ARC Review: Saving Starlet by Violetta Rand (Iron Norsemen MC Series)

 Title: Saving Starlet

          (Iron Norsemen MC Series)

Author: Violetta Rand

Release Date: September 20, 2017 (ARC)

Publisher: Rand Publishing

Category: Contemporary Erotic Romance

Type: Digital/Paperback

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Violetta Rand Website

Blurb:

No woman has come close to capturing Brick's heart ... until Starlet.

Brick
As a nomad for the Iron Norsemen, I don’t owe my allegiance to one charter. I live for what our patch signifies. All I need is my bike and the open road--not a damsel in distress--even if she makes me think about things I never have before.

Especially since I found out she belongs to another man.

But rules are meant to be broken. No matter the cost.

Starlet
My husband is dead and I'm free. Free of the Devil's Crusaders MC.

I'm done with The Life.

Until a sexy nomad from a rival MC rescues me--tempting me to forget everything I've worked so hard to escape.

For once I deserve a night of unbridled passion. Just one. Then I'll walk away forever. Or die trying.

By reading any further, you are stating that you are at least 18 years of age.

If you are under the age of 18, please exit this site.

Favorite Line(s):

“Glad you finally pulled your head out of your ass so you could hear me clearly.”  ~  Brick

Dialogue Highlight:

“My father forced me into marriage at sixteen. Told me it was the best way to protect me, to keep control of the charter in the family. I’m an only child. My father was fifty when I was born. I never knew my mother, so I was raised one way—believing brothers were the law.”

“We are.”

She chuckles cynically. “In who’s world?”

“Ours.”

“Not mine,”she reminds me. “Sammy abused me on our wedding night.”

I swallow my anger. I’ve never hurt a woman. “I’m sorry, Starlet. Some men…”

“Deserve to die?”

I consider it, then nod. “Yeah. Some men deserve to die.”I mentally run through the names of all of the losers I’ve offed. Eighteen, maybe more. I lost count years ago, the dark moments blending together like days and nights on the road.

“I spent years waiting for him to get killed. The one perk being married to an MC president, a lot of people wanted him taken out.”

“Why didn’t you divorce him?”

“I tried.”

Never understood a man keeping a woman against her will—old lady or not. Variety is the spice of life.

“He beat me, had sex with me in front of the brothers, used me as a drug mule, and beat me some more.”

“Your father didn’t intervene?”

She snorts. “Give me a cigarette.”

I reach in my vest pocket, pull out two smokes, put them in my mouth, then light them both. I stand and cross the space, offering her one. She takes a deep drag, then blows a smoke ring. “Tastes horrible,” she complains but doesn’t put it out.

“You’re a lifer, Starlet. And if your husband and father are dead, that means the new president is responsible for your welfare.”

“Silver is a selfish sonofabitch. I’d rather stab myself in the eyes with forks than marry him.”

“Marry him?”

“That’s the plan,” she says, meeting my gaze. “I’ve been ordered to have babies.”

“Is that a bad thing?” I shouldn’t have asked the question—her scowl is answer enough.

“If your prez told you where to stick your cock, would you do it?”

“Depends on where he told me to put it.”

She looks like she wants to throw up. “That’s the very attitude I’m trying to escape. The sexism and violence.”

I look around the room. “And you think you’re safe here?”

“No necessarily,” she says. “If you found me, how long do you think it would take for a Devil’s Crusader to come blazing into town? I’ve found a piece of myself, though. And in time, maybe I’ll recover more of my shattered life. I don’t expect you to side with me, or even understand why I ran away. But can you just forget we ever met?”

Forget? That face? Those legs? That perfect, heart-shaped ass? Her smile? Our easy conversation, even when we’re sitting on opposite sides of a serious issue? Not a chance, Starlet. “No.”

“What?”

There’s an ashtray on the coffee table in front of the sofa. I rub my cigarette out and stare down at her. “Did I stutter?”

She extinguishes her smoke, too, then stands up. “I guess we’re done here.”

“Not even close.” I snap, pulling her into my arms, claiming that goddamned mouth. Our tongues roll together and she sighs, leaning into me. “That’s better,” I growl against her parted lips.

Excerpt:

Just as I’m about to head back to the room, I hear a woman cry out from around the corner of the building. She’s obviously distressed, and I’m pissed because I know what I’m likely to find. Following the noise, I spot her wedged between a late model truck and some asshole who won’t let her go.

“Leave me alone, Jordan.” She tries to push him away.

“Always blame everyone but yourself, Dee.”

“I didn’t ask for the drink, did I? Is it my fault the guy sent the waitress over? I didn’t even look at him.”

“Get in the truck, Dee.”

“No. I’ll call a cab.”

“Get. In. The. Fucking. Truck. Deanna.”

This time, the tiny blond manages to duck under his raised arm. Before she gets a foot away, he grabs her by the hair and tugs her back to where she was standing before.

Motherfucker…“Hey.” I stalk over, pissed my quiet night has been interrupted by a piece-of-shit woman beater. “Let her go.”

Jordan spins around, a scowl on his ugly mug. “Who the fuck are you?”

“Who do you want me to be?” I edge closer, inches away from both of them. I turn my attention to the girl, she’s crying and trembling. “You okay?”

She nods.

“Here.” I hand her a twenty. “Go back inside the bar and tell Martin to set you up with a couple drinks and a room. I’ll settle up with him in the AM.”

She doesn’t move—only stares at me unbelieving.

“Take the money, sweetheart,” I say gently.

“Don’t walk away from me, Dee.”

Short on patience, I grab Jordan by the throat. “Did she ask for your opinion?”

He starts to struggle in my grasp, but I pinch his throat tighter. He’s the stereotypical redneck, wearing a dark colored T-shirt and dirty jeans, a cowboy hat, and boots. Why would a girl as pretty as Dee date a sonofabitch like him? I shake my head. “Go on, Dee.”

“T-thank you,” she whispers. “I-I don’t even know your name.” She gazes at my patches on the front of my vest.

“Brick.”

“What if I want to find you?”

“The clubhouse is in Shreveport,” I say. “Ever need anything, reach out.”

She hurries away, never looking back.

Jordan tries to break free to stop her, but I whirl him around and slam him against the truck. “You don’t want to do that.”

His eyes go wide with understanding and I let him go. “Do you know who I am now?” He couldn’t miss my patches, there’s streetlights everywhere around the bar and motel.

Straightening his shirt, he opens his mouth to say something.

“Think before you speak,” I warn, cracking my knuckles, ready to take the asshole down if I have to.

“She’s my fiancé,” he says. “I don’t want her…”

“You lost any right to tell her what to do the minute you laid violent hands on her. The best thing you can do is climb in that Chevy and go home. If Dee isn’t here and safe in the morning, I know where to find you, Jordan.” I gesture to the company logo on his truck, Aces High Landscaping.

Gaze shooting to the bar, he stares at it for a long time, then looks at me again. “When did the Iron Norsemen start interfering with people’s personal lives?”

“The minute I rolled into town,” I say.

Review:

Starlet Vega is an old lady – or wife of a biker. Her emotionally, physically, and mentally abusive husband recently died in an accident and now she is running. She’s royalty – the daughter of the MC founder, and they want her back, but she has no intention of going back. Ever! When she wrecks her car and is rescued by an MC nomad (an enforcer with no ties to a specific club) from a rival club, she decides to indulge in one night of uninhibited desire. Her attraction to Brick and his unrelenting sexual stamina is impressive and addictive. She entertains fantasy, but quickly squashes it. He belongs nowhere and she is trying to get away from the life. No way can she afford to get involved with another biker despite her level of attraction and their sexual chemistry.

Austin ‘Brick” Anderson is immediately drawn to the red-head vixen and can’t get enough of her. He knows she is hiding something and has some knowledge of the MC life, but is on a mission of his own and must keep moving. When she ends up in the same city he is, he can’t help but ferret out all of her secrets – not to mention they can’t seem to keep their hands off of each other. He is the love ‘em and leave ‘em kind of guy – but Starlet makes him think of more; want more. Problem is Starlet belongs to another MC and Brick ends up with a gut-wrenching choice. Turn her back over, or risk an MC war trying to keep his perfect match with him. 

Wow! I have never read an MC book before, but I can tell you that I will do so again in the future! I was hesitant at first because outside of the romance twist, I was jumping in to unfamiliar content. I wasn’t sure I’d understand or even like reading about motorcycle clubs and their way of life. Of course, I can not tell you if this is an accurate representation or just fantasy, but either way this book worked for me. Brick and Starlet are both jaded, having been exposed to atrocities that people should never have to endure, but their hard experiences in life are what end up making them the perfect pair; each complimenting the other. I really enjoyed getting to know Brick and Starlet, deficiencies and all. Their world of motorcycles, codes, and altogether different way of life (communities within communities) was fascinating. While I didn’t agree with some of the rougher MCs, I found I appreciated the laws and beliefs of the Iron Norsemen – probably more so after getting to know the club members a bit. 

This is the 2^nd book in the series, but read perfectly as a standalone. If you haven’t ventured into this type of story before and you like brooding, tortured males with equally strong women who meet them head on while maintaining just the right amount of submission, then check this book out. I honestly didn’t stop reading it until I finished it. Not that such an occurrence is out of the ordinary for me, but I didn’t want to put it down, which says quite a lot. This book has a little bit of everything – suspense, murder, foul language, motorcycles, second chances, possibility, love – and don’t forget the amazing, hot, insatiable sex! Ms. Rand has a great thing going in this series – a series I will be adding to my TBR list. 

Kindle version provided by Author in exchange for an honest review.