stephanie_inman's Reviews (228)

Ryder is the first book I've read by Hope Stone. It's the first book in her Outlaw Souls MC series. Based solely on the content of this book, Ryder, I would classify this as a middle of the road, relatively "safe' MC series. There is little violence, non of it's graphic, no questionable consent when it comes to sex, no OW/OM situations, no cheating. The language is typical for this type of book, meaning you will read a lot of it, and there are lots of sexual references, as well as sexual content.

Ryder is the VP of the Outlaw Souls MC. He is raising his sixteen year old sister, Lily. Our heroine, Paige moves to his town, looking to get a job "helping people". How do we know this? Because it is reiterated, over and over again. Instead Paige ends up working at a diner while trying to make ends meet. I really didn't like Paige. She came across as being way too cookie-cutter good girl heroine for my taste. She grew up in the lap of luxury, but of course, she "isn't like the them". She turns down the job at a charity when she finds out that she would be basically pushing pencils and trying to get donations, and that she might be an asset because she knows a lot of wealthy people. She doesn't want the job "because she wants to be more hands on with helping people". From that point on, I really didn't like her. It showed her selfishness. That she only wanted to help people on her terms. It just felt like this was written to be Paige's one defining personality trait. Like we were supposed to like her, to root for her, because she wants to "help people". To me she didn't come off as particularly philanthropic, but rather condescending. It was like she was placing herself on some pedestal, wanting to show everyone that she was better than not only her rich family, but also than the people she was helping.

Ryder's character was okay. Nothing really stuck out either way about him. He was fairly typical for this type of book. He was good with his casual hook ups. He had a rough home life. The one part of his life that I did like was his raising his teenage sister, Lily. She stood out in the little time she was in the book more than either of the main characters, tbh.

I liked the plot. While a bit predictable, it was intriguing enough to keep me hooked. It also set up the next few books well. While there is no cliffhanger, and we get our HEA for our couple, the book is the beginning to a series. We not only meet the Outlaw Souls, but they also have a rival gang, and this book gives up a little information. My guess is we are going to see more play out with the rivalry in subsequent books.

My biggest complaint, however, is that Ryder and Paige interact very little in the book. It takes a while for them to meet. When they do, we see the instalust and we get to hear their thoughts, via the dual POV, about how attractive they find one another, however, them actually spending time together never really happens. It's hard to see a connection between them when they aren't really connecting.

I did like the characters that were introduced. I'm looking forward to reading the follow up books and getting their stories. And, while I know this is a story about bikers and that is the stories we will be getting, I would love it if we were treated to a follow up story (maybe two?) about Ryder's sister, Lily, and Paige's sister, Bailey. They are both young now, but I'd love to see them once they are college age. I felt they had great potential as characters. I especially liked Bailey, with all her sneaking around and her vibrant personality.

Now for the really, really GOOD in this book. While I am a fan of the romance genre, it can at times be way too over the line when it comes to misogyny and double standards. I've been on a bit of a quest this year to find and rate books that are "better than that". This book stands up to those standards. This is the first and only MC book that I can remember reading that not only doesn't demean women, they are a part of the club! We are introduced to two members of the Outlaw Souls that are women! And they are treated just as the others are. I can't wait to read more and I'm really hoping that we see more of them (spoiler alert/confession: I've already read the next two books in the series, so if, like me you want more of the women of this MC, you will be pleased)

So, I am giving this one three stars. It's a solid book. While it has it's issues, I think it's a good start to the series. After reading the books following this one, I'm sort of looking at this one as the first pancake. It's still good, it's just not as put together as the ones that follow.

Ren and Cole are absolutely swoon worthy, both separately and together. I love the premise for this book.

Ren has gone through a break up. Cole has never had a relationship. They meet at a bar, and Ren is completely drunk, making him more open than usual, but it also stops Cole from hooking up with him. Still, Cole tells him that he's at that bar every Thursday night, and should Ren still be interested once he's sober, he'd be happy to see him again.

Fast forward a bit, and Ren is finally ready to get back out there, but he's done with relationships. He decides he wants to see if the hot guy he met months ago is still around. They meet, hookup and both consider it a one-off.

In a twist, Ren has decided to re-do his bathroom, and who should be the contractor? I mean, it's a romance, so of course it makes sense that it's Cole. Cole and Ren are attracted to one another, but neither are interested in a relationship, and since they have the client/contractor thing going, they know they can't even hook up.

During all of this, both sign up for an online meeting app. They now meet as Rebound and Caulky. Becoming friends, and there are just so many cute moments here. They decide not to meet in person, both of them enjoying their friendship, and afraid of ruining what they have.

Once Cole is done with Ren's bathroom, he still finds himself drawn to Ren, and they begin hooking up again, only this time it's regularly, just unspoken. They meet at the bar on Thursdays, neither ever asking for more than sex. Cole knows he's really attracted to Ren, but he also feels like he could be developing feelings for Rebound.

Both men are torn. They have feelings for their online friend, but they have the explosive chemistry with one another.

Ren is a tough one. He's been hurt and he's not as willing to get into a relationship. I love that Cole, once he decided what he wanted, was all in. I love that he said that he was never against relationships, he had just never met anyone he wanted one with. It was a refreshing change from the manwhore trope of man who never wants a relationship because (reasons) and then changes for said person. Instead, Cole was always open to relationships, he just never thought he would find himself in one. I love how romantic he was.

As for the supporting characters, Ollie, Stone and Everett. I have read the next two books in the series and will give reviews for them soon, but holy smokes, I just love these guys! I want them all to find their happiness! Especially poor Ollie!

All in all, this is just everything a book should be. Fun, sweet, romantic, and there are plenty of sexy times, if you're looking for those.

Very short novella introducing us to Ryder, the first character in Hope Stone’s Outlaw Souls series. While this was meant to be just an introduction and a bit of a backstory, I still think it could have had slightly more detail to it. There’s nothing in this novella that isn’t covered in the first book of the series, Ryder. And even going back and seeing what happened to Ryder to get him to where he is at the beginning of his book, there just isn’t enough content added to truly care about.
Still, it’s well written, and if you are enjoying the Outlaw Souls series and this one slipped by you, I’d say go back and read it.

Aside from the fact that I just thought this book drug on a bit, and it was only a novella, I had some issues with the characters.

For the most part, I liked Enya. Kit was okay until the end. When he finds out that Enya can’t have kids and his first instinct is that she basically used him (even though they both agreed to a sex only relationship) knowing that they couldn’t be together because he wanted biological children, and she couldn’t give him that.

I HATED that this was what the author used for the drama to split up the couple. It made me dislike Kit. He was adopted, and raised by supportive, loving parents. It made no sense as to why he would be so adamantly opposed to adoption. And, his dad interfering and warning Enya against being with Kit? He was awful. It was as if he was telling her she wasn’t good enough for his son because she was raped and left unable to have kids. Enya is already dealing with feelings of being inferior, and Kit’s dad just piles it on.
At this point, I wished Enya could have met a new man or woman and fallen for them. She deserved better than Kit and his asshole dad.

As for the ending, I really would have rather seen Kit and Enya come to terms with her infertility together. Instead, Kit decides he loves her and doesn’t need biological children (that part is good), but it all works out for him anyway because Enya finds out that she is pregnant. It turns out the doctors only said it was highly unlikely she would get pregnant, not impossible. (Not that this ending was shocking. It was incredibly predictable. I just wish it had gone the other way)

This is the third book in Hope Stone's Outlaw Souls series, and imo, it's far superior to the first two. That doesn't mean that the others aren't worth the read, I just feel like this one hits every aspect out of the park.

TW: domestic violence

Erica and her son, Dominic, are on the run from her abusive husband. She ends up in our little town of La Playa, and gets a job working for Swole (one of the bikers we've met in previous books) Swole owns the gym near the bar where the Outlaw Souls hang out. It's this proximity that brings Erica face to face with Trainer. While both are outwardly attracted to one another (it's a romance book, so we have that insta-lust, of course that we crave!) it's not until Swole and her partner, Tammy invite Erica out for an evening that Erica and Trainer meet.

I love everything about this couple! Erica is strong and protective of her son. She's not one dimensional. She is trying to get her life back, but also realizing that she may need to run, because doing whatever it takes to keep her son safe is her number one priority. If you read my other reviews, you know that I almost always dislike the "way too good girl to be real" characters. And I'm really hard on the writers who write female characters as virginal waifs waiting to be conquered by some big, strong, alpha male. Here's the thing: Erica married young, so she didn't have a lot of sexual experience. But it made sense to her story! So, it was easy for me to overlook, and even embrace the fact that she was inexperienced. Her story was realistic, in that way.

Trainer is everything that a book boyfriend should be. Strong, loyal, sweet, and fierce. I just really love the way his character is written. He's a badass biker, but he still has some insecurities. Out of the three bikers who Ms. Stone has given stories to thus far, Trainer is far and above, my favorite.

And what I fucking LOVE about this series is that the men aren't portrayed as your typical manwhores. Yes, they aren't virginal, saints. And there is mention of how they have always been able to hook up with women, without commitment, when they want to. But in most MC books, up until or even after the H meets our h, he is pretty much hooking up with anyone who is willing. And there is always talk of "club whores". There is also so much slut shaming because of this. It's supposed to make us like our h better because she's different than the "club whores" who are just there to bang a biker, but to me it always just feels like more of the women hating on women shit we see too often in romance books.

This MC series seems to be different in that it's really just more about the bikers and their story, not really the over the top biker lifestyle aspect. I really hope this trend continues with this series. There are enough of the same old, same old, when it comes to MC romances out there. Hope Stone's Outlaw Souls series is starting out as one that is moving away from the pack and that is so refreshing!

I look forward to reading about the rest of the men (and, hallelujah! women!) of the Outlaw Souls. (On that note, can we get a prequel for Swole and Tammy? I NEED their story!)

I received an ARC of this book. I have voluntarily given this review and, as such, it reflects only my thoughts and opinions.