Publisher:
Riptide
Publishing
Published: 30/06/2014
ISBN: 978 1 62649 153 3
Genre: Contemporary Romance , M/M,
Bikers
Book
Format: E-book
Obtained
via: Publisher
Reviewed
by: Helena Stone, helenastone63@gmail.com
Rating:
5
Sean
Rush lives for a thrill, thrives on adrenaline. His need for adventure sent him
to the army and has him back stealing and racing powerful cars even though he swore
he wouldn’t go back there. His need for excitement also has him hooked on
Ryker, a Lieutenant in the almost mythical Havoc Motorcycle Club. The feeling
appears to be mutual; for the past eight months Ryker has been breaking into
Sean’s house and stealing into his bed leaving Sean’s body satisfied, his mind
restless and his heart a place he doesn’t want to explore.
Sean doesn’t like control and avoids relationships. Yet Rykers
control over him is not only something he doesn’t fight, it answers a deep and
unacknowledged need buried inside him. It isn’t long before Sean finds himself
wanting more than mind-blowing night-time encounters from Ryker.
When one of Sean’s car thefts goes bad and he finds himself in
real danger, Ryker’s protective instincts take over. He thinks bringing Sean to
the Havoc compound will keep the man safe. He doesn’t realise that Sean comes
with a past that could put Havoc and everything Ryker holds dear in danger. And
the secrets Ryker has been keeping add fuel to a fire already close to being
out of control.
When your very presence brings danger to those you don’t want to
harm leaving is the only option. Walking away from adrenaline may be just about
possible; walking away from love may be one step too far.
“Running
Wild” was one hell of a thrilling read. A good
book rarely has boring moments; this book didn’t have a single boring word. The
story took me from high octane danger to incredibly hot sex and straight back
into the danger zone again. Finding time to breathe was difficult; everything
else needing to be done and requiring me to spent time away from my kindle was
irritating.
The
prologue takes you straight into the story. We meet Ryker and Sean in a very
hot encounter and know, without a doubt, that these two men are going to take
us for a wild ride and then some. And then the story seems to slow down, or
rather pull back for a moment. The reader is in no doubt there’s a lot going on
beneath the surface but isn’t quite sure what. This should be frustrating but
is, in this book, the exact opposite. S.E. Jakes takes her time revealing her
characters and their backgrounds and motivation to the readers. She had me
wondering and second guessing myself while reading this book. Was Sean an
unredeemable criminal or was he just a restless soul with a heart of gold? And
what about Ryker? Was he really ‘just’ a very perceptive man and incredible
lover with endless patience or was there a reason behind his actions? Every
time I thought I’d figured them and the story out there was something new to
discover, a new layer to explore. This made me love this book, the story and
the characters more with every finished chapter.
His
encounters and emerging relationship – of sorts – with Ryker sends Sean on the
path of self-exploration and dealing with his past without him being fully
aware of it. Ryker allows him to be who he longs to be deep inside, the person
he never allowed himself to be.
“Because
I wasn’t in control. And for the first time in my life it was a fucking
relief.”
And
while Ryker appears to be in control of his life, Sean and everything that
happens around him, he too discovers new sides to himself even while he’s
pulling Sean out of his self-imposed hell.
“As
much as I love this MC, and what I do for it – you, Sean, you make me feel
alive. You make me want to be better, so I can protect you.”
The
only thing hotter, more enticing and wonderful to read about than a hard man
showing his deeper, more sensitive side, is two men making the revealing theirs
together. I loved the moments when Ryker just said it as he felt it. Moments of
pure honesty from the character resulting in all the emotions for the reader.
“You’ll
never be easy, Sean. No matter how hard you try. And that’s why I’m proud
you’re mine. Don’t you get it, babe? This isn’t a game to me. Way beyond that.”
At
first glance it would appear that Sean has relinquished all control to Ryker.
Dig a little bit deeper and you discover that the knife cuts both ways. This
isn’t a case of Sean becoming dependent on Ryker, although he submits. This is
a case of two men giving and taking and finding in each other exactly what they
need.
“God,
I loved that. I loved taking his control, the hard-earned victory of watching
him, for just those few moments, lose it. Lose himself, because of me.”
I
have a problem with violence, be it in real life or in my books. For that
reason I expected to have reservations about this story. In fact, I did have
them for a while. During the early parts of this book I was teetering on the
brink between loving the writing and cringing about the all the crimes. Mind
you, I didn’t consider not continuing the story for even one fleeting second; I
was hooked from more or less the second line in the prologue.
And
then magic occurred. Without me even being aware of it, the crimes, while still
taking place, moved into the background, started to make a – for me- weird kind
of sense. The characters took over and I just rode along with them; happy to
have been invited along for the ride. Ryker, Sean and Havoc managed to lodge
themselves firmly in my heart over the course of 280 pages and I can’t wait to
find out where they’ll take me next.
““You know I love you.” I did. He’d been saying it in a
thousand different ways from the start and I’d been running. In circles, it
appeared. And he’d waited until I wore myself out.”
This is an objective review
and not an endorsement of this book.
