Series: Outlaws

Review: Ruled by Elle Kennedy

Posted November 4, 2016 by Rowena in Reviews | 1 Comment

Review: Ruled by Elle KennedyReviewer: Rowena
Ruled by Elle Kennedy
Series: Outlaws #3
Also in this series: Claimed
Publisher: Berkley
Publication Date: November 1st 2016
Genres: Dystopian
Pages: 368
Add It: Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Ripped Bodice | Google Play Books
three-stars
Series Rating: four-stars

The latest novel in the series with the “sexiest, baddest, hottest”* outlaws around, from the New York Times bestselling author of Claimed.

In the latest novel in the series with the “sexiest, baddest, hottest”* outlaws around, one woman must choose between the two men who want to claim her... ...Or does she?

Despite his magnetic personality, Rylan can’t seem to seduce Reese, the deadly leader of their town of outlaws. Winning her over is a welcome challenge, but her indifference isn’t the only thing standing in his way. If he wants Reese, Rylan must also win over Sloan, her stoic protector...

Sloan has always loved Reese, but their painful past has stolen his chances of a future with her. Rylan’s interest in Reese only intensifies the tension—until Sloan begins to wonder if the reckless man might be the one person who can bridge the distance...   The last time Reese fell for the wrong man, she had no choice but to kill him. Now, she desperately wants to take what both Rylan and Sloan are offering. But if she makes the wrong call again, she risks losing them both.

Ruled is the third book in Kennedy’s Outlaws series and it’s the first book that I’ve read where the main couple has three people so that was a new experience for me. The romance between all three people was hot as hell and I found myself intrigued by how exactly they would make that work so I kept right on turning the pages.

Rylan has been on Reese train since we met him in Book 1. Too bad Reese hasn’t been on the Rylan train at all. A little rejection never stopped Rylan and in this book, he’s full steam ahead in the seduce Reese into his pants camp and I couldn’t help but think that if Rylan lived nowadays…he’d probably be in the NFL or a Navy SEAL or something like that because he was determined as hell. He was bullheaded enough to get what he wants and once he does, he get a whole lot more than he was expecting.

Reese runs the outlaw city of Foxworth and has a lot of people depending on her for their safety and wellbeing. She rules with compassion but there is nothing she wouldn’t do to protect her people so she doesn’t need distractions or the attentions of a man who just might have the ability to push her to lose the control she can’t afford to lose. On top of the complication that is Rylan, Reese also has her right hand man Sloan to think about. She knows that Sloan wants her but they’ve never gone down that road and she doesn’t want to lose him so she keeps her distance but it’s getting harder and harder to stay away from him when she doesn’t want to stay away. When she gives in to Rylan, Sloan is right there with her and surprisingly, things get a whole lot hot and that makes Reese thirsty for more.

The romance between the three of them was what kept me interested in the book as a whole. It was new to me and the dynamic between Sloan, Reese and Rylan intrigued me. Reese is a hard woman to like (I think Jamie mentions this in the last book) and it took me a while to come around to her. I felt like with all of the intense feelings she had for Sloan and Sloan for her, there wasn’t much left for Rylan and I felt like Rylan settled for less just to be with Reese. I thought that Sloan was more in love with Rylan than Reese was and that bummed me out because I went into this book for Rylan.

Also, the other stuff going on with the Enforcers and the war that Reese is planning and just all of that took a back seat to the romance for me so I didn’t really pay much attention to that. I saw that last attack coming from a mile away and thought Reese was an idiot for not listening to Sloan but aside from that, I couldn’t really tell you much about all of that.

I’m curious to see if Xander gets his own book and if maybe Bethany might move on from Arch as well. I’d like to see more from the other folks in both Foxworth and Connor’s camp. It makes sense for Dominick to get his own book since I can see that coming through with what’s to come after all of the stuff that went down in this book.

Overall, the book was good but it’s not my favorite from Kennedy’s backlist. I was much more invested in the romance than what’s building up in the background but even the romance bummed me out a little bit with feeling like Rylan got the short end of the stick but even with those little gripes, Kennedy still delivers a romance that fans will enjoy. She really knows what she is doing and has a talent for making the reader take notice of what she’s doing so while I was a bit disappointed, I’m still looking forward to more from these characters and this world.

Those love scenes had me like:

They were hot, hot, hot.

Grade: 3 out of 5

three-stars


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Sunday Spotlight: Ruled by Elle Kennedy

Posted October 30, 2016 by Rowena in Features, Giveaways | 2 Comments

Sunday Spotlight is a feature we’re running in 2016. Each week, we will spotlight a release we’re excited about. We’ll be posting excerpts and being total fangirls. You’ve been warned. 🙂

Sunday Spotlight

Elle Kennedy is really cranking them out this year, isn’t she? As a big fan of her work, I am thrilled with all of the book love we’re getting. I’m loving all of her series right now and today’s Sunday Spotlight features the third book in the Outlaws series. A dystopian romance series that follows a bunch of Outlaws living in a time way far into the future, in a United States that is probably going to be Donald Trump’s fault. Haha, just kidding.

The Outlaws series is a lot steamier than what I normally read but I’m still enjoying this series a bunch.

On with the spotlight…

Sunday Spotlight: Ruled by Elle KennedyRuled (Outlaws, #3) by Elle Kennedy, Robyn stella Bligh
Series: Outlaws #3
Also in this series: Claimed, Ruled
Publisher: Berkley
Publication Date: November 1, 2016
Genres: Dystopian Romance
Pages: 368
Add It: Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Ripped Bodice | Google Play Books
Series Rating: four-stars

The latest novel in the series with the “sexiest, baddest, hottest”* outlaws around, from the New York Times bestselling author of Claimed. In the latest novel in the series with the “sexiest, baddest, hottest”* outlaws around, one woman must choose between the two men who want to claim her... ...Or does she?   Despite his magnetic personality, Rylan can’t seem to seduce Reese, the deadly leader of their town of outlaws. Winning her over is a welcome challenge, but her indifference isn’t the only thing standing in his way. If he wants Reese, Rylan must also win over Sloan, her stoic protector...   Sloan has always loved Reese, but their painful past has stolen his chances of a future with her. Rylan’s interest in Reese only intensifies the tension—until Sloan begins to wonder if the reckless man might be the one person who can bridge the distance...   The last time Reese fell for the wrong man, she had no choice but to kill him. Now, she desperately wants to take what both Rylan and Sloan are offering. But if she makes the wrong call again, she risks losing them both.

Pre-Order the Book:

AMAZON || BARNES AND NOBLE || KOBO

Ruled is Rylan’s book. I love this guy. He’s got no shame in his game and he’s not picky about who he sleeps with because he loves everyone. He can get anyone he wants too…anyone but the one woman he wants more than anything. Reese is the Ruler of Foxworth, an Outlaw city that is fighting the good fight against the Enforcers who are always trying to get in her damn business. I can only assume that this book is called Ruled because Reese is going to finally let herself be ruled by Rylan…and Sloan? Wowzers.

Excerpt

He stared moodily out the window. It was cold outside, but there wasn’t any snow. Technically it was still winter, but spring-like weather had come too soon, and with it, endless rain. The truck moved slowly in the mud and slush. He hated it.

After another ten miles of smoke-filled silence, Rylan had had enough. Enough of the shitty weather. Enough of the bleak landscape. Enough of the goddamn quiet. He didn’t want to be in his head thinking about Reese, the weather, or the dire situation that the successful raid would no doubt spark.

“Nice work with the electronics tonight.”

Xander grunted.

Okay, this wasn’t going to work. No way could he survive another two hours next to this sullen soldier, especially when his own thoughts were wandering into melancholy territory. If he stayed in the truck with Xan, the two of them would end up singing dirges and wiping away man tears.

The rumble of a motorcycle roared next to them. As Rylan looked out the window, he made out long red hair streaming out the bottom of a black wool hat, and leather-clad legs wrapped around a man big enough to be mistaken for a mountain.

The fit of his pants became impossibly tight as he stared at Reese, the outlaw queen. There wasn’t a man who saw her that didn’t instantly want to fuck her. Or if there was, Rylan hadn’t met him and didn’t want to. He couldn’t stand ridiculous jackasses who were turned off by a woman as strong as steel.

He wondered if Sloan could feel the heat of Reese’s pussy as she plastered her body against the man’s back. Now that was where Rylan wanted to be. Not cooped up with Mr. Sourface, but out on the open road with Reese wrapped around him. One of her hands would be attached to his dick, which meant they’d have to stop at some point so he could bend her over the side of the bike and fuck her until she was too weak to walk. Then, when they got to Foxworth, they’d shower, fuck again, get into bed, and fuck some more.

His cock couldn’t get stiffer.

“You’re gonna permanently damage something downstairs if you don’t get yourself under control,” Xander remarked.

“Shit, man, the condition of my hard-on is what gets you to talk? Why don’t you reach over and do something about it?” Rylan waved a hand toward his lap. Anything but his own touch would be a welcome relief these days.

“Pass.”

Beside the truck, Sloan gunned the motorcycle’s engine and the vehicle jumped past them, heading for Foxworth. Reese didn’t even look Rylan’s way.

There was a name for men who constantly chased after what they couldn’t have. Scratch that. Several names: Idiot. Fool. Ass.

But Rylan couldn’t turn off his desire, even if he wanted to.

He had options, of course. Jamie might be off the table because she’d finally hooked Lennox—or rather, Lennox had woken the fuck up and realized if he didn’t make his claim, he was going to lose Jamie. But even without Jamie, there were other options at Connor’s camp. Layla. Piper. And Connor and Hudson would definitely invite him to join them. They both enjoyed his company—Connor, because he loved making Hudson happy, and Hudson, because, well, Rylan was shit hot in bed. But afterward, he’d still have to go back to sleep in his cabin and think about the fact that they were starting a war.

Or . . . he could throw himself at the tigress. Who cared if he got scratched up a little? Better than being dead. Besides, Xan was right. If he didn’t do something about the spike in his pants, there was going to be damage. If not to his head, then to his body.

He rolled down the window and looked behind him. Ten lengths back was Beckett’s vehicle. Beck was the mechanic at Foxworth. “Pull over and drop me off,” Rylan told Xander.

The other man tilted his head. “You think she’s gonna say yes this time after months of saying no?”

“You only lose the fights you never enter,” Rylan quipped.

Maybe if he was lucky, Reese would finally throw him a bone.


Well, alright then. 🙂

Ruled comes out on Tuesday so make sure you get your copy of this one because it sure looks like it’s gonna be a wild ride.

Outlaws Series

Giveaway: We’re giving one lucky winner their choice of one of our Sunday Spotlight books. Use the Rafflecopter widget below to enter for one of this month’s features.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Are you as excited for this release as we are? Let us know how excited you are and what other books you’re looking forward to this year!

About Elle Kennedy

A New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author, Elle Kennedy grew up in the suburbs of Toronto, Ontario, and holds a B.A. in English from York University. From an early age, she knew she wanted to be a writer, and actively began pursuing that dream when she was a teenager.

Elle writes romantic suspense and erotic contemporary romance for various publishers. She loves strong heroines and sexy alpha heroes, and just enough heat and danger to keep things interesting!


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Sunday Spotlight: Addicted by Elle Kennedy

Posted June 12, 2016 by Holly in Features, Giveaways | 3 Comments

Sunday Spotlight is a feature we’re running in 2016. Each week, we will spotlight a release we’re excited about. We’ll be posting exclusive excerpts and being total fangirls. You’ve been warned. 🙂

Sunday Spotlight

Rowena: I read the first book in this series and was pleasantly surprised. It was a lot different from what I’m used to from this author and different from what I normally read. I was so glad that I read it. I immediately pimped it out to my book club and they were excited to read it too. So when I found out this book was coming out, I was anxious. I can’t stinkin’ wait to read this one.

Sunday Spotlight: Addicted by Elle KennedyAddicted (Outlaws, #2) by Elle Kennedy
Series: Outlaws #2
Also in this series: Claimed, Ruled
Publisher: Signet
Publication Date: June 28, 2016
Genres: Dystopian Romance
Pages: 354
Add It: Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Ripped Bodice | Google Play Books
Series Rating: four-stars

From the New York Times bestselling author of Claimed comes the second enticingly erotic novel set in a world on the brink of chaos.  Lennox used to live in a paradise on earth with his best friend Jamie, in a place where visitors came and went, allowing their desires to run free. But everything changes when a deadly attack forces them to take up with Connor Mackenzie’s band of Outlaws. Lennox knows Jamie is hung up on someone else, but he’s always believed he’s the man for her—and won’t let her go without a fight.   Even though Jamie is well aware that Lennox is one hot specimen of a man, she refuses to let sex ruin the most important relationship in her life. But when the object of her interest spurns her, she indulges in a little pleasure-filled revenge with her very magnetic, very willing best friend. One thrilling night with Lennox is enough to awaken Jamie’s unexpected desires for him. And now that she’s had a taste, she’s not sure she can ever give him up...


Rowena:  I was mighty curious about Jamie and Lennox’s connection in Claimed so I’m looking forward to more of this kind of bickering in the excerpt…in the book.

Excerpt

The moment they were alone, Jamie narrowed her eyes at Lennox. His serious expression told her everything she needed to know. “You’re going with them.”

He nodded.

She nodded back. “All right. When do we leave?”

A pained look crossed his features. “You’re not coming with us.”

“Are we really starting up this bullshit again?” She flopped down on the edge of the bed and crossed her arms. “I deferred to you about the meeting, but you’re not going to win this one. I go where you go.”

It was the pact they’d made when they were kids, and each of them had spoken those words time and again over the years.

“We’ll be gone for weeks, love. And Foxworth is apparently taking some heat from Enforcers. I’d rather you stayed here where it’s safe.”

She lifted her chin in defiance. “No.”

“Jamie—”

“No,” she repeated. “I’m coming with you.”

“What about Piper and Layla?” he countered. “You’re perfectly okay leaving them alone?”

“Connor and Hudson will be here to watch over them. I told you, Len—you can’t win.” She shrugged. “Besides, this training thing could be useful for me. It’s been a while since I got in any target practice.”

Lennox snorted. “You can shoot better than anyone I know, Pike and Rylan included.”

He had her there. The adults at the camp they’d grown up in had made sure every single child knew how to shoot a weapon. Jamie and Lennox used to take their rifles into the woods and set up targets, and by the time she was seven years old, she could blow a glass bottle right out of the sky while both she and the target were in motion.

“Fine, then I’ll work on honing my combat skills.” She refused to back down. “Either way, I’m going with you.”

A crease of unhappiness dug into his proud forehead, but Jamie knew he was close to capitulating. Lennox didn’t like letting her out of his sight and they both knew it. And that was fine by her. His overprotective bullshit annoyed her sometimes, but when it came down to it, she and Lennox were a team and always had been.

“Fine,” he grumbled. “You can come.”

She snickered. “You say that as if you’re giving me permission. But sure, you can keep thinking you’re in charge if it makes you feel better.”

His lips quirked in an exasperated smile. Then he walked over to the bed and captured her chin with one big hand before dipping his head to kiss her cheek. “Night, love. We’ll talk more tomorrow.”

The soft brush of his warm lips on her skin made her smile. Lennox was always so tender with her, which was ironic, considering that it was no secret that he liked rough sex. Jamie had seen him pound into women with fervor, use his lips and hands and teeth to let out his sexual aggression.

She was one of the rare people who got to experience the gentle Lennox. The sweet Lennox. She would’ve missed out on that if the two of them had gotten sexually involved, because going to bed with Lennox would’ve come with a choice: sex or friendship.

Times like these, when he ran a tender hand over her cheek and gazed at her as though she meant the world to him, she was glad she’d never been forced to make that choice.

Two more weeks and then everyone will be able to read this book for themselves. Dance with me now… 🙂

Outlaws

Giveaway: We’re giving one lucky winner their choice of one of our Sunday Spotlight books. Use the Rafflecopter widget below to enter for one of this month’s features.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Are you as excited for this release as we are? Let us know how excited you are and what other books you’re looking forward to this year!

About Elle Kennedy

A New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author, Elle Kennedy grew up in the suburbs of Toronto, Ontario, and holds a B.A. in English from York University. From an early age, she knew she wanted to be a writer, and actively began pursuing that dream when she was a teenager.

Elle writes romantic suspense and erotic contemporary romance for various publishers. She loves strong heroines and sexy alpha heroes, and just enough heat and danger to keep things interesting!


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Review: Claimed by Elle Kennedy

Posted October 12, 2015 by Rowena in Reviews | 3 Comments

Review: Claimed by Elle KennedyClaimed by Elle Kennedy
Series: Outlaws #1
Also in this series: Ruled
Publisher: Signet
Publication Date: October 6, 2015
Genres: Dystopian
Add It: Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Ripped Bodice | Google Play Books
four-stars
Series Rating: four-stars

The bestselling author of the Killer Instincts novels “knows how to write scorching sexual tension” (USA Today). Now she really sets it on fire in a new series about men and women living on the edge of violence, sex, and life and death.

After a devastating war decimated most of the world, Hudson Lane has only known the oppressive life under her own father’s tyranny. She finally escapes, branding herself an outlaw and hunted by the Enforcers. Her best chance at survival is Connor Mackenzie, an aggressively sensual fugitive who opens her eyes to the wicked possibilities of a world without rules.

As the leader of a band of outlaw fighters, Connor can’t resist the beautiful stranger who asks for his protection. Despite his reservations, he agrees to introduce her to a whole new way of life. But when Connor discovers Hudson’s connection to the enemies of liberty, he wonders how far he can trust the woman who has abandoned all inhibitions to challenge every forbidden desire.

Rowena’s review of Claimed (Outlaws #1) by Elle Kennedy.

In the last year or so, I’ve become a huge Elle Kennedy fan. I’m at the point in my fangirlishness over her work that I’ll read anything she puts out. I’m not a big reader of dystopian stories but when I found out that Elle Kennedy was writing one, I wanted to read it and knew that I was going to enjoy it.

So in this Outlaws world, it’s after the big war that destroyed well…everything. The world as we know it now, is completely gone in this world. California, Colorado, New York City, it’s all a part of the past and the people are now under the control of the government. Those that will not bend to the government’s rule, are living as outlaws in the wilderness – hunted by the government.

Connor MacKenzie has been living as an outlaw for a while now and along the way, the loner has attracted some friends who just stuck around. After his wife and people were killed by Dominick Lane, leader of the Enforcers, Connor has dreamed of avenging his wife. Dominick has been on his kill list for a long time and Connor knew that one day, he was going to kill him. He just had to be patient. His band of followers keeps getting bigger and bigger and that was something Connor was not counting on. He didn’t want to become a leader but that’s what happened anyway.

When the beautiful Hudson comes across Connor and his men, she wants their protection and at first, Connor was like, “Hell no” but the guilt trips from his men had him turning around and taking Hudson under his protection. His life was never the same again.

Hudson is running from the enforcers because her father has promised her hand in marriage to a monster that scares the daylights out of Hudson and she would rather live as an outlaw than to live as his wife. So of course at the first chance she gets, Hudson flees the safety of her home to the wild lands of the outlaws. When she comes across Connor and his men, she knows that she’ll be safe from Knox with them so she practically begs to be a part of their group.

Watching Connor and Hudson battle their personal issues along with their growing feelings for each other was a treat to read because I was all up in their business. There were times when I wanted to throttle Connor for being so hard on Hudson but as the story progressed, I switched gears and wanted to choke Hudson out for waiting so long to come clean with not just Connor but the other guys as well. I understood why she didn’t tell them at first but she knew that Connor was falling in love with her and she was falling for him and she still kept her secret and for a little bit, that didn’t sit right with me.

Kennedy continues to hit every single one of my happy buttons and this book wasn’t an exception. I enjoyed the cast of characters and am looking forward to see who is getting their book next. I’m pretty anxious for books for everyone but Dominick and Rylan just a tad bit more. I’m kind of wondering who Rylan will end up with…Reese or Jamie?

Overall, this book was entertaining and everything that I’ve come to expect from Elle Kennedy. She writes the kind of books that readers want to read. I’m definitely on board for more.

Grade: 4 out of 5

This book is available from Signet. 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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