As a reader obsessed with MC-themed romances I'm excited to introduce you to a new kind of motorcycle club sworn to protect those who are weaker or needing a safe place. Keep reading to get a tempting taste of Ride Hard by Lauren Kaye, along with my impressions of it, and then add it to your bookshelf. In honor of this first installment in the Raven Riders series make sure to fill out the form below for 3 readers to have the chance to win a signed copy of this book, MC-themed swag, along with a $20 bookstore GC too!
A special message from Ms. Kaye.....I’m thrilled to be celebrating the release of my 25th novel, Ride Hard, the first book in my Raven Riders Motorcycle Club series about a new kind of MC with a protective mission. You might’ve first met the Ravens in the Hard Ink world, but this series stands on its own and is even sexier, edgier, and grittier! I can’t wait for you to get to know Dare, Haven, and everyone in the Raven world! And see down below for a giveaway and a bonus story offer! I hope you enjoy this excerpt from the book!
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…
EXCERPT:
One minute Dare was standing on the beach, trying to keep himself from giving in to Haven’s innocent playfulness. The next he was wet from forehead to knees from Haven splashing him.
She actually splashed him.
His reaction was pure instinct. He took off like a shot, bolting toward her like a wild animal after its prey. Haven’s beautiful face went from uncertain to startled to amused, and on a scream and a laugh she turned and ran, her feet kicking up water as she cut through the shallows at the secluded lake’s edge.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” she yelled between laughs.
Dare just ran faster, not even caring as his boots hit the water. She didn’t have a chance in hell of outrunning him, and he wasn’t giving up the chase until he had her in his arms—and made her pay.
A burst of laughter exploded out of her as she veered back and forth, pleading words spilling haltingly from her lips. And then Dare clasped his arms around her upper body, hauled her in against him, and took them both down to the sand right at the water’s edge. He turned his body so that he took the brunt of the fall, bringing Haven down on top of him. The chase and the challenge and the closeness had him rock hard in an instant. Not surprising, since he’d been sporting a semi since she’d straddled his bike, spread her legs around him, and taken him into her arms.
“You splashed me,” he said, eyebrow arched, hand fisted around the long braid in her hair.
Wearing a grin so open and carefree that it made his chest feel suddenly too small for his heart, Haven nodded. “Oops."
“You think that’s funny?” he asking, growing harder as she shifted her weight, making her belly grind against his hard-on.
A small gasp of recognition, and she bit down on her lip as the cast of her eyes went from playful to aroused. “A little,” she said in a breathy voice. She licked her lips. Dare couldn’t help but track the movement, and want to suck the trail of moisture she left there off the plump, pink skin.
What the fuck was he doing?
Haven’s hands gripped his shoulders, and she subtly shifted her weight again, pulling herself up his body—just a little, but enough that her lower belly now pressed and thrust against his cock. And Jesus if the need blazing out of those bright blue eyes wasn’t crystal clear. For a split second, Dare thought of Haven’s list of things she’d never experienced, her lie of omission, the expression she’d worn on her face when he’d made her come before. And what he wanted to do ran roughshod over what he should do.
Startling a high-pitched gasp from her, Dare flipped their positions so that she lay in the soft sand and his body lay partially over hers. With his forehead against hers, he nailed her with a stare. “You sure you want to provoke me?”
FIND THIS BOOK AT GOODREADS here.
FIND THE RAVEN RIDERS SERIES ON GOODREADS here.
***GET A FREE BONUS STORY FROM MS. KAYE SET IN HER HEARTS IN DARKNESS WORLD WHEN YOU PURCHASE THIS BOOK BEFORE APRIL 30TH!***
MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS BOOK:
As a reader obsessed with MC-themed romances I can't seem to get enough of them and always celebrate a new release in the genre. After enjoying Ms. Kaye's Hard Ink series, and the glimpses of the Raven Riders it gave us, I was excited to see how she would depict the lifestyle and I appreciate the romantic and heroic qualities she imbued these bad boys with in this series starter. From start to finish she's balanced sweet and romantic with gritty and emotionally intense as two opposites attract in this story of survival.
Dare grew up in an MC world with his father displaying all the worst qualities in being club president, volatile and dangerous to both enemies and loved ones. His and his brother's plan to leave it all behind though led to death and feelings of guilt over his not being able to save those he loved. As a man he now makes the rules of his club, sets them to a higher standard where they're protectors with legitimate businesses. That's not to say they back down from a fight as they'll do whatever necessary to protect those who are weaker or without hope. Being president has him living a life of loneliness, devoted only to his club and the men he calls brother, with feelings of guilt his constant companion until a sweet and naive woman comes to him for help. Dare's immediately drawn to Haven and her innate goodness. Though he knows his jaded outlook on life will tarnish her he can't help wanting her in an inner battle between what he wants and what he thinks she deserves. Theirs is a connection that crackles with sexual tension, one that's protective and increasingly scorching the longer they're together. Their time's running out though as her father, and the bounty he's placed on her, gets closer. With danger looming he helps her experience every bit of life he can and falls for her even more in a desperate bid to make her happy while making sure she has a future of her own making. Dare's super sexy with a kind heart below his gruff exterior. He thought he'd end up alone but finding Haven gives him hope for the future, brings a bit of lightness to the darkness he's been living with his whole life. Dare's so good with the shy Haven, inspiring her and giving her strength to go after what she wants and it's that protective side that endeared him to me even more. Though he's good with talking dirty he sometimes stuck his foot in his mouth when dealing with Haven which made me laugh but still had me drooling over him. By the last page I had found yet another hero who inspired numerous dreams and I look forward to finding many more in future installments.
Haven's life has been one of feeling like a prisoner, being smothered and controlled by a father who had his own plans for her future. Her father's criminal aspirations has him using her as a pawn to get ahead which means a life not her own, one of solitude and of being his maid until he barters her to the best man. Fear had her, and her only friend Cora, running from a future of slavery but right into the heart of danger. Being rescued by the Raven Riders gives her a glimpse of a new life, one of possibilities and of love, if she's brave enough to take it and stay one step ahead of her father. Haven's very naive at the start, afraid of everything, which frustrated me as I like my heroines with a bit more spunk and sass. For too long life passed her by but in Dare's presence she's finally able to start living. She desperately wants him and gets closer to him as they work through her Bucket List. Seeing them together was like seeing a butterfly emerge from a cocoon as he brought out her inner vixen in numerous steamy encounters. Though she never became the perfect heroine in my eyes I still admired how far she came from the timid mouse she once was.
This was a story that dragged a bit early on. The sensual dance between Haven and Dare was full of angst and though I was frustrated with their endless emotional tug of war it allowed Haven the time to mature and find herself. Though their relationship always felt a bit uneven as he's clearly the stronger and self-assured of the two, I enjoyed the happiness and carefree moments she brought him despite her brief moments of immaturity and uncertainty. The secondary characters pulled me into this story even more as they're a compelling and colorful group of people who make up the Raven Riders. The glimpses of these men show a strong-willed and loyal brotherhood, each setting themselves apart from the others in looks and personalities. They're men of sexiness, charm, darkness, anger, with some teeming with grief and I look forward to getting to know each of them more deeply. Whereas Haven is timid and uncertain at times, her friend Cora is outspoken and strong-willed. With a background full of abuse just hinted at here Cora's a true heroine and I was drawn to her much more than Haven. I enjoyed her interactions with Phoenix and look forward to what happens to her next. Alongside the sweet and sexy romance of Dare and Haven was an exciting game of cat and mouse as the club fought to stay one step ahead of Haven's father that ultimately leads to an exciting showdown. The unrelenting worry over a new club coming on the scene further amped up the tension and has me even more excited at what's to come in this satisfying series starter.
Dare grew up in an MC world with his father displaying all the worst qualities in being club president, volatile and dangerous to both enemies and loved ones. His and his brother's plan to leave it all behind though led to death and feelings of guilt over his not being able to save those he loved. As a man he now makes the rules of his club, sets them to a higher standard where they're protectors with legitimate businesses. That's not to say they back down from a fight as they'll do whatever necessary to protect those who are weaker or without hope. Being president has him living a life of loneliness, devoted only to his club and the men he calls brother, with feelings of guilt his constant companion until a sweet and naive woman comes to him for help. Dare's immediately drawn to Haven and her innate goodness. Though he knows his jaded outlook on life will tarnish her he can't help wanting her in an inner battle between what he wants and what he thinks she deserves. Theirs is a connection that crackles with sexual tension, one that's protective and increasingly scorching the longer they're together. Their time's running out though as her father, and the bounty he's placed on her, gets closer. With danger looming he helps her experience every bit of life he can and falls for her even more in a desperate bid to make her happy while making sure she has a future of her own making. Dare's super sexy with a kind heart below his gruff exterior. He thought he'd end up alone but finding Haven gives him hope for the future, brings a bit of lightness to the darkness he's been living with his whole life. Dare's so good with the shy Haven, inspiring her and giving her strength to go after what she wants and it's that protective side that endeared him to me even more. Though he's good with talking dirty he sometimes stuck his foot in his mouth when dealing with Haven which made me laugh but still had me drooling over him. By the last page I had found yet another hero who inspired numerous dreams and I look forward to finding many more in future installments.
Haven's life has been one of feeling like a prisoner, being smothered and controlled by a father who had his own plans for her future. Her father's criminal aspirations has him using her as a pawn to get ahead which means a life not her own, one of solitude and of being his maid until he barters her to the best man. Fear had her, and her only friend Cora, running from a future of slavery but right into the heart of danger. Being rescued by the Raven Riders gives her a glimpse of a new life, one of possibilities and of love, if she's brave enough to take it and stay one step ahead of her father. Haven's very naive at the start, afraid of everything, which frustrated me as I like my heroines with a bit more spunk and sass. For too long life passed her by but in Dare's presence she's finally able to start living. She desperately wants him and gets closer to him as they work through her Bucket List. Seeing them together was like seeing a butterfly emerge from a cocoon as he brought out her inner vixen in numerous steamy encounters. Though she never became the perfect heroine in my eyes I still admired how far she came from the timid mouse she once was.
My rating for this is a B.
*I got this book from Edelweiss for review in exchange for my honest opinion.
AUTHOR INFO:
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.
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