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Showing posts with label Katana Collins. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Katana Collins. Show all posts

Thursday, June 1, 2017

Review: Enforcer by Katana Collins


Enforcer by Katana Collins
Book Three of the Harrison Street Crew series
Publisher: Swerve
Publication Date: June 6, 2017
Rating: 3 stars
Source: eARC from NetGalley

Summary (from Goodreads):

Worse than bad. Hotter than hot. These are the bad boys of the Harrison Street Crew, and they answer to no one. They take what they want. And what they want is you.

Ryan Gallagher is the one who does the dirty work. The brute force in the Harrison Street Crew, he lives to have the club all for his own one day. But the one thing he can’t have is Megan Mahoney—the one woman he’s loved since she was a teenager who needed saving.

Megan never forgot the all-consuming passion she felt for Ryan, her larger-than-life, wild teenage love. But coming from a hard, shocking past has left her broken and scared—and untrusting of the Harrison Street Crew. Ten years later, she’s back in Ryan’s world to claim a promise he made to her years ago. And even though she knows she shouldn’t fall for him, Ryan still has an explosive, sensual pull on her that she can’t ignore.

Ryan’s powerful love for Megan is the only thing that could ever soothe the tempestuous beast that roars in his soul. And when she comes back to him to aid her in a dangerous quest—a deadly revenge plot he swore he would be a part of years ago—Ryan can’t say no. He lives to protect this woman. He will die loving this woman. And as the stakes get higher, the love that they have kept hidden all these years explodes and goes further and deeper than either of them expected. But with a dark threat from Megan’s past thrust headlong into their lives, can their love win out?

What I Liked:

Out of the three books in this series, Enforcer is easily my least favorite. It wasn't bad, but it just didn't have the same zest that Ex-Con and Outlaw had. Sure, I loved the bicker and banter between Ryan and Megan. But when it came down to it, I wasn't sold on the romance overall, and the climax and ending had way too much drama. I really enjoyed the series as a whole though.

We meet Ryan and Megan in the previous two books, and we get hints of a past connection between the two. It turns out, Megan has been in love with Ryan since she was sixteen (ten years ago), and Ryan has been in love with her for just as long. On her twenty-first birthday, Megan decides to make a move on Ryan... and he rejects her. For Ryan, it's because Megan is Boots' daughter - and Boots was a father-figure to Ryan. But now Boots is dead and Megan is all grown up, and she is demanding that Ryan make good on this deadly promise that he made to her, ten years ago. He has protected her for all these years, and he'll keep doing so, even if he can't have her. But Megan is a fighter and she doesn't quit - and in this case, she won't give up on Ryan. 

I loved Megan - she is so tough and gutsy and she goes after what she wants. She survived a cruel and heartbreaking past, and she is stronger than ever. I like how she knows what she wants and follows through - not just with Ryan, but everything she puts her mind to. Megan argues with Ryan and HSC about everything, and doesn't let them push her around. Sometimes this could be a little annoying, but for the most part, I love how she never took no for an answer. 

Ryan is the enforcer of HSC - the guy who roughs up people for HSC, and does the dirty work for the club. He's been around the club since he was eleven, and his commitment to the club is respectable. As is his desire to protect Megan, and somehow stay away from her as well. I liked Ryan and I think he deserved the best (which, to him, is Megan). I didn't like the whole "I-can't-date-you-because-of-your-dad" thing, but I'm glad he dropped that after a while.

Ryan and Megan are good together. They argue and bicker a lot, and it's not forced or over-the-top. All of the bickering felt natural and perfectly appropriate, given both of their volatile personalities. These two are like fire and fire in terms of personalities and tempers, and chemistry too. 

I also liked that this book furthered the conflict between HSC and other gangs, and went deeper into several issues (Boots' murder, Remy's dealings, Megan's past). My heart broke for Megan, but also for Ryan too. 

Overall, this wasn't a bad book. And if it's the end of the series, not a bad ending. Just not that great either, compared to books one and two. 

What I Did Not Like:

I think most of my issues stemmed from Megan's personality, to be honest. Which, if you recall, I loved, but I also hated. Most likely I just didn't connect with her very well.

Megan seriously could have cut Ryan a break. I felt like she was constantly too hard on him and never once put herself in his position. She almost came across as selfish - yes, she goes after what she wants and is very hard-headed  and doesn't let HSC or Ryan push her around. But at the same time, she almost never thinks through what she is being stubborn about. She always steps into more trouble because she is too determined to be Miss Independent. Sometimes, it's smarter to listen to what someone else is telling you, man or not. 

At times, it almost felt overwhelming, how Megan pushed Ryan away when he tried to tell her to do this or that (and he was almost always right! Goodness!). Megan should have respected him enough to at least hear and understand him, instead of getting mad at him for telling her something, and then she goes and does whatever and people get hurt. It's kind of ridiculous.

There is a lot of miscommunication drama during the climax and the ending of the book. None of it makes sense to me - both Ryan and Megan fly off the handle on several separate occasions, and they act like they can't come back from these arguments and blow-ups. Megan was definitely being irrational and she overreacted a lot. Ryan, he was more level-headed and I could also see why he reacted badly to a few scenarios. In those scenarios, Megan was being childish and stupid. 

And the romance -- yes, there was chemistry between these two. Lots of arguing and passionate tension between them. But somehow, I just wasn't feeling this romance like I was in Ex-Con and Outlaw. I didn't really fall for Ryan and Megan as a pair, even though I wanted to see them end up together. AND there is only one real sex scene in this book! Two, but the second one is a bit hasty. For all of their chemistry, there was a distinct lack of sex. So. There's that. 

In general, this book seemed lackluster compared to the previous two. Not bad, but just not up to the same speed as the other two books. 

Would I Recommend It:

Eh, I don't not recommend it, but I think Ex-Con and Outlaw were better and I recommend those more. If you read those two and want more, this one won't be terribly disappointing. But you could also stop after Outlaw (mmm, that book was good). If you like motorcycle club romances (this is more of a car club romance novel), then you might enjoy this series in general.

Rating:

3 stars. I wish I had loved this book more! I didn't hate it though, and I'm not too disappointed. Maybe my expectations were too high, given that I'd been dying to read Ryan and Megan's book since meeting them in the previous books. I wouldn't mind reading more from this series though!


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Thursday, March 9, 2017

Serial Review: Outlaw by Katana Collins

Outlaw, Part I by Katana Collins
Book Two of the Harrison Street Crew series
Publisher: Swerve
Publication Date: March 7, 2017
Rating: 4 stars
Source: eARC from NetGalley

***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers***

Summary (from Goodreads):


Worse than bad. Hotter than hot. These are the bad boys of the Harrison Street Crew, and they answer to no one. They take what they want. And what they want is you. 

Volume One of a three-part volume by Katana Collins.

Patrick Flanagan lives outside the law. The cops don’t like him. The law doesn’t trust him. He may come at you with a charm and a handsome smile, but make no mistake—he’s as reckless and bad as they come. But when a total bombshell with stilettos and a power suit comes blazing into his life, this bad boy is about to be so, so good…

What I Liked:

In February, I read Ex-Con, the first book in this series. I read an excerpt of the first part of the book and I was intrigued, so I requested Ex-Con from NetGalley. I ended up absolutely loving the book. I haven't read many serials and I don't particular love them, but I highly recommend Ex-Con. And, I highly recommend Outlaw! This book was just as great as Ex-Con.

Outlaw is Patrick and Michelle's story. Patrick is the vice president of HSC, a street-racing gang in Boston. He loves the thrill of doing something illegal, like stealing a car or hacking into a security system. He isn't an ex-con, but he doesn't like the law, and the law doesn't like him. Bad timing at his friend's bar leads to Patrick being the prime suspect in a homicide that occurred right outside the bar - and Michelle Chiccarini is on the case. As the assistant district attorney, Michelle shouldn't be having any dealings with Patrick personally, but she can't seem to stay away.

I adored Patrick in Ex-Con, and I adored him even more in this serial. He is introduced in Part I as the lovable goofball that he is, but with a serious side that few see. Collins digs deep into his character, and we get to see sides of him that are surprising, heartbreaking, and sweet. Patrick is such a good guy, for someone who is in a club that does not-so-great things.

Michelle is so great! She's a no-nonsense, rule-following good girl that doesn't like to get her hands dirty in HSC business. But her best friend Charlie is dating an HSC member (Shane - who is Patrick's best friend), and Michelle has always been attracted to Patrick. When the murder is pinned on him, she knows he's innocent. I love how tough she is - she's sarcastic and blunt and very bossy. She is used to getting her way, but she is also fairly good at reading people.

I loved watching (reading?) these two interact. They are so perfect together. The banter, the chemistry, the tension - these two practically set the pages on fire. They argue a lot, and on paper it might seem like the most productive relationship. But they are so good for each other - the good girl and the bad boy. I personally love that trope, and I think it works well in this story.

The romance is so hot and also so well-written! This is only part one, so there was a lot of sexual tension in this book, but not quite the fireworks (yet). Patrick is such an alpha male and Michelle is an alpha female, so watching the two square off was always great. Chemistry-wise, they are hot together! Romance-wise, they work well as a couple. Though again, they're not yet a couple, in this part of the story.

This part begins with Patrick and Michelle being thrown together to figure out the details of Patrick's case - he is innocent, but he's being frame for murder. The ending of this part is very cliffhanger-y, so I was happy to have part two on hand. You'll definitely be wanting part two!

What I Did Not Like:

Nothing specific that I didn't like! This one isn't getting that coveted five-star rating from me, but still, it was excellent. 

Would I Recommend It:

I highly recommend this first part of this book! The Harrison Street Crew series had an excellent start with Ex-Con, and it continues to be excellent, with part one of Outlaw. Unlike Ex-Con, this book does not deal with an ex-con -- Patrick is a "bad guy" but not a charged criminal. I highly recommend this book if you liked Ex-Con, or if you like steamy romances featuring bad boys and good girls!

Rating:

4 stars. This first part is an excellent hook, for the book and the series in general! It was well-written, intriguing, engrossing, and hot. All things that make for a great start to a fantastic romance novel!


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Outlaw, Part II by Katana Collins
Book Two of the Harrison Street Crew series
Publisher: Swerve
Publication Date: March 14, 2017
Rating: 4 stars
Source: eARC from NetGalley

***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers***

Summary (from Goodreads):

Worse than bad. Hotter than hot. These are the bad boys of the Harrison Street Crew, and they answer to no one. They take what they want. And what they want is you.

Volume Two of a three-part volume by Katana Collins.

Ambitious lawyer Michelle Chiccarini vowed like hell she is going to do her best to prosecute as many criminals as she could. Even if that means trying to put away Patrick Flanagan, a man who can make her pulse quicken and fill her head with dirty, wicked thoughts just by looking at him. She’s got to put him behind bars. But how can she do that, when she can’t even resist his touch?

What I Liked:

This part picks up exactly where part one leaves off. There has been an explosion, and Patrick is hurt. Michelle is at dinner with her family. Patrick's case is still open, and Patrick and Michelle must figure out who actually killed the Sauceda crew's member, before Sauceda kills Patrick. It's time for Michelle to get her hands dirty, because desperate times call for desperate measures, and she is finding that she doesn't want Patrick to go to jail, or get hurt. 

Stakes get even higher in this book! I love the direction that the author has taken this story. In this part, Michelle has to do some things she didn't think she would have to - like allowing Patrick to get away with stealing her co-worker's files, or hacking into security systems to get away with it. But Michelle wants to prove Patrick's innocence. 

Things get a lot steamier between Patrick and Michelle (and I mean a lot steamier). There is a certain getaway scene that is super hot, in which I wanted to stand in front of an air conditioner. Collins doesn't write too many sex scenes in her books, but she knows how to come with creative and very hot scenes, whether it's sex or tension-building steamy scenes. 

But it's not just Patrick and Michelle's chemistry and bedroom activities that progress - the pair grow closer emotionally, which was a lot of fun to watch. Patrick is like a sealed vault, and Michelle has a hard time trusting anyone, so seeing each of them slowly open up to the other is cute.

These two are like fire and ice, in the best of ways! Watching them interact is always fun, steamy, and heartwarming. I love their arguments and their banter. But I also love how devoted they become to each other, without even realizing it. 

And of course, things progress in terms of the murder investigation, and in terms of who is trying to hurt Patrick and Michelle. There is something else happening, someone else who wants to take them down. Who is behind it all - Remy? Sauceda? Someone else? I love how Collins develops quite a story here, and not just a romance. I loved getting into the specifics of Michelle's job as a lawyer - that's some serious research that Collins did for that role.

Overall, this was an excellent addition to the book. I could not put down this serial e-galley! Part two zipped right by for me, and I jumped right into part three. After the ending of part two, you'd want to as well! Part two ends even more cliffhanger-y than part one.

What I Did Not Like:

I don't have any specific dislikes! This one isn't receiving a perfect rating, but I liked this part a lot. 

Would I Recommend It:

I highly recommend this part of the book, as well as the book in general. The series in general, really. I love the bad boys/good girls trope, and this book (Outlaw) does it so well. Patrick is s bad boy and a sweetie, and Michelle is a straight-laced good girl who is also sarcastic and bossy and assertive. I love these two together!

Rating:

4.5 stars -> rounded down to 4 stars. It's possible that I have enjoyed this book (so far) more than I enjoyed Ex-Con! I am loving the progression of this story, and the series in general. 


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Outlaw, Part III by Katana Collins
Book Two of the Harrison Street Crew series
Publisher: Swerve
Publication Date: March 21, 2017
Rating: 4 stars
Source: eARC from NetGalley

***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers***

Summary (from Goodreads):

Worse than bad. Hotter than hot. These are the bad boys of the Harrison Street Crew, and they answer to no one. They take what they want. And what they want is you. 

Volume One of a three-part volume by Katana Collins.

Patrick Flanagan lives outside the law. The cops don’t like him. The law doesn’t trust him. He may come at you with a charm and a handsome smile, but make no mistake—he’s as reckless and bad as they come. But when a total bombshell with stilettos and a power suit comes blazing into his life, this bad boy is about to be so, so good…

What I Liked:

The final part of Outlaw! I jumped right into this part, after finishing part two. How could I not? Part two ended with a very stressful scene involving Patrick and Michelle. This part is the final part of the book, and the action gets intense. We've reached the climax of the story, and s**t really went down. 

Patrick and Michelle are their own team, trying to prove Patrick's innocence, but also trying to stay alive. Someone on the inside is trying to hurt Patrick and Michelle, and they needed to figure out who. Nothing seems to add up... until it does. I loved the twists that Collins wrote, and how everything made sense in the end. I would not have guessed what was happening!

I loved Patrick and Michelle! They are probably one of my favorite couples in recent romance novels I've read. Their banter, their fierceness, their loyalty, their love for each other - I adore them and I loved watching them fall for each other. I love how little drama there was in this book - Patrick and Michelle talked out anything and everything that could have come between them. Communication is so big in this story, and I am so glad that they didn't leave misunderstandings to grow, or they didn't jump to wild conclusions and let those fester. 

And of course, their chemistry is on fire. Patrick is a sexy alpha male, and not really in the cliche way. He's a pretty sensitive guy too, and he is thoughtful and sweet. Michelle seems like a bossy, dominant type, but she loves how Patrick treats her and she losing control with him. Together, they really balance each other, and I love seeing the changes their relationship wrought between them.

The ending gets crazy really quickly! But everything ends well. I think I would have loved an epilogue, but if there are more books in this series (which I imagine there will be?), I'm sure the author will have Patrick and Michelle appear at some point. I would love to check in and see how they are doing years from this point. In any case, the ending of this part (and the book in general) is wonderful!

What I Did Not Like:

Like I said, I would have loved an epilogue or at least a little more from the ending. It's a solid, concrete ending, but I wanted a little more. I'm hoping Patrick and Michelle will show up in future books (if there are future books)!

Would I Recommend It:

I recommend this part, this book, and the series. I am not usually one for romance novels involving clubs or gangs, but this series has really surprised me so far. Collins has won me over, and I find myself smitten by these bad boys. First Shane (and Charlie), now Patrick (and Michelle)... I do love the bad boy/good girl trope, and I like how Collins makes the trope different and fresh in Ex-Con and in Outlaw. I don't really care for serials, but I am a fan of this series having serial novels!

Rating:

4 stars. This book was great! Three parts, $1.99 each... that's only $5.97 for a full-length novel. I really do recommend Ex-Con and Outlaw - you'll change your mind about street-stealing bad boys, believe me! I never thought I'd say that.



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Monday, February 13, 2017

Release Day Blitz: Ex-Con by Katana Collins

Happy Tuesday! Today is the publication day on the third and final part of Ex-Con by Katana Collins. I absolutely loved this book and I highly recommend it! Each part is now available at $1.99 each (which means the full-length novel is only $5.97). Don't miss out!

My review of Ex-Con


About the Book:

    

Ex-Con by Katana Collins
Book One of the Harrison Street Crew series
Publisher: Swerve
Publication Date: January 31, February 7, February 14th

Official Summary:

Worse than bad. Hotter than hot. These are the bad boys of the Harrison Street Crew, and they answer to no one. They take what they want. And what they want is you.

Ex-convict Shane McGill is as rugged and wild as they come. Bad to the bone and back on the streets, he’ll do anything and say anything to survive. Even if that something means joining the one car club he had worked so hard to avoid. But there’s one person out there who can match him toe-to- toe...the hot mechanic pin-up doll of a woman with the body of a goddess and tomboy attitude would even give him a chance.

Part I: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iBooks
Part II: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iBooks
Part III: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iBooks


About the Author:

KATANA COLLINS is lucky enough to love her day job almost as much as she loves writing. She splits her time evenly between photographing boudoir and newborn portraits and writing steamy romances in a variety of genres -- paranormal, contemporary, new adult and suspense.

She bounces between living in New York and Portland, Maine, with an ever-growing brood of rescue animals: a kind of mean cat, a very mellow chihuahua, and a very not mellow lab puppy... oh yeah, there's a husband somewhere in that mix, too. She can usually be found hunched over her laptop in a cafe, guzzling gallons of coffee, and wearing fabulous (albeit sometimes impractical) shoes.



The Excerpt:

“I was thinking, maybe I should take Eve elsewhere—”

Her gaze jerked to his, her blue-green eyes flashing like a bolt of lightning against a rough ocean. “Why?”

Because you make me so hard, I’m worried my dick will get caught under the hood, Shane thought sarcastically. “Just seems like you got a good thing here. I’d hate to screw it up.”

On the outside, there was a quiet calm to her, but he could see the storm below the surface. She was just more controlled than the average person. The hollows of her cheeks were gaunt as though she were sucking them in in anger. “If I was a man, you wouldn’t be saying tha—”

Shane stepped forward, his actions interrupting her before his words could. He dropped his hand gently to her hip, the dampness of his own palm cool against her skin. “If you were a man, I wouldn’t want to bend you over that Audi right now.”

She swallowed and the delicate movement rolled down her svelte throat. “If our positions were reversed . . . if you were a man who owned a garage and I was working for you, would you feel the same reservations?”

He thought about that for a moment. “I would. But most men wouldn’t.” With the back of his knuckle, he brushed the underside of her cheekbone where she was chewing the inside of her cheek. It was pure instinct, to touch her where he saw tension. And yet he hadn’t expected the little gasp that came from those gorgeous lips at his touch. He hadn’t anticipated the way her breasts would hitch with a sharp breath. And he really hadn’t counted on how good her face would feel beneath his touch; like silk. Comforting, soft, and sexy as all hell.

They stayed like that for a long second until Shane’s thumb stroked, finding the underside to her jaw. If there was any question of whether or not she felt the same desire as he did, he could certainly feel it with her quickening pulse that pounded against his thumb. What in the hell am I doing? Shane thought as he dropped his hand to his side. This was the exact shit he was trying to avoid. This was why he needed to get away from Charlie Wakeman.

Charlie looked disoriented for only a moment before she collected herself, grabbing a clipboard off the table and handing Shane the sheet of paper from the top. “I had a good feeling about you after last night, so I ordered your parts this morning. If you want to use your earnings for today to pay a tow truck to take Eve to another garage, it’s your choice. I’m sure the garage would buy the parts off of me. I’m gonna be here late working on my Hornet after hours if you decide to send someone tonight.” She scribbled a number down on a check and tore it off, handing it to Shane. “Sorry, don’t know your last name. I figure you can fill out the ‘pay to’ section yourself. But if you decide to come in tomorrow, I’m here Mondays through Saturdays at seven. And I’m happy to keep our deal.”

He took the check, folding and tucking it into his wallet. “McGill. My last name’s McGill,” he murmured.

She nodded, flicking a glance at the bulge between his legs. Thank God for loose-fitting pants and good boxer briefs. But even still, Shane wasn’t a small guy and he was pretty certain that his arousal wasn’t easy to hide. “Well, Shane McGill. It was nice meeting you. But for the record? I’m pretty sure we could fuck and still come to work in the morning like adults.”

His muscles twitched to step closer. To pull her against his body. One fuck would be great. One night with no attachments and nothing more to it. But it wasn’t realistic. He was already drawn to her. And one night would never be enough. The last thing he needed was more of a reason to stay in Boston longer than he had to for his parole. “It’s nice to think that’d be true. But something tells me one taste wouldn’t be enough, Red. And I think you know that too.” He saw her mouth opening with a retort, but before she could speak he turned and walked out of the garage.


Thursday, February 2, 2017

Serial Review: Ex-Con by Katana Collins

Happy Friday, friends! Today I'm reviewing Ex-Con Parts I, II, and III, by Katana Collins. I received the Ex-Con Serial for review (all three parts) so I'm going to review the series all at once. I'm not sure where each part breaks off, since the serial combines the three seamlessly. Off I go!


Ex-Con, Part I by Katana Collins
Book One of the Harrison Street Crew series
Publisher: Swerve
Publication Date: January 31, 2017
Rating: 4 stars
Source: eARC from NetGalley

***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers***

Summary (from Goodreads):
Worse than bad. Hotter than hot. These are the bad boys of the Harrison Street Crew, and they answer to no one. They take what they want. And what they want is you.

Volume One of a three-part volume by Katana Collins.

Ex-convict Shane McGill is as rugged and wild as they come. Bad to the bone and back on the streets, he’ll do anything and say anything to survive. Even if that something means joining the one car club he had worked so hard to avoid. But there’s one person out there who can match him toe-to-toe...the hot mechanic pin-up doll of a woman with the body of a goddess and tomboy attitude would even give him a chance. 

 Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Kobo


Ex-Con, Part II by Katana Collins
Book One of the Harrison Street Crew series
Publisher: Swerve
Publication Date: February 7, 2017
Rating: 4 stars
Source: eARC from NetGalley

***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers***

Summary (from Goodreads):

Worse than bad. Hotter than hot. These are the bad boys of the Harrison Street Crew, and they answer to no one. They take what they want. And what they want is you.

Volume Two of a three-part volume by Katana Collins.

Charlize “Charlie” Wakeman fixes cars and doesn’t suffer fools. But when the hot as hell ex-convict Shane McGill enters her mechanic shop, she can't resist one wild night with him. It was just meant to be a fling…the wildest, most thrilling fling of her life. But Shane’s too ruthless, too bad to ignore, and Charlie can’t stop herself from coming back for more. 

Ex-Con, Part III by Katana Collins
Book One of the Harrison Street Crew series
Publisher: Swerve
Publication Date: February 14, 2017
Rating: 4 stars
Source: eARC from NetGalley

***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers***

Summary (from Goodreads):

Worse than bad. Hotter than hot. These are the bad boys of the Harrison Street Crew, and they answer to no one. They take what they want. And what they want is you.

Volume Three of a three-part volume by Katana Collins.

Shane McGill learned one thing from prison—if you get a second chance, don’t screw it up. Shane doesn't regret a single second of his life once he's found Charlie. She’s the happiest, hottest, most important thing to happen to him. But as tensions rise in the Harrison Street Crew, his relationship with Charlie takes on a new level of heat, and danger…
What I Liked:

 This is a review of all the combined serial version. I received the Ex-Con Serial for review, and the serial combined all three parts of the book into one seamless story. I do not know where each part ended and the other began, so I cannot do a separate review for each part of the serial.

I read an excerpt from Part I of the serial, and I was hooked. I haven't read too many books featuring ex-cons - the exceptions being Julianna Keyes' Time Served, and Sophie Jordan's amazing Devil's Rock series (All Chained Up, Hell Breaks Loose, and Fury on Fire - so far). I love Time Served and the Devil's Rock series, and after reading those books, I've been less leery of ex-con stories. The excerpt of Part I of Ex-Con that I read was phenomenal and so intriguing, and I'm really glad I stumbled upon it by chance, because I ended up loving this serial novel!

Shane McGill has been released on parole, after serving four years in prison for a crime that isn't quite revealed until close to the end of the serial (probably in Part III, if I had to guess - again, I don't know where each part starts and stops). His beloved car has been sitting untouched for four years, and he needs work done on it. He makes a deal with Charlie Wakeman, a sexy mechanic: he'll work at her garage for free and she'll fix up his car. Neither of them expect the intense chemistry between them to boil over. Neither of them expect the other to be involved with one of the city's dangerous gangs. Neither of them expect the other to discover all of each other's painful secrets, and still fall for each other. 

I read the book as one cohesive story (and not by parts), and I absolutely love how the story was told. The progression and pacing of the story is beautifully written. I wasn't quite expecting that, since the story is split into parts, but I loved how well each part fit into the other, and how much happened in this book.

Both characters are so complex and unique. Shane has just completed his time in prison, and wants a fresh start. He has been denying it to himself, but he knows he can never truly escape from HSC (the gang he is involved with). He agrees to do street races with them, which is how he gets involved with them again, after being in prison. Shane has to repair his car, his life, his problems with HSC, his relationship with his little sister... I really felt for the guy. He is so good and so noble, a true white knight in shining armor, even though he's an ex-con and a criminal. He is also super hot (like steam coming off the pages). I didn't think I would like him this much, but I did. He is such a good guy and a decent person. He's an alpha male with a brain and a good head on his shoulders.

Charlie is a feisty, independent, take-no-crap kind of girl. She likes fixing cars and having her own garage, but she owes a lot of money on the garage, which is how she started street racing for HSC. That, and she loved the thrill of it. Charlie got out of an abusive relationship and sought out the thrill of street racing. The topic of the abusive ex-boyfriend (ex-fiance, really) comes up a lot in the book, and it becomes a huge part of the story. Her ex is her best friend's brother, and the best friend (Michelle) is a really important person in Charlie's life. I liked Charlie, though occasionally her "you-can't-tell-me-what-to-do!" rants got annoying. Sometimes she wouldn't see reason because her head was so far stuck up her butt, trying to be Ms. Independent.

The female friendship in this book is wonderful! I love how Michelle and Charlie always have each other's back, but they also tell each other how it is. Michelle never holds back, which Charlie definitely needed sometimes. These two ladies have been through a lot together, and I love how powerful and strong their friendship is.

Okay, okay, the romance. I absolutely loved the romance. Things started off steamy and progressed into inferno-like fiery pretty quickly. Which I didn't mind at all! The emotional side of things also progressed rather quickly, but I didn't mind and I thought this work well in the story. The chemistry between Shane and Charlie is on fire! The pair were liable to start burning up, every time they were in the same room. And yet, things weren't all physical between them. I love how sweet Shane is with Charlie, and how Charlie doesn't take crap from him BUT also isn't quick to judge him. They are a wonderful (HOT) pair, and I loved watching them fall for each other. 

The "other" plot besides the romance is interesting because it involves both characters, though they aren't aware of this at first. Both Shane and Charlie are involved in street racing, and Shane cuts a deal with HSC to get Charlie out (which puts him back in, unfortunately). Shane works through issues relating to the reason he went to prison, and his relationship with his sister. Charlie works through her own issues, involving her keeping silent about her abusive ex. Meanwhile, someone is trying to frame Shane for something... it all comes together, at the end of the book (which is the end of Part III).

Overall, I am highly satisfied with this serial! I'm glad I had the opportunity to read it as a cohesive novel, though releasing it in parts is an interesting idea. I enjoyed this book a lot - it's a wonderful and steamy story about an ex-con who is a decent guy on the wrong side of the tracks, and a mechanic who wants a little independence after a horrible relationship. It was the first book I read by Collins, and I liked what I read!

What I Did Not Like:

Not a big deal, but sometimes Charlie got on my nerves a little. I understood her need for independence, after being in an abusive relationship for so long. But sometimes she shut down others (Michelle and Shane, specifically) and dismissed their advice and concern because she was so focused on being independent. I feel like she threw tantrums and stomped her feet too many times, yelling about how she didn't want anyone to tell her what to do. I understood where she was coming from, but she acted really stupid sometimes. No one was trying to control her - they were trying to give her solid, unbiased advice, but she acted like everyone was trying to tell her what to do. Girl, calm down!

Again, not a big deal - this happened maybe two or three times, and I understood where she was coming from. But it was a little annoying to read!

 Would I Recommend It:

I personally recommend this series, if you like adult contemporary romance. This story is very different and unique and it challenges the way one might view an ex-con. Both characters have dark secrets and both have a lot of emotional healing to pursue. I dare you to read this book and NOT fall in love with these two - it's impossible, I promise! Their chemistry is hot and their romance is hard-fought and heartwarming, in the end. 

 Rating: 

4 stars (for each part, and the book overall). I cannot wait to read the Outlaw serial! Patrick and Michelle had some serious chemistry in this book, and the sneak peek at the end was so hot... I need all of the parts of Outlaw as soon as possible!

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