Some go through their entire lives without an arch-nemesis.
I had two.
The first one was my stepbrother, Manuel Ramirez. My own version of a real-life boogeyman. His goal was to beat me into submission, until I was nothing more than a cowering little wraith, for his own enjoyment.
Luckily, I had a guardian angel who saved me.
The second was none other than my angel’s brother, Garret Hannigan. In my teens, I’d had a crush on him, and for all of about thirty seconds, I’d even fantasized about him saving me from Manuel.
Until I saw the disgusting and scary things he wrote, and that crush faded faster than I could turn off my phone.
Now, I have a new life—a new identity.
My goal had been to stay under the radar until I could carry out the revenge on Manuel I’d been dreaming of.
Then none other than Garret Hannigan sits down in front of me at work and orders a drink. Looking into those green eyes of his, face-to-face for the very first time, I realized the ghost of my crush still lingered.
I should have exorcised those feelings that first night. Instead, every time he walks into the club and sits in my section, not even bothering to look at the girls on the stage, those feelings only seem to grow.
But there’s a huge problem.
Garret doesn’t appear to know who I am. Not even a hint of recognition flickers in those eyes I’ve begun to drown in.
For the first time in my life, I’m happy…but what will happen when I tell him who I really am.
Terri Anne Browning is a USA TODAY bestselling author. Being dyslexic, she never thought a career in writing would be possible, yet she has been on bestselling lists multiple times since 2013. Reese: A Safe Haven Novella was her first Indie published book. The Rocker Who Holds Me changed the tables and kicked off The Rocker... series featuring the sinfully delicious members of Demon's Wings. The Rocker... Series is now complete with 12 books and the occasional novella. Other books by Terri Anne include the Angel's Halo MC Series, as well as The Lucy & Harris Novella Series, The Vitucci Mafiosos Series, and The Tainted Knights Rocker Series.
Terri Anne lives in Virginia with her husband, their three demons---err, children--and a hyper Frenchie named Grunt.
Cali: Sacrificed was the eleventh book in the Angels Halo MC Next Gen series by Terri Anne Browning.
I have taken a hiatus from formal reviews for awhile, but a couple quick thoughts: Garrett was the son of the MC President but was also working for the Mafia Vitucci family. Cali was the step daughter to the rival Mafia Ramirez family. To get their backstory and a full understanding of Cali: Sacrificed, it was better to have read both Heartless Savage (book eight) and Cruel Surrender (book nine). Cali: Sacrificed filled in some of the holes from those books (and visa versa).
I liked both Cali and Garrett. Garrett had his issues as a child, but he had grown out of it. I couldn’t focus too much on his past because the pairing wouldn’t have been too believable if I had. Also, I had a few issues with Cali but with the way she was brought up, they were understandable. In the end, they were strong characters, it was a quick read and the storyline was entertaining.
The same storyline retold for the 3rd time from a different POV. I understand that other characters' lives don't stop while the main couple is falling in love, that things happen to multiple people at the same time. But recycling the same main challenge/issue that couples face in their books is tiresome and boring to read about.
The time Calista and Garrett spent as a couple lasted for three weeks and was skipped entirely from one chapter to the next. We only get their initial meeting and them breaking up (if you can call it that). The rest is filled with the same story from previous books (the Nova-Cianna-Calista storyline).
The book was entirely too long for what it gives to the reader.
To get the full effect of this book, I highly recommend that any future readers read Heartless Savage first. This book will fill in gaps in the story of Cali and Garrett that was ongoing in Heartless Savage.
There was very little new information in this book that wasn't covered in Nova and Ryan's story. There really was no real chemistry between Lis and Garrett. While these stories don't rely on steamy scenes to be good, the complete lack of any real romance in these later books is making it difficult to rationalize paying the price that we are charged for them. The original series were amazing and these seem more like a money grab, because of a built in audience.
The rocker series hooked me on TAB, and I’ve probably read everyone she has written; however, I’m disappointed in this particular book. One, the story was already written in Nova’s book. We didn’t have much new information. The book was just in someone else’s POV. Second, the characters had no chemistry nor did the story give them ample time to even build a relationship.
What I liked: I liked how close Nova is with Cali(h) and how protective she was. I also liked the epilogue with Flick and Jet living with them.
What I didn’t like: How we didn’t get to see much of Garrett(H) and Cali together. I was also disappointed that we didn’t get any beautiful steamy scenes especially after everything she went through. After reading what her stepbrother did to her in detail I would have liked to have read a sweet scene between her and Garrett instead of being told. I think it would have helped me feel the connection between Garrett and Cali more. Lastly, I still hate how they never truly looked into the phone calls that Nova made to see if it was her or not (biggest eye roll insert here). And for Garrett not to let his dad or Ryan know sooner was just wrong especially since he knew how it felt to think that they were dead.
***Major Spoilers/ Details/Triggers: Sexual Abuse, assault and kidnapping. If you read the other books you know that the h is being abused by her stepbrother and the H blames the h for his sister getting hurt. H writes some nasty things on the h’s social media and the h’s stepbrother plays them out. h runs away from the stepbrother and is working at a strip joint as a waitress. H sees h and wants her. h is wary but eventually gives H a chance. H doesn’t realize that the h is the one he blamed for his sister getting hurt because the h changed her name. h finds out she is pregnant and tells the H about who she really is and that she is pregnant. H walks out and h is upset that he abandoned her just like everyone else. H only heard her say who she really was and didn’t hear the part about her being pregnant (he felt like he was the reason her stepbrother did those things to her because he put the ideas in the sicko’s head). H tries calling the h but she refuses to answer. h goes out with the H’s sister and that is when they get kidnapped by the h’s stepbrother (all of this was told in Nova’s story just in her point of view). The stepbrother beats the h up and Nova kills him. Unfortunately, because of the beating, the h is on bed rest for the remainder of the pregnancy. Nova gets her mom and they both talk the h into delivering the baby in the hospital. h has the baby preterm and Nova goes and gets the H. h is upset and doesn’t let anyone but Nova see the baby. The baby needs a operation and the h softens up. H let’s his dad and soon to be brother in law that his sister and h are alive. Baby stays in the hospital for a while. Baby finally comes home. HEA
Descriptive Sex: No
Final thoughts: This was a no for me. Lately, I’ve been having trouble reading this author’s work. I keep buying them and forcing myself to finish them. Maybe because it was the same story just in someone else’s point of view. Hopefully the next book will be better for me (I truly loved her earlier books and I’m hoping she gets back to writing how she used too). Or maybe it’s just me :(
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Terri Anne browning does it again. This book will break your heart for the heroine and make you swoon for the male lead. Cali is living in new York after escaping from her abusive and sadistic brother. She starts a relationship with her saviors brother Garrett who made her teenage years hell as much as her brother. Terri has a wonderful way of writing about someone overcoming there abuse and finding strength in themselves and not having to lean on other people. If you looking for a book that will make you cry scream and jump up and down this is it has a strong female lead but also wonderful secondary characters.
Angels Halo MC Next Generation book 11. Garrett and Calista. I stand and applaud this AMAZING read. This book is an emotional roller coaster of all the feels. I bawled my damn eyes out. I laughed til my sides hurt. Calista is running from her evil monster of a step-brother who has abused her repeatedly. Garrett has some past interaction to her. When they meet again, it's a no holds bar. So many lies, betrayal and secrets. This book is hella twisty, angsty, hopeful, gritty, ssmexiness dramatic and WTF craziness. I absolutely love this series and this author.
Calista has lived a life of hell and now that she is free she is going to do everything she can to find her happiness. When Garret sets eyes on Lis he doesn’t remember she is Calista the girl he bullied online. All he knows is she is the one and he will do anything to make her his. In a sick turn of events she is captured again and reliving her hell. No only did Garret leave her high and dry but it seems only Nova will protect her. The journal back to happiness and Garret is a long one but so worth it.
What a heartbreaking story of perseverance and strength. It is amazing what women are able to endure to survive. Garret and Cali each went through hell and back more than once and the ending was perfect. Can I just say Guzman blew me away, so, so many tears in this story!!!
It was great diving back in this world . It was also fun to reread how badass Nova is . My heart hurt for cali and what she went through . So happy when she got her happily ever after .
This book made me truly cry a few times. Sometimes I feel like I'm the character when I'm so deep in the book I can feel their emotions sometimes. This book hurt me in the worst and in the best ways.
I wish there was more drama and twists. Cali character a little bit mature to me she sounded like a kid throwing tantrums at times. More of Garret, this book started off good but as I kept going I wasn’t wowed by it anymore
So wanted her bastard step brother to suffer more i love that family is together. If you don't know what happened up to this book you should between rockers, mafia bratva, bikers , sports the family extention is huge ..
This book was definitely better than the previous one. I think that the length and the time taken for the story made it more emotional and enjoyable to me.
Cali grew up in a household with her stepbrother who constantly abused her. Garret was also a young angry teenager at the time and her took his anger out on her online. Now grown up, Cali has escaped her stepbrother and changed her identity. Garret sees her at her place of work. He does not recognize Cali but he is immediately attracted to her and decides that she will be his. After a shock in which Garret walks out on Cali, tragedy strikes and he is unable to make amends before Cali is hurt.
I liked this book. There is an HEA but there is definitely a lot of tragedy that this couple faces. I will say that both Garret and Cali are incredibly frustrating. They definitely talked at cross purposes too often and I think that it was frustrating when we were waiting for their makeup.
I don’t know that I would read this book again. I won’t rule it out but I think that there are still better or at least more entertaining books in this series. It was also really graphic and upsetting what happened to Cali in her teenage years and the unwitting role that Garret played in her past.
Trigger warnings: brutal sexual and physical assault on page, gore, premature birth, bullying by the hero