Reviewed by Valerie 

TITLE:  Reluctant Renegade

SERIES:  Rebel Kings MC #5

AUTHOR:  Garrett Leigh

PUBLISHER:  Fox Love Press

LENGTH: 425 Pages

RELEASE DATE:  July 12, 2023

BLURB:   

“I was never scared of dying until I loved you.”

The shy single dad and the gentle assassin. Domestic bliss and a bloodthirsty revenge mission battle it out in the emotional fifth instalment of the bestselling Rebel Kings MC series.

Decoy
I met a dude in a bar once. Tall and strong, he had moon-blue eyes and tawny hair, and he moved with the grace of a lion.

It didn’t pan out, but that’s a theme in my life, and I’ve spent the last five years knowing that kind stranger dodged a bullet.

Divorced and miserable, I’m not exactly a catch.

But the thing is, that man…he’s not a stranger anymore.

And he’s as beautiful as I remember.

Everything you want in a fake boyfriend, right?

Don’t ask me to explain that one. But let me tell you this: I thought my biggest fear was losing my daughter. Then Folk came home, and I realised you can give your heart to more than one person.

We have a second chance. Goddamn, we deserve it.

But this life, man. It’s a journey.

And there’s no guarantees we’ll both make it to the end.

REVIEW:   

One half of my heart was safe in my arms, but the other was leaving, and fuck me, that hurt more than any physical wound on my body right now. I set Ivy on my hip and cupped Folk’s scruffy jaw, pressing my lips to his in a kiss too tender to handle for long. “Come back to us?” Folk stroked my cheekbone with the pad of his thumb. “Always.”

Reluctant Renegade is yet another fabulous Rebel Kings MC book. I love each and every one of these men so much. I didn’t expect to love this book as much as I did considering I wasn’t as invested in Decoy and Folk the way I was with the other men in the series. Holy cow, I was wrong. This five star/heart book is wonderfully heartwarming, exciting, and suspenseful. I felt real fear for these men at times, knowing that danger was lurking somewhere right around the corner.

Throughout this series, I’ve been amazed at how Garrett Leigh evokes so many feels, so much emotion, from all the members of an MC. These men are glorious – big, tough, and rough around the edges – yet so in touch with their feelings. They’re not afraid to express their love for one another, comfortably saying I love you, and not shy about physical touch like hugging. The Rebel Kings are the antithesis of what we commonly think of motorcycle clubs. No longer a 1% club, they still must fight for their lives and that of their brothers. Theirs is a true brotherhood. I’ve mentioned in previous reviews that this group of bikers represent the best found family I’ve seen in MM romance. That’s all due to the magic of Garrett Leigh.

Both Decoy and Folk are war veterans. In a previous book, Folk joined the Rebel Kings after his club, The Crows, was decimated. Even though Folk has now been with the Kings for a year, he and Decoy have kept their distance from each other because reasons. Folk has a primal attraction to Decoy, who he sees as a truly good, kind, selfless man, and Decoy is spellbound by Folk. He feels he’s not good enough for Folk, though.

Decoy’s young daughter, Ivy, is central to the plot of this book, specifically in regards to her safety and  Decoy’s custody battle with Ivy’s manipulative, abusive, downright evil mother. The depth of her hatred sickened me and rocked me to the core. Fortunately, Ivy has so many uncles (and two aunts) within the Rebel Kings family who, collectively, do everything in their power to protect her. Their interactions are precious and show another example of the men’s sensitivity.

“I watched Rubi uncle my kid within an inch of her life. When Alexei taught her to count in three different languages, and Nash snuck her sweets under the table.”

Decoy’s lawyer suggests that having a partner – two parents for Ivy – will convey a greater sense of stability and normalcy. Decoy’s need for a bodyguard for Ivy works into exuberant Rubi’s plan for Decoy and Folk to be fake boyfriends. This series is just about the last place I’d expect a fake boyfriend trope to play out. It works, though, and the fake part doesn’t last long; they obviously become a real couple, but not before plenty of UST builds up in a delicious slow burn.

Obviously you’ll want to read this wonderful novel if you’re already addicted to the series. It’s perhaps my second favorite after the OG, Devil’s Dance. And dare I mention the cover model? I want to lick every one of his tattoos! Highly recommended.

RATING:

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