THRASH by JC Emery

THRASH

(Bayonet Scars #2)

by JC Emery

ARC Review

Published: January 9, 2014

My rating: 4.5 of 5 ⭐️







Since they were teenagers, Nicole had looked on Duke as more than just a friend, but life under the umbrella of a motorcycle gang is not always straightforward. Men tend to take what they want and women, well.....women either become old ladies, or Lost Girls. Nicole has responsibility for her younger brother since their dad ended up in jail and is not in the market for relationships, so she'll take the hook ups of a Lost Girl. That is, until the elusive Duke finally manages to coax her into his bed one night and decides to lay claim.

Duke has always tried to get closer to Nic, but either his responsibilities or circumstances would get in the way and the opportunities where just never there. So he spent his time screwing just about everyone BUT Nic. When he finally has her, he doesn't waste any time making it clear he intends to keep her for himself. But when immediately thereafter he has to ride out and is busy for an extended period of time, their reunion is nothing short of explosive. And the results are pretty devastating.

With unrest in the club and Nic  hurt and angry, Duke is doing his best to live up to his responsibilities, while at the same time trying to salvage a brand new relationship he managed to mess up before it even had a chance to get off the ground. The situation has only firmed up Nic's resolve that life as someone's old lady is not in the books for her, especially with her brother's behaviour getting out of hand and an old flame forcing his way back in her life, she has enough on her hands. 

Not one to give up, Duke simply steps in and takes matters in hand for her, whether she likes it or not, and once Nic gets a sense of the type of threat the club is under, she learns to appreciate the pressures Duke is under a bit better. Neither one much for romantic declarations, they find their own way of showing their intent and commitment, in a way that can't be mistaken. 

****

WOW!!! Holy intense!!!

You cannot read this book without first having read "RIDE", first book in the Bayonet Scars series. Even though each book in principle has their own individual HEA, the backstory is so intertwined, and in this case, overlapping for the most part, you would miss a lot of important information if you were to miss it.

I actually enjoyed "THRASH" more than I did "RIDE". Perhaps it is because I now have a better understanding of the characters and their place within the club, and their importance in the story. I now also have a better idea of some of what went on in the background, that wasn't visible in the first book. The picture simply becomes clearer.

Duke was someone I was very much on the fence about in the first book, and to be honest, I still was early on in this book. But there were a lot of ways in which he managed to redeem himself, first and foremost the way he stepped up when his eyes were finally properly opened to Nic's true situation. He didn't hesitate to change it for the better, despite the fact she tried to fight him tooth and nail. We'll just have to forgive him for not clueing in sooner than he did...... Communicating for these men is even more of an issue than it is for men in general (which is really saying something!), so there is always too much much unnecessary conflict, especially so with one as volatile as Duke.

I feel for Nic in a lot of ways, growing up within the motor club family cannot have been easy for a girl without the influence of a steady mother. She was lucky that her step father was a good father to her, but she grew up too hard for her own good. Taking too much on her own shoulders and not accepting or trusting of support or help, not believing in anything that is unconditional. All she knows is how to keep putting one foot in front of the other without losing herself in the process. This is why she avoids hooking up with Duke for the longest time, she knows full well that out of everyone, he has the power to break her. What she doesn't know that she holds the same power over him.

JC Emery shows a gritty world where family, brotherhood and club will always come first......before law and before life. A disturbing world at times, but also a just one.....in a harsh and primal way. Her writing is direct and no nonsense, fitting the material described, but that does not mean there is no finesse in JC's writing, on the contrary..... There are very delicate balances at play, but the art is in the limited words used to convey the complexities of the dynamics. Ms. Emery knows how to tell the story without wasting a word, staying completely in character and expecting the reader to get in character as well......otherwise you will miss out!!

✨A raw, raunchy, engrossing account of MC life & love✨

**ARC provided in return for an honest review.**