ARC Review: Wild Wind by Kristen Ashley

 

Out of all the books and series I have ever read, the Chaos MC series by Kristen Ashley has to be in my top 5! I adore these protective alpha men and their strong and unique females! I have been waiting to get Jagger’s story since I got more of him with Dutch’s book. It did not disappoint, and he is definitely up there on my favorite brothers list! Wild Wind is a standalone novella within the Chaos world, but for full enjoyment and some amazing books I recommend reading the entire series!

J and A had both been through so much and I really felt for both of them. Though the circumstances of their meeting were terrible (at a cemetery while he was visiting his dad’s grave and she was attending her mom’s funeral), their connection was clear and felt genuine. Their interactions over the years had me sucked into their story right away, and I loved seeing where they would pop up and run into one another. The chemistry between them was super hot and I couldn’t get enough of them. These two were made for one another, that was obvious right from the start. Jagger had so much to him, and my heart broke for all that he had been holding in and hadn’t dealt with. A pulled was exactly what he needed to tackle his issues and I loved her for standing by his side through it all.

This one was great and I honestly could have had a full length novel of these two, though this story was completely satisfying! I just loved them both so much that I would have loved even more. J and A were unique and perfect in their own ways, and I loved that they were so apologetically themselves. I can’t wait to go back and read Chaos from start to finish and experience the club and brothers all over again, especially Jagger! Highly recommend this one and all the Chaos books. You can never go wrong with a Kristen Ashley book!

**ARC Provided by Social Butterfly PR**

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ARC Review: Wild Fire by Kristen Ashley

 

I absolutely love the Chaos world that Kristen Ashley has created. It is one of my all time favorite series, so I couldn’t wait to get the story of Dutch. There was a lot to love here for fans of the series, and it was great to see familiar faces as well as meet some new ones. Wild Fire also set up the series to continue with Jagger’s story and I already can’t wait. 

While I liked the characters here and was excited to see Dutch get his story after seeing him grow up with Chaos, it took me a bit to warm up to Georgie. In the end I was happy with how things turned out and was on board with them. They had chemistry and I enjoyed seeing how things grew and changed between them. 

KA is one of my favorite authors and I always jump at the chance to go back to the Chaos world, so I can’t wait for more in this series and to get to know Jagger better. Fans of Chaos will enjoy reading more in this world, and if you are new to KA, I highly recommend giving this series a shot!

**ARC Provided by Social Butterfly PR**

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Audiobook Review: Walk Through Fire by Kristen Ashley, Narrated by Kate Russell

Kristen Ashley’s books have such great reviews online that I jumped at the chance to review “Walk Through Fire” the fourth book in the Chaos MC series. The author and the fact that it was an MC book really captured my interest. Before I continue I know that Ashley has a strong fan base and some of my favorite authors actually recommend her stories. I’m sorry to say that this story irritated me to no end and the only reason I gave it a two star was because I wanted to know why the heroine- Millie Cross and the hero- Logan “High” Judd- broke up. I disliked this story so much this just might be the last Ashley book I ever review/read/hear. 

First, the heroine-Millie. Now, I like all types of heroines and there are very few that I don’t like, but I did not like Millie. I just could not find myself to empathize with her. Twenty years ago- she was about 21- she broke off her relationship with Logan. Twenty years later, yes! Twenty years! She has never dated or down anything other than start a business. She never had another partner, lover-nada. While this might seem enduring, I found it to be pathetic. I just could not believe this heroine. Aside from the before mentioned, she has spent twenty years moping about her relationship with Logan-a relationship that she ended. I felt bad for her and I continued to be intrigued, why did she break things off with Logan if they were obviously so happy when they were dating in their early 20s? I was hoping that when I found out the reason she would be more endearing to me. She wasn’t. Not only does she spend the last twenty years of her life wallowing over Logan, every single time she is “ready” to move on he walks back in and she is right back where she started. I cannot express the level of aggravation I felt with Millie. She was not romantic nor endearing but she was very sorry.

Another aspect that I could not get past was Logan. What in the world did she see in him? He was awful. Now, I love Alpha men but Logan was no alpha. He was more like a lost and sorry puppy. I hate to even use the word puppy, because they are endearing. Logan was not. He treats Millie like crap when she goes to the club and they rekindle their physical relationship, stalks her and then bosses her around. Honestly-what a loser.

Besides these two very weak characters was the awful dialogue. I can honestly say, it was the worst dialogue I have ever heard. I cannot imagine anyone or any two people having the conversations these two had. Next, if the author mentioned the title of the book one more time, I was going to throw the cd at the wall. “Walk Through Fire” was said at least, 50 times. The storyline was awful. When I finished the first cd I wanted to cry when I realized there were two more to follow. Lastly, deep sigh…. Even though this book is about a Motorcycle club, there is very little MC life that Ashley enlightens me on… I found it to be very amateurish. The narrator, I wish did better at projecting the voices of the characters, but really she only brought to live very irritating and nonsensical characters. I don’t even want to get started on the meddlesome club old ladies…. Needless to say, I was not a fan. Again, as I said previously, this book has received very high ratings but for me it fell very short of my expectations and even tolerance.

**Audiobook Provided by Publisher**

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ARC Review: Walk Through Fire by Kristen Ashley

This book left me with a massive book hangover! I have had quite a few books lately that were just okay, but Walk Through Fire woke me up and was fantastic. Kristen Ashley delivered all the feels in her newest installment to the Chaos series, and I couldn't have put this book down if you tried to force me. Millie and Logan's story was heartbreaking but beautiful and I absolutely loved it even when I they upset me. Walk Through Fire is one of those stories that will draw you in instantly and stay with you forever. 

Millie Cross and Logan Judd fell in love almost instantly and knew that they belonged together. They had their life all planned out and were working on making their dreams come true until Millie broke off the relationship and Logan made the choice to walk away. Now twenty years later, Millie has a chance encounter with Logan and is finally ready to face everything that caused her to lose the only man she has ever loved. At first Logan wants nothing to do with Millie, except to maybe get a little revenge for the hurt she caused him. But when Logan learns the truth behind Millie's decision all those years ago, he must face that all the thought was true was actually something entirely different. Can Logan and Millie have a second chance at love twenty years after they first found each other, or will there have been too much between them to ever get back what they once lost? 

I really liked Logan and Millie together, and their connection was so rare and special. These two had spent so many years apart, and even when things were rough at the beginning it was clear just how deeply they felt for one another. Logan had tried to get on with his life and was able to find happiness in his daughters, though he never got the dream life he had planned with Millie. He thought that the Millie he knew was a complete lie, and you could see just how much that had torn him up for so long. But when the truth finally came it, it was even more devastating for him to find out just how far she had gone and all that she had given up for him. Millie was strong and such a beautiful person inside and out. Yet she made a choice that she should have talked to Logan about and changed their lives forever. I understand her reasoning behind the choice, but I didn't agree with it at all. Because of it Millie was just going through the motions, and while at first it looked like she had everything it was so obvious that she was actually living such a lonely and empty life. I was so glad that these two finally got to the point where they could talk about things, and I wish that they had been able to do it so much sooner. Time and distance hadn't changed the intense connection and chemistry that they always had, and the love between them had never gone away or dimmed. 

Overall, this story was so good. I didn't want it to end, and I was so invested in these characters. Their history was so much fun to see, and I loved that their connection was so quick yet was so real and believable. I enjoyed seeing how they met and fell in love, even when it broke my heart to see how things changed and broke them both. This book brought out so many emotions for me, and I definitely shed my fair share of tears. But Kristen Ashley has such a way with words and characters that I think it would be impossible to read any book of hers and not feel it. After I finished this book I just didn't want to move on and was incapable of reading anything immediately after. I was still so attached to Millie and Logan and I wanted to just dive back in and experience it all over again. If you are a fan of the Chaos series or Kristen Ashley this book is an absolute must read. If you are new to Kristen Ashley though, I highly recommend that you start here. Logan and Millie were impossible not to connect with and I think that so many readers will fall in love with them just like I did. I honestly can't wait to read more from Kristen Ashley, and I know that this won't be the only time I read Walk Through Fire.

**ARC Provided by Publisher**

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Feature and Giveaway: Ride Steady by Kristen Ashley

The ride of her life . . .

Once upon a time, Carissa Teodoro believed in happy endings. Money, marriage, motherhood: everything came easy---until she woke up to the ugly truth about her Prince Charming. Now a struggling, single mom and stranded by a flat tire, Carissa's pondering her mistakes when a vaguely familiar knight rides to her rescue on a ton of horsepower.

Climb on and hold tight . . .

In high school, Carson Steele was a bad boy loner who put Carissa on a pedestal where she stayed far beyond his reach. Today, he's the hard-bodied biker known only as Joker, and from the way Carissa's acting, it's clear she's falling fast. While catching her is irresistible, knowing what to do with her is a different story. A good girl like Carissa is the least likely fit with the Chaos Motorcycle Club. Too bad holding back is so damned hard. Now, as Joker's secrets are revealed and an outside threat endangers the club, Joker must decide whether to ride steady with Carissa---or ride away forever . . .

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ARC Review: Ride Steady by Kristen Ashley

Kristen Ashley is a very accomplished author and she has a strong fan base. I have to say for myself, I have not read her before. I have heard one of her books on audio and I enjoyed it but I was not overly impressed. I also have to say that “Ride Steady’ was phenomenal. I’ve been in a reading slump lately and it seems like it has been forever since I picked up a book and could not put it down. I was instantly captivated by Carissa and Joker. Even when I was not reading this book I was thinking about it and when it was over I missed the story and Carissa and Joker terribly! If you read nothing further in this review, read this- get this book!

First, after reading this book, it’s over 600 pages, I immediately started re-reading it. I also put the previous two books in the series on hold at the library to read them. I loved the main characters. Carissa is such a great heroine. She is definitely down on her luck. Although very popular in high school her life did not turn out the way she imagined it. Although she did end up marrying her high school sweatheart and having a little boy with him she is now divorced and a single mother. But that is not the bad part. The bad part is that she is financially struggling and her ex-husband has used her power and legal leverage to make sure that she basically has no rights and everything is on his terms. Although this is all happening with Carissa she is never hardened, she is still the kind and caring person that we meet in high school.

When she is reunited with Joker she can’t remember him from high school. Unlike Carissa Joker had a very tough upbringing and he was hardened by the blows that life dealt him and the blows his father laid on him as well. Finally fed up he leaves before graduating high school and to start a new life for himself. When he sees Carissa the tables have definitely turned. He is part of a motorcycle club and his life is nowhere near what it used to be.

Although Carissa is instantly drawn to Joker he is determined to keep her far away but he can’t help but lend his support to her situation. The more he learns about her life and her struggles the harder it is for him to keep up his wall of defense. Carissa is hurt and angry that Joker is determined to help her and lend the support of his club but keeps himself off limits. She takes it personally but is determined to show him her appreciation. As the spend more and more time together they can’t fight their feelings and life hands them both some curveballs.

It’s been so long since I could not put a book down that I devoured this book. I was obsessed with it and felt for the characters. I loved all the information that Ashely gave about the motorcycle club and the way that both Carissa and Joker evolved. There was never a dull moment and I could not wait to see what the next page would bring. Carissa was a perfect match for Joker and he for her. I highly recommend and loved this book!

**ARC provided by Publisher**

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Audiobook Review: Jagged by Kristen Ashley, Narrated by Emma Taylor

So before I start. I know that Kristen Ashley has a huge fan base. One of the reasons that I started this audiobook was because she has such great reviews about her books. This was my first experience with her work. There were some things I liked and some I didn’t so I made peace by giving it a three star rating.

“Jagged” is the fifth book in the Colorado Mountain series. I have not read or heard any of the previous books. When the story begins our heroine Zara Cinders is planning to break up with her friends –with- benefits Graham, or Ham as she calls him. This part really got to me and I didn’t understand if I missed something in their story. So Zara is younger then Ham and is looking for a serious relationship. Ham is not. He is not a settled guy and he basically wanders around Colorado and when he is in town he hooks up with Zara. Zara realizes that this is no longer working for her and she breaks up with him and explains she has met someone. Zara then ends up marrying this guy she met only to divorce him in two or three years. Ham makes Zara promise him that they will always have a way to be in touch because he always wants to make sure that she is ok. When we see Zara again she is definitely not ok. She has lost her successful business, her home and finally her marriage. My question was, did Zara ever say to Ham that she wanted a serious relationship? Did they ever have that “where is this relationship going?” conversation. So fast forward, Zara is divorced and penniless. She sees on the TV that Ham was attacked by a murder and she calls him. He makes his way to her and they have the stupidest fight I have ever heard. I had to replay it because I just didn’t understand what they were fighting about. Ok. Zara and Ham meet up again and he makes her move in with him and he gives her a job working as a waitress at a bar he bought for her so she could have a job… As can be expected their living arrangement bring up old feelings.

So at first the hero and the heroine were so confusing to me but they did grow on me and they did have great chemistry. My other issue with the story. Zara’s posse, and yes I mean posse, gang up on Ham and make it clear to him that Zara is a delicate flower? I just don’t understand what their purpose was? Is Zara a dimwit? Can’t she stand up for herself? Apparently her friends don’t think so because they take her life into their hands. Another huge issue I had was the level of crazy that the grownups in this book displayed. So Zara had a tough upbringing and her parents were neglectful and Zara receives some disturbing news about her family. First, her aunt was borderline deranged. But that is not the worse part. Ham and Zara are at a restaurant and everyone becomes involved to protect Zara when her aunt has less than nice words to say to her. Seriously, I spent so much time shaking my head with this storyline, who behaves this way? Many scenes in this book felt like “Dynasty” meets “Days of Our Lives.” Emma Taylor was a good narrator. I thought she was true to the characters personalities.

As I mentioned before I had many issues with these characters and the story. I get Ham is an alpha male but most of the times he was an overbearing jerk. Aside from these little issues, I liked Ham and Zara together. I was really glad to see her grow stronger and put her life back together. Although I plan to read and/or hear more of Ashley’s stories I can’t say that they will be on the top of my list. Any one that really enjoys romance with a touch of suspense will like this story and I expect that her fans will really enjoy it as well.

**Audiobook provided by Publisher**

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Feature and Giveaway: Fire Inside by Kristen Ashley

Lanie Heron isn't looking for love-no surprise, considering her last serious relationship nearly got her killed. So when Lanie propositions Hop Kincaid, all she wants is one wild night with the hot-as-hell biker who patrols with the Chaos Motorcycle Club . . .

For Hop, Lanie has always been untouchable. She's too polished and too classy for his taste. But when she gives Hop the once-over with her bedroom eyes and offers him a night in paradise, he can't say no. And he doesn't regret it when he finds that Lanie is the best thing that's ever happened to him-in or out of bed. Now the trick will be to convince her of that.

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