Story Rating: 4.5 stars
Audio Rating: 4.5 stars
Narrator: Dan Calley
Length: 9 hours, 29 minutes
Audiobook Buy Links: Amazon/Audible | iBooks
Book Buy Links: Amazon | iBooks
Cameron O’Brien is the president of the Rebel Kings MC, based in the Cornwall area of England. His dad was a founding member of the motorcycle club and a former president, until he was killed by a rival gang, the Dog Crows. Cam has maintained that rivalry, avenging his dad and mourning his mom, who OD’ed in the wake of widowhood. Cam is out seeking a little release in Bristol when he meets Alexei (aka “Teddy Jones”), a svelte man in expensive tailored clothes who’s definitely interested in bringing a “bit of rough” back to his penthouse apartment. Teddy is an accountant with a dark past, and he’s absolutely wrung out by Cam’s fierce sex. So much so that he gives Cam a way to contact him again — and he’ll maybe help him with his club’s finances.
Cam loves his club and most of the membership, but he has a particular fondness for fellow Irishman Saint Malone. Saint and he have shared some women in their past, but they each hold a burning passion for the other they won’t indulge, because if things go bad, Saint could be compelled to leave the Rebel Kings and Cam can’t live without the stalwart, tattooed, emotionally scarred man in his life. Saint is his second and fiercest protector. Some of the club membership wants more money, and they aren’t picky about how to acquire it. Cam’s dad was murdered in the attempt to break up a human trafficking operation run by the Crows, and it’s entirely possible that some of his Kings wanted a piece of that action–and still do.
Cam wants to root out the problem, as his club’s being attacked again by the Dog Crows and now Italian mafia, who seem to want to move humans through their territory again. Saint is more than willing to shut this down, and gets some help from Alexei, whose mercenary skills go far beyond that of a sexy accountant. And Alexei’s not put off by Cam’s deep love for Saint. No, he’s agreeable to sharing his big biker president with his intelligent, ruthless protector. Especially, if it helps to keep all of them alive.
This is a dark, polyamorous, biker gang romance, so expect lots of fights, deaths, intrigue, and sexy times. The characters are layered, and narrator Dan Calley does a good job of bringing Alexei to life out of his Teddy alias. The three characters have significant page time, though most of this story is Cam’s to tell. He’s the one who has all the decisions to make and connections to forge. I loved all of these gruesome guys, and I think giving them an honest mission went a long way to making them seem more humane and decent, as the reader is well aware they are not “good” guys, per se. The narrator’s intonations for the different accents were excellent, between British English, Russian, Irish, and Italian, in addition to all of the many different bikers in their gruff glory.
If you enjoy biker stories, this one has a lot of plot under the drama and posturing. I liked how Cam, Alexei, and Saint all came together in love and support. It’s hyper-masculine and still strongly emotional. This is a really good start for a series.
