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Sex & Mayhem #11
Straight as a Wheel: Smoke Valley MC
“Your secret’s safe with me, Leo Heller. Whatever happens here, nobody will know. Ever. Do you understand?”
Zolt. Gay. Player. Predator. Fetish: Straight guys
Leo. Straight. Biker. Prey. Fetish: True love
Zolt knows what he wants from life--cold hard cash so that he can enjoy an early retirement in the Carribean as rent boys serve him drinks on the beach. Meanwhile, he’s got his pawn shop as a front for illegal operations, and a baseball bat to deal with troublemakers.
When it comes to men, Zolt loves the chase, and his favorite, most elusive prey is curious straight guys. He goes out of his way to seduce and devour them. If he can be their first, all the better.
His next mark? A biker. And not just any. An outlaw, Leo Heller.
Leo’s got his future all figured out. A wife, two to four kids, maybe a dog. If love was as easy as others make it seem, Leo would have been married already.
A string of failed relationships leads him to the one person he shouldn’t be crushing on, shouldn’t be admiring, and most definitely shouldn’t be touching. Because a man like Zolt Andorai won’t give Leo the family he wants. Hell, Zolt doesn’t even do boyfriends. But what Zolt does offer is no-strings-attached experimentation, and Leo is only human.
After all, if no one ever finds out Leo’s secret, it’s as if it doesn’t exist.
One kiss leads to another, lines blur, and before Leo knows it, he’s in over his head.
In love.
Helpless.
POSSIBLE SPOILERS:
Themes: Outlaw motorcycle club, organized crime, homophobia, hurt/comfort, forced proximity, coming out, seduction, forbidden attraction, first love, greed, player, family ties
Genre: M/M romance, suspense
Length: ~110,000 words (Standalone novel)
Steam level: Scorching hot, emotional, explicit scenes
WARNING: This story contains scenes of violence, offensive language and morally ambiguous characters.
Zolt. Gay. Player. Predator. Fetish: Straight guys
Leo. Straight. Biker. Prey. Fetish: True love
Zolt knows what he wants from life--cold hard cash so that he can enjoy an early retirement in the Carribean as rent boys serve him drinks on the beach. Meanwhile, he’s got his pawn shop as a front for illegal operations, and a baseball bat to deal with troublemakers.
When it comes to men, Zolt loves the chase, and his favorite, most elusive prey is curious straight guys. He goes out of his way to seduce and devour them. If he can be their first, all the better.
His next mark? A biker. And not just any. An outlaw, Leo Heller.
Leo’s got his future all figured out. A wife, two to four kids, maybe a dog. If love was as easy as others make it seem, Leo would have been married already.
A string of failed relationships leads him to the one person he shouldn’t be crushing on, shouldn’t be admiring, and most definitely shouldn’t be touching. Because a man like Zolt Andorai won’t give Leo the family he wants. Hell, Zolt doesn’t even do boyfriends. But what Zolt does offer is no-strings-attached experimentation, and Leo is only human.
After all, if no one ever finds out Leo’s secret, it’s as if it doesn’t exist.
One kiss leads to another, lines blur, and before Leo knows it, he’s in over his head.
In love.
Helpless.
POSSIBLE SPOILERS:
Themes: Outlaw motorcycle club, organized crime, homophobia, hurt/comfort, forced proximity, coming out, seduction, forbidden attraction, first love, greed, player, family ties
Genre: M/M romance, suspense
Length: ~110,000 words (Standalone novel)
Steam level: Scorching hot, emotional, explicit scenes
WARNING: This story contains scenes of violence, offensive language and morally ambiguous characters.
309 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 30, 2019
258 people are currently reading
905 people want to read
About the author
K.A. Merikan
132 books3,080 followers(Goodreads profile run by Kat)
K. A. Merikan is a duo of queer writers who don’t believe in following the well-trodden path. In their books you can dip your toe into dangerous romance with mafiosi, outlaw bikers and bad boys, all from the safety of your sofa. They love the weird and wonderful, stepping out of the box, and bending stereotypes both in life and in fiction. Their stories don’t shy away from exploring the darker side of M/M romance, and feature a variety of anti-heroes, rebels, misfits, and underdogs who go against the grain.
Be prepared for shocking twists, dark humor, raw emotions, and sizzling hot scenes.
K.A. Merikan also writes steamy M/M romcoms as Devon Doe.
e-mail: kamerikan@gmail.com
More information about ongoing projects, works in progress and publishing at:
K.A. Merikan’s author page: http://kamerikan.com
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/kamerikan
K. A. Merikan is a duo of queer writers who don’t believe in following the well-trodden path. In their books you can dip your toe into dangerous romance with mafiosi, outlaw bikers and bad boys, all from the safety of your sofa. They love the weird and wonderful, stepping out of the box, and bending stereotypes both in life and in fiction. Their stories don’t shy away from exploring the darker side of M/M romance, and feature a variety of anti-heroes, rebels, misfits, and underdogs who go against the grain.
Be prepared for shocking twists, dark humor, raw emotions, and sizzling hot scenes.
K.A. Merikan also writes steamy M/M romcoms as Devon Doe.
e-mail: kamerikan@gmail.com
More information about ongoing projects, works in progress and publishing at:
K.A. Merikan’s author page: http://kamerikan.com
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/kamerikan
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 211 reviews
December 6, 2019
I'm taking a deep breath for a really embarrassing fan boy review!!!
THIS WAS SO GOOD!!! This is character driven fiction how it should be!
Holy f***ing shit! This should be a sample study for any creative writing class.
I loved absolutely everything about it!! I would usually say I could have done without the , but that was also an aspect of this story that made it so brilliant. These guys are BAD BOYS. They're in fact criminals on many levels, even though we follow them as romance heroes through the story.
Thinking back, the story is totally straightforward and simple, because it's the characters that make this book UNBELIEVABLY great! Like, so great, I hope the paperbacks will be available soon so I can hand them out to friends and family as gifts from the crazy gay son/uncle/husband/neighbor.
And I'm so gonna get a paperback for myself too. Getting a place on my real life library is like the highest honor I am bestowing on the books I read. And this one so needs to get a spotlight place.
I mean, the cover alone makes me want to purchase a book display so it doesn't need to hide next to other books on my shelf, LOL.
Did you see its full glory?
It is frigging perfect.
Ok, so fan boy moment aside, here's the plot. And yes, the plot seems quite random :-)
The Smoke Valley MC is a biker gang operating a garage somewhere near Reno. The gang is run by the Heller family with mechanic Leo Heller being one of the younger sons. He's approaching 30 and desperately trying to find a girl to marry and have kids with in order to be happy and fulfilled like his parents who even after decades of being married (and running a criminal organisation, I should add) can't keep their hands off each other and represent a relationship role model to the impressionable Leo.
Of course, straight boy Leo is popular with the ladies. They want to bed the big bad tattooed biker boy type more often than not, but whenever Leo wants more from them, they drop him.
The story starts with Leo trying to propose to his current girlfriend, hoping to finally settle down with someone so he can start a family of his own. His attempt goes wrong on so many levels, though, and leaves him hurting and sulking.
When his dad gives him a pile of cash to spend on strippers in Reno as a rebound, Leo decides instead to pay a visit to one of the gang's associates in the city, pawn shop owner Zolt.
Zolt, I should add is a hairy, gay, muscled sex god of Hungarian descent who I spent half an hour googling the most embarrassingly x-rated key words for in order to find a pic that does him justice...
Everyone knows Zolt is gay and everyone knows that he hits on everyone, trying to get into a straight guy's pants whenever the opportunity arises.
Leo considers himself secure enough in his heterosexuality (I'm trying not to laugh, sorry) to collect a few ego-boosting compliments from the older gay man to make himself feel better after his devastating breakup - and while he's there, he might as well pawn the engagement ring that was thrown back in his face.
Now please imagine promiscuous Zolt as a hungry tiger and Leo as a tiny rabbit too naive to recognize the danger a wild cat represents when Zolt opens the door, displaying a shirtless torso covered in intricate nautical tattoos and a dark mat of fur over chiseled abs.
And so the game is on...
Of course, Leo ends up with his tongue in Zolt's mouth that evening and of course his views of the world are shattered to pieces when he realizes the insane pull Zolt has over him.
So when his gang decide on hiding a drug shipment with their trusted associate Zolt and ask for volunteers to guard the shipment at Zolt's place, Leo's hand is up faster than the tiny voice in his head is able to voice any concerns for his heterosexuality.
An indefinite amount of time in close quarters with Hungarian sex god Zolt?
Oh Leo, better put on your chastity belt right now and hope it's an Everlast....
I still can't grasp how writing a story so vividly and bringing such wild, dangerous and almost otherworldly exciting characters to life is even possible. These authors have the insane talent of watching people and noticing what makes them tick and it flows right into their writing, breathing life into Zolt and Leo in a way that you hardly see in many books.
Leo (and Zolt too, but for different reasons) is an amazingly well written character. I love his internal thoughts and the shift in his views of the world in the course of this book. Also, he's insanely caring and sweet and you would never think that he'd click with a guy like Zolt. But he so does and it's beautiful to see.
And Zolt is simply out of this world. Leo keeps referring to him as a Minotaur and I feel like the Greek God analogy is perfect for him.
He looks and acts like a muscled porn star and has walls higher than Trump's wildest fever dreams. He doesn't do commitment, he doesn't do emotions. He only does straight guys (or let's rather call them bi-curious guys) for no-strings attached fun - and writes a journal about his conquests.
His past and his future are heart-breaking once he gives us a glimpse of them. He doesn't trust anyone, but watching those huge walls slowly crack and crumble with Leo is the most rewarding reading experience ever.
This is probably the one book I can recommend most in this year and one of my all time favorites.
And just to think that I obviously bought this impulsively weeks ago (I mean, look at that cover!) and just found it on my kindle when it downloaded on the day of its release... in hindsight it felt like Christmas came early this year. Wow.
5 thousand stars, of course!
Oh, and the sex in this book is out of this world. End of drooling.
THIS WAS SO GOOD!!! This is character driven fiction how it should be!
Holy f***ing shit! This should be a sample study for any creative writing class.
I loved absolutely everything about it!! I would usually say I could have done without the , but that was also an aspect of this story that made it so brilliant. These guys are BAD BOYS. They're in fact criminals on many levels, even though we follow them as romance heroes through the story.
Thinking back, the story is totally straightforward and simple, because it's the characters that make this book UNBELIEVABLY great! Like, so great, I hope the paperbacks will be available soon so I can hand them out to friends and family as gifts from the crazy gay son/uncle/husband/neighbor.
And I'm so gonna get a paperback for myself too. Getting a place on my real life library is like the highest honor I am bestowing on the books I read. And this one so needs to get a spotlight place.
I mean, the cover alone makes me want to purchase a book display so it doesn't need to hide next to other books on my shelf, LOL.
Did you see its full glory?
It is frigging perfect.
Ok, so fan boy moment aside, here's the plot. And yes, the plot seems quite random :-)
The Smoke Valley MC is a biker gang operating a garage somewhere near Reno. The gang is run by the Heller family with mechanic Leo Heller being one of the younger sons. He's approaching 30 and desperately trying to find a girl to marry and have kids with in order to be happy and fulfilled like his parents who even after decades of being married (and running a criminal organisation, I should add) can't keep their hands off each other and represent a relationship role model to the impressionable Leo.
Of course, straight boy Leo is popular with the ladies. They want to bed the big bad tattooed biker boy type more often than not, but whenever Leo wants more from them, they drop him.
The story starts with Leo trying to propose to his current girlfriend, hoping to finally settle down with someone so he can start a family of his own. His attempt goes wrong on so many levels, though, and leaves him hurting and sulking.
When his dad gives him a pile of cash to spend on strippers in Reno as a rebound, Leo decides instead to pay a visit to one of the gang's associates in the city, pawn shop owner Zolt.
Zolt, I should add is a hairy, gay, muscled sex god of Hungarian descent who I spent half an hour googling the most embarrassingly x-rated key words for in order to find a pic that does him justice...
Everyone knows Zolt is gay and everyone knows that he hits on everyone, trying to get into a straight guy's pants whenever the opportunity arises.
Leo considers himself secure enough in his heterosexuality (I'm trying not to laugh, sorry) to collect a few ego-boosting compliments from the older gay man to make himself feel better after his devastating breakup - and while he's there, he might as well pawn the engagement ring that was thrown back in his face.
Now please imagine promiscuous Zolt as a hungry tiger and Leo as a tiny rabbit too naive to recognize the danger a wild cat represents when Zolt opens the door, displaying a shirtless torso covered in intricate nautical tattoos and a dark mat of fur over chiseled abs.
And so the game is on...
Of course, Leo ends up with his tongue in Zolt's mouth that evening and of course his views of the world are shattered to pieces when he realizes the insane pull Zolt has over him.
So when his gang decide on hiding a drug shipment with their trusted associate Zolt and ask for volunteers to guard the shipment at Zolt's place, Leo's hand is up faster than the tiny voice in his head is able to voice any concerns for his heterosexuality.
An indefinite amount of time in close quarters with Hungarian sex god Zolt?
Oh Leo, better put on your chastity belt right now and hope it's an Everlast....
I still can't grasp how writing a story so vividly and bringing such wild, dangerous and almost otherworldly exciting characters to life is even possible. These authors have the insane talent of watching people and noticing what makes them tick and it flows right into their writing, breathing life into Zolt and Leo in a way that you hardly see in many books.
Leo (and Zolt too, but for different reasons) is an amazingly well written character. I love his internal thoughts and the shift in his views of the world in the course of this book. Also, he's insanely caring and sweet and you would never think that he'd click with a guy like Zolt. But he so does and it's beautiful to see.
And Zolt is simply out of this world. Leo keeps referring to him as a Minotaur and I feel like the Greek God analogy is perfect for him.
He looks and acts like a muscled porn star and has walls higher than Trump's wildest fever dreams. He doesn't do commitment, he doesn't do emotions. He only does straight guys (or let's rather call them bi-curious guys) for no-strings attached fun - and writes a journal about his conquests.
His past and his future are heart-breaking once he gives us a glimpse of them. He doesn't trust anyone, but watching those huge walls slowly crack and crumble with Leo is the most rewarding reading experience ever.
This is probably the one book I can recommend most in this year and one of my all time favorites.
And just to think that I obviously bought this impulsively weeks ago (I mean, look at that cover!) and just found it on my kindle when it downloaded on the day of its release... in hindsight it felt like Christmas came early this year. Wow.
5 thousand stars, of course!
Oh, and the sex in this book is out of this world. End of drooling.
November 28, 2019
4.5
K.A. Merikan perfectly combine grittiness with romance here.
This series is aptly titled Sex & Mayhem...
No one does biker stories in the MM genre better...
Book 11 but each story in this series can be read on their own.A friend recommended this series to me years ago and I've never looked back.Often in biker stories the club business can take over,over shadow,and complicate the story.Not here....the balance is just right.
The blurb promises all things delicious and it doesn't disappoint.
Zolt has plans.
Working towards his retirement.Lying on a Caribbean beach,drinking cocktails,rent boys on tap,and enough money for a comfortable life.The thrill of the chase is what excites him,especially if the man is straight....and he's got a certain outlaw biker in his sights.
Leo has plans.
He wants normality.A wife,children,maybe a dog? But the best laid plans and all that...
Events one night are set to change everything...
I adored Leo.Not a typical biker,he had an almost softer side to him which made him so endearing.It took a little longer to warm to Zolt but he had his reasons for the way he was and there was so much more to him than the tough exterior he portrayed.
Great chemistry between Leo and Zolt and I loved seeing each men's layers slowly getting peeled away as the story progressed.I'd honestly love a follow-up,especially after the epilogue.
Recommended read.
Review copy.
K.A. Merikan perfectly combine grittiness with romance here.
This series is aptly titled Sex & Mayhem...
No one does biker stories in the MM genre better...
Book 11 but each story in this series can be read on their own.A friend recommended this series to me years ago and I've never looked back.Often in biker stories the club business can take over,over shadow,and complicate the story.Not here....the balance is just right.
The blurb promises all things delicious and it doesn't disappoint.
Zolt has plans.
Working towards his retirement.Lying on a Caribbean beach,drinking cocktails,rent boys on tap,and enough money for a comfortable life.The thrill of the chase is what excites him,especially if the man is straight....and he's got a certain outlaw biker in his sights.
Leo has plans.
He wants normality.A wife,children,maybe a dog? But the best laid plans and all that...
Events one night are set to change everything...
I adored Leo.Not a typical biker,he had an almost softer side to him which made him so endearing.It took a little longer to warm to Zolt but he had his reasons for the way he was and there was so much more to him than the tough exterior he portrayed.
Great chemistry between Leo and Zolt and I loved seeing each men's layers slowly getting peeled away as the story progressed.I'd honestly love a follow-up,especially after the epilogue.
Recommended read.
Review copy.
![Profile Image for moonlight ☾ [semi-hiatus].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1645500038i%2F37448930._UX200_CR0%2C0%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
January 20, 2023
reread: january 2023
I LOVE THEM SO MUCH. 😭😭
***
4.5 stars ☆
DISCLAIMER: as always, when it comes to books i had loved and felt obsessed with after reading, this review is all over the place bc Leo and Zolt had me by the throat.
oh and if yall see me binging KA Merikan books over the next few days or so, it's true. i'm becoming addicted. the vibe of their books reminds me a bit of how i felt when i binged Alessandra Hazard or Avril Ashton's books so... take from that what you will. 👀
Leo didn't tense at the words, but arched into Zolt with a soft moan. “You're gonna drive me crazy.”
It was Leo's compliments that drove Zolt crazy, not the other way around.
“Then there's two of us, Leo Heller. How are you so goddamn gorgeous?”
i feel like this book surprised me in the best way possible. i came into it expecting the story to go a certain way... and it turned a 180 switch on me. i was satisfied with how everything turned out with the mcs, how their romance was executed and just the events that occurred in this book. 😌
both Leo and Zolt, even as individual characters, were so easy to root for, to me. Leo was this "straight" guy who was a romantic and simply just wanted to find true love, despite his biker image giving him a tougher look on the surface and ngl, i had expected to be annoyed with his mixed signals but, literally, it felt like there were only one or two instances where he gave mixed signals (that had me wary) in the beginning but, for majority of the book, the way he naturally just fell in love with Zolt the more time they spent together and, despite him having doubts at first, it's like it all faded away bc he knew Zolt was who he wanted. the way he stood by Zolt, through the good and bad moments, i just adored Leo SO much. 🥺 Zolt, on the other hand, while gay and already out, was much more reserved when it comes to love bc of his experiences in the past where he gave trust towards people who ended up leaving him in the end. because of that, he became a fuck boy to avoid getting hurt again, but i loved how Leo was able to break through his walls. i loved both mcs' growths throughout the book; however, i will say i felt proud of Zolt's development the most bc of how he was originally reserved, but then there was a moment towards the end when he did something for Leo that made me sob and i loved seeing him grow. the way he eventually learned to trust people again had me wanting to hug him fr.
Zolt swallowed, trapped like a spider in a glass, yet willing to stay in his prison if it made Leo smile. “I want to see you happy. And I want you to still be my big spoon. And I want to keep buying you those chocolate-covered marshmallows, even though they're an abomination.”
i loved how the romantic development between these two felt so natural and constant (to me, at least). i think the forced proximity with Leo living in Zolt's house helped with the domestic, sweet moments between them. it's the way they started off being fuck buddies but i feel like, with each soft moment they have, you can see it slowly starting to fade—despite Zolt taking a bit of time to get used to the idea of being in a relationship after years of being afraid to trust anyone. Leo sticking by his side, never leaving him, was honestly one of my favorite things about Leo as a character and how he just surprised me overall. fyi though, i know i'm making it seem as if their romance was simply sweet and, while there is that, there were also moments that hurt so it wasn't just all smiles and happiness between them lol, but i do think their relationship as a whole was something i personally would consider as precious bc of their little moments that surprised me at every turn.
so i admit i was hesitant to start this series bc MC/biker romances aren't my personal preference, as my past reads have never worked for me for said trope and with the tone and language they used (from the ones i've read), i couldn't really see the appeal; however, the tone here surprisingly worked for me? but then again, this just felt different to me in general and i loved that. 🥹
p.s. despite me being distracted with fangirling over Leo/Zolt, just wanted to quickly add i LOVED Rain/Mona as well and i'm excited to read their novella. 👀 oh and .
I LOVE THEM SO MUCH. 😭😭
***
4.5 stars ☆
DISCLAIMER: as always, when it comes to books i had loved and felt obsessed with after reading, this review is all over the place bc Leo and Zolt had me by the throat.
oh and if yall see me binging KA Merikan books over the next few days or so, it's true. i'm becoming addicted. the vibe of their books reminds me a bit of how i felt when i binged Alessandra Hazard or Avril Ashton's books so... take from that what you will. 👀
Leo didn't tense at the words, but arched into Zolt with a soft moan. “You're gonna drive me crazy.”
It was Leo's compliments that drove Zolt crazy, not the other way around.
“Then there's two of us, Leo Heller. How are you so goddamn gorgeous?”
i feel like this book surprised me in the best way possible. i came into it expecting the story to go a certain way... and it turned a 180 switch on me. i was satisfied with how everything turned out with the mcs, how their romance was executed and just the events that occurred in this book. 😌
both Leo and Zolt, even as individual characters, were so easy to root for, to me. Leo was this "straight" guy who was a romantic and simply just wanted to find true love, despite his biker image giving him a tougher look on the surface and ngl, i had expected to be annoyed with his mixed signals but, literally, it felt like there were only one or two instances where he gave mixed signals (that had me wary) in the beginning but, for majority of the book, the way he naturally just fell in love with Zolt the more time they spent together and, despite him having doubts at first, it's like it all faded away bc he knew Zolt was who he wanted. the way he stood by Zolt, through the good and bad moments, i just adored Leo SO much. 🥺 Zolt, on the other hand, while gay and already out, was much more reserved when it comes to love bc of his experiences in the past where he gave trust towards people who ended up leaving him in the end. because of that, he became a fuck boy to avoid getting hurt again, but i loved how Leo was able to break through his walls. i loved both mcs' growths throughout the book; however, i will say i felt proud of Zolt's development the most bc of how he was originally reserved, but then there was a moment towards the end when he did something for Leo that made me sob and i loved seeing him grow. the way he eventually learned to trust people again had me wanting to hug him fr.
Zolt swallowed, trapped like a spider in a glass, yet willing to stay in his prison if it made Leo smile. “I want to see you happy. And I want you to still be my big spoon. And I want to keep buying you those chocolate-covered marshmallows, even though they're an abomination.”
i loved how the romantic development between these two felt so natural and constant (to me, at least). i think the forced proximity with Leo living in Zolt's house helped with the domestic, sweet moments between them. it's the way they started off being fuck buddies but i feel like, with each soft moment they have, you can see it slowly starting to fade—despite Zolt taking a bit of time to get used to the idea of being in a relationship after years of being afraid to trust anyone. Leo sticking by his side, never leaving him, was honestly one of my favorite things about Leo as a character and how he just surprised me overall. fyi though, i know i'm making it seem as if their romance was simply sweet and, while there is that, there were also moments that hurt so it wasn't just all smiles and happiness between them lol, but i do think their relationship as a whole was something i personally would consider as precious bc of their little moments that surprised me at every turn.
so i admit i was hesitant to start this series bc MC/biker romances aren't my personal preference, as my past reads have never worked for me for said trope and with the tone and language they used (from the ones i've read), i couldn't really see the appeal; however, the tone here surprisingly worked for me? but then again, this just felt different to me in general and i loved that. 🥹
p.s. despite me being distracted with fangirling over Leo/Zolt, just wanted to quickly add i LOVED Rain/Mona as well and i'm excited to read their novella. 👀 oh and .
October 27, 2021
3.5 stars.
✨ forced-proximity, bi-awakening, motorcycle club, criminals falling in love.
✨ i actually really loved these two together. there was just something super cute about them, once they finally got over all the bullshit.
✨ the tension and the angst really got to me in this.
✨ the mc Leo was such a sweetheart. he was just so strong, warm, kind and honest. he never really tried to hide his feelings, even when they hurt him. he just wanted to love and be loved so much. a true romantic.
✨ the other mc Zolt was such a dick sometimes, but i loved him regardless. he was obviously hiding a lot of pain and loneliness behind his cocky facade. he was clearly holding on to his past way too much, and that made trusting people very difficult for him, but Leo slowly managed to get through all his thick barriers.
✨ Zolt’s fetish for straight men was definitely interesting, but it actually made complete sense, once you got to know his full story. (it seems like the authors clearly have a knack for making these fascinating, rarer kinks completely make sense for their characters lol).
✨ the mutual protectiveness and possessiveness… i definitely approve.😌
✨the marriage proposal at the end was too damn cute!🤣 so silly, but very fitting.
✨ Zolt’s love for his fishies was so cute.🥺 i hope he got a giant aquarium after the book ended with lots of castles for his fishies to swim in.
✨ the actual storyline going on in the background was questionable, but let’s be honest, no one reads these books for the plots alone. the romance and the characters are always the most important parts, and those aspects definitely delivered here in my opinion.😌
✨ forced-proximity, bi-awakening, motorcycle club, criminals falling in love.
✨ i actually really loved these two together. there was just something super cute about them, once they finally got over all the bullshit.
✨ the tension and the angst really got to me in this.
✨ the mc Leo was such a sweetheart. he was just so strong, warm, kind and honest. he never really tried to hide his feelings, even when they hurt him. he just wanted to love and be loved so much. a true romantic.
✨ the other mc Zolt was such a dick sometimes, but i loved him regardless. he was obviously hiding a lot of pain and loneliness behind his cocky facade. he was clearly holding on to his past way too much, and that made trusting people very difficult for him, but Leo slowly managed to get through all his thick barriers.
✨ Zolt’s fetish for straight men was definitely interesting, but it actually made complete sense, once you got to know his full story. (it seems like the authors clearly have a knack for making these fascinating, rarer kinks completely make sense for their characters lol).
✨ the mutual protectiveness and possessiveness… i definitely approve.😌
✨the marriage proposal at the end was too damn cute!🤣 so silly, but very fitting.
✨ Zolt’s love for his fishies was so cute.🥺 i hope he got a giant aquarium after the book ended with lots of castles for his fishies to swim in.
✨ the actual storyline going on in the background was questionable, but let’s be honest, no one reads these books for the plots alone. the romance and the characters are always the most important parts, and those aspects definitely delivered here in my opinion.😌
November 28, 2019
Only Kat and Agnes Merikan could give their readers a romance between two men who you should be be rooting to end up in jail but who you're desperate to see get their HEA.
The Sex and Mayhem series is among my favourite walk on the darker side of life. With this book, we're back with the Smoke Valley MC and it's Rain's older brother Leo who gets the focus.
There's so much I want to say about this book, but like any Merikan narrative, I think they all work better when you go in blind.
Let's just say, if watching lost boys who don't know they're lost fall for guys who don't realise they're bisexual until they get hit over the head with a visceral attraction, is your thing, this book's totally for you.
I loved every twisted, bad boy biker bit of it.
#ARC kindly received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review.
The Sex and Mayhem series is among my favourite walk on the darker side of life. With this book, we're back with the Smoke Valley MC and it's Rain's older brother Leo who gets the focus.
There's so much I want to say about this book, but like any Merikan narrative, I think they all work better when you go in blind.
Let's just say, if watching lost boys who don't know they're lost fall for guys who don't realise they're bisexual until they get hit over the head with a visceral attraction, is your thing, this book's totally for you.
I loved every twisted, bad boy biker bit of it.
#ARC kindly received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review.
Read
November 20, 2019
30th November 2019 <3
“Your secret’s safe with me, Leo Heller. Whatever happens here, nobody will know. Ever. Do you understand?”
Zolt. Gay. Player. Predator. Fetish: Straight guys
Leo. Straight. Biker. Prey. Fetish: True love
Zolt knows what he wants from life--cold hard cash so that he can enjoy an early retirement in the Carribean as rent boys serve him drinks on the beach. Meanwhile, he’s got his pawn shop as a front for illegal operations, and a baseball bat to deal with troublemakers.
When it comes to men, Zolt loves the chase, and his favorite, most elusive prey is curious straight guys. He goes out of his way to seduce and devour them. If he can be their first, all the better.
His next mark? A biker. And not just any. An outlaw, Leo Heller.
Leo’s got his future all figured out. A wife, two to four kids, maybe a dog. If love was as easy as others make it seem, Leo would have been married already.
A string of failed relationships leads him to the one person he shouldn’t be crushing on, shouldn’t be admiring, and most definitely shouldn’t be touching. Because a man like Zolt Andorai won’t give Leo the family he wants. Hell, Zolt doesn’t even do boyfriends. But what Zolt does offer is no-strings-attached experimentation, and Leo is only human.
After all, if no one ever finds out Leo’s secret, it’s as if it doesn’t exist.
One kiss leads to another, lines blur, and before Leo knows it, he’s in over his head.
In love.
Helpless.
POSSIBLE SPOILERS:
Themes: Outlaw motorcycle club, organized crime, homophobia, hurt/comfort, forced proximity, coming out, seduction, forbidden attraction, first love, greed, player, family ties
Genre: M/M romance, suspense
Length: ~110,000 words (Standalone novel)
Steam level: Scorching hot, emotional, explicit scenes
WARNING: This story contains scenes of violence, offensive language and morally ambiguous characters.
December 7, 2019
As all the books written by these authors, this one was super HOT 🔥🔥🔥
The plot was interesting, we get angst and also some pretty romantic scenes. But all in all, the hotness is out of this world!
I really enjoyed it!!
The plot was interesting, we get angst and also some pretty romantic scenes. But all in all, the hotness is out of this world!
I really enjoyed it!!
November 30, 2019
4.5 Stars!
This was one steamy read. These men had sexual tension pouring off of them and they burned up the pages.
Both men have plans that don't include each other.
Leo wants a wife, kids, and a home. He wants to fit in with the rest of his family. So much that he rushes into relationships settling instead finding someone that burns through his veins. Someone who makes him feel uncontrollable passion. That is until Zolt.
Zolt loves playing with straight men. He likes the chase and being the first man for the straight man. He keeps his green book full of all his conquests. Zolt has dreams of retiring to the Caribbean where he will lay on the beach and have his choice of boy toys to play with. He's got money hidden all over his home and shop. With his latest deal and playing both sides of the biker gangs, he knows that soon he'll have to pack up and leave. That is until Leo.
Neither man expected each other. One was in it for the chase and the thrill of claiming his biker while the other was in it for the experience alone. But the heart wants what it wants even if these men have a hard time claiming each others.
Leo was easy to like. He just wanted to be loved. Fall in love. Wanted to have a connection with someone since he felt so lost inside his family. Not filling like he fit. Zolt doesn't feel like he can be loved or wanted. The chase of claiming the straight guy is what excites him, but he never keeps them and hardly does a repeat. But he wants to keep Leo. He wants to believe he is worthy of Leo's love and loyalty. Zolt makes mistakes and those mistakes made it hard to like him sometimes. But the chemistry between these men couldn't be denied. I really enjoyed their relationship. All of the ups and downs and twists.
Pick it up!
Happy reading dolls! xx
I was given an ARC by the authors in exchange for an honest review.
This was one steamy read. These men had sexual tension pouring off of them and they burned up the pages.
Both men have plans that don't include each other.
Leo wants a wife, kids, and a home. He wants to fit in with the rest of his family. So much that he rushes into relationships settling instead finding someone that burns through his veins. Someone who makes him feel uncontrollable passion. That is until Zolt.
Zolt loves playing with straight men. He likes the chase and being the first man for the straight man. He keeps his green book full of all his conquests. Zolt has dreams of retiring to the Caribbean where he will lay on the beach and have his choice of boy toys to play with. He's got money hidden all over his home and shop. With his latest deal and playing both sides of the biker gangs, he knows that soon he'll have to pack up and leave. That is until Leo.
Neither man expected each other. One was in it for the chase and the thrill of claiming his biker while the other was in it for the experience alone. But the heart wants what it wants even if these men have a hard time claiming each others.
Leo was easy to like. He just wanted to be loved. Fall in love. Wanted to have a connection with someone since he felt so lost inside his family. Not filling like he fit. Zolt doesn't feel like he can be loved or wanted. The chase of claiming the straight guy is what excites him, but he never keeps them and hardly does a repeat. But he wants to keep Leo. He wants to believe he is worthy of Leo's love and loyalty. Zolt makes mistakes and those mistakes made it hard to like him sometimes. But the chemistry between these men couldn't be denied. I really enjoyed their relationship. All of the ups and downs and twists.
Pick it up!
Happy reading dolls! xx
I was given an ARC by the authors in exchange for an honest review.
February 15, 2020
Audio... 0.5 🤖 😖 star
Story.... 4.5 Stars
A great story ruined by horrible robotic/emotionless narrator performance bringing down my overall enjoyment of the story to 2.5 stars.
Story.... 4.5 Stars
A great story ruined by horrible robotic/emotionless narrator performance bringing down my overall enjoyment of the story to 2.5 stars.
December 7, 2019
4.5 stars
I was drawn to this story after reading the blurb and although biker clubs and violence are not what I usually look for in a story, if the characters and the writing are great, I'm sold. Well, this one was more than great.
Leo and Zolt are both amazing in their own way. I just love characters like Leo. He is sweet, open, honest, caring and unapologetic about what he wants. I was so impressed by the way he handled whatever was thrown at him. Zolt was infuriating at times but he could also be endlessly endearing. I loved the chemistry between them and their relationship was one of the most intense ones I've read in a while.
The writing style was fantastic. It sucked me into the story from the first page. Everything was so well written. I always say that I'm not a fan of dirty talk, but obviously these authors know how to do it right. It felt very natural and fit the characters perfectly.
I haven't read any of the previous books in this series and I didn't feel I was missing anything.
I was drawn to this story after reading the blurb and although biker clubs and violence are not what I usually look for in a story, if the characters and the writing are great, I'm sold. Well, this one was more than great.
Leo and Zolt are both amazing in their own way. I just love characters like Leo. He is sweet, open, honest, caring and unapologetic about what he wants. I was so impressed by the way he handled whatever was thrown at him. Zolt was infuriating at times but he could also be endlessly endearing. I loved the chemistry between them and their relationship was one of the most intense ones I've read in a while.
The writing style was fantastic. It sucked me into the story from the first page. Everything was so well written. I always say that I'm not a fan of dirty talk, but obviously these authors know how to do it right. It felt very natural and fit the characters perfectly.
I haven't read any of the previous books in this series and I didn't feel I was missing anything.
dropped
December 3, 2023***no rating***
dnf @20%
Maybe it's my current mood (nothing seems really good enough right now), maybe it's the one mc's reluctance to accept his own attraction to men that always annoys me somehow, but this book/story is not keeping my interest at all. I don't even care that it promised to be hot.
Maybe at another time I'll try again.
dnf @20%
Maybe it's my current mood (nothing seems really good enough right now), maybe it's the one mc's reluctance to accept his own attraction to men that always annoys me somehow, but this book/story is not keeping my interest at all. I don't even care that it promised to be hot.
Maybe at another time I'll try again.
November 26, 2019
Violent
Illegal activities
Explicit sex scenes
But above all else- romantic af.
• Zolt, he was a hardheaded loner that bordered on creepy, to the point that I questioned my sanity for liking him, but once we got past his defenses, I could understand why Zolt was the way he was, and he proved in himself in the end.
• Leo, naively romantic, borderline pushover, but he knew what he wanted, and he could see his future with Zolt. I loved Leo; he was my favorite character in the book. While he struggled with his bisexuality, in the end, he wasn't willing to give up on his chance at love despite the possible fallout from the club and the chaos around them.
• The pace of the story was quick; this book didn't fell like 100,000+ words. Once I started reading it, I didn't want to stop.
• The chemistry is off the charts. Can we say sexual fantasies and dirty talk? *sizzling*
• While I worried the MC talk would overshadow the love story, it didn't at all- Straight as a Wheel is above all else, a romance.
I loved this fast-paced biker love story. It was riveting from the first page.
4.75 Stars
February 27, 2020
Whoa! Nobody does this kind of story better than K.A. Merikan. This one starts at 11 and just keeps building from there. The characters, the violence, the action… and the sex is smokin’ hot!
I adored Leo, he’s such a sweetie! He’s almost 30 and he knows the clock is ticking on his dream of a wife and 2.5 kids. Looking enviously at the relationships in his family, Leo can’t understand why that hasn’t happened for him. He’s starting to think he’ll never find a real connection with the girls he’s been dating, so he’s decided to settle for what he can get.
Well, (thankfully for us) that doesn’t work out.
The authors do a great job showing him work through his attraction to Zolt. I love his attitude about giving head, ‘hey, women do it to me so it’s not that weird to put a dick in my mouth’. But bottoming? That’s a whole ‘nother thing. Oh man, the scene where Leo finally gives it up is amazing.
Reconciling his sexuality is a journey for this badass biker, but he’s amazingly open and willing to the experiences Zolt proposes.
Now for the other side of the coin: Zolt is a jerk. I was cursing him right up till the very end! Hey, it’s the mark of spectacular writing, right? K & A did an amazing job with him. Too many to count, but I think the scene after he gets with Leo for the first time shows him at his worst, I was screaming out loud!
Wyatt Baker does a spectacular job performing Straight as a Wheel and I would listen to literally anything he narrates. His voices are wonderful, and he puts so much emotion into these guys. Plus there are some fun sound effects which work well and really add to the whole experience.
A fantastic audiobook - once I started listening to it, I could NOT put it down. BTW this whole series are 100% standalones.
an audiobook copy of Straight as a Wheel: Sex & Mayhem series, Book 11 was provided for the purpose of my honest review
I adored Leo, he’s such a sweetie! He’s almost 30 and he knows the clock is ticking on his dream of a wife and 2.5 kids. Looking enviously at the relationships in his family, Leo can’t understand why that hasn’t happened for him. He’s starting to think he’ll never find a real connection with the girls he’s been dating, so he’s decided to settle for what he can get.
Well, (thankfully for us) that doesn’t work out.
The authors do a great job showing him work through his attraction to Zolt. I love his attitude about giving head, ‘hey, women do it to me so it’s not that weird to put a dick in my mouth’. But bottoming? That’s a whole ‘nother thing. Oh man, the scene where Leo finally gives it up is amazing.
Reconciling his sexuality is a journey for this badass biker, but he’s amazingly open and willing to the experiences Zolt proposes.
Now for the other side of the coin: Zolt is a jerk. I was cursing him right up till the very end! Hey, it’s the mark of spectacular writing, right? K & A did an amazing job with him. Too many to count, but I think the scene after he gets with Leo for the first time shows him at his worst, I was screaming out loud!
Wyatt Baker does a spectacular job performing Straight as a Wheel and I would listen to literally anything he narrates. His voices are wonderful, and he puts so much emotion into these guys. Plus there are some fun sound effects which work well and really add to the whole experience.
A fantastic audiobook - once I started listening to it, I could NOT put it down. BTW this whole series are 100% standalones.
an audiobook copy of Straight as a Wheel: Sex & Mayhem series, Book 11 was provided for the purpose of my honest review
November 30, 2019
I have been waiting forever for an addition to this series and I was not disappointed!
The characters were top notch. At first, Leo seems like a lost puppy. He might be a big, bad biker but hook-ups and strippers are not doing it for him anymore. What he really wants is a family so he’s willing to settle with “good enough”. He accepts crumbs of affection, misinterprets other people’s intentions in hopes that one day he ‘ll meet the love of his life and he’ll be surrounded by his own children.
But when Leo finally meets The One, when he fully realizes his bisexuality and comes to terms with it, he’s all in, a truly changed man; determined and fearless.
Zolt on the other hand…lets just say he needs a good spanking (and not the fun kind). Allright, Zolt acts like an ass, true. But his reasons resonated a lot with me and he more than redeemed himself in the end.
Biker romance is K.A.Merikan’s forte and while this had a good dose of grit and gore, it was also different than the rest of the series. It was sweeter and more romance focused. It did have a side plot about biker stuff that played a very big role, but not as much as in the other books.
The book is not short by any means but it’s fast paced and reads easily. I didn’t notice how the pages flew by. It’s also pretty hawt! Leo and Zolt have great chemistry and the deflowering the “straight” guy kink had it’s own appeal here. So wrong, yet so hot.
Recommended for all Merikan fans!
The characters were top notch. At first, Leo seems like a lost puppy. He might be a big, bad biker but hook-ups and strippers are not doing it for him anymore. What he really wants is a family so he’s willing to settle with “good enough”. He accepts crumbs of affection, misinterprets other people’s intentions in hopes that one day he ‘ll meet the love of his life and he’ll be surrounded by his own children.
But when Leo finally meets The One, when he fully realizes his bisexuality and comes to terms with it, he’s all in, a truly changed man; determined and fearless.
Zolt on the other hand…lets just say he needs a good spanking (and not the fun kind). Allright, Zolt acts like an ass, true. But his reasons resonated a lot with me and he more than redeemed himself in the end.
Biker romance is K.A.Merikan’s forte and while this had a good dose of grit and gore, it was also different than the rest of the series. It was sweeter and more romance focused. It did have a side plot about biker stuff that played a very big role, but not as much as in the other books.
The book is not short by any means but it’s fast paced and reads easily. I didn’t notice how the pages flew by. It’s also pretty hawt! Leo and Zolt have great chemistry and the deflowering the “straight” guy kink had it’s own appeal here. So wrong, yet so hot.
Recommended for all Merikan fans!
Read
December 8, 20193,5 stars
Darn, this didn’t work for me as much as I’d hoped.
The blurb’s fab and my cup of tea after all, and there is a lot of good going on in this book.
Zolt’s bad boy vibes and his gorgeous hairiness revved up my heart-beat up quite a bit.
Leo’s sweetness, belief in love and willingness to dive right into the novelty of gay sex was absolutely adorable.
The way these two danced around each other, starting with the infamous ‘great sex, no strings’, but becoming emotionally closer gradually, is really well done and highly enjoyable. And the sex and all those firsts are mega sizzling and totally KA Merikan.
But …
I found Zolt’s constant urge to prove to himself and everyone else what a ‘stud’ he is and how good he’s in bed (and shout from the rooftops about it) slightly irritating.
And Leo’s need to be reassured continuously how sexy and wonderful he is because he is so insecure did make me sigh in the long run.
Fundamentally, there’s nothing wrong with either behavior, but maybe it’s the way it’s written that made me roll my eyes a bit.
And …
For some reason I found it really hard to look past the fact that these guys are criminals, like murderers and drug dealers. The authors are pretty good at romanticizing it all for the sake of the story.
I must admit here that I usually don’t go for bikers’ romances – that world is totally and utterly alien to me and it just doesn’t tickle any of my fancy buttons.
Then again, I know what I’m saying is a tad hypocritical because I loved Laurent and the Beast by the same authors, and I have been able to look past many a criminal activity in other books for the sake of romance. So … I have no clue why it bothered me here.
Maybe it was the incredibility of the whole plot. You will have to suspend belief on a big scale.
All in all – a real win for the relationship development, but I wasn’t taken so much by the rest of the book.
I suggest you read Martin’s review to get a different impression.
Darn, this didn’t work for me as much as I’d hoped.
The blurb’s fab and my cup of tea after all, and there is a lot of good going on in this book.
Zolt’s bad boy vibes and his gorgeous hairiness revved up my heart-beat up quite a bit.
Leo’s sweetness, belief in love and willingness to dive right into the novelty of gay sex was absolutely adorable.
The way these two danced around each other, starting with the infamous ‘great sex, no strings’, but becoming emotionally closer gradually, is really well done and highly enjoyable. And the sex and all those firsts are mega sizzling and totally KA Merikan.
But …
I found Zolt’s constant urge to prove to himself and everyone else what a ‘stud’ he is and how good he’s in bed (and shout from the rooftops about it) slightly irritating.
And Leo’s need to be reassured continuously how sexy and wonderful he is because he is so insecure did make me sigh in the long run.
Fundamentally, there’s nothing wrong with either behavior, but maybe it’s the way it’s written that made me roll my eyes a bit.
And …
For some reason I found it really hard to look past the fact that these guys are criminals, like murderers and drug dealers. The authors are pretty good at romanticizing it all for the sake of the story.
I must admit here that I usually don’t go for bikers’ romances – that world is totally and utterly alien to me and it just doesn’t tickle any of my fancy buttons.
Then again, I know what I’m saying is a tad hypocritical because I loved Laurent and the Beast by the same authors, and I have been able to look past many a criminal activity in other books for the sake of romance. So … I have no clue why it bothered me here.
Maybe it was the incredibility of the whole plot. You will have to suspend belief on a big scale.
All in all – a real win for the relationship development, but I wasn’t taken so much by the rest of the book.
I suggest you read Martin’s review to get a different impression.
March 22, 2020
*5 stars*
Great plot, great characters, great writing!
I don't think anything I'll say will be enough to show how good this story was. You can read it and find out for yourselves. It can be read as a standalone even though it's #11 of the series.
Leo and Zolt are explosive together!
Just read the warnings before you dive in.
Great plot, great characters, great writing!
I don't think anything I'll say will be enough to show how good this story was. You can read it and find out for yourselves. It can be read as a standalone even though it's #11 of the series.
Leo and Zolt are explosive together!
Just read the warnings before you dive in.
November 29, 2019
This was surprisingly good and I loved it!
October 15, 2021
(bi-awakening, opposites attract, forced proximity, biker gang, straight guy fetish)
“Chasing straight guys had its many pitfalls, but moments like this, moments like that kiss were a dopamine high Zolt would never get bored of. That second of hesitation, that surprise hard-on in a guy’s pants, were what Zolt’s wet dreams were made of.”
Straight as a Wheel is another rollicking ride in classic Merikan fashion. Was it enjoyable? Yes. OTT? Of course. Steamy? Hell yeah! Entertaining? Damn right! Did the plot make sense? Don’t ask for too much folks. As long as you know what to expect, you’re in for some fun.
Our Main Men
Leo is a tough biker with a sensitive soul. A people pleaser who is open and trusting, there’s nothing he longs more for than love, marriage and kids. He’s always seen himself as irrefutably straight. Our man Zolt owns a pawn shop, is unapologetically gay, and sexy as hell. He’s a manslut with a particular fetish, straight men—and has had Leo in his sights for a really long time.
The Plot
The plot...what plot? Something about a rival biker gang riding into town stirring up shit and trying to take over. Smoke Valley MC is not going to standing for it. Some crazy shenanigans to do with the rivalry. Seriously though..you're not going to read this for the plot, because the plot is a bunch of OTT ridiculousness. What makes this worthwhile is Leo's and Zolt's chemistry and their dysfunctional relationship. That is what will keep you glued to your book, and if their chemistry—let’s call a spade a spade—hot sex doesn't, then you'll DNF this in a hot second.
So What’s So Great about These Two?
This is an an opposites attract, bi-awakening, douchebag vs sweetheart, emotionally damaged MCs extravaganza. Leo is sweet, as in vulnerable and honest and just wants to be loved sweetheart. He proposes to a woman he’s only known for a couple months, gets rejected, and is left wondering why he can’t win at love. Zolt, on the other hand, is a predator extraordinaire whose prey are straight men. They’re merely notches on his belt and he even goes so far as to target men by type: biker, firefighter, lumberjack, etc. I guarantee that you will absolutely hate Zolt until the latter part of the book.
So, what makes their story compelling? Their relationship is a sexual dance where they both seek reassurance, but go about it in different ways. Leo wants to know he matters and that he’s desirable, but what he really wants is love. Zolt seeks validation through his sexual prowess and seducing straight men—the tougher the challenge, the greater the boost to his ego. But deep down he’s always felt unworthy and all alone. Leo at least has a close-knit family who have his back, but Zolt has no one. The explanation behind Zolt’s fetish goes a long way to making sense of his shitty behavior, especially with Leo, but it still makes for an unhealthy relationship until the very latter stages.
And the sex. Oh the sex. This is mind-blowingly hot stuff. Like scorching hot.
“Mine.” “Yours”. They were just words, but in this moment, with his dick still buried in Leo, Leo’s hole filled with his spunk, Leo moaning into Zolt’s mouth as cum drizzled down Zolt’s fingers, he believed them to be true with every fibre of his being.”
“Chasing straight guys had its many pitfalls, but moments like this, moments like that kiss were a dopamine high Zolt would never get bored of. That second of hesitation, that surprise hard-on in a guy’s pants, were what Zolt’s wet dreams were made of.”
Straight as a Wheel is another rollicking ride in classic Merikan fashion. Was it enjoyable? Yes. OTT? Of course. Steamy? Hell yeah! Entertaining? Damn right! Did the plot make sense? Don’t ask for too much folks. As long as you know what to expect, you’re in for some fun.
Our Main Men
Leo is a tough biker with a sensitive soul. A people pleaser who is open and trusting, there’s nothing he longs more for than love, marriage and kids. He’s always seen himself as irrefutably straight. Our man Zolt owns a pawn shop, is unapologetically gay, and sexy as hell. He’s a manslut with a particular fetish, straight men—and has had Leo in his sights for a really long time.
The Plot
The plot...what plot? Something about a rival biker gang riding into town stirring up shit and trying to take over. Smoke Valley MC is not going to standing for it. Some crazy shenanigans to do with the rivalry. Seriously though..you're not going to read this for the plot, because the plot is a bunch of OTT ridiculousness. What makes this worthwhile is Leo's and Zolt's chemistry and their dysfunctional relationship. That is what will keep you glued to your book, and if their chemistry—let’s call a spade a spade—hot sex doesn't, then you'll DNF this in a hot second.
So What’s So Great about These Two?
This is an an opposites attract, bi-awakening, douchebag vs sweetheart, emotionally damaged MCs extravaganza. Leo is sweet, as in vulnerable and honest and just wants to be loved sweetheart. He proposes to a woman he’s only known for a couple months, gets rejected, and is left wondering why he can’t win at love. Zolt, on the other hand, is a predator extraordinaire whose prey are straight men. They’re merely notches on his belt and he even goes so far as to target men by type: biker, firefighter, lumberjack, etc. I guarantee that you will absolutely hate Zolt until the latter part of the book.
So, what makes their story compelling? Their relationship is a sexual dance where they both seek reassurance, but go about it in different ways. Leo wants to know he matters and that he’s desirable, but what he really wants is love. Zolt seeks validation through his sexual prowess and seducing straight men—the tougher the challenge, the greater the boost to his ego. But deep down he’s always felt unworthy and all alone. Leo at least has a close-knit family who have his back, but Zolt has no one. The explanation behind Zolt’s fetish goes a long way to making sense of his shitty behavior, especially with Leo, but it still makes for an unhealthy relationship until the very latter stages.
And the sex. Oh the sex. This is mind-blowingly hot stuff. Like scorching hot.
“Mine.” “Yours”. They were just words, but in this moment, with his dick still buried in Leo, Leo’s hole filled with his spunk, Leo moaning into Zolt’s mouth as cum drizzled down Zolt’s fingers, he believed them to be true with every fibre of his being.”
February 19, 2020
4.5 stars 💫 Exhilarating and Entertaining
Straight as a Wheel
Sex & Mayhem Series, Book 11
By: K.A. Merikan Narrated by: Wyatt Baker
Overall : 4.5 stars
Performance: 4 stars
Story : 4.5 stars
Audio and E-book Reviewed: 02-19-20
Wow, this is truly , a thrilling , fun , non stop , exhilarating and seriously hot AF story , I enjoyed listening/reading.
Wyatt Baker is a new to me narrator. His dramatic , a times OTT , exuberant narration style , took me a bit to warm up. Yet , by %15 into the story, I was fully invested and charmed by his portrayal of Leo and Zolt.
Straight as a Wheel is my first book of the series and it perfectly stand alone .
#BooksILove #Audible #KAMerikanBooks #GRR #Listened2020 #Read2020 #KU #Amazon #Kindle
Straight as a Wheel
Sex & Mayhem Series, Book 11
By: K.A. Merikan Narrated by: Wyatt Baker
Overall : 4.5 stars
Performance: 4 stars
Story : 4.5 stars
Audio and E-book Reviewed: 02-19-20
Wow, this is truly , a thrilling , fun , non stop , exhilarating and seriously hot AF story , I enjoyed listening/reading.
Wyatt Baker is a new to me narrator. His dramatic , a times OTT , exuberant narration style , took me a bit to warm up. Yet , by %15 into the story, I was fully invested and charmed by his portrayal of Leo and Zolt.
Straight as a Wheel is my first book of the series and it perfectly stand alone .
#BooksILove #Audible #KAMerikanBooks #GRR #Listened2020 #Read2020 #KU #Amazon #Kindle
December 8, 2019
Savā žanrā izcila, visi tēli izstrādāti, sižets spraigs, visi zināmie stereotipi tiek izmantoti, un tad pavērsti pilnīgi pretējā virzienā. Lieliska izklaide
February 29, 2020
Gah! The ending! Oh, how I wish the rest of this book had been as vibrant. Like a churning sea, struck calm by loving sacrifice. Superb. Worth the price of admission either way. So, so good. The cover alone tells the story. One of the hottest, sexiest that I've seen. Hubbuda, hubbuda. Makes you hungry for more. Picture it and the story will take you there. So cool.
March 17, 2020
Book of the year. What happens when a hopeless romantic falls in love with a guy who doesn't believe in romance?
Leo is our hero, and his emotional openness is his strongest feature. Zolt is a bastard with a heart, even though is covered with a big layer of ice.
Zolt thinks he's unlovable. He enjoys seducing straight guys, but all he wants is sex with no strings attached, while making sure he's in control of the entire situation. What he fails to notice is that Leo is the one actually doing the greatest seduction here, breaking the ice around Zolt's heart, without either of them realizing what's happening. This is a story about Leo saving Zolt from a life of loneliness he never believed he could be saved from.
You can imagine how satisfying it is when Zolt realizes that he has fallen deeply in love with Leo, and there's nothing he can do about it. He gets confused when he starts to notice how many things about Leo he loves, and that whatever is going on between them isn't just a game anymore. Leo is much more than just a fetish. Zolt loses control of all of his self-imposed rules and doesn't know how to deal with it, so he lashes out on Leo.
Belive me, Zolt can be an asshole. So there will be times you won't think he's likable. But after you start to understand why Zolt is the way he is, and why he thinks he's so unlovable and unworthy of even the slight bit of affection, you might give him a little break. His past doesn't justify his actions, but definitely allows you to understand him better. And don't worry, he definitely redeems himself! So please be patient with my boy.
Leo is the one person in his entire world that refuses to give up on him. And Zolt gives everything up for Leo.
Their happy ending is a well deserved one, for both of them. Also, the entire book is so well written. It's really easy to get immersed on these boys' emotions.
I think a lot of readers will label this book as 'Gay for You' (which is one of my favorite tropes), but this isn't the case here. Leo knows there is a strong possibility of him being bisexual due to someone he met on his past, he simply chooses not to acknowledge it. Not until he falls in love with Zolt and is willing to take the next big step.
'Straight as a Wheel' is beautiful, electrifying, raw, sweet, dirty, (believe me, this one has one of the hottest dirty talk I've ever read!), and definitely worth of your reading time!
Leo is our hero, and his emotional openness is his strongest feature. Zolt is a bastard with a heart, even though is covered with a big layer of ice.
Zolt thinks he's unlovable. He enjoys seducing straight guys, but all he wants is sex with no strings attached, while making sure he's in control of the entire situation. What he fails to notice is that Leo is the one actually doing the greatest seduction here, breaking the ice around Zolt's heart, without either of them realizing what's happening. This is a story about Leo saving Zolt from a life of loneliness he never believed he could be saved from.
You can imagine how satisfying it is when Zolt realizes that he has fallen deeply in love with Leo, and there's nothing he can do about it. He gets confused when he starts to notice how many things about Leo he loves, and that whatever is going on between them isn't just a game anymore. Leo is much more than just a fetish. Zolt loses control of all of his self-imposed rules and doesn't know how to deal with it, so he lashes out on Leo.
Belive me, Zolt can be an asshole. So there will be times you won't think he's likable. But after you start to understand why Zolt is the way he is, and why he thinks he's so unlovable and unworthy of even the slight bit of affection, you might give him a little break. His past doesn't justify his actions, but definitely allows you to understand him better. And don't worry, he definitely redeems himself! So please be patient with my boy.
Leo is the one person in his entire world that refuses to give up on him. And Zolt gives everything up for Leo.
Their happy ending is a well deserved one, for both of them. Also, the entire book is so well written. It's really easy to get immersed on these boys' emotions.
I think a lot of readers will label this book as 'Gay for You' (which is one of my favorite tropes), but this isn't the case here. Leo knows there is a strong possibility of him being bisexual due to someone he met on his past, he simply chooses not to acknowledge it. Not until he falls in love with Zolt and is willing to take the next big step.
'Straight as a Wheel' is beautiful, electrifying, raw, sweet, dirty, (believe me, this one has one of the hottest dirty talk I've ever read!), and definitely worth of your reading time!
January 16, 2020
I'll be honest and admit I skipped to see what would happen in the last 20% of the book and as such can't say I wouldve missed much.
Zolt is still being an ass and Leo is not quite a doormat but isn't demanding better from him too.Both these men are annoying me at this point.
I might reach out for it again to complete it but putting it on the back burner for now. Rating it because Finished 80% of it .... *shrugs*
Zolt is still being an ass and Leo is not quite a doormat but isn't demanding better from him too.Both these men are annoying me at this point.
I might reach out for it again to complete it but putting it on the back burner for now. Rating it because Finished 80% of it .... *shrugs*
October 4, 2020
4.5 stars - Really hit the perfect note with me.
December 1, 2019
I went into this very excited just by how sexy and downright good the blurb sounded — and I was left panting for more of this series.
Zolt loves straight guys. Leo just wants his happily ever after. The two shouldn’t work together. But, they do.
It’s kind of really messed up what Zolt is doing and he was a very hard character to like for quite some time — but he has a reasons for being the way he is. Leo was a different story. I immediately had a soft spot for him and from the start wanted him to have his happily ever after.
Zolt and Leo’s sexual chemistry burned the pages from the beginning even when it was just Zolt doing the chasing and Leo denying. The sex scenes between them were dirty and I loved it.
They had their work cut out for them to get anywhere. Zolt’s love of the chase and figuring out what’s really worth it and what isn’t. Leo coming to term with his sexuality. The biker plot line of the book — which I have to say I really loved the balance between the relationship side and the biker side. It came together nicely and neither overpowered the other.
This was definitely a win for me.
It was also my first book of this series and I kicked myself several times for not starting with book one even though I didn’t quite feel like I was missing anything...but book eight intrigues me so me sticking to the series in order? Pfft...
five stars!
Zolt loves straight guys. Leo just wants his happily ever after. The two shouldn’t work together. But, they do.
It’s kind of really messed up what Zolt is doing and he was a very hard character to like for quite some time — but he has a reasons for being the way he is. Leo was a different story. I immediately had a soft spot for him and from the start wanted him to have his happily ever after.
Zolt and Leo’s sexual chemistry burned the pages from the beginning even when it was just Zolt doing the chasing and Leo denying. The sex scenes between them were dirty and I loved it.
They had their work cut out for them to get anywhere. Zolt’s love of the chase and figuring out what’s really worth it and what isn’t. Leo coming to term with his sexuality. The biker plot line of the book — which I have to say I really loved the balance between the relationship side and the biker side. It came together nicely and neither overpowered the other.
This was definitely a win for me.
It was also my first book of this series and I kicked myself several times for not starting with book one even though I didn’t quite feel like I was missing anything...but book eight intrigues me so me sticking to the series in order? Pfft...
five stars!
November 24, 2019
Great biker romance that can be read as standalone, and while it fits with the series, it felt very different from the rest.
Content warnings include: violence and death, destruction of property, casual misogyny and homophobia, illegal drug and weapon trafficking, sex on-page, rejected marriage proposal, hostage situation, characters get shot.
What made Straight as a Wheel so different from the rest of the loosely-connected Sex & Mayham series was Leo. He was so earnest and genuine, far from the macho meatheads with easily ignitable tempers and easily fractured (and misguided) senses of pride that make up most of the other main characters.
Of course he was still a member of the MC, and isn't innocent or without flaws, but somehow I couldn't help but see him as this giant teddy bear!
He was also the reason why I enjoyed his and Zolt's relationship so much. Once past his inhibitions he was honest about what he wanted and not shy about asking for it, which I liked a lot.
Zolt was more typical for the series, slightly hotheaded and a bit of a douche, thinking he was the smartest and then blaming everyone else (and mostly Leo) when he failed to execute his plans.
Still, I enjoyed reading about the two a lot, and especially the beginning was great.
The ending was exciting but felt a bit rushed to me across several threads of the plot - both the outside conflict and the main relationship.
I was very interested in some of what was happening in the background: the Exterminators, a rogue special ops team turned mercenary, sounded super intiguing and like they had a lot of potential. They didn't get as much attention as I thought they would, surprising me, but they definitely sounded interesting!
I also couldn't help but be fascinated by the Engagement Ring guy (the self-proclaimed edged weapons aficionado) and I'm hoping to see more of him, though that might just be me getting sidetracked by background stuff rather than genuine hints at future books.
I received an ARC and reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
Content warnings include: violence and death, destruction of property, casual misogyny and homophobia, illegal drug and weapon trafficking, sex on-page, rejected marriage proposal, hostage situation, characters get shot.
What made Straight as a Wheel so different from the rest of the loosely-connected Sex & Mayham series was Leo. He was so earnest and genuine, far from the macho meatheads with easily ignitable tempers and easily fractured (and misguided) senses of pride that make up most of the other main characters.
Of course he was still a member of the MC, and isn't innocent or without flaws, but somehow I couldn't help but see him as this giant teddy bear!
He was also the reason why I enjoyed his and Zolt's relationship so much. Once past his inhibitions he was honest about what he wanted and not shy about asking for it, which I liked a lot.
Zolt was more typical for the series, slightly hotheaded and a bit of a douche, thinking he was the smartest and then blaming everyone else (and mostly Leo) when he failed to execute his plans.
Still, I enjoyed reading about the two a lot, and especially the beginning was great.
The ending was exciting but felt a bit rushed to me across several threads of the plot - both the outside conflict and the main relationship.
I was very interested in some of what was happening in the background: the Exterminators, a rogue special ops team turned mercenary, sounded super intiguing and like they had a lot of potential. They didn't get as much attention as I thought they would, surprising me, but they definitely sounded interesting!
I also couldn't help but be fascinated by the Engagement Ring guy (the self-proclaimed edged weapons aficionado) and I'm hoping to see more of him, though that might just be me getting sidetracked by background stuff rather than genuine hints at future books.
I received an ARC and reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
December 4, 2019
3.5 stars.
Meh. This was okay, I'm kinda sad. I love the author's work so I had high hopes for this one.
Meh. This was okay, I'm kinda sad. I love the author's work so I had high hopes for this one.
February 15, 2020
Febr. 2020: received a copy of the audio book from the authors. I absolutely loved this book so I didn't mind (at all!) listening to this amazing book again! Nice touch that I could use the book for a challenge.
I'm not a very experienced audio book listener, but I liked the voice of the narrator Wyatt Baker... very pleasant voice to listen to!
I am absolutely in LUV with Zolt and Leo's story!!!
Obviously there was 'club business' and violence but most of all it was a 'beautiful' and HAWT love story!!
LOVED everything about this book!! Amazing & superhot cover!!
No doubt whatsoever about the rating! This book will be added to my long list of K.A. Merikan 5 star reads!!
Can't wait to read more of the Smoke Valley MC.
As always: THANK YOU Kat & Agnes for the ARC!!! ❤
I'm not a very experienced audio book listener, but I liked the voice of the narrator Wyatt Baker... very pleasant voice to listen to!
I am absolutely in LUV with Zolt and Leo's story!!!
Obviously there was 'club business' and violence but most of all it was a 'beautiful' and HAWT love story!!
LOVED everything about this book!! Amazing & superhot cover!!
No doubt whatsoever about the rating! This book will be added to my long list of K.A. Merikan 5 star reads!!
Can't wait to read more of the Smoke Valley MC.
As always: THANK YOU Kat & Agnes for the ARC!!! ❤
November 3, 2020
giving this book the easiest 4 stars ever because I'm literally weak for Zolt and Leo. the story wasn't really that exceptional but the fact that my eyes were glued all over from start to finish says a lot. the moment their concepts on what an 'ideal' life is clashed, it was over for me. overall, this book made me feel giddy, broke my heart, and mended it again.
the line right there messed me up.
➵"I've never done anything like that, and you use me to blow off some steam? I bet you told your buddies all about it, huh? I thought you liked me, and now I know I'm a sucker, just like my brothers always tell me."
the line right there messed me up.
December 6, 2019
4.5 stars - loved it !! It had pace, sass, romance and grit. I adored Leo and his openness to change and his vulnerability that peeked through one occasion. Zolt was the misunderstood guy who really just wanted something/ someone of his own but he couldn’t come to terms with that. Leo was perfect for him and opened his eyes to a new future. Yes of course there were issues & dramas, but this was a great read ❤️
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