Series: Dirty Eleven MC

Guest Review: Shooting Dirty by Jill Sorenson

Posted September 29, 2015 by Tracy in Reviews | 0 Comments

Guest Review: Shooting Dirty by Jill SorensonReviewer: Tracy
Shooting Dirty by Jill Sorenson
Series: Dirty Eleven MC #2
Also in this series: Riding Dirty, Riding Dirty, Shooting Dirty
Publisher: Carina Press
Publication Date: September 21, 2015
Format: eARC
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three-half-stars
Series Rating: four-stars

She’s his only salvation.

Ace Clemmons has wanted Janelle from the moment he first saw her. Taking her captive while he carried out his last hit as a member of Dirty Eleven nearly broke him. Now that he’s gone straight, he’s back in her life, looking to stake his claim. He can’t erase the past but he’ll do anything to make it up to her.

Janelle Parker needs a new start, far away from the trailer park and the strip club. A down and dirty affair with a tattooed criminal is a step in the wrong direction, but she can’t resist Ace’s deliciously commanding touch, which has haunted her dreams for months. Soon they’re both in too deep, falling hard and fast—until an old feud with a rival motorcycle club explodes into an all-out war. Dirty Eleven’s enemies won’t hesitate to hurt Janelle to get to Ace. She has to fight to survive… and for the fiercest love she’s ever known.

Tracy’s review of Shooting Dirty (Dirty Eleven MC #2) by Jill Sorenson

 

Ace was once in the Dirty Eleven MC but quit because he wanted custody of his 3 year old daughter. He owns his own demolition company but he still does some murder for hire. He really hates it but he’s good at it. He “met” Janelle when he was on a job to kill the father of her son. He doesn’t want to be attracted to her but he can’t seem to keep himself away from her.

Janelle is a topless dancer and she actually enjoys it for the most part. She does want a better life for herself and for her 12 year old son but she can’t seem to catch a break. The last thing she needs is to get involved with Ace but the more he’s around her the more she wants him.

Janelle, despite her resolve to stay away from Ace, ends up having a sexual relationship with Ace. Unfortunately this puts him in the spotlight of those who would do both her, her son, and Ace harm. Janelle has to decide if being with Ace is worth all the danger.

Shooting Dirty is the second book in the Dirty Eleven series and it was an interesting one. I thought there was definitely more focus on Ace and his issues with his old MC and the rival MC than there was on the romance. That said, I felt that the story kind of lacked romance. Yes, it was a love story in it’s own dark, gritty way and there was definitely a relationship going on between Janelle and Ace but I really struggled to feel the love between the to main characters.

Janelle was trying for a better life and while I felt that she had feelings for Ace I just didn’t see the love blossoming between the two of them. That caused my brain to wonder how much of a better life she’d have with Ace. Yes, the issues were worked out in the end but it still made me wonder.

The writing, as usual, was what made this book for me. Sorenson always drags me into her stories and doesn’t let go. I didn’t put this one down once I started reading it, despite my issues with it, because of the story-telling…it was good. J

If you like a gritty, dirty, rough and tough love story then this one is definitely for you.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

This title is available from Carina Press. You can buy it here or here in e-format. This book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

three-half-stars

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Review: Shooting Dirty by Jill Sorenson

Posted September 18, 2015 by Rowena in Reviews | 1 Comment

Review: Shooting Dirty by Jill SorensonReviewer: Rowena
Shooting Dirty by Jill Sorenson
Series: Dirty Eleven MC #2
Also in this series: Riding Dirty, Riding Dirty, Shooting Dirty
Publisher: Carina Press
Publication Date: September 21st 2015
Genres: Suspense
Add It: Goodreads
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four-stars
Series Rating: four-stars

She's his only salvation

Ace Clemmons has wanted Janelle from the moment he first saw her. Taking her captive while he carried out his last hit as a member of Dirty Eleven nearly broke him. Now that he's gone straight, he's back in her life, looking to stake his claim. He can't erase the past but he'll do anything to make it up to her.

Janelle Parker needs a new start, far away from the trailer park and the strip club. A down and dirty affair with a tattooed criminal is a step in the wrong direction, but she can't resist Ace's deliciously commanding touch, which has haunted her dreams for months. Soon they're both in too deep, falling hard and fast—until an old feud with a rival motorcycle club explodes into an all-out war. Dirty Eleven's enemies won't hesitate to hurt Janelle to get to Ace. She has to fight to survive…and for the fiercest love she's ever known.

I haven’t read many of Jill Sorenson’s books even though I keep meaning to. I picked this book up because it sounded interesting and I miss Sons of Anarchy. I’m super glad that I decided to try this one because it was good. Everything that I loved about SOA was found in this book. I thought Sorenson did a great job of writing that crude, tough macho anti-hero because like Jax Teller, I found myself really liking Ace.

So this book follows Ace and Janelle as they fumble their way to their happy ending. Ace is an ex-member of the Dirty Eleven MC. He used to be the enforcer, the guy the club sent out to do the dirty work and by dirty work, I mean kill. lol. After his last job, which involved kidnapping a young woman and holding her hostage, he threw in the towel – much to the chagrin of the President of his MC. When he gave up his patch, he was supposed to be shunned from the other brothers in the MC but as Ace starts handling his business in this book, he realizes that his brothers from Dirty Eleven are still his brothers. They still have his back and that’s a good thing cause he needs them.

Janelle is a stripper trying to make ends meet and build a better future for herself. She’s doing all of this in an effort to give her young son, a better life. Things haven’t always been easy for Janelle but she’s smart and determined. The last thing she needs is a bunch of bikers sniffing around her doorstep, looking for Ace – the guy that kidnapped her. The guy that she can’t get out of her mind, no matter how hard she tries.

So Ace and Janelle are thrown together and Ace tries his best to look out for Janelle and her young son, Jamie. He’s not the caring type but he feels a responsibility toward Janelle so he watches out for her.

The romance between Ace and Janelle wasn’t perfect but neither was the world that they live in. The book can be described as crude, gritty and raw and the story in general, just worked for me. I was into everything that was going on and even with Ace, not being the most stand up of guys (I mean, let’s be real – he used to be a killer) but like Jax Teller, I loved him anyway.

I thought Janelle was a great heroine. She didn’t put up with anyone’s shit and she stood up for herself and for those that couldn’t stand up for themselves (at work). She wasn’t the most perfect of mothers but I liked that she never stopped trying. She made the most of not only what she had but of every situation thrown her way and at the very front of her priorities was her son.

There was a lot of things in this book that made me roll my eyes down the street but overall, the story itself was entertaining and I enjoyed it. I’m definitely looking for more from this series. I’ve got my fingers crossed for a book between Tiffany and Rex. Please make that happen, Jill Sorenson. 🙂

Grade: 4 out of 5

This book is available from Carina Press. You can purchase it here or here in e-format. This book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

four-stars

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Review: Riding Dirty by Jill Sorenson

Posted February 13, 2015 by Holly in Reviews | 0 Comments

Review: Riding Dirty by Jill SorensonReviewer: Holly
Riding Dirty by Jill Sorenson
Series: Dirty Eleven MC #1
Also in this series: Riding Dirty, Shooting Dirty, Shooting Dirty
Publisher: Carina Press
Publication Date: August 17th 2015
Genres: Fiction, Suspense
Pages: 206
Add It: Goodreads
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four-stars
Series Rating: four-stars

He's her weapon of choice
Psychologist Mia Richards wants revenge. Her new client, tattooed Cole "Shank" Shepherd, provides the perfect means. She just has to manipulate the felon-turned-informant into eliminating her husband's killers—members of Cole's rival motorcycle club. The first step, seducing Cole, is simple. As for walking away before she falls hard—it's already too late…
Dirty Eleven practically raised Cole, and he plans to double-cross the cops rather than sell the club out. But smart, sexy Mia is an irresistible distraction. While she's evaluating his mind, all he can think about is her body…until he discovers her true intentions. Walking a fine line between desire and betrayal, they'll have to outrun her past, his enemies and the law for a love that's dangerously real.
Book one of the Dirty Eleven MC series
79,020 words

This is the start of a new series that centers around an outlaw motorcycle club, Dirty Eleven. The book follows Cole Shepard, aka Shank, who was just released early from prison under the condition he turn evidence against his club. As a condition of his early release, he’s forced to see psychologist Mia Richards.

Mia plans to use Cole for her own purposes. Three years ago she walked in on a home invasion. She was nearly raped and killed, but she ended up playing dead. Unfortunately her husband wasn’t so lucky. He was murdered. She knows Cole is against those who hurt women, so she plans to manipulate him into killing the head of a rival MC, White Lightning, the man responsible for killing her husband. She figures she can seduce him and let it slip she was attacked by White Lightning, and he’ll do the rest.

Until she gets to know Cole. After three years she’s finally waking up, and Cole is the reason. She’s attracted to him in a way she didn’t think possible, and he turns out to be a completely different man than she expected. He’s self-aware and really opens up to her, which makes her think of him as a man rather than the means to an end.

Cole doesn’t really plan to turn evidence against his club, but he needs to be out to investigate the murder of his brother. He’s willing to play along and talk to Mia, but he’s just biding his time. He’s not surprised at the bite of attraction he feels for her since he’s been inside awhile, but he is surprised at the signals he’s receiving from her.

My problem with this book is Mia. I didn’t dislike her at all. I actually thought she was a strong woman, one who was still reeling from a tremendous loss. My issue is I didn’t believe in the happily ever after she wanted with Cole. She was exploring parts of herself heretofore unknown, which lent a rather temporary bent to her time with Cole. She opened up to him more sexually than she ever had anyone else, including her dead husband, but I didn’t feel a solid emotional connection on her side. I fully believed in their happy for now, but long-term I’m not sure I see her staying with him.

Cole was at a point in his life where he was ready to move on to bigger and better things (than being in an MC). I fully understood his desire to commit to Mia and try for a better life. He was self-aware and willing to own his past mistakes. He didn’t try to push his behavior on anyone else, or excuse it in any way. Sure, circumstances landed him in a bad spot, but he made the choice to make it worse. I loved how quick he was to accept responsibility for his actions.

Although I didn’t completely buy the ending, this was a thrilling, dark, erotic tale that kept me on the edge of my seat. I look forward to seeing more from the club in the future.

4 out of 5

four-stars

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Guest Review: Riding Dirty by Jill Sorenson

Posted October 2, 2014 by Tracy in Reviews | 0 Comments

Guest Review: Riding Dirty by Jill SorensonReviewer: Tracy
Riding Dirty by Jill Sorenson
Series: Dirty Eleven MC #1
Also in this series: Riding Dirty, Shooting Dirty, Shooting Dirty
Publisher: Carina Press
Publication Date: August 17th 2015
Genres: Suspense
Add It: Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Ripped Bodice | Google Play Books
three-half-stars
Series Rating: four-stars

He's her weapon of choice

Psychologist Mia Richards wants revenge. Her new client, tattooed Cole "Shank" Shepherd, provides the perfect means. She just has to manipulate the felon-turned-informant into eliminating her husband's killers—members of Cole's rival motorcycle club. The first step, seducing Cole, is simple. As for walking away before she falls hard—it's already too late…

Dirty Eleven practically raised Cole, and he plans to double-cross the cops rather than sell the club out. But smart, sexy Mia is an irresistible distraction. While she's evaluating his mind, all he can think about is her body…until he discovers her true intentions. Walking a fine line between desire and betrayal, they'll have to outrun her past, his enemies and the law for a love that's dangerously real.

 

Tracy’s review of Riding Dirty (Dirty Eleven MC #1) by Jill Sorenson

Three years ago Michelle Ruiz walked into her house and right into a home invasion robbery. She was almost raped, but wasn’t, but she was smothered and almost killed. She was smart enough to fake death to throw the thieves off. She escaped death but her husband, Phillip, did not. Michelle is now in the witness protection program and is known as Mia Russo or Mia Richards. The investigator who was in charge of investigating the home invasion and murder, Damon Vargas, has asked her to be the lead psychologist on a case he’s working on. He’s gotten Cole “Shank” Shepherd out of prison early and Cole has agreed to be an informant about the Dirty Eleven – the MC he’s a part of and that is run by his Uncle Bill.

Mia identified one of the two men who killed her husband. One was the president of an MC called White Lightning. She was unable to identify the second man. Mia sees counseling Cole as her chance for vengeance. She believes that she can manipulate and seduce Cole into killing the White Lightning president for her but when she meets Cole she can’t go through with it. She realizes she’s very attracted to him which is a shock as she’s been dead inside since Phillip died. She also sees that Cole isn’t the hardened criminal she thought. He’s got a heart and soul in there and she likes what she sees.

Mia knows it’s wrong to get involved with a client – even after she’s fired from the case – but she can’t seem to help herself. Once she has sex with Cole she can’t seem to stop herself. She knows that while she’s put her master vengeance plan aside she still believes that she can find the other man who killed Phillip. When both Cole’s MC and Vargas start to come after Cole he knows he’s got to get the hell out of dodge but he won’t leave without Mia by his side

Riding Dirty is the first book in the Dirty Eleven MC series. This one was incredibly readable, as I find all of Sorenson’s work, and I couldn’t wait to see what happened on each page. That said, I had one big issue with the book and that kind of dimmed my overall enjoyment of the story.

The issue in this book for me was Mia and her part in the book’s romance. I liked her for the most part and thought she was a strong female character, definitely. I just didn’t believe her love for Cole. I believed that she honestly cared for him and that she loved having sex with him, however, I couldn’t see the strength of the love that was supposed to be there. I honestly couldn’t see her getting past Phillips’ death. She had said she was dead inside until she met Cole but I felt it was more that she wanted to step away from the pain and between Cole’s criminal past and the outlaw MC it was an adventure, something different – taboo. I got the sense that even though the story ended with an HEA that she was still hung up on Phillip and that she wasn’t truly moving on. More that she was conditioning herself to believe she was in love with Cole, which I found incredibly sad.

Cole – OMG. He was one seriously hot man who was amazing. Yes, he was a convicted felon and in an outlaw MC but he was so much more. The things he was feeling affected him greatly but he wasn’t too macho to show his emotions to Mia. He could look inside himself and see what he needed in life and I loved that. I also could tell how much he loved Mia. He would do anything for that woman, even die, and I have to say that was damned sexy.

The book was a good one with a great hero and some down and dirty sex scenes. Though I didn’t get much insight into the rest of the MC, so I’m not sure where the series is going, I’m anxious to find out.

Rating: 3.75 out of 5

This title is available from Harlequin HQN. You can buy it here or here in e-format. This book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

three-half-stars

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