Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book
Rate this book
Loyalty is Everything.

Neglected at home, bullied in school, Matteo “Boots” Romano had to learn too young how to take care of himself.
Raised in a 1% MC by a father who thought of her as little more than a commodity, Celeste Hall spent her young life plotting her escape.

Whether it was fate that brought them together that night, or Matteo's resolve to see the mysterious, beautiful Celeste one more time before he left New York, neither of them might ever know.
But when the two teenagers literally collide in the night, they set in motion a series of events that will take them across the United States and even into Mexico as Celeste runs from her past, her present, and an uncertain future...and Boots searches for a place where he might finally feel like he truly belongs.

Just as Boots starts to fall in love with the feisty young woman with eyes the color of the sea, he is forced to learn a hard truth, that loyalty might just be no more than a word in the dictionary.

Celeste will spend the better part of the next decade on the run, moving from one dangerous situation to the next, while Boots forges a path toward success.
When he ultimately takes a fork in the road that leads him to the Westside Skulls clubhouse, he'll finally discover the place he's been searching for, the place where he belongs.
From Westside in Fresno to the newest chapter of the Skulls in Phoenix, Boots will once again begin to carve out his own future...one that will suddenly be threatened by a web of lies, a brutal murder and the kidnapping of a young boy.

When it looks like Boots might have committed these heinous acts, will the Skulls turn their backs on one of their own?
Or will they pull together and prove to Boots and the rest of the world that the U.S. Marine's aren't the only brotherhood who refuse to leave a man behind?


222 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 8, 2020

117 people are currently reading
50 people want to read

About the author

Jessie Cooke

284 books308 followers

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
176 (74%)
4 stars
45 (19%)
3 stars
11 (4%)
2 stars
3 (1%)
1 star
1 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
Profile Image for Angels.
2,129 reviews17 followers
January 18, 2020
Another great story in this ongoing series! We instantly fell in love with Boots as the man had a heart of gold and was loving ,compassionate ,caring and understanding and no matter how shitty his life was growing up he rose above it all and made something of himself all on his own.

This story was heart felt and even tugged on one hearts strings and one full of secrets. My heart went out to Boots time and time again as the guy never seemed to catch as break as that big heart of his almost sent him to prison for looking out for a family who was struggling and because of his good deeds they just might have been his downfall.

Boots was one of those characters that never forgot his first love and even though he has the family he always wanted something was missing from his life until fate intervenes once again and comes face to face with his past once again.Will Boots get a second chance to live out his Happily Ever After ?

The story was filled with tons of drama,love,betrayal's,revenge and retribution.I loved how so many people came to support Boots in his time of need.We loved seeing some of our other favorite characters from the other Chapters of the Skulls grace the pages of this current story which made us love the story even more.

Although we loved Boots we have to say that we loved Celeste/Sadie so so much too as that women was something else .Can you say firecracker? That was Celeste! We loved how strong and determined and independent she was and how no matter how hard and tragic her life was at times for the most part her choices were one of her choosing and not one that was forced on her.


Overall this was great engrossing story that had you turning the pages to the bitter end.We felt that fate was at work for this couple and even though they spent years apart it was always working behind the scenes for this couple .

Boots said something like this two that perhaps they just needed to make their own way in the world before it was their time and whether those choices were good or bad there would be only one outcome for the both of them and that would be to find their way back to one another.

We love reading a story that love stands that test of time as in just makes the story even more heartfelt and one that warms ones heart.

A Recommended read to all!
Profile Image for Shirl.
1,024 reviews46 followers
June 24, 2020
Book #30... Boots was pretty good. I couldn't find anything wrong with it but for me it was missing something. I don't know what but I think we have all read a book that was good but for some reason it was just felt like it needed a boost.
Boots got his name from his teenage crush. He had grew up with people making fun of him because of what he wore. Second hand store clothes but mainly it was the shoes he wore. He got a part time job and bought shoes and more shoes. When he met Celeste in high school she told him "A real man wears boots and rides Harley's". He got boots.
After getting kicked out of home he was leaving town but wanted to see her one more time so he was parked by the clubhouse when she came running by and he accidentally hit her. She wasn't worried about that because she had just made the biggest mistake of her life. Not telling you what that was 😉.
After running for their lives for awhile Celeste leaves before she can bring him down and they part for @ 14 yrs. He finally runs into her by accident and ends up joining the club.
This book is is mainly about two things. One is charges he is brought up on and her life on the run. The way it ended was a little too quick for my taste. Such a huge build up and a quick ending that didn't explain it all to me. Maybe I'm just tired and couldn't read between the lines clearly enough but something was missing. Still a good book.
Profile Image for Doris.
3,791 reviews141 followers
January 10, 2020
Boots & Harleys

Celeste grew up within a 1% MC club with her father being the vice prez of the Steel Horsemen MC and he was her only living parent. She knew the club life so when her father was willing to give her to another club prez she knew it was time to run. Celeste took a little parting gift with her and went on the run. That’s the night she literally ran into Matteo/Boots.

Boots knew what it was like to be picked on as a kid and that first started in kindergarten when he was teased about wearing second hand shoes and the bully didn’t let up which in the future gave him the obsession with shoes. He lived a hard life but within this childhood experience it shaped him into standing up for the underdog.

Boots had eyes for Celeste but she one tough girl who had told him once that what was important was boots and Harleys. These two had teamed up after running away from home and dealt with some really hard times especially since her father’s MC was out to kill her for what she took from them. She knew she had to save Boots by ditching him which led her down another path that was beyond a struggle.

This book had suspense, being falsely accused of a heinous crimes and stepping up to help out kids in need. The chemistry between Celeste and Boots was amazing and years later drew them both back together and led them down a path full of perseverance and plenty of steam. I recommend this book. It was a hard book to put down.
Profile Image for Ashley Carr, LSoR.
5,065 reviews65 followers
January 15, 2020
I honestly don’t know how this author weaves her MC books into a cohesive series but she does. This story is about Celeste and Boots and it will pull at your heartstrings. Celeste is raised in a MC and when her father tries to sell her hand in marriage Celeste knows she has to take off. Matteo’s backstory is truly heartbreaking. They meet at a young age and Matteo is a goner for Celeste but she does the only thing she knows how to do and runs. Years later they meet again and Matteo is part of the Skulls MC and known as Boots. Will they be able to pick up where they left off? Will secrets and misconceptions stand in their way?
Profile Image for Jennifer Pierson.
11.7k reviews186 followers
January 14, 2020
The brilliant Jessie Cooke NEVER ceases in blowing my mind with her stories, and Boots is another fantastic read full of perfection in the imperfections of flawed hero/heroine. Now, let me explain, see Ms. Cooke delivers her stories, and they aren't usually pretty in the telling, and I tend to get mad quite a bit, but at the end of the day, they're realistic because of the flawed human beings, and I just can't get enough. I'm not going into many details, as you can read the blurb for yourselves, plus, I don't want to take away from just experiencing it firsthand. Boots was a guy that I fell for hard from the jump. His childhood was a mess, and he learned from an early age that loyalty was everything to him. Celeste Hall also was trying to get away from her childhood as well, which is how these two ended up traveling all over the US, and the conditions weren't always pretty. Unfortunately, Celeste was a flight risk, as Boots found out after falling for her. The next decade showed chaos like nobodies business in each of their lives, (though his was moving up), and when Boots finally lands at the Phoenix Skulls MC, he knew he found what he had been searching for. But nothing in life is ever easy, and crap hit the fan, making Boots look like he had committed a horrible crime, and the next level twists (there were always twists but these rose to new levels) never stopped coming after that, not to mention my f-bomb dropping. How do things pan out?! Well, you'll have to one click on this story to find out! And trust me, it will keep you on the edge of your seat cover to cover, so what are you waiting for?! HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMEND TO ALL!
3,444 reviews20 followers
January 13, 2020
This one spans the lives of Boots and Celest over their late teens to early thirties. While they both had different upbringings they end up in the family of the Skulls MC. Both ran away for different reasons and ran into each other, ended up together for a while. Did they fall in love?

Each took different paths. After years of education, establishing a business and making money he still didn't feel he belonged. Until he and Finn became friends and he met the guys at the MC. He had an ability they needed. It wasn't your typical MC brother, he could keep the books and do payroll and more once he earned their trust. It took a while to prove himself but he did. He finally had a family. He made a place for himself in the community as well.

When he was suspected of a murder and an even more heinous crime he wondered if he would lose it all even though he was innocent.

Meeting up with Celest again brought all his old feelings back--even those of abandonment when she left but that wasn't the worst to come.

I enjoy this group of characters. There are surprises for everyone to come and the solving of a long-lasting problem. For once I have to say I never got close to Celest. The author did give her ample motivation for her actions but I felt closer to Boots and his situation. I loved seeing old friends and the loyalty the leaders instilled in all the brothers and their women. A good story I will read again and again.
Reviewed for Words Turn Me On
Profile Image for Alphas Do It Better Book Blog .
3,736 reviews100 followers
January 16, 2020
4 stars

Another great addition to the Skulls MC! While a reader's enjoyment might be enhanced by understanding all stories of the brothers, Boots is a standalone book in the Phoenix Skulls series.

I've been intrigued by Boots since his first introduction many books ago, so I was excited to dive into his story. Cooke exceeded my expectations in terms of his backstory and gave readers great context to this quiet, sensitive man. Understanding his upbringing and even the creation of his road name gives such great perspective into how he deals with life and relationships.

Matteo and Celeste/Sadie knew each other in their formative years and created a bond in very unique circumstances. They made choices with far reaching consequences and as adults, they're still dealing with those consequences. Joining the MC gave Boots the family he longed for and the strength to fight for those he loves but life isn't without obstacles and Boots and Sadie had more than their fair share to reach their HEA.

I really enjoyed this story! My heart broke for Boots as he struggled through the book. He's a good man with an enormous heart and I truly felt for him. Great read and great addition to the series!

AnnMarie - Alphas Do It Better Book Blog
Profile Image for Debbie Earley.
3,001 reviews18 followers
October 4, 2022
I instantly fell in love with Boots because he has a heart of gold and was loving, compassionate, caring and understanding and no matter how shitty his life was growing up he rose above it all and made something of himself. My heart went out to Boots time and time again.
Boots meets a girl on the run and even though it started with him hitting her and her holding a gun on him they ended up forming a bond that every time they saw each other again they couldn't keep their hands off one another.
The story was filled with tons of drama, love, betrayal's, revenge and retribution.I loved how so many people came to support Boots in his time of need. I loved seeing the other Chapters of the Skulls all come together to support one of their own.
I have to say that I loved Celeste/Sadie because of her sass, strength, independence and no matter how hard her life was at times she go to make her own choices and not one that was forced on her.
Profile Image for Dana Busenbark.
2,801 reviews29 followers
January 15, 2020
Who Is Matteo "Boots" Romano? Who is Celeste Hall? How do they meet? Who is Finn McGregor and where do we meet him? This is the 1st MC read that I have seen this much background information about the main person the story is about. Matteo's backstory is heartbreaking for me. It made my heart physically hurt for him. Wow, who knew that Matteo running into Celeste would change both of their lives as much as it did. What happens over the next 10 years was interesting to learn about. I feel bad for Lane. Secrets are a hard thing when they come out. Read to see what happens to Angela and Richie & who is behind it all and what happens to Boots because of it.

RECEIVED THIS BOOK AS A GIFT from Booksprout FOR A FAIR/HONEST REVIEW and REVIEWER FOR Bloggin' With M. Brennan.
Profile Image for Wendy Livingstone.
20.5k reviews259 followers
January 14, 2020
Firstly, let me begin by saying that this is the 30th book in this phenomenal series and it takes a unique and very special author to have the ability and talent of writing so many in-depth stories in a series without running out of steam!! Bravo Jessie!!
This is Boots and Celeste’s story and while she has spent her life on the run, he is just as determined to find her again. This is a beautifully written story which had me totally captivated throughout this addictive page turner, and I cannot recommend this highly enough and look forward to reading more from this gifted author.
Profile Image for Angela.
3,511 reviews33 followers
January 15, 2020
A must read

Although this has been a very lengthy series between the 3 clubs, as well as all of their associates, it's still a fantastic series. All of the stories are different, exciting, and frequently involve other members from the other chapters (which I really like!). If you haven't already read the previous books, I would highly suggest that you start at the beginning with the Southside Skulls MC series. They're all definitely worth it.
I would definitely recommend this book, series, and exceptional author.
Profile Image for Tina Clark.
808 reviews5 followers
April 3, 2020
Loved it. Italian Matteo was brought up to be picked on in school and always fighting. Parents that didn’t care. He couldn’t wait to leave NYC. Celeste was the daughter of the president MC. Her father was ready to trade her. Celeste couldn’t wait to leave. What these two didn’t expect what they were getting into when they met. Loved the story, hot, sexy, mystery, and so much more. It was great reading my home town S.I., NYC. I loved this author, one of my best MC author can’t wait to read the next one.
2,481 reviews3 followers
January 29, 2024
Boots was such a character. His life was a struggle growing up. He was bullied for the clothes and shoes he wore. He worked to earn his own money so they wouldn't have anything to make fun of any more.
His shoes were his crowing glory. When he met Celeste she was from a MC and was a bad ass. They had a bit of an adventure before they went their separate ways. It would be 13 years before he would see her again. By then he was facing murder charges and coming to the realization that he was a father.
In the end it was his son who was able to give them the evidence that he was innocent.
Profile Image for United Indie Book Blog.
4,708 reviews86 followers
January 17, 2020
This is my first Phoenix Skulls MC and Jessie Cooke novel, it went above and beyond what a MC book is. I enjoyed all the background information we got Matteo. Getting to know the history between Boots and Celeste really drew me in from start to finish. Its heartbreaking at times and all falls into place by the end. I will be going back and catching up with the rest of the MC soon!
review by Raychel
909 reviews1 follower
March 18, 2024
Jessie Cooke likes to start a story then tell you what happened up to the present... It works ok sometimes but then some other times it can be frustrating and confusing.... In Boots story he is kinda a closed book in all the other stories but in his story you get to know who he is and why he is how he is... And he is an interesting story from his shoe or boot fetish right through to why he is in an MC to begin with.... This story has a very sad ending but also a good and hopeful ending too...
922 reviews1 follower
April 19, 2024
Boots #30 04/19/2024

Boots (aka Matteo Romano) had a hard childhood growing up poor and being bullied most of his life made him who he is. But just before he turns 18 he gets into some life changing trouble all because of a girl he likes. But more trouble is to come and the discovery of a son he didn’t know he had. So enjoy this good read and see how or if life works out for him!!
36 reviews
January 15, 2020
Boots, boots & more boots...

Oh my goodness. I adore Boots. He had such a rough start in life but he had a huge heart. He got caught up in other people's drama but he stood tall. He had all brother's support and he found his first love again. He didn't have it easy in life at any stage but he proved he was a survivor!
Profile Image for Jessica Robbins.
2,598 reviews52 followers
January 19, 2020
*I received a free copy of this book which I voluntarily chose to write an honest review for.

These books are always great! We get present day Boots dealing with some major stuff and to get to where he is now we have to go deep into his past. These flash backs provide deep insight into what really makes this man tick and the woman that ends up being his biggest weakness even years later. Add in the incredible Skulls MC with cameo's from the one we know and love from past installments to get one great book that you won't want to put down. This MC is so my favorite! I really liked it so I give it 4/5 stars.
247 reviews2 followers
January 20, 2020
Boots and Celeste

Matteo's past growing up was just heartbreaking. Celeste's wasn't much better. Only 17, her father promised her to someone to pay off a debt. Both ran away together, spent about a week together, she leaves and goes out on her own. He works and gets an education, years later they meet. There's just so very much to say here, but this was just awesome!!
Profile Image for Julie Jackson.
2,320 reviews10 followers
January 11, 2020
Reviewed for SNS

Love this book. Awesome writing. Fabulous storyline.
Celeste has always been on the run. She haunts Boots everyday. Determined to find her again, he splits his world open. These two are brilliant together and this Author blew me away yet agin. 😀😀
2,051 reviews8 followers
January 13, 2020
I really enjoyed this book. It had all different things. Only thing I had trouble with is keeping up with timelines, so I had to keep looking back.

I enjoyed the story of Boots and Celeste, they may of been through alot but in the end it came full circle.

I can't wait to see what comes next.
1,559 reviews14 followers
January 15, 2020
Wow just Wow 😁😂😍

This story was incredible,exciting,and just plain awesome.!!! It was an interesting,and touching storyline 😍. Jessie is an amazing writer and phenomenal storyteller.
342 reviews
February 25, 2020
I really liked the character in previous books so I expected more...unfortunately, Cooke gave less in this story .... didn't like Boot's background or his past history. I expected better for this character.
108 reviews
March 31, 2020
Another wild ride

My opinion of Boots prior to this book was totally off base. Each book in this series weaves a bit more of the tapestry that is the Skulls. All the characters have some endearing quality and Boots is no different. Can't wait for Crimson!
2 reviews
February 26, 2020
This story line gave me chills!! This is one of the best story lines in the series!!
270 reviews
October 13, 2020
Another great read!

Excellent read, held my heart all the way to the e nd. Celeste and Boots were meant to be together, adding Lane made them even more special!
2 reviews
February 3, 2021
Great book

Loved all the book's loved the story line's and all people in the book's can't wait for the next one's
Profile Image for Spunky N Sassy.
5,431 reviews119 followers
January 17, 2020
Spunky N Sassy Rating: 5.0

~~~~~~~~~~Julie's ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review~~~~~~~~~~

Love this book. Awesome writing. Fabulous story line.
Celeste has always been on the run. She haunts Boots everyday. Determined to find her again, he splits his world open. These two are brilliant together and this Author blew me away yet again. 😀😀

~~~~~~~~~~Tracy's ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review~~~~~~~~~~

This book was so different and I loved every word. I was so engrossed in the story and I was rooting for Boots all the way through. I wanted him to have his happy ending, but with Jessie there is always a twist. This story was so amazing and I highly recommend it!!!
Profile Image for Aurelie Gordio.
306 reviews10 followers
January 20, 2020
I really enjoyed this story. The flashback were really important even though sometimes I had issues with the timeline, but it was ok.
Boots and Celeste have been through a lot but in the end they still are there.
The book was well written and the characters really interesting.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews