FIRE INSIDE by Kristen Ashley (March 25, 2014; Forever Mass Market; $8.00)
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.
CHRISTY'S 5 star review!
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
5 Stars
Before I start this review, I really struggled on how to rate this book. I started out with a 4 star rating, then I realized my problem. Although it was closer to a 5 star read for me, a lot of KA’s books were better than a 5... I’m not sure how to explain it, but for me, it was just a 5, not a 5 plus, blew me away, fantastic 5 like some of her others... make sense? It does to me anyway, so on to the review!!!
It was only supposed to be one night...
Before I start this review, I really struggled on how to rate this book. I started out with a 4 star rating, then I realized my problem. Although it was closer to a 5 star read for me, a lot of KA’s books were better than a 5... I’m not sure how to explain it, but for me, it was just a 5, not a 5 plus, blew me away, fantastic 5 like some of her others... make sense? It does to me anyway, so on to the review!!!
It was only supposed to be one night...
We first meet Lanie in Motorcycle Man. She is Tyra’s (Tack’s old lady) best friend. It’s been eight long years since Lanie’s life changed drastically. Eight years since her fiance was killed, she was hurt. She is still not over it, after all this time, she still can’t let anyone in. She is not willing to take that risk again. Not now, not ever.
“You have something, you have something to lose.”
Hopper Kincade has been with Chaos MC for over 15 years, ever since he’s been 24. He is a badass biker guy, but he is also a big sweetheart. He is a devoted father who is divorced. You really get the wrong impression of Hop in MM. I was worried I wouldn’t like him in this because of that, but I couldn’t have been more wrong! Hopper is a caring guy, he is there for you when you need him.
“Anything you need, babe. I’m there for you. One way or another.”
When Lanie and Hop start this ‘thing’ between them, Hopper is hesitent. He knows what Lanie has been through. Tack is his brother, Tyra is Lanie’s best friend. He knows it could get complicated. Messy. But he can’t resist Lanie. And once he’s had her, one night is not enough.
The best I ever had.
Lanie has a lot to work through. As much as she doesn’t want to admit it, she likes being with Hopper. She enjoys his company, she just knows its not a good idea to get involved with him, with anyone. He just wants a chance.
“Take a chance on me.”
“I’ll wear you down. You won’t let me in, I’ll break in, sneak in, blast in.”
“You won’t get in.”
“Let you in on a secret, babe. I’m already in. Just gotta wait for you to realize it.”
He wants Lanie to live again, to enjoy life.
Most importantly, he wants to protect her, for her to realize that he is there for her. He has her back.
“I don’t use you as a shield. I am the goddamn shield.”
Lanie knows she and Hop have something, something special.
When Lanie actually lets Hop in, there time together is beautiful, amazing. But she has a bad habit of shutting him out, putting up walls. Hop tries to be patient with her, but their relationship is difficult at times. And Lanie is insisting it be kept secret, for now.
Hop is an alpha, biker guy, badass, he is funny and he has a soft side. I wasn’t sure if I would like him, but I really did. He isn’t my favorite KA alpha, but he was still pretty great. He was just the guy Lanie needed. He knows Lanie is a classy lady, so thats what he calls her- Lady. So we’ve established Hop is a badass biker with the tats and all, a sweet caring guy... but did I mention he plays guitar and sings? And he dedicated a song to Lanie... freaking swooning
Okay- Hop and Lanie’s relationship was far from perfect, but once they got it situated, I loved them together. The epilogue was PERFECT! I may have teared up a bit... but I do that in every KA epilogue- I just love the MC books, plus- I am a KA fan for life. Like I said before, I really enjoyed this, but I think my expectations were too high. I ended up loving both main characters, the story was enjoyable, it was just missing that little special touch that At Peace, Knight, Own the Wind, Motorcycle Man etc. had. I did want more of a 'story' besides the Hop and Lanie relationship, and even though the bulk of there relationship was based on sex in the beginning... I could have definitely used more KA sex scenes... just sayin. I could see why others didn’t love this one, but I still give it a solid 5 stars (as if I could give Kristen Ashley anything else?) because overall, it was still a solid 5 star read for me.
Now please for the love of all that is holy can we get a RUSH book next!!!!
***Arc provided by Forever (Grand Central Publishing) via NetGallery***
About the author:
Kristen Ashley grew up in Brownsburg, Indiana, and has lived in Denver, Colorado, and the West Country of England. Thus she has been blessed to have friends and family around the globe. Her posse is loopy (to say the least) but loopy is good when you want to write.
Kristen was raised in a house with a large and multigenerational family. They lived on a very small farm in a small town in the heartland, and Kristen grew up listening to the strains of Glenn Miller, The Everly Brothers, REO Speedwagon, and Whitesnake. Needless to say, growing up in a house full of music and love was a good way to grow up. And as she keeps growing up, it keeps getting better.
Kristen was raised in a house with a large and multigenerational family. They lived on a very small farm in a small town in the heartland, and Kristen grew up listening to the strains of Glenn Miller, The Everly Brothers, REO Speedwagon, and Whitesnake. Needless to say, growing up in a house full of music and love was a good way to grow up. And as she keeps growing up, it keeps getting better.
Excerpt from FIRE INSIDE by Kristen Ashley
Hop came out of the bathroom to see Lanie on her feet on the other side of the bed, panties on, hands twisted behind her back putting her bra on. Again.
He didn’t say a word. He prowled to her, reached out an arm the second he was close, yanked her to him and fell to his back in the bed, taking her down with him.
“Hop—” she started, pushing her weight against his arms, but he slid her off him then wasted no time rolling over her and pinning her to his bed.
“Sleep,” he ordered when he caught her eyes in the weak dawn. “After rest, I’ll get coffee, we’ll juice up, then round four.”
She blinked and breathed, “Four?”
“Got lots more I want to do to you,” he informed her and watched her eyes go soft, sexier, then her teeth came out to graze her lush lower lip, also fucking sexy, and her arms slid around him.
But she asked, “What about Tack and Ty-Ty?”
“I’ll make sure the coast is clear,” he told her.
“But they’ll see my car,” she told him.
“I’ll move it,” he offered.
Her hand slid up his back, around his shoulder, and then to his neck where her thumb moved to stroke him.
Her touch was light but, fuck, it felt good. He’d never had a woman touch him in an unconscious way like that, just a touch, a stroke, giving something that meant nothing at the same time doing it without thinking about it meant everything.
Shit.
Complicated.
“This is just supposed to be one night,” she reminded him quietly, but he saw it in her eyes. She didn’t even try to hide it. She’d bitten off more than she could chew.
He had too and he was nowhere near done eating.
She was cute. She was sweet. She was hot. She was better than he expected and he’d expected her to be pretty fucking good. All that wrapped in a package that gorgeous?
Yeah.
He was nowhere near done eating.
“Change of plans. A night and a morning and, maybe, an afternoon and, possibly, another night,” he amended, and her eyes got softer as her hand slid up to cup his jaw.
“I have to work,” she told him.
“Call off,” he told her.
“I can’t. I own the joint.” She explained something he knew, that she ran her own advertising agency. “And things are a bit crazy.”
Things were always crazy for Lanie. The woman lived crazy. She thrived on it. If there wasn’t crazy, she stirred it up because she couldn’t breathe without it.
“Babe,” he pressed his body into hers, “told you, got more I want to do to you.”
Can't wait to get my hands on more of KA's books!!!
ReplyDeletelove biker books and this one sounds great
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