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Men of Haven #1
Rough & Tumble
Live hard, f*ck harder and make their own rules. Those are the cornerstones the six Men of Haven bleed taking what they want, always watching each other’s backs, and loving the women they claim with unyielding tenderness and fierce passion.
A self-made man with his fingers in a variety of successful businesses, Jace Kennedy lives for the challenge. From the start, he sees Vivienne Moore’s hidden wild side and knows she’s his perfect match, if only he can break it free. Earning this woman’s trust is a task unlike any he’s faced so far, but Jace didn’t get where he is by giving up.
Vivienne’s determined to ditch the rough lifestyle she grew up in, even if that means hiding her true self behind a bland socialite veneer. Dragging her party-hound sister out of a club was not how she wanted to ring in the New Year, but Viv knows the drill. Get in, get her sister and get back to the safe, stable life she’s built for herself as fast as humanly possible. But Viv’s plans are derailed when she meets the club’s seriously sexy owner.
Jace is everything Vivienne swore she never wanted, but the more time she spends with him, the more she starts to see that he loves just as fiercely as he fights. He can walk society’s walk and talk society’s talk, but when he wants something, he finds a way to get it. He’s proud of who he is and where he came from, and he’ll be damned if he lets Vivienne go before showing her the safest place of all is in his arms.
This book is approximately 105,000 words
One-click with confidence. This title is part of the Carina Press Romance Promise : all the romance you’re looking for with an HEA/HFN. It’s a promise!
A self-made man with his fingers in a variety of successful businesses, Jace Kennedy lives for the challenge. From the start, he sees Vivienne Moore’s hidden wild side and knows she’s his perfect match, if only he can break it free. Earning this woman’s trust is a task unlike any he’s faced so far, but Jace didn’t get where he is by giving up.
Vivienne’s determined to ditch the rough lifestyle she grew up in, even if that means hiding her true self behind a bland socialite veneer. Dragging her party-hound sister out of a club was not how she wanted to ring in the New Year, but Viv knows the drill. Get in, get her sister and get back to the safe, stable life she’s built for herself as fast as humanly possible. But Viv’s plans are derailed when she meets the club’s seriously sexy owner.
Jace is everything Vivienne swore she never wanted, but the more time she spends with him, the more she starts to see that he loves just as fiercely as he fights. He can walk society’s walk and talk society’s talk, but when he wants something, he finds a way to get it. He’s proud of who he is and where he came from, and he’ll be damned if he lets Vivienne go before showing her the safest place of all is in his arms.
This book is approximately 105,000 words
One-click with confidence. This title is part of the Carina Press Romance Promise : all the romance you’re looking for with an HEA/HFN. It’s a promise!
432 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 20, 2017
About the author
Rhenna Morgan
35 books1,068 followersA native Oklahoman with two beautiful girls, Rhenna Morgan is a certified romance junkie and has a resume that reflects her passion for new experiences. Since graduating with a Bachelors in Radio, Television, and Film at Oklahoma State, she’s racked up positions ranging from on-air radio talent, skip tracer, and promotions director, to real estate agent, project manager, and business analyst.
Like most women, she’s got obligations stacked tight from dawn to dusk. To combat the crush of reality, she’s turned to romance as her primary source of escape ever since she cracked the spine on her first Christine Feehan book years ago. Whether it’s contemporary, paranormal, or fantasy you’re after, Rhenna’s stories pack new, exciting worlds, and strong, intuitive men who fight to keep the women they want.
For advance release news and exclusive content, sign up for her newsletter at http://RhennaMorgan.com. You can also find her social media links there, along with her smoking hot inspiration boards.
Like most women, she’s got obligations stacked tight from dawn to dusk. To combat the crush of reality, she’s turned to romance as her primary source of escape ever since she cracked the spine on her first Christine Feehan book years ago. Whether it’s contemporary, paranormal, or fantasy you’re after, Rhenna’s stories pack new, exciting worlds, and strong, intuitive men who fight to keep the women they want.
For advance release news and exclusive content, sign up for her newsletter at http://RhennaMorgan.com. You can also find her social media links there, along with her smoking hot inspiration boards.
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November 24, 2016
I’d like to tell you all about a brand new series coming up by Rhenna Morgan, The Haven Brotherhood. The Brotherhood is six men, all with checkered pasts, who came together to form their own family. A family that will protect each other no matter the cost, that doesn’t always operate within the confines of the law but lives by their own moral code. These six scotch drinking, sexy alpha men are sure to make you swoon, sigh, smile, and in my case, melt into a big pile of goo. First, I want to tell you about the first book, Rough & Tumble which features Jace.
Jace Kennedy has investments in several businesses in Dallas but his most visible are the two bars he owns. Lately, though, he has had trouble with the local drug lord trying to do business out of his club. On top of that, the Dallas Police Dept. seems singularly focused on visiting his club to check up on him. Then there is the sleaze ball, Paul Renner who is running for office, doing anything and everything he can to soil Jace’s reputation.
Vivienne Moore also has a past she would rather forget. She now has her own event planning business called Amaryllis Events but business is slow and she is barely keeping her head above water. Viv is convinced that to make it, she has to shed her wild side and portray the buttoned up sleek professional woman she wants her clients to see. Viv has a younger sister, Callie. Callie’s sole purpose is to party. About once a week, Viv gets a call from Callie needing to be rescued. It is such a night when Viv goes in to the club where Callie is holed up in the bathroom, needing help, that Jace first sees her. He knew right away that underneath that buttoned up suit and tightly pinned hair, there was something else, something he had to discover, had to set free. And he was determined that he would be the one to do it.
“I think you’re the type to make a woman lose good sense.”
“Maybe you need a man capable of making you lose good sense.”
Dear God, what was it about this guy? She’d never met a man who so thoroughly scrambled her thoughts and cranked her physical senses to overdrive.
When Jace learns of Viv’s event planning business, he finds a way in to her world. He will hire her to plan an upcoming event for he and his brothers. And while he’s at it, he will find a way to break down her walls, to learn her secrets. He wants her, and he will do whatever it takes to have her.
“One way or another, he was going to find a way into Vivienne Moore’s world, even if he had to bribe her to do it.”
Jace and Viv’s connection is electric to say the least. But Viv wants safe, and Jace most definitely is not safe. If she lets him in, he could easily break her. But the more she sees him and his brothers and the family they have created, the more she gets to know who Jace really is, the more she yearns to be a part of it, even if it’s just for a little while.
“No one knew what tomorrow would bring, or any day after that, but she had right now. In this moment, all she wanted was Jace and everything that went with him.”
I’m telling you, you need to put this book on your schedule. It’s due out on February 20, 2017. This book is amazing. Jace literally turned me into a wobbly pile of jello. His tough exterior was just a façade. He tried to keep his vulnerability covered but when he let it show through, my heart literally cracked. I could not put this down and when I wasn’t reading, I was thinking about it. I loved Viv and Jace together. They were perfect for each other. And just wait until you meet Viv’s Doberman, Ruger. That dog was adorable and now I want one.
“She was perfect. Wild and sweet. Dirty and innocent. As if the universe had converged in some cosmic event and made the ideal woman just for him. After all he’d done, despite all his sins and imperfections, she was here. Bound to him in the most fundamental way a man could claim a woman. Somewhere, somehow, he must have done something right. Now all he had to do was find a way to make sure she didn’t slip away.”
So, make sure you mark your calendars. This is a must read. Now I will be dying for the next book, Wild & Sweet, which will be Zeke, the Brotherhood’s doctor. Rhenna Morgan, you hit a home run with this one.
October 9, 2019
Feeling so disappointed with the new releases in 2019, I have been digging into the past to see what I have missed and look what I have found: A series I want to binge-read 😊
*********************************************
Rough & Tumble is the first book in “Haven Brotherhood” series and it was a solid 4-star book for me but it can be a 5-star read if you like your romance spiced up with a bit of thriller/action etc.
Despite the drug lords / club business / filthy politicians sub-plot, which is something I do not prefer to read about in my romance, I ended up loving this one and that really means something when it comes from a reader like me, who doesn’t prefer this genre. That means THE ROMANCE IN IT IS TOO GOOD TO PASS 😊 So, I definitely recommend this book!
HAVEN BROTHERHOOD is a family not by blood but by choice. It is made up of 6 alpha male guys with true hearts. They are tough guys who do anything to protect each other and their loved ones. They are tighter than blood brothers.
All six guys in Haven Brotherhood are educated and intelligent alpha males with their own secrets and tragic stories. In time, they have become a family like no other. They do not only protect one another in times of danger but also meet regularly in their Haven and have fun, eating, chatting and playing games.
These guys don't always stick to the law; they have their own rules that stem from their own conscience, beliefs and values and they act according to those rules they have created. I admired how they always had each other’s back and how much they tried not to be the bad guys no matter what. Well, they are definitely the good guys.
*********************************************
JACE – the hero
I always tend to try a book with a bad boy in it but it is not often I love them. This book portrays an alpha guy/bad boy to my taste. He is the perfect combination of alpha-protective-possessive-loyal-vulnerable-emotional-respectful-intelligent-educated-sexy-dreamy and all… Yum!
The fact that he has long hair also helps… I love a man with long hair.
Jace is rough around the edges and like his brothers, he lives by his own rules but he has this caring side of him that makes him a lovely alpha. He is philanthropic and his heart is always in the right place. And he is one of those alpha males who fall hard when they fall in love with a woman of their match. He is not afraid of wearing his love on his sleeve.
Jace has a loyalty to his brothers and his family and later to the woman he loves and claims as his.
So, being a bad as* alpha male and act like they are God’s gifts to women doesn’t make a hero my type of alpha hero. Like Jace, I want my bad boys to have a soft side to the people they love and care about. Jace is one of those marsh-mellow alphas – tough on the outside but soft in the inside 😊 He is the knight in a tarnished armor.
P.S. By the way, this cover is WRONG - so very wrong because our hero is a big guy with a beard and long hair. Please refer to my guy in my review – that’s a better portrayal of our hero 😊
*********************************************
VIVIENNE – the heroine
Our heroine is a closeted free spirit. On the outside, she is a smart-dressed business woman but she has a wild and free spirit she tampers down. She has never had a stable family life. However, she educated herself well and worked hard to leave her tumultuous past behind but her drug addict and alcoholic sister doesn’t help her at all, dragging her down all the time.
Vivienne has her insecurities but she is also a smart ass. Her brain just sometimes short-circuits when Jace is near her but instead of appearing like a weak and doormat heroine, she is just adorable. I loved her!
Vivienne dresses in prim and proper business suits and lives in a sterile environment that doesn’t have a soul. Because she didn't have the easiest childhood with a selfish mother and a drunk father, she thinks that she will have a safe life if she suppresses her real self that actually wants to let go and enjoy life more. Maybe she lives a safe life but she is bored out of her mind. She just needs a man who will see beneath the surface of her prim and proper self and help her let go of her insecurities, worries and fears. She needs a person who can bring back the free spirit she once was before her fears made her the closeted person she is now.
And this person happens to be Jace Kennedy, who at first symbolizes everything she avoids – a dangerous man who is rough around the edges - but she is drawn to him like a moth to a flame and despite fearing to be with him at first, she slowly sees the real man behind the tough exterior and falls in love not only with his good looks but also with his honorable, protective and fierce character.
PLOT / WRITING / SAFETY
Jace and Vivienne first meet when she goes to one of the clubs of Haven Brothers to rescue once again her drunk sister who called her while puking in the club toilet. Jace is wounded and one of his brothers, Zeke, who happens to be a doctor, is stitching his cut in the toilet when she enters.
In this awkward place and situation, both of them see something in each other that they are instantly drawn to. However, it is neither the time nor the place to act on it so he lets her go but he makes sure she and her sister arrive home safely by sending one of his men with them to help.
That night, Jace takes a woman to his house to hook up to take the edge off, but he sees that it is an asinine attempt to dodge the pull he’d felt for Vivienne so he stops. He helps her get off but when he realizes it’s Vivienne he wants to have sex with, not any woman available, he stops it and doesn’t sleep with her.
This scene is not explained when it happens. We just learn about it in the morning when Jace thinks what a mistake he has done by bringing a woman to his house. So a few sentences of the summary of the night – that’s all.
I didn’t like that he took a woman home to hook up with but I tried to get over it, seeing how he couldn’t go on with it and also seeing that he was totally loyal and dedicated to Vivienne from then on.
We can say that it takes Jace one night and one mistake to realize Vivienne is the game changer. Once he makes the decision to go after Vivienne, he is all about her and only her. No cheating, no OW/OM drama.
Vivienne is literally thrown off kilter when she meets Jace. He is the opposite of “safe” with his wild lifestyle.
Jace is having trouble with a local drug dealer and that’s why, there are some events that cause Dallas Police make frequent visits to his clubs and also a corrupt politician who has a past with Jace is also causing all kinds of media backlash, attacking Jace’s business.
Not only his lifestyle but also the sizzling chemistry between them also make Jace a man far from being safe in the eyes of Vivienne. He is a man that makes her feel too much and she thinks she will be left alone in the end and she is afraid of being hurt. But Jace is a man who knows what he wants and goes after it so he is relentless in his pursue of Vivienne. However, he sees her vulnerable side and respects her. Thus, he reins in his alpha nature a bit not to spook her as he doesn’t want her to run the opposite direction.
Jace also has his own insecurities. He is worried that Vivienne will reject him because of his bad guy reputation as he is regarded as a thug by some people in the community. By giving Jace a chance, Vivienne learns to look past appearances.
Because the writing is good and characters are very-well portrayed, I was able to connect with them. I was drawn to their story from the start and despite not being a good reader of this kind of books, I immensely enjoyed my time with it, loving all the characters.
And as for the steam, this book will make all smut-lovers happy with its passionate love story and hot as hell scenes.
The book is written in the 3rd person and it is 310 pages. It has a HEA with an epilogue but thank God, no babies yet. Let the couple enjoy their alone time for the time being 😊
*********************************************
The next book is about Zeke and I will definitely continue reading the stories of all Haven brothers as they all seemed worthy of my time 😊
*********************************************
*********************************************
QUOTES FROM THE BOOK...
“Hi.” A lame attempt at a sophisticated greeting, but at least she’d managed something. So what if it was only one syllable?
***
“My naughty girl’s got a good imagination.”
“What makes you think I’m naughty?”
“Caught that shiver, sugar. Not to mention you’ve got some damn nice ink of a wicked dragon with his head aimed straight at your pu**y. Now, crawl the f*ck up here and let me look, then I’ll show you how I spent my nights thinking about you.”
“He’s not aimed that way.”
Jace grinned, the tilt so hungry and dirty it was a wonder she didn’t come right then. “He’s lookin’ straight at it. Wants it as bad as I do. Now are you gonna straddle me and let me pay homage? Or do I need to pin you on your back to do it?”
“You could hurt me,” she whispered.
He grinned, still teasing her mouth with his barely-there touch. “Won’t ever be with intent, and if I do, I’ll bust my ass to fix it. Not sure you get it yet, but you will eventually. You’re mine.”
***
“You said I made you feel. Said I made you want to throw safe out the window. But here’s the deal, sugar. You need an updated definition of what safe means. If it meant Emily Post and High Tea at four, then the road you were on might be the right one. But from my view, safe means knowing someone’s got your back. That they think ahead and anticipate what you need before you even realize you need it. It means knowing someone else will put you first even when it might hurt the giver. Under that definition, you stick with me, you’ll never be safer.”
“Jace.” His whispered name slipped from her mouth as tears trailed down her cheeks, the chasm of doubt and worry she’d created between them near to overflowing with hope. So many years she’d wanted to have someone say sweet things to her, to care about what she wanted and see to her needs instead of the other way around. But to have that alongside such intellect and conviction? Never in her wildest fantasies had she ever thought she’d be this blessed.
***
Another hundred years on the planet and the worst case of dementia couldn’t shake the memory she’d just given him.
Seconds later, he turned her and pulled her tight against him, his denim a delicious friction against her bare thighs and belly. “You okay?”
She nuzzled into the crook of his neck and savored the manly sunshine scent of him. “Okay is probably the wrong word. Boneless sounds good.” She giggled and kissed him behind his ear. “Well, maybe not boneless. That makes me sound like a steak.”
He chuckled low and swept her into his arms. “I do believe my girl’s fuck drunk.”
“Ha!” The sharp bark busted free as sure as it would’ve after three or four tequilas, more light and worry free than she’d been in...well, ever. “I think you may be right.”
She turned and nailed him the rawest expression he’d ever seen. “Do you know how hard it is to walk through the dark and not imagine all the trapdoors and booby traps along the way? I could barely navigate relationships with men I felt nothing more than appreciation for. Negotiating that terrain blind with someone who shakes me to the core is scary as hell.”
“It’s scary because you’ve got no practice.” He stood and prowled toward her. He pulled her against him, his hands anchored just above her ass and in her hair so she couldn’t look away. “What you don’t get yet is that scary place you’re stumbling through’s not the dark. It’s shelter. My shelter. No matter what it takes—money, time, words, or blood—I’ll give it to keep you safe.”
***
“When I said I’d give blood to keep you safe, I meant mine. My life, if that’s what it took. And scared or not, I think you know, a man wouldn’t give up his life for a woman he didn’t love.”
***
Her heart hammered in her throat. “I love you, Jace.”
Jace cradled her face in his hands, eyes roving her features. “Won’t let you regret that, Viv. As long as I breathe, I’ll earn that gift.”
*********************************************
Rough & Tumble is the first book in “Haven Brotherhood” series and it was a solid 4-star book for me but it can be a 5-star read if you like your romance spiced up with a bit of thriller/action etc.
Despite the drug lords / club business / filthy politicians sub-plot, which is something I do not prefer to read about in my romance, I ended up loving this one and that really means something when it comes from a reader like me, who doesn’t prefer this genre. That means THE ROMANCE IN IT IS TOO GOOD TO PASS 😊 So, I definitely recommend this book!
HAVEN BROTHERHOOD is a family not by blood but by choice. It is made up of 6 alpha male guys with true hearts. They are tough guys who do anything to protect each other and their loved ones. They are tighter than blood brothers.
All six guys in Haven Brotherhood are educated and intelligent alpha males with their own secrets and tragic stories. In time, they have become a family like no other. They do not only protect one another in times of danger but also meet regularly in their Haven and have fun, eating, chatting and playing games.
These guys don't always stick to the law; they have their own rules that stem from their own conscience, beliefs and values and they act according to those rules they have created. I admired how they always had each other’s back and how much they tried not to be the bad guys no matter what. Well, they are definitely the good guys.
*********************************************
JACE – the hero
I always tend to try a book with a bad boy in it but it is not often I love them. This book portrays an alpha guy/bad boy to my taste. He is the perfect combination of alpha-protective-possessive-loyal-vulnerable-emotional-respectful-intelligent-educated-sexy-dreamy and all… Yum!
The fact that he has long hair also helps… I love a man with long hair.
Jace is rough around the edges and like his brothers, he lives by his own rules but he has this caring side of him that makes him a lovely alpha. He is philanthropic and his heart is always in the right place. And he is one of those alpha males who fall hard when they fall in love with a woman of their match. He is not afraid of wearing his love on his sleeve.
Jace has a loyalty to his brothers and his family and later to the woman he loves and claims as his.
So, being a bad as* alpha male and act like they are God’s gifts to women doesn’t make a hero my type of alpha hero. Like Jace, I want my bad boys to have a soft side to the people they love and care about. Jace is one of those marsh-mellow alphas – tough on the outside but soft in the inside 😊 He is the knight in a tarnished armor.
P.S. By the way, this cover is WRONG - so very wrong because our hero is a big guy with a beard and long hair. Please refer to my guy in my review – that’s a better portrayal of our hero 😊
*********************************************
VIVIENNE – the heroine
Our heroine is a closeted free spirit. On the outside, she is a smart-dressed business woman but she has a wild and free spirit she tampers down. She has never had a stable family life. However, she educated herself well and worked hard to leave her tumultuous past behind but her drug addict and alcoholic sister doesn’t help her at all, dragging her down all the time.
Vivienne has her insecurities but she is also a smart ass. Her brain just sometimes short-circuits when Jace is near her but instead of appearing like a weak and doormat heroine, she is just adorable. I loved her!
Vivienne dresses in prim and proper business suits and lives in a sterile environment that doesn’t have a soul. Because she didn't have the easiest childhood with a selfish mother and a drunk father, she thinks that she will have a safe life if she suppresses her real self that actually wants to let go and enjoy life more. Maybe she lives a safe life but she is bored out of her mind. She just needs a man who will see beneath the surface of her prim and proper self and help her let go of her insecurities, worries and fears. She needs a person who can bring back the free spirit she once was before her fears made her the closeted person she is now.
And this person happens to be Jace Kennedy, who at first symbolizes everything she avoids – a dangerous man who is rough around the edges - but she is drawn to him like a moth to a flame and despite fearing to be with him at first, she slowly sees the real man behind the tough exterior and falls in love not only with his good looks but also with his honorable, protective and fierce character.
PLOT / WRITING / SAFETY
Jace and Vivienne first meet when she goes to one of the clubs of Haven Brothers to rescue once again her drunk sister who called her while puking in the club toilet. Jace is wounded and one of his brothers, Zeke, who happens to be a doctor, is stitching his cut in the toilet when she enters.
In this awkward place and situation, both of them see something in each other that they are instantly drawn to. However, it is neither the time nor the place to act on it so he lets her go but he makes sure she and her sister arrive home safely by sending one of his men with them to help.
That night, Jace takes a woman to his house to hook up to take the edge off, but he sees that it is an asinine attempt to dodge the pull he’d felt for Vivienne so he stops. He helps her get off but when he realizes it’s Vivienne he wants to have sex with, not any woman available, he stops it and doesn’t sleep with her.
This scene is not explained when it happens. We just learn about it in the morning when Jace thinks what a mistake he has done by bringing a woman to his house. So a few sentences of the summary of the night – that’s all.
I didn’t like that he took a woman home to hook up with but I tried to get over it, seeing how he couldn’t go on with it and also seeing that he was totally loyal and dedicated to Vivienne from then on.
We can say that it takes Jace one night and one mistake to realize Vivienne is the game changer. Once he makes the decision to go after Vivienne, he is all about her and only her. No cheating, no OW/OM drama.
Vivienne is literally thrown off kilter when she meets Jace. He is the opposite of “safe” with his wild lifestyle.
Jace is having trouble with a local drug dealer and that’s why, there are some events that cause Dallas Police make frequent visits to his clubs and also a corrupt politician who has a past with Jace is also causing all kinds of media backlash, attacking Jace’s business.
Not only his lifestyle but also the sizzling chemistry between them also make Jace a man far from being safe in the eyes of Vivienne. He is a man that makes her feel too much and she thinks she will be left alone in the end and she is afraid of being hurt. But Jace is a man who knows what he wants and goes after it so he is relentless in his pursue of Vivienne. However, he sees her vulnerable side and respects her. Thus, he reins in his alpha nature a bit not to spook her as he doesn’t want her to run the opposite direction.
Jace also has his own insecurities. He is worried that Vivienne will reject him because of his bad guy reputation as he is regarded as a thug by some people in the community. By giving Jace a chance, Vivienne learns to look past appearances.
Because the writing is good and characters are very-well portrayed, I was able to connect with them. I was drawn to their story from the start and despite not being a good reader of this kind of books, I immensely enjoyed my time with it, loving all the characters.
And as for the steam, this book will make all smut-lovers happy with its passionate love story and hot as hell scenes.
The book is written in the 3rd person and it is 310 pages. It has a HEA with an epilogue but thank God, no babies yet. Let the couple enjoy their alone time for the time being 😊
*********************************************
The next book is about Zeke and I will definitely continue reading the stories of all Haven brothers as they all seemed worthy of my time 😊
*********************************************
*********************************************
QUOTES FROM THE BOOK...
“Hi.” A lame attempt at a sophisticated greeting, but at least she’d managed something. So what if it was only one syllable?
***
“My naughty girl’s got a good imagination.”
“What makes you think I’m naughty?”
“Caught that shiver, sugar. Not to mention you’ve got some damn nice ink of a wicked dragon with his head aimed straight at your pu**y. Now, crawl the f*ck up here and let me look, then I’ll show you how I spent my nights thinking about you.”
“He’s not aimed that way.”
Jace grinned, the tilt so hungry and dirty it was a wonder she didn’t come right then. “He’s lookin’ straight at it. Wants it as bad as I do. Now are you gonna straddle me and let me pay homage? Or do I need to pin you on your back to do it?”
“You could hurt me,” she whispered.
He grinned, still teasing her mouth with his barely-there touch. “Won’t ever be with intent, and if I do, I’ll bust my ass to fix it. Not sure you get it yet, but you will eventually. You’re mine.”
***
“You said I made you feel. Said I made you want to throw safe out the window. But here’s the deal, sugar. You need an updated definition of what safe means. If it meant Emily Post and High Tea at four, then the road you were on might be the right one. But from my view, safe means knowing someone’s got your back. That they think ahead and anticipate what you need before you even realize you need it. It means knowing someone else will put you first even when it might hurt the giver. Under that definition, you stick with me, you’ll never be safer.”
“Jace.” His whispered name slipped from her mouth as tears trailed down her cheeks, the chasm of doubt and worry she’d created between them near to overflowing with hope. So many years she’d wanted to have someone say sweet things to her, to care about what she wanted and see to her needs instead of the other way around. But to have that alongside such intellect and conviction? Never in her wildest fantasies had she ever thought she’d be this blessed.
***
Another hundred years on the planet and the worst case of dementia couldn’t shake the memory she’d just given him.
Seconds later, he turned her and pulled her tight against him, his denim a delicious friction against her bare thighs and belly. “You okay?”
She nuzzled into the crook of his neck and savored the manly sunshine scent of him. “Okay is probably the wrong word. Boneless sounds good.” She giggled and kissed him behind his ear. “Well, maybe not boneless. That makes me sound like a steak.”
He chuckled low and swept her into his arms. “I do believe my girl’s fuck drunk.”
“Ha!” The sharp bark busted free as sure as it would’ve after three or four tequilas, more light and worry free than she’d been in...well, ever. “I think you may be right.”
She turned and nailed him the rawest expression he’d ever seen. “Do you know how hard it is to walk through the dark and not imagine all the trapdoors and booby traps along the way? I could barely navigate relationships with men I felt nothing more than appreciation for. Negotiating that terrain blind with someone who shakes me to the core is scary as hell.”
“It’s scary because you’ve got no practice.” He stood and prowled toward her. He pulled her against him, his hands anchored just above her ass and in her hair so she couldn’t look away. “What you don’t get yet is that scary place you’re stumbling through’s not the dark. It’s shelter. My shelter. No matter what it takes—money, time, words, or blood—I’ll give it to keep you safe.”
***
“When I said I’d give blood to keep you safe, I meant mine. My life, if that’s what it took. And scared or not, I think you know, a man wouldn’t give up his life for a woman he didn’t love.”
***
Her heart hammered in her throat. “I love you, Jace.”
Jace cradled her face in his hands, eyes roving her features. “Won’t let you regret that, Viv. As long as I breathe, I’ll earn that gift.”
February 5, 2017
5 STARS
Review @ Vanilla & Spice Books
Another weekend, another bar Vivienne has to drag her loose cannon of a sister out of and she is a little bit tired of playing her sister's rescue party when Callie is drugged and/or drunk in a bar. It is then that Jace Kennedy, part owner of the business, sees the buttoned-up, pantsuit-clad Vivienne and notices the wild child behind the polished exterior.
Vivienne shed her inner free spirit when she opened her own event planning company. She is convinced that clients prefer negotiating with a sophisticated woman. When she sees Jace for the first time she knows he is trouble. He knocks things loose inside of her that she can't afford to have. Even more so with her past. Jace is dead-set on helping Viv to let go of the rules she set for herself and to actually live but the skittish woman needs gentle prodding and Jace is a bad boy personified, everything that she should avoid. Yet, there is an underlying vulnerability she senses beneath the tough guy...
From the blurb I actually thought this would be an MC romance. When I started reading I realized it was something completely different. Yeah, those guys in the brotherhood are badass. They ride motorcycles and own businesses, some seemingly shady but they have one thing in common, they'd die for one another. I loved their banter and their loyalty, the way they had each other's back.
Vivienne is a sweet heroine, a little bit shy but with warmth and a big heart. She tries so hard to resist Jace, who is larger than life and sometimes simply too much for her personality. It is lovely to see how she grows into herself when Jace coaxes her out of her self imposed shell. I could relate to her and her way of thinking, how she thought that this intense man wouldn't be safe for her.
Jace was an interesting character. In the beginning he reminded my of Kristen Ashley's heroes and while a part of that is still true, he was something else entirely. He was rough around the edges but with a gentle touch for his woman. His inner caveman was always bubbling just under the surface and he was all man...but with Vivienne Jace let his soul show and it was a beautiful thing to witness. There is also no doubt that this woman is his and protects what belongs to him.
Oh and are they hot together? Jesus, yes. They have intense chemistry.
I love when I get to read new authors and it works out for both of us. Rhenna Morgan's story about a brotherhood of guys and two amazing main characters is so much more than I expected from the blurb. There is a lot of banter and sweet and even a little mystery. She has also created multifaceted, deep and lovable characters you can relate to and root for. Meeting the rest of the brotherhood has only made me impatient for their stories. If this book is anything to go by we will be in for quite a ride.
Review @ Vanilla & Spice Books
Another weekend, another bar Vivienne has to drag her loose cannon of a sister out of and she is a little bit tired of playing her sister's rescue party when Callie is drugged and/or drunk in a bar. It is then that Jace Kennedy, part owner of the business, sees the buttoned-up, pantsuit-clad Vivienne and notices the wild child behind the polished exterior.
Vivienne shed her inner free spirit when she opened her own event planning company. She is convinced that clients prefer negotiating with a sophisticated woman. When she sees Jace for the first time she knows he is trouble. He knocks things loose inside of her that she can't afford to have. Even more so with her past. Jace is dead-set on helping Viv to let go of the rules she set for herself and to actually live but the skittish woman needs gentle prodding and Jace is a bad boy personified, everything that she should avoid. Yet, there is an underlying vulnerability she senses beneath the tough guy...
Jace Kennedy was hands down the absolute prime candidate for who not to get involved with, no matter how much her body disagreed.
From the blurb I actually thought this would be an MC romance. When I started reading I realized it was something completely different. Yeah, those guys in the brotherhood are badass. They ride motorcycles and own businesses, some seemingly shady but they have one thing in common, they'd die for one another. I loved their banter and their loyalty, the way they had each other's back.
Vivienne is a sweet heroine, a little bit shy but with warmth and a big heart. She tries so hard to resist Jace, who is larger than life and sometimes simply too much for her personality. It is lovely to see how she grows into herself when Jace coaxes her out of her self imposed shell. I could relate to her and her way of thinking, how she thought that this intense man wouldn't be safe for her.
You've got layers. Lots of 'em. Passion and smarts and a sweet little heart. All of it wrapped up in curves that make a man want to touch.
Jace was an interesting character. In the beginning he reminded my of Kristen Ashley's heroes and while a part of that is still true, he was something else entirely. He was rough around the edges but with a gentle touch for his woman. His inner caveman was always bubbling just under the surface and he was all man...but with Vivienne Jace let his soul show and it was a beautiful thing to witness. There is also no doubt that this woman is his and protects what belongs to him.
Oh and are they hot together? Jesus, yes. They have intense chemistry.
I love when I get to read new authors and it works out for both of us. Rhenna Morgan's story about a brotherhood of guys and two amazing main characters is so much more than I expected from the blurb. There is a lot of banter and sweet and even a little mystery. She has also created multifaceted, deep and lovable characters you can relate to and root for. Meeting the rest of the brotherhood has only made me impatient for their stories. If this book is anything to go by we will be in for quite a ride.
“She was perfect. Wild and sweet. Dirty and innocent. As if the universe had converged in some cosmic event and made the ideal woman just for him. After all he’d done, despite all his sins and imperfections, she was here. Bound to him in the most fundamental way a man could claim a woman. Somewhere, somehow, he must have done something right. Now all he had to do was find a way to make sure she didn’t slip away.”
April 13, 2018
Get it here:
Amazon US * Amazon UK
3.5 Stars
Rough & Tumble is my first book from Rhenna Morgan and it was definitely a success. I really enjoyed meeting the group of characters from the Haven Brotherhood. Jace was possessive and Alpha just like I like my heroes and Vivienne was a closeted free spirit that I admired for her strength when it came to protecting her family.
I'll admit there were some slow parts but my attention was always grabbed again as I continued to read through those parts. I thought the slight mixture of romance genres was very intriguing and it was fun to get small aspects of different genres in this book. The brotherhood was loyal to each other like you would see in a MC romance, and Jace's underworld contacts had a mafia feel to it.
I already consider myself a fan of this series and now I can't wait for each Brother to get his own story.
Amazon US * Amazon UK
3.5 Stars
Rough & Tumble is my first book from Rhenna Morgan and it was definitely a success. I really enjoyed meeting the group of characters from the Haven Brotherhood. Jace was possessive and Alpha just like I like my heroes and Vivienne was a closeted free spirit that I admired for her strength when it came to protecting her family.
I'll admit there were some slow parts but my attention was always grabbed again as I continued to read through those parts. I thought the slight mixture of romance genres was very intriguing and it was fun to get small aspects of different genres in this book. The brotherhood was loyal to each other like you would see in a MC romance, and Jace's underworld contacts had a mafia feel to it.
I already consider myself a fan of this series and now I can't wait for each Brother to get his own story.
April 19, 2018
This was my first book by Rhenna Morgan and I can honestly say it won’t be my last! I loved this book that is the beginning of a series that is about a bunch of brothers! They are not blood brothers; but brothers by choice! They each have secrets and they all protect one another! I also love that they are all alpha males right down to their core!!!
I will write a more informative review when I have more time! I just wanted to let you all know that I really enjoyed this one and I highly recommend it!
Thank you to Carol, who was the one who let me know about this series! I greatly appreciate it, as I would never have known about it without you making me aware of it! ;-)
I will write a more informative review when I have more time! I just wanted to let you all know that I really enjoyed this one and I highly recommend it!
Thank you to Carol, who was the one who let me know about this series! I greatly appreciate it, as I would never have known about it without you making me aware of it! ;-)
April 3, 2017
Rough & Tumble was my first book by Rhenna Morgan and I can only say I highly enjoyed it. I was hooked right from the start by some seriously intriguing characters (especially alpha Jace), scorching hot chemistry and effortless writing.
The story got a bit slow and predictable towards the end, but nevertheless, I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series. A great start and an author I will add to my list of auto-buys.
**ARC very kindly provided by publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The story got a bit slow and predictable towards the end, but nevertheless, I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series. A great start and an author I will add to my list of auto-buys.
**ARC very kindly provided by publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 8, 2024
Nothing revs my motor more than a protective and possessive alpha! Holy cow, Jace was fantastic! There are alot of things about this book that I liked and a few that I not necessarily didn't like, but would have liked less of.
Jace was a pretty awesome hero. It took him one night to realize Vivienne was a game changer. Once he made the decision to pursue Vivienne, he was all about her and only her. He's pure alpha and likes control but it wasn't over the top if that's not your thing. He does have some insecurities because he's looked upon as a thug in the community but it was handled well by the author. It was a good message to look past appearances.
Vivienne's insecurity was the one thing I wish we had a bit less of. It was understandable but when you got a guy like Jace, you just want her to jump head first. Both of their insecurities did cause a bit of miscommunication between them. I liked Vivienne a lot and that was my only complaint about her.
Beyond, the main characters, I liked that there is this group of guys who are tighter than blood brothers. They have each others back completely and while they are good men, they also don't stick to the law. They are honorable, protective and fierce. Also, they take good care of their mommas.
I like all the men in this group which just makes me excited to read the rest of the series. On to book 2....
Jace was a pretty awesome hero. It took him one night to realize Vivienne was a game changer. Once he made the decision to pursue Vivienne, he was all about her and only her. He's pure alpha and likes control but it wasn't over the top if that's not your thing. He does have some insecurities because he's looked upon as a thug in the community but it was handled well by the author. It was a good message to look past appearances.
Vivienne's insecurity was the one thing I wish we had a bit less of. It was understandable but when you got a guy like Jace, you just want her to jump head first. Both of their insecurities did cause a bit of miscommunication between them. I liked Vivienne a lot and that was my only complaint about her.
Beyond, the main characters, I liked that there is this group of guys who are tighter than blood brothers. They have each others back completely and while they are good men, they also don't stick to the law. They are honorable, protective and fierce. Also, they take good care of their mommas.
I like all the men in this group which just makes me excited to read the rest of the series. On to book 2....
January 2, 2017
He’s gruff on the outside, bold, alpha and sometimes comes across like a knuckle-dragging caveman, while she is trying to bury her past with a prim and proper attitude that really pinches like a shoe that is just too small. Sounds like this has been done before, right? At least a time or two thousand, but wait! Rhenna Morgan has a huge surprise and a fabulous new series that will knock your socks off! We always look for something fresh, and I can honestly say, LOOK NO MORE! Get your alpha fix, your drool-worthy romance and your heroine who can be hot as a firecracker on the Fourth of July. HUGE bonus points for a loving family, great humor and even a warm and fuzzy feeling, ROUGH AND TUMBLE is a definite must-read!
Jace is rough around the edges, but he is a brilliant and successful businessman with a fierce family loyalty, a hidden caring side and a heart that has just fallen hard for the lady who is dragging her party-girl sister out of one more bar with a quiet dignity that borders on a supernatural power.
Vivienne has worked hard to leave her past behind, doing quite well, except for having to be chief cook and bottle washer for her alcoholic sister who just can’t say no to a good drink or a big party. Jace is everything she should avoid, he is the quintessential bad boy, the hardass, but, when she discovers what he hides from the world, including his sanctuary, Haven, she is falling hard and fast for the marshmallow this big man really is.
There’s trouble brewing as a local politician and a drug lord are determined to destroy Jace’s bar one way or the other. Now a popular place for police raids, Jace has his hands full keeping his name out of the mud. Vivienne is a struggling event planner who needs business to survive. Perhaps going all vanilla wasn’t the best move and Jace may be the only person who can bring back the free spirit she was, along with some much needed business. Should be a business match made in heaven, right? Actually, heaven comes in their budding romance and oh my, you are going to swoon with this one! Grab it, read it and thank me later!
I received an ARC edition from Carina Press in exchange for my honest review.
Series: The Haven Brotherhood - Book 1
Publisher: Carina Press (February 1, 2017)
Publication Date: February 20, 2017
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Print Length: 432 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com
Jace is rough around the edges, but he is a brilliant and successful businessman with a fierce family loyalty, a hidden caring side and a heart that has just fallen hard for the lady who is dragging her party-girl sister out of one more bar with a quiet dignity that borders on a supernatural power.
Vivienne has worked hard to leave her past behind, doing quite well, except for having to be chief cook and bottle washer for her alcoholic sister who just can’t say no to a good drink or a big party. Jace is everything she should avoid, he is the quintessential bad boy, the hardass, but, when she discovers what he hides from the world, including his sanctuary, Haven, she is falling hard and fast for the marshmallow this big man really is.
There’s trouble brewing as a local politician and a drug lord are determined to destroy Jace’s bar one way or the other. Now a popular place for police raids, Jace has his hands full keeping his name out of the mud. Vivienne is a struggling event planner who needs business to survive. Perhaps going all vanilla wasn’t the best move and Jace may be the only person who can bring back the free spirit she was, along with some much needed business. Should be a business match made in heaven, right? Actually, heaven comes in their budding romance and oh my, you are going to swoon with this one! Grab it, read it and thank me later!
I received an ARC edition from Carina Press in exchange for my honest review.
Series: The Haven Brotherhood - Book 1
Publisher: Carina Press (February 1, 2017)
Publication Date: February 20, 2017
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Print Length: 432 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com
Shelved as 'big-ol-nope-from-bonnie'
April 27, 2017DNF
I can't even describe how disappointed I am. The night the hero meets the heroine he takes another girl home with him. He doesn't "fuck" her. But she gives him half a blow job, he gets her off and she spends the night in his bed. Sorry but that's not something I want to read in a romance book. I absolutely hate that kind of hero. I feel so sick. Plus he's a complete dick to the girl he brought home.
I can't even describe how disappointed I am. The night the hero meets the heroine he takes another girl home with him. He doesn't "fuck" her. But she gives him half a blow job, he gets her off and she spends the night in his bed. Sorry but that's not something I want to read in a romance book. I absolutely hate that kind of hero. I feel so sick. Plus he's a complete dick to the girl he brought home.
February 8, 2017
Six men, checked pasts, drawn together to help make each other succeed and reach the their full potential…what they become is a family unlike any other.
Jace Kennedy is a strong business man that will bend the rules if it benefits his “Haven Brotherhood” family.
Jace is having trouble with a local drug dealer that has been bringing Dallas Police Department into his clubs and business dealings. On top of that, Paul Renner, a sleeze-ball politician is causing all kinds of media backlash, attacking Kennedy’s business dealings for political gain. To help present a better public appearance, Jace decides to hire Vivienne Moore (event planner) and the woman he can’t get out of his head. He met Vivienne when she rescued her sister from a drunken night at one of his clubs.
Sexual tension through-the-roof, Viv and Jace play at a dance where you know either Viv will be drawn into Jace’s world or she’ll run. Jace will do everything in his power to keep Viv forever.
I have to be honest, the uber alpha, bad boy is getting a little old...UNTIL NOW! Morgan has created a band of six uber alpha, extraordinarily sexy men with checkered pasts but with true HEARTS! You heard me right, Heart. They aren't just tough guys, they will do anything to protect those they love and they aren't afraid to wear that love on their sleeve. I found what I've been missing in all those other stories...you can be tough, you can be a bad ass but you still need to be looking for an equal partnership with the woman that becomes your life (well, that is what i need to be happy with the bad boy character)...and boy does Morgan excel at bring these characters to life. I honestly gobbled up Jace's and Viv's story and can't wait to delve deeper into the Haven Brotherhood family.
I received this ARC copy of Rough & Tumble from Carina Press in exchange for a honest and voluntary review. This book is set for publication Feb 1, 2017.
My Rating: 5 Stars
Written by: Rhenna Morgan
Series: The Haven Brotherhood
Sequence in Series: Book 1
Mass Market Paperback: 432 pages
Publisher: Carina Press
Publication Date: February 28, 2017
ISBN-10: 1335014896
ISBN-13: 978-1335014894
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Itunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/roug...
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Rough-Tumble-B...
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/rough...
Reviewed for:
http://tometender.blogspot.com
Jace Kennedy is a strong business man that will bend the rules if it benefits his “Haven Brotherhood” family.
Jace is having trouble with a local drug dealer that has been bringing Dallas Police Department into his clubs and business dealings. On top of that, Paul Renner, a sleeze-ball politician is causing all kinds of media backlash, attacking Kennedy’s business dealings for political gain. To help present a better public appearance, Jace decides to hire Vivienne Moore (event planner) and the woman he can’t get out of his head. He met Vivienne when she rescued her sister from a drunken night at one of his clubs.
Sexual tension through-the-roof, Viv and Jace play at a dance where you know either Viv will be drawn into Jace’s world or she’ll run. Jace will do everything in his power to keep Viv forever.
I have to be honest, the uber alpha, bad boy is getting a little old...UNTIL NOW! Morgan has created a band of six uber alpha, extraordinarily sexy men with checkered pasts but with true HEARTS! You heard me right, Heart. They aren't just tough guys, they will do anything to protect those they love and they aren't afraid to wear that love on their sleeve. I found what I've been missing in all those other stories...you can be tough, you can be a bad ass but you still need to be looking for an equal partnership with the woman that becomes your life (well, that is what i need to be happy with the bad boy character)...and boy does Morgan excel at bring these characters to life. I honestly gobbled up Jace's and Viv's story and can't wait to delve deeper into the Haven Brotherhood family.
I received this ARC copy of Rough & Tumble from Carina Press in exchange for a honest and voluntary review. This book is set for publication Feb 1, 2017.
My Rating: 5 Stars
Written by: Rhenna Morgan
Series: The Haven Brotherhood
Sequence in Series: Book 1
Mass Market Paperback: 432 pages
Publisher: Carina Press
Publication Date: February 28, 2017
ISBN-10: 1335014896
ISBN-13: 978-1335014894
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Itunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/roug...
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Rough-Tumble-B...
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/rough...
Reviewed for:
http://tometender.blogspot.com
September 29, 2024
This review was originally posted on Addicted To Romance
Summary
There are certain rules that the six men in the brotherhood live by: Live Hard, F*ck harder and follow only their own rules. They only have their own standards to live by, which differ from society and law enforcement at times. They don't make apologies to anyone and they protect each other no matter what. Vivienne is determined to save her sister, who has gone off the deep end of partying, drugs and alcohol. Vivienne has a hard time understanding it, she has always tried to do the right thing even if she keeps a certain "side" to herself and hidden away. But there is one person that seems to see beneath the surface of her prim and proper self...Jace Kennedy. Jace lives by his own rule and will do anything to protect his brothers. But upon meeting Vivienne, he sees something in her that he is instantly drawn to. Vivienne has spent her whole life avoiding the kind of life that Jace lives, but the more time she spends with him, the more she starts to soften toward him and slowly feels herself falling in love with the "forbidden"...
Plot and Story Line
Rough and Tumble is the first book in a stunning new series by Rhenna Morgan. I have to say that at first I was reluctant to read this because I never know how a author can handle change in genre but this talented lady rocked it and I fell in love with just about everything about this book. It was a quick and fast read and I read it in only a couple of hours. I adored seeing the way this romance was established. And it wasn't quite what I expected. From reading the blurb, it kinda sounds more like a MC oriented romance, that is more rough and gritty. Now it has some toughness and gritt to it but not quite in the way you would expect at all and that is what blew me away. Is the grittiness came in small ways that slowly pulls you in and before you realize it you can't put it down because the story just wraps around you in warmth and affection. The smexy scenes that this author places in this story are exactly what I love seeing in a romance. Not overly explicit at all....however they are beautifully written with a touch of poignancy to them. What was also so wonderful was seeing the bond between the six men in the brotherhood. They tease each other, play with each other and protect and defend each other. They literally have such a close knit family bonds here. And even though at first they don't bring out the "welcoming committee" for Vivienne but they slowly warm up to her. And once they do, yeah I was completely hooked. What really won me over was the way that Jace and his "family" show our heroine what it means to be part of a real family and to let herself be who she wants to be and not what is "expected".
Rhenna Morgan has created six bad boys that are sexy and charming as hell and I only want "MORE"!! If you want a refreshing and stimulating bad boy romance....then Rough and Tumble is your ticket. So come and enjoy this entertaining show.
The Cover
Interesting cover, it definitely portrays the 'bad boy" image but it has a slight cartoonish feel to it almost. Maybe its just me, but I love the warm woodsy colors used.
Overall View
Rough and Tumble is a fresh and exciting bad boy romance that is packed with sizzling chemistry, endearing characters and a love story to tug at the heart strings. A TRUE PLEASURE TO READ
Click To Buy On Amazon
[foogallery id="25425"]
Summary
There are certain rules that the six men in the brotherhood live by: Live Hard, F*ck harder and follow only their own rules. They only have their own standards to live by, which differ from society and law enforcement at times. They don't make apologies to anyone and they protect each other no matter what. Vivienne is determined to save her sister, who has gone off the deep end of partying, drugs and alcohol. Vivienne has a hard time understanding it, she has always tried to do the right thing even if she keeps a certain "side" to herself and hidden away. But there is one person that seems to see beneath the surface of her prim and proper self...Jace Kennedy. Jace lives by his own rule and will do anything to protect his brothers. But upon meeting Vivienne, he sees something in her that he is instantly drawn to. Vivienne has spent her whole life avoiding the kind of life that Jace lives, but the more time she spends with him, the more she starts to soften toward him and slowly feels herself falling in love with the "forbidden"...
Plot and Story Line
Rough and Tumble is the first book in a stunning new series by Rhenna Morgan. I have to say that at first I was reluctant to read this because I never know how a author can handle change in genre but this talented lady rocked it and I fell in love with just about everything about this book. It was a quick and fast read and I read it in only a couple of hours. I adored seeing the way this romance was established. And it wasn't quite what I expected. From reading the blurb, it kinda sounds more like a MC oriented romance, that is more rough and gritty. Now it has some toughness and gritt to it but not quite in the way you would expect at all and that is what blew me away. Is the grittiness came in small ways that slowly pulls you in and before you realize it you can't put it down because the story just wraps around you in warmth and affection. The smexy scenes that this author places in this story are exactly what I love seeing in a romance. Not overly explicit at all....however they are beautifully written with a touch of poignancy to them. What was also so wonderful was seeing the bond between the six men in the brotherhood. They tease each other, play with each other and protect and defend each other. They literally have such a close knit family bonds here. And even though at first they don't bring out the "welcoming committee" for Vivienne but they slowly warm up to her. And once they do, yeah I was completely hooked. What really won me over was the way that Jace and his "family" show our heroine what it means to be part of a real family and to let herself be who she wants to be and not what is "expected".
You got to live life full throttle so there are no regrets when it's time to cash in
Rhenna Morgan has created six bad boys that are sexy and charming as hell and I only want "MORE"!! If you want a refreshing and stimulating bad boy romance....then Rough and Tumble is your ticket. So come and enjoy this entertaining show.
The Cover
Interesting cover, it definitely portrays the 'bad boy" image but it has a slight cartoonish feel to it almost. Maybe its just me, but I love the warm woodsy colors used.
Overall View
Rough and Tumble is a fresh and exciting bad boy romance that is packed with sizzling chemistry, endearing characters and a love story to tug at the heart strings. A TRUE PLEASURE TO READ
Just take the leap and let me catch you
Click To Buy On Amazon
[foogallery id="25425"]
April 26, 2018
Guess who just found a new series to bindge on? THIS GIRL!
I decided not to write a full review for Rough and Tumble as this has been out for awhile and there are MANY amazing reviews for this book. What I will do, is tell you that I absolutly loved it and can't wait to dive into the rest of the series.
*Book given via an awesome giveaway
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I decided not to write a full review for Rough and Tumble as this has been out for awhile and there are MANY amazing reviews for this book. What I will do, is tell you that I absolutly loved it and can't wait to dive into the rest of the series.
*Book given via an awesome giveaway
Follow us on
KT Book Reviews
tumblr
YouTube
Book Babblers
February 20, 2017
Hold on, ladies. This one will melt your panties AND your hearts. Jace and Vivienne are so perfect for each other, which proves you should never judge someone by what you see on the surface. Jace is rough around the edges, gruff, and alpha all the way. Vivienne is a smart-dressed business woman who just happens to stumble into Jace (quite literally) at one of his Haven brother's nightclubs when she goes to rescue her sloppy-drunk sister yet AGAIN.
I loved that these two have all the surface appearance of being polar opposites. In some ways, they are. But in others, they fit together like puzzle pieces with the same drive, determination, and love for family. And the chemistry? Smokin' hot. If you like your contemporary edgy, dark, and slap-me sexy, then add this one to your list.
Recommended for lovers of hardcore, protect-you-till-death, scorch-your-panties, don't-f*#k-with-my-woman alphas.
I loved that these two have all the surface appearance of being polar opposites. In some ways, they are. But in others, they fit together like puzzle pieces with the same drive, determination, and love for family. And the chemistry? Smokin' hot. If you like your contemporary edgy, dark, and slap-me sexy, then add this one to your list.
Recommended for lovers of hardcore, protect-you-till-death, scorch-your-panties, don't-f*#k-with-my-woman alphas.
November 29, 2016
OMG!!!! This was SOOOOO GOOD!!!! Review to follow closer to the release date BUT... I CAN'T WAIT TO READ THE NEXT BOOK in this FREAKIN' AWESOME SERIES!!!
*ARC courtesy of Netgalley and Carina Press*
*ARC courtesy of Netgalley and Carina Press*
February 20, 2017
This book had all the workings to be a cracky read - over the top hero who is dripping with alpha sweat, a do-gooder heroine and a brotherhood of men who have reputations of being from the wrong side of the tracks, but are actually really good dudes. But by the end of this one I felt like it was too over the top. These guys are not ones to be found in the real world. And I hear you say, Mandi - you love other heroes who are not real-wordly (aka JR Ward or some or Kristen Ashley's heroes) and I say, yes...yes. But these heroes just didn't do it for me like some of the others. Let me set-up the book.
Jace and his five best buddies - Axel, Zeke, Trevor, Beckett and Knox - are part of the Haven Brotherhood - these six guys are family. They will do anything for the other, and they don't let people from the outside in without extreme vetting. They are all huge and burly. A good description the guys is one of Axel:
“Heard a lot about you, but now that I’m getting an eyeful, I’m beginning to see why.” He ambled closer and held out his hand. “I’m Axel McKee. Good to meet you.”
The barely there brogue she’d picked up on the phone was harder to detect tonight, but the whole sophisticated Braveheart image was more than sufficient to jack with her head.
They are club owners, and make a lot of money - but also draw in drug people and other sketchy clientele to their very popular clubs, causing some drama in this book.
Jace had a hard childhood and people look at him and think he reeks of being a thug. He is cast in an unfavorable - almost dangerous light to the public, but he is nothing like that. He donates huge amounts of money to charities that he works closely with. He takes care of his family. He often has to use a shell company to do business, because his real name would put a frown on many people's faces.
He meets Viv when she comes into his club to gather up her very drunk sister. Getting her drunk and high sister out of jams has become a consistent in Viv's life and she is tired of it. But it's her sister, so she can't give her up. Viv ends up falling over with her sister in tow, and Jace drags her back to get medical care. Viv is an event planner who really needs clients and is running out of money. Jace is very attracted to Viv, who appears more buttoned up and serious than the women he is used to. He decides she will be his, and he pursues her with all of his alpha glory.
I love brotherly camaraderie, and this one has the groundwork for it with the Haven brotherhood. They aren't blood related but are closer than any family. But as I mentioned earlier, it was just too over the top for me. Some examples that made me roll my eyes:
--Jace won't let Viv (or anyone) into the brotherhood, or near the brotherhood unless they are thoroughly vetted. This means he secretly goes into her house and goes through ALL her things (even her underwear) to make sure she is "safe." It was a real violation of her privacy.
--Jace decides to give Viv several events to plan for his clubs, which would give her some steady income for once - but only if she goes on two or three dates with him. I didn't love that he forces her to date him for her to get work. And yes, she was attracted to him and he wouldn't do anything to her she didn't want. But it rubbed me the wrong way.
--Just his overall general attitude that she is HIS and there is no other way, and she must live by the brotherhood rules etc.... it was too much.
"One other thing. That easygoing routine I've been servin' up to keep from spooking you? It's done. You'd be wise to batten down the hatches and heal up quick because you're about to find out what it's like to belong to a man like me."
Maybe I was just not in the right mood for this one - I wanted it to be cracky fun but I just wasn't totally on board. I thought Viv's drunk sister was much more intriguing than Viv.
The suspense part didn't play out that well for me either.
There are some fun parts! I won't be a total debbie downer. I didn't dislike it - I just wanted to like it more
Grade: C+
Jace and his five best buddies - Axel, Zeke, Trevor, Beckett and Knox - are part of the Haven Brotherhood - these six guys are family. They will do anything for the other, and they don't let people from the outside in without extreme vetting. They are all huge and burly. A good description the guys is one of Axel:
“Heard a lot about you, but now that I’m getting an eyeful, I’m beginning to see why.” He ambled closer and held out his hand. “I’m Axel McKee. Good to meet you.”
The barely there brogue she’d picked up on the phone was harder to detect tonight, but the whole sophisticated Braveheart image was more than sufficient to jack with her head.
They are club owners, and make a lot of money - but also draw in drug people and other sketchy clientele to their very popular clubs, causing some drama in this book.
Jace had a hard childhood and people look at him and think he reeks of being a thug. He is cast in an unfavorable - almost dangerous light to the public, but he is nothing like that. He donates huge amounts of money to charities that he works closely with. He takes care of his family. He often has to use a shell company to do business, because his real name would put a frown on many people's faces.
He meets Viv when she comes into his club to gather up her very drunk sister. Getting her drunk and high sister out of jams has become a consistent in Viv's life and she is tired of it. But it's her sister, so she can't give her up. Viv ends up falling over with her sister in tow, and Jace drags her back to get medical care. Viv is an event planner who really needs clients and is running out of money. Jace is very attracted to Viv, who appears more buttoned up and serious than the women he is used to. He decides she will be his, and he pursues her with all of his alpha glory.
I love brotherly camaraderie, and this one has the groundwork for it with the Haven brotherhood. They aren't blood related but are closer than any family. But as I mentioned earlier, it was just too over the top for me. Some examples that made me roll my eyes:
--Jace won't let Viv (or anyone) into the brotherhood, or near the brotherhood unless they are thoroughly vetted. This means he secretly goes into her house and goes through ALL her things (even her underwear) to make sure she is "safe." It was a real violation of her privacy.
--Jace decides to give Viv several events to plan for his clubs, which would give her some steady income for once - but only if she goes on two or three dates with him. I didn't love that he forces her to date him for her to get work. And yes, she was attracted to him and he wouldn't do anything to her she didn't want. But it rubbed me the wrong way.
--Just his overall general attitude that she is HIS and there is no other way, and she must live by the brotherhood rules etc.... it was too much.
"One other thing. That easygoing routine I've been servin' up to keep from spooking you? It's done. You'd be wise to batten down the hatches and heal up quick because you're about to find out what it's like to belong to a man like me."
Maybe I was just not in the right mood for this one - I wanted it to be cracky fun but I just wasn't totally on board. I thought Viv's drunk sister was much more intriguing than Viv.
The suspense part didn't play out that well for me either.
There are some fun parts! I won't be a total debbie downer. I didn't dislike it - I just wanted to like it more
Grade: C+
February 3, 2017
Oh what a nice little surprise this turned out to be. This new to me author's work is quite lovely! If you like the feel of a MC book but ever wonder what it would be like if the Brothers were wealthy and well educated while still keeping that 1% vibe--- then you should take a peek at this book. Jace and his life long friend Axel have established the Haven brotherhood. This group of six men have come from poor and at times uncivilized beginnings. They have recognized in each other a need to rise above and do better. Their focus is to support one another, be the family that they never had, and when necessary, right the wrongs being put upon those less fortunate than themselves. They love their mamas, they support organizations that help disadvantaged kids and they live their lives with no regrets.
Lets add in that each of these guys is super hot, super alpha and a whole lot sweet and melty on the inside. Rough & Tumble is Jace and Viv's story. There paths cross on accident but the pull to be together is too strong to deny for long. Both have some HUGE trust issues. Ultimately, love wins the day!
Very well written. Good flow to the story. Great banter among the brothers. Really steamy s3xy times. A bit of suspense thrown in for fun. Loved. Loved. Loved! Looking forward to more.
*Complimentary copy provided via Netgalley for an honest review.
Lets add in that each of these guys is super hot, super alpha and a whole lot sweet and melty on the inside. Rough & Tumble is Jace and Viv's story. There paths cross on accident but the pull to be together is too strong to deny for long. Both have some HUGE trust issues. Ultimately, love wins the day!
Very well written. Good flow to the story. Great banter among the brothers. Really steamy s3xy times. A bit of suspense thrown in for fun. Loved. Loved. Loved! Looking forward to more.
*Complimentary copy provided via Netgalley for an honest review.
November 11, 2021
DNF(35%)
Guess it wasn't a good time to read a mafia romance.
There was some connectivity loss between me and the story.🥲
Guess it wasn't a good time to read a mafia romance.
There was some connectivity loss between me and the story.🥲
November 29, 2016
4 Stars - 3 Flames
Sigh...where to begin. Can we just stare at that cover for a while first please? I mean. Come. On. And while you're staring at that cover, memorize it. Because that's EXACTLY what you should picture Jace looking like. Let's continue, shall we...
Vivienne is trying to escape the past and life that she's sworn she'd never be a part of. There are a few issues with that though. Her sister constantly getting drunk, in trouble and needing rescuing doesn't exactly help that issue. And running in to a man who epitomizes danger is another. But damn those eyes and lips and mmmmm (sorry, I digress). While coming to her sisters rescue, again, Viv is literally thrown off kilter when she meets Jace. Owner of the bar her sister was rescued from and clearly the leader of the fine men who helped her get back to her car. When she's forced to accept help getting her sister home, she has no idea that it's just the beginning of Jace's alpha protectiveness.
Jace is...sigh...everything. Alpha. Hot. Smart. Businessman. Badass. Hot. He's not used to being so enamored by a woman, but that's exactly what happens when he can't help himself watch the video monitors, following Viv around his bar. And when he sees that she needs some help, well, he jumped right in and rescues her, whether she wanted it or not. Instead of letting the one time chivalry go, he pursues Viv with an intriguing passion. One that ignites everyone's senses in more ways than one and leaves you panting for more.
These two are A-Mazing together. Did I mention how hot Jace is? One might say I have a new obsession. Help me. Because it's not just Jace. This author has created the beginning of a series that is sure to keep us all coming back for more. Each one of these Haven Brothers have something to offer and I can't wait to dive head first, getting lost in their stories.
Hmmm, I wonder who the next one will be about? Who cares. Just hurry up already!
*I received this book from the Jeep Diva in exchange for my honest opinion.
Sigh...where to begin. Can we just stare at that cover for a while first please? I mean. Come. On. And while you're staring at that cover, memorize it. Because that's EXACTLY what you should picture Jace looking like. Let's continue, shall we...
Vivienne is trying to escape the past and life that she's sworn she'd never be a part of. There are a few issues with that though. Her sister constantly getting drunk, in trouble and needing rescuing doesn't exactly help that issue. And running in to a man who epitomizes danger is another. But damn those eyes and lips and mmmmm (sorry, I digress). While coming to her sisters rescue, again, Viv is literally thrown off kilter when she meets Jace. Owner of the bar her sister was rescued from and clearly the leader of the fine men who helped her get back to her car. When she's forced to accept help getting her sister home, she has no idea that it's just the beginning of Jace's alpha protectiveness.
Jace is...sigh...everything. Alpha. Hot. Smart. Businessman. Badass. Hot. He's not used to being so enamored by a woman, but that's exactly what happens when he can't help himself watch the video monitors, following Viv around his bar. And when he sees that she needs some help, well, he jumped right in and rescues her, whether she wanted it or not. Instead of letting the one time chivalry go, he pursues Viv with an intriguing passion. One that ignites everyone's senses in more ways than one and leaves you panting for more.
These two are A-Mazing together. Did I mention how hot Jace is? One might say I have a new obsession. Help me. Because it's not just Jace. This author has created the beginning of a series that is sure to keep us all coming back for more. Each one of these Haven Brothers have something to offer and I can't wait to dive head first, getting lost in their stories.
Hmmm, I wonder who the next one will be about? Who cares. Just hurry up already!
*I received this book from the Jeep Diva in exchange for my honest opinion.
February 17, 2017
I have been wanting to try this author since I got to hang out with her a little last year at the RT Convention (FYI - she is cool people)... but I just haven't been able to get a lot of personal reading on the calendar in the past year. Being more of a urban fantasy and paranormal fan, I expected to start with the Eden series, I even went on a one-clicking spree buying up the series with grand intentions to start ASAP. As my plans fell through in that regard, I was excited to see this new series, even though I don't read as much contemporary these days. Now I am just kicking myself for not reading her work sooner.
There's the family you''re given by birth, and there's the family you choose for yourself.So let's start with the Haven Brotherhood. Five brothers (and two mothers) that are family, not by blood but by loyalty and obligation. They are not just rough and tumble bikers, but each brother seems to have hidden depths that the reader will love to discover as they fall in love (and lust) with these swoonworthy men.
It's not where a man comes from, or what he wears, that matters. It's what he does with his life that counts.Jace Kennedy is the first brother offered up for our reading pleasure, and he is an alpha male, intelligent businessman and co-founder of the Haven Brotherhood. He is also charitable and active in his community with at-risk youth, his philanthropic side being inspired by his childhood. But for all his alpha maleness, Jace has a vulnerable side that draws the reader in and, for me, created a strong emotional connection to his character. I was drawn to his character from the get-go and felt myself getting offended on his behalf when business deals tanked or were sabotaged by petty and ignorant people more worried about appearances than the good he provided for the community and his business partners.
The sooner you figure out who the hell you are on the inside, the happier you'll be.Vivienne Moore is outwardly a straight-laced buttoned-up event planner, dressing in prim and proper business suits and living in a sterile environment. Viv didn't have the easiest childhood with an uppity mother, a drunk father, and a sister following in his footsteps. So she thinks that by suppressing her nature (and wild curly hair), she will go through life safe and bored out of her mind. Needless to say, Viv was in dire need of someone to come and mess up her perfectly boring existence. I found her to be a tolerable heroine... I usually have such a hard time with heroines in contemporary romance, they tend to get on my nerves by being overly dramatic or running away from adult situations/responsibilities, etc. However, I commend Viv on her mostly reasonable ability to stick it out with Jace even when she wasn't absolutely sure what she was doing. I think any negative feelings I had toward her were out of jealousy because I would have scooped up that man in a heartbeat so I didn't identify with her hesitance.
The relationship was definitely the main focus of this story, so it got going pretty fast from the start. Jace is a man that knows what he wants and goes after it... but it was nice to see that he respected Viv and reined in his alpha nature so he wouldn't spook her and send her running the opposite direction. But O-M-G, the sexual tension between these two! It was off the charts. Rhenna did a great job with the build up and wrote some exceedingly steamy sexytime that is sure to satisfy any smut lover. (You know who you are!) These two interacted and communicated like mature adults, which made me happy. I hate seeing unnecessary drama these days - my drama llama tolerance is quite low.
Never underestimate a high-caliber wingman, let alone a trio.But back to this brotherhood... man these are some yummy dudes. I think Jace may be my favorite, but he is going to have some strong competition with Axel and his playful nature and Scots brogue. Next up is Zeke's story in Wild & Sweet.
January 10, 2020
4 stars. 🌟🌟🌟🌟
May 22, 2017
This is my first book by Ms. Morgan. I’ve had her Eden series on my reading radar for sometime and I thought I would start with that series, since I mainly read Paranormal Romance / Urban Fantasy, but then I won a copy of the first book for the Haven Brotherhood series. I’m glad I picked up this book.
Let me introduced you to The Haven Brotherhood. Five men, who all have checkered pasts, joined together to make a family and become brothers, not by blood, but by loyalty and obligation. Each brother has a hidden depth to them and add in the rough and tumble biker, well you will fall in love with each one.
Jace Kennedy, what a man. He’s an intelligent businessman, co-founder of the Haven Brotherhood, is charitable and active in the community. But for all that he has a vulnerable side that gets drawn out as you read. I really savored Jace. He's such a great and well developed character to fall in love with. The man is a bad-boy with a heart of gold.
Vivienne Moore, a straight-laced buttoned-up event planner or so she portrays to the world, but deep inside she has hidden away her true-self and thinks that by suppressing her nature, she will be safe. But in doing this she is stifling herself, not living up to her true potential and freedom. Let’s just say Viv needed someone to mess up her perfect boring life. I wasn’t totally on board with Viv, but by the end she turned out ok.
As for the story their is a little side mystery/danger that Jace and his brothers have to deal with, but the main focus is on the relationship. Jace knows what he wants, but he also respected Viv and reined in his nature for her, so he wouldn’t scare her away. The sexual tension between them was explosive, off the chats, and once they hit the sheets, WOW.
I LOVE the men who formed the Haven Brotherhood and can’t wait to read their stories. Each brother comes with a different background and has brought something different to the family. It’s an entertaining concept.
Rough & Tumble was a satisfying and delightful read in the Haven Brotherhood series.
Rated: 4 Stars
Let me introduced you to The Haven Brotherhood. Five men, who all have checkered pasts, joined together to make a family and become brothers, not by blood, but by loyalty and obligation. Each brother has a hidden depth to them and add in the rough and tumble biker, well you will fall in love with each one.
Jace Kennedy, what a man. He’s an intelligent businessman, co-founder of the Haven Brotherhood, is charitable and active in the community. But for all that he has a vulnerable side that gets drawn out as you read. I really savored Jace. He's such a great and well developed character to fall in love with. The man is a bad-boy with a heart of gold.
Vivienne Moore, a straight-laced buttoned-up event planner or so she portrays to the world, but deep inside she has hidden away her true-self and thinks that by suppressing her nature, she will be safe. But in doing this she is stifling herself, not living up to her true potential and freedom. Let’s just say Viv needed someone to mess up her perfect boring life. I wasn’t totally on board with Viv, but by the end she turned out ok.
As for the story their is a little side mystery/danger that Jace and his brothers have to deal with, but the main focus is on the relationship. Jace knows what he wants, but he also respected Viv and reined in his nature for her, so he wouldn’t scare her away. The sexual tension between them was explosive, off the chats, and once they hit the sheets, WOW.
I LOVE the men who formed the Haven Brotherhood and can’t wait to read their stories. Each brother comes with a different background and has brought something different to the family. It’s an entertaining concept.
Rough & Tumble was a satisfying and delightful read in the Haven Brotherhood series.
Rated: 4 Stars
December 7, 2016
Holy Hell what a great book this is! My first read from Rhenna Morgan and won't be the last.
The first book of the Haven Brotherhood and truth told I could just live with this one in Jace land and be happy forever. Holy hot hell.
You read the blurb the book opens with Vivienne fishing her drunk sister yet again from another bar on New Years Eve. Turns out it's not just another bar, it's a bar owned by the brothers. Jace and Viv connect early in the story as she watches him getting stitched up after a minor altercation in the bar.
The Brothers are stand up guys, business owners, a Dr, they own clubs, a few shell corps that keep them off the radar of an old acquaintance of Jace who is running for office and Jace and the clubs are his target. It's a toss up who's worse, the politician or the drug king pin. But Renner is set on making their lives miserable and the guys turn things around. Watching Jace unwrap Viv is sheer torture of the best kind. Think the kindle had a little melt down at one point... you know where. That mouth.
Jace and Viv are hot. Viv tries to keep the wild child in her under wraps and Jace knows it's there. It's finding the right button to hit to unleash it and WOW is he a great button pusher. This book is steamy, edgy and raw. I loved it. I really loved Axel and the "mums". They added spark to the story.
Axel is in a league of his own too. The book has some great twists and turns and a "I didn't see that coming." Truly is was amazing watching Jace unwrap Viv. Because that's exactly what he did.
The plot is great, the set up for future books is in place and the men are all over the top. This book is due for release in Feb. 2017, put it on your list to read. It's a must. I can't wait for the next book of the series.
**arc from NetGalley and Carina Publishing in exchange for an honest review**
The first book of the Haven Brotherhood and truth told I could just live with this one in Jace land and be happy forever. Holy hot hell.
You read the blurb the book opens with Vivienne fishing her drunk sister yet again from another bar on New Years Eve. Turns out it's not just another bar, it's a bar owned by the brothers. Jace and Viv connect early in the story as she watches him getting stitched up after a minor altercation in the bar.
The Brothers are stand up guys, business owners, a Dr, they own clubs, a few shell corps that keep them off the radar of an old acquaintance of Jace who is running for office and Jace and the clubs are his target. It's a toss up who's worse, the politician or the drug king pin. But Renner is set on making their lives miserable and the guys turn things around. Watching Jace unwrap Viv is sheer torture of the best kind. Think the kindle had a little melt down at one point... you know where. That mouth.
Jace and Viv are hot. Viv tries to keep the wild child in her under wraps and Jace knows it's there. It's finding the right button to hit to unleash it and WOW is he a great button pusher. This book is steamy, edgy and raw. I loved it. I really loved Axel and the "mums". They added spark to the story.
Axel is in a league of his own too. The book has some great twists and turns and a "I didn't see that coming." Truly is was amazing watching Jace unwrap Viv. Because that's exactly what he did.
The plot is great, the set up for future books is in place and the men are all over the top. This book is due for release in Feb. 2017, put it on your list to read. It's a must. I can't wait for the next book of the series.
**arc from NetGalley and Carina Publishing in exchange for an honest review**
June 14, 2018
I actually didn't just read this. I read it months ago, but had to start and stop so many times that I felt that I needed to read it another time in bigger chunks before I reviewed it. I really love the world the author built. I don't completely "get" it but appreciate it enough to become immersed in it.
May 5, 2017
Original Review at Cross My Heart Writings and Reviews
Vivienne Moore has hidden her rough past behind a polished veneer that screams business woman right down to her prim suit, sensible shoes, tamed hair, and modest bling. She’s struggling to keep a roof over her head while building her own business as an Event Planner. The only fly in the ointment is her wild, party-all-night alcoholic sister who calls Vivie every time she needs rescuing from some dive bar or apartment. On one such rescue mission, Vivienne runs right into the very impressive chest of Jace Kennedy. She takes one good, long look at Jace and knows she’s in trouble as like many others, she sees only the rough exterior – the shell, not the heart of the man. And this man makes her hidden “wild child” side come roaring to the surface, screaming to be let out - putting her safe, little world in jeopardy. Vivenne runs from Jace like her life depended on it because as far as she’s concerned, it does.
Jace may look like a bad*ss motorcycle junkie but in reality, he’s is a very successful businessman and one of the cofounders of the Haven Brotherhood – 6 strong, alpha males who take care of each other and those they claim as their own. Brothers by the heart, not blood, they abide by their own set of rules even if it means skating around the law to accomplish the mission. Unfortunately, this puts a target on their backs that could bring harm to those close to them. The first time Jace looked into Vivienne’s eyes, he recognized the wild child simmering beneath the surface - the woman he hadn’t known he was waiting for. He vowed right then and there to break down her walls, set her loose, and claim her as his own. What does Vivienne say about that? Buckle up! It’s a bumpy ride!
A feisty, snarky heroine who doesn’t take orders well and a bossy, dominant, bad*ss, sexy *fanning self* alpha male who won’t take NO for an answer battle it out in Rough & Tumble. I was pleasantly surprised to be drawn in by the depth of these multi-faceted characters as they shadow boxed around each other. The plot line is intriguing with a good blend of sex, romance, conflict, along with danger and intrigue. A great support cast including the five other Brothers fleshes out this heart-racing and heart-warming story that will make you question what family really means. A Must Read!
Vivienne Moore has hidden her rough past behind a polished veneer that screams business woman right down to her prim suit, sensible shoes, tamed hair, and modest bling. She’s struggling to keep a roof over her head while building her own business as an Event Planner. The only fly in the ointment is her wild, party-all-night alcoholic sister who calls Vivie every time she needs rescuing from some dive bar or apartment. On one such rescue mission, Vivienne runs right into the very impressive chest of Jace Kennedy. She takes one good, long look at Jace and knows she’s in trouble as like many others, she sees only the rough exterior – the shell, not the heart of the man. And this man makes her hidden “wild child” side come roaring to the surface, screaming to be let out - putting her safe, little world in jeopardy. Vivenne runs from Jace like her life depended on it because as far as she’s concerned, it does.
Jace may look like a bad*ss motorcycle junkie but in reality, he’s is a very successful businessman and one of the cofounders of the Haven Brotherhood – 6 strong, alpha males who take care of each other and those they claim as their own. Brothers by the heart, not blood, they abide by their own set of rules even if it means skating around the law to accomplish the mission. Unfortunately, this puts a target on their backs that could bring harm to those close to them. The first time Jace looked into Vivienne’s eyes, he recognized the wild child simmering beneath the surface - the woman he hadn’t known he was waiting for. He vowed right then and there to break down her walls, set her loose, and claim her as his own. What does Vivienne say about that? Buckle up! It’s a bumpy ride!
A feisty, snarky heroine who doesn’t take orders well and a bossy, dominant, bad*ss, sexy *fanning self* alpha male who won’t take NO for an answer battle it out in Rough & Tumble. I was pleasantly surprised to be drawn in by the depth of these multi-faceted characters as they shadow boxed around each other. The plot line is intriguing with a good blend of sex, romance, conflict, along with danger and intrigue. A great support cast including the five other Brothers fleshes out this heart-racing and heart-warming story that will make you question what family really means. A Must Read!
December 24, 2016
I'm in LOVE with ROUGH & TUMBLE so hard!
Vivienne Moore is pissed when she has to rescue her sister Callie AGAIN after another drunken binge. At the bar, she meets the ridiculously sexy owner Jace Kennedy getting stitched up from a knife wound. Jace's club has some serious PR issues and hiring Viv as an event planner will be the perfect way to get to know the fiery woman he senses beneath that buttoned up exterior.
Viv tries her hardest to stay professional when it comes to Jace, but it's like trying to tame a tornado, so for once she's decided to let down her guard and let him in. It turns out there's way more to Jace than meets the eye, and when he brings her to Haven, for the first time Viv feels like she has a family to call her own. But with a nasty politician bent on setting old scores with Jace, Viv is pulled into the crosshairs with only one way out…alongside the men of Haven.
What a yummy read! In the first of The Haven Brotherhood series, this group of smart, sexy and loyal guys have developed their interests into a conglomerate of sorts, from night clubs to tech and more. They're all supportive and consider each other brothers, and it had the feel of a MC book at times. While the concept of Haven was fabulous, it did kind of have a weird, middle school blood brothers vibe about it, particularly with the whole dog tag thing. Even with that juvenile bit of bonding, the book was really a fun and sexy story. Viv and Jace had great chemistry, and the sex scenes were delicious. I liked that Ms. Morgan didn't shy away from Callie's addiction issues and faced them head-on. I can't wait for more in The Haven Brotherhood series!
Bottom Line: No OM/OW or sharing; some condom use (with discussion); no BDSM/kink; no sexual assault; some violence/murder. - See more at: http://www.theromancereviews.com/view...
- See more at: http://www.theromancereviews.com/view...
Vivienne Moore is pissed when she has to rescue her sister Callie AGAIN after another drunken binge. At the bar, she meets the ridiculously sexy owner Jace Kennedy getting stitched up from a knife wound. Jace's club has some serious PR issues and hiring Viv as an event planner will be the perfect way to get to know the fiery woman he senses beneath that buttoned up exterior.
Viv tries her hardest to stay professional when it comes to Jace, but it's like trying to tame a tornado, so for once she's decided to let down her guard and let him in. It turns out there's way more to Jace than meets the eye, and when he brings her to Haven, for the first time Viv feels like she has a family to call her own. But with a nasty politician bent on setting old scores with Jace, Viv is pulled into the crosshairs with only one way out…alongside the men of Haven.
What a yummy read! In the first of The Haven Brotherhood series, this group of smart, sexy and loyal guys have developed their interests into a conglomerate of sorts, from night clubs to tech and more. They're all supportive and consider each other brothers, and it had the feel of a MC book at times. While the concept of Haven was fabulous, it did kind of have a weird, middle school blood brothers vibe about it, particularly with the whole dog tag thing. Even with that juvenile bit of bonding, the book was really a fun and sexy story. Viv and Jace had great chemistry, and the sex scenes were delicious. I liked that Ms. Morgan didn't shy away from Callie's addiction issues and faced them head-on. I can't wait for more in The Haven Brotherhood series!
Bottom Line: No OM/OW or sharing; some condom use (with discussion); no BDSM/kink; no sexual assault; some violence/murder. - See more at: http://www.theromancereviews.com/view...
- See more at: http://www.theromancereviews.com/view...
January 1, 2017
The first line of that blub had me curious. The sexy man on the cover delivering just that had me downloading this book immediately. Rhenna Morgan is a new to me author and I’m glad I gave Rough & Tumble a go.
Vivienne to Jace “I think you’re the type to make a woman lose good sense.”
Yes, I do believe I’ll have myself a super alpha book boyfriend just like that. Jace delivers on all of that and so much more. He’s sexy, tattooed, lives by his own creed, has a delicious smile, and a sexy tongue that delivers scorching hot dirty talk and so much more in the bedroom. He’s the bossy type that you’d never want in real life but book boyfriends are created from the like of him. He’s loyal and devoted to his family and he doesn’t let anyone into that inner circle, ever. He’s pulled himself up by the bootstraps out of a gutter to become a successful business man with his hands in many different business ventures. The moment Jace sees Viv he knows he has to have her in his life and for the life of me I have no clue why.
Jace to Vivienne “The sooner you figure out who the hell you are in the inside, the happier you’ll be.”
I did not like Viv. She has some too stupid to live moments that I never worked past. She’s also fake. Vivienne like Jace came from a less than proper home and upbringing. She’s desperately trying to become a successful business owner to pay for her pristine home that is decorated the way a magazine dictates, her wardrobe that makes her look like someone she is not, and the sensible affordable sedan that society dictates she must have in the garage. Her booze guzzling, drug seeking sister that she has to rescue every Saturday night tarnishes her very fake façade. Yeah I didn’t like Vivie at all.
I did love what Haven is to these six men. I enjoyed the concept behind the Haven Brotherhood. Each of the brothers comes from a different background. Each man has brought something different to the family. This is something that works for me and leaves me with the feeling that I will give the next book in the series, Wild & Sweet a try.
Vivienne to Jace “I think you’re the type to make a woman lose good sense.”
Yes, I do believe I’ll have myself a super alpha book boyfriend just like that. Jace delivers on all of that and so much more. He’s sexy, tattooed, lives by his own creed, has a delicious smile, and a sexy tongue that delivers scorching hot dirty talk and so much more in the bedroom. He’s the bossy type that you’d never want in real life but book boyfriends are created from the like of him. He’s loyal and devoted to his family and he doesn’t let anyone into that inner circle, ever. He’s pulled himself up by the bootstraps out of a gutter to become a successful business man with his hands in many different business ventures. The moment Jace sees Viv he knows he has to have her in his life and for the life of me I have no clue why.
Jace to Vivienne “The sooner you figure out who the hell you are in the inside, the happier you’ll be.”
I did not like Viv. She has some too stupid to live moments that I never worked past. She’s also fake. Vivienne like Jace came from a less than proper home and upbringing. She’s desperately trying to become a successful business owner to pay for her pristine home that is decorated the way a magazine dictates, her wardrobe that makes her look like someone she is not, and the sensible affordable sedan that society dictates she must have in the garage. Her booze guzzling, drug seeking sister that she has to rescue every Saturday night tarnishes her very fake façade. Yeah I didn’t like Vivie at all.
I did love what Haven is to these six men. I enjoyed the concept behind the Haven Brotherhood. Each of the brothers comes from a different background. Each man has brought something different to the family. This is something that works for me and leaves me with the feeling that I will give the next book in the series, Wild & Sweet a try.
February 19, 2017
This is the first book I have read from this author.
I thought the story had an interesting plot. I wish the characters had some more background information intead of it just being told. I think the story could have been a great deal better with some flashbacks so we could live the history. There was insta-love. Wham one look and they were forever for him.
Viv, well I wasn't all thrilled with her. I never truly understood why she made herself so reserved. I mean if you explain that your dad got shot in a bar but you weren't really emotionally involved with him as your dad...kinda contradictory. I just didn't get her at all.
Jace was hot and I liked him. I still wished we had more background and less telling about his past. I really think that stopped me from really connecting with the characters. The sex was hot though.
It just needed more. It would have been really great with how Axel and Jace started Haven and even how all the boys met up. Arghhh it could have been spectacular!
Received an ARC from the publisher through NetGalley.
I thought the story had an interesting plot. I wish the characters had some more background information intead of it just being told. I think the story could have been a great deal better with some flashbacks so we could live the history. There was insta-love. Wham one look and they were forever for him.
Viv, well I wasn't all thrilled with her. I never truly understood why she made herself so reserved. I mean if you explain that your dad got shot in a bar but you weren't really emotionally involved with him as your dad...kinda contradictory. I just didn't get her at all.
Jace was hot and I liked him. I still wished we had more background and less telling about his past. I really think that stopped me from really connecting with the characters. The sex was hot though.
It just needed more. It would have been really great with how Axel and Jace started Haven and even how all the boys met up. Arghhh it could have been spectacular!
Received an ARC from the publisher through NetGalley.
November 15, 2016
Rough & Tumble opens up a side to Rhenna Morgan's writing that readers are positively itching to devour. The gritty and raw nature of the character Jace and his band of merry brothers takes her prose to a whole new level. I'm proud to have gotten an early reading of this book and cannot wait for each and every one of the Haven Brothers to have their own tale.
The relationship presented with Viv and Jace is very good girl, hiding her bad side, and bad boy, hiding his good side. I loved the tug of war between these two and their need for control. Made for some epic love scenes and spot on dialogue.
"Gritty, raw, and a side dose of sweet lovin'. Rough & Tumble by Rhenna Morgan will warm your heart and melt your panties." ~Audrey Carlan, #1 NYT Bestselling Author
The relationship presented with Viv and Jace is very good girl, hiding her bad side, and bad boy, hiding his good side. I loved the tug of war between these two and their need for control. Made for some epic love scenes and spot on dialogue.
"Gritty, raw, and a side dose of sweet lovin'. Rough & Tumble by Rhenna Morgan will warm your heart and melt your panties." ~Audrey Carlan, #1 NYT Bestselling Author
February 23, 2017
Sexy, sexy, sexy...
February 21, 2017
What a pleasant surprise. I was expecting a smut biker read but the story had more depth than I was expecting. There were many more layer to the characters and the plot that I found myself engrossed in the story. There was romance, suspense, character development and entertaining brotherly interaction. This book ended up being more than meets the eye.
Vivienne Moore was a woman working hard to escape her family’s troubled past featuring two drunks, her dad and younger sister Callie. Viv was determined on exerting control of her desires so she doesn’t end up like her father, mother or sister. Instead, Viv concentrated on growing her event planning business, Amaryllis Events which couldn’t seem to get going.
Viv met Jace Kennedy, when she was rescuing her drunk sister and she decided it would be better to stay away from him as he could be the one to unleash the wild child hidden under her professional demeanor.
Jace Kennedy was the co-founder of the conglomerate, The Haven Brotherhood and he was definitely looking to get under Viv’s icy exterior. Jace projected an image of rough biker boy but inside hid a man with a heart of gold. While Jace was a sexy alpha biker, he was also a highly successful business man with a number of businesses as well as a number of charities. Jace hired Viv to plan a charity event for Haven brotherhood, it was the opportunity they both were hoping for to satisfy an itch. The author wasted no time ramping up the sexual tension before she turned up the heat with Jace and Viv.
The story was well written as there were layers to Viv and Jace. The dual point of view narration allowed the readers to be in both protagonist’s head. Each character was carefully developed so the reader was able to see the growth as both Viv and Jace wore masks that wasn’t exactly who they were. While there were hot scenes and love in this book, there were also thought-provoking themes about self-acceptance, brotherhood and giving back. I think those sub-themes showed the range in Rhenna Morgan’s storytelling. The readers were treated to a realistic relationship with great interactions with secondary characters as well as the community at large. I was excited that there are six brothers because that means that there will be at least five more books.
Rough and Tumble was a really great start to a biker-plus series. I am looking forward to the next installment.
*Special Thanks to Carina Press for e-arc given in exchange for an honest review.
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