Title: Vicious Cycle
Series: Vicious Cycle #1
Author: Katie Ashley
Release Date: June 2, 2015
New York Times bestselling author Katie Ashley revs up the danger and sexual tension in her brand-new Vicious Cycle romance series.
Deacon Malloy’s life is dedicated to the Hell’s Raiders motorcycle club. Tough, hard, and fast with his fists, he serves the group as sergeant at arms. But his devil-may-care approach to life is thrown for a loop when the five-year-old daughter he never knew existed lands on the club steps.
Alexandra Evans is devoted to all her students—but there’s always been something about Willow Malloy that tugs at her heart. There’s an aura of sadness about her, a girl in need of all the love Alexandra can give. When Willow stops coming to school, Alexandra’s search leads to a clubhouse full of bikers…and a father hell-bent on keeping his daughter always within sight.
The moment Deacon sees Alexandra, he has to have her in his bed—and he’s never met a woman yet who couldn’t be persuaded. No matter how attracted she is to Deacon, Alexandra refuses to be just another conquest. But it’s Deacon himself who could be seduced—into a brighter future for himself, his daughter, and the woman he’s falling for against all odds.
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An explosive beginning sets the tone for this fast-paced, emotion-packed whirlwind of a story.
Willow Malloy is a child but what she’s experienced in her young life is appalling. She grabbed me from the first sentence and didn’t let go throughout this riveting page turner. Deacon hadn’t known he was father to Willow and his life in the MC hadn’t prepared him for that role in the slightest. Alexandra Evans, as a teacher, on the other hand is a perfect role model for children so having Willow cling to her wasn’t unexpected.
What was a surprise were Deacon’s feelings for Alex. He knew their worlds shouldn’t mesh but as circumstances have them crossing paths constantly, the attraction they both feel is such that they can’t deny it. Violence erupts that affects everyone and while “love conquers all”, when did love meet the enemies of the MC?
This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I have become an instant fan. From the first pages, this story struck a chord right in my heart and never let go. This is a love story, for sure, as the strong emotions that Deacon and Alex feel for each other seem to echo from the pages. But it’s also about family and the ties that bind.
This is no fairy tale and the dangers of the lifestyle Deacon and his family lead are not glossed over. There is no shirking from the violence that exists and from the beginning the author doesn’t shy away from the gritty details. While I admit to reading through my fingers at a few spots, all scenes are well-written and put you right into the heart of the action. There is a lot of love within the MC community and I, for one, would love to have them in my corner. Thank goodness there are more single Mallory brothers!
~ Review by Diane
When I read the blurb for Vicious Cycle, I knew I had to read it. I love biker books and this one sounded like it would be a good one. I've read books by Katie Ashley before and loved them so I believed that this would be no different. And I was right. I did love Vicious Cycle. This was her first biker book, and she doesn't disappoint.
Deacon Malloy is a tough biker with no responsibilities, besides his club. That is, until his five year old daughter named Willow, who he didn't know about, shows up at his club. This throws him for a loop. He doesn't believe he can be a good father, though when it came down to it, he does anything he can to keep her safe. That includes keeping her home from school.
When Alexandria Evans notices that Willow is no longer coming to school, she decides that it's on her to find out what is going on. She shows up at the club and meets Willow’s father. Together, they come to the conclusion that to keep Willow safe, she will tutor her after school. It seems like a win-win situation. But will Deacon and Alex be able to stay away from each other?
When I started reading, Deacon definitely wasn't my favorite character. He could be rude and didn't have the best personality. But, over time, he started to act more like a loving father, not just someone stuck with a kid. So, after awhile, I started to like his character a lot more because he was changing into a better man and wasn't just a mean biker. Once he began to realize how he felt for Alex, things really started to get good.
"For her I wanted to be a better man, a better father, a better brother, and hell, a better human being."
Alex is a very likable character. She’s a loving person, and she cared for Willow long before she and Deacon had something going on. Neither Alex nor Deacon has the best past but that made them stronger as people. Some danger was always lurking from a rival club but that only makes Deacon more protective of both his girls; he does his best to keep them safe.
This book definitely wasn't a walk in the park, but biker books never are. There is some violence and bad things that happen, but that only makes the book more interesting. All in all, I really enjoyed this book. The ending was great and set it up for the next book in the series. I can't wait to read Rev's story.
~ Review by Leah
Katie Ashley is the New York Times, USA Today, and Amazon Best-Selling author of The Proposition Series, Runaway Train Series, as well as several New Adult and Young Adult titles. Her latest series, Vicious Cycle, has been picked up for publication by Penguin Books.
She lives outside of Atlanta, Georgia with her two very spoiled dogs. She has a slight obsession with Pinterest, The Golden Girls, Harry Potter, Shakespeare, Supernatural, Sons of Anarchy, Downton Abbey, Designing Women, and Scooby-Doo.
With a BA in English, a BS in Secondary English Education, and a Masters in English Education, she spent 11 1/2 years educating the Youth of America aka teaching MS and HS English until she left to write full time in December 2012.
