RIDE HARD (Raven Riders #1) by Laura Kaye-Review, Book Tour & Giveaway
RIDE HARD
Raven Riders #1
by Laura Kaye
Genre: adult,contemporary, romantic, suspense
Release Date: April 26, 2016
Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / itunes /
ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date April 26, 2016
A shy and distrustful woman running from a controlling ex-fiance seeks shelter with an outlaw motorcycle club with a tradition of protecting those who can’t defend themselves, and falls under the watchful eye of the club’s mysterious and intense leader who’s intent on discovering all her secrets
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 .
••••••
REVIEW: RIDE HARD is the first full-length installment in Laura Kaye’s contemporary adult RAVEN RIDERS MC erotic, romance series focusing on the men and women of Raven Riders MC. This is Club president Dare Kenyon, and Haven Randall’s story line. There is a prequel novella-HARD AS STEEL– that can be found in the 1001 Dark Nights multi authored novella series. The Raven Riders is a spin off from Laura’s Hard Ink series.
Told from dual third person perspectives (Dare and Haven) RIDE HARD follows Haven Randall, and her best friend Cora-on the run. Haven has had to endure years of abuse and neglect at the hands of her father-a small time crime lord who had plans for his only child. When Haven and Cora ran, they found themselves prisoners of the Church Gang MC, only to be rescued by the Hard Ink warriors, and finally finding asylum with the Raven Riders MC. What ensues is a building relationship between Dare and Haven, and the Raven Riders’ struggle to ensure Haven and Cora’s future safety. With an inflated price on her head, Haven becomes the number one target in a war between rival MCs.
Dare is a bit of an enigma-he is the Raven Rider Club president-a tough alpha male-who finds himself falling for the quiet and reserved Haven Randall. Haven is a woman who presents as weak, fragile and demure-her earlier years are fraught with abuse at the hands of her father and his men; she has been witness to all number of atrocities and evil. We learn a little bit about their pasts: the darkness, the damage and the heartbreaking losses. The relationship between Haven and Dare is one of immediate attraction but Dare believes their age difference is too wide to overcome, and that her presumed innocence is not for his taking. When Dare finds Haven’s ‘bucket list’ of things to do, he is the man who is going to make all of Haven’s wishes come true. The $ex scenes are intimate and intense. For someone with little experience Haven is a woman who knows how to please her man.
RIDE HARD is a slow building storyline where two women find refuge and comfort with a motorcycle club that is all about helping those who are unable to help themselves. The Raven Riders fight against abuse and neglect, and protect the woman and children who have suffered at the hands of abusive men. RIDE HARD is a bit of a vanilla MC, in that most of the violence and action takes place behind the scenes. The conflict resolution was quick-I was hoping for something more powerful and dark. There are a couple of familiar scenarios that may pay homage to Laura’s favorite author (whether intentional or not)- the similarity and resemblance to the other story line has been noted by this reader. RIDE HARD is a wonderful and exciting start to a new series.
Copy supplied by the publisher through Edelweiss
Reviewed by Sandy
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!
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?”
Get a FREE bonus story from Laura’s Hearts in Darkness world for grabbing your copy of RIDE HARD before April 30!
Laura is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over twenty books in contemporary and paranormal romance and romantic suspense. 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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Wonderful review, Sandy. Looks like Laura is off to another great start.
Fantastic review Sandy. I love everything Laura writes. Thanks
Terrific review, Sandy. I plan on reading this book very soon.
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Wonderful review. Can’t wait to get my copy ! thanks Sandy
Thanks for the great review. Congratulations to Laura Kaye on the new release. Looks like an exciting new series.
Great review, Sandy. I love anything Laura writes.
Thanks for this great review, Sandy.
Looks great. Another MC series to add to my list.
Awesome review. Thank you. Looking forward to reading Ride Hard. Her Hard Ink series was amazing.. Thanks for being part of the tour and giveaway chance.
Carol L
Lucky4750 (at) aol (dot) com