As a fan of romances set in the MC world I was immediately drawn to this tale dealing with the realistically depicted and timely issue of mental health. Keep reading to get a tempting taste of Twisted with Chaos by Hayley Faiman, along with my impressions of it, then add it to your bookshelf. In honor of this fifth installment in the Cash Bar series make sure to fill out the form below for the chance to win a $50 Amazon GC too!
Roxanne has spent her entire life trapped inside of her own head. Never completely alone, always struggling to be set free.
When the Devils knock on her neighbors door, her inability to avoid risky impulses takes control and she tags along for the wild ride.
Houston is a newly patched member of the Notorious Devils MC. He is instantly attracted to the wild firefly and cannot deny the fun that she offers on their trip.
One night is all that he needs. He sees her, more of her than he should. He tries to steer clear, unsure if he is prepared to take on all of this woman.
Two suffering spirits that are linked together in a way that neither can deny. Hurt. Lost. Betrayed. Lonely. When two like souls crash into one another, they will either combust or meld together as one.
MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS BOOK:
Some of my favorite romances are those set in the MC world as I’m drawn to the grittiness and sensuality permeating these stories. In that respect this story definitely shines as I was constantly on edge waiting for the next shoe to drop, on edge as this memorable couple was put through the wringer while struggling to reach their HEA. In a tale full of twists and turns readers will find themselves breathless, wiping away a few tears, along with blushing a time or two.
Roxanne Tucker’s life has been anything but easy as she’s struggled with mental illness her whole life with mostly condemnation from her mother. The only time she got support was when she decided to get sterilized, which brought out her mother’s most hurtful and manipulative reasoning. Always feeling and being seen as different made for more painful decisions and a string of men who used her illness, and her need to feel loved, against her in relationships that were abusive. Helping her friend Carson introduced her to a whole new life though and to the one man to accept her wholeheartedly in a journey full of ups and downs. It’s a journey that has her feeling like a burden and though she loves Tanner she wants better for him. This tale shows her coming to terms with herself, putting her faith in love, and by the turn of the final page it’s a triumph of the heart. Roxanne’s illness is vividly depicted, the voices and dangerous feelings engendered in her aren’t sugarcoated. Her manic phases have her acting out in over-the-top highs and sexual encounters that feed that high, while her lows were dark and had me fearing for her life. I applaud Ms. Faiman’s unflinching depiction and the realistic conclusion that Roxanne will never be healed and that everyday is a struggle for her. It made Tanner’s love and support of her all the more potent and a more richly rewarding ending. Roxanne’s a memorable heroine, put through the most emotionally painful acts by many vile men throughout this story and I ached for all she’s been through. Despite that she frustrated me through most of the story as her constant push and pull of Tanner and his love felt manipulative. She thought that by pulling away from him she was saving him from heartache, but her actions hurt him more than anything else and contributed to her kidnapping late in the story. Through most of the story Roxanne had low self-esteem and it put her in danger far too often which is why I cheered her finally accepting Tanner’s love. It was a defining moment for her and a necessary part of her living as healthy as possible with a mental illness.
Houston “Tanner” Bryant is a drool-worthy hero full of all sorts of grays as he tries to do right, be a good man, but doesn’t hesitate to kill when he needs to. A former Marine, he was left devastated after everyone in his unit was killed and he was left dealing with survivor’s guilt and PTSD. Hoping to outrun his demons he ends up a member of the Notorious Devils MC and smack dab in the middle of another war where Aryans are using women to form their own society. It’s a truly vile plan, one that’s vividly depicted and heartbreaking in feeling what the kidnapped women went through. The lone bright spot during this time was his meeting Roxanne and their starting a relationship that quickly becomes everything to him while she fights him every step of the way. It’s clear just how deep his feelings are for her and her discounting his devotion was frustrating and hurtful to him in ways that had him making poor decisions himself. All their self-doubts and fears made for an emotionally draining journey to HEA, an epic tale that I won’t soon forget. Through it all I was drawn to Tanner. Through his dumb decisions, crass words, and cold ability to kill I still saw him as a hero as he did everything he could to make her happy and safe. When he failed he hated himself for it and his heartache was palpable as was his unconditional love and acceptance of Roxanne.
From the first page to the last this was a raw and gritty read that had me frantically turning the pages. From the intense eroticism to the blood and bullets flying, readers will find themselves captivated by this story and its tale that left me breathless at times. The characters, both the main ones and the secondary too, were larger-than-life and each left an indelible mark on the story. Tanner and Roxanne were the highlight of this story and lots of time was spent on their emotional tug of war in a romance that was nicely balanced between action in and out of the bedroom. Supporting them along the way were the men and women of the Club. Some have already had their stories told while others I’m greatly anticipating. There’s a new addition too who really captured my attention...Dice, and there’s definitely much I hope to learn about this White Knight on a Motorcycle. There’s plenty of villains too, some who end up very close to home, and who get their just rewards. Others are still out there and by the end of the book I felt that the HEA is merely the calm before the storm and I can’t wait for what comes next. To help readers cope with the wait though, Ms. Faiman has included a delightful short story between characters that have a sizzling connection and it’s a tale that I wish had been even longer. It was a nice bow to wrap up this intense story though and this fifth installment in the Cash Bar series is a stellar addition that shouldn’t be missed!
My rating for this is an A-
*I got this book from the author for review in exchange for my honest opinion.
AUTHOR INFO:
I was born and raised in a small farming town in California. I met my husband when I was 16 and he was 19. We married four years later and have two little boys! We lived in Oregon for a few years while he served in the US Coast Guard.
Texas is now where we call home, where our boots rest, and where we’re raising our two little boys and a chocolate lab named Optimus Prime.
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Thanks for the review. Sounds like a very intense story!
ReplyDeleteVery interesting.
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