There is some insta-lust/love so the relationship with these two moves pretty quickly, but Vale does it in a believable way. They are funny and steamy and fun, and I enjoyed them as a couple. Pru is mouthy and sassy – the perfect foil for an overbearing, alpha man. Thanks to her upbringing she can stand up for herself but she also has an appreciation for his “type”. And Hoax is pretty much what you’d expect for a special forces military man who spends his free time as part of a MC. Along with being dominant and overprotective, he’s also caring, sharp, and sexy.

I really liked the interactions they had with their friends and family, both independently and as a couple. There is a feeling of belonging that isn’t impacted by blood and these people are there for each other no matter what. Not having read any of the other books I didn’t have a point of reference for any of them, but it didn’t really seem to matter. Everything worked really smoothly as a standalone and I felt like I got to know the characters well.

While it was a minor part of the story, I was a little disappointed in the ending. There is this suspenseful moment that just didn’t make a lot of sense to me. I’m not sure I understood why things happened they way they did (or at all for that matter) but since the characters and their relationship is the main part of the story, and is well done, I don’t think that it really mattered. I’m hoping to get my hands on the next story to see if this is the style for this writer or just a thing here. Or an issue with me :)

I’m not usually into the whole bad boy MC thing but the description for this one was intriguing enough that I gave it a chance. Still not my favorite genre but I will say that Vale is really good at what she does and I’m definitely willing to give her stories another go. (This is another book, though, where the blurb doesn’t quite match up to the story. The whole thing with her dad was pretty much a non-issue, as was Hoax’s “treatment”.) You do have to be OK with things being a little more down-to-earth and kinda … well, coarse. The guys lead a rough & tumble life and the story is very much same. It definitely works with the characters – these are not buttoned up and polished people. And being real is definitely not a bad thing.

**Review given honestly and freely after receipt of a reader copy. This opinion is completely my own and was not influenced in any way.**