ARC Review: Rev by JC Emery

Rev is the third book in JC Emery's Bayonet Scars series about the Forsaken Motorcycle Club. This series is one that isn't for the faint of heart, and often times deals with many dark topics. I have had mixed feelings about this series so far, and while the first book was just okay for me I had really liked the second book. Rev I had some issues with though, and this one was probably the hardest for me to get into. Even though these books are about interconnected characters, I would recommend starting at the beginning as there are many things that start in the first book and are continued throughout the series that could have some readers confused or lost if they aren't familiar with the previous events.

Holly Mercer is getting her life back on track and has just started a new job at the local high school. When the principal assigns her Cheyenne's case, she knows that she is in for it after seeing people's reactions about Cheyenne's dad. After several attempts to discuss his daughter's future and education, Holly goes to their house to try and pin him down. She ends up meeting Grady, and they get off on the wrong foot immediately. Grady has enough on his plate with losing his brother so recently as well as preparing for war with the Mancuso Crime family, so the last thing he needs is some uptight woman telling him how to raise his kid. But despite their issues, Grady and Holly are instantly attracted to each other and their bickering is due to the sexual tension between them. When Holly finds herself in the middle of club business, Grady knows that he needs to keep an eye on her. Not only does he not know if he can trust her to keep her mouth shut, but he also worries for her safety. When things escalate, Grady and Holly have no choice but to trust each other and handle things together. Can they escape danger long enough to figure out if there is more between them than just lust?

I liked Grady. He was rough around the edges and was used to not caring for anyone besides his brothers and his daughter. He was really great with Cheyenne and his mother Lisa. I really enjoyed seeing that side of him, and I especially liked seeing him start to let Holly in and be that way with her also. He had many sides to him, and it was great to see that he wasn't just the badass biker but that he also was able to be playful and fun as well. Holly was one that I had moments where I liked her but she also had a tendency to irritate me. Her behavior was erratic, and although she had things in her past that were hinted at, I felt like we never really got to see anything. It was mostly just dropped and she basically just made the decision that she wouldn't let it get to her. I felt like Grady and Holly had some chemistry and attraction between them, but honestly I never felt like their connection went beyond that. I just didn't see anything that showed any real or deep feelings between them, and things went from them bickering to all of a sudden they wanted to be together and not casually. It just didn't make sense for me, and I couldn't ever really get behind it. I wasn't really about to connect with Holly and Grady, and I think that was a lot of my problem with how believable I found their relationship to be.

Overall, I would have to say that while this story had some good moments and some interesting things this one was probably my least favorite of the series so far. I don't know if it was just me personally that this book didn't work for or if it was because of the characters and that I didn't buy their connection. I just felt like this one wasn't as strong as the others in the series. I would also advise those interested in this book or fans of the series that while MC books tend to have dark elements in them, this story has some things that could be serious issues for those that have easy triggers. There are some pretty violent and disgusting things that happen, and those sensitive to that should consider if this book is for them before reading. I also felt like we didn't really get a lot of resolution when it came to everything that had gone down. Everything happens and then the story skips ahead and we see things a few years down the line when everything has seemingly been figured out and all is well. It just felt like things were missing from this story and unfortunately the blanks never seemed to be filled in. Despite my feelings on this story, I will still continue on with this series and see where things go.

**ARC Provided by Inkslinger PR**

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