I received this book from the publishers through NetGalley for an honest and unbiased review.

Author:

If you haven’t read any of her books yet, you’re sorely missing out. The only way I can see someone not liking a Feehan novel is if they don’t like A- romance or B- steamy romance. I won’t lie in that some of her works have gotten a little redundant, especially her Dark series, but this latest novel is anything but repetative.

Judgment Road is all that we love in Feehan’s works; dark(ish), gritty, down-to-earth steamy love scenes, and main characters you want to in equal measures scream at and cheer for.

Style:

There is a certain writing style I have come to expect from this author and this latest release from her is originally refreshing. The bad boy trope has been done so many times that it is getting a little tedious, but when it’s bad boy in the form of our main hero, Torpedo Ink’s very own Reaper, there’s little that’s typical about him.

Story Itself:

It is a little disorienting jumping into this novel if you haven’t read the previous (or last installment) of Feehan’s Sister of the Heart series. Torpedo Ink is introduced in the last one of those, but by no means do you have to read that one before this one. What is Torpedo Ink? It’s a biker club full of ex-Russian assassins trained from childhood to be an elite killing force for their corrupt government’s politicians.

The story revolves around Reaper and Anya- one of Torpedo’s very own and a semi damsel in distress.

Anya isn’t the typical damsel in distress in that while she is at times helpless (here’s what I mean about typical tropes in romance), she has been mostly self reliant her whole life, that is until Reaper falls for her.

Reaper has a horrific history and not only because of his ex-assassin ways, but because what they did to him to train him to become an assassin. He was tortured. Even though we cringe from the word, it does little to describe the agony that was his life before he and his brethren escaped that life. As he and Anya meet on an intimate level-he must come to terms with the past or else lose their future.

4 Stars

The bonds between the members of Torpedo Ink MC were forged in the bitter winter of Russia. They saved each other from hell on Earth. Now they make their home in the small town of Caspar and are equally feared as they are respected. None more so than the club's enforcer - Reaper.

His skill of tracking and killing his targets is a thing of legend. And his deathly crosshairs are now on the shy bartender that watches from the shadows every night.

"He shouldn't have spoken to Anya. He shouldn't have allowed her to put her hands on him. He could still feel her palms, just as if they'd melted through his shirt, right beneath his colors, and branded him to the bone. To the fucking bone. That's what she'd done. He touched his chest. He shouldn't have unzipped his jacket before going into the bar, but the blast of heat always got him when he came in from a ride, so he'd done what he always did. Now he wore her brand.
He wanted her. He considered that. Let it settle in his mind. It wasn't an order to seduce a woman, it wasn't the school run by pedophiles and sick, twisted criminals forcing him to perform every sex act imaginable. This wasn't something contrived. For the first time in his life, his body chose. He chose. His choice was her. Anya Rafferty."

Anya is running from serious trouble. Laying low at bar owned by Torpedo Ink seemed like a good idea. She would just keep her head down, earn enough money to survive and stay on the move. But she never expected to find herself under the spell of one of their most dangerous brothers.

One moment Reaper is threatening and then he's infinitely tender. The unexpected desire that rages between them burns far brighter than any of the warning signs. The amount pain that he's endured would have destroyed a weaker man and now that Anya's had a glimpse of what lies under his armor, she's willing to gamble everything for a chance at forever.

With danger and deception around every corner, sometimes love isn't enough to keep the past from stealing away the future.

"You said that already." She tilted her head and deliberately challenged him. "You said you were willing to do anything, to try anything. Try this."
"I could hurt you."
"You're naked, honey. No weapons."
He stepped closer. Right into her space, forcing her to tilt her head just that little bit, which intimidated her. "Anya, I am a weapon."
"Then lie facedown, your hands under your head. If you start to get squirrely, you just have to say something."
He stared down into her face for a long time. Long enough to give butterflies a chance to take off, wings brushing like mad against her stomach. One hand came up to cup the side of her face. His thumb slid over her lips. "You're something else, Anya. I don't know what I ever did that allowed you to walk into my life."

Judgment Road is far more than just another MC romance! Christine Feehan has elevated the genre to a whole new level by combining her masterful flair for the paranormal and signature fierce heat to deliver an emotional shot to the heart that's completely captivating.

It's gritty and wickedly sexy ride that you'll want to take over and over again…

4.5 stars-- JUDGMENT ROAD is the first instalment in Christine Feehans’ contemporary, adult TORPEDO INK slightly paranormal, erotic, romance series focusing on the members of the MC Torpedo Ink. The Torpedo Ink series is a spin-off from the author’s Sisters of the Heart / Sea Haven series but you do not have to have read the original series to understand or follow Torpedo Ink. This is Torpedo Ink enforcer and Sergeant at Arms Savva ‘Reaper’ Pajari, and bartender Anya Rafferty’s story line.

NOTE: Most of the characters including Torpedo Ink club president Victor ‘Czar’ Prakenski, and his wife Blythe Daniels were introduced in the final instalment of the author’s Sea Haven Series BOUND TOGETHER.

WARNING: JUDGMENT ROAD contains, and makes reference to graphic violence, rape, murder, torture and abuse against children and women, and therefore, may not be suitable for all readers.

SOME BACKGROUND: At the tender age of ten years old, Victor ‘Czar’ Prakenski set about to save and rescue over three hundred children from a Russian child sex-slave operation but in the end only eighteen survived. The Torpedo Ink series focuses on the survivors: their stories, their history, and their happily ever afters.

Told from several third person perspectives including Reaper and Anya JUDGMENT ROAD follows the acrimonious relationship between Torpedo Ink enforcer, assassin and Sergeant At Arms Savva ‘Reaper’ Pajari, and bartender Anya Rafferty. Anya Rafferty is a new hire at the biker bar run by the Torpedo Ink MC; a woman that quickly gets under Reaper’s skin but a woman whose past may be a threat to the security and safety of the Torpedo Ink MC. When a rival MC comes looking for help the Torpedo Ink gang set into motion a search and rescue mission that reveals a much darker and deeper threat than anyone had suspected, a threat that quite possibly leads back to Anya Rafferty. What ensues is the building and volatile relationship between Reaper and Anya; the search and take down of the threats against Torpedo Ink; and the potential fall-out when Reaper’s nightmares and heart breaking past refuse to let go.


Reaper is a stone-cold killer; a dark and tormented man whose own family-the Torpedo Ink MC- is troubled by his emotional instability and inability to let go. Trained as an assassin Reaper believes he is incapable of any relationship involving the woman with whom he will fall in love. With the arrival of Anya Rafferty, Reaper slowly begins to shed his dark and cold exterior. Anya Rafferty is on the run and finding a home with the Torpedo Ink MC places everyone in danger. Unaware of the history, and the savage beginnings of the man that she loves Anya finds herself at a crossroads, ready to run, on more than one occasion.

We are introduced to all eighteen members of Torpedo Ink- survivors of horrific abuse, torture and betrayal at the hands of the sick and depraved. A tight-knit group that calls itself family, the Torpedo Ink gang collectively share telepathic abilities, as well as a heart breaking and devastating history that only furthers their close relationship and over-protective nature as it pertains to one of their own.

The world building reveals the tragic history of abuse, torture, rape and ‘education’ of a group of children who discovered that the world and people have a sick and twisted version of right and wrong. In past reviews I have remarked on the author’s increasing violent story lines and abuse against women and children but in the case of the Torpedo Ink series, the violence is part of their history and lives-ingrained and imbedded –into their very existence. The story line heroes are not the perpetrators of the violence and abuse against the women they love but are the saviors and salvation of those who suffered years before.

JUDGMENT ROAD and the Torpedo Ink are the stories of the broken; the damaged; betrayal and revenge. The premise is dark, startling and edgy; the characters are colorful, charismatic and protective; the romance is dramatic, controversial and healing. Christine Feehan enters the world of the MC with the first fiery instalment in the Torpedo Ink series.

Copy supplied by the publisher through Netgalley

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CHAPTERS/INDIGO (Sandy_At_the_Reading_Café) posted

Release Date: January 23, 2018
Berkley Penguin Group
Torpedo Ink #1
MC Romance
Review copy provided by publisher

Christine Feehan is a new to me author. I have heard great things about her writing from fellow romance fans. However, I struggle with trying new stuff. I know what I like. I'm happy to say that picking up this book was a good thing!

Judgment Road is an MC romance. I avoid those like the plague. They are typically darker than I normally like in my romance, and cheating is rampant. Cheating in any form is a hard limit for me. I get really stabby. While this book is definitely raw and gritty, it didn't have any cheating...thank goodness!

Reaper is a troubled soul. The abuse he suffered as a child would break just about anyone. Sometimes the descriptions of past abuse were hard to read, but it was an integral part of the story. You needed to read it to understand what makes Reaper the man he is.

Anya is on the run and looking for a place that she can call home. Reaper doesn't want to want her, but the pull is just too strong to resist.

The raw chemistry between these two was crazy hot. There's a lot of push and pull, but just under the surface, is a sizzling fire that's about to explode! Ms. Feehan may have made me blush a few times with the love scenes. And I loved every second of it.

There's a lot going on in this book. There's so much conflict. It felt like the hero and heroine could never catch a break. It was one hurdle after another. Ordinarily I would have eye rolled at this, but I think it worked in this book. It kept things moving at a quick pace and kept it interesting. I wanted to keep reading to see how it was going to pan out for them.

Because it's an MC romance there are some brutal scenes. The violence is thick, and the blood is plenty. But it's all very authentic to the world that Ms. Feehan has built for her Torpedo Ink MC.

Anya is a strong character. She has to put up with a lot of crap from Reaper, but I never once felt like she was a door mat. She stood her ground and kept her head up. I probably would have folded and walked away, but she fought for her HEA.

This may have been my first Christine Feehan book, but it certainly won't be the last. She has a huge backlist that I can't wait to dig into, not to mention, I'm giddy about the next book in this series!

I don’t normally read MC biker romances. I don’t have anything against them, they just aren’t my thing. However, when Christine Feehan writes well,her books are really, really good. This book had elements of greatness. Judgment Road and those bikers in Torpedo Ink had a background that was different and drew me in. Stolen when children in Russia, they were abused, trained, and raised to be assassins. When they escaped Russia they stayed together forming this club and using their skills to help others who have been victimized. I liked that theme, but wow, this was a pretty dark book. If you have triggers about rape, abuse, etc. this will be a difficult read. I don’t have those triggers and at times I cringed in horror.

Anya and Reaper were kind of typical of a biker and his babe. He was totally Alpha and she was sassy and sweet. There was a ton of smoking hot sex (a little too much at times) but they had a lot of past trauma to get over, on both their sides to get to their happily ever after. Anya was on the run from a group that wanted her dead and without giving away the story, Torpedo Ink ended up saving women who were brutalized by this same group. I wish Judgment Road was a little less sex and a lot more of that story because it was a really good romantic suspense tale and got me totally hooked. If Reaper hadn’t had trauma in his own background that he and Anya worked through with sex, passages that were important, I would’ve skimmed a lot more than I did.

This series is an offshoot of the Sea Haven series, if any of you are fans. Viktor (Czar) and his wife Bythe were the last book in that series. There is a mystical element to the Torpedo Ink members, just as there was in the Sea Haven series, with each biker having a trait that was kind of magical and mysterious. This magical element gave the series a little boost into the unreal, but made it a lot more fun to read.

Judgment Road was a pretty dark, grueling start to this series, but there were some other members that I found pretty fascinating. I think I’ll need to keep an eye out for the next one, but am hopeful it will be a little lighter read. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for my honest review and it was honest!

I have been totally excited about this new series from Christine Feehan. I was a little worried as its a spinoff of the popular Sea Haven series and, despite my work on reading her back list, I haven't read this entire series yet. While there were a few areas where I wished I had the backstory, for the most part I was fine reading this without reading that earlier series.

So... Torpedo Ink. A motorcycle club and family forged in horrific circumstances. Seriously, the back story on these guys (and girls) is so sad and intense and sometimes hard to read. So it was emotional as hell y'all. In addition to their tortured background, these guys are trained assassins and most have some special ability. There were only light paranormal elements, not enough to really classify this as a paranormal romance, but a nice blend of fantasy and dark reality to make our characters more interesting.

Anya Rafferty is our heroine, and does not start out as part of the Torpedo Ink family. Anya was somewhat of a tortured heroine herself, having been homeless most of her life. But I had to admire her drive and work ethic, and the plan that she had for her life. I also admired that she didn't really let her life circumstances get her down, she was determined to take care of herself and solver her own problems. I was kinda worried about Anya's sweetness and how she would fit in with all the damaged bikers, but she had enough sass and temper to hold her own most of the time. I also came to see her sweetness as the perfect counterbalance to our hero's darkness, and I think they were paired well together. There was a time or two that I wish Anya would have communicated better with our hero, but for the most part they were adults and acted as such. There wasn't a ton of unnecessary drama or fighting, and I liked that.

Our hero and one of the enforcers for Torpedo Ink is Savva Pajari a/k/a Reaper. Reaper was an extremely damaged individual due to his childhood, sadistic captors, and horrible things he was forced to do. There are times when you think that Reaper is so damaged that he will never be able to function as a normal person. And he won't really - Reaper is definitely never going to be normal. But that doesn't mean that he can't function or have a relationship. I was so wrapped up in Reaper's character that I found myself siding with him more often than Anya. The turmoil that Reaper experiences was palpable. He had to learn to overcome past torment to make things work with Anya, but also had to learn to balance this new person in his life with his family in Torpedo Ink. It definitely was not easy for him.

The relationship between Anya and Reaper was like the rest of the book - intense. There were not a lot of light and happy moments between the two, but the small ones were poignant and meaningful. The chemistry was off the charts and the intimacy was hot, heavy and usually rough. And when Reaper's past intruded into these moments, it was emotional and hard to read. I couldn't help but want things to work out for them just because Reaper deserved it so much... Anya did too, but again, I was wrapped up in Reaper.

I think this promises to be a long-running series due to the amount of secondary characters that will make good heroes and heroines. All of the Torpedo Ink members need to tell their own story, and I can't wait to read the future books.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book that I received from the publisher, Berkley Romance.

I enjoyed Feehan’s original Drake Sisters series and I love MC romances, so when I saw this book, I became excited. I wasn’t sure what to expect. Would there be magic? Would it be all MC? I kept expecting there to be magic, but there was none. This book did have psychic abilities though. There is also mystery and some intense moments that made me sick to my stomach and my heart pound. I definitely found myself wanting to throw my kindle at times because I was so mad at the hero in this book. The heroine is very forgiving, which I am not so sure I would have been in this situation. The hero has a horrible past, which is connected to his club members pasts as well, which gives him his issues, but also explains the strong bond that his club has with one another. The hero is the enforcer or rather killer in their club. The heroine is a strong female who has been though her own stuff,that fits with this group, but she does have one or two moments where she is not so smart in her strategy. They have to work through their pasts, but they get their much deserved happy ending.
This was a different kind of MC story then I have read before, and I have read many. I definitely was involved in this story and its characters. Seeing this family MC work together, why and how they are bonded, intrigued me so I kept reading. I am left with many questions about each of the characters and the enemy.The characters came alive for me. I felt like this book put me through the ringer. This was a good read for me. Also, a good start to a new series. I look forward to reading the others stories and seeing them get their happy ending. I need more!

Why is it that when I absolutely love a book and just want to jump and shout for everyone to read it that I have such a hard time doing a review for it??? I spent my whole Sunday sucked into the world of Torpedo Ink and did not want to leave it!

Christine Feehan wove such a compelling tale about this group of people, the horrors they have overcome and how they have triumphed. I'm such a sucker for that kind of thing. I like to see people who have been beaten down to a point that would break most people and come out on top. How they turned around and became the saviors of other victims just gets my blood pumping with excitement.

The bond these bikers created in their will to survive is awe inspiring. When Anya stepped into their world, I felt sorry for her at first. She's never had a family or a home. She has never had someone that would stand at her back and fight for her. To see this in this group and be on the outside edges was not easy for her. Who would have thought that it took their betrayal to her that would actually be the one thing that would bring her into the fold?

What can I say about Reaper. I loved him, I felt for him and I wanted him to have his Anya. He deserved her after everything he went through. He deserves to find happiness in a world so ugly. The things he's seen and was made to do as a child is every parents nightmare. The result of that childhood has made him one of the deadliest men, but also a Hero.

This was such a riveting read for me. It is dark and full of angst. It has violence but it also has love. It has evil and it has good, but most of all it has a bond between a group of people that runs so deep it can never be broken. There is a touch of paranormal to this story. Each member of the Torpedo Ink has an ability that aids them as they seek vengeance and saves the weak. I truly can not wait for the next in the series! ARC provided by Netgalley.

Feehan’s latest adventure revolves around a Russian outlaw Motorcycle Club who has settled right outside of Sea Haven in a small town called Casper. If you are familiar with her Sea Haven Sisters series, you will recognize this group from the last book-Bound Together. In Bound Together, we learn that president of the Torpedo Ink MC, Viktor Prakenskii, aka Czar, married and abandoned Blythe Daniels in order to finally take care of the human trafficking ring once and for all. He comes back five years later, they find their HEA, and the MC settles down to start building a life and heal. Like the Sea Haven series, this series is based on a group of people who call each other family and are tied together by blood, pain, and survival. Kidnapped as children, they are trained to be the ultimate assassins. Upon escaping and eventually destroying the school and those who hurt them, the group formed an MC and are now attempting to live free.Though not into drugs, guns, and woman like most clubs, this club does operate outside the law as mercenaries/vigilantes for hire.

Reaper, an enforcer for the club, is one of the most dangerous members. Also one of the more damaged. He has suffered things that no one, not his fellow brothers/sisters or even his president know about. He needs complete control and hates being touched. He truly believes he has no soul; that he is dead inside. The latest hire at Torpedo Ink sends him into a spiral as he struggles to understand the raging need that blasts through him, breaking all his control.

Anya Rafferty is on the run and is lucky enough to secure a post with the Torpedo Inc MC. Raised on the streets and shuttled between shelters as her mother chased her drug habit, Anya knows how things can change in the blink of an eye. Always prepared, she just wants to a place to feel safe but in the deepest recess of her heart, she wants to settle down and build a family. The MC could be her new family but the one they call Reaper doesn’t want her around. As Anya struggles to find her place, she and Reaper start down a dark and dangerous path filled with pain, love, loss, revenge, and redemption.

Judgement Road is an emotionally dense storyline filled with action-packed mystery, suspense, intrigue, and an erotic based romance. It is a dark story and I would be remiss in not warning readers of the explicit scenes of violence and mentions of sexual assault and torture. Strong plotting and the conversational style narrative helps to combat the somewhat weak characterization. Feehan does a good job of introducing us to the protagonists and integrating their backstories into the narrative. The paranormal aspects are far more subtle but they are apparent as you go deeper into the story (they appear are more instinctual in nature). Feehan takes her time building the tension of the main conflict, allowing us to participate in the story as we follow the MC into the fray. The various other MCs and the common denominator that brings them together offers readers the excitement and suspense we expect from her series. The barely civilized manner they all possess just adds to the sense of danger and anticipation.

The romance balances nicely against the main conflict. While it has a definite strong foothold with multiple explicit sex scenes, there are enough everyday scenes and various subplots that serve as nice counterpoints. It doesn’t overwhelm. Feehan digs deep into Reaper’s issues and does not offer Anya or their falling in love as an instant cure-all. Allowing them to spend time together helps them both to learn to trust and fall in love but we aren’t ever fooled into thinking Reaper is cured. Anya and Reaper aren’t an easy couple and there were some scenes that made me question whether they would make or if they even should. This is established almost from the beginning. Reaper is dangerous and Anya is not all that safe with him. Though Reaper is dominant to the point of offensiveness at times, Anya is more than able to handle herself against him and knows when to bend and when to break bad.

The ending comes at you hard, wrapping up the main conflict while opening the door for much more to come. I’m looking forward to each of the members getting their HEA. There is seventeen total (2 down-15 to go) so that tells us this series will be quite a few books. I foresee a couple threesomes. ;) Future plotlines and a possible romantic connection already in the works is touched upon in though it’s not going to be an easy ride for any of them. Now, I won’t lie and say there weren’t some issues. On three separate occasions, Feehan uses almost the same setup and descriptive terms to open a scene featuring the two female members of the MC. Some of Reaper’s and the MC’s actions left a nasty taste in my mouth but at least Feehan explains the reasons behind it and it’s not mere lip service.

Regardless, I enjoyed this new venture and fans of Feehan are sure to enjoy also.

Grade: B-

I requested this book because I love Christine Feehan. I was hesitant because I've not like motorcyle club book in the past. I'm sorry to say that I still don't care for MC books, even those written by Feehan. Thanks for allowing me to preview this book, it just wasn't my cup of tea.

Review featured at www.books-n-kisses.com
4.75 Hearts Whoo Hoo! A new series by Christine Feehan. I was so excited to pick up this book. And I was not disappointed at all.
This series is set in MC world. Reaper is the enforcer who has so many issues but seems like a teddy bear at heart. He has a side of him that most do not see and somehow Anya see’s it even if he doesn’t want her to. But when she is in danger he is the one that will make sure she comes out of this perfectly fine.
The book is a about Reaper. To be honest it felt like Anya was a bit of a secondary character. I didn’t mind that but it is something the reader should know. This is the MC world and it is Reaper’s world and Anya is just a player in it.
That being said it is a dangerous sexy world and one that I can’t wait to read more about. Bring on this new series because it will certainly get your engine reving!
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Anya Rafferty is the perfect match for Reaper. It is just going to take both time to get everything right. There are secrets on both sides. Both Anya And Reaper are interesting characters with Reaper having a past that is very hard to get over. I meet the Torpedo Ink crew in the last book of the last series and wondered how any of them were ever going to find an HEA. Turn out it will not be easy. Add a danger to the club in the mix and you have tension, danger, and a very fast paced and interesting story. Love how Reaper was the first for I through he would be the very last to find someone he could trust.

I received a free copy of the book in return for an honest review.

I do not generally like MC books. I especially do not like MC books where the women are shared and treated like property. This is not that type of book. Having read the conclusion to the Sea Haven books we were introduced to Torpedo Ink MC and Reaper. Reaper seemed fascinating to me. He is a completely tortured hero and is well written. Anya, while also an interesting lead has a few flaws which is why a 4 instead of a 5 star rating.

This book is a lot darker than many of Ms. Feehan's books. The paranormal elements are very subtle. The MC gang as a whole is an interesting lot. This is a character driven novel and the plot is kinda thin. That said the characters are pretty interesting. Will I continue with this series - I don't know, but this was a good book.

Received as an ARC from Netgalley for an honest review.

DNF @ 39%, so no rating.

I feel like at 39%, I really gave this book a fair shot, but it just wasn't for me. Though, to be fair, I think this author, in general is not for me, so please take my notes with a grain of salt. If you are a Christine Feehan fan, you will probably enjoy this book.

I thought this book got off to a decent start despite the insta-love. While I'm not usually a fan, it seemed to work for me here. Unfortunately, there were other things that didn't. There was a paranormal aspect to this story that felt very out of place here. There was nothing about it in the blurb, but had there been, I probably wouldn't have picked it up. Also, I am not sure if I am supposed to be impressed by Reaper's dedication to his club and thinking how willing he was to kill Anya if he found out she'd crossed him and his club,but I wasn't. I know this is the norm in MC books, and I have read it when it's been pulled off well. It just wasn't pulled off well here. Also, as OK as I was with the insta-love, something major happens at the beginning of this book that the club decides to get involved in, and then, as if that's totally forgotten, this book veers into erotic territory and stays that way for about a quarter of the book, and then, it's like the book remembers its plot and starts focusing on the 'big event' again.

It's safe to say this book was not for me, but if you're a long-time fan of Ms. Feehan, I think it will be for you.

I've been on the hunt for a great MC series and book for a while.
Reading the blurb I was super pumped to give this one a spin. I was devastatingly disappointed.
I wanted to like both Anya and Reaper so much but couldn't.
Reaper experienced unthinkable abuse as a child, and carried that with him into adulthood. My soul ached for him and longed for redeeming qualities but there weren't many to be found other than he's loyal and fights for what he believes in. There is a HUGE difference between being a dominant male and being an abusive, controlling prick. He was much more the latter. He called the shots on how long their 'relationship' would last, he left bruises and thought they were sexy, controlled every sexual encounter even using force.
And Anya loved it. She constantly referred to herself as a strong woman, but she had his fingerprints tattooed on top of her bruises at his request. She allowed him to speak to her and forcibly take her in any manner he chose.
They never once had protected sex, even though it was mentioned, by her, they should. She was made to toe the line of everyone of his hard no's but he didn't respect hers.
There were so many scenes that contributed to my utter dislike of the characters and the book in general.
-The MC thought Anya might be a plant so they brought her in for questioning. Reaper restrained her while another brother tortured her to get the truth from her. She forgave them.
-Reaper woke up to sexually and physically assaulting Anya. Instead of maybe deciding to step back and concentrate on trying to heal herself then maybe his deeper wounds, she was concerned about him and even went as far as sleeping on his shoulder right after it occurred. She was so battered the MC president wouldn't let her work so they wouldn't be portraying the 'wrong image' at a biker bar.
-Reaper decides it might be a good idea to find another woman to help him overcome his sexual demons so he doesn't hurt Anya again, and even goes so far as meeting this woman, in his room, at the compound.
-Anya walks in on this encounter, and, even though Reaper wasn't actually going to go through with it, she decided to leave based on what she saw. Every single club member stood in her way because they were 'family' and if she was hurting 'they all were hurting'. She allowed herself to be manipulated by them into hearing Reaper out then she had another sexual encounter with him within hours.
There were inconsistencies throughout with the club. There appeared to be supernatural abilities held by each member, on missions if appeared they were able to communicate telepathically, but they were all constantly in communication via text?
None of this was ever described or explained. Just 'talents s/he learned at the school.'
I was provided an ARC of this book by netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Reaper is the enforcer for the Torpedo Ink MC. He is aloof, separated from the rest by the violence that the specialized school inflicted on him. Afraid to be close to anyone other than president and leader, Reaper is distressed by his attraction to the new bar tender Anya.

Anya is on the run and keeping her secrets close. She doesn’t fit in the MC world, but it is the perfect place to hide. She is intrigued by Reaper but he’s tried to get her fired and she doesn’t understand why…besides she needs this job so she can earn enough money to keep running.

Both Reaper and Anya have some serious emotional scars. There is no comparing the level of emotional distress they’ve experienced, but both have their issues that come into play.

Feehan’s Judgment Road is DARK! The level of abuses that are described are upsetting and truly horrific. I was riveted and completely invested in the outcome, but I could of done without the extend of the graphically described violences.

Amazing and emotionally jarring read with extremely difficult subject matter. This book is not for the light-hearted reader.

I received this ARC copy of Judgment Road from Berkley Publishing Group. This is my honest and voluntary review. Judgment Road is set for publication Jan. 23, 2018.

My Rating: 4.5 stars
Written by: Christine Feehan
Series: Torpedo Ink (Book 1)
Mass Market Paperback: 464 pages
Publisher: Berkley
Publication Date: January 23, 2018
ISBN-10: 0451488512
ISBN-13: 978-0451488510
Genre: Dark Paranormal Romance

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Reviewed for: http://tometender.blogspot.com

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Genre: MC Romance / Paranormal Romance
Book Length: Novel
Male Lead: Reaper is an Enforcer of Torpedo Ink, a motorcycle club whose members are all elite Russian assassins that have been trained since childhood in a horrifying school run by the worst of humankind. Reaper is big, sexy, tattooed, scarred all over his face and body and loyal to his family of brothers and sisters.
Female Lead: Anya is a beautiful bartender that survived a life on the streets. She has long dark hair and emerald eyes. She’s got brains to go with her sassy mouth and a heart of gold.
Heat Level: HOT!
Frequency of Sex (1-5): 4
Angst Level (1-5): 3
Standalone/Series/Cliffhanger: Standalone, but part of a new series.
Epilogue: No
Other Notables/Triggers: Heavy violence and sexual abuse of women and children.
Would I Recommend? Absolutely!
My Review: Amazing! I’m so excited that Christine Feehan (one of my favorite authors) created a series involving a MC and combined it with the paranormal that she’s famous for. Reaper is such a tortured soul and you cannot help but fall in love with him. He’s rough and possessive and extremely deadly, but he connects with Anya in a way he’s never before with any woman, which makes it so sweet and satisfying. Their love is genuine and pure and heartbreaking at times. The other MC members are all intriguing as well; they each have different “talents” that I’m looking forward to learning about as the series progresses. This is a dark read, dealing with very sensitive subjects, but it’s overwhelmingly a wonderful experience. I absolutely cannot wait for the next installment!
Disclosures: I voluntarily read a copy of this book courtesy of NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Judgement Road (Torpedo Ink #1), is a new series which begins where Bound Together left off in that some of the same characters of the Sea Haven Series are in this new series. This is the story of a group of men, some bound by their childhood that now have started a motorcycle group right outside of Sea Haven, who are really using their club as a cover for their operations in saving children who have been stolen by or kept by pedophiles, and human trafficking.

This book was really good and I have to say it is a great first book for this series, I read it and wanted more immediately. Through a series of flashbacks we see what the members went through as children when they were stolen from their parents, abused horribly sexually as well as physically and mentally, and they all have a little power of their own that makes this a group of survivors that want to rescue as many children as they can.

In this book we see the club enforcer's Reaper and his fight for survival that has turned him into a killer. In this book we meet Anya who Reaper sees as a threat to the club, even though she is a bartender, and this is their story.

In Bound Together we are introduced to Viktor aka Czar, who is Blythe's husband that was gone for 5 years and he returns to her and his group is with him, all together since they were children and learned how to kill while being abused. This is where we understand why they are making a motorcycle club to cover their real purpose.

There is so much action and the plot was great keeping the book going at a fast pace and I held my breath at some parts- it was so good but full of angst! I have loved all of Christine Feehan's Series and this new one is going to be just as great as her other books.

I gave this book 5*****angsty stars and can't wait for the next book.


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I'm not totally sure how I feel about this one, even hours after finishing it. It was quite dark and full of angst. The characters were all SO damaged, and had PTSD all over the place. It was really hard for me to read at times, for many different reasons.

Reaper is the enforcer of the Torpedo Ink Motorcycle Club. He's a fighter, a killer, always stone cold and remote, often even with his brothers and sisters. This is a unique MC in that all of the members grew up together, and were tortured together in Russia. They were all taken as orphaned kids to a "school" where they were taught to be assassins. They were tortured, physically, mentally, and sexually. What they endured, at ages as young as 2, was completely unimaginable, and it scarred and shaped them permanently. They are all very co-dependent on each other and they are all endlessly loyal to their president, Czar, as he's the one who helped to save them all. Reaper hasn't ever had sex other than when he was being forced, or had to do it as part of the jobs they sent him on. He believes he's incapable of feeling anything for anyone, other than a sense of loyalty to his club, and to Czar. Then he hears the new bartender's laugh, and he doesn't know what to think anymore.

Anya Rafferty is a great bartender. She's been working for about a month at the MC's bar and she really needs the job, as she's on the run. They pay her under the table, and she feels a sense of safety being under the MC's protection, as one of their employees. She's seen Reaper watching her each night in the bar, and she's wildly attracted to him. But, she feels like he stares at her like he hates her. She has no idea what's really going on beneath the surface. Anya grew up in shelters with her drug addict mother, until her death. Then she bounced around, and was always on her own. She's never had a family, or anyone to watch her back. When Reaper begins to act differently toward her she isn't sure what to think, or if she can trust him.

Reaper and Anya's chemistry is explosive, but they both have no idea what a ride they're in for. Reaper has more demons than he knows what to do with, and Anya has trust issues aplenty. They both have to come to terms with their issues, and it is a long, long road. There were really tough situations that happened, that made me cry and hurt for both of them. They both also make plenty of stupid mistakes along the way, some of which would be unforgivable to most people. I had a really hard time in particular with a couple of instances where I didn't see how anyone could reasonably come back from that. At least not in the short term. Granted, this is an extreme world, and they can't go to anyone outside the club for help, like a therapist, but I think they all would have seriously benefited from talking to someone who wasn't wrapped up in the same trauma they all endured.

There was a suspense side plot with a rival MC and some kidnapping situations that kept the story moving along, and that part was well done, exciting, and scary. Plenty of the side characters were quite interesting, especially the 2 ladies in the MC, but I'm not sure I'm hooked enough to keep going in the series. The trauma of these characters was absolutely heartbreaking, and there was so much pain and angst. I like my reads a little lighter, in general, and I had a hard time getting through this one at certain points. This is my first read from this author, so I didn't really know what to expect, and I have no idea whether this book is indicative of the rest of her work. The story flowed smoothly, and the writing was top notch, but I just couldn't take the pain of these poor people, and it physically hurt sometimes to continue reading. That is, perhaps, the sign of a great read that I felt so much, but for me, the pain was TOO much. Some of the situations, which I can't go into without spoilers, felt too contrived to be realistic, and I really hated some of the choices the characters made.

If you like high action suspense and super angsty, dark MC reads, this book could be for you. It just wasn't quite for me.

Judgement Road is one of those books that will keep you up all night. At first, I felt a little confused. Like perhaps there was a prequel or something that I missed. But, you catch up pretty quick, and the story makes sense! Anya was a heroine I loved from the start. She is a kind of 'boot and rally' girl. Down on her luck but determined to make a better life for herself. You can't help but root for her. When the girls were mean to her, I cried. Like Anya, I think many women have experience bullying from other women and it always is so upsetting. Women face so many issues that when we turn on each other, its even more crushing. I was glad to see this was addressed and rectified.

If you are sensitive to certain topics, you might want to check out the trigger warning. While I think Feehan handled the topics with appropriateness, this book is full of tragic events that could be upsetting to some readers!

Reaper is exactly what I expect when I hear motorcycle club. He is hardened and will kill without compunction. The club is 'clean' in the sense they don't run drugs or anything,  but they are hired assassins. You get some of the backstory about how all these men grew up and its so sad. The abuse they went through is heartbreaking. Even though Reaper was cold and, at times, cruel, it felt true to his character and understandable.

There are some people in the club with some unique psychic abilities. There is a turn of events where these abilities are used on Anya and I was like "Oh hell no!". I was so enraged! Trust broken!! It was this huge violation and I could not believe it. Its such a huge turning point in the story. The action really picks up after this and the focus becomes saving the wife of another MC president as well as Anya. There is also a few bumps in the 'relationship road' for Anya and Reaper. The man is totally clueless and takes advice from other, equally clueless men.

Judgment Road has rocketed to one of my favorite reads. It is a sort of spin off of the Sea Haven series and I am totally going to binge on that series next! I might just change my Author Love Challenge to Christine Feehan!!!