Publisher:
Dreamspinner
Press
Published: May 11, 2014
ISBN: 978 1 62798 920 6
Genre: Contemporary Romance; M/M
Book
Format: E-book
Obtained
via: Publisher
Reviewed
by: Helena Stone, helenastone63@gmail.com
Rating:
4+
This
is the fourth title in the ‘Guards of Folsom’ series and I have
to confess I didn’t read the first three books. I can’t escape the feeling I
would have gotten more out of this book if I’d been familiar with the back
story. Not that I didn’t enjoy this book – I did and was captivated by the
story – I just think it is possible I would have enjoyed it even more if I had
read ‘Pup’, ‘Tag Team’ and ‘Pony’. I guess the only
way to find out for sure if that assessment is right is to read those three
prequels and I hope to be able to do that in the not too distant future.
Tek
Cain had my heart broken. Trained from birth to lead the motor cycle gang,
Crimson Eight, he’s had to do some nasty things. Things he only managed to do
by making his mind go blank, through not thinking about his actions and their
consequences for others. But it hasn’t been easy and he knows sooner or later
the darkness will overpower him, rob him of his humanity.
The
only thing keeping Tek from turning into a monster is his life-long friend
Jamie. They’ve been together from birth and Jamie is destined to be Tek’s
second in command when the time comes to assume his role as leader. Jamie and
Tek are more than friends and gang brothers though. Their feelings run deeper;
the attraction between them is undeniable. Being part of a gang that frowns on
homosexuality and would cast them out or kill them for their love should their
secret ever be discovered, Jamie and Tek have to hide their feelings for each
other and pretend to be what they are not.
When
hiding and pretending are no longer enough to keep them safe, Jamie and Tek
have to embark on a new life far away from everything they know. But while it’s
possible to run from danger, leaving the past behind is far more difficult and
may well turn out to be impossible.
This
was a rather dark but completely captivating story. The reader is given the
opportunity to really get to know Jamie and Tek through glimpses of their
younger years before we get to the moment when they both become full gang
members and give in to their feelings for each other.
Crimson
Eight is a full blown, hard and violent gang. This book isn’t trying to
romanticize gang membership. Yes, there is the unquestioned loyalty towards
each other but it comes at a huge price. In order to be the man the gang
expects him to be, Tek will have to sacrifice his humanity. And while being
with Jamie allows Tek to keep a grasp on that humanity, the risk they take
simply through giving in to their feelings for each other is huge. And Tek
knows that it is only a matter of time before he performs that one act of
unimaginable violence that will throw him into the darkness forever.
I
loved the relationship between Jamie and Tek. Two strong and dominant men,
constantly fighting for the upper hand while finding unexpected pleasure in
occasionally losing that battle to the other.
Every
chapter starts with an excerpt from what I suspect is Tek’s journal and they
gave me a wonderful insight into what makes the man tick. Those sections were
deep, at times almost philosophical and gave small but enticing hints as to
what was to come next.
“Love
is too small a word to define everything I feel for him, the meaning too
simple. Too many intangible feelings for such a common four-letter word.”
I
don’t want to say too much more about the story since it would be a shame to
spoil it. I do need to add though that the book ends on the sort of
cliff-hanger that makes it a foregone conclusion that I will be reading the
next book as soon as it becomes available. I’ve fallen for Jamie and Tek and
need to know what happens to them next; I have to make sure they will be okay.
This is an objective review
and not an endorsement of this book.
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