published: august 1, 2024
source: ARC from authorrating:★★★★✩
from goodreads:
Dante wasn't looking for a woman. He was content with being a single dad, and slowly but surely taking his place as leader of his club, Devil's Disciples. His life was busy, and he didn't need women complicating things. Fuck them, leave them. Don't catch feelings. But Dante had never met a woman like Rachel. Rachel has a past. One she has worked hard at erasing. With others paying for her crimes, she moved half way across the world and put it all behind her. Until a chance encounter with Dante seals her fate, binding them both together in a toxic, violent embrace of passion. As the two strike up a relationship that is as fiery as it is all consuming, she begins to unravel, revealing wounds that time has failed to heal, igniting a protective fury within Dante. But in a world where loyalty is currency, and strength is power, betrayal strikes, threatening to destroy the very foundation of the Devil's Disciples. Dante is bound by his loyalty, and Rachel soon learns that the biggest danger may not be the secrets she hides, but the man riding at her side.
my review:
i dont know what i was expecting out of this book but it definitely wasnt that. with that being said this book was really good! reading this book, i definitely had sons of anarchy vibes and i LOVED it, thats one of my favorite shows. dante definitely gives me jax teller vibes. this book was the right mix of spice and l(ust)ove, or whatever you may call it. i was a little confused starting the book but once i started finding things out about rachel it all started to make sense.
rachel definitely has a lot of issues but you cant blame her, she really went through a lot not only out in the world but at home as well. even with all these issues she turned out to be a badass that really stuck up for what she thought was right, and other reasons as well buuuuut ;) yeah... she knew how to get what she wanted and i dont know if that was bad or good but i guess it worked out for her. even though rachel went through a lot she didnt let it dim the little bit of light she had in her.
dante was a straight up prick. the leader of the jungle, or the devils disciples if you may. he definitely showed his dominance in every aspect of the world and got whatever he wanted, or so he thought. he did not know what he was getting himself into when he kidnapped this little ms. perfect from the diner. he finally met his match, if they would just speak like logically adults. the heat between these two were to die for, literally. always on the edge of killing each other just to prove who had the bigger balls but it definitely kept the book interesting.
i really wish we got more of bee in the book but i loved all portions with her in it. she gave the book the little sliver of lightheartedness that it needed. she always had me giggling because she was just a ray of sunshine. i also liked how everyone had the softest spot for her and would do anything to protect her.
of course, just as it was getting good it had to come to an end. i really hate that this book left us on a cliffhanger but it was interesting enough for me to wait and follow through to the next book. j.m. johnson did a great job with this one and i will definitely be reading more. i hope to find out about rachels family in the next book!!!
favorite quotes:
"have the day you deserve."
"when i said go fuck yourself, i meant it."
"tears dont make you weak, rachel. cry tonight and come back fighting tomorrow. you're allowed to feel, its not a crime."