The Bonds We Break by S. Cole is live!

Kidnapping, forced proximity, enemies-to-lovers

A beautifully heartfelt redemption story, with strong themes of brotherhood and family, and a sexy, intense and emotional romance that stole my heart!

 

Amazon and Kindle Unlimited 

 

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Blurb

Rae
When Uther “King” Hills, president of the Iron Outlaws MC, shows up at my home, I know it’s for one thing.
Revenge.
My life for my brother’s, a traitor to the club.
My sacrifice to ensure his loyalty.
But I know a thing or two about tragic kings.
They never win.
What I didn’t know was how they can steal your heart in the process of trying.

King
Rae Miller is my enemy’s little sister.
And I intend to ruin her before I toss her back at her brother’s feet.
Even as my actions tear my club apart.
Except this Shakespeare-quoting fire-cracker has me seeing ghosts.
I don’t scare her. She outwits me at every turn and has a body I can’t get enough of.
The fact I want to kill every person who ever hurt her is irrelevant.
Only, when she’s at risk because of me, I pray the bonds I’ve broken can mend themselves. Because without my club, we don’t have a hope of surviving.

TW: References to past self-harm (cutting) and abuse (not sexual), dubious consent, issues with food preparation (not eating disorders), praise kink.

 

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Review

4.5 stars!

This is the fourth book in the Iron Outlaws MC series, and I have been desperate to get my hands on it! After the glimpse of the storyline in the last book, I couldn’t wait to see how Cole was going to redeem the troubled club President, King, and turn a kidnapping into a believable love story. But she did it! Delivering a beautifully heartfelt redemption story, with strong themes of brotherhood and family, and a sexy, intense and emotional romance that stole my heart!

The events of this book are a direct follow-on from the last book of the series, so make sure you read these books in order, and beware spoilers below.

King is new to the President role, which he was elected into after the death of his father. He’s still adjusting to the role, but a series of devastating betrayals have left him angry and hurt, and he has lost his way. The betrayal by one of his most trusted members and friend has sent him spiralling, and in order to keep the man loyal, King concocts a plan to kidnap his beloved sister, Rae, as collateral.

It should be a terrifying situation, but Rae is not your ordinary woman. Strong, brave and confident, she has absolute love and trust for brother, and is supportive of his life in the MC. She’s also a psychologist who has a unique set of skills that equip her to deal with King, so she goes with him willingly, challenging him and snarking back at him at every opportunity.

“I may have bitten off more than I can chew with Rae Miller. You ever been with a woman approximately three hundred times smarter than you?”

The bickering is sharp and witty, and more often than not it is Rae poking at a bewildered King, trying to get to the centre of his anger, and understand him and why he’s starting to lose his control. It’s funny yet hits hard, and adds a weird dynamic to the kidnapping. And about that… yes, it’s a kidnapping, and though King is a complete badass, there’s never any fear that he’s going to hurt Rae (physically, at least). And while Rae is technically forced to be there, under the guise of keeping her brother safe, there’s something about her fierce captor that captivates her and she’s somehow exactly where she needs to be.

“She’s exactly where I want her. And yet…”
Halo grins. “And yet, what?”
I slug some more of my coffee. “It strikes me that she’s there because she’s decided she wants to be, not because I forced her.”

And so we come to the chemistry. Because holy hot damn, there is SO much chemistry between these two. Their attraction is clear from the first moment; King makes plans to get Rae into his bed, and Rae is already right on board. Sex is a big part of this story. Of course, it’s hot and steamy, and so freaking intense, but it’s complicated by a number of factors which become such an important part of what brings these two together. As they grow closer, feelings develop, and though they are complete opposites and come from completely different worlds, they come together beautifully, forming a true partnership which surprises them both with its depth and intensity.

I lift up a little so I can look at her, so I can memorize the moment I realized I was hers in a way I’ve never been anyone else’s.
The woman who wanted absolutely nothing from me now has every single thing I can give.

These are two complex characters in a uniquely complex situation. There’s a genuine connection between them from the very beginning, and watching that develop as they bicker back and forth, challenging and comforting each other and helping each other work through issues (all while they explore their mad passion for each other) is just gorgeous. They are smart and strong, but deep down they want to be loved for who they are, and they allow themselves to be vulnerable with each other, and turn out to be exactly what each other needs. Rae is a kickass heroine who refuses to be pushed around and who holds nothing back in fighting for her man, and King has a wonderful redemption arc, with Rae right there by his side, guiding, supporting, and pushing him to be better. And as his softer side emerges, I just melted.

His chest is warm against my back as he pulls me tight against him. “You’re safe, Rae,” he says, close to my ear.
“Don’t be kind to me,” I say as the tears threaten again.
“Perhaps it’s about time someone was.”
His words soothe me. “You’re secretly a good man, aren’t you?”
Lips brush the side of my neck, the trail of them makes me shiver. “Maybe only for you.”

The love story is gorgeous, starting in chaos and developing into something so special, and I loved watching King turn into the swooniest of heroes… but still with his badass biker edge.

“I’d die for you, Rae. Loving you is the easiest thing I’ve ever done.”

“I promise to keep you safe, hold your heart gently, and fuck you hard when you need it. You’re my life.”

On a side note for those who may be concerned about dubious consent – this issue is address head-on in the book. The author has clearly put a lot of thought into the topic and how she was going to handle this storyline. Rae explains it better than I ever could, so if you’re worried about the consent issues, read this —

This is such a fantastic read. It’s deep and meaningful, with moments of fun and lightness, and there is drama and action, as you would expect from the MC world. I loved seeing so much of the brothers, and the couples from previous books, but King and Rae shine as they carve their own path and find their way forward together.

4.5 stars!

An Advanced Review Copy was generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

 

Iron Outlaws MC

 

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Meet the Author

The tattoo across my right hip says it all really. A Life Less Ordinary. Inked by the amazingly talented Luke Wessman at the Wooster Street Social Club (a.k.a. New York Ink). Why is it important? Well, it sums up my view on life. That we should all aspire to live a life that is less boring, less predictable. Be bold, and do something amazing. I’ve made some crazy choices. I’ve been a car maker, a consultant, and even a senior executive at a large retailer running strategy. Born in England, spent time in the U.S. and Japan, before ending up in Canada where I met my own, personal hero – all six and a half feet of him. Both of us are scorpios! Yeah, I know! Should have checked the astrological signs earlier, but somehow it works for us. We have two amazing kids, who I either could never part with or could easily be convinced to sell on e-bay.

I’ve wanted to be a writer for a really long time. Check through my office cupboards or my computer and you’ll find half written stories and character descriptions everywhere. Now I’m getting the chance to follow that dream.

To find out about S. Cole’s upcoming releases and giveaways, sign up for her newsletter here.

For more information on S. Cole and her books visit: http://www.scarlettcole.com/

 

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