With MC-themed romances amongst my favorites, I love discovering new additions to the genre. I'm excited to introduce you today to a romance between two apparent opposites who are tainted by their pasts but brought together over their love for a little boy. Keep reading to get a tantalizing taste of the edge of your seat world of GRIT by J.C. Valentine, along with my impressions of it, and then learn more about this steamy read by visiting the other sites hosting this tour. In honor of this first installment in the Spartan Riders series make sure to fill out the form below for the chance to win a $50 Amazon GC too!
Gabby Morgan isn’t looking for love. Not even a little romance. Following a rocky past that she’d just as soon forget, she’s determined to focus on the future. One that most certainly doesn’t involve the tough-as-nails, short-on-words, hot-as-hell biker…or his kid.
Blake Mahone may not be done with women, but he’s finished with relationships. Then Gabby Morgan enters the picture. She’s flawless, refined, and as his kid’s teacher, way out of his league. She acts like she hates him, but her eyes tell a different story. Before he knows it, Blake finds himself hot for teacher, and he’s more than ready to learn all her secrets. Now all he has to do is convince her to give him a shot…without getting them both killed in the process.
EXCERPT:
Sensing movement, Gabby opened her eyes and found herself staring at a wall of male chest. Leather creaked as Blake drew even closer, closing out what little space was left between them. Body heat licked her breasts sending goosebumps scattering down her arms and across her chest that teased her nipples into stiff, sensitive points.
When he leaned down, placing his face so close to hers she could practically taste the beer on his breath, Gabby shivered. It became painfully clear that the time for fighting this attraction had come to an end. The sheer torture of trying to resist was something she could no longer abide, and so Gabby gave in.
“You want something, teach?"
The low rumble of his voice reached down deep, sending a flood of heat rushing between her thighs. “I—"
“Because the way you’ve been watching me all night tells me you see something you like. Or maybe it’s not so much a like as it is a need,” he growled, one hand reaching up to curl a lock of her hair around his finger.
The way she bloomed for him told her that he was right. He was beautiful, he was edgy, and in the rare moments that he opened his mouth to speak, he was devastating.
She needed him in the worst way. To ease the growing ache inside of her. To temper the need she’d felt from the moment she laid eyes on him. But she didn’t know him. And what she knew of him, she didn’t necessarily like.
“I don’t know if I…like you,” she whispered into the narrow space dividing them.
Bending farther down, the rough hairs dusting Blake’s jaw scratched deliciously against her cheek as he placed his lips beside her ear and whispered back, “I don’t know if I like you either, teach.” She felt the heavy weight of his hand curl around her hip and give her a possessive tug, pressing them together, chest to chest. “Is that a problem for you?”
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MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS BOOK:
When it comes to MC-themed romances there are a few elements that draw me to the genre and add to my enjoyment of books set in this world. I'm drawn to the grittiness of this world and the fine line between good and bad each club lives by, the alpha tendencies of these badass bikers to protect those they claim, and the edge of your seat action that's beautifully balanced with steamy romances. With this series starter Ms. Valentine captured my attention from the first page to the last and whet my appetite for more compelling stories set in this world.
With his father's demise Blake had no intention of letting their club deal in criminal endeavors any longer, as he wanted to be around for his child, and thus pushed them into legitimacy. This change in status led to the mother of his child leaving and leading the enemy to their door to undo all the good they've done throughout the years. Into this battle comes the sweet and caring Gabby who has her own past to be ashamed of but who Blake finds himself drawn to despite his fear in claiming another possibly duplicitous woman. As Gabby's past, and the future of the club collide, war will be waged and battle lines will be drawn to change everyone's future with Blake leading the charge. Blake's a delicious hero teeming with sensuality, snark, and overt alpha tendencies. He makes Gabby work for his attention in a sexual tug of war that brought a smile to my face as he knows he'll win her over eventually. Blake's very confident most of the time but has flashes of insecurity that were endearing as he knows she's too good for him and worries she'll walk away because of the way he's once again having to live his life and for the disability he hides. Through all the ups and downs it's his relationship with his son Ash that showed the kind of man he is and it's a caring man who is always honest and willing to do anything to make those he calls family happy. He's a dreamy hero despite all his rough edges and he won me over the moment he rode on to the scene.
From the outside Gabby seems prim and proper with doubts regarding the kind of men who wear leather and ride motorcycles. It's judgments based on a past that left her near-death and scarred for life after her boyfriend ran afoul of the wrong man. She's now hiding from her past, teaching kindergarten and trying to keep her attentions off the sexy biker dad of the young boy quickly claiming her heart. When her past comes back to claim her she'll unwittingly bring Blake and his Spartan Riders back into a war they once stepped away from in order to save her in an exhilarating ending that lays the groundwork for more exciting stories in the future. Gabby's a strong-willed woman teeming with guilt over her past and the damage it caused. Knowing what she got caught up in has her fearing for Blake and Ash's safety even as she gets closer to them both, seeing them as a family. She may appear proper but she's not afraid to fight when her newfound family is threatened which had me cheering. Her and Blake are combustible, fun and flirty in their interactions outside the bedroom and intensely erotic inside the bedroom. By the end of the story she proved herself worthy of the title of Blake's Old Lady in an immensely satisfying and unique HEA.
This was a fast-paced story with a storyline that kept me on the edge of my seat and fully invested in the larger than life characters inhabiting this gritty world. Blake's a delectable hero who knew what he wanted and went after it. He's sexy and supportive and stands beside Gabby despite her muddied past. Gabby and Blake are a formidable duo whose playful interactions led to scorching encounters in a relationship that's heartwarming. Gabby's an admirable heroine who quickly morphs from prim and proper to vixen in Blake's presence and it was a delightful transition, a freeing one, to witness. While she and Blake at first seem mismatched they end up fitting together perfectly. I don't normally care for children in my romances but Ash charmed me with his big boy attitude and little boy fears and all I wanted for him was to be loved and to be happy. The brotherhood surrounding Blake are an eclectic group with unique looks and personalities that have me wanting to know more about them in future installments. The groundwork laid here promises a future of danger as a formidable enemy has emerged, with the help of an unexpected ally, that will pull these dangerous men back into a war they desperately wanted to leave behind in protection of those they love. I applaud Ms. Valentine for the world she's created, incorporating the very best elements of the MC life, and I recommend this story to all those readers obsessed with this way of life too!
With his father's demise Blake had no intention of letting their club deal in criminal endeavors any longer, as he wanted to be around for his child, and thus pushed them into legitimacy. This change in status led to the mother of his child leaving and leading the enemy to their door to undo all the good they've done throughout the years. Into this battle comes the sweet and caring Gabby who has her own past to be ashamed of but who Blake finds himself drawn to despite his fear in claiming another possibly duplicitous woman. As Gabby's past, and the future of the club collide, war will be waged and battle lines will be drawn to change everyone's future with Blake leading the charge. Blake's a delicious hero teeming with sensuality, snark, and overt alpha tendencies. He makes Gabby work for his attention in a sexual tug of war that brought a smile to my face as he knows he'll win her over eventually. Blake's very confident most of the time but has flashes of insecurity that were endearing as he knows she's too good for him and worries she'll walk away because of the way he's once again having to live his life and for the disability he hides. Through all the ups and downs it's his relationship with his son Ash that showed the kind of man he is and it's a caring man who is always honest and willing to do anything to make those he calls family happy. He's a dreamy hero despite all his rough edges and he won me over the moment he rode on to the scene.
From the outside Gabby seems prim and proper with doubts regarding the kind of men who wear leather and ride motorcycles. It's judgments based on a past that left her near-death and scarred for life after her boyfriend ran afoul of the wrong man. She's now hiding from her past, teaching kindergarten and trying to keep her attentions off the sexy biker dad of the young boy quickly claiming her heart. When her past comes back to claim her she'll unwittingly bring Blake and his Spartan Riders back into a war they once stepped away from in order to save her in an exhilarating ending that lays the groundwork for more exciting stories in the future. Gabby's a strong-willed woman teeming with guilt over her past and the damage it caused. Knowing what she got caught up in has her fearing for Blake and Ash's safety even as she gets closer to them both, seeing them as a family. She may appear proper but she's not afraid to fight when her newfound family is threatened which had me cheering. Her and Blake are combustible, fun and flirty in their interactions outside the bedroom and intensely erotic inside the bedroom. By the end of the story she proved herself worthy of the title of Blake's Old Lady in an immensely satisfying and unique HEA.
This was a fast-paced story with a storyline that kept me on the edge of my seat and fully invested in the larger than life characters inhabiting this gritty world. Blake's a delectable hero who knew what he wanted and went after it. He's sexy and supportive and stands beside Gabby despite her muddied past. Gabby and Blake are a formidable duo whose playful interactions led to scorching encounters in a relationship that's heartwarming. Gabby's an admirable heroine who quickly morphs from prim and proper to vixen in Blake's presence and it was a delightful transition, a freeing one, to witness. While she and Blake at first seem mismatched they end up fitting together perfectly. I don't normally care for children in my romances but Ash charmed me with his big boy attitude and little boy fears and all I wanted for him was to be loved and to be happy. The brotherhood surrounding Blake are an eclectic group with unique looks and personalities that have me wanting to know more about them in future installments. The groundwork laid here promises a future of danger as a formidable enemy has emerged, with the help of an unexpected ally, that will pull these dangerous men back into a war they desperately wanted to leave behind in protection of those they love. I applaud Ms. Valentine for the world she's created, incorporating the very best elements of the MC life, and I recommend this story to all those readers obsessed with this way of life too!
My rating for this is an A-
*I got this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.
AUTHOR INFO:
J.C. Valentine is the USA Today and International bestselling author of the Night Calls and Wayward Fighters Series and the Forbidden Series. Her vivid imagination and love of words and romance had her penning her own romance stories from an early age, which, despite being poorly edited and written longhand, she forced friends and family members to read. No, she isn’t sorry.
J.C. earned her own happily ever after when she married her high school sweetheart. Living in the Northwest, they have three amazing children and far too many pets and spend much of their free time together enjoying movies or the outdoors. Among the many hats she wears, J.C. is an entrepreneur. Having graduated with honors, she holds a Bachelor’s in English and when she isn’t writing, you can find her editing for fellow authors.
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