A job gone wrong leaves a man bruised and broken inside and out, at the caring mercy of their team's female psychologist, in this emotionally intense romance set in the MC world. Keep reading to get a tempting taste of Aro by Marie James, along with my impressions of it, then add this 24th installment in the Cerberus MC series to your bookshelf!
It takes a lot to shake me, and even when I’m upset, most people wouldn’t even know it.
There was just something about the last job that kept me from keeping my cool.I know how dangerous it is, and knew even better when I had to be carried away that day, becoming literally less of the man that entered that compound.I was ordered to rest, recover, and recuperate, all under the watchful eyes of the team’s psychologist.She was there to get in my head, to watch for signs that I may be a danger to myself.She became my outlet, the calm to the storm trying to take over in my head.There would be no problem with what we were doing because the possibility of returning to work with the Cerberus MC was never going to happen, and if there was an off-chance I would, walking away would be easy, right?
MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS BOOK:
As the 24th installment in the Cerberus MC series you'd think that Ms. James would be running out of steam. That's far from the case though as this story is one heckuva rollercoaster ride of emotions as a wounded man's difficult recovery takes an unexpected turn towards romance as he and the team's female psychologist start connecting on a deeper level. From the very first page to the last readers will be taken on an intense journey that will put them through the wringer right alongside the main characters.
This time around it's former US Marine Josh ‘Aro’ Aroco who takes center stage with Ms. James piling on the pain after he's severely injured in a mission gone horribly awry. For a man who's always been seen as formidable, it's truly heartbreaking to see him at his lowest upon starting his recovery. Aro's always been seen as competent and controlled, focused in his plans for the future...or at least he was, before a single moment changed his life irrevocably. He's now a man bruised and broken, inside and out, that will result in a lengthy recovery that leaves him full of uncertainty, leaves him riddled with anger and depression, and a bit of fear over possibly losing the one place where he always wanted to belong. His life's out of control as each day is a struggle and though he loves having his teammate (Dr. Brynn ‘Slick’ Sullivan) by his side during his recovery, he's unsettled by the feelings she engenders in him and that grow more conflicted with each turn of the page. I hurt for Aro throughout his recovery, could relate to his feelings of powerlessness with me being disabled too, and I applaud Ms. James handling this issue in a careful and respectful manner. With him feeling like he no longer has a place in his MC family, he comes to rely more and more on Brynn, valuing her strong and steady support in scenes that soon turn romantic.
Brynn's a likable heroine throughout this story, one who's strong-willed with an attraction to Aro that she's always kept hidden. Her being with Aro during his journey of recovery though makes it impossible to keep those feelings hidden any longer, especially as Aro is fighting his feelings for her too. Time alone for just the two of them turns into a sensual haven with all sorts of lines crossed. Returning to the real world soon becomes a big test for their relationship though as he thinks himself unworthy of her now, pushing her away as he sees himself holding her back...but he wants her nonetheless. With each turn of the page these two put each other through a lot of unnecessary pain, a lot of extra angst by not talking to one another. Too many assumptions, too much fear, and not being able to move on from the past were this pair's worst enemies. Throughout this book they frustrated me, there were times their actions gutted me, and times that their interactions made me blush. Despite my occasional annoyances with the journey these two undertook, I still found myself invested in their pairing. I was still rooting for them to find their HEA, cheering on Aro in a difficult journey of recovery that was emotional and epic. It was a well-crafted addition to the series that showed the bonds of brotherhood stretching but not breaking. By "The End" I'm left emotionally battered but definitely satisfied, counting down the days until the next installment in the Cerberus MC series hits bookshelves!
My rating for this is an A-
*I got this book from the author for review in exchange for my honest opinion.
AUTHOR INFO:
Let's see...where to begin...
I'm inching up on the BIG 4-0. The gray hairs are doubling what seems like daily, and the wrinkles and laugh lines are more pronounced than ever.
I have an amazing husband (Married just over 15 years.)
We have two boys we're doing our best to raise as respectful gentlemen.
I have a master's degree in criminal justice which I used to work as a juvenile probation office until deciding to write full- time in June of 2019. So that means there's usually always some criminal/law element to my novels.
If I'm not writing; I'm reading.
My favorite genres recently are bully/reverse harem and enemies to lovers. Maybe I'm reliving my traumatic teen years through the girls who actually end up with the boys. (Not that I would change my history since it's gotten me exactly where I need to be!)
I love coffee. I miss carbs. Music is LIFE. I try not to be too serious.
