Marie James

Stormy is the 29th book in the Cerberus MC by Marie James. I was hooked on this book from the start. I even read it in a day. It was so sad and heartwarming at the same time, you couldn't help but hope they worked out. And it really showed what people are capable of when the unexpected happens.
At the end of Legacy, we find out Stormy was given custody of his best friend's sons when he and his wife died. In this book, Stormy goes back to St. Louis to figure out what to do and gets some unexpected surprises. It turns out his best friend Carlen and his wife Janet had gotten themselves into some trouble that took a turn for the worse and when they were killed the debt they owed to a 1%ers MC went to Janet's little sister Mila. Mila wanted custody of her nephews but wasn't financially stable enough to support them. When Stormy finds out Mila and the boys are in danger he knows he needs to get them back to Cerberus to keep them safe. That's when he gets the second bombshell that he's already a dad to a little girl named Sutton. Apparently, the last time he was home about 3 years ago he spent the night with Mila and she got pregnant. Now will Stormy want the family he has? Can he keep them safe from the MC hunting them?
I gave this a 4-star and a 4-spicy rating. Stormy might not have wanted to be a dad and have a family but he is a damn good one, right from the start. Mila knows she messed up and owns up to it which is admirable. They both might have been thrown into an instant family together but they were always meant to be together. It just wasn't the right time yet. This one is left on a cliffhanger for Oracle and boy I did NOT see this coming. I can't wait to check it out.
*I received this book for free. I voluntarily gave an honest review.*… (més)

Bishop is the 27th book in the Cerberus MC series by Marie James. This one is a bit different than the others to me because the club isn't going on missions and has nobody after them or one of their ol' ladies. It picks up where Ugly ended and now we get to see what happens to Bishop after being drugged. I like how even after 27 books Marie James is still giving us characters that don't blend together. They are each their own person, with individual personalities and feelings.
We left off Ugly with Bishop waking up with amnesia not remembering the last 5 years of his life or even joining Cerberus. While in a coma he dreamt of a life with Rivet and a son and when he woke up he couldn't comprehend how it wasn't real. He was at a low point in his life and completely lost. I don't think he would have fully recovered if it hadn't been for Sunshine. She is a nurse's aide who helped Bishop in the facility and then the club hired her to be his home nurse. And that job came at a point in Sunshine's life when she needed it desperately. She is going through a bad breakup with her son Ryder's father Travis and CPS ends up taking him thanks to Travis and Sunshine's mother. Sunshine does everything she can to get him back along with Bishop and the club's help. The more time Sunshine and Bishop spend together the more they fall for each other.
I gave this one a 4-star rating and a 3-spicy rating. I enjoyed how their relationship was built the way it was. And Ryder was just a joy to meet. Bishop finally found himself, where he belonged and who he truly was meant to be with. Of course, the book had to end on a cliffhanger leading into Legacy, and man that one is going to be full of drama I can't wait.… (més)

Redemption Refused is the 5th book in the Mission Mercenaries series by Marie James. This is one intense read that is for sure. It's dark, sad, dangerous, violent, spicy, and emotional. There is a crossover of some characters from the Cerberus MC series. This is not a girl's typical college story that's for sure.
This story is about two characters who have a lot of emotional trauma they haven't dealt with in their lives, leading them to make bad decisions. Donovan faked his death and started his life over as a mercenary. He shut off his humanity and emotions and was surviving and ignored everything that happened to him as a teenager. He's given the job of watching over Alani while her sister is trying to get back from Mexico because the cartel is after her and she doesn't know. Alani's sister Ayla's story was in book 4 and since none of that book is explained in this one it can make it a confusing read. All we know is Ayla was taken and held by the cartel and forced to make hardcore porn with Nash, Donovan's co-worker of sorts that was taken to. We know it was traumatic and violent and she lied to Alani about it the whole time. When Alani found out it changed something in her and she started looking for all the darkness and danger in life. That's when she meets Donovan and their cat-and-mouse game ensues throughout the book. To me, it felt like it was all drawn out to the point it was like I was reading the same thing over and over. And the way Ayla was with Alani when she came back was heartbreaking and she was still lying. She went from being Alani's mother figure since their parents died to not even being her sister at all. Alani felt like she was really alone in the world and desperate for that connection with someone. The dynamic between the sisters was really sad and heartbreaking to me. I didn't particularly like it.
I gave this book a 3-star rating and a 4-spicy rating. The book was too drawn out for me that I almost zoned out in parts. But the spicy was hot and dark. And full of triggers, just a warning. Alani is looking for the darkness and danger and she found it. I just wish the cat-and-mouse game could have been shortened a bit and them working out their trauma was added more. They are too broken people just surviving in life that need each other to do it.… (més)