaming of far off places with a mug of tea in one hand and a bar of chocolate in the other.
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January 14, 2016
Crashed is book one in the Axle Alley Vipers series by Sherilee Gray. This book was generously provided to me in exchange for an honest review by the author.
Alexandra “Alex” Franco couldn’t believe it when the letter arrived stating that the building’s owner was having the property valued for possible sale. The building where she shared an auto repair and restoration business with her two best girl friends. Not to mention that the owner was also the older brother of her two business partners and the man she has loved since she was a child. He is also the man that broke her heart.
Deacon West seemingly had everything a man could want, except the woman that held his heart. He knew he had hurt her, and that Alex would run as fast as she could if she knew how he really felt. So he would have to play this very carefully. All he needed was time, time to show her she could trust him. Time to prove that they could be good together. So how does he get her to give him the time he needs? He makes a deal with her. Three months to be his, and he would sign over the building. Would three months be enough time to convince her that she was his, that she’d always been his?
Alex was a grease monkey. She loved her job, loved the garage. They were just starting to bring in the types of jobs they’d dreamed of. Alex had had a tough life. Her family had been her two best friends, the two sisters she shared her business with, and Deacon. She could barely remember a time she didn’t love Deke. But he was a successful business man, she was a mechanic with permanent grease under her fingernails. She could never fit into his world.
“She and Deacon were worlds apart now. They knew as well as she did that a man like Deacon would never want anything but a fling with someone like her.”
Deacon would do anything to prove to Alex how important she is to him. But she doesn’t trust him, how could she after the way he had hurt her. There were things he just couldn’t tell her, things that would help her to understand why he did what he did.
“Let me go, Deke.”
Not going to happen. He’d done it once, and it had been the biggest mistake of his life.
This book was completely amazing. I am so happy to have found this author. Well, to be honest, another author friend sort of put us together. Deacon and Alex were perfect. Each had suffered in their pasts for different reasons. Each had serious trust issues from being betrayed. But under all of that, they loved each other. Deke’s methods might have been a bit unconventional, perhaps manipulative! But we can see the depth of his feelings for Alex. He is desperate to win her heart.
But as always, fate isn’t going to make this easy for either of them. Deke’s past is not ready to let go yet and he will have to find a way to deal with it. And they both have to find a way to trust one another. Neither of them are prepared to deal with all the feelings they are being bombarded with. And then there is the hotness factor. Deke is off the charts sexy and he definitely knows just how to make Alex stop thinking about anything else except the things he is doing to her.
“She was completely lost to him, always had been. And for the first time in her life, she wanted to take a risk on loving someone, despite the possibility of losing him.”
So if you want a hot romance with a sexy, alpha male that will do anything at all to win over the woman he loves, this one is for you. Book two, Revved, focuses on Rusty, one of Deke’s sisters and Alex’s business partners.
Alexandra “Alex” Franco couldn’t believe it when the letter arrived stating that the building’s owner was having the property valued for possible sale. The building where she shared an auto repair and restoration business with her two best girl friends. Not to mention that the owner was also the older brother of her two business partners and the man she has loved since she was a child. He is also the man that broke her heart.
Deacon West seemingly had everything a man could want, except the woman that held his heart. He knew he had hurt her, and that Alex would run as fast as she could if she knew how he really felt. So he would have to play this very carefully. All he needed was time, time to show her she could trust him. Time to prove that they could be good together. So how does he get her to give him the time he needs? He makes a deal with her. Three months to be his, and he would sign over the building. Would three months be enough time to convince her that she was his, that she’d always been his?
Alex was a grease monkey. She loved her job, loved the garage. They were just starting to bring in the types of jobs they’d dreamed of. Alex had had a tough life. Her family had been her two best friends, the two sisters she shared her business with, and Deacon. She could barely remember a time she didn’t love Deke. But he was a successful business man, she was a mechanic with permanent grease under her fingernails. She could never fit into his world.
“She and Deacon were worlds apart now. They knew as well as she did that a man like Deacon would never want anything but a fling with someone like her.”
Deacon would do anything to prove to Alex how important she is to him. But she doesn’t trust him, how could she after the way he had hurt her. There were things he just couldn’t tell her, things that would help her to understand why he did what he did.
“Let me go, Deke.”
Not going to happen. He’d done it once, and it had been the biggest mistake of his life.
This book was completely amazing. I am so happy to have found this author. Well, to be honest, another author friend sort of put us together. Deacon and Alex were perfect. Each had suffered in their pasts for different reasons. Each had serious trust issues from being betrayed. But under all of that, they loved each other. Deke’s methods might have been a bit unconventional, perhaps manipulative! But we can see the depth of his feelings for Alex. He is desperate to win her heart.
But as always, fate isn’t going to make this easy for either of them. Deke’s past is not ready to let go yet and he will have to find a way to deal with it. And they both have to find a way to trust one another. Neither of them are prepared to deal with all the feelings they are being bombarded with. And then there is the hotness factor. Deke is off the charts sexy and he definitely knows just how to make Alex stop thinking about anything else except the things he is doing to her.
“She was completely lost to him, always had been. And for the first time in her life, she wanted to take a risk on loving someone, despite the possibility of losing him.”
So if you want a hot romance with a sexy, alpha male that will do anything at all to win over the woman he loves, this one is for you. Book two, Revved, focuses on Rusty, one of Deke’s sisters and Alex’s business partners.
September 8, 2017
Crashed and burnt all right ... How can this crap even get published? It is sexist, cliché, clumsy & preposterous !! There, you have your review... Cheers
just-not-for-me
January 14, 2016Not going to read a book where the hero puts the heroine second.
July 12, 2015
3 - "I went about this all the wrong way." Stars!
Crashed is the first book in the Axle Alley Vipers series, it is also the first book I have read from Sherilee Gray. With several of my favorite tropes in play 'best friends older brother' & 'second chance love' I settled in, and was really enjoying the story developing between Deacon West and Alex Franco. Alex has loved Deke since she was fourteen, being the older brother of her best friends, and work colleagues Piper and Rusty, he has been one of the few constants as well as being in and out of her life ever since. One unforgettable night when he took her virginity, and then a second 6 months prior to when this story really takes off, where they share another dirty, sexy night together, only this time it's Alex doing the early morning flit from his apartment.
"I let the past get in the way of our future."
So what went wrong... For me the addition of a crazy, but then not crazy ex, and the derogatory way Alex was treated by almost everyone in the second half of the book, to the point that she even started calling herself a 'whore'. As a couple, Deke and Alex had enough going on with his past, her commitment issues, and the deal he made with her to ensure that she agreed to spend time with him, I personally didn't think the story really needed anything else added to it. I really liked them both, and the dirty-talking, sexy Deacon ticked all the boxes of what I want in my romantic heroes, Alex ticked all the right boxes for me as well, inked, pierced and full of attitude, vulnerable in ways only those who know her closely can interpret, theirs was a story that was hovering at the 4 - 4.5 star mark until all the added crap with his ex started to dull the flow between them as a couple, and the relationship they were tentatively building together.
He'd been her knight in grease-stained coveralls, been there more times than she could count.
This is not a bad book, it is extremely well written and I loved the set up of an all female garage, as it is not one that I have come across often, and to say that Sherliee Gray can certainly write an alpha that knows what to say and how to back it up in the context of sexy-times would be a massive understatement. Piper and Rusty were strong characters through Alex and Deke's story, and I am interested in seeing what direction the author takes their stories in the Forthcoming books Revved and Wrecked which are due later this year and in early 2016.
ARC generously provided via Netgalley, and it was my pleasure to provide the above honest review.
Crashed is the first book in the Axle Alley Vipers series, it is also the first book I have read from Sherilee Gray. With several of my favorite tropes in play 'best friends older brother' & 'second chance love' I settled in, and was really enjoying the story developing between Deacon West and Alex Franco. Alex has loved Deke since she was fourteen, being the older brother of her best friends, and work colleagues Piper and Rusty, he has been one of the few constants as well as being in and out of her life ever since. One unforgettable night when he took her virginity, and then a second 6 months prior to when this story really takes off, where they share another dirty, sexy night together, only this time it's Alex doing the early morning flit from his apartment.
"I let the past get in the way of our future."
So what went wrong... For me the addition of a crazy, but then not crazy ex, and the derogatory way Alex was treated by almost everyone in the second half of the book, to the point that she even started calling herself a 'whore'. As a couple, Deke and Alex had enough going on with his past, her commitment issues, and the deal he made with her to ensure that she agreed to spend time with him, I personally didn't think the story really needed anything else added to it. I really liked them both, and the dirty-talking, sexy Deacon ticked all the boxes of what I want in my romantic heroes, Alex ticked all the right boxes for me as well, inked, pierced and full of attitude, vulnerable in ways only those who know her closely can interpret, theirs was a story that was hovering at the 4 - 4.5 star mark until all the added crap with his ex started to dull the flow between them as a couple, and the relationship they were tentatively building together.
He'd been her knight in grease-stained coveralls, been there more times than she could count.
This is not a bad book, it is extremely well written and I loved the set up of an all female garage, as it is not one that I have come across often, and to say that Sherliee Gray can certainly write an alpha that knows what to say and how to back it up in the context of sexy-times would be a massive understatement. Piper and Rusty were strong characters through Alex and Deke's story, and I am interested in seeing what direction the author takes their stories in the Forthcoming books Revved and Wrecked which are due later this year and in early 2016.
ARC generously provided via Netgalley, and it was my pleasure to provide the above honest review.
November 5, 2017
The Zero took her virginity and he was in love with her but dumped her the next day to go back to his ex who said she was preggy. He found out that the ex lied and she kept on manipulating him for years and he never wised up. I wish the heroine grew a backbone and ran far away from him
February 14, 2016
Reread due to book 3 being released. Had to familiarize myself with the characters again.
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Fast. Entertaining. Cute. 3 1/2 ⭐️⭐️⭐️.⭐️
Alex has had a hard life, grew up in foster care after her parents death. She trust very few and keeps her heart guarded. She has also been in love with her best friend's brother since 14. At 18 she finally thought she was going to get her dream, being Deacon's one and only. Unfortunately that didn't happen and good thing cause then the book would have been a bore. She works and her two besties work as restoration mechanics in their late father's garage. All they want is to work on cars and build their business.
Deke (Deacon) is Rusty and Piper's older brother who owns the garage and building they work in. He has been in love with Alex about as long as her, however she has no clue. Desperate to get her back her gives her an ultimatum, either she agrees to be his for three months or he sells their business and building. What Alex doesn't know is he would never sell their business he just wants her trust back and to win her heart.
Everything so far is good. Deke really does come off like a totally asshole and his tactics were crazy. The thing I hated was this BIG secret.
Which reminded me of Pretty Little Liars. A bunch of bullshit and Seriously!
Ok so I had everything down in the beginning of the book, it was so obvious where this story was headed. Let me tell you what this huge clusterfuck consisted of. Cover your eyes if you don't want to know. No peeking...
Anyway everything works out. Truth and lies unfold and we have one big Happily Ever After.
Don't get me wrong, I really liked the book. Read it in one sitting than got book 2 cause I am interested. I was just crazy annoyed over "the secret."
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Fast. Entertaining. Cute. 3 1/2 ⭐️⭐️⭐️.⭐️
Alex has had a hard life, grew up in foster care after her parents death. She trust very few and keeps her heart guarded. She has also been in love with her best friend's brother since 14. At 18 she finally thought she was going to get her dream, being Deacon's one and only. Unfortunately that didn't happen and good thing cause then the book would have been a bore. She works and her two besties work as restoration mechanics in their late father's garage. All they want is to work on cars and build their business.
Deke (Deacon) is Rusty and Piper's older brother who owns the garage and building they work in. He has been in love with Alex about as long as her, however she has no clue. Desperate to get her back her gives her an ultimatum, either she agrees to be his for three months or he sells their business and building. What Alex doesn't know is he would never sell their business he just wants her trust back and to win her heart.
Everything so far is good. Deke really does come off like a totally asshole and his tactics were crazy. The thing I hated was this BIG secret.
Which reminded me of Pretty Little Liars. A bunch of bullshit and Seriously!
Ok so I had everything down in the beginning of the book, it was so obvious where this story was headed. Let me tell you what this huge clusterfuck consisted of. Cover your eyes if you don't want to know. No peeking...
Anyway everything works out. Truth and lies unfold and we have one big Happily Ever After.
Don't get me wrong, I really liked the book. Read it in one sitting than got book 2 cause I am interested. I was just crazy annoyed over "the secret."
February 23, 2018
3 1/2 Stars
I liked it but I didn’t.
I liked the idea of the story, but then it just didn’t work for me. I got frustrated with Alex because she was treated so badly, but any time he kissed or touched her she turned into a lump of goo and was almost like a doormat. Deacon was such an ass and gullible as hell. He takes his ex’s word without question, but treats Alex like a liar and trash. He really made me mad!
I liked Alex’s partners and their stories should be good. I think I might read the next.
I liked it but I didn’t.
I liked the idea of the story, but then it just didn’t work for me. I got frustrated with Alex because she was treated so badly, but any time he kissed or touched her she turned into a lump of goo and was almost like a doormat. Deacon was such an ass and gullible as hell. He takes his ex’s word without question, but treats Alex like a liar and trash. He really made me mad!
I liked Alex’s partners and their stories should be good. I think I might read the next.
Read
July 23, 2021This was a freebie, that I’ve had for years. (I have a goal to get through 100 of these oldies in my TBR this year) I’m guessing I picked it up because the H married someone else, but it’s quite low on angst. I’m not going to leave a rating, because I skimmed some, and read a couple weeks back. (don’t really remember a ton) My notes say I was bored, and felt the characters were flat… and I got tired of the CONSTANT bickering.
Alex (h) is a mechanic at Deacon’s (H) family shop. We’re told early on that she LOVED him for years (he’s older), they had sex, and he left the next morning… getting engaged/married to his ex- GF soon after. The couple had a ONS 6-months before the start of the book, and Alex has avoided him since then. We know from the blurb that Deacon regrets leaving her, and is planning to get her back-by blackmailing her. All this happens within the first chapter.
The issues for me were that as I mentioned above, these two argue/bicker CONSTANTLY. It’s basically an ongoing cycle of argue, fight, sex, over and over again. To make matters worse, I didn’t care for either main character. I think we’re supposed to think of Alex as feisty, but it came off as immature to me. But, IMO, she was the better of the two. Deacon doesn’t have much of a personality, and is TOTALLY wussy/gullible when it comes to the ex.
Bottom Line- It had the ingredients for angst, but alas, no angst, and the only feel I got was being bored. I thought Emily made a pretty good delusional ex, and I wish her meddling parts would’ve been milked for some conflict/drama, but I always felt like Alex had a foot out the door, so it didn’t feel emotional. I needed them - more together, less fighting. I LOVE a meddling OW, but my fav setup is when the couple acts like a team dealing with her. Or are pretty solid as she’s doing her damage because then it generates some feelings.
Alex (h) is a mechanic at Deacon’s (H) family shop. We’re told early on that she LOVED him for years (he’s older), they had sex, and he left the next morning… getting engaged/married to his ex- GF soon after. The couple had a ONS 6-months before the start of the book, and Alex has avoided him since then. We know from the blurb that Deacon regrets leaving her, and is planning to get her back-by blackmailing her. All this happens within the first chapter.
The issues for me were that as I mentioned above, these two argue/bicker CONSTANTLY. It’s basically an ongoing cycle of argue, fight, sex, over and over again. To make matters worse, I didn’t care for either main character. I think we’re supposed to think of Alex as feisty, but it came off as immature to me. But, IMO, she was the better of the two. Deacon doesn’t have much of a personality, and is TOTALLY wussy/gullible when it comes to the ex.
Bottom Line- It had the ingredients for angst, but alas, no angst, and the only feel I got was being bored. I thought Emily made a pretty good delusional ex, and I wish her meddling parts would’ve been milked for some conflict/drama, but I always felt like Alex had a foot out the door, so it didn’t feel emotional. I needed them - more together, less fighting. I LOVE a meddling OW, but my fav setup is when the couple acts like a team dealing with her. Or are pretty solid as she’s doing her damage because then it generates some feelings.
July 18, 2015
I went into this book expecting to hate our hero, Deacon. Instead, I ended up loving everything about him: His cold exterior, his heart that beats for the heroine so much, I even loved the lengths he was willing to go to get the woman he had been craving for so long in his life. He was hard core alpha, but not in an A$$hole way and I loved him!
Our heroine Alex was sassy, strong, with the right hint of vulnerability, and in love with Deacon for nine years. Little did she know he adored her as well, and he schemed to crack her protective shell so she could see the fire he had for her.
Man I loved this book. Love the chemistry , the banter, the sweet edginess when they came together and their love was hot and wonderful. I would recommend. I am dying to read Deacon sisters book.
Our heroine Alex was sassy, strong, with the right hint of vulnerability, and in love with Deacon for nine years. Little did she know he adored her as well, and he schemed to crack her protective shell so she could see the fire he had for her.
Man I loved this book. Love the chemistry , the banter, the sweet edginess when they came together and their love was hot and wonderful. I would recommend. I am dying to read Deacon sisters book.
dnr
October 10, 2018"He’d let Alex go, for Emily."
Not interested in a loser H who puts his heroine second after another woman! Whatever the reason, and this one was too stupid for words.
Dumb story.
Not interested in a loser H who puts his heroine second after another woman! Whatever the reason, and this one was too stupid for words.
Dumb story.
July 9, 2015
Woooweee this book made me happy. How often is it that you read about not only one, but -three- really strong women? Well, if you like books like that, where a woman has herself together and knows what she wants (mostly), this book is for you. Crashed is the first book in the new Axle Alley Vipers series by Sherilee Gray. Our heroine, Alex runs a -car restoration- shop with her two best friends. That alone intrigued me and made for a great read because mechanics and car restoration is considered a "man's world". These three own it!
Alex herself is sassy, not afraid to get dirty and exceedingly loyal to her friends. I full on love that about her, she's fiery but yet has a soft inside. Alex's life hasn't been easy, and so she is really afraid of losing the people she cares about. It on one hand makes her cautious to put herself out there and so she holds people at bay, but on the other the people in her inner circle (her two best friends, and their brother), she would do anything for. Did I mention she's in love with her best friends brother, and has been for years. He's hurt her once before though and it almost wrecked her.
Here is the thing, Deke is in love with Alex. You're very aware of that through the whole book. He has been for years and is pretty sure he wrecked his chances with her. He tries just about everything to get her to get near her again and Alex isn't having it. So he decides to be a bit underhanded about it. I was on one hand amused but this and then not. I just kept thinking, you could save a lot of angst if you'd just tell her how you feel!! Only, with Alex, I don't know if she'd have believed him. Deke is a business man though, and most people consider him ruthless, so Alex decides to give into this deal. Why not, she likes sleeping with the man...
What I found engaging about this particular pair of characters is their past. Deke went off and (without giving any spoilers) did a few things that sort of made me boggle. I didn't understand at all why he would do what he did. Again with my, "Why would you do that!?" questioning my Kindle. It's obvious he's in love with her. However, the more you read into the book, the more you figure out how much integrity that Deke actually has. Fast forward years later and these two have to deal with the outcome of this. He may go about it the wrong way, but Deke does care. By the end of the book, I completely understood his reasoning. I can't say I'd have handled it the same, but it does make sense.
I'm going to touch on the chemistry between these two, but I think it should be obvious that they have a lot of it. They can't stay away from each other. It practically screams from the pages.
Aside from our main characters, you have Deke's two sisters, who are freaking awesome! They are also mechanics along with Alex and the three of them are known as the Axle Alley Vipers and they play it up. Tattoos, piercings, slightly retro glam, and even cars that play into it. It's fun to read about and I can't say that the book ever lagged out for me. That being said, if you want a good book you can curl up into and lose yourself in for a few hours, I definitely recommend this one. I can't wait for the rest of the series!
October 11, 2015
This book had a very interesting premise, three young women running their own auto shop. Alex had been around Deacon and his two sisters almost her whole life, it's his sisters who with Alex run the auto shop. Alex had also been in love with Deacon for years. She was devastated when he went away to college and got a steady girlfriend. But on her eighteenth birthday he returned home alone as he'd broken up with her. Unable to resist him she lets him take her virginity only for him to leave the next day and get back with his ex, whom he marries straight away leaving Alex broken-hearted.
A few years later he's divorced, then his father dies and he sleeps with Alex again, except it's her this time who does the leaving before he can hurt her again. The story proper begins in the present day where Deacon is a rich business man, he tells Alex that he intends to sell the building that the auto shop is located in if business doesn't pick up. He also blackmails her into being at his disposal 24 hours a day sex included.
While I had hoped to like this story I ended up disliking it a lot. Deacon was a very nasty piece of work and totally stupid as well. After taking Alex's virginity and abandoning her. He totally accepts his ex's word that she's pregnant, really! I would have thought most men would have wanted some form of proof. But no this idiot marries her without question only to find out that there's no baby. Even worse when he discovers the truth he stays married to her because he believes she's got a mental illness and may harm herself, he apparently never speaks to any of her doctors. Even in the present when he's with Alex he is still believing her bullshit and let's her stay with him. I liked Alex even if she was a fool where Deacon was concerned, why she didn't tell his sisters about his blackmail attempt straightaway I couldn't understand. She knew he loved his sisters so she should have known he wouldn't do something to hurt them. All in all I found this story didn't make a lot of sense for me.
A few years later he's divorced, then his father dies and he sleeps with Alex again, except it's her this time who does the leaving before he can hurt her again. The story proper begins in the present day where Deacon is a rich business man, he tells Alex that he intends to sell the building that the auto shop is located in if business doesn't pick up. He also blackmails her into being at his disposal 24 hours a day sex included.
While I had hoped to like this story I ended up disliking it a lot. Deacon was a very nasty piece of work and totally stupid as well. After taking Alex's virginity and abandoning her. He totally accepts his ex's word that she's pregnant, really! I would have thought most men would have wanted some form of proof. But no this idiot marries her without question only to find out that there's no baby. Even worse when he discovers the truth he stays married to her because he believes she's got a mental illness and may harm herself, he apparently never speaks to any of her doctors. Even in the present when he's with Alex he is still believing her bullshit and let's her stay with him. I liked Alex even if she was a fool where Deacon was concerned, why she didn't tell his sisters about his blackmail attempt straightaway I couldn't understand. She knew he loved his sisters so she should have known he wouldn't do something to hurt them. All in all I found this story didn't make a lot of sense for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 28, 2016
This boom just makes me angry
Alex is a doormat. Period. Deke is an as##ole. He blackmails the whom he supposedly loves into a se#ual relationship in order to prove to her that he loves her and they are meant to be together. Uh huh? Yeah that says love. And Alex is supposed to be a tough but lovable girl but instead she goes along with his ridiculous scheme instead of just calling him out. Like she really believes he would sell his sister's business put from under them?! Nope nothing supported that in the story. And Deke gets manipulated into marrying someone else and then into staying in the relationship? Isn't he some smart CEO businessman? And then he falls for it again at the expense of Alex's feelings....again! Seriously? Does this character have no pride or self respect written into her? She just tales all his jealousy,accusations, deplorable and demeaning statements because......oh yeah, there is no reason . yet he is soooo in love with her and he is proving this how?! Yelling at her, grabbing her, forcing her to spend time with him both in and out of bed, accusing her of wanting to sleep with other people...and she gets "wet" about this?! Really? Stupid, played out story that's been told again and again by hack writers who cannot come up with anything original. Like a female character who doesn't sleep with people in public places, who doesn't let the male character say rude and demeaning things to her, who doesn't just sweep all the hurtful things he has done and said under the rug because the guy is hot and she is so attracted to him? Now THAT would be new and original. A female character who stands up for herself instead of losing her brain and dignity due to list. Ugh. Skip it.
Alex is a doormat. Period. Deke is an as##ole. He blackmails the whom he supposedly loves into a se#ual relationship in order to prove to her that he loves her and they are meant to be together. Uh huh? Yeah that says love. And Alex is supposed to be a tough but lovable girl but instead she goes along with his ridiculous scheme instead of just calling him out. Like she really believes he would sell his sister's business put from under them?! Nope nothing supported that in the story. And Deke gets manipulated into marrying someone else and then into staying in the relationship? Isn't he some smart CEO businessman? And then he falls for it again at the expense of Alex's feelings....again! Seriously? Does this character have no pride or self respect written into her? She just tales all his jealousy,accusations, deplorable and demeaning statements because......oh yeah, there is no reason . yet he is soooo in love with her and he is proving this how?! Yelling at her, grabbing her, forcing her to spend time with him both in and out of bed, accusing her of wanting to sleep with other people...and she gets "wet" about this?! Really? Stupid, played out story that's been told again and again by hack writers who cannot come up with anything original. Like a female character who doesn't sleep with people in public places, who doesn't let the male character say rude and demeaning things to her, who doesn't just sweep all the hurtful things he has done and said under the rug because the guy is hot and she is so attracted to him? Now THAT would be new and original. A female character who stands up for herself instead of losing her brain and dignity due to list. Ugh. Skip it.
October 27, 2021
He took the h's v-card.
Then this A-HOLE married a crazy woman!!!.
Fuck you Deacon...or whatever your name is!!!!!!!!!.
🤬🤬🤬🤬
Then this A-HOLE married a crazy woman!!!.
Fuck you Deacon...or whatever your name is!!!!!!!!!.
🤬🤬🤬🤬
July 12, 2015
Title: Crashed
Series: 1st Book in Series
Author: Sherilee Gray
Release Date: July 14, 2015
My Rating: 3 Stars
Crashed by Sherilee Gray is the first installment in the Axel Alley Vipers series. It's a quick fast read that I read in one sitting.
This book was okay for me. I felt somewhat connected to the characters but not enough to make me swoon. I really liked the characters but something was missing. I think this story had plenty of potential, it was just lacking in the depth department. But with that said, I couldn't put it down until the last word was read.
I love friends to lover romances and I was so excited about this one. After reading the blurb, I had huge expectations, when in fact, I was hoping to fall in love with this story...but I didn't. I'm also conflicted on how to rate this book because even though I didn't love it, I did love the premise of the story. And because I didn't love it, doesn't mean it's not a great read for someone else. It just wasn't for me at this time.
I give Crashed 3 Crazie Stars!! ~Kim
*ARC kindly provided via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
For more reviews/reveals/giveaways visit:
August 10, 2016
2.5. I couldn't get past the hero leaving the heroine after being with her and taking her cherry to be with his ex even if she did pretend to be pregnant and still being able to have a sexual relationship with her. Spoilt this story for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 5, 2017
Alex Franco and her two best friends Piper and Rusty West are mechanics at an all-female garage, West Restoration, previously owned by their father. The novel starts with Alex, covered in engine oil and wearing her work clothes, storming into the offices of Deacon West, the girls' older brother after she receives a notice that he is sending a valuer in to value her apartment and the garage. Under the terms of their father's will Deacon owns the property.
To say that Deke and Alex have a tangled history would be an understatement. They have known each other since she was 10 years old when she became friends with his sisters. She has had a crush on him since she was 14 years old, he kind of ignored her until one night when he came home from college after breaking up with his college girlfriend and they ended up making love. The next day Deke went back to college and was married to the college girlfriend just a few weeks later.
Heartbroken, Alex realises that bright guys like Deke don't marry foster kids like her with blue collar jobs and tattoos - they have sex with those girls, but only one night stands.
Fast forward several years, Deke's father dies and Deke and Alex hook up again after the funeral but scared of having her heart broken AGAIN, Alex leaves in the middle of the night.
Six months later Alex receives the notification about the valuer and storms into Deke's offices. Deke offers her a stark choice, lose the garage, which is loss-making, or get a three month reprieve - the kicker being that Alex must be his plus one, his sex slave and pseudo girlfriend for that time.
So far, so good. I like a revenge plot as much as the next woman, I like the 'forcing the woman you love to be a fake girlfriend' plot so it's all good. Sadly, there was so much else that I didn't love.
First, I don't think it would be possible for both Alex's version of events and Deke's version to both be true. Allegedly he called and texted Alex many, many times after his father's death but she ignored his calls - yet she is convinced that she is not the sort of woman he would ever consider being with, surely if he were calling and texting her she wouldn't think that?
Second, Deke's logic appeared seriously warped. He feels that Alex is scared of loving and being left after her foster experiences and so rather than straight out speak to her and tell her how he feels and that he wants to date her, he thinks up this elaborate plot whereby she is his fake girlfriend. He also tells her that she will be his sex slave but fully intends to simply tease her into begging him. Apparently lust will break down her barriers!
Third, this novel was just a series of rinse and repeat moments. Deke and Alex have a (brief) conversation/ event, Deke talks dirty, they have sex. Deke sees her talking to another man, flies into a jealous rage, Alex gets angry and tries to push him away, Deke talks dirty, they have sex. And repeat. Even the sex was repetitious, if I saw one more "slippery folds" or "so hot and wet" I would have screamed.
Fourth, outside the rarefied atmosphere of Romanceland, anyone who had a dis-functional relationship like Alex and Deke would be considered damaged and frankly people would try to get them to disassociate from each other.
Fifth, in my eyes Deke was the person in the relationship that made all the mistakes. He blackmailed Alex into a relationship rather than being honest, he was seriously ragey and paranoid about Alex sleeping with other men - like three of four times, he had issues with his ex-wife which he concealed from Alex, he ignored her when she told him she wanted to leave/ didn't want to have sex/ basically said anything he didn't want to hear. Yet, at the end Alex was the one who misjudged Deke, she was so blind, it was all her fault for blowing him up into some kind of manipulative power-hungry monster! Sheesh.
So, how to rate it? I hated Deke and I thought Alex was just a pathetic victim. I thought practically half the book was rinse and repeat sex BORING. The ex-wife plot was trite and yawn-worthy. And yet, I read all the way to the end, and there was something about it that stops me from giving it a two star rating. Three (begrudging) stars
To say that Deke and Alex have a tangled history would be an understatement. They have known each other since she was 10 years old when she became friends with his sisters. She has had a crush on him since she was 14 years old, he kind of ignored her until one night when he came home from college after breaking up with his college girlfriend and they ended up making love. The next day Deke went back to college and was married to the college girlfriend just a few weeks later.
Heartbroken, Alex realises that bright guys like Deke don't marry foster kids like her with blue collar jobs and tattoos - they have sex with those girls, but only one night stands.
Fast forward several years, Deke's father dies and Deke and Alex hook up again after the funeral but scared of having her heart broken AGAIN, Alex leaves in the middle of the night.
Six months later Alex receives the notification about the valuer and storms into Deke's offices. Deke offers her a stark choice, lose the garage, which is loss-making, or get a three month reprieve - the kicker being that Alex must be his plus one, his sex slave and pseudo girlfriend for that time.
So far, so good. I like a revenge plot as much as the next woman, I like the 'forcing the woman you love to be a fake girlfriend' plot so it's all good. Sadly, there was so much else that I didn't love.
First, I don't think it would be possible for both Alex's version of events and Deke's version to both be true. Allegedly he called and texted Alex many, many times after his father's death but she ignored his calls - yet she is convinced that she is not the sort of woman he would ever consider being with, surely if he were calling and texting her she wouldn't think that?
Second, Deke's logic appeared seriously warped. He feels that Alex is scared of loving and being left after her foster experiences and so rather than straight out speak to her and tell her how he feels and that he wants to date her, he thinks up this elaborate plot whereby she is his fake girlfriend. He also tells her that she will be his sex slave but fully intends to simply tease her into begging him. Apparently lust will break down her barriers!
Third, this novel was just a series of rinse and repeat moments. Deke and Alex have a (brief) conversation/ event, Deke talks dirty, they have sex. Deke sees her talking to another man, flies into a jealous rage, Alex gets angry and tries to push him away, Deke talks dirty, they have sex. And repeat. Even the sex was repetitious, if I saw one more "slippery folds" or "so hot and wet" I would have screamed.
Fourth, outside the rarefied atmosphere of Romanceland, anyone who had a dis-functional relationship like Alex and Deke would be considered damaged and frankly people would try to get them to disassociate from each other.
Fifth, in my eyes Deke was the person in the relationship that made all the mistakes. He blackmailed Alex into a relationship rather than being honest, he was seriously ragey and paranoid about Alex sleeping with other men - like three of four times, he had issues with his ex-wife which he concealed from Alex, he ignored her when she told him she wanted to leave/ didn't want to have sex/ basically said anything he didn't want to hear. Yet, at the end Alex was the one who misjudged Deke, she was so blind, it was all her fault for blowing him up into some kind of manipulative power-hungry monster! Sheesh.
So, how to rate it? I hated Deke and I thought Alex was just a pathetic victim. I thought practically half the book was rinse and repeat sex BORING. The ex-wife plot was trite and yawn-worthy. And yet, I read all the way to the end, and there was something about it that stops me from giving it a two star rating. Three (begrudging) stars
May 17, 2015
This review was originally posted on Cocktails and Books.
I first want to say that I love stories where the hero and heroine have a history and Alex and Deacon definitely have a history. Deacon the older brother of Alex’s best friends and partners in an auto restoration shop, the story starts with Alex storming into Deacon’s office. Unknown to her – the reason she is there is not the true reason at all. Alex and Deacon’s have a long history going back to childhood they went down separate paths but met briefly months before when tragedy hit Deacon’s family and the story picks from there.
I thought the point that brings Alex storming into Deacon’s office is good but not sure if makes a lot of sense. That being said I grew too really like Alex and Deacon so I could get past that plot point. We found out quite a bit about Alex’s childhood – I would have liked to find out more about Deacon and his sisters. I think it would have helped explain more of the motivation for the 3 siblings and the path they each chose. After a few more hurdles (not giving them away here) the ending was satisfying and overall I really enjoyed the story.
Despite my minor (very minor) complaints I enjoyed the authors writing style and enjoyed the characters. I also appreciated the uniqueness of the story – I am not sure if I have read a book that has 3 women running an auto restoration garage. I am sure they are out there this was a nice introduction for me. I also liked the idea that you shouldn’t take life for granted and to go after what you want even if you think you may not fit in. I think any story that shows the main characters individuality and they don’t apologize for who they are sends a great message. That is why I give it 4 stars.This book was reviewed by a member of the review staff at Cocktails and Books. The name of the reviewer can be found under the post categories.
I first want to say that I love stories where the hero and heroine have a history and Alex and Deacon definitely have a history. Deacon the older brother of Alex’s best friends and partners in an auto restoration shop, the story starts with Alex storming into Deacon’s office. Unknown to her – the reason she is there is not the true reason at all. Alex and Deacon’s have a long history going back to childhood they went down separate paths but met briefly months before when tragedy hit Deacon’s family and the story picks from there.
I thought the point that brings Alex storming into Deacon’s office is good but not sure if makes a lot of sense. That being said I grew too really like Alex and Deacon so I could get past that plot point. We found out quite a bit about Alex’s childhood – I would have liked to find out more about Deacon and his sisters. I think it would have helped explain more of the motivation for the 3 siblings and the path they each chose. After a few more hurdles (not giving them away here) the ending was satisfying and overall I really enjoyed the story.
Despite my minor (very minor) complaints I enjoyed the authors writing style and enjoyed the characters. I also appreciated the uniqueness of the story – I am not sure if I have read a book that has 3 women running an auto restoration garage. I am sure they are out there this was a nice introduction for me. I also liked the idea that you shouldn’t take life for granted and to go after what you want even if you think you may not fit in. I think any story that shows the main characters individuality and they don’t apologize for who they are sends a great message. That is why I give it 4 stars.This book was reviewed by a member of the review staff at Cocktails and Books. The name of the reviewer can be found under the post categories.
July 17, 2015
Crashed, (Entangled Indulgence), Sherilee Gray
Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews
Genre: Romance.
Its rare I don’t enjoy an Entangled read but this one just didn’t work for me. I didn’t get to feel either Alex or Deacon were real, didn’t feel the sexual tension between them, didn’t feel any real attraction other than sporadic lust. I didn't even really like either of them and that’s a huge problem for me, I have to like main leads ( or dislike if needed!) so I wasn’t invested in the outcome of their romance. I felt Alex was just too OTT, too much of a chip on the shoulder, too stereotyped as the scorned woman, and I needed some softening, something I could like about her. Deacon,. well the way he was over Emily made him into a pushover in my view. Fool me once etc...though it was really on-going fooling. Would he really have taken all that at face value? You don’t get to be in his position by blindly believing everything, and to me he’d have been checking now they’re older. It all felt just too contrived for me.
Still, as ever, this will be perfect for other readers, and thankfully we all enjoy different things from out stories. Something for everyone that way.
Stars: Two, sorry this one’s a miss from me..
ARC supplied by Netgalley and publishers
Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews
Genre: Romance.
Its rare I don’t enjoy an Entangled read but this one just didn’t work for me. I didn’t get to feel either Alex or Deacon were real, didn’t feel the sexual tension between them, didn’t feel any real attraction other than sporadic lust. I didn't even really like either of them and that’s a huge problem for me, I have to like main leads ( or dislike if needed!) so I wasn’t invested in the outcome of their romance. I felt Alex was just too OTT, too much of a chip on the shoulder, too stereotyped as the scorned woman, and I needed some softening, something I could like about her. Deacon,. well the way he was over Emily made him into a pushover in my view. Fool me once etc...though it was really on-going fooling. Would he really have taken all that at face value? You don’t get to be in his position by blindly believing everything, and to me he’d have been checking now they’re older. It all felt just too contrived for me.
Still, as ever, this will be perfect for other readers, and thankfully we all enjoy different things from out stories. Something for everyone that way.
Stars: Two, sorry this one’s a miss from me..
ARC supplied by Netgalley and publishers
February 9, 2016
The book to me wasn't a light hearted read, I didn't care for Deacon at first as he sexually blackmailed Alex all because she wanted to keep the garage for her and his sisters and he was threatening to kick them out but as the story went on I did warm up to him despite him getting jealous every five minutes the only thing that did make me go off him yet again was when his manipulative ex wife turned up and he was gullible despite knowing what she was like during the marriage and he put Alex second during all this.
Alex I did like and I liked how strong she was despite her being abandoned and passed from home to home as a child, I liked how she coped to getting blackmailed by Deacon though I didn't like how she kept referring herself to being a whore and when Deacon was constantly accusing her of cheating even when she was just talking to a man, I did like how she stood up for herself and how she stuck up for herself when it come the ex wife's bitchy friends and I would have like to have seen the ex wife get her comeuppance but for some reason she didn't.
Alex I did like and I liked how strong she was despite her being abandoned and passed from home to home as a child, I liked how she coped to getting blackmailed by Deacon though I didn't like how she kept referring herself to being a whore and when Deacon was constantly accusing her of cheating even when she was just talking to a man, I did like how she stood up for herself and how she stuck up for herself when it come the ex wife's bitchy friends and I would have like to have seen the ex wife get her comeuppance but for some reason she didn't.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 7, 2015
Definitely a read in one day kind of book! Deacon is a man with a plan to make things right with Alex, his sisters best friend and the one girl he let go. The last person Alex wants is to hear from is Deacon. He broke her heart and left her with too many questions. But Deacon has a proposal: for Alex to be his exclusive date to business functions and his hook up buddy and he'll sign the property lease on Alex and his sisters mechanic shop over to them after three months. Seriously hot and steamy relationship between Deacon and Alex. I love it when two people who have been pining for each other get a second chance to make things right. Don't miss out on this page-turning read!
October 22, 2015
oh my god, this....
"But she’d known, deep down under all the baggage, the pain she hid behind,
she’d known that Deacon would never hurt her, would never do anything to hurt his sisters. She knew this because she knew him. And because of three magical,
wonderful words. Deacon loved her."
forget self-respect ladies, forget how much he put you through, forget that he didn't apologise, forget that he lied to you...because...he loves you
I mean seriously?!
"But she’d known, deep down under all the baggage, the pain she hid behind,
she’d known that Deacon would never hurt her, would never do anything to hurt his sisters. She knew this because she knew him. And because of three magical,
wonderful words. Deacon loved her."
forget self-respect ladies, forget how much he put you through, forget that he didn't apologise, forget that he lied to you...because...he loves you
I mean seriously?!
February 11, 2019
DNF @ 50% It's pretty much just back and forth of him being an asshole, saying a 'sorry' he doesn't actually mean and her taking him back. There is so much more wrong with this guy, but I honestly don't want to waste any more of my time on this book than I already have.
August 21, 2015
A super-sexy, dirty-talking Alpha guy and a kick-ass heroine who works on restoring classic cars. What’s not to love? NOTHING. I loved this book, and it hooked me in from the very first page. The author did a great job of firing up the sexual tension between the hero/heroine. So what if Deacon was a bit Alpha-jerkish in the beginning – that just made for some fierce and fiery banter and was soooo much sweeter when Alex bought that sucker to his knees. And I loved the stories rawness and the feels between Deacon and Alex that went so deep. I can’t wait for Revved and Wrecked!
April 9, 2018
Basically a shit book full of manipulative characters and the weakest female lead and just a complete waste of time. The end is epic btw, like, the whole tension throughout the book explained away in a few mins by the “rich, hot hero” and everything is swept under the rug because they gotta go have sex right away, ya know?! It’s just really bad and I can’t be bothered to fully review cuz it’s wasting more of my time but it’s imperative to warn anyone who hasn’t read this book yet, don’t read it. Just don’t.
September 3, 2016
Meh...it would be great if just once the H had the balls to stand up and take responsibility for his actions. The cry baby is just so old. Granted there was an extra twist to this but still H was a doofus. This aside the read was soulless and mechanical. I have been on extra strong pain killers so I'm not sure how that interacts with the read but still no more than just ok.
March 11, 2016
2.5 STARS.
Bit of a disappointing read for me. Don't get me wrong this is just mine and what I think of these two.
I was of course expecting a lot but when I started reading okay it just made me yawn cause it's that hiding my feelings playing hard to get I love you like crazy but yet I'm stubborn so yes it's what I was getting from this read.
Bit of a disappointing read for me. Don't get me wrong this is just mine and what I think of these two.
I was of course expecting a lot but when I started reading okay it just made me yawn cause it's that hiding my feelings playing hard to get I love you like crazy but yet I'm stubborn so yes it's what I was getting from this read.
August 14, 2016
Alex and Deacon... can you say match and gasoline? This is the first book of the Axle Alley Vipers series and wow what a great book.. Some serious steam here and the West sisters not only know their car business, they can shake it up with the men as well... great story, well written and hot as hell.
Must read
Must read
July 8, 2015
2.5 I adored aspects of this story. The girls owning their own mechanics/restoration shop. The second chance romance aspect. I struggled because as much as I like sexy time, this was heavy with it, and wasn't balanced enough to allow me to truly connect with the characters.
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