Reviewed by Dan
TITLE: Hard Riders Anthology
AUTHOR: Jenna Byrnes, L.M. Somerton, Morticia Knight
PUBLISHER: Totally Bound
LENGTH: 248 Pages
This is a review of the Anthology, but broken into four parts, the first on is on the Anthology as a whole, and the last three are the stories themselves. The Anthology is currently available everywhere, and the separate stories are being released under separate covers over the next few weeks.
ANTHOLOGY REVIEW:
I really enjoyed this combination of stories. I have my personal favorite, as you can see from my individual ratings below, but your personal favorite might not be mine! I am going to say I really liked all three books to varying degrees and I will be searching out all three of the authors in the future. I recommend you pick up the Anthology today, or pick up the individual books which are also being released currently.
ANTHOLOGY OVERALL RATING: 
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TITLE: Clear Blue Sky
AUTHOR: Jenna Byrnes
BLURB:
Respect all, fear none is the Rebel Riders Motorcycle Club’s motto. Will the Riders step up when the Demon Outlaws go after one of their own? Sky Warren doesn’t let the screen door smack him on the way out of Kansas. When his former abusive partner Duke is arrested for selling drugs, Sky takes off. He’s ready for a clean start and a change of scenery. Moving to Lakewood, Colorado, with his cousin and accepting a job in Billy’s bike shop seems like just what he needs to start over. In Billy’s riding club he meets Task Rivers, a handsome, sexy biker, and they hit it off immediately. Task is edgy, yet he shows Sky how a respectful and considerate man treats his partner. The two fall into a lusty, passionate relationship. Death before dishonor. The Demon Outlaws have another way of looking at life. When Duke Lessing comes after Sky and is rebuffed, he joins the Outlaws in their troublemaking ways. With the Demons spoiling for a fight, Task calls on a few of the more hardcore Rebel Riders. As the night heats up, Sky is determined to avoid what seems like inevitable bloodshed. He wants to leave and lure the Demons away, but Task and the Rebel Riders have other ideas. Sky knows Duke doesn’t give up easily and learns that neither does Task, who’s fighting for what he wants. But will it be a fight to the death?
REVIEW:
Sky Warren has gotten out of Dodge (literally) and has moved to Colorado to live and work with his cousin Billy. They grew up as practically brothers, so running to Billy was his first thought when his abusive ex-partner was jailed on drug charges. The ex-partner, Duke, had been arrested recently for drug charges and Sky finally got smart and left. Duke started out as a loving partner, but over time became physically, verbally and mentally abusive to Sky, culminating in a broken shoulder that still isn’t right after 3 months of healing and therapy.
Billy, who is straight, talks Sky into attending a ride with the Rebel Riders MC, of which Billy is a member. Billy is really cute, standing behind various members of the club and making signs to Sky to let him know who is gay. But Sky is already talking to Task Rivers, a super sexy club member. Billy didn’t know he was even gay. When Task notices Billy’s antics, he asks Sky what is going on. Sky tells him and Task responds that that is great because now he won’t have to spend all day playing the “is he, or isn’t he” game. Task tells him right away that he is gay as well, and interested.
The story proceeds, with lots of hot sex between Sky and Task and the beginnings of what might be a relationship. Then Duke shows up. He has been released on a technicality and thinks Sky is his slave and will do exactly what he wants. When he is rebuffed, all hell breaks loose.
I liked this story and recommend it, either as part of the anthology, or as a stand alone book.
RATING: 4.0 Stars
TITLE: Mantrap
AUTHOR: L.M. Somerton
BLURB:
Not all cages have bars.
The Wyverns Motorcycle Club has a reputation as fierce as its dragon emblem. Its enigmatic leader, Rogue Hellaby, has a police file so thick you could prop up a table with it. The qualifications for membership are a reckless disregard for authority and the attitude of a spitting cobra. But The Wyverns MC is not quite what it seems. All the riders have dubious histories in the military or the police—now they just serve and protect their own interests and those of Horatio Trap, the manipulative bastard who recruited them.
When Rogue receives an instruction to kidnap and hold hostage the son of a powerful drug lord, he doesn’t bat an eyelid. But Rogue has never had to deal with a captive like Orlando de la Pena. Orlando is furious—not because he’s being held prisoner, but because he’s prevented from partying at his favorite BDSM club. Rogue discovers that the only way to deal with Orlando is to become the Dom he so obviously needs. But Orlando’s father wants him back, and The Wyverns must face a battle that could cost them their lives.
Reader Advisory: This book contains scenes of light BDSM.
REVIEW:
When we are introduced to the Wyvern MC and their charismatic leader Rogue we get that they sometimes skirt the edge of legality. All of them are former cops or former military and all of them have for some reason or not been found guilty of something that pushed them out of their fields and pushed them towards the Wyverns.
For the past 3 years, Rogue has been answering to someone called “Mr. Trap”, through an intermediary named “Smith”. Rogue was forced into that position after he decked his boss on the police force and broke his nose. Rogue was already teetering on the edge of slightly less than legal, and his boss was also on the payouts. Mysteriously all charges were dropped if he became a Wyvern.
Now “Mr. Trap” has instructed that Rogue kidnap Orlando de la Pena, the only son of the notorious El Jefe, the leader of the Mexican Diablo Oros Cartel. And it has to be done the next day!
Luckily Rogue is a Dom and Orlando is a natural Sub. Things really get steamy along the way. I highly recommend this book, but really, really, really hope that you, Ms. Somerton, are considering making this a series???? There is so much more that inquiring minds want to know!
RATING: 4.5 Stars
TITLE: Biking Bad
AUTHOR: Morticia Knight
BLURB:
When Dylan, a young wannabe investigator, stumbles into the Mojave Sidewinder’s MC bar, he finds all kinds of trouble—especially in biker Luc ‘Zero’ Villarojas.
The Mojave Sidewinders is the largest gay MC club in Southern California. They’re also one-percenters, which makes them alluring to those looking for trouble and a danger to those making it. Luc ‘Zero’ Villarojas has been a brother ever since the club’s prez took him in as a runaway. At thirty-four years of age, he’s content to ride his hog, chase tail and run his tattoo and piercing parlor, Zero to Sixty.
Dylan has had to take care of himself since his aunt died when he was still a teen. Even though he’s barely twenty-two years old, the small spitfire has made his way in the world as best as he can and has even started his own would-be investigative agency. He’s proud of himself, even if his agency is on the edge of town in a ramshackle building.
Working his first big case involving a missing young man, Dylan barges into Road Rage, the Mojave Sidewinder’s exclusive bar, and starts asking questions. When it looks as though he’s about to get beaten up, a large, muscled biker covered in ink comes to his aid. Dylan’s incredibly attracted to him—even if Zero is pretty scary and Dylan’s still a virgin. But is there something Zero knows about the missing man that he’s hiding? And is Dylan in more danger than he realises?
REVIEW:
Luc “Zero” Villarojas has been a member of the Mojave Sidewinder’s MC since the leader of the group, “Shock” Taylor took him in when he as a runaway kid and acted like a surrogate father to him. When the story begins there is a problem, and it involves Shock’s nephew “Grim”. Grim is a total piece of shit who loves beating people down and expects to take over the club after Shock retires. The current problem involves a skinny young kid that tried to come in the front door of the Club’s bar, Road Rage. It shouldn’t have been an issue, because all the members of the Mojave Sidewinders are also gay and used to pretty young things coming by to meet a big tough biker. But Grim and a couple of other thugs have decided to teach the kid his place.
Fists fly, furniture is broken up and things get nasty, but Zero rescues the kid and gets him out of the bar. It turns out the kid, Dylan, is a twenty-one year old private investigator, who on his second case ever has been tasked with finding a kid named Jason who was last seen at the Road Rage bar.
One thing leads to another and we have threats, murder and mayhem. What will happen when the truth comes out about the missing kid, Jason? Is there any protecting Dylan from the harsh truth and from Grim? Only one way to find out, pick up the book!
RATING: 4.0 Stars
Thanks for the lovely review Dan, and yes The Wyverns will be back in a series of short stories 🙂
Thanks so much Dan, we really appreciate it!