As a reader obsessed with MC-themed romances I'm excited to introduce you to the gritty reunion of two people left bruised by their past with one man. Keep reading to get a tantalizing taste of Make You Burn by Megan Crane, along with my impressions of it, and learn even more about this read by visiting the other sites hosting this tour. In honor of this installment in the Deacons of Bourbon Street series make sure to fill out the form below for the chance to win a Loveswept mug, a Flirt mug, and a collection of eBooks too!
Meet the Deacons of Bourbon Street, bad boy bikers who are hell on wheels—and heaven between the sheets. Megan Crane revs up an irresistible new series co-written with Rachael Johns, Jackie Ashenden, and Maisey Yates.
Sean “Ajax” Harding’s oaths are inked into his skin. Once second-in-command of the Deacons of Bourbon Street motorcycle club, he left New Orleans to protect the brotherhood, and only the death of his beloved mentor, Priest Lombard, could lure him back. Walking into the old hangout gives him a familiar thrill—especially when he gets an eyeful of the bar’s delectable new owner. A wild ride with her is just the welcome Ajax needs. Then he realizes that she’s Priest’s daughter, all grown up and totally off limits.
Sophie Lombard loved her father, not his lifestyle. She’s done with bikers . . . until Ajax roars into town—arrogant, tough, and sexy as ever. And although he treats her like the Catholic schoolgirl he once knew, Sophie’s daydreams tend to revolve around sin. With the very real possibility of heartbreak looming, Sophie knows better than to get too close to an outlaw. But every touch from Ajax is steamier than the Louisiana bayou—and heat like this may just be worth getting burned.
EXCERPT:
This close, she could see too much. Entirely too much. The years hadn’t been particularly kind to Ajax, but then, he’d started off entirely too pretty for his own good. She remembered him in his feral early twenties, bright and blonde and so stunning that tourists had followed him around the French Quarter like they thought he was a harmless wolf cub set loose from his pack, like that hard smile of his was merely teeth and there was something more than violence in his sweet blue eyes.
I’m so glad you came back from Afghanistan in one piece, she’d heard one of the besotted tourists giggle at him once upon a very late night, over at one of the Priory tables with her too- short denim skirt already shoved out of his way.
And Ajax had responded, that angelic face of his never quite as hard as those eyes, No one comes back in one piece, bitch. With his hands high on her thighs and murder in his tone. They just come home.
His face was leaner now. Tougher. Less angel, more warrior. This Ajax wore his danger and his power right there on his face, in the lines that made his eyes look bluer, in the beard that made him look like the walking calamity he was, and no one would mistake this man for anything but that, blue eyes or not. He was lethal. And Sophie couldn’t help but think that he was far more beautiful for it, God help her. A battered, dark gold, finely-honed machine of a man, and he was grinning at her like he already had her pants at her knees and her ass over the nearest table.
No small part of her wished he did.
And she was fucked, because once that image was in her head, she couldn’t think of anything else—and she was positive he could read it right there on her face.
“You better tell your girl to put down that phone,” he said softly, so softly and so close that Sophie had to blink to make sense of it, so entranced was she by that mouth of his. “If the police show up in the middle of my homecoming party I might lose my sense of humor.”
“I’m fine, Danielle,” she called, and the bartender behind them froze, her cell phone clenched tight in her hand. “Sean here is just an old friend of my father’s.”
“You don’t have any idea when to quit, do you?”
“Because you, of course, are the model of restraint.”
That dangerous curve of his mouth tightened, and so did everything inside of her. “I’m not the mouthy piece of ass pinned up against the back of a bar, with a golden opportunity to rethink my attitude. If I were you, I’d take it.”
“I’m not afraid of you.”
Ajax studied her. “Then you’re as dumb as you act. Bad combination, babe. Especially in this neighborhood.”
“Should I interpret that as concern for my well-being?” she asked, her voice as acidic as it was sweet. “It’s hard to tell while you’re choking me out.”
A different sort of grin lit his face then, changing that look in his eyes and then dancing all over her. He shifted, sliding that big, hard hand of his up over her chin and then dragging his thumb over her lower lip, slowly. The grin drained from his face as he watched and he looked . . . hungry. Needy.
Then he tested her teeth on the way back with the pad of that big thumb of his, and the urge to close her lips around him was so intense, so overwhelming, she lost her train of thought.
There was only Ajax, big and threatening and so beautiful it was making her shake.
He did it again. And it was the way he did it. It was pure sex in a simple little scrape of his thumb on her lip, then against her teeth, and it was dirty as all fuck.
Ajax lifted his gaze to hers then, and his blue eyes had gone hot. It shuddered through her, intent and heavy. A threat, she told herself. Dark and hard and life-altering. A distinct and deliberate threat.
But she was far more worried it was a promise.
FIND THIS BOOK AT GOODREADS here.
FIND THE DEACONS OF BOURBON STREET SERIES ON GOODREADS here.
MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS BOOK:
As a reader who obsesses over MC-themed romances I was immediately drawn to the premise of this book. The world Ms. Crane has crafted is an intense one full of tension and secrets and it all adds up to a memorable read. From the first page to the last I got a larger than life main couple whose connection was combustible and a few hints regarding an over-arcing mystery that have me hopeful for future installments.
Ajax joined the club when he was young and found a father figure in Priest. His devotion to the club, and to Priest, was always more important than his needs which had him denying his attraction to Sophie and ultimately leaving the club to save it. With Priest's death though he's returned to a city changed and a club left broken with members full of anger. The biggest change is to the once sweet and quiet Sophie who's now loud and bubbling with unleashed sexuality. Though Ajax once swore to leave her untouched the temptation she presents becomes too much and leads them on a steamy journey of acceptance of themselves and each other. Ajax is a compelling lead, rough but super sexy. His life has been full of bloodshed but it's not something he'll ever apologize for and I enjoyed his strutting through the story.
Sophie was once sweet and sheltered but couldn't be further from that with the death of her father. She's strong-willed and clearly able to take care of herself, but there's hurt there too, hiding behind bravado. Luckily Ajax is there to help her work past her anger through their numerous sexual encounters that practically jump off the page with their intensity. Though she wants to separate herself from the gritty MC world she's become more entrenched in it through her newfound personality and it made her interactions with Ajax more entertaining as she gave as good as she got.
Along with all that though were a few issues that kept me from loving this story. The biggest problem is the excessive amount of inner dialogue that keeps the main couple from interacting on a deeper level. Thinking isn't the same as saying it out loud which made their relationship feel a bit superficial, almost entirely based on sex. I have nothing against steamy reads as I love them, but when sex takes away from the storyline I'm left frustrated. The inner dialogues also bordered on purple prose which didn't feel true to the characters. The crux of the storyline seemed to get lost as Priest's murder, which is hinted at, barely got referenced. The return of the other bikers often got set aside which was a wasted opportunity in setting up future installments. Those issues aside, I enjoyed the connection between Sophie and Ajax as it crackled with sexual tension. Their sexual encounters were scorching and had a good flow that kept me engrossed in their sensual tug of war. Readers who enjoy super steamy reads will find this a decadent delight with a hint of more excitement to come!
Ajax joined the club when he was young and found a father figure in Priest. His devotion to the club, and to Priest, was always more important than his needs which had him denying his attraction to Sophie and ultimately leaving the club to save it. With Priest's death though he's returned to a city changed and a club left broken with members full of anger. The biggest change is to the once sweet and quiet Sophie who's now loud and bubbling with unleashed sexuality. Though Ajax once swore to leave her untouched the temptation she presents becomes too much and leads them on a steamy journey of acceptance of themselves and each other. Ajax is a compelling lead, rough but super sexy. His life has been full of bloodshed but it's not something he'll ever apologize for and I enjoyed his strutting through the story.
Sophie was once sweet and sheltered but couldn't be further from that with the death of her father. She's strong-willed and clearly able to take care of herself, but there's hurt there too, hiding behind bravado. Luckily Ajax is there to help her work past her anger through their numerous sexual encounters that practically jump off the page with their intensity. Though she wants to separate herself from the gritty MC world she's become more entrenched in it through her newfound personality and it made her interactions with Ajax more entertaining as she gave as good as she got.
Along with all that though were a few issues that kept me from loving this story. The biggest problem is the excessive amount of inner dialogue that keeps the main couple from interacting on a deeper level. Thinking isn't the same as saying it out loud which made their relationship feel a bit superficial, almost entirely based on sex. I have nothing against steamy reads as I love them, but when sex takes away from the storyline I'm left frustrated. The inner dialogues also bordered on purple prose which didn't feel true to the characters. The crux of the storyline seemed to get lost as Priest's murder, which is hinted at, barely got referenced. The return of the other bikers often got set aside which was a wasted opportunity in setting up future installments. Those issues aside, I enjoyed the connection between Sophie and Ajax as it crackled with sexual tension. Their sexual encounters were scorching and had a good flow that kept me engrossed in their sensual tug of war. Readers who enjoy super steamy reads will find this a decadent delight with a hint of more excitement to come!
My rating for this is a C+
*I got this book from NetGalley for review in exchange for my honest opinion.
AUTHOR INFO:
Megan Crane is a New Jersey native who had great plans to star on Broadway, preferably in Evita, just like Patti LuPone. Sadly, her inability to wow audiences with her singing voice required a back-up plan. Accordingly, she graduated from Vassar College and got her MA and PhD in literature from the University of York in England. She wrote her doctoral dissertation on AIDS literature, mostly so she could wallow in her obsession with the remarkable multimedia artist David Wojnarowicz and her idol, the bitter and hilarious David Feinberg. After many years in the rain and subject to the whim of seasons, she followed the sun to Los Angeles, where she lives with too many pets and an artist named Jeff. She is still plotting her Broadway debut.
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