Ride Hard (Raven Riders #1)

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Expected April 26, 2016

Brotherhood. Club. Family.

They live and ride by their own rules.
These are the Raven Riders… 

Raven Riders Motorcycle Club President Dare Kenyon rides hard and values loyalty above all else. He’ll do anything to protect the brotherhood of bikers—the only family he’s got—as well as those who can’t defend themselves. So when mistrustful Haven Randall lands on the club’s doorstep scared that she’s being hunted, Dare takes her in, swears to keep her safe, and pushes to learn the secrets overshadowing her pretty smile.

Haven fled from years of abuse at the hands of her criminal father and is suspicious of any man’s promises, including those of the darkly sexy and overwhelmingly intense Ravens’ leader. But as the powerful attraction between them flares to life, Dare pushes her boundaries and tempts her to want things she never thought she could.

The past never dies without a fight, but Dare Kenyon’s never backed down before…

Haven Randall and her best friend Cora Campbell escaped their fathers and danger in Georgia. And after another precarious situation end up being assisted by the Hard Ink Team and Raven Riders MC.

Dare Kenyon, the MC President runs a club that does color outside the lines, but it is so they can also afford to help those in need. They don't hesitate to take in Haven and Cora and give them protection. 

Dare has a tragic past that has hardened him. He's intimidating, strong, controlled, and respectful. But he is not prepared for his own reaction to the young, guarded, and shy Haven. She has escaped her nightmares and is just beginning to hope for a real future and to begin living her life to the fullest. There are many things she wants to do and see. She's humble, sweet, kind, and likes to give back. But she is also fearful and unsure. 

Neither of them have really had relationships. And although there is a pull and attraction between them, there are so many issues and challenges. Haven finds herself feeling at home and belonging for the first time, but her safety is at risk which ultimately also puts his club at risk.  She has a chance of a brand new life, but it means she has to leave the comfort of the one she is just getting used to and leaving the only man she has ever really been able to trust. Her choices seem to be safety vs. risk and love vs. protection. But can one choice give her everything or are they destined to lose?

I enjoyed getting to know more about he Raven Riders--Maverick, Caine, Phoenix, Ike, and Jagger. The sweet mother figure Bunny and her husband Rodeo made me smile. I liked Haven's outgoing and supportive friend, Cora. And I was glad to get to visit with the Hard Ink guys. The camaraderie and bonds within the club and with the guys from Hard Ink really are one thing that makes these series so appealing.

Their relationship was a gradual build up of trust, passion, understanding. It started a bit slow for me but I really ended up liking them both. I was glad it was told in their dual points of view. The story line moved from tense, threatening, to a big action-packed climax. It was sweet, emotional, passionate, and suspenseful. These two characters both needed saving and to learn to truly live a full complete life, but there were quite a few challenges. Fans of the Hard Ink series should easily transition to this one with new enemies, a new war, and old friends. I am excited about more in the series and Maverick's story was teased already.

I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review. 

Haven Randall was rescued by the Hard Ink men and hidden by the Raven Riders after having run away from her abusive, controlling father. With her best friend by her side, Haven is fighting for her freedom to live and to find herself.

Dare Kenyon lives to make up for failing the two people he loved the most. Taking in, protecting, and helping women and children from abusive situations is his way of atoning. As president of the Raven Riders, he is responsible not only for the women they take in, but for the men who are as close as family. Never before has a client caught his interest, until Haven.

When Haven arrives at the Raven’s compound, she is a skittish, shy innocent. Her father kept her so confined that groups of people, especially men, sent her to near panic levels. As she became more comfortable with the Ravens, her shell thinned, allowing her bravery to take charge. Her desire to experience a normal life drove a lot of her decisions even as her process came from a place of innocence.

I really liked the sexy, smooth build up of the relationship. Dare and Haven challenge each other. The opposition, Haven with her innocence and Dare with his rough nature, was a perfect fit. I loved the way Dare transformed around her, and even though everyone around them could see the attraction went both ways, he held himself back for fear of scaring her more than she already was.

There was great tension through the plot. The threat sort of hid in the background as readers got to know the characters, but as the danger of Haven’s father looms, the tension grows and moves to the forefront. It kept me wondering when and how things were going to explode.

There is a lot that happens quickly at times, while others build at a slower pace. Danger stays away long enough that it was easy to forget that Haven and Cora weren’t quite safe yet. The resolution is perfect for these two, and says a lot about their strengths and the possibilities for the future. 

This was a great introduction to a new group of characters. Cora, Haven’s best friend, has her own story hiding behind unguarded moments and though she ran to help Haven, I can’t help but think there’s something coming for her as well. The Raven Riders as a brotherhood also have several stories threaded through this book that will make for great focal points, and I can’t help but want a book for Slider particularly, though readers also get a lot of Maverick’s story as well.

ARC provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Ride Rough (Raven Riders #2)

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Expected April 25, 2017

Laura is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over twenty books in contemporary and paranormal romance and romantic suspense, including the Hard Ink and upcoming Raven Riders series. Growing up, Laura’s large extended family believed in the supernatural, and family lore involving angels, ghosts, and evil-eye curses cemented in Laura a life-long fascination with storytelling and all things paranormal. She lives in Maryland with her husband, two daughters, and cute-but-bad dog, and appreciates her view of the Chesapeake Bay every day.