Snatch: Cerberus MC Book 5 by Marie James

Title: Snatch Word Count: 216 pgs
Genre: Contemporary Biker Gay Romance

Blurb:I’ve been Jaxon Donovan since the day I was born, obviously. My road name, Snatch, came years later due to my ability to literally snatch up any woman I set my sights on. I’ve always been a connoisseur of the opposite sex. Tall, short, thin, thick and juicy, my tastes knew no limitations.

I didn’t think there was a limitation to my sexuality, and I found out just how true that actually was the night my best friend took it upon himself to take me in his mouth. Sure, there’d been close calls before, the slip of a hand or misplaced lips. With our propensity to share women, it’s bound to happen. That fateful night, I was met with pure intention and an experience I never want to forget.

How do you explain to your friends, your brother’s in arms, that your extremely active sexuality has led you to your best friend’s doorstep? How do you admit, after twenty-six years of heterosexuality, that you’re into something else?

I’ll soon find out that what happens in the dark will always come to light.

My Review: Itchy and Snatch belong to the same motorcycle club. The club is comprised of all former Marines who risk their lives to save innocents. Itchy and Snatch are almost identical, they are best friends who like to share women. There is just one main difference between them, Itchy is more fluid with his sexuality and he is halfway in love with Snatch who is uber straight. Being bikers , they are never without female companionship.

The dynamics of their relationship change after they go on a mission and save a few high priced hookers . Darby catches their eye and they promise her a night filled with two of the hottest bikers. Darby is a beautiful woman blessed with a sinful body and certainly not afraid to use it. The passion surrounding these three is all consuming. It is in the heat of the moment where Itchy takes a leap of faith and take what he’s always wanted. He grabs the bull by the horns and shows Snatch where his true passions lie. Snatch is confused and definitely hesitant as he had no prior knowledge of Itchy’s sexual fluidity. Itchy reaching out to Snatch in a sexual way freaks him out for sure, but it was one of the most hottest experiences of his life. It puts a strain on their friendship, which is what Itchy was always afraid of.

Darby helps to bridge the gap , because she always wanted both men together. She facilitates a guilt free zone, where they can come together freely without any societal recriminations. Once the door is open, it is hard for Itchy and Snatch to turn back. Things go even further when they go on a mission out of country. The men are finally alone with no woman between them. The fire between these two burn hot and bright and turns into an explosion. This is what Itchy always wanted, but for Snatch he also discovers a yearning for his best friend like no other. However, he is still not ready to admit what they have going on.

It is Darby who brought them together, but in the end she pulls them all apart. Her nagging and expectations becomes too much for Snatch. Snatch refuses to indulge Darby’s notions of a love they all share. He shuts her down and rejects her thoughts of being a triad relationship. Snatch and Itchy argue over this and this brings a wedge to their already precarious situation. Darby is out of the picture and the once best friends have gone months without speaking. They each pull separate sex partners that are all left unconsummated and unfulfilled, just to make the other jealous.

This game that they are both playing finally comes to a head when Snatch corners Itchy in a hotel room alone. Snatch ravishes Itchy and shows him how much he missed him. Although they don’t talk about it, the love and longing between these two is palpable. They continue their charade for eighteen months hiding in secret and building their relationship. They definitely become stronger, but the secrecy is tearing Itchy apart, especially with so many profound moments happening around the clubhouse. Other members getting married and having babies, this leads Itchy to take stock of his own life and future. Itchy knows he wants more and he wants it all with Snatch. Some members are becoming suspicious. They start scrutinizing Itchy and Snatch more closely. Itchy is ready to spill the beans, but Snatch is too afraid of a negative reaction, he is just not ready to admit he is gay for his best friend.

One of the jilted club whores with the apt moniker Snapper decides to add fuel to fire. She has a private video of Itchy and Snatch in a compromising position and decides to blackmail Itchy. Itchy hates to play along with Snapper when she tells the club that they are getting married, but he would sacrifice anything to protect the man he loves. Snatch is jealous and extremely hurt that Itchy has slip through his fingers and will now bond with someone so undeserving. For him , the most hurtful part is that he was finally ready to shout it to the world how much he loves Snatch. Snapper holds the reigns so tight and intervenes anytime the men get close to each other.

Everything goes to hell in a hand- basket on their next mission. Itchy is shot and almost bleeds out. Snatch is right there holding on and professing his love for Itchy oblivious to the audience of their other team members. The team members help him to keep his sanity, but he is a total wreck over Itchy. Itchy pulls through and finally they can make plans to start their life as a couple. Fifteen years into the future shows Itchy and Snatch settled with their love going strong raising fraternal twins. I really enjoyed this author and am very happy for her foray in m/m romance. All her other novels are m/f romance. I can’t wait for her to take another walk on the wild side. I give this my ratings of 4-lose the underwear.

Ghost ( Executioners 1) by J.M.Dabney

Title: Ghost                                     Word Count:157 pgs
Genre: Contemporary Biker Gay Romance

Blurb:Gideon Jane earned the name Ghost for his reclusive nature when he joined a group of guys in Powers, Georgia in a band called Executioners. It had been his way of settling into small town life after living in New York for the past twenty years. He loved the band and his small organic farm. What he didn’t love was being single, but it appeared it was his new reality. He didn’t want his ex back, although he did want something. What that was eluded him until the evening he walked into Nightingale’s Books.

Small town girl Harper Sage knew pain, and she’d lived with it—she had the scars both mental and physical to prove it. It would’ve been easier to hop in her car to find safety and anonymity, but Harper stayed to prove she was stronger than hurled fists and bruising prejudice. She found herself within the safety of a close-knit group of rough bikers and bar bouncers. That didn’t mean it was all perfect.

What’s a girl to do when she craves normalcy and acceptance: she just smiles. Choices are made, some with dire consequences and others that bring her closer to her dream. Will she make the right decision or finally discover escape is her best option?

Author Note: This book contains scenes of violence and descriptions of self-harm.

My Review: We have been introduced to Harper through the Twirled and Brawlers Crew. They have all tried to take her into the fold, because she is one of the sweetest, most kindest people they know. There is just one problem, Harper doesn’t see her own self worth. Harper is transgender and from a very early age there has always been a miscommunication between her sense of self and who she wants to be. Harper has a very low self-esteem and she has only ever found release from her depression through self harm. After her last suicide attempt her best friend Kyle inviegled her promise not to ever self harm again.

Harper has found another way to feel pain, his name is Bill. Bill is a homophobic bully who likes to take out his anger on Harper and uses her in despicable ways. He is not above using and abusing her body and pysche. Harper wants to get out , but there is a tiny little part of her that wants to die. She bears many scars on her body and soul from Bill. When Harper meets Gideon otherwise known as ‘Ghost’ by the Executioners and Brawlers Crew, she feels a tingle and yearns to be normal.

Ghost thinks Harper is one of the most beautiful women he’s ever met. He tries to get Joker, Harper’s self professed protector to open up about her. Ghost is warned and definitely chastised about hurting Harper. Ghost gets to know Harper slowly. For Harper, this is a new and scary experience as her relationships with men usually equate to pain. It is Twitch, the well loved twink of the Brawlers Crew that encourages her to take a chance on Ghost.

Inadvertently, that chance comes when Bill hurts Harper so badly she ends up in the hospital with bruises and knife wounds. Ghost goes into protective mode and takes her to his farm. Harper spends weeks with Ghost healing and slowly getting acclimated to what a healthy relationship could look like. Ghost pampers her as much as she allows and he sees a new spunky side of Harper unfolding when he coddles her too much. Watching the banter between these two is fun. Their sexual heat slowly simmers but is well worth the wait. Under that gentlemanly exterior lives a passionate Ghost. He gently unleashes his passion on Harper who combusts at the slightest touch.

For the first time, a man’s touch allows Harper to feel beautiful and embrace her true self and identity. It is through Gideon’s passion that Harper truly embraces her transgender body in all its glory. Gideon knows the time for subtlety has passed the morning after their glorious night together. He expresses his true feelings to Harper and she is still in awe that a man like Gideon would want a relationship with her. Before she can allow her newfound feelings to settle in , Bill attacks again. He uses a rifle this time and Joker gets hurt. Luckily, its just a flesh wound and Joker will be on the mend soon. Once again , Bill is in the wind.

Harper’s life starts crumbling and she feels guilty for bringing Gideon into her mess of a life. The Brawlers Crew let her know how much she means to them by opening their home to her for a respite. Gideon continues to shower her with love and it overwhelms her a little, but it is just what she needs to feel secure. His unwavering support in the face of danger gives her the strength to carry on. Harper does all the ‘couply’ things with Gideon.

After the Executioners finish their band practice one night, Bill strikes again. It is Gideon who gets hurt this time. Joker tousles with Bill for his gun and Bill will definitely not be coming back this time. The bane of Harper’s existence is finally dead. However, this act of violence has put Joker in a catatonic state and forces him to flee his ‘brothers’. They are all worried about Joker, but they know that in time he will recover.

Harper and Gideon are able to proceed with their relationship without a cloud hanging over their head. Harper relishes her newfound self confidence and enjoys the love that continues to blossom fruitfully with her sexy ‘bear’. At long last, Harper gets her happily ever after when Ghost proposes. I really enjoyed the first in the Executioners series, I can’t wait to read about Joker. I give this my ratings of 4 – lose the underwear.

 

Hunter ( Brawlers 4) by J. M. Dabney

Title: Hunter             Word Count: 160 pgs

Genre: Gay Biker Romance

Blurb:Welcome to Brawlers Bar…

If there was a way to destroy his life, Hunter Black could do it. He was a catastrophe waiting to happen. Survival was his only priority and having to leave his old life behind that meant a job of the legal variety. He’d found one as a bartender at Brawlers Bar and a safe place in a huge house with the rest of the bar crew who quickly became the family he’d never had. The one thing Hunter didn’t need was his old life tracking him down.

Deputy Wren Gramble hated his job and his weekend assignment of staking out a bar in the middle of nowhere waiting for drunks. Although he’d heard the homophobic and racist jokes going around about the crew and customers, he kept his head down and stuck to his job and nothing else. He despised being driven back into the closet, but he’d reached the end of the line and what he’d do if he earned another transfer he didn’t know. 

Linus Trenton was considered the normal one in his family and according to the weird ones that meant he should be punished daily. He never came out one way or another, if he found someone attractive he was attracted. His life was complicated enough having a crush on the sweet and awkward Hunter but now he had to throw Wren into the mix. Linus didn’t have time for dating or romance, most of the time he didn’t even think about having a sex life, although, Wren and Hunter were ruining his calm.

Hunter was in lust with the handsome deputy the minute the man pulled him over, but a man like that wouldn’t give him the time of day. His friend, Linus, was another matter altogether. Hunter wanted both. His bosses made it work with their man, why couldn’t he? Could Hunter prove he wasn’t as much of a screw up as he appeared or would he have to call in backup to claim his men?

My Review: Hunter is definitely the quietest of the rough and rowdy Brawlers crew. He doesn’t say much, doesn’t really get in fights and pretty much stays to himself. The one thing we do know about Hunter is that he is totally clumsy and the most accident prone person there is. We get a little bit more background on Hunter and like all the other Brawlers, it is certainly not sunshine and rainbows. Hunter didn’t have a great home life and was homeless by the time he went to college. Being the computer genius that he is, he started hacking to make a little money on the side to keep him fed and a roof over his head. When a hacking job goes wrong and millions of diamonds goes missing, poor Hunter is the one sent to prison. He has three more years left on his probation after doing his time. 

Hunter likes  living at the Brawlers farm , but it gets a bit lonely now that everyone is shacked up. In walks Wren Gramble, the sexy cop stationed outside of Brawlers to keep the peace. The guys like him since he doesn’t bust their balls unnecessarily. Wren has had his eye on Hunter for awhile , when he finally gets the courage and pulls him over on a traffic stop. He realizes that this was definitely the worst thing he could have done. Hunter is even more skittish now than before. When he sees the Brawlers bikes outside his favorite diner, he hopes to spark a conversation with Hunter. Hunter is shy at first , but Wren soon gets him to open up a little once he gets him alone. Wren asks him out on a date and Hunter accepts. Hunter is slightly nervous about having such a sexy stud interested in him.

Wren is introduced to the craziness that is the Brawlers crew when he goes to pick up Hunter for their date. Psycho is out in his yard having sex with Ben, while Crave has Twitch screaming at the top of his lungs for more. Wren takes it in stride and finds it slightly hilarious that all these big tough men are so uninhibited around their husbands. Their date starts off great, but they are soon interrupted by Linus, Lucky’s older brother. As soon as Wren meets Linus, he knows there is some sort of connection between him and Hunter.

Linus is the grumpy bear out of the hippie clan called the Trentons, but he has a sweet spot for Hunter. He is very gentle with the quiet man. When he sees Hunter out on a date with the big sexy stud Wren, he is definitely jealous. He realizes instantly that he blew his chance by going slow. Hunter is oblivious to the tension between the two men facing off for his affections. Linus allows them to finish their date in peace. It isn’t until a few days later that Linus proceeds to get drunk at Brawlers. Linus is definitely brooding over Hunter and it doesn’t go unnoticed by Twitch. Hunter suggests that he take Linus home given the state he is in. When they get there  Linus kisses Hunter passionately. Hunter is shocked, but the brief kiss stirred up unknown feelings in him.

Hunter leaves feeling very confused and he needs to talk. His friend Ghost tells him that he needs to let Wren know what happened just to be honest. Hunter decides to take Ghost’s advice. Wren becomes contemplative when Hunter opened up to him. He knows for sure he likes Hunter too much to let him just walk away with Wren. Wren proposes that they get to all know each other as a triad and see where it goes. Hunter is immediately intrigued, but before they can put their plan into action things go awfully wrong.

Linus owns a security company and everything goes haywire on an operation. He ends up in the hospital with a bullet wound. Linus is surprised when Wren takes charge and takes him home for his recovery. Although Hunter seems to be the fragile one, he is the glue that holds them all together. Wren is stable and level-headed and like all  the Trenton’s Linus is a touch of crazy, but he also has a smidge of vulnerability. 

This trio doesn’t take long before they are moving in sync. Surprisingly, Linus is very dominant and this makes for some very sexy times with his two men. Wren is versatile and he loves being in the middle of these two men he considers his. For the first time, Hunter truly feels like he belongs. This triad is on the path of being just a strong union as Scary, Tank and Elijah’s. The strength of their love for each other is just as palpable and indestructible. 

Trouble is on the horizon and it’s great to see the Twirled, Brawlers and their friends the Executioners banding together and dealing in the face of corruption and homophobia in their small town. The Twirled and Brawlers families continue to grow with Ben and Crave’s twins. Wren , Linus and Hunter decides to tie the knot and there is a possibility of kids in their future. I give this my ratings of 4- lose the underwear.

The Bent Zealots MC 1: A Dangerous Reality by Layla Wolfe

Title :  A Dangerous Reality          Word Count : 81,000

Genre : Dark Contemporary Gay Romance

Blurb : TURK. My club sent me to track him down. And when my mission was over, I never wanted another one again. When I found him, I kicked the crap out of Havelock Singer. I issued the mightiest beatdown of all time. Problem is, we’re evenly matched. We’re equals in every way, and when we finished whaling on each other, exhausted, we fell into each other’s arms.

I’ve never regretted it for an instant. It’s been the ride of my life. But loving another man in the MC world is a risky business. As if our business isn’t already brutal and ruthless enough, Lock’s homophobic sergeant-at-arms Stumpy gets an eyeful of our lovemaking and blackmails us into doing some of his dirty work, or be exposed for what we are—a couple of deviants.

This run into the Indian reservation is sleazy and beneath us, but now I’m cornered, and I’ll do anything to keep my sweet Master from being lynched by his club.

LOCK. When that kingpin Carmine Rojas got a load of my beautiful stallion Turk Blackburn, he’d stop at nothing to have him—and Rojas gets what he wants. It’s my fault we’re in this situation. I should’ve kicked Turk’s ass and sent him packing back to The Bare Bones. I wasn’t even close to being ready to come out, but now they’re forcing my hand.

I can hear my destiny calling me. Either I’ll slink back to my club like a hetero bounty hunter with no morals—and no respect from anyone in my own backyard—or I’ll step up to the plate and be the lion of the day.

Either way, my lover and I are screwed. Our clubs are going to hound us underground or into another country before we escape this mess—if we don’t die trying.

“Living off the grid and being an outlaw brings a dangerous reality.” –Ron Perlman

Publisher’s warning: This book is not for the faint of heart. It contains scenes of gay sex, consensual BDSM, illegal doings, dubious consent, and man-on-man violence.

My Review :   Turk and Lock start out as enemies and rivals from opposite motorcycle clubs. They have a big slap down drawn out fight when Turk recognizes Lock as the guy his cheating ex was having a tryst with in the back of a club. Turk feels betrayed and hurt by his boyfriend. All those feelings come to the fore when he sees Lock again. It is clear that they are evenly matched. There is an underlying sensuality during their fight that somehow reveals to them the thin line between hatred and passion. Their erections definitely expose their need for each other. Being the tough bikers that  they are and being in the company of other homophobic bikers,  they walk away. It is not long before they meet again. When it becomes obvious that someone from Lock’s group the  Assassin’s is infringing on Turk’s product,  they end up working together. Their passion ignites and they just can’t seem to resist each other as much as Lock denies that he is gay.

At times I felt as if I needed a biker’s dictionary to truly decipher what was being said. I liked the book, I just think that it would have been a whole lot simpler and more enjoyable without all the excessive slang and lingo to deal with. The darkness and the brutality of both characters was somehow tantalizing,  it kept me wanting more. I really liked how Turk was a power bottom, he did a whole lot of topping from the bottom. I really enjoyed Lock’s dirty talk, he is definitely crude and not everyone will appreciate his personality. Each man is exactly what the other needs in their life. Lock’s resistant nature is just what Turk needs. Turk enjoys cajoling and luring Lock who adamantly professes to be straight to the dark side .  

 Things become treacherous for them when they are found out by the vindictive sergeant of arms Stumpy who seem to have it out for Lock.  Before they can admit to themselves or each other, how special they are, Stumpy’s nefarious plans gets deeper. They become embroiled in a  mess which involves a drug cartel kingpin who seems fixated on Turk. Turk tries to go along with the kingpin’s plan to save their lives , but he finds out how truly in love he is with Lock when his body fails to respond sexually.

When they are let go, it becomes clear to both men that they would do anything to be with each other. A plan starts forming in Lock’s mind when he comes across another gay biker Ormond  who doesn’t belong to a club because of his sexuality. After dealing with their enemies,  they resign from their respective motorcycle clubs and welcomed the birth of their own gay motorcycle club, the Bent Zealots. This is raw and gritty and the perfect kind of love to showcase the passion these big , burly bikers have for each other. I give this my ratings of 4 – lose the underwear.