Desolation Road by Christine Feehan – Dual Review & Excerpt
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Description:
Torpedo Ink is Aleksei “Absinthe” Solokov’s whole life. They’re his brothers, his family—his everything. But that doesn’t stop him from wanting something that only belongs to him. That’s why the tough biker has spent the last six weeks at the library, reading every book he can get his hands on and watching the prim and proper librarian who makes his blood rush.
For the past six weeks, Scarlet Foley has been fantasizing about the handsome, tattooed man whose eyes follow her every move. She senses he’s dangerous. She wants him to get close enough to touch. She wishes she could let him know the real woman, not the one she pretends to be. But Scarlet has a plan to carry out, and she can’t afford any distractions.
Absinthe is well aware that Scarlet is hiding something. She’s a puzzle he intends to solve, piece by intoxicating piece….
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Barb’s Review:
Desolation Road by Christine Feehan is the 4th book in her Torpedo Ink series. Brief refresher for this series: Czar is the president of Torpedo Ink, and together with the men and women he brought with him from Russia, they created their Torpedo Ink MC club in Casper (near Safe Haven). Each of these members have suffered terrible abuse in their childhoods in Russia, being forced to all become lethal assassins; each still very much trying to find the light inside their darkness. They’ve all been through a horrible ordeal since they were children, with continued nightmares/demons. But they are never alone, their brothers and sisters always have their back, as they are determined to protect each other.
Absinthe, our hero, has psychic abilities that allows him to tell if people are lying, not to mention the pain and suffering he endures as he can hear or feel the pain in all his brothers and sisters. There are times when he goes into the memories of the past, that finds him having issues on coming out of them. With the men starting to find the women of their dreams, Absinthe never thought he would have the chance to find his own, until he goes to the library for quiet time. Meet Scarlet Foley.
Scarlet, our heroine, is the local librarian, and she immediately can feel the attraction to the handsome man who has been coming to the library daily. Scarlet is determined not to allow herself to act on her feelings, especially since she has her own agenda, which she has worked on for many years.
Absinthe finds himself having fantasies about Scarlet, with her red hair and green eyes, but most importantly somehow being near her quiets all his demons. Eventually Absinthe will ask Scarlet out for dinner, and a very short time their relationship becomes sizzling hot. Of course, Absinthe’s brothers and sisters secretly watch out for him, to make sure he is ok. Torpedo Ink always investigates any newcomers, and soon Absinthe will learn how hard Scarlet’s life has been, and how she is planning her revenge. They will eventually bring her to their club to protect her, and learn more about her, and the hit contract on her life. I loved Scarlet, as she was really a badass, who worked hard to get into shape and plan her revenge for what someone did to her and her family.
What follows is an exciting and violent adventure, bringing the entire team together to stop the evil clubs from the horrible abuse to women and children; as well as teaming together with Scarlet to finally finish her plans. I did have some mixed feelings, as Desolation Road was also highly sexual erotic, with Absinthe’s ‘kinks’, which seemed to carry over to too many scenes. Needless to say, I was not a fan of the ‘kitten’ play side. I do enjoy sexy romances, but I do feel the story should be more into the forefront.
I thought Scarlet and Absinthe made a great couple; Scarlet was perfect for Absinthe, as well as the team. I loved seeing all the Torpedo Ink family, as well as their wives we loved from the previous three books. I love the concept of this wonderful group that are loyal together, and determined to save the abused children.
Desolation Road is a dark romantic story, that is also very emotional, as we continue to learn through the eyes of the members what they had to endure in Russia (abuse, rape, torture, and murder). But they are survivors, who are totally loyal to each other, and it’s fun to watch as each will slowly find their way to love. Despite the dark violent story, Desolation Road was a great read, exciting, sexy, with a fabulous group of characters.
Sandy’s Review:
DESOLATION ROAD is the fourth instalment in Christine Feehan’s contemporary, adult TORPEDO INK erotic, paranormal romance series focusing on the men and women of the Torpedo Ink MC. This is Aleksei ‘Absinthe’ Solokov, and librarian Scarlet Foley’s story line. DESOLATION ROAD can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous instalments is revealed where necessary. The TORPEDO INK series is a spin off from the author’s SEA HAVEN SERIES but you do not have to have read the original series to follow Torpedo Ink.
NOTE: Most of the characters including Torpedo Ink club president Victor ‘Czar’ Prakenski, and his wife Blythe Daniels were introduced in the final instalment of the author’s Sea Haven Series BOUND TOGETHER.
WARNING: DESOLATION ROAD contains scenes, and makes reference to voyeurism, graphic violence, rape, murder, torture, child prostitution, and abuse against children, women and men. There are also scenes of animal role play, food play, anal play and the use of other items during sexual activities and therefore, Desolation Road may not be suitable for more sensitive readers. The eighteen original Torpedo Ink members are the sole survivors of a Russian pedophile ring, and as such work towards rescuing children and women in similar situations.
Told from several third person perspectives including Absinthe and Scarlet DESOLATION ROAD follows Torpedo Ink’s Aleksei ‘Absinthe’ Solokov as his need for librarian Scarlet Foley helps calm the demons that continually run through his head. For six weeks Absinthe has ‘stalked’ our storyline heroine in an effort to get to ‘know’ the woman that calms the beast but Scarlet Foley is so much more than a sexy librarian, Scarlet is not without some supernatural abilities of her own. Years earlier, a horrific attack against Scarlet, and ultimately her sister Priscilla, led to the loss of Scarlet’s entire family, and in the ensuing years, Scarlet swore vengeance against everyone involved but meeting Aleksei Solokov meant Scarlet was about to place the Torpedo Ink family in danger, a danger the family was certain did not apply. What ensues is the quick building romance and relationship between Absinthe and Scarlet, and the potential fall-out as Scarlet’s past is determined to finish the job.
At seventeen years of age, Scarlet Foley lost everything including her innocence, her family and the life she once knew. Years would pass wherein our heroine made preparations to enact revenge against the men who destroyed our heroine’s life, preparations that will now involve the men and women of Torpedo Ink.
Aleksei ‘Absinthe’ Solokov struggles with demons, the memories, and the PTSD of a time long ago. With the ability to ‘see’ into the mind of the people he loves, Absinthe is empathic about the pain, the suffering, and the horrendous acts that no child should have ever been exposed but it is the guilt of so many losses that continue to pull Absinthe into the abyss.
The relationship between Absinthe and Scarlet is one of immediate attraction; a highly sexual, demanding, intense role playing relationship in which the independent, strong willed and determined Scarlet Avery quickly bends to the will of the man that she loves. As per my warning, Desolation Road contains scenes of animal role play, food play, anal play, and the use of items not necessarily designed for sexual activity.
There is a large ensemble cast of colorful, broken and determined secondary and supporting characters including most of the Torpedo Ink family of survivors, who endured but barely survived years of torture, abuse and rape of the body, mind and soul.
As per my previous reviews, I have remarked on the author’s increasing violent story lines and abuse against men, women and children but in the case of the Torpedo Ink series, the violence is part of their history and lives-ingrained and imbedded –into their very existence, but their need for vengeance is as equally violent and abusive towards their intended victim-eye for an eye and so on. Like the previous instalments, DESOLATION ROAD focuses on the graphically detailed violence, abuse and rape, the sexual torture of children, and in this, I believe the author is going for shock value as opposed to dramatic affect. There is plenty of redundancy and repetition, leading to more fluff (albeit graphic) than substance. At times, the writing style flips as though there is more than one ‘person’ writing the book.
DESOLATION ROAD is a story of family, friendships, betrayal and revenge; of survival and loss; of heart break and love. The premise is dark, haunting and gritty; the romance is tragic and intense.
Copy provided by Publisher
Absinthe opened the door to the restaurant for her, scanning the room quickly for potential trouble before allowing her to do the same thing while he turned back toward the street and gave that another quick once-over. Certain no one was paying attention to either of them, he closed the door and followed his librarian’s amazing ass. She was in a black skirt with small white polka dots scattered over it. The material clung to her curves. He appreciated that particular skirt very much.
Absinthe held the back of her chair for her, ignoring the waiter who looked as if he might conk him on the head and abscond with the girl. She looked regal as she took the seat, smiling up at Absinthe, nearly taking his breath away. Whatever it was that she had affected him like some kind of aphrodisiac. Her small teeth. That mouth with her full, pouty lips that were made for a man’s dirtiest fantasies. He hadn’t had them until she came along. Not like this. Mostly he’d had nightmares. The erotic, very graphic dreams were a welcome change.
“Are you a wine drinker?” Absinthe didn’t know the first thing about wine. He could make her any kind of drink she wanted, or talk beer, but wine eluded him. If she loved wine, he was going to be taking a crash course. It wouldn’t take him long to catch up.
She shook her head. “I actually don’t drink very much. Once in a while, if it’s really hot out, I’ll have an ice-cold beer. But other than that, it’s a very occasional drink and usually I go for something girly like a cosmopolitan.”
“I don’t drink wine,” Absinthe admitted. “Like you I’m not a big drinker, but mostly that stems from wanting to be alert all the time.”
“You don’t put your feet up, relax and have tons to drink?” There was the merest hint of amusement in her voice. Mostly she was serious.
He loved the look on her face when she gave him her full attention. He focused completely on her once he was certain the few couples already eating or waiting to be served weren’t interested in them in the least.
“No, that wouldn’t work for me. I do like to put my feet up though,” he admitted. “I’m going to be very up-front with you.” It was confession time. If he didn’t say it straight up, she’d find out anyway. “I’m not good at this. I never know what to say and I come off stilted and awkward, but I don’t want to be that way with you.”
Her green eyes were hard to stay still under. She seemed to see right through his skull into his mind where chaos reigned—thanks to her.
“I’m not so great at this either,” she declared. “I guess we’re going to have to learn. I’m very competitive and I have a fast learning curve. Very fast. Wait.” She frowned at him. “You weren’t reading a help book on dating, were you?”
“Do they have those in the library?”
Her lashes swept down and then back up. A small smile teased the curve of her mouth, causing his heart to accelerate. He found himself staring. Shit. He was going to lose before he got started because he couldn’t stop staring at her.
She laughed. “I’m not telling you. I’ll read them and turn into a scintillating conversationalist in minutes, leaving you in the dust.”
He instantly learned three things. There were multiple self-help books on dating, she read extremely fast, and she really was competitive. He flashed a small grin, looking at her with hawk-like eyes, giving her the predator look just for a moment. Just to see the shiver that crept down her spine.
“I’ll have to be there first thing in the morning before your shift.”
“You know my shifts?” The smile faded, and she sounded uneasy.
He shrugged. “How was I going to ask you out? I went multiple times without seeing you, so clearly you had a shift and only came into the library during those times. I kept having to trade work with friends, and drive here from the coast, so, I found out when you worked. I came as often as I could, and just waited until we’d established a very tentative woman can charm the socks right off a shy man any day of the week.”
“Is that what we established?”
Her laughter got him every time. He found himself actually relaxing. The waiter hovered, and both guiltily studied the menu. She ordered a pasta dish and he ordered a steak. Fresh-baked bread was put on the table, and he suddenly realized he was very hungry.
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