Blog Tour and Giveaway: Walk Through Fire: Kristen Ashley
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Expected October 27, 2015
Millie Cross let Logan "High" Judd go twenty years ago. She had her reasons but he never really understood and she destroyed him. He went on to live in a loveless marriage, but was blessed with two daughters. Millie just stopped really living and was just existing.
Twenty years later, she is still in a rut, not even living half of a full real life. When she sees Logan again, all the feelings come rushing back...and the guilt of not telling him the truth. So she thinks it is time to make amends. But all he can see is his anger and need for revenge. Her good intentions she had for seeking him out, are obliterated by his anger and him now playing games with her.
Buy: Amazon | B&N | iTunes | Kobo | BAM | GooglePlay
Expected October 27, 2015
Millie Cross knows what it's like to burn for someone. She was young and wild and he was fierce and even wilder-a Chaos biker who made her heart pound. They fell in love at first sight and life was good, until she learned she couldn't be the woman he needed and made it so he had no choice but to walk away. Twenty years later, Millie's chance run-in with her old flame sparks a desire she just can't ignore. And this time, she won't let him ride off . . .
Bad boy Logan "High" Judd has seen his share of troubles with the law. Yet it was a beautiful woman who broke him. After ending a loveless marriage, High is shocked when his true love walks back into his life. Millie is still gorgeous, but she's just a ghost of her former self. High's intrigued at the change, but her betrayal cut him deep-and he doesn't want to get burned again. As High sinks into meting out vengeance for Millie's betrayal, he'll break all over again when he realizes just how Millie walked through fire for her man...
I
beeped the locks and had a hand to the handle when I heard, “Lookin’ for me?”
When
that deep, coarse voice came at me through the dark, my body became paralyzed,
my eyes glued to my hand on the handle.
Then
it kept coming at me.
“Bitch,
followed you the last forty-five minutes. Reb got in touch. Told me you hit
Scruff’s.” On the next, the voice was nearer. “You’re lookin’ for me. So tell
me what the fuck you want so you can quit lookin’ and I can quit lookin’ at
you.” Slowly, I turned, my head going back automatically because I felt him
close and I knew what close to Logan meant.
I
was five-seven.
He
was six-one.
He
towered over me, or at least that’s what it always felt like because he wasn’t
only tall, he was also a big guy with a big presence.
And
right then, it felt like that, especially since his big presence was an angry
one.
His
face was in shadows, I could barely see it.
But
I could feel him.
And
I could smell him.
God, I could smell him.
He
didn’t wear cologne or aftershave. His scent was all his. And I remembered
lying in our bed holding his pillow to me, my face shoved into the sheets,
taking him in after I’d made him walk away.
His
scent hadn’t changed. Not even a nuance.
Smelling
it without warning felt like walking unsuspecting into the street and having a
truck slam into you. And that feeling was so strong it was a wonder my body
didn’t go careening through the trucks and bikes, slamming into them,
shattering every bone.
He
moved forward so he was in my space, the smell strengthened and my body
tightened to guard against it.
“Woman,
after all this time, whatever shit you gotta hand me, fuckin’ do it,” he
ordered irately. “You got two seconds to spit it the fuck out. You don’t, you
won’t get another chance, and you know I’ll make it that way. So this is your
only shot. Take it or get in your fuckin’ car and get your ass outta my world.”
I
stared into the shadows of his face, wishing with everything that I could see
it.
Apparently,
I did this for two seconds because Logan bit out, “Right. See nothin’s changed.
Weak. Now get your ass . . .” he dipped his face to mine, “gone.”
And
when he did, I got up on my toes and kissed him.
It
was totally crazy.
But
I also totally couldn’t help it.
He
smelled so fucking good.
And
he was Logan.
Close.
Right there. His face in mine.
He
jerked away, muttering a disgusted, “What the fuck?”
But
the words or their tone didn’t penetrate.
I
smelled him and I’d had a taste.
I
was gone.
I
lifted both hands to either side of his head, yanked him down to me, and went
back in, going for it, giving it my all. Even when his fingers clenched
painfully into my hips pushing them back to set me away, I held on tighter and
shoved my tongue between his lips.
It
touched his, just that, just a touch, and then I cried out into his mouth when
I found my back slammed into my SUV.
But
it wasn’t his way to get me to let him go.
No.
His
head slanted and he forced my tongue out of his mouth when his invaded mine.
And
that was when I was gone.
I
was already gone but right then there was nothing to me.
Nothing
at all.
Except
my hands on Logan’s head, his body pressing mine into my car, his smell all
around us, his tongue plundering my mouth, all this exploding fire everywhere.
He
drove a hand into my hair, twisting it, the pain bristling over my scalp and I
cried out into his mouth again even as I arched deeper, pressed closer,
willing, like it had always been, to give it all because he was Logan, he got
it all.
But
also because I knew I’d get it back a hundredfold.
He
swayed us forward so his other arm could lock across my back and he kept at my
mouth as I rolled way up on my toes, pushing deep, wrapping my arms around his
neck, consumed by the kiss and not giving that first fuck.
I
was ready to ride it out.
No,
I needed to ride it out.
No
matter where it went.
He
broke away and that was when my hand went into his hair, fisting tight in
protest.
“That
what you want?” he growled, his voice lower, the abrasion physical, and I
shivered with delight.
I
wasn’t entirely certain of the question but I answered a breathy, “Yes.”
“That’s
what you want,” he repeated, a statement this time, seeking confirmation.
“Yes,
Logan.”
He
let me go but took my hand, his skin rough against my fingers. The feel of it
back after all these years washed through me and I fancied I remembered every
time, in quick succession, from the first night we met to the night before I
broke it off when he’d taken my hand and guided me somewhere.
Lost
in it like I’d always been lost in it, I followed blindly.
Attached
to Logan, I’d go anywhere.
Even
if we were walking through fire.
Twenty years later, she is still in a rut, not even living half of a full real life. When she sees Logan again, all the feelings come rushing back...and the guilt of not telling him the truth. So she thinks it is time to make amends. But all he can see is his anger and need for revenge. Her good intentions she had for seeking him out, are obliterated by his anger and him now playing games with her.
The push and pull, fight and retreat is intense. Both are so torn up about the past...both the perfection of their happy times and the eventual heartbreak. Both of their lives were irrevocably changed by her one parallel decision. And now there are well meaning friends that see the sparks and connection, and want to try to help them get together. While there are others that know the pain Logan went through and want to keep her away. But both of them are so confused by alternately wanting and not wanting to see the other. Their bodies can't resist, their hearts are beaten and fragile, and their minds can't forget.
It gets real, rough, and rocky, but there are also times of emotional conversations, reconnection, and passion. But they are now more mature and different people in a lot of ways. She had truly lost herself along the way and is just beginning to find her inner strength and passion again. Logan was existing for his daughters and his club brothers. They have secrets to reveal, situations to move past, and different lives and priorities. And Chaos always has threats to be wary of.
The Chaos books are comfy reads and feel like hanging out with old friends while getting to know some new ones. I enjoy getting to spend more time with all of our Chaos crew and the extended Bad A** Brigade including Hawk Mitch, Brock, and Nightingale men. The Girl Posse is out of control in this one and had me laughing. Together these men and women share humor and a close bond, and they are serious about keeping their loved ones safe and supported.
This is typical published KA and wasn't a short book (600+ pages). It was an epic biker second chance love story spanning over twenty years of pain, sacrifice, loss, hope, passion, and redemption. They had an instant and deep bond that took a huge hit, but never could be forgotten. Logan was a total swoon worthy hero most of the time (although he did have some initial seriously a-hole moments). I loved the whole Alpha-Bad-A**-who-could-quote-flowery-love-words aspect of his personality, and his commitment to his girls and his club. Millie started out more passive, procrastinating, and beat down and began to find her personality and sassiness again. They brought out passion, playfulness, and real emotions back out of each other that had been dormant for years. They had walked through fire for each other in various ways but sometimes it was hidden or misunderstood.
This book takes you from the good, bad, ugly and back to good. It's sexy, angsty, romantic, suspenseful, and emotional. The first half of the book was much more angsty, fiery, and intriguing than the second half. We got to see both present and past intermingling and the love/hate/passion exploding. And then I felt like the story started dragging a bit and became much more subdued. This installment was more relationship based than suspense based but there were some scenes with some typical MC danger and drama. And the larger story arc that has been running through the series with their enemy was brought in but then fizzled out again with no real resolution so I guess we will get more with him in the next book. There are definitely several possibilities for future stories including, Hound, Keely, Snapper, Rush, and Rosalie that were teased at in this one.
ARC provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Millie was Logan’s dream girl. They found each other early and it was love at first sight. But it wasn’t so, and 20 years apart didn’t heal that hurt for either of them. Millie lived a ghost of her former life, and Logan was finalizing a divorce after 13 years of a loveless marriage. Neither were living the life they dreamed of, though each hoped the other was. A chance encounter draws Millie back to Logan and they each must finally deal with the aftermath of the pain of their breakup.
KA writes a long book. But there’s almost enough in there for two or three books from some other authors, KA just crams it all into one. But the challenge with all that length is that sometimes things can drag at times. For me, it was the beginning that felt slow and I had the hardest time getting through. Trying to figure out what happened 20 years prior to wreck the beauty that Millie and Logan had together, while watching the ugly they were spewing at each other in the present was hard to take at times. Because they were awful to each other. But then I got it. It all made sense. And the present day storyline started turning around. The second half had so much going on between the Valenzuela storyline and blending Millie into Logan’s family that I didn’t want to put it down for long.
I will say, I loved the current relationship Logan has with his ex, Deb. It’s not often that the ex is painted as a rational, sane, loving person who just wasn’t right for the hero, but that is exactly who Deb is. I even finished the book thinking she doesn’t need her own story because her own story is right here within Logan’s. She has what she wants and just wants others around her to be happy too. Breath of fresh air.
There was so much interaction (and interference) from the Chaos women, and the brothers, the commandos and the cops, that this felt like coming home to a whole KA reunion. With the Valenzuela part of the story, so many other agencies and organizations have been called in to help, giving readers a glimpse at the characters we already love.
KA writes a long book. But there’s almost enough in there for two or three books from some other authors, KA just crams it all into one. But the challenge with all that length is that sometimes things can drag at times. For me, it was the beginning that felt slow and I had the hardest time getting through. Trying to figure out what happened 20 years prior to wreck the beauty that Millie and Logan had together, while watching the ugly they were spewing at each other in the present was hard to take at times. Because they were awful to each other. But then I got it. It all made sense. And the present day storyline started turning around. The second half had so much going on between the Valenzuela storyline and blending Millie into Logan’s family that I didn’t want to put it down for long.
I will say, I loved the current relationship Logan has with his ex, Deb. It’s not often that the ex is painted as a rational, sane, loving person who just wasn’t right for the hero, but that is exactly who Deb is. I even finished the book thinking she doesn’t need her own story because her own story is right here within Logan’s. She has what she wants and just wants others around her to be happy too. Breath of fresh air.
There was so much interaction (and interference) from the Chaos women, and the brothers, the commandos and the cops, that this felt like coming home to a whole KA reunion. With the Valenzuela part of the story, so many other agencies and organizations have been called in to help, giving readers a glimpse at the characters we already love.
This was not the easy to love MC story I’ve come to expect from this series, but once I got into the story I was able to enjoy the characters and the story. And it was really the side characters that I already loved who kept me reading long enough to fall in love with Millie and High themselves.
The Chaos Series:
Own The Wind (Chaos #1):
Fire Inside (Chaos #2):
Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Our reviews
Ride Steady (Chaos #3):
Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Our reviews
Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Our reviews
The Dream Man Series:
Mystery Man(book1)
Wild Man (book 2)
Law Man (book 3)
Motorcycle Man (book 4)
Kristen Ashley
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.
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