Review of Craving Resurrection by Nicole Jacquelyn

Synopsis: Poet and Amy's story...

Patrick Gallagher’s future was mapped out—and it didn’t include Amy Henderson or the IRA.

She was everything he’d never wanted. Too young. Too naïve.

Unfortunately, he couldn’t help but be fascinated by the girl who took refuge in his old bedroom, staying with his mum more often than not.

She looked like a Renaissance painting and argued like a solicitor. He couldn’t resist her, and before long, he didn’t even want to.

Instead, he loved her unreservedly… then he married her.

But he couldn’t have prepared for what happened after.

Actions, no matter how large or how small, have consequences—and when the IRA comes knocking, he’s sucked into a life that he’d never anticipated.

Choices were made.

Hearts were broken.

Trust was shattered.

Lives were lost.

Through it all, he loved her.

It was a love that spanned decades.
Epic.
Intense.
Unquestionable.
Unbreakable.

4.5 Stars!

Review: I was really looking forward to Poet's story, as I really liked reading about him in Brenna's story. He seemed so tough, and yet, he had a definite soft spot for her, his daughter that had tried to leave the nest, and had definitely had quite a fall. Brenna's story is the first in this amazing MC series, if you somehow have not read that, yet.

In some ways, Poet's story definitely backed him up and filled out his character in a very satisfying way. From what had already been mentioned, I had already pictured a pretty tough background, filled with loss and lots of dangerous and deadly decisions. I was not wrong, in those regards. His and Amy's story is honestly just...heartbreaking. There is so much that is not fair about their love story, which probably draws you in, just as with all those previous that had that serious dose of darkness - Romeo and Juliet, to name one.

This story begins with Amy finding Poet, or Patrick, in a compromising situation, but then it travels back in time to tell their history and their story. What I find so heartbreaking is that they had such a beautiful love, from the moment that they met, and yet Patrick really messed it up. He messed it up with one bad decision after another, culminating with seriously not fighting for Amy. Even in my sadness for all of the wrong decisions, time and distance between the two, I found myself respecting Amy more and more...until the end of the book. She became so strong, despite not just heartache, but actual brutal tragedy, and yet she seems to give up a lot of that strength at the end. I'm not sure if anyone else will fill this way, but I felt that she gave up her strength by the fact that they had such an easy reunion at the very end, along with Patrick cutting her hair - it felt like a reverse Samson and Delilah for me, for those familiar with that story. She held out so long because of what was done to her by someone else, as well as all that Patrick did not do for her, such as FIGHT for her. It's not that I wouldn't want them to have a happy ever after, but it just felt too rushed...and somehow off.

I ultimately am glad that they were able to make it back together, but wow - what a journey. As always, however, I love this author and her writing. I was drawn back to their story time and time again, as I had to put the book down for various reasons...pfff...life.

Jessica

Review of Craving Absolution by Nicole Jacquelyn

Synopsis: Farrah Miller and Cody “Casper” Butler have a longstanding relationship that both refuse to discuss.

It isn’t romantic.

It may not even be classified as a friendship.

Casper’s been saving Farrah from herself for longer than he’d care to admit, watching silently as she drowned herself in alcohol. Then, when she finally got her act together, he left. He told himself he was giving her time to sort herself out. He tried to give her space.

But getting shot in the chest can change a man’s perspective, and Casper’s done waiting.

When he shows up on her doorstep one night, everything changes.

He’s the man who’s seen her at her very worst.

She’s his weakness.

He runs when things get hard.

She never lets anyone see below the surface and is terrified of being abandoned.

He knows it’s a long shot, that there’s a good chance she’ll never drop her guard for him—but he has to try. Because a life with Farrah is exactly what he wants—even if he has to fight her for it.

4.5 Stars!

Review: Casper and Farrah. Man, I was really looking forward to their story, and it did not disappoint. Casper is Callie's brother, Cody, and he has been watching out for Farrah for years - or, as well as he could from across the country while he was in college. His sister experiences one too many dangerous situations, however, which causes Casper to leave school and decide to join up with The Aces, as his brother in law, Grease, is a part of them, and he wants to help get back at the people that have been hurting Callie for years. He now also wants to protect Farrah - from the world and from herself. 

Farrah has had a really difficult life. She lived with an abusive mother, who also watched while she was abused by her mother's boyfriend, until other people because aware of it and finally started to protect her - other people being her father. Their story was one of the hardest I have read recently, as Farrah only knows that her father did not seem to want her, and he did nothing for all of the years that she was abused and hurting. In fact, the only family Farrah claims is Callie, her and Grease's son, and Gram. She also claims Cody, but only from a distance. 

Farrah was such an amazing character. Whenever you have someone who dresses according to her mood and whatever decade she feels like representing that day - you know that she is hiding a lot. She always has to be dressed up, with full make up on, to feel like she is wearing her armor, and the first few times this armor drops or is attacked are truly heartbreaking to watch for her. After being shot, Cody comes for her, as he is tired of waiting for her. He begins to fight her for herself, and slowly, her walls begin to come down. Cody has seen all of her recent past, however, so he messes up a few times and also hurts Farrah. Gram and her sister, Lily, are such great characters, however, as they are supportive of all these girls, yet they also push them to realize their inner strength. I can't wait to see what happens next, after the way that this book ended. 

Jessica

Review of Craving Redemption by Nicole Jacquelyn

Synopsis: Asa and Callie had nothing in common. He was an Ace, raised in the club and loyal to it above all else. She was a high school student with braces on her teeth and a narrow view of the world.

They should have never crossed paths.

But when Callie decides to defy her parents, and Asa goes on an errand for the club, their lives collide. He saves her, and she mesmerizes him.

They part believing they’ll never see each other again.
Neither could have predicted the chain of events they’d put in motion.

Now the two have to navigate the dark waters of a relationship built on tragedy and need without drowning in guilt for things outside their control.

How do you love someone when the worst decision of your life was the reason you met them?

5 Stars!

Review: I have been on an MC binge for the past few days, and this author has definitely caught my attention. I feel like her writing has gotten tighter even from the first book in the series to this one. Asa, or Grease, and Callie were so compelling together. Their story was heartbreaking and yet it pulls you in and you see the beauty of them, as well. Asa and Callie are brought together by so many random flukes, and yet, he saves her life. He saves her life, but he also damns her life, as well. He acts on instinct to save her in one situation, and this leads to the life that she has been living being over and done with. She is now in danger from a group that Asa has no control over, and he must save her - even though she is still only 16 years old. Thus, begins their long journey. 

Asa claims Callie and eventually makes her his, but they are still separated by distance, as she has to live apart from him to finish growing up and yet be near some family. He visits her often and is committed to her, but she is still broken and struggling against feeling too indebted to him for what he has done for her. Each and every time they are able to take one step forward in their relationship, something else in life happens to hold them back. Callie, without realizing it, holds a lot of anger and resentment towards Asa and towards his club, the Aces, for their part in how her life turned out. She must work through this, just as he has to learn how to treat her the way that she deserves to be treated. 

This book really has it all - there is so much danger and angst caused by too many bad decisions. Asa chooses the club in one too many situations when he should have chosen Callie, and this impacts when they are able to be together with one another. It impacts his own life in a very real way, actually. I love how this author begins to bring other aspects of the club's story into this book. We see Casper, who is mentioned in the first book, as he is Callie's brother, Cody. And, you meet Farrah, who has a really messed up story that I can't wait to read!

Jessica

Review of Craving Constellations by Nicole Jacquelyn

Synopsis: "How is it, that someone can make decision after decision attempting to get away from their past and somehow end up right back where they started?"

When Brenna decided to leave the only life she'd ever known, she never thought she'd ever be back. Now, five years later she's running from her clean cut husband straight back to the motorcycle club that raised her... and the man she left behind. She left with a secret, and as soon as she returns the truth will break her carefully constructed life wide open.

4.25 Stars!

Review: I love a good MC book, but it can definitely be difficult to find one that has the story that you get caught up in and want to follow, but also the grittiness and the rawness that I have come to expect after reading authors like Kristen Ashley and Madeline Sheehan. I feel like this author is definitely heading in that direction, however. The Aces are definitely a rough crowd, but Brenna grew up among them. In fact, she was considered to be the princess of the Aces, as her dad was the VP while she was growing up.

Brenna wanted a different, and, in her mind, a better, life for herself, however, so she ran away immediately after college and married someone that was supposedly "normal". When she ran away, however, she was not only running from someone in the MC that she had already given a huge part of herself, but she was taking something with her - her daughter. Fast forward five years, however, and she and her daughter arrive back at the compound, Brenna badly beaten and broken down, and her daughter too scared to talk or move. The person that she was running from, Dragon, knew immediately what had happened, however, and he took steps to right Brenna's wrongs. The people that she had run from also accepted her back and proved to her what family is really about.

I don't want to give too much away with this story because it really is worth reading. Dragon is amazing - he is fierce, he is protective, he is loyal, and he immediately takes to being a father. There is one thing that happens, however, that really put a bad taste in my mouth towards him. In some ways, I have gone back and forth on this event, as some of the other reviews quickly point out that this is an MC book, and it is a rough group, etc. However, this event seems really against who and what Dragon is and Brenna's reaction to it just...doesn't sit well. Especially after everything that she has been through in the past few years. I also find it really hard to believe that Brenna would not have contacted her father at all in the five years - at least after she first ran away. I also find it difficult to believe that her father would not have gone after her. I think I find that the hardest to believe, based on his character. I will step down from my inconsistency soapbox now, though.

Dragon and Brenna have a long way to go in their story, and other people are threatened because of them. Dragon has spent years trying to find the family that he never has, and he takes immediately to Brenna and his daughter. I do like that he takes his punishment from the club, without complaint, for even looking at Brenna to begin with. It somewhat redeems what he does to Brenna. I can't wait to see what happens with the other Aces.

Jessica