This is not what I expected at all.
The series was very hyped in one of the groups on FB, however, it's not an MC book at all, even though it states that it is. Maybe the series as a whole is a MC one, but this book on it's own definitely not. It's more about the guy and a girl, who have connections with them, but are not close and personal on the front lines.
*IT CONTAINS SPOILERS*
It's a book about Michael, who is a son of a MC member, but up until the age of 11 thinks that the MC are the good guys.
Then his father takes him to the MC dealing, where he sees another member and his Old Lady being hunted and gunned down by his father. He also finds out that his father is cheating on his mom. He decides right there, that he will never be part of the MC and will fight for the good guys.
Years later, he is a dirty cop, man whore and a drunk, doing whatever the MC wants from him, since his own father helped him clean up a mass, when he was 18 and the MC is blackmailing him.
On the other hand we have Lauren, who has an addict as a mother and takes care of herself. At the age of 16, her counselor at High School sees her living conditions and an absent mother, so he takes her home with him.
Now, how I feel about the book?
Honestly, mah, I had really high expectations, so finding out that it's not what I expected kind of bums me out (obviously it's my fault, since I was expecting an MC book, the rating is high and the hype on FB was real).
First thing - Lauren and Mike don't cross paths until around 30% marker. I understand, we get all the back stories for both of them, seeing their main events through the years, but still, it just felt too long.
Second thing - I think Lauren is stupid. There, I said it.
She got screwed by her mother more times that she could count by the age of 16. At that time, she was alone for two months, while her mother was "looking for a job", living in a ranted condo without electricity and water, had to sleep on a barely there sofa and was almost raped in home invasion.
Years later, her mother finds her living with her counselor, and Lauren offeres her a shower and to spend the night, and Lord and behold, practically empties his apartment, because that's what junkies do.
And years later, she pops up again, and stupid Lauren gives her a ride and buys her food, only to get robbed out of the car, for which she pays fees and tickets for the next 5 years, courtesy of dear meth mother.
Like, damn girl, when are you going to learn? Just, stupid.
Not to mention, she works for a class A-bitch, who straight up said, that she sees her as her personal slave. And abuses her working hours. And is mean and just a fucking cunt. But Lauren just keeps working for her and keeps noding her empty head.
Third - the relationship between Mike and Lauren. Mainly; the lies.
Mike never told Lauren his involvment with the MC, or that he slept with her boss (yap, the cunt).
She on the other hand, hadn't told him that her mom became an Old Lady (even though he knew, because of his affiliation) and that it might put her on the map with the MC. Which she was already on for being with him.
So the consequences of those lies and the possibility of the death because of it, pissed me off.
All in all, I planned on giving this one a 3 stars, but the last 20% of the book picked up the tempo and got more interesting, so I'm giving it 3.5 stars (still leaning more towards 3).