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Broken Chains MC #1
Tidal Wave
Two men, two different worlds, one destiny.
Gunner has spent half his life running from his past, and the other half trying to protect himself from ever being vulnerable again. He’s escaped his old club and worked hard to earn the VP patch on his cut after joining the Broken Chains. But his entire life is turned upside down when Gunner’s past comes back to haunt him, and the club’s Deaf delivery guy ends up at the wrong place at the wrong time.
When his president asks him to protect the injured man, Gunner wants to say no. After all, he hasn’t been able to take his eyes off Logan since the day they met, and Gunner can’t afford that kind of distraction. But ignoring him is damn near impossible when every time he looks at Logan, he starts to feel something. And Gunner doesn’t think he has the power to resist him for much longer.
There will be no promise of a future though, if the Broken Chains can’t protect Logan from the mess he’s in, but even if they succeed, Gunner isn’t sure there’s a place for Logan in his world.
Gunner has spent half his life running from his past, and the other half trying to protect himself from ever being vulnerable again. He’s escaped his old club and worked hard to earn the VP patch on his cut after joining the Broken Chains. But his entire life is turned upside down when Gunner’s past comes back to haunt him, and the club’s Deaf delivery guy ends up at the wrong place at the wrong time.
When his president asks him to protect the injured man, Gunner wants to say no. After all, he hasn’t been able to take his eyes off Logan since the day they met, and Gunner can’t afford that kind of distraction. But ignoring him is damn near impossible when every time he looks at Logan, he starts to feel something. And Gunner doesn’t think he has the power to resist him for much longer.
There will be no promise of a future though, if the Broken Chains can’t protect Logan from the mess he’s in, but even if they succeed, Gunner isn’t sure there’s a place for Logan in his world.
300 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 14, 2021
463 people are currently reading
760 people want to read
About the author
E.M. Lindsey
139 books1,366 followersE.M. Lindsey is the author of MM contemporary romance. She presently lives and works in the southeastern United States.
EM Lindsey also writes MM Paranormal Romance under the pseudonym Ariel Millar.
EM Lindsey also writes MM Paranormal Romance under the pseudonym Ariel Millar.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 153 reviews
January 18, 2021
This author sometimes writes really depressing books and I'm not saying that as a way to explain the characters, is the vibe of the book and this one was gloomy as hell!!!
Also, it dragged, I still don't understand why Logan was in the mess, the why's for the reason that he got hurt were never cleared, it dragged in the middle, the action was explained really badly, I never understood what was happening to whom in the fights and it was just boring and depressing. I pushed myself because is a series and maybe the next one will be better, but yeah, I was bored. 😪😔
Also, it dragged, I still don't understand why Logan was in the mess, the why's for the reason that he got hurt were never cleared, it dragged in the middle, the action was explained really badly, I never understood what was happening to whom in the fights and it was just boring and depressing. I pushed myself because is a series and maybe the next one will be better, but yeah, I was bored. 😪😔
January 13, 2021
Another enjoyable story by E.M. Lindsey. If you want angst and lots of pining, gut wrenching longing and undeniable chemistry, men shattering perceptions of disability and proving others wrong - this is the book for you. It has an array of characters who beg for their stories to be told - slightly broken men who create a family of their own. I liked Broken Chains MC. All the bikers were connected by bond stronger than blood and were there for each other in the hour of need. The characters were relatable but the level of self angst was at times so high that I needed to step away for a moment. The pace was a little slower than I would have liked, and the level of heat and suspense was at around 2.5 out of 5, but I really enjoyed the relationships between men and MCs.
The author brought two men together who seemingly had nothing in common but one desire - to be loved and to be seen, to be understood and to be valued. And Logan and Gunner found in each other what they've been missing in others. It took them a while and they went through a whole ocean of doubt and fear, but in the end their happiness was worth all the suffering and the effort.
One thing to note is that by the time the book was ending both men had feelings that would lead to love, so there was no insta love here. But it was the epilogue that offered a glimpse in the future and the love that developed off page with time. Good solid start for a new series. Copy received for my honest and unbiased review
The author brought two men together who seemingly had nothing in common but one desire - to be loved and to be seen, to be understood and to be valued. And Logan and Gunner found in each other what they've been missing in others. It took them a while and they went through a whole ocean of doubt and fear, but in the end their happiness was worth all the suffering and the effort.
One thing to note is that by the time the book was ending both men had feelings that would lead to love, so there was no insta love here. But it was the epilogue that offered a glimpse in the future and the love that developed off page with time. Good solid start for a new series. Copy received for my honest and unbiased review
December 7, 2022
4 stars for the narrator
2 stars for the book
🤷🏽♀️
Not sure what else to say.. just ehh..
2 stars for the book
🤷🏽♀️
Not sure what else to say.. just ehh..
January 15, 2021
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.25 stars
Tidal Wave is the first book in E.M. Lindsey’s new Broken Chains MC series and it’s off to a great start. I’ll admit, motorcycle club stories are not always my thing, but I would read anything Lindsey writes and so I gave this one a shot, and I am so glad I did.
As with most motorcycle clubs, the Broken Chains are not always on the right side of the law. But they are overall good men and they care for and protect one another. From a romance end, things are somewhat a slow burn, at least in terms of really moving the relationship forward. The men are into each other from the start, but it takes them a while to accept that they really have anything to offer one another.
There are so many interesting characters in the book and I feel like this series is ripe for so many great stories. I can’t wait to see where Lindsey takes things next and I think the series is a perfect fit for their writing style.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
4.25 stars
Tidal Wave is the first book in E.M. Lindsey’s new Broken Chains MC series and it’s off to a great start. I’ll admit, motorcycle club stories are not always my thing, but I would read anything Lindsey writes and so I gave this one a shot, and I am so glad I did.
As with most motorcycle clubs, the Broken Chains are not always on the right side of the law. But they are overall good men and they care for and protect one another. From a romance end, things are somewhat a slow burn, at least in terms of really moving the relationship forward. The men are into each other from the start, but it takes them a while to accept that they really have anything to offer one another.
There are so many interesting characters in the book and I feel like this series is ripe for so many great stories. I can’t wait to see where Lindsey takes things next and I think the series is a perfect fit for their writing style.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
January 17, 2021
Well. I guess this was okay. This is my first E.M. Lindsey book, so I don’t know if this is their usual thing but the pacing of this book was weird. It felt more like the beginning of a romance by the time the book ended, then one where I was supposed to believe the love interests were getting their HFN/HEA. The plot was open-ended and I guess going for a bigger story arc in the overall series that’s not closed out in just one book? But it’s unclear at this time how many books are in this series and the blurb for book two doesn’t entirely convince me to continue reading it either.
Trigger warnings include homomisia, mentions of drugs/drug use, graphic violence, racism, a violent stabbing because of a character’s race, abuse, mentions of child abuse, ableism, kidnapping, misogyny, and anxiety attacks.
The story starts with 29-year-old Gunner, the VP of the Broken Chains MC. He escaped his father’s club with his now 5-year-old sister, Maddie, in tow. Gunner was caught as a teenager having sex with another boy, and that earned him a face that is now half paralyzed and he has a tremor in his left hand when he feels particularly anxious. Caring for a child can be a lot but at least he has his club at his side to help out with babysitting duties.
Logan is roughly 21, Maddie’s dance teacher, and he is Deaf. He teaches dance through the vibrations in the music and through ASL. The students love him. He works as many hours as he can at a Japanese noodle restaurant and manages to get by. When he becomes a target by a motorcycle club that rolls into town, it pushes him right into Gunner’s path.
One thing I really wanted to appreciate is that both leads in this book are presumably POC. BUT. It’s only assumed that maybe Gunner is mixed or maybe Latinx (just from his dad’s name) but never outright said. We do know Logan is Black (but unfortunately just said with a lowercase b in the book). The characters are pretty exchangeable as white throughout the book until the author points out how a character has light brown skin? Multiple times.
Like, an attempt was made, but I think it’s kind of a slap in the face when the text said LOGAN OF ALL PEOPLE, considers Gunner “tall, dark, and handsome.” Please, I would love to know how he’s dark. Do let me know. And the fact that Logan works at a Japanese noodle restaurant and the book says he makes stretched noodles??? Wellllllll that’s famously a Chinese thing called lamien. So. Not Japanese at all actually.
I guess the one thing the book does with more care and consideration is in the Deaf rep? I appreciate having the story told from Logan’s POV as well as Gunner’s. It was nice to see Gunner being much more thoughtful and willing to learn sign language on his own because Logan speaks ASL and because he knows Logan shouldn’t have to make accommodations for Gunner. I would say this is the only reason this book gets 3 stars rather than a 1 for me.
So, there’s a lot happening in this book. But I still feel like the text tries to make it darker than it is? Like, bad shit happens to the main characters. Not arguing that. But...it’s not dark romance. It’s just dark themed, I guess you could say. And my experience with motorcycle club books have all veered into dark romance territory so this book was weird to me in that regard. Especially since the author just ambiguously tries to say this story is grey romance in their content warnings, but maybe that’s why it feels so bland in the end? The story is morally grey, and just sits on the edge without the reader ever feeling the Broken Chains is anything more than a ragtag group of people in a pretend motorcycle club. What even is their under-the-table money making business? It has to be more than their mechanic shop but it is unclear to me what that could be. Maybe the answer is in the sequel book, which is about the President of the Broken Chains MC, Smokey.
There’s a LOT of unanswered questions at the end of this book and that includes why and how Gunner’s old club found him and just, what’s their whole deal.
Again, it just seems to me like this story is just the beginning of Gunner and Logan’s relationship and I never felt the pull for them to be together at all until maybe the end? The romance between the characters is sweet but is not fully realized as it should be.
The pacing of the book was just strange to me and the ending was extremely anticlimactic. Adding to the fact that it very much felt like POCs were added into the story just for the sake of having POCs??? Well.
I think if you’re a regular reader of motorcycle club romances that are on the darker, dark romance side of things, this book won’t hit the mark. But if you usually shy away from motorcycle club romances and want somewhere to start, this might be for you? This has found family and queer characters with disabilities in the club, which the author seems to take more care in writing than anything else.
Trigger warnings include homomisia, mentions of drugs/drug use, graphic violence, racism, a violent stabbing because of a character’s race, abuse, mentions of child abuse, ableism, kidnapping, misogyny, and anxiety attacks.
The story starts with 29-year-old Gunner, the VP of the Broken Chains MC. He escaped his father’s club with his now 5-year-old sister, Maddie, in tow. Gunner was caught as a teenager having sex with another boy, and that earned him a face that is now half paralyzed and he has a tremor in his left hand when he feels particularly anxious. Caring for a child can be a lot but at least he has his club at his side to help out with babysitting duties.
Logan is roughly 21, Maddie’s dance teacher, and he is Deaf. He teaches dance through the vibrations in the music and through ASL. The students love him. He works as many hours as he can at a Japanese noodle restaurant and manages to get by. When he becomes a target by a motorcycle club that rolls into town, it pushes him right into Gunner’s path.
One thing I really wanted to appreciate is that both leads in this book are presumably POC. BUT. It’s only assumed that maybe Gunner is mixed or maybe Latinx (just from his dad’s name) but never outright said. We do know Logan is Black (but unfortunately just said with a lowercase b in the book). The characters are pretty exchangeable as white throughout the book until the author points out how a character has light brown skin? Multiple times.
Like, an attempt was made, but I think it’s kind of a slap in the face when the text said LOGAN OF ALL PEOPLE, considers Gunner “tall, dark, and handsome.” Please, I would love to know how he’s dark. Do let me know. And the fact that Logan works at a Japanese noodle restaurant and the book says he makes stretched noodles??? Wellllllll that’s famously a Chinese thing called lamien. So. Not Japanese at all actually.
I guess the one thing the book does with more care and consideration is in the Deaf rep? I appreciate having the story told from Logan’s POV as well as Gunner’s. It was nice to see Gunner being much more thoughtful and willing to learn sign language on his own because Logan speaks ASL and because he knows Logan shouldn’t have to make accommodations for Gunner. I would say this is the only reason this book gets 3 stars rather than a 1 for me.
So, there’s a lot happening in this book. But I still feel like the text tries to make it darker than it is? Like, bad shit happens to the main characters. Not arguing that. But...it’s not dark romance. It’s just dark themed, I guess you could say. And my experience with motorcycle club books have all veered into dark romance territory so this book was weird to me in that regard. Especially since the author just ambiguously tries to say this story is grey romance in their content warnings, but maybe that’s why it feels so bland in the end? The story is morally grey, and just sits on the edge without the reader ever feeling the Broken Chains is anything more than a ragtag group of people in a pretend motorcycle club. What even is their under-the-table money making business? It has to be more than their mechanic shop but it is unclear to me what that could be. Maybe the answer is in the sequel book, which is about the President of the Broken Chains MC, Smokey.
There’s a LOT of unanswered questions at the end of this book and that includes why and how Gunner’s old club found him and just, what’s their whole deal.
Again, it just seems to me like this story is just the beginning of Gunner and Logan’s relationship and I never felt the pull for them to be together at all until maybe the end? The romance between the characters is sweet but is not fully realized as it should be.
The pacing of the book was just strange to me and the ending was extremely anticlimactic. Adding to the fact that it very much felt like POCs were added into the story just for the sake of having POCs??? Well.
I think if you’re a regular reader of motorcycle club romances that are on the darker, dark romance side of things, this book won’t hit the mark. But if you usually shy away from motorcycle club romances and want somewhere to start, this might be for you? This has found family and queer characters with disabilities in the club, which the author seems to take more care in writing than anything else.
June 15, 2024
It was a long and half the time sad story. The main couple getting together took forever and at first I understood and agreed but after a while I was okay I get it but after a while I was get it together. I plan to read the other books in the series just not sure 🤔 when.
January 20, 2021
It was cute but damn it was a slow burner.
May 17, 2021
Different MC
Interesting, lots of angst, slow burn, sort of gloomy and a little slow moving plot-wise. The authors usual well-portrayed characters with disabilities. I had my quibbles but overall quite good. Fits the MC trope but with a different slant.
Interesting, lots of angst, slow burn, sort of gloomy and a little slow moving plot-wise. The authors usual well-portrayed characters with disabilities. I had my quibbles but overall quite good. Fits the MC trope but with a different slant.
Read
August 28, 2022DNF @40ish%
Unfortunately this MC romance wasn't for me. I needed a bit more romance and chemistry between the leads to keep me interested. Also more plot action. Pains me to not love something by Lindsey.
Unfortunately this MC romance wasn't for me. I needed a bit more romance and chemistry between the leads to keep me interested. Also more plot action. Pains me to not love something by Lindsey.
September 7, 2022
This didn’t quite hit the mark for me. I did really appreciate reading about a Deaf MC and also the second MC having with some physical disabilities as well as both being POC. I’ve never read a book about motorcycle gangs before so I thought this would be really dark and angsty. The content was fairly dark but the angst didn’t draw me in the way I like it to. It just kind of felt a bit gloomy all over and the tension didn’t really build right for my liking. I didn’t have a lot of care factor for the characters and wasn’t compelled to compulsively read it until all hours. I do like a slow burn but something about this just dragged for me. I do think the author has some good ideas here and has created a decent world with all the secondary characters so I will give book 2 a try.
Want to read
May 5, 2021🎁 FREE on Amazon today (5/5/2021)! 🎁
August 15, 2021
I was sucked into the tale of this untraditional motorcycle gang who collectively just wanting their safe place in this world. The kid needed a strong talking to. This was flawed but entertaining.
Read
October 22, 2022DNF 16%
August 1, 2022
E.M. Lindsey - I read a lot of their books and I usually enjoy myself, but they always do the same damn thing where they Cliff's Notes the characters' entire backstories, in turn, right off the bat. Is it a method that is convenient for Lindsey when it comes time to set up the characters? Yes. Is it the most effective method when considering the storytelling and the reader? No. Not only does it affect my ability to read multiple of their books because they feel same-y, but I feel like I've been handed a video game walkthrough manual or a cheat sheet - there are very few mysteries and we know exactly what makes each character tick before they even interact!
I'm semi-aware of the "Motorcycle Club" (MC) subgenre of m/m romance novels, but I've only dipped my toe in the form of a MC Beauty and the Beast retelling that I found disturbing. It's an interesting "band of brothers" style of male camaraderie but with a different more radical edge than military novels. Authors in this subgenre of course go out of their way to make the characters sympathetic but edgy enough for the "grey morality" tag. Honestly, I love the bad boy with a heart of gold trope but biker gangs make me think of skinheads because that's what they are a lot of time - as far as I know.
I found their biker nicknames to be hilarious honestly. "My name is Smokey and you can't call me by my real name because that’s embarrassing and my cool guy name is Smokey." It definitely has that military-danger-force-ghost-recon-cobra-falcon vibe where everyone is named Stabby or White Wolf.
Tangents aside, I was willing to jump into a MC novel with Lindsey because I generally trust them to put decent characters into interesting situations even if they have some habits that drive me nuts. In my previous reading experience, m/m romance novels that advertise themselves as "dark" or with "grey morality" are pretty disturbing, so I was bracing myself. However, being willing to kill a guy does not a dark novel make. I guess Lindsey generally tries to makes their books very realistic so murder would be a big deal in real life, but a little extra-cirricular killing falls within the realm of a normal believable romance novel in my opinion. Overall, I was pleased that the novel wasn’t overly dark as some of the other “dark” novels have scarred me for life.
The characters’ coming together was slower than in a lot of novels and dabbled in some mid-level moral implications, deep thoughts about lifestyle, and really worked to flesh out the characters as three dimensional people. I’d say that was pretty effective, but things didn’t move along quite fast enough to not annoy me. I’m sure I’m asking for Lindsey to strike a nearly impossible balance between creating characters that act like real people and a little romance novel get-together magic, but that’s what I want.
The climax of the story was really predictable, so that gets a sad face from me :( All of these kinds of stories end with a MINOR SPOILER I GUESS kidnapping.
I will give a few claps for Linsdey’s somewhat smooth insertion of spin-off fodder a la Smokey and the Bandit. Er, Smokey and the Sheriff. Deputy. Biker Guy and Law Enforcement Officer.
I’ve kind of lost my trail of thought here, but I think in the end, I’m not 100% sure I bought the developing feelings and relationship between Gunner and Logan. That might be somewhat due to the pacing, but his change of heart after insisting he “didn’t want to be a part of the biker lifestyle” felt a little forced.
Okay, wrapping up my rambling. Will I read the sequel? Probably. Like I said, E.M. Lindsey is a comfortable fallback for me when I’m not shaking the book out of frustration like a maraca. Is this Lindsey’s strongest work? I don’t think so.
I'm semi-aware of the "Motorcycle Club" (MC) subgenre of m/m romance novels, but I've only dipped my toe in the form of a MC Beauty and the Beast retelling that I found disturbing. It's an interesting "band of brothers" style of male camaraderie but with a different more radical edge than military novels. Authors in this subgenre of course go out of their way to make the characters sympathetic but edgy enough for the "grey morality" tag. Honestly, I love the bad boy with a heart of gold trope but biker gangs make me think of skinheads because that's what they are a lot of time - as far as I know.
I found their biker nicknames to be hilarious honestly. "My name is Smokey and you can't call me by my real name because that’s embarrassing and my cool guy name is Smokey." It definitely has that military-danger-force-ghost-recon-cobra-falcon vibe where everyone is named Stabby or White Wolf.
Tangents aside, I was willing to jump into a MC novel with Lindsey because I generally trust them to put decent characters into interesting situations even if they have some habits that drive me nuts. In my previous reading experience, m/m romance novels that advertise themselves as "dark" or with "grey morality" are pretty disturbing, so I was bracing myself. However, being willing to kill a guy does not a dark novel make. I guess Lindsey generally tries to makes their books very realistic so murder would be a big deal in real life, but a little extra-cirricular killing falls within the realm of a normal believable romance novel in my opinion. Overall, I was pleased that the novel wasn’t overly dark as some of the other “dark” novels have scarred me for life.
The characters’ coming together was slower than in a lot of novels and dabbled in some mid-level moral implications, deep thoughts about lifestyle, and really worked to flesh out the characters as three dimensional people. I’d say that was pretty effective, but things didn’t move along quite fast enough to not annoy me. I’m sure I’m asking for Lindsey to strike a nearly impossible balance between creating characters that act like real people and a little romance novel get-together magic, but that’s what I want.
The climax of the story was really predictable, so that gets a sad face from me :( All of these kinds of stories end with a MINOR SPOILER I GUESS kidnapping.
I will give a few claps for Linsdey’s somewhat smooth insertion of spin-off fodder a la Smokey and the Bandit. Er, Smokey and the Sheriff. Deputy. Biker Guy and Law Enforcement Officer.
I’ve kind of lost my trail of thought here, but I think in the end, I’m not 100% sure I bought the developing feelings and relationship between Gunner and Logan. That might be somewhat due to the pacing, but his change of heart after insisting he “didn’t want to be a part of the biker lifestyle” felt a little forced.
Okay, wrapping up my rambling. Will I read the sequel? Probably. Like I said, E.M. Lindsey is a comfortable fallback for me when I’m not shaking the book out of frustration like a maraca. Is this Lindsey’s strongest work? I don’t think so.
September 29, 2022
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--- SECOND READ ---
Ok, so this time I liked the romance better. Maybe because the first time I felt so very frustrated by their "I can't", "we can't", and this time I was prepared and so it didn't feel that frustrating anymore.
I still think the reason why they are apart doesn't make that much sense. Or maybe it's not that it doesn't make sense but that they don't fucking speak. Or communicate, considering Logan is deaf and Gunnar's knowledge of ASL os mostly basic.
If there had been more talking between them, more honesty and not so much trying to keep the distance and brooding, I would have like it better the first time. I do understand why they resist: Gunnar has a hard past and trusting doesn't come easy... Also, involving a civvie is a big risk and Logan has already been endangered by his world. Also, Logan's reluctance to Gunnar's world is understandable and realistic, considering the MC world is no joke.
But if they had just acknowledged what they feel and yet have kept apart instead of so much pulling the other apart, maybe I wouldn't have had issues the first time.
All in all, I liked it quite better this time. I love how this author depictes disabilities, how right the Broken Chains are and how cute Maddie is.
I will def reread the second one and continue the series.
--- FIRST READ ---
3.5 🌟
I had other titles by the author in my to be ready list, but I came across this title and I just felt like reading something like this. I love MC books, the dark and twisted aura that surrounds most of them, how dramatic and traumatic are the characters pasts... The shadows and lights of these characters are just my thing.
This starts pretty good. We meet Miles, aka Gunnar, and discover his horrible childhood and what he had to do to save his little baby sister. Maddie is everything in his life, and even after starting another MC with his friend Smokey, she's still the most important thing in his world. But even after escaping his dad he knows they ain't safe and that their past will someday come back looking for them.
Logan is a deaf dancer looking for his place in the world. His a fighter, a guy who has known hardships and overcome them to become what he is. When Maddie starts attending his dancing class he can't help but notice who he thinks is her dad, Gunnar.
The twists of fate pull them together under the worst of circumstances and they will have to fight both to survive and to make their relativas work.
So, overall I liked this. I loved the preview of the Broken Chains members and I can't wait to read all of their stories. They all look promising and dark and twisted lol Totally my thing, as I said.
I liked the MC's fighting part. It was interesting but not overly complicated. As usually happens with this kind of series, I'm guessing next books with be more deep in this sense, once the "fight" has already started.
What didn't convince me as much and the reason why I'm giving it this rating, was the romance. Don't get me wrong, I loved Logan and Gunnar together, but they aren't much together and I just can't understand why. They are back and forward all the time, now one of them says they can't be together, then it's the other one... I just couldn't understand the reason, I didn't see why they couldn't just be together and try it when it was obvious both of them wanted to.
It felt a little bit ridiculous for me, and that was disappointing.
With all, I'm going to immediately check out the second book. I can't wait to discover more about Smokey and the rest of the gang.
--- SECOND READ ---
Ok, so this time I liked the romance better. Maybe because the first time I felt so very frustrated by their "I can't", "we can't", and this time I was prepared and so it didn't feel that frustrating anymore.
I still think the reason why they are apart doesn't make that much sense. Or maybe it's not that it doesn't make sense but that they don't fucking speak. Or communicate, considering Logan is deaf and Gunnar's knowledge of ASL os mostly basic.
If there had been more talking between them, more honesty and not so much trying to keep the distance and brooding, I would have like it better the first time. I do understand why they resist: Gunnar has a hard past and trusting doesn't come easy... Also, involving a civvie is a big risk and Logan has already been endangered by his world. Also, Logan's reluctance to Gunnar's world is understandable and realistic, considering the MC world is no joke.
But if they had just acknowledged what they feel and yet have kept apart instead of so much pulling the other apart, maybe I wouldn't have had issues the first time.
All in all, I liked it quite better this time. I love how this author depictes disabilities, how right the Broken Chains are and how cute Maddie is.
I will def reread the second one and continue the series.
--- FIRST READ ---
3.5 🌟
I had other titles by the author in my to be ready list, but I came across this title and I just felt like reading something like this. I love MC books, the dark and twisted aura that surrounds most of them, how dramatic and traumatic are the characters pasts... The shadows and lights of these characters are just my thing.
This starts pretty good. We meet Miles, aka Gunnar, and discover his horrible childhood and what he had to do to save his little baby sister. Maddie is everything in his life, and even after starting another MC with his friend Smokey, she's still the most important thing in his world. But even after escaping his dad he knows they ain't safe and that their past will someday come back looking for them.
Logan is a deaf dancer looking for his place in the world. His a fighter, a guy who has known hardships and overcome them to become what he is. When Maddie starts attending his dancing class he can't help but notice who he thinks is her dad, Gunnar.
The twists of fate pull them together under the worst of circumstances and they will have to fight both to survive and to make their relativas work.
So, overall I liked this. I loved the preview of the Broken Chains members and I can't wait to read all of their stories. They all look promising and dark and twisted lol Totally my thing, as I said.
I liked the MC's fighting part. It was interesting but not overly complicated. As usually happens with this kind of series, I'm guessing next books with be more deep in this sense, once the "fight" has already started.
What didn't convince me as much and the reason why I'm giving it this rating, was the romance. Don't get me wrong, I loved Logan and Gunnar together, but they aren't much together and I just can't understand why. They are back and forward all the time, now one of them says they can't be together, then it's the other one... I just couldn't understand the reason, I didn't see why they couldn't just be together and try it when it was obvious both of them wanted to.
It felt a little bit ridiculous for me, and that was disappointing.
With all, I'm going to immediately check out the second book. I can't wait to discover more about Smokey and the rest of the gang.
January 12, 2021
This was such a captivating and suspenseful story, with a complex plotline weaven with the romance.
Gunner and Logan were amazing. Their connection was palpable from the beginning, but it took time and some serious soul-searching for them to finally be happy. Different personalities and backgrounds, but they loved in the same way: fiercely and passionately.
Motorcycle club and a biker falling for the man he was supposed to only protect is nothing new, but E.M. Lindsey wrote it in such a way that every character, especially the protagonists, stood out from the pages and felt real. Club brothers, friends and even enemies brought emotions, intensity and intrigue.
I'm so glad that this is the first book in a new series by this author and I'm excited for the next installments.
Gunner and Logan were amazing. Their connection was palpable from the beginning, but it took time and some serious soul-searching for them to finally be happy. Different personalities and backgrounds, but they loved in the same way: fiercely and passionately.
Motorcycle club and a biker falling for the man he was supposed to only protect is nothing new, but E.M. Lindsey wrote it in such a way that every character, especially the protagonists, stood out from the pages and felt real. Club brothers, friends and even enemies brought emotions, intensity and intrigue.
I'm so glad that this is the first book in a new series by this author and I'm excited for the next installments.
July 2, 2021
I enjoy the worlds and characters Lindsey creates. It's creative and feels lived in and offers more than just white straight able-bodied protagonists.
It just never draws me completely, the writing is not my favourite and I am never impressed by the plot. It is very predictable. I would also love for the information to be spread throughout the story and all dumped in the first two chapters.
It just never draws me completely, the writing is not my favourite and I am never impressed by the plot. It is very predictable. I would also love for the information to be spread throughout the story and all dumped in the first two chapters.
January 30, 2021
Very repetitive
I wanted to love it but it seem unnecessarily long and drawn out. Glad Gunner and Logan got their happy ending but it needed more substance for me.
I wanted to love it but it seem unnecessarily long and drawn out. Glad Gunner and Logan got their happy ending but it needed more substance for me.
January 10, 2021
Tidal Wave is an amazingly written MC story some hard hitting moments, tangible bonds of a made family and how far you'd go to protect those you love.
Gunnar's character broke my heart with what he has survived and how he now lives to provide for his baby sister. He's always wary and on the lookout for those from their past coming for retribution but otherwise he takes life one day at a time. All bets are off when Logan comes into his life, injured and in need of protection.
Logan has always lived life on the fringe as someone who is deaf, black and gay. He's independent and determined but willing to accept help from the Broken Chains MC after he's attacked by someone they want out of town.
You could sense the undercurrent of attraction and tension between Gunnar and Logan from their first meeting, even with it not being the best of circumstances. They somehow had an understanding about each other with very few interactions and I so loved how Gunnar went so far as to learn ASL, without knowing the possibility of more between them. There is a lot of moments with each man alone, thinking on their past, present and future but not a bit of that is wasted, all building up the characters, their history and what is to come for them individually and together.
The men who make up the MC are really great. All of them totally in love with Maddie, Gunnar's little sister, and it really shows their softer sides. Immediately, you can tell this isn't a hard core outlaw gang but the do fight for each other and what's right which is the basis for this story.
Cannot recommend this enough for fans of MC books, slow burn romance with a hurt/comfort aspect and disabled characters. I'm really looking forward to reading more from these men and E.M. Lindsey's writing. I received an ARC and am happily giving a review.
Gunnar's character broke my heart with what he has survived and how he now lives to provide for his baby sister. He's always wary and on the lookout for those from their past coming for retribution but otherwise he takes life one day at a time. All bets are off when Logan comes into his life, injured and in need of protection.
Logan has always lived life on the fringe as someone who is deaf, black and gay. He's independent and determined but willing to accept help from the Broken Chains MC after he's attacked by someone they want out of town.
You could sense the undercurrent of attraction and tension between Gunnar and Logan from their first meeting, even with it not being the best of circumstances. They somehow had an understanding about each other with very few interactions and I so loved how Gunnar went so far as to learn ASL, without knowing the possibility of more between them. There is a lot of moments with each man alone, thinking on their past, present and future but not a bit of that is wasted, all building up the characters, their history and what is to come for them individually and together.
The men who make up the MC are really great. All of them totally in love with Maddie, Gunnar's little sister, and it really shows their softer sides. Immediately, you can tell this isn't a hard core outlaw gang but the do fight for each other and what's right which is the basis for this story.
Cannot recommend this enough for fans of MC books, slow burn romance with a hurt/comfort aspect and disabled characters. I'm really looking forward to reading more from these men and E.M. Lindsey's writing. I received an ARC and am happily giving a review.
January 9, 2021
Gunner's story was wonderfully written, with plenty of high-stakes action that I expect from motorcycle club books and E.M.'s unique brand of swoony romance. In comparison to some of their other series, Broken Chains is grittier, more morally ambigous, and heart-pounding. I loved the change of pace, and it's so exciting to see one of my favorite authors branching out a bit. I honestly could not have predicted how this story would unfold, and I had a pleasant buzz of suspense for most of the second half. In my opinion, this is one of the least romance-centric books E.M. has written, and to me it read more like an action/adventure book with a splash of romance to keep everything balanced out. I'm definitely not complaining about the slow-burn, because the actual storyline was incredibly captivating and I fell in love with all the characters immediately. For how sparse Logan and Gunner's interactions were, their romantic connection was surprisingly deep and convincing. All together, I thought this was an excellent start to a brand new MM romance series from E.M. Lindsey!
**I voluntarily read an ARC of this book. This review expresses my honest thoughts and opinions.
**I voluntarily read an ARC of this book. This review expresses my honest thoughts and opinions.
August 27, 2022
the characters were great, the author really made a whole cast of characters be very distinct, even the ones we only saw for a few pages. Logan being deaf made it hard for them to communicate at first but I love the slow investment Gunner made in learning ASL.
what didn't work for me in this book was the pacing. nothing happens between them until 57%. they don't even spend that much time together. we get so many pages spent on the club and Maddie (Gunner's daughter) that the romance doesn't get time to develop. Gunner is all "no we can't" until almost the end of the book so I couldn't believe their attatchment by the time they allow themselves to be together.
what didn't work for me in this book was the pacing. nothing happens between them until 57%. they don't even spend that much time together. we get so many pages spent on the club and Maddie (Gunner's daughter) that the romance doesn't get time to develop. Gunner is all "no we can't" until almost the end of the book so I couldn't believe their attatchment by the time they allow themselves to be together.
January 20, 2021
Splendid
A great start to a new series. Ex-MC Gunner finds a new home far from his old with the Broken Chains MC. Vowing to protect his sister,he sets aside his sexual desires until his sister's Deaf dance instructor revives him. Gunner's old MC comes calling though, and tensions fly.
KU, action, book in series, contemporary, MC, mechanics, chef, dance instructor, disability, MM, standalone.
A great start to a new series. Ex-MC Gunner finds a new home far from his old with the Broken Chains MC. Vowing to protect his sister,he sets aside his sexual desires until his sister's Deaf dance instructor revives him. Gunner's old MC comes calling though, and tensions fly.
KU, action, book in series, contemporary, MC, mechanics, chef, dance instructor, disability, MM, standalone.
October 13, 2021
I had a really hard time finishing this one. It’s very repetitive with loads of internal monologues and a lot more telling than showing. It was interesting to read about Logan and the Dead community but that aspect of the book wasn’t quite enough to save it for me. And the kid’s name should have been “Plot Device” not “Maddie” because she functioned a lot more like the first than as an actual character.
December 27, 2020
Really enjoyed this fast reading well written MC romance by E.M. Lindsey, the first in a new Broken Chain MC series. He's my sister Maddies deaf dance teacher and not interested in getting involved with me or my club, even though I'm the one who's broken. But there is just something about him that makes me want to try to get him to let us into his heart, be come part if our lives.
January 15, 2021
Escapism
Motorcycle club romances are pure escapism for me. And in this case, it comes across as more of a found family that just happens to be a motorcycle club. The story is violent at times, yet there’s somewhat of a purpose to it. Nothing is especially gory and the scary parts are over relatively quick. The romance is sweet with a slow burn and much pining.
Motorcycle club romances are pure escapism for me. And in this case, it comes across as more of a found family that just happens to be a motorcycle club. The story is violent at times, yet there’s somewhat of a purpose to it. Nothing is especially gory and the scary parts are over relatively quick. The romance is sweet with a slow burn and much pining.
August 7, 2021
Sloooow burn
I liked how the interpretations and texts seemed to more accurately represent Deaf speech syntax. Overall the book was way too slow burning for me.
I liked how the interpretations and texts seemed to more accurately represent Deaf speech syntax. Overall the book was way too slow burning for me.
August 15, 2021
Good
Good start to the series. I liked the representation of different abilities, sexualities, and skin tone. I liked Logan’s strength.
Good start to the series. I liked the representation of different abilities, sexualities, and skin tone. I liked Logan’s strength.
February 26, 2021
Dang, dang, dang! Just read this book!
April 25, 2021
Gunner escaped his father’s MC with his baby sister after enduring years of mistreatment for being gay. He made a new life and was asked to form a new club with Smokey. Now, the gang of misfits are in the grey zone, but protect rather than harm.
Logan is a beautiful dancer who is Deaf. He has a few friends, was loved growing up, but feels very alone.
Somehow, the old gang shows up and Gunner and his brothers must protect the vulnerable ones, including Logan. Impossible as it is, they fall in love, and the bad guys are dealt with.
I’m all for the vigilante justice here, though it actually doesn’t happen quite that way. Interesting view into a unique club, well written characters to sympathize with or hate, accordingly.
KU
Logan is a beautiful dancer who is Deaf. He has a few friends, was loved growing up, but feels very alone.
Somehow, the old gang shows up and Gunner and his brothers must protect the vulnerable ones, including Logan. Impossible as it is, they fall in love, and the bad guys are dealt with.
I’m all for the vigilante justice here, though it actually doesn’t happen quite that way. Interesting view into a unique club, well written characters to sympathize with or hate, accordingly.
KU
January 15, 2021
#SpoilerWarrior
I liked this. A lot. I’m really excited for EM to branch out into this new writing territory because I think they write hurt/comfort like no ones business and nothing is more hurt/comfort than MC romance.
I think the pacing was problematic. Or that it wasn’t long enough? The pacing of the unfolding relationship was fine, but the pacing of the overall plot was too quick and I felt like the ending was rushed. I couldn’t get over how quickly everything was just...fine? And personally, if I was Olivia, I would have put up much more of a fuss. I couldn’t actually wrap my head around that part. Yeeess, I want an HEA here, but not if it means a 5 year old is caught in the middle of mc gang wars. right?! Maybe this story would have gone over better for me at the end of the series when one could definitively say, yes, everything is safe. But I read the blurb for the next book and like...., more guns? Not safe? FIVE YEAR OLD. Idk.
Also I want to leave this off because I feel like I’m beating a dead horse at this point but I just (!!!!!) need one extra proof-reader here.
I liked this. A lot. I’m really excited for EM to branch out into this new writing territory because I think they write hurt/comfort like no ones business and nothing is more hurt/comfort than MC romance.
I think the pacing was problematic. Or that it wasn’t long enough? The pacing of the unfolding relationship was fine, but the pacing of the overall plot was too quick and I felt like the ending was rushed. I couldn’t get over how quickly everything was just...fine? And personally, if I was Olivia, I would have put up much more of a fuss. I couldn’t actually wrap my head around that part. Yeeess, I want an HEA here, but not if it means a 5 year old is caught in the middle of mc gang wars. right?! Maybe this story would have gone over better for me at the end of the series when one could definitively say, yes, everything is safe. But I read the blurb for the next book and like...., more guns? Not safe? FIVE YEAR OLD. Idk.
Also I want to leave this off because I feel like I’m beating a dead horse at this point but I just (!!!!!) need one extra proof-reader here.
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