What do you think?
Rate this book
Knights in Black Leather #1
Undaunted
Following in the tradition of Kristen Ashley, Joanna Wilde, and Jay Crownover, this first novel in a sexy, dark New Adult series tells the thrilling story of a young woman who finds herself drawn to a Southern motorcycle club’s inner circle—and a dangerously hot biker.
Aubrey Evans needs to get her life back on track after her father is indicted for embezzlement. She’ll save college tuition money, hightail it out of small-town Tennessee, and steer clear of hard-muscled boys on motorcycles. Yet there’s no ignoring someone like Zion. A knight in black leather, Zion looks like every bad idea she’s been told to avoid, but she can’t resist him. Whenever she’s in trouble, he’s there. Appealing as his rough exterior may be, it’s the protective, principled man beneath that tempts her like crazy.
Zion knows Aubrey doesn’t intend to stick around. She claims to want only friendship, but he senses there’s a naughty girl hiding on the inside—one whose intense desires match his own. For now, he’ll be patient and play by her rules. Though he knows it’s just a matter of time before he weakens her resolve.
As they join forces to figure out who’s behind a local crime spree, it’s clear that the danger goes deeper than Aubrey guessed. And when she needs someone tall, dark, and undaunted to keep her safe, Zion intends to be there—now and always.
Aubrey Evans needs to get her life back on track after her father is indicted for embezzlement. She’ll save college tuition money, hightail it out of small-town Tennessee, and steer clear of hard-muscled boys on motorcycles. Yet there’s no ignoring someone like Zion. A knight in black leather, Zion looks like every bad idea she’s been told to avoid, but she can’t resist him. Whenever she’s in trouble, he’s there. Appealing as his rough exterior may be, it’s the protective, principled man beneath that tempts her like crazy.
Zion knows Aubrey doesn’t intend to stick around. She claims to want only friendship, but he senses there’s a naughty girl hiding on the inside—one whose intense desires match his own. For now, he’ll be patient and play by her rules. Though he knows it’s just a matter of time before he weakens her resolve.
As they join forces to figure out who’s behind a local crime spree, it’s clear that the danger goes deeper than Aubrey guessed. And when she needs someone tall, dark, and undaunted to keep her safe, Zion intends to be there—now and always.
8 pages, Audiobook
First published September 15, 2015
20 people are currently reading
895 people want to read
About the author
Ronnie Douglas
4 books111 followersAlso writes as Melissa Marr.
Q&A with New Adult Author Jay Crownover
Jay Crownover (JC): What drew you to venture into writing in the world of New Adult? Was it something specific or did the storyline and age of the characters just happen to fall into that category?
Ronnie Douglas (RD): I started this book back in 2008 (when both of my first two books were on the New York Times bestseller list), but back then there was no term for New Adult and I was suddenly being contracted for more books in my Wicked Lovely series and then an adult fantasy. I had to put this aside. About seven years later, there is a category for this book.
The story itself was very much a case of "write what you know." I paid for graduate school by slinging beer for bikers. Some of the naughtier bits of that experience (bikini bike washes, auctioning off the rights to pour ice water over me at set hours, learning the rules for house dealers, etc.) are things I look back on in some shock, but the people are still so vivid in my memory. Interacting with that world as a twenty-something myself meant that writing about a biker bar feels like it's meant to be NA.
JC: Did you read and were you a fan of NA before you wrote Undaunted? If so, what are some of the NA stories you loved and recommend to others?
RD: I read everything. I grew up without TV, so books are my daily relaxation . . . and romance was my first love. In general romance, I tend to go for historical, but my contemporary romance reads are pretty much NA. Obviously, I read your Marked Men series, Jen Armentrout, Katie McGarry (who I see listed as both YA and NA), Alyssa Rose Ivy (Derailed), Rachel Van Dyken, Colleen Hoover, and Elizabeth Briggs (More Than Music).
JC: What kind of research and/or personal experience went into writing about a 1% MC? Did you feel any kind of pressure to get the biker lifestyle and vibe right?
RD: Obviously, there are aspects of reality that are omitted or altered in Undaunted. This is fiction. However, I grew up on bikes. My father rode, so there were bikers and assorted so-called "rough" characters around. I simply feel more at ease with them, so I ended up managing a biker bar in my twenties (and yes, I have a definite loyalty to one particular 1% club as a result). I still ride, but only ever on the back and only ever on a Harley. I've never once been on a bike that was anything other than a Harley or a Triumph, and I'll admit that I've ridden with a few men because they had a gorgeous bike and the attitude to go with it.
Honestly, I enjoy the old-school chivalry of bikers, including being someone's "old lady" back in the day. Handling guns, knowing how to move comfortably in biker bars, and not minding being secondary to a biker all (still) come naturally to me—despite being a feminist in all other areas of my life.
Obviously, I took creative liberties here and there with this fictional 1% club, but the heart of it—that sense of loyalty, of almost tribalism, of passion, and of a somewhat flexible sense of legality—is accurate. The pressure I felt was walking a line between accuracy and story. Trying to convey why it feels good to be in that world is the easy part; being loved or cherished by bikers is an incredible feeling.
JC: What is your favorite scene from Undaunted?
RD: Any scene where there's a Harley! Getting to write about riding is a treat. When a friend mentioned never having been on a bike, it was . . . stunning to me. It’s been such a part of my life that I hadn't stopped to think that there are people I know who don’t get that joy, so I started to try to explain WHY it's so amazing—and why men who ride are too—and the result was that I wrote a couple of books.
JC: Did you feel like you were able to take more risks and push the envelope more with the characters and story writing in NA since it's a genre that rose up from having no rules and no expectations?
RD: Not at all, actually. I started
Q&A with New Adult Author Jay Crownover
Jay Crownover (JC): What drew you to venture into writing in the world of New Adult? Was it something specific or did the storyline and age of the characters just happen to fall into that category?
Ronnie Douglas (RD): I started this book back in 2008 (when both of my first two books were on the New York Times bestseller list), but back then there was no term for New Adult and I was suddenly being contracted for more books in my Wicked Lovely series and then an adult fantasy. I had to put this aside. About seven years later, there is a category for this book.
The story itself was very much a case of "write what you know." I paid for graduate school by slinging beer for bikers. Some of the naughtier bits of that experience (bikini bike washes, auctioning off the rights to pour ice water over me at set hours, learning the rules for house dealers, etc.) are things I look back on in some shock, but the people are still so vivid in my memory. Interacting with that world as a twenty-something myself meant that writing about a biker bar feels like it's meant to be NA.
JC: Did you read and were you a fan of NA before you wrote Undaunted? If so, what are some of the NA stories you loved and recommend to others?
RD: I read everything. I grew up without TV, so books are my daily relaxation . . . and romance was my first love. In general romance, I tend to go for historical, but my contemporary romance reads are pretty much NA. Obviously, I read your Marked Men series, Jen Armentrout, Katie McGarry (who I see listed as both YA and NA), Alyssa Rose Ivy (Derailed), Rachel Van Dyken, Colleen Hoover, and Elizabeth Briggs (More Than Music).
JC: What kind of research and/or personal experience went into writing about a 1% MC? Did you feel any kind of pressure to get the biker lifestyle and vibe right?
RD: Obviously, there are aspects of reality that are omitted or altered in Undaunted. This is fiction. However, I grew up on bikes. My father rode, so there were bikers and assorted so-called "rough" characters around. I simply feel more at ease with them, so I ended up managing a biker bar in my twenties (and yes, I have a definite loyalty to one particular 1% club as a result). I still ride, but only ever on the back and only ever on a Harley. I've never once been on a bike that was anything other than a Harley or a Triumph, and I'll admit that I've ridden with a few men because they had a gorgeous bike and the attitude to go with it.
Honestly, I enjoy the old-school chivalry of bikers, including being someone's "old lady" back in the day. Handling guns, knowing how to move comfortably in biker bars, and not minding being secondary to a biker all (still) come naturally to me—despite being a feminist in all other areas of my life.
Obviously, I took creative liberties here and there with this fictional 1% club, but the heart of it—that sense of loyalty, of almost tribalism, of passion, and of a somewhat flexible sense of legality—is accurate. The pressure I felt was walking a line between accuracy and story. Trying to convey why it feels good to be in that world is the easy part; being loved or cherished by bikers is an incredible feeling.
JC: What is your favorite scene from Undaunted?
RD: Any scene where there's a Harley! Getting to write about riding is a treat. When a friend mentioned never having been on a bike, it was . . . stunning to me. It’s been such a part of my life that I hadn't stopped to think that there are people I know who don’t get that joy, so I started to try to explain WHY it's so amazing—and why men who ride are too—and the result was that I wrote a couple of books.
JC: Did you feel like you were able to take more risks and push the envelope more with the characters and story writing in NA since it's a genre that rose up from having no rules and no expectations?
RD: Not at all, actually. I started
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 143 reviews
October 9, 2016
I didn't realize until the very end actually when I heard the audiobook credits that the book was written by one of my fave YA authors, Melissa Marr. While there were things I liked about this story, there were some things that were not so easy to accept. Aubrey, for one, lacked maturity. I get that it's more in the new adult range but I don't really have a lot of respect for girls that behave the way she did in the beginning. What was worse was when she tried to act like she was above all that shortly after. If it's you... own that ish. I wanted to believe that former man-whore Zion, saw something that was unmistakably special in her worth changing for, but nothing really struck me as other than ordinary about her. He was the sexy misunderstood biker with a sensitive side. His cousin's role in the story added some drama but also left me confused as he alternated between praising Zion and bringing him down. Aubrey's grandmother and her ties to the biker world was interesting but on the other hand frustrating as she clearly let something special pass her by. It was entertaining enough to hear as these two figured things out and though I was ok with the ending, it felt like one of the two ended up compromising. Safety: h kisses OM both before and after having started something with H. She realizes she doesn't want anything with the OM. No rape or abuse.
November 9, 2017
Do motorcycle club romance novels need to be gritty and violent to be engaging? Ronnie Douglas’s Undaunted suggests they don’t. Her fresh take on the genre is possibly the sweetest romance with a biker I’ve ever read.
Technically we could classify this book as MC light, but that’s not really an apt descriptor. Douglas has pulled from several hot tropes to craft an engaging, quick read that brings top-notch chemistry to each page.
Aubrey’s a woman with plans that just aren’t working out. She completed two years of college before it was discovered her father was embezzling from work and her ability to pay tuition disappeared. She moves from what she knows in Oregon to a rural community in Tennessee. She is living with her grandmother, who she adores, and trying to develop a new plan that gets her back to Oregon. She doesn’t have time to be distracted by kissing bad boys.
But of course there are gorgeous bad ones. Her attraction to Zion is immediate. He’s the enforcer of a motorcycle club, and Aubrey doesn’t really know what that means. She does know that he keeps coming to her rescue and it makes her go all weak in the knees every time.
Her plan and his obligations to the club make their relationship difficult. While most of the obstacles are of their own making, every scene with Zion and Aubrey is electric. There is an arbitrary three-date rule in effect for the MC. He can only go on three dates with Aubrey. (Yes, it’s arbitrary and they are in their own way, but the journey is too delightful to be an issue for this reader.) So they instead try to maintain a friendship. The energy between the two as they fight their attraction is palpable. I read this novel in a single sitting and it’s the energy between the hero and heroine that kept me glued to the pages.
While Zion’s MC duties cause a bit of a rift, the book doesn’t dwell on the dark deeds of the outlaw club or give any examples of violence where the MC members aren’t the good guys. Despite the backdrop of the outlaws, this novel is a sweet contemporary romance. New adult readers who might not typically go for the book with the motorcycle on the front will find themselves at home within the pages of Undaunted.
Technically we could classify this book as MC light, but that’s not really an apt descriptor. Douglas has pulled from several hot tropes to craft an engaging, quick read that brings top-notch chemistry to each page.
Aubrey’s a woman with plans that just aren’t working out. She completed two years of college before it was discovered her father was embezzling from work and her ability to pay tuition disappeared. She moves from what she knows in Oregon to a rural community in Tennessee. She is living with her grandmother, who she adores, and trying to develop a new plan that gets her back to Oregon. She doesn’t have time to be distracted by kissing bad boys.
But of course there are gorgeous bad ones. Her attraction to Zion is immediate. He’s the enforcer of a motorcycle club, and Aubrey doesn’t really know what that means. She does know that he keeps coming to her rescue and it makes her go all weak in the knees every time.
Her plan and his obligations to the club make their relationship difficult. While most of the obstacles are of their own making, every scene with Zion and Aubrey is electric. There is an arbitrary three-date rule in effect for the MC. He can only go on three dates with Aubrey. (Yes, it’s arbitrary and they are in their own way, but the journey is too delightful to be an issue for this reader.) So they instead try to maintain a friendship. The energy between the two as they fight their attraction is palpable. I read this novel in a single sitting and it’s the energy between the hero and heroine that kept me glued to the pages.
While Zion’s MC duties cause a bit of a rift, the book doesn’t dwell on the dark deeds of the outlaw club or give any examples of violence where the MC members aren’t the good guys. Despite the backdrop of the outlaws, this novel is a sweet contemporary romance. New adult readers who might not typically go for the book with the motorcycle on the front will find themselves at home within the pages of Undaunted.
September 24, 2015
Undaunted had the potential to be an amazing book, but it just fell flat for me. IT might have to do with the fact that I’m currently binge watching Sons of Anarchy. Yes, I know I’m super late. Let me be lol!
So let’s rewind and tell you guys what I gathered: Audrey’s new in town, but all of a sudden she has all three of the hottest guys in town after her. Believable? Far from it. Oh did I forget to mention she doesn’t really date. Ever. I just feel like Audrey could never decide what it was that she wanted so I just kept going back and forth between wanting to throw the book or keep reading to find out what actually becomes of these characters. I couldn’t connect with Aubrey with many issues, but I guess my biggest thing was that she came out looking like the poor girl who lost everything, yet when she moved in with her grandmother she decided to “make a plan” and stick to it. I’m all about making plans, but when your life is going good why change it?
I actually enjoyed a lot of the side characters more than the main two. Even though I wasn’t exactly crazy about Undaunted I would pick up the next in the series if Douglas decided to tell Dash & Ellen story. From the short encounters we did get from them I’d be excited to see how she would develop their story.
Undaunted can be read as a stand along and it wraps everything up nicely at the end. While it wasn’t for me, that shouldn’t discourage you from picking it up. I passed on my copy to my cousin and she absolutely loved it! Just depends on what taste you have and where your mindset is at. Since I’m currently neck deep in the SoA world I feel like it fell short in the actual motorcycle club aspect. - Andy
So let’s rewind and tell you guys what I gathered: Audrey’s new in town, but all of a sudden she has all three of the hottest guys in town after her. Believable? Far from it. Oh did I forget to mention she doesn’t really date. Ever. I just feel like Audrey could never decide what it was that she wanted so I just kept going back and forth between wanting to throw the book or keep reading to find out what actually becomes of these characters. I couldn’t connect with Aubrey with many issues, but I guess my biggest thing was that she came out looking like the poor girl who lost everything, yet when she moved in with her grandmother she decided to “make a plan” and stick to it. I’m all about making plans, but when your life is going good why change it?
I actually enjoyed a lot of the side characters more than the main two. Even though I wasn’t exactly crazy about Undaunted I would pick up the next in the series if Douglas decided to tell Dash & Ellen story. From the short encounters we did get from them I’d be excited to see how she would develop their story.
Undaunted can be read as a stand along and it wraps everything up nicely at the end. While it wasn’t for me, that shouldn’t discourage you from picking it up. I passed on my copy to my cousin and she absolutely loved it! Just depends on what taste you have and where your mindset is at. Since I’m currently neck deep in the SoA world I feel like it fell short in the actual motorcycle club aspect. - Andy
August 17, 2015
I went into UNDAUNTED with high expectations. I hadn't heard of Ronnie Douglas (who I later learned is actually YA powerhouse writer Melissa Marr), but I am always up for an MC book. What can I say? Sons of Anarchy is my show.
Unfortunately this book was extremely lacking on the MC (motorcycle club) levels. Which would have been OK except for the end, which I won't get into.
Aubrey irritated the living crap out of me for 70% of the book. The only times I liked her was when she was talking with Grandma Maureen. But I hated that she constantly reminded me that she went from no boys every wanting to date her ever in Oregon, to a small town where the 3 hottest guys in town all were vying for her attentions. She happily bounces between them, feeding her own ego while silently bemoaning her predicament.
You see Bella -- Wait. I mean Aubrey has left her hometown because of a myriad of reasons, but it has put her precious life plan on hold. Dating wasn't part of the plan, but now there's these guys and they're hot and she has feelings...
You might be wondering why I gave this 2 stars instead of 1. The reason is Zion. Zion is worthy of an entire star himself. He's that awesome.
Here's what I will say about the end: It got wrapped up in a nice, shiny bow with hearts that might work for those HEA addicts, but anyone with a mustard seed worth of knowledge on MCs knows it can't happen that way. It felt like a cop out.
Sadly this book really failed to impress me.
Unfortunately this book was extremely lacking on the MC (motorcycle club) levels. Which would have been OK except for the end, which I won't get into.
Aubrey irritated the living crap out of me for 70% of the book. The only times I liked her was when she was talking with Grandma Maureen. But I hated that she constantly reminded me that she went from no boys every wanting to date her ever in Oregon, to a small town where the 3 hottest guys in town all were vying for her attentions. She happily bounces between them, feeding her own ego while silently bemoaning her predicament.
You see Bella -- Wait. I mean Aubrey has left her hometown because of a myriad of reasons, but it has put her precious life plan on hold. Dating wasn't part of the plan, but now there's these guys and they're hot and she has feelings...
You might be wondering why I gave this 2 stars instead of 1. The reason is Zion. Zion is worthy of an entire star himself. He's that awesome.
Here's what I will say about the end: It got wrapped up in a nice, shiny bow with hearts that might work for those HEA addicts, but anyone with a mustard seed worth of knowledge on MCs knows it can't happen that way. It felt like a cop out.
Sadly this book really failed to impress me.
August 7, 2017
Fell in love with this story and the characters! My only issue with this book was the rushed ending. With all the build up of drama the end result felt rushed and a little disappointing. However, besides that fact I absolutely adored this story and wish there was another book following Zion and Aubrey.
October 1, 2015
4.5 Stars
Undaunted is a new adult romance from all-star author, Melissa Marr, writing under the pen name of Ronnie Douglas - and I could not put it down!
Aubrey Evans is all about having a plan. A college plan. A career plan. A life plan. Her father getting caught embezzling money from his company and being forced to quit college to move to her grandma's home in small-town Williamsville, Tennessee, was not part of the plan. Neither was falling for the local motorcycle club's bad-boy enforcer. It doesn't help that every time Aubrey is in trouble, Zion rides to the rescue like a knight in beat-up leather, a Harley his trusty steed. Aubrey doesn't plan to stick around this town for long though and doesn't have time for a relationship. Not to mention that her new job at the Southern Wolves local watering hole has a strict three-date rule with their members. But as Aubrey and Zion work together to uncover the source of vandalism on her grandmother's and neighbor's home, it becomes harder and harder to hold onto the facade of "just friends."
Undaunted was a fresh take on the normally abrasive MC genre; with a sweet couple that was easy to fall in love with, mild suspense between characters, and a light mystery running in the peripheral of the story. The motorcycle club aspect is not the prominent story line, as you might find with other more hard-core MC romances, which I found to be a nice change of pace. That's not to say that there aren't some bad-ass bikers and club rules, because there are, however I would think of this as MC-lite. What grabbed my attention in this story was the connection between Aubrey and Zion, and how their relationship built throughout the story from friends to lovers. It was a progressive shift and I was hanging on to the pages the entire ride. Their relationship was full of energy with a chemistry that was palpable. It was also all about the give-and-take, and compromises. Though that may not have seemed balanced at times, with Aubrey tilting the scales a bit in her favor, but Zion was more then willing to give that little bit more so it worked. Through a good majority of the book, there was a lot of building tension between Aubrey and Zion, along with a few steamy encounters, until it reached a sizzling peak. It was all beautifully written.
The plot was well timed, nary a lull, which led to a quick, satisfying read. Both the characters and story were well crafted, and I enjoyed the club in the background as well as all of the side characters. The Southern Wolves seem like a good group and I actually hope we get to delve more into the club's dynamics with the next installment. The next story, Unruly, will follow Ellen, Aubrey's best friend, and a Wolf that we didn't see too much of in this story, Alamo. I'm really looking forward to Dash's book though, Zion's cousin and unofficial Wolf. Hopefully we don't have too long to wait for that one. The only thing that bothered me about the story, and what kept it from reaching that 5 Wine Glass rating, was the ending. Though Aubrey loved Zion the way he was, she was uncomfortable being with someone in a club who might have to do illegal things, especially after the mess with her parents. So Zion took steps to put her at ease, and without getting too spoilery, what he decided to do instead baffled me. Because while it might be on the right side of the law, it is still very dangerous and can take Zion away from Aubrey for long periods of times....and when a new couple is talking about forever I just couldn't get on board with the logistics of this conclusion. The long-term wasn't well thought out in my opinion but I'm interested to see how it works out in the future and hope that we still get glimpses into their relationship in coming books.
All in all though, Undaunted, was an addictive ride where two unlikely hearts collide making a compelling read from beginning to end!
Undaunted is a new adult romance from all-star author, Melissa Marr, writing under the pen name of Ronnie Douglas - and I could not put it down!
Aubrey Evans is all about having a plan. A college plan. A career plan. A life plan. Her father getting caught embezzling money from his company and being forced to quit college to move to her grandma's home in small-town Williamsville, Tennessee, was not part of the plan. Neither was falling for the local motorcycle club's bad-boy enforcer. It doesn't help that every time Aubrey is in trouble, Zion rides to the rescue like a knight in beat-up leather, a Harley his trusty steed. Aubrey doesn't plan to stick around this town for long though and doesn't have time for a relationship. Not to mention that her new job at the Southern Wolves local watering hole has a strict three-date rule with their members. But as Aubrey and Zion work together to uncover the source of vandalism on her grandmother's and neighbor's home, it becomes harder and harder to hold onto the facade of "just friends."
Undaunted was a fresh take on the normally abrasive MC genre; with a sweet couple that was easy to fall in love with, mild suspense between characters, and a light mystery running in the peripheral of the story. The motorcycle club aspect is not the prominent story line, as you might find with other more hard-core MC romances, which I found to be a nice change of pace. That's not to say that there aren't some bad-ass bikers and club rules, because there are, however I would think of this as MC-lite. What grabbed my attention in this story was the connection between Aubrey and Zion, and how their relationship built throughout the story from friends to lovers. It was a progressive shift and I was hanging on to the pages the entire ride. Their relationship was full of energy with a chemistry that was palpable. It was also all about the give-and-take, and compromises. Though that may not have seemed balanced at times, with Aubrey tilting the scales a bit in her favor, but Zion was more then willing to give that little bit more so it worked. Through a good majority of the book, there was a lot of building tension between Aubrey and Zion, along with a few steamy encounters, until it reached a sizzling peak. It was all beautifully written.
The plot was well timed, nary a lull, which led to a quick, satisfying read. Both the characters and story were well crafted, and I enjoyed the club in the background as well as all of the side characters. The Southern Wolves seem like a good group and I actually hope we get to delve more into the club's dynamics with the next installment. The next story, Unruly, will follow Ellen, Aubrey's best friend, and a Wolf that we didn't see too much of in this story, Alamo. I'm really looking forward to Dash's book though, Zion's cousin and unofficial Wolf. Hopefully we don't have too long to wait for that one. The only thing that bothered me about the story, and what kept it from reaching that 5 Wine Glass rating, was the ending. Though Aubrey loved Zion the way he was, she was uncomfortable being with someone in a club who might have to do illegal things, especially after the mess with her parents. So Zion took steps to put her at ease, and without getting too spoilery, what he decided to do instead baffled me. Because while it might be on the right side of the law, it is still very dangerous and can take Zion away from Aubrey for long periods of times....and when a new couple is talking about forever I just couldn't get on board with the logistics of this conclusion. The long-term wasn't well thought out in my opinion but I'm interested to see how it works out in the future and hope that we still get glimpses into their relationship in coming books.
All in all though, Undaunted, was an addictive ride where two unlikely hearts collide making a compelling read from beginning to end!
December 29, 2015
I received an ARC of this book from William Morrow Paperbacks in exchange for a honest review.
Aubrey has her life all planned out. College, career, marriage, kids - her future was clear to her. But everything falls apart when her father gets into some legal trouble, her family slowly becomes dysfunctional, and she is pulled out of college and is taken under the wing of her grandma who lives in Tennessee. Aubrey has to leave her safe cocoon in Portland, and starts a life in the small town, where bikers play a significant role in the community. Her perfect life turns chaotic with the intervention of a tough cookie grandma, too hot to handle bikers, and a mystery to solve.
Undaunted was a breath of fresh air to me. I've been devouring all intense stuff, and mostly high fantasy books, and it was super refreshing to take up a NA romance read after some time. It's about bikers, yes, but it's actually a really tame read considering the fact that it tackles an intense concept, and is a New Adult book. If you're looking for a light yet entertaining NA romance with a lot of sexual tension and angst to keep you occupied, then Undaunted is your book!
I had mixed feelings for Aubrey. She was a nice girl, but she got on my nerves most of the time! Also, she came off as pushy at times, but still it made up for the fact that she suddenly has so much in her plate, considering the fact that she led a pretty uneventful life until then. I also really liked her transition from a straight laced lifestyle to a relatively carefree one.
Now, Undaunted should have come with a warning for hot guys! There was not one, but three guys who were vying for Aubrey's attention - one was a complete asshole, so let's get him out of the picture. The other two, Zion, and his cousin Noah, were smoking hot! Both guys were so charming, protective and I loved these two so much!
Zion is, obviously, the love interest. *sighs* He is a super rough guy - which is evident by the fact that his biker name is "Killer", but he's also completely adorable when it comes to his feelings for Aubrey and it was so cute to read it! Aubrey and Zion had a smoking hot chemistry, and there was more tension and teasing than action, which I loved since most of the times, I get tired of the number of..... you know what scenes in NA books :D
I really liked the secondary characters as well. Noah, the "other guy" was a great character as well! I felt sorry for him at places, because he deserved so much more, and I am looking forward to read his own story. Ellen, Aubrey's quirky new friend, was pretty entertaining! And I loved Aubrey's grandma, Echo, and all the guys from the Motorcyle Club! There were all terrific characters!
I had some minor problems with Undaunted as well. First of all there's the fact that Aubrey gets a bit annoying and frustrating at times. She also kept expecting Zion to change his ways, which irritated me a bit. Most of all is the fact that I wanted more angst. I originally expected this novel to be darker and more intense that it actually was. Maybe it was because it was written by Melissa Marr - who is writing under her pseudonym - because, I absolutely adore her Wicked Lovely series, and she is one of those rare authors who never shy away from writing really dark YA. But then, I might be biased there, and maybe I shouldn't have expected a lot from Undaunted, because after all, she's starting afresh by taking on a pen name.
That being said, Undaunted is your typical NA read, only with less steam and darkness. It has action, family, lots of tension, great characters and a mystery to keep you hooked. I'd recommend it to anyone who's looking for a light contemporary read with a hot guy and smoking chemistry, and fans of Katie McGarry
Aubrey has her life all planned out. College, career, marriage, kids - her future was clear to her. But everything falls apart when her father gets into some legal trouble, her family slowly becomes dysfunctional, and she is pulled out of college and is taken under the wing of her grandma who lives in Tennessee. Aubrey has to leave her safe cocoon in Portland, and starts a life in the small town, where bikers play a significant role in the community. Her perfect life turns chaotic with the intervention of a tough cookie grandma, too hot to handle bikers, and a mystery to solve.
Undaunted was a breath of fresh air to me. I've been devouring all intense stuff, and mostly high fantasy books, and it was super refreshing to take up a NA romance read after some time. It's about bikers, yes, but it's actually a really tame read considering the fact that it tackles an intense concept, and is a New Adult book. If you're looking for a light yet entertaining NA romance with a lot of sexual tension and angst to keep you occupied, then Undaunted is your book!
I had mixed feelings for Aubrey. She was a nice girl, but she got on my nerves most of the time! Also, she came off as pushy at times, but still it made up for the fact that she suddenly has so much in her plate, considering the fact that she led a pretty uneventful life until then. I also really liked her transition from a straight laced lifestyle to a relatively carefree one.
Now, Undaunted should have come with a warning for hot guys! There was not one, but three guys who were vying for Aubrey's attention - one was a complete asshole, so let's get him out of the picture. The other two, Zion, and his cousin Noah, were smoking hot! Both guys were so charming, protective and I loved these two so much!
Zion is, obviously, the love interest. *sighs* He is a super rough guy - which is evident by the fact that his biker name is "Killer", but he's also completely adorable when it comes to his feelings for Aubrey and it was so cute to read it! Aubrey and Zion had a smoking hot chemistry, and there was more tension and teasing than action, which I loved since most of the times, I get tired of the number of..... you know what scenes in NA books :D
I really liked the secondary characters as well. Noah, the "other guy" was a great character as well! I felt sorry for him at places, because he deserved so much more, and I am looking forward to read his own story. Ellen, Aubrey's quirky new friend, was pretty entertaining! And I loved Aubrey's grandma, Echo, and all the guys from the Motorcyle Club! There were all terrific characters!
I had some minor problems with Undaunted as well. First of all there's the fact that Aubrey gets a bit annoying and frustrating at times. She also kept expecting Zion to change his ways, which irritated me a bit. Most of all is the fact that I wanted more angst. I originally expected this novel to be darker and more intense that it actually was. Maybe it was because it was written by Melissa Marr - who is writing under her pseudonym - because, I absolutely adore her Wicked Lovely series, and she is one of those rare authors who never shy away from writing really dark YA. But then, I might be biased there, and maybe I shouldn't have expected a lot from Undaunted, because after all, she's starting afresh by taking on a pen name.
That being said, Undaunted is your typical NA read, only with less steam and darkness. It has action, family, lots of tension, great characters and a mystery to keep you hooked. I'd recommend it to anyone who's looking for a light contemporary read with a hot guy and smoking chemistry, and fans of Katie McGarry
September 9, 2015
UNDAUNTED is a wickedly sexy, tease of a read. It delivers on its promise of knights in black leather with more than one hot guy on a Harley willing to step up to help out a damsel in distress. It introduces a motorcycle club whose members may be rough around the edges but not all of of whom are rough on the eyes. It tantalizes with what might be possible between its main characters, whose chemistry is incendiary, if things were different. And it hints at equally combustible past relationships between some of its other key players.
Aubrey didn’t want to drop out of school to move to Tennessee to live with her grandmother. She had a plan for exactly how the next few years of her life would progress. But her father’s crimes and her parents fighting left her no other options. She had to remain in Tennessee and attend a local school until she could figure out a way to get back on track.
She never planned on meeting someone like Zion. Someone who made her feel things she never thought possible. Someone who made her want things she had no business wanting. Someone whose life was so tied up in Tennessee, a place she had no intent to stay. Someone whose existence was dangerous and complicated and messy. Someone she would have to resist no matter how much easier it would be not to.
Ronnie Douglas created a delicious and enticing first book in her Knights in Black Leather series. She builds up the tension, the attraction, the desire between Zion and Aubrey until both characters and readers are ready to erupt. She gives each of them a back story that allows readers to get to know who they are, where they came from, what their motivations are, and what they want out of life. She adds in a bit of a mystery that involves not only the main characters, which serves to develop and strengthen the secondary characters, the motorcycle club, and the series as a whole.
UNDAUNTED is exciting and romantic and wildly entertaining. It offers a potential love triangle, two women who need rescuing, two positively gorgeous male specimens, the thrill of danger, the lure of the bad boy, white hot chemistry, will they/won’t they suspense, incredibly likable supporting characters, a not-so-likable Sheriff, one very steamy encounter, and several electrifying rides on the back of a Harley-Davidson. And while the world of the motorcycle club has yet to be fully explored, the glimpses given so far ensure that it’s a world readers will want to come back to again and again.
Original GR comments:
Loved this first book in the series. Zion was a total hottie. The chemistry was incendiary between him and Aubrey. I liked that it wasn't an alternating chapter back-and-forth between the two characters' POVs. Not even sure it needed Zion's. But it was nice to not follow the "formula."
This story was definitely all about the characters and romance, and less about the motorcycle club aspect. (And I loved Aubrey and Zion's story and learning more about Maureen and Echo.) But I imagine we'll learn more about the club itself as the series progresses. And I'm so glad the next book is about Alamo - though I am curious about what Noah's story will be like.
This story was also pretty tame for NA. Definitely refreshing. It was a total tease, which I loved. The anticipation builds throughout the story vs. scene after scene of hooking up, which can sometimes get a touch repetitive. The author definitely makes the reader (and her characters) wait. Poor Zion!
Hot guys, an indecisive heroine who gets her sass back, a start to a series that promises to exciting. One I hope will give peeks at previous characters.
Aubrey didn’t want to drop out of school to move to Tennessee to live with her grandmother. She had a plan for exactly how the next few years of her life would progress. But her father’s crimes and her parents fighting left her no other options. She had to remain in Tennessee and attend a local school until she could figure out a way to get back on track.
She never planned on meeting someone like Zion. Someone who made her feel things she never thought possible. Someone who made her want things she had no business wanting. Someone whose life was so tied up in Tennessee, a place she had no intent to stay. Someone whose existence was dangerous and complicated and messy. Someone she would have to resist no matter how much easier it would be not to.
Ronnie Douglas created a delicious and enticing first book in her Knights in Black Leather series. She builds up the tension, the attraction, the desire between Zion and Aubrey until both characters and readers are ready to erupt. She gives each of them a back story that allows readers to get to know who they are, where they came from, what their motivations are, and what they want out of life. She adds in a bit of a mystery that involves not only the main characters, which serves to develop and strengthen the secondary characters, the motorcycle club, and the series as a whole.
UNDAUNTED is exciting and romantic and wildly entertaining. It offers a potential love triangle, two women who need rescuing, two positively gorgeous male specimens, the thrill of danger, the lure of the bad boy, white hot chemistry, will they/won’t they suspense, incredibly likable supporting characters, a not-so-likable Sheriff, one very steamy encounter, and several electrifying rides on the back of a Harley-Davidson. And while the world of the motorcycle club has yet to be fully explored, the glimpses given so far ensure that it’s a world readers will want to come back to again and again.
Original GR comments:
Loved this first book in the series. Zion was a total hottie. The chemistry was incendiary between him and Aubrey. I liked that it wasn't an alternating chapter back-and-forth between the two characters' POVs. Not even sure it needed Zion's. But it was nice to not follow the "formula."
This story was definitely all about the characters and romance, and less about the motorcycle club aspect. (And I loved Aubrey and Zion's story and learning more about Maureen and Echo.) But I imagine we'll learn more about the club itself as the series progresses. And I'm so glad the next book is about Alamo - though I am curious about what Noah's story will be like.
This story was also pretty tame for NA. Definitely refreshing. It was a total tease, which I loved. The anticipation builds throughout the story vs. scene after scene of hooking up, which can sometimes get a touch repetitive. The author definitely makes the reader (and her characters) wait. Poor Zion!
Hot guys, an indecisive heroine who gets her sass back, a start to a series that promises to exciting. One I hope will give peeks at previous characters.
October 5, 2016
When I received Undaunted in the mail I was pretty excited to read it. MC romances seem to be all the rage now and I was interested to try one out. Unfortunately I didn't enjoy this one very much.
I had two main problems with this book. The first one is the characters. They were absolutely terrible. Zion, a.k.a. Killer, was done better than Aubrey but that's not saying much. I would say Aubrey was flat but I guess that would be a lie because she did make me feel things, mostly anger and annoyance. She was very back and forth with her relationship and her feelings for Zion. I understand in a romance it's not going to be love at first sight and everything goes smoothly and that's the end of the story. I know there needs to be some tension and drama. But the way it was handled in this story was annoying. I also hated how stuck up, rude and spoiled she was. It's not the end of the world because you have to pay for your own schooling now. You were lucky to even have some of it paid for by your parents. If I was Noah I would have slapped her silly instead of getting some weird crush on her that didn't even matter anyways. She was super rude the first time she actually met him. He was smoking and the first thing she says to him is how disgusting smoking is. So yeah, I had a bunch of character hate for Aubrey.
The second thing that bothered me about this book was that the "story" was barely put together at all. So you have Aubrey and Zion meet, then there is some vandalism in her grandmothers neighbourhood, a bunch of wishy washy feelings between the two MC's and boom the last few pages of the book are the "climax" to the vandalism issue. There was literally nothing else to this story. I felt like the vandalism was just thrown in there casually to have an actual plot for this story and it didn't even serve that purpose very well. It was hastily done and didn't feel like a fully fleshed out plot point.
I am grateful that I got to read this book as I always like trying out new genre styles but unfortunately I will not be continuing with this series.
I received a copy of this from Goodreads First Reads program in exchange for an honest review
I had two main problems with this book. The first one is the characters. They were absolutely terrible. Zion, a.k.a. Killer, was done better than Aubrey but that's not saying much. I would say Aubrey was flat but I guess that would be a lie because she did make me feel things, mostly anger and annoyance. She was very back and forth with her relationship and her feelings for Zion. I understand in a romance it's not going to be love at first sight and everything goes smoothly and that's the end of the story. I know there needs to be some tension and drama. But the way it was handled in this story was annoying. I also hated how stuck up, rude and spoiled she was. It's not the end of the world because you have to pay for your own schooling now. You were lucky to even have some of it paid for by your parents. If I was Noah I would have slapped her silly instead of getting some weird crush on her that didn't even matter anyways. She was super rude the first time she actually met him. He was smoking and the first thing she says to him is how disgusting smoking is. So yeah, I had a bunch of character hate for Aubrey.
The second thing that bothered me about this book was that the "story" was barely put together at all. So you have Aubrey and Zion meet, then there is some vandalism in her grandmothers neighbourhood, a bunch of wishy washy feelings between the two MC's and boom the last few pages of the book are the "climax" to the vandalism issue. There was literally nothing else to this story. I felt like the vandalism was just thrown in there casually to have an actual plot for this story and it didn't even serve that purpose very well. It was hastily done and didn't feel like a fully fleshed out plot point.
I am grateful that I got to read this book as I always like trying out new genre styles but unfortunately I will not be continuing with this series.
I received a copy of this from Goodreads First Reads program in exchange for an honest review
September 16, 2015
Characters are so important to me in a book. And that's the biggest reason I didn't like this book.
Aubrey is annoying. She's moved from Oregon, the land of perfection, to a lowly small town in Tennessee. She has a plan. It's an important plan for her life. It includes college at a university in Oregon. It doesn't include the problems her parents are having. It doesn't include moving to live with her grandmother and slumming it. Her uppity nature grated on my nerves. And then there was her no dating policy. Some girls do that. I get it. Focus on education and all the stuff but she wore hers like a badge. Held it out in front of her as a shield. Yeah, not buying that from a college girl. And don't get me started on how she lost her V-card. *rolls eyes* Pleasant. It was pleasant. She pushed Zion away. She kissed Noah. She ran hot and cold. She annoyed me.
Then there was the story itself. I think the story came before the characters and they may not have been down for what happened. Some of it felt forced and I wasn't feeling it. This is a motorcycle club and the ending just fell into place a little too easy.
I struggled with how fast their relationship developed or rather their non-dating relationship. I could go into details but you may want to experience this book yourself to get the full story. I just couldn't understand why a guy that was raised in a MC and had become what he had would do what he did for a chance with a girl. I just didn't think it felt possible.
So why two stars? I did love Zion. He's quiet and strong. And I loved how he flirted. I adored him. I longed for the times he was in a scene. I loved the brief moments when the story was from his POV. Loved his name. Loved the real explanation of his nickname. Loved how protective he was. Loved Zion.
Don't think I'll read any more of this series. Can't really recommend this one to anyone either.
Aubrey is annoying. She's moved from Oregon, the land of perfection, to a lowly small town in Tennessee. She has a plan. It's an important plan for her life. It includes college at a university in Oregon. It doesn't include the problems her parents are having. It doesn't include moving to live with her grandmother and slumming it. Her uppity nature grated on my nerves. And then there was her no dating policy. Some girls do that. I get it. Focus on education and all the stuff but she wore hers like a badge. Held it out in front of her as a shield. Yeah, not buying that from a college girl. And don't get me started on how she lost her V-card. *rolls eyes* Pleasant. It was pleasant. She pushed Zion away. She kissed Noah. She ran hot and cold. She annoyed me.
Then there was the story itself. I think the story came before the characters and they may not have been down for what happened. Some of it felt forced and I wasn't feeling it. This is a motorcycle club and the ending just fell into place a little too easy.
I struggled with how fast their relationship developed or rather their non-dating relationship. I could go into details but you may want to experience this book yourself to get the full story. I just couldn't understand why a guy that was raised in a MC and had become what he had would do what he did for a chance with a girl. I just didn't think it felt possible.
So why two stars? I did love Zion. He's quiet and strong. And I loved how he flirted. I adored him. I longed for the times he was in a scene. I loved the brief moments when the story was from his POV. Loved his name. Loved the real explanation of his nickname. Loved how protective he was. Loved Zion.
Don't think I'll read any more of this series. Can't really recommend this one to anyone either.
December 21, 2015
A book that made me think SOA (Son’s of Anarchy)? Sold! I had to jump on the opportunity to read Undaunted by Ronnie Douglas (aka Melissa Marr) because I love me a bad boy read.
But what I thought was going to be a book about a badass biker turned out to be not so badass. I mean sure, Zion *swoon* (aka Killer) is one tough dude but not as tough as I would have liked him to be. He was pretty tame, but dannnng he was sexy. We did see little clips of just how tough this bad boy was, and don’t get me wrong, I enjoy seeing the softer side of these guys, I was hoping for more action!
There was mild teasing of action, and yes there is the big “fight scene” at the end, but it wasn’t explosive and didn’t’ carry me away. The whole Wolf pack seemed more like puppies to me.
Aubrey…well, she was quite the character. She was one girl who could NOT make up her mind. There was so much back and forth with her when it came to Zion that my head was literally spinning. It came to a point where I got so annoyed with her and the way she toyed with both Zion and Noah’s emotions that I wanted to quit reading. Aside from Zion and gran, the other characters were just okay. They didn’t leave a lasting impression on me.
The storyline had potential and there is a scene between Zion and Aubrey that prevented me from tearing my eyes away. Some of the events that transpired were predictable, and interactions between characters seemed a little forced. I had high hopes for this series, and am not yet ready to give up on it. I’d be curious to see what the next book has in store.
But what I thought was going to be a book about a badass biker turned out to be not so badass. I mean sure, Zion *swoon* (aka Killer) is one tough dude but not as tough as I would have liked him to be. He was pretty tame, but dannnng he was sexy. We did see little clips of just how tough this bad boy was, and don’t get me wrong, I enjoy seeing the softer side of these guys, I was hoping for more action!
There was mild teasing of action, and yes there is the big “fight scene” at the end, but it wasn’t explosive and didn’t’ carry me away. The whole Wolf pack seemed more like puppies to me.
Aubrey…well, she was quite the character. She was one girl who could NOT make up her mind. There was so much back and forth with her when it came to Zion that my head was literally spinning. It came to a point where I got so annoyed with her and the way she toyed with both Zion and Noah’s emotions that I wanted to quit reading. Aside from Zion and gran, the other characters were just okay. They didn’t leave a lasting impression on me.
The storyline had potential and there is a scene between Zion and Aubrey that prevented me from tearing my eyes away. Some of the events that transpired were predictable, and interactions between characters seemed a little forced. I had high hopes for this series, and am not yet ready to give up on it. I’d be curious to see what the next book has in store.
August 23, 2015
I had a very hard time liking the female MC. She sort of ruined the book for me. And her romance with Zionwas ehhhhh....
December 21, 2018
DNF at page 201.
This book just wasn’t doing it for me. I kept waiting for something to happen, something to pull me in, and it never did. I didn’t feel the chemistry between Aubrey and Zion. They hardly had any time together but they’re so into one another? No, not buying it. And Aubrey going back and forth between Noah and Zion was frustrating.
Also not buying the Wolves MC being a one percenter club. They’re not alpha enough. Maybe this was toned down because it’s New Adult?
And not a fan of books told in 1st person POV and sporadically switching to 3rd person for another character.
This book just wasn’t doing it for me. I kept waiting for something to happen, something to pull me in, and it never did. I didn’t feel the chemistry between Aubrey and Zion. They hardly had any time together but they’re so into one another? No, not buying it. And Aubrey going back and forth between Noah and Zion was frustrating.
Also not buying the Wolves MC being a one percenter club. They’re not alpha enough. Maybe this was toned down because it’s New Adult?
And not a fan of books told in 1st person POV and sporadically switching to 3rd person for another character.
December 16, 2015
2 stars.
We were so excited when we saw Undaunted by Ronnie Douglas. Here are our top 6 Reasons to Read Undaunted by Ronnie Douglas, along with 3 things that make it okay to skip it:
We Really Liked:
♥ Bikers
We are currently obsessed with motorcycle romance over here at Pretty Sassy Cool, so we were all over Undaunted as soon as we heard about it. Though this one isn't (at all) as heavy as the biker books we're used to, MC fans will enjoy it.
♥ Ronnie Douglas
Ronnie Douglas is actually the penname for Young Adult author Melissa Marr. If you already love her YA books (and who doesn't?!), you'll want to check this one out, too.
♥ Alternating Points of View
We love books told in dual POV and were so excited when we realized we got the story from Aubrey and Zion.
♥ Zion
This guy was hot. He definitely didn't fit the mold of alpha biker guy, but we loved him anyway.
♥ Grandma Maureen
She was pretty much the star of the book for us. Aubrey didn't deserve her (more on that in a sec).
♥ Fast Paced Storyline
We love books that we can breeze through in one sitting, and we were happy that we finished this one fairly quickly.
Why you can skip it...
Aubrey
The girl is annoying. She drove us crazy most of the time. She's snobby. We're not into characters (male or female) that want their SO to change the fundamentals that make them who they fell in love with in the first place. And that's Aubrey. We really wouldn't have been upset if Zion had told her to take a hike. Really.
Lack of Chemistry
Maybe it's because we didn't like Aubrey, but we just didn't think these two were made for each other. Meh.
Only Motorcycle Club-ish
We know that our number one reason to read this book was that it was an MC story. But like we said up there ⇪, this was pretty light if you're looking for badass bikers. There's not a whole lot of delving into the gritty parts of the MC world, and we found that seriously lacking. We want the our bikers dirty! We found the synopsis promising Kristen Ashley-worthy steam to be misleading. #fail
--
For more reviews and bookish talk, visit our blog at Pretty Sassy Cool.
We were so excited when we saw Undaunted by Ronnie Douglas. Here are our top 6 Reasons to Read Undaunted by Ronnie Douglas, along with 3 things that make it okay to skip it:
We Really Liked:
♥ Bikers
We are currently obsessed with motorcycle romance over here at Pretty Sassy Cool, so we were all over Undaunted as soon as we heard about it. Though this one isn't (at all) as heavy as the biker books we're used to, MC fans will enjoy it.
♥ Ronnie Douglas
Ronnie Douglas is actually the penname for Young Adult author Melissa Marr. If you already love her YA books (and who doesn't?!), you'll want to check this one out, too.
♥ Alternating Points of View
We love books told in dual POV and were so excited when we realized we got the story from Aubrey and Zion.
♥ Zion
This guy was hot. He definitely didn't fit the mold of alpha biker guy, but we loved him anyway.
♥ Grandma Maureen
She was pretty much the star of the book for us. Aubrey didn't deserve her (more on that in a sec).
♥ Fast Paced Storyline
We love books that we can breeze through in one sitting, and we were happy that we finished this one fairly quickly.
Why you can skip it...
Aubrey
The girl is annoying. She drove us crazy most of the time. She's snobby. We're not into characters (male or female) that want their SO to change the fundamentals that make them who they fell in love with in the first place. And that's Aubrey. We really wouldn't have been upset if Zion had told her to take a hike. Really.
Lack of Chemistry
Maybe it's because we didn't like Aubrey, but we just didn't think these two were made for each other. Meh.
Only Motorcycle Club-ish
We know that our number one reason to read this book was that it was an MC story. But like we said up there ⇪, this was pretty light if you're looking for badass bikers. There's not a whole lot of delving into the gritty parts of the MC world, and we found that seriously lacking. We want the our bikers dirty! We found the synopsis promising Kristen Ashley-worthy steam to be misleading. #fail
--
For more reviews and bookish talk, visit our blog at Pretty Sassy Cool.
September 29, 2015
***ARC provided in exchange for an honest review***
I really enjoyed this book. This book is the first book of the series and introduces a motorcycle club with a lot of hot guys on Harleys and they are all willing to step up and protect or help a damsel in distress…. Though a damsel does not always need to be saved :P This was a fun read and I can tell you that this story was told beautifully with both strong characters each with a back story. I really can’t wait to see where this series will take us!
Now what is the story about??? Let me tell you…. This book is an intriguing contemporary romance that is based more on the couple’s relationship than on the MC…. It would have been nice to see more MC in this book but I still enjoyed it! Anyway this book is about a small town in Williamsville, Tennessee where a group of seniors neighbourhood is being plagued by break-ins and vandalism. Now the sheriff isn’t doing anything about it so who will stop the crimes? Aubrey did not want to move to Tennessee but she had to because she had nowhere to go. Now she is living with her grandmother and she also didn’t to plan on meeting any guys to date. Zion always arrived whenever she got in trouble, Zion wanted to date her but Aubrey was so keen on not dating anyone that she nearly pushed him away. But both of them will have to make sacrifices to if their love is to endure.
Ronnie Douglas meshes romance and suspense wonderfully together. The plot is emotionally intense as Aubrey continually fights her attraction to Zion while he struggles to waken her resolve. The main characters are beautifully crafted and they add fire and passion to the complexity of their personalities and pasts. What Ronnie did wonderfully was slowly build the chemistry between Aubrey and Zion both very strong willed people from different background.
I really enjoyed the other characters as well… Noah Dash is the cousin of Zion and he also liked Aubrey but Aubrey only had eyes for Zion but Dash is very amiable and charming, I also really liked Ellen who is very spirited and Grandma Maureen is one tough old lady which is good because Eddie Echo is very intimidating as the President of the club and as you learn later Eddie and Maureen love each other. The characteristics make the story unforgettable and very compelling and the plot is very entertaining… I can’t wait for the other books in the series.
I really enjoyed this book. This book is the first book of the series and introduces a motorcycle club with a lot of hot guys on Harleys and they are all willing to step up and protect or help a damsel in distress…. Though a damsel does not always need to be saved :P This was a fun read and I can tell you that this story was told beautifully with both strong characters each with a back story. I really can’t wait to see where this series will take us!
Now what is the story about??? Let me tell you…. This book is an intriguing contemporary romance that is based more on the couple’s relationship than on the MC…. It would have been nice to see more MC in this book but I still enjoyed it! Anyway this book is about a small town in Williamsville, Tennessee where a group of seniors neighbourhood is being plagued by break-ins and vandalism. Now the sheriff isn’t doing anything about it so who will stop the crimes? Aubrey did not want to move to Tennessee but she had to because she had nowhere to go. Now she is living with her grandmother and she also didn’t to plan on meeting any guys to date. Zion always arrived whenever she got in trouble, Zion wanted to date her but Aubrey was so keen on not dating anyone that she nearly pushed him away. But both of them will have to make sacrifices to if their love is to endure.
Ronnie Douglas meshes romance and suspense wonderfully together. The plot is emotionally intense as Aubrey continually fights her attraction to Zion while he struggles to waken her resolve. The main characters are beautifully crafted and they add fire and passion to the complexity of their personalities and pasts. What Ronnie did wonderfully was slowly build the chemistry between Aubrey and Zion both very strong willed people from different background.
I really enjoyed the other characters as well… Noah Dash is the cousin of Zion and he also liked Aubrey but Aubrey only had eyes for Zion but Dash is very amiable and charming, I also really liked Ellen who is very spirited and Grandma Maureen is one tough old lady which is good because Eddie Echo is very intimidating as the President of the club and as you learn later Eddie and Maureen love each other. The characteristics make the story unforgettable and very compelling and the plot is very entertaining… I can’t wait for the other books in the series.
MORE REVIEWS ON MY BLOG:
April 7, 2016
DNF.
This is one of the reasons I don’t like 1st person point of view. Most of the drama and angst is in her head. I prefer stories where more emphasis is placed on external things for example: interesting characters and character development, being on a journey toward something, interesting interactions with others. In this story, Aubrey gets drunk early in the story and we hear all about her feelings of alcohol and numbness and her kissing a guy she doesn’t like. Later she thinks about her drunk stupid behavior from that night. I was bored.
Aubrey gets a job as a bartender/waitress in a biker bar. The boss has rules: she can flirt but cannot go on a date with a biker more than 3 times. So she likes that idea - she can flirt.
The bikers like her grandma, but grandma won’t tell her anything about why or how she knows them. That adds to the mystery. There is crime in the area where grandma lives which is part of the plot.
I stopped reading at 82 pages and then skimmed the last few chapters. I believe what I read included the first sex scene between Aubrey and Zion. He was reluctant to have sex with her (probably because he cared for her or something). So she was the aggressor. Removing his clothes and doing things to him. I don’t require that the guy always be the aggressor, but for some reason this was not exciting or hot. It might have been better if the guy showed more desire.
The back cover of the book says this is following the tradition of Kristen Ashley, Joanna Wylde, and Jay Crownover. It’s a new adult series... motorcycle club. I was not thrilled with J Wylde. I gave 2 and 3 stars to two of her books. I read one book by J Crownover and didn’t like it. But if you like those authors then maybe you’ll like this. (But I definitely enjoyed several Kristen Ashley books.)
OTHER BOOKS:
This author also writes under the name Melissa Marr. I liked her book Wicked Lovely.
DATA:
Narrative mode: 1st person Aubrey. One or more chapters 3rd person Zion. Story length: 259 pages. Swearing language: strong. Sexual language: not sure. At least one sex scene. Setting: current day Williamsville, Tennessee. Copyright: 2015. Genre: new adult, motorcycle clubs.
This is one of the reasons I don’t like 1st person point of view. Most of the drama and angst is in her head. I prefer stories where more emphasis is placed on external things for example: interesting characters and character development, being on a journey toward something, interesting interactions with others. In this story, Aubrey gets drunk early in the story and we hear all about her feelings of alcohol and numbness and her kissing a guy she doesn’t like. Later she thinks about her drunk stupid behavior from that night. I was bored.
Aubrey gets a job as a bartender/waitress in a biker bar. The boss has rules: she can flirt but cannot go on a date with a biker more than 3 times. So she likes that idea - she can flirt.
The bikers like her grandma, but grandma won’t tell her anything about why or how she knows them. That adds to the mystery. There is crime in the area where grandma lives which is part of the plot.
I stopped reading at 82 pages and then skimmed the last few chapters. I believe what I read included the first sex scene between Aubrey and Zion. He was reluctant to have sex with her (probably because he cared for her or something). So she was the aggressor. Removing his clothes and doing things to him. I don’t require that the guy always be the aggressor, but for some reason this was not exciting or hot. It might have been better if the guy showed more desire.
The back cover of the book says this is following the tradition of Kristen Ashley, Joanna Wylde, and Jay Crownover. It’s a new adult series... motorcycle club. I was not thrilled with J Wylde. I gave 2 and 3 stars to two of her books. I read one book by J Crownover and didn’t like it. But if you like those authors then maybe you’ll like this. (But I definitely enjoyed several Kristen Ashley books.)
OTHER BOOKS:
This author also writes under the name Melissa Marr. I liked her book Wicked Lovely.
DATA:
Narrative mode: 1st person Aubrey. One or more chapters 3rd person Zion. Story length: 259 pages. Swearing language: strong. Sexual language: not sure. At least one sex scene. Setting: current day Williamsville, Tennessee. Copyright: 2015. Genre: new adult, motorcycle clubs.
August 30, 2015
3.75 The Plan Star
I love you. You're Perfect. Now Change. <---- Not the formula for a good life.
Aubrey had a great life in Portland Oregon. This story takes place in Tennessee. What does that tell you? She isn't happy in TN. And she will tell you ALLLLL about it. Aubrey is living with her grandmother who has some vague connection to the local MC Club.
OK...stop right there. I LOVE MC books. We know this. So you know I am going to be all about this one. Hang on....
Zion is the enforcer for the Club. He is all sexy tough guy. Just what you think he would be since his road name is Killer.
But as much as Aubrey is drawn to Zion, she makes herself a promise not to get involved. She is in TN for a short time, remember.
I couldn't get Zion out of my mind. It was foolish. He wasn't in The Plan
But of course...she gives in.
"Just one kiss" I lied to both of us.
Don't get too excited. That's about all it is. ONE kiss.
Undaunted had great promise. There is a mysterious backstory. A good amount of angst. But very little heat. Think of this as a Beginners MC Book Starter. You will not get the usual cussing, sexy bikers. I know that some of you are turned off by all the cussing and sex. And sex and cussing. You will like this one.
I found Aubrey to be annoying most of the time. She was whinny and wanted Zion to change his whole life. Perhaps she will embrace his lifestyle in book 2. You can see the set up for the next in the series and it has great hope.
I really wanted to like the book more than I did. Zion, Noah and Echo were interesting. The most interesting character was the grandmother. I want her story. Apparently self denial and self righteousness is a family trait.
I love you. You're Perfect. Now Change. <---- Not the formula for a good life.
Aubrey had a great life in Portland Oregon. This story takes place in Tennessee. What does that tell you? She isn't happy in TN. And she will tell you ALLLLL about it. Aubrey is living with her grandmother who has some vague connection to the local MC Club.
OK...stop right there. I LOVE MC books. We know this. So you know I am going to be all about this one. Hang on....
Zion is the enforcer for the Club. He is all sexy tough guy. Just what you think he would be since his road name is Killer.
But as much as Aubrey is drawn to Zion, she makes herself a promise not to get involved. She is in TN for a short time, remember.
I couldn't get Zion out of my mind. It was foolish. He wasn't in The Plan
But of course...she gives in.
"Just one kiss" I lied to both of us.
Don't get too excited. That's about all it is. ONE kiss.
Undaunted had great promise. There is a mysterious backstory. A good amount of angst. But very little heat. Think of this as a Beginners MC Book Starter. You will not get the usual cussing, sexy bikers. I know that some of you are turned off by all the cussing and sex. And sex and cussing. You will like this one.
I found Aubrey to be annoying most of the time. She was whinny and wanted Zion to change his whole life. Perhaps she will embrace his lifestyle in book 2. You can see the set up for the next in the series and it has great hope.
I really wanted to like the book more than I did. Zion, Noah and Echo were interesting. The most interesting character was the grandmother. I want her story. Apparently self denial and self righteousness is a family trait.
November 19, 2025
Undaunted was a fun, fast, entertaining MC read.
Aubrey financial struggles send her back to live with her grandmother in TN. This is where she meets Zion, he is her rescuer during a drunken binge that could have gone very bad for Aubrey.
Zion is the enforcer for the local motorcycle club. He is drawn to Aubrey but she plans on leaving TN so she refuses to accept a relationship with Zion.
Working together to figure out who is behind the acts of vandalism in her grandmother’s neighbor, Zion and Aubrey find themselves drawn into a much deeper power play for the towns land and ownership.
Sometimes you just need a simple, a flat out entertaining read, Undaunted just hits the spot becoming that read for me. Some mystery, a little heat and sexy bad mouth bikers just worked.
I received this ARC copy of Undaunted from William Morrow Paperbacks - HarperCollins in exchange for a honest review. This book is set for publication September 15, 2015.
Aubrey financial struggles send her back to live with her grandmother in TN. This is where she meets Zion, he is her rescuer during a drunken binge that could have gone very bad for Aubrey.
Zion is the enforcer for the local motorcycle club. He is drawn to Aubrey but she plans on leaving TN so she refuses to accept a relationship with Zion.
Working together to figure out who is behind the acts of vandalism in her grandmother’s neighbor, Zion and Aubrey find themselves drawn into a much deeper power play for the towns land and ownership.
Sometimes you just need a simple, a flat out entertaining read, Undaunted just hits the spot becoming that read for me. Some mystery, a little heat and sexy bad mouth bikers just worked.
I received this ARC copy of Undaunted from William Morrow Paperbacks - HarperCollins in exchange for a honest review. This book is set for publication September 15, 2015.
June 11, 2016
Entertaining, but overall the writing was too simplistic and straightforward for my taste. The drama made the romance convoluted due to the heroine going back and forth between the "oh shit we can't be together"my words not hers and the "oh gosh this chemistry is berserk!". Her reasons are understandable, but it pulls the reader too many ways for the novel to flow well. Again my words, not hers. There was a lack of development meaning that the author prevented me from seeing the ways in which the hero and the heroine got to understand each other which then blocked me from seeing the real intricacy of their romance. Chemistry was absolutely there, but it was excused for the actual falling in love part, which I missed completely.
July 30, 2015
Biker-lite and nothing at all like Kristen Ashley.
November 30, 2015
3 MC lite Stars!
Source: eARC for Honest Review Courtesy of William Morrow via Edelweiss
Aubrey finds herself escaping her parents bad choices at her grandma's house. While she's there, she realizes that there's a lot that she doesn't know about her grandma and her affiliation with the local MC.
As Aubrey is trying to move forward in her life, she makes a plan, but what she's didn't include in that plan was love and the MC.
"I thought the mess your parents were making of everything was going to
bring you back around to that little girl who was all fire and defiance. You just created another of those schedules of yours."
Zion has only known life in the MC, as he was born and bred in that world. He loves it. The brotherhood. The woman. The lifestyle. His role is to protect the president whom means more to him than just being president of the club.
Zion happens to stumble across a drunk Aubrey and takes on the knight role. He doesn't want to like her but there's something about her that changes his world forever. As the MC helps out Aubrey and her Grandma, they find themselves intertwined with the MC for good or bad.
"I can't . . .We . . . It' s not going to happen, not with what you do. I just can't."
Zion and Aubrey try to fight off their attraction to one another but can't. Bending rules and compromises are made so they can try and give it a go, but will Aubrey be able to handle all that is Zion.
"I'm going to find a way to make you give me a real chance,"
NA MC sometimes that combo goes and sometimes it doesn't. In Undaunted, I did like the idea of the book more than the actual story, but that doesn't mean I didn't like it. It unfortunately had the type of heroine that I don't like. The type that's wishy washy,assumes, not communicates and runs, however since she's only 20 her youngness made it more tolerable.
"Tell me you're not going to run again," he asked.
Aubrey swallowed nervously. "I'm going to try very hard not to run. I don't want to run. I want to try this, to try being together."
"We're never going to get anywhere if you can't talk to me instead of jumping to conclusions and running. Just so we're clear"
Sometimes books that fall into the NA genre can come across more adult like and some times more juvenile. This one falls more in the juvenile category, with how it unfolds and how it ends. Which was too neat and tidy, especially if its' supposed to be part of the MC genre. With that genre I expect them to be more gritty and raw but this one came across as more MC lite.
I liked Zion, but I wanted more masculine 'hear me roar' type of persona instead of the 'I love the MC, but it doesn't matter now that I have you' type of thing going on.
"If you let me, I'll be at your side so you don't need to wait for me to get to you."
I did like Aubrey when she was sassy and confident but when the other
traits came out I didn't like her as much. I would have liked her to
fall for the man and the MC, which is what I expect out of this genre. I do get where she was coming from and why, since that life is not for everyone, but sometimes in relationships we have to compromise to make both parties happy.
Does this series have potential? Yes, loads of it. Was it my favorite NA MC? No, but is was still pretty good when I clump it into NA, if I was to categorize it into adult MC then no it would be considered quite weak in my mind.
May 19, 2019
I love Melisa Marr, she was one of the first YA authors that I ever fell in love with. So when I saw that she had written a NA romance novel I was FREAKING excited. Now, I've not been reading as much recently because of life but I read this one pretty quickly. Parts had me biting my lip wondering what was going to happen and then other parts were just so cheesy...
I mean, I love HEA ending and this has one of those but I'm not the biggest fan of full-on cheese. This end was just too much. Every single thing turned out perfectly without any serious problems. I mean, what about poor Dash? What happened to him?
The writing was great. No issues there at all. Melisa Mar is a great writer with every single book she puts out. The tone for the book is great, smooth throughout, nothing out of place. Honestly, I just wanted something else when I read this book. It's not a bad book by any means. I just thought I was in for something darker from a MC novel. That's where I'm getting so hung up. It's not dark, it's pretty light and fluffy. So if you're in the mood for a novel that will leave you smiling and happy inside, this is for you!
I mean, I love HEA ending and this has one of those but I'm not the biggest fan of full-on cheese. This end was just too much. Every single thing turned out perfectly without any serious problems. I mean, what about poor Dash? What happened to him?
The writing was great. No issues there at all. Melisa Mar is a great writer with every single book she puts out. The tone for the book is great, smooth throughout, nothing out of place. Honestly, I just wanted something else when I read this book. It's not a bad book by any means. I just thought I was in for something darker from a MC novel. That's where I'm getting so hung up. It's not dark, it's pretty light and fluffy. So if you're in the mood for a novel that will leave you smiling and happy inside, this is for you!
September 20, 2020
This was okay, but it did feel like it was maybe missing something at times. The attraction seemed to rather quickly escalate, and when the sex scene came, it seemed a bit sudden and disjointed. One moment they're discussing boarding up a broken window, and the next she drags him to her room, gets out a condom, and tells him she wants him. It wasn't exactly romantic, and they had only had like two scenes where they had kissed before that. Bit odd.
Also, she said she didn't date, but then forgot all of that, and her plan that she was supposedly sticking to. And Zion? He hadn't even kissed Aubrey, and he wanted to give up everything he'd ever known, and his only relative just to be with her? Hmm.
Also, she said she didn't date, but then forgot all of that, and her plan that she was supposedly sticking to. And Zion? He hadn't even kissed Aubrey, and he wanted to give up everything he'd ever known, and his only relative just to be with her? Hmm.
February 24, 2018
Great book! Not much dept in this book but still interesting. Great book to in the sun on vacation.
August 23, 2019
Muy tranquilo el asunto para ser MC
September 23, 2015
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales
Quick & Dirty: Sexy romance with very likeable characters, great tension and tons of drama. I would highly recommend this book to all new adult romance fans!
Opening Sentence: The scream of a house alarm woke me.
The Review:
Aubrey Evans’ life has been turned upside down in the last few months. She grew up in Oregon and was an only child from a well off family. She spent the first two years of college at a very prestigious and expensive school in Oregon. But she father was recently indicted for embezzlement, which has caused her college fund to disappear. She doesn’t qualify for any kind of financial aid because her parents made too much money on the previous years tax return and to top that, her parents are now going through a messy divorce. Aubrey needs to get away so she goes to live with her grandmother in Tennessee.
Aubrey has a plan and moving to Tennessee is just temporary until she can get her finances back in order so she can go back to school in Oregon. But her plan didn’t include meeting Zion, the irresistible man that is a member of the local motorcycle club. They have an instant connection and Aubrey can’t seem to stay away no matter how wrong Zion is for her. If they have any chance of making a relationship work they will both have to change and that’s easier said than done!
Aubrey was a compelling character. At first I didn’t know if I was going to like her because she is kind of snotty and she has a pretty rigid personality, but as the story progressed she started to grow on me. Eventually, I ended up loving her and found all of her weird quirks endearing. In many ways she actually reminds me of myself when I was younger. She hasn’t ever really had much attention from guys, or at least she doesn’t think she has. When she moves to Tennessee she gets tons of attention and she doesn’t quite know how to handle it and at times she comes across as rude when in reality she is just ignorant when it comes to boys. She is actually a really sweet girl and I appreciate how logical she is. I didn’t connect with her right away but in the end I really loved her.
Zion is ridiculously hot and I fell for him right away. He has bad boy written all over him with his broody personality and ties to the motorcycle club. He is also quite a ladies man and has never been interested in commitment before, but that all changed when he meets Aubrey. He is extremely charming and knows how to get exactly what he wants especially from the opposite sex. But he is also very loyal and respectful. He has quite a temper at times and there is no doubt that he isn’t someone you want to cross. He is the club enforcer and he didn’t get the nickname killer for no reason. His relationship with Aubrey is HOT and they have amazing chemistry. In so many ways they are polar opposites, but they also have a lot in common. There is tons of great tension between them and I adored them together. Zion is the perfect bad boy and I loved him.
Undaunted is a sexy story filled with great drama, hot romance, and loveable characters. I am a sucker for books that feature motorcycle clubs so of course when I saw this book floating around the web I knew I wanted to read it and it did not disappoint. I was instantly drawn into the story and found that it was pretty difficult to put down. The pacing was spot on and the story overall was very entertaining. The only complaint I have was the ending. There was such a great build up filled with lots of tension and drama, but when everything comes to a peak it was very anti-climatic. Everything that happened felt a little too convenient and I found it disappointing. Did I still enjoy the story? Absolutely! Will I be reading the next book? Definitely! I thought that Douglas’s writing was wonderful and she really knows how to write an entertaining story! I would highly recommend this all new adult contemporary romance fans!
Notable Scene:
“They knew I read, but most of them never bothered to question what I read, so that was handy. Racy romances or King’s horror or classics. It was all the same to them.”
I laughed. The image was simply too much. “Racy romances?”
“Hell, yeah! No better way to figure out what women want when you’re fourteen and trying to get a little sympathy.” He offered me one of his panty-dropping smiles. “want a demonstration of what I learned?”
FTC Advisory: William Morrow/HarperCollins provided me with a copy of Undaunted. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Quick & Dirty: Sexy romance with very likeable characters, great tension and tons of drama. I would highly recommend this book to all new adult romance fans!
Opening Sentence: The scream of a house alarm woke me.
The Review:
Aubrey Evans’ life has been turned upside down in the last few months. She grew up in Oregon and was an only child from a well off family. She spent the first two years of college at a very prestigious and expensive school in Oregon. But she father was recently indicted for embezzlement, which has caused her college fund to disappear. She doesn’t qualify for any kind of financial aid because her parents made too much money on the previous years tax return and to top that, her parents are now going through a messy divorce. Aubrey needs to get away so she goes to live with her grandmother in Tennessee.
Aubrey has a plan and moving to Tennessee is just temporary until she can get her finances back in order so she can go back to school in Oregon. But her plan didn’t include meeting Zion, the irresistible man that is a member of the local motorcycle club. They have an instant connection and Aubrey can’t seem to stay away no matter how wrong Zion is for her. If they have any chance of making a relationship work they will both have to change and that’s easier said than done!
Aubrey was a compelling character. At first I didn’t know if I was going to like her because she is kind of snotty and she has a pretty rigid personality, but as the story progressed she started to grow on me. Eventually, I ended up loving her and found all of her weird quirks endearing. In many ways she actually reminds me of myself when I was younger. She hasn’t ever really had much attention from guys, or at least she doesn’t think she has. When she moves to Tennessee she gets tons of attention and she doesn’t quite know how to handle it and at times she comes across as rude when in reality she is just ignorant when it comes to boys. She is actually a really sweet girl and I appreciate how logical she is. I didn’t connect with her right away but in the end I really loved her.
Zion is ridiculously hot and I fell for him right away. He has bad boy written all over him with his broody personality and ties to the motorcycle club. He is also quite a ladies man and has never been interested in commitment before, but that all changed when he meets Aubrey. He is extremely charming and knows how to get exactly what he wants especially from the opposite sex. But he is also very loyal and respectful. He has quite a temper at times and there is no doubt that he isn’t someone you want to cross. He is the club enforcer and he didn’t get the nickname killer for no reason. His relationship with Aubrey is HOT and they have amazing chemistry. In so many ways they are polar opposites, but they also have a lot in common. There is tons of great tension between them and I adored them together. Zion is the perfect bad boy and I loved him.
Undaunted is a sexy story filled with great drama, hot romance, and loveable characters. I am a sucker for books that feature motorcycle clubs so of course when I saw this book floating around the web I knew I wanted to read it and it did not disappoint. I was instantly drawn into the story and found that it was pretty difficult to put down. The pacing was spot on and the story overall was very entertaining. The only complaint I have was the ending. There was such a great build up filled with lots of tension and drama, but when everything comes to a peak it was very anti-climatic. Everything that happened felt a little too convenient and I found it disappointing. Did I still enjoy the story? Absolutely! Will I be reading the next book? Definitely! I thought that Douglas’s writing was wonderful and she really knows how to write an entertaining story! I would highly recommend this all new adult contemporary romance fans!
Notable Scene:
“They knew I read, but most of them never bothered to question what I read, so that was handy. Racy romances or King’s horror or classics. It was all the same to them.”
I laughed. The image was simply too much. “Racy romances?”
“Hell, yeah! No better way to figure out what women want when you’re fourteen and trying to get a little sympathy.” He offered me one of his panty-dropping smiles. “want a demonstration of what I learned?”
FTC Advisory: William Morrow/HarperCollins provided me with a copy of Undaunted. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
December 27, 2017
4.5 stars
I really enjoyed this story! I don't know why people gave it such low stars?
It's a NA (new adult) MC (motorcycle club) romance. A lite vanilla one but there is a sex scene. If you want an adult MC with more sex, read an Adult MC. I can recommend those as well ;)
I'm a sucker for MC books.
This story is about Aubrey, who moves to Tennessee to stay with her grandmother when her family life back in Oregon goes to sh*t. After a disasterous night at the county fair she meets Zion aka Killer, who works for the boss of the local MC club the Wolves. He's older, he's hot and he's dangerous.
Meanwhile a crime spree is happening in her grandmothers neighborhood. The police seem inept to solve things, so the Wolves are called in to help.
Yes Aubrey is back and forth between her feelings, but her reasoning is explained. There's maybe two or three chapters where you get Zions perspective. Mostly 98% of the book is Aubrey as the narrator.
The ending was rushed and a tad unbelievable, but otherwise I really liked the story.
If you want a good quick read that has more then kissing and characters that aren't virgins, but is still mainly YA/NA give this book a try.
I already ordered the next book in the series titled "Unruly"
I really enjoyed this story! I don't know why people gave it such low stars?
It's a NA (new adult) MC (motorcycle club) romance. A lite vanilla one but there is a sex scene. If you want an adult MC with more sex, read an Adult MC. I can recommend those as well ;)
I'm a sucker for MC books.
This story is about Aubrey, who moves to Tennessee to stay with her grandmother when her family life back in Oregon goes to sh*t. After a disasterous night at the county fair she meets Zion aka Killer, who works for the boss of the local MC club the Wolves. He's older, he's hot and he's dangerous.
Meanwhile a crime spree is happening in her grandmothers neighborhood. The police seem inept to solve things, so the Wolves are called in to help.
Yes Aubrey is back and forth between her feelings, but her reasoning is explained. There's maybe two or three chapters where you get Zions perspective. Mostly 98% of the book is Aubrey as the narrator.
The ending was rushed and a tad unbelievable, but otherwise I really liked the story.
If you want a good quick read that has more then kissing and characters that aren't virgins, but is still mainly YA/NA give this book a try.
I already ordered the next book in the series titled "Unruly"
September 11, 2015
Undaunted is Ronnie Douglas' first foray into the new adult genre. If you don't recognize the author, that's because it's a pseudonym for Melissa Marr. She wrote this under a pen name so she could "experiment with being a debut author again" and from what else I gathered from her Ronnie Douglas website, she likes to keep her genre identities separate. She co-writes a middle grade series, The Blackwell Pages, as M.A. Marr. I first fell in love with Melissa Marr when I read her entire dark young adult urban fantasy series, Wicked Lovely.
As soon as I figured out that Ronnie was Melissa, I had to know what she was going to do with new adult. Especially because she noted that she wrote from experience.
If you've never ridden a motorcycle, Ms. Marr has written the best description I've ever read of what it feels like to hold on to the back of a bike. I've only driven a bike once or twice (I'm short so I don't feel comfortable holding a bike up on my own) but I much rather ride on the back of a bike while I hold onto a strong man and trust him with my life. I think the feeling was captured in words perfectly when Aubrey takes a ride on Zion's bike for the second time.
Wait.. what am I talking about? I guess I should tell you a little about the story first.
Aubrey is twenty years old and has just moved across the country from Oregon to Tennessee to escape major family drama and fallout. She had a plan and she needs to get back to it: take college classes, get a job, and no dating. Unfortunately, break-ins and vandalism in her grandmother's neighborhood disrupt the start of the her plan. Hot bikers on Harleys who step in and save you from creeps can also be distracting.
While I enjoyed all the interesting characters in this story, I just don't think there was enough plot (or meat to the story) for them to come out and play to their potential. Zion was a very unique guy in that he was a very well rounded, smart guy who turned out phenomenally well (no angst, peeps) despite being raised by a bike club. I adored all the quirky personalities of the guys in the club and I wanted so much more time to meet their old ladies. From the way the club treated everyone in the town down to how they treated Aubrey and her grandmother, I loved all the side moments with the club and I wanted more details.
That's not to say I didn't enjoy the rest of the story. I blew through it in one day because it was so easy to read and I was completely engaged. It was just an easy story to pick up and read off and on. A really easy story.
The story was kind of predictable and the formula was pretty standard for new adult romances. On the downside, there was a brief love triangle. On the positive side, I applaud the choice a certain character made at the end - it fit the character perfectly and only added to my love of "them". So while I knew what was coming with the story, I was pleasantly surprised with little details along the way.
I'm pretty sure I'll pick up the next book in the series, Unruly (due February 2016) if only to see what happens with Ellen, the feisty friend to Aubrey. She is another one of those fantastic characters on the sidelines and she definitely needs a HEA!
Review appears on
As soon as I figured out that Ronnie was Melissa, I had to know what she was going to do with new adult. Especially because she noted that she wrote from experience.
If you've never ridden a motorcycle, Ms. Marr has written the best description I've ever read of what it feels like to hold on to the back of a bike. I've only driven a bike once or twice (I'm short so I don't feel comfortable holding a bike up on my own) but I much rather ride on the back of a bike while I hold onto a strong man and trust him with my life. I think the feeling was captured in words perfectly when Aubrey takes a ride on Zion's bike for the second time.
Wait.. what am I talking about? I guess I should tell you a little about the story first.
Aubrey is twenty years old and has just moved across the country from Oregon to Tennessee to escape major family drama and fallout. She had a plan and she needs to get back to it: take college classes, get a job, and no dating. Unfortunately, break-ins and vandalism in her grandmother's neighborhood disrupt the start of the her plan. Hot bikers on Harleys who step in and save you from creeps can also be distracting.
While I enjoyed all the interesting characters in this story, I just don't think there was enough plot (or meat to the story) for them to come out and play to their potential. Zion was a very unique guy in that he was a very well rounded, smart guy who turned out phenomenally well (no angst, peeps) despite being raised by a bike club. I adored all the quirky personalities of the guys in the club and I wanted so much more time to meet their old ladies. From the way the club treated everyone in the town down to how they treated Aubrey and her grandmother, I loved all the side moments with the club and I wanted more details.
That's not to say I didn't enjoy the rest of the story. I blew through it in one day because it was so easy to read and I was completely engaged. It was just an easy story to pick up and read off and on. A really easy story.
The story was kind of predictable and the formula was pretty standard for new adult romances. On the downside, there was a brief love triangle. On the positive side, I applaud the choice a certain character made at the end - it fit the character perfectly and only added to my love of "them". So while I knew what was coming with the story, I was pleasantly surprised with little details along the way.
I'm pretty sure I'll pick up the next book in the series, Unruly (due February 2016) if only to see what happens with Ellen, the feisty friend to Aubrey. She is another one of those fantastic characters on the sidelines and she definitely needs a HEA!
Review appears on
September 28, 2015
My Thoughts:
I couldn't wait to read Undaunted, because I am a huge fan of MC Club Romance. This is the first book that I've read by Ronnie Douglas. It is the beginning of the Knights in Black Leather Series.
Aubrey Evans moves to Williamsville, Tennessee, to live with her beloved 65 year old Grandma Maureen, a strong, fun-loving woman, and unconventional grandmother. She leaves Oregon after her father is indicted for embezzlement, her mother files for divorce and consequently, she lacks the tuition to resume her college education. Aubrey is tired of being put in the middle of her parents drama. Therefore, she makes a plan to get a job, save up money, and attend the local junior college, until she can afford to move back to Oregon and return to her college.
However, life gets complicated when there are break-ins and vandalism in her grandmother's neighborhood. Then, she meets the sexy and very tempting MC Club enforcer, Zion. Aubrey plans to stay away from him. She refuses to stray from her plan, and get involved with anyone; especially a criminal. Yet, circumstances put Zion in her path time and time again. Will Aubrey be able to resist this sexy bad boy? Or, will Zion eventually wear her down?
Undaunted fell a little flat for me as far as MC Club Romance is concerned. I enjoy learning about the MC Club sub-culture, and I would have liked to see more about the rules, norms, and everyday practices of club life. I really liked Zion's character. He became a reformed bad boy, and was willing to do what it took for Aubrey to give him a chance. He was charming, and very good to Aubrey, Ms. Evans, and his MC Club. However, Aubrey was a frustrating character. She kept changing her mind about whether she wanted to pursue a relationship with Zion, and I just wanted her to make a decision and stick with it. She also wasn't the best decision maker.
The plot was steady. I was curious about the criminal activity in the neighborhood, and to see how everything would play out between Aubrey and Zion. I enjoyed secondary character's Noah (Zion's cousin), and Ellen (Aubrey's friend.) The two of them seem to have a past history, which really piqued my history. I loved Noah's charm, and the way Ellen was a strong, independent, and confident lady. She knew her worth, and demanded respect. I think Noah and Ellen would make a really good story.
My Rating:
I give, Undaunted, by Ronnie Douglas, 3 Sweet Motorcycle Club Bad Boy Filled Stars!
*To Read More Book Reviews, Visit A Bookish Escape at http://www.abookishescape.com
I couldn't wait to read Undaunted, because I am a huge fan of MC Club Romance. This is the first book that I've read by Ronnie Douglas. It is the beginning of the Knights in Black Leather Series.
Aubrey Evans moves to Williamsville, Tennessee, to live with her beloved 65 year old Grandma Maureen, a strong, fun-loving woman, and unconventional grandmother. She leaves Oregon after her father is indicted for embezzlement, her mother files for divorce and consequently, she lacks the tuition to resume her college education. Aubrey is tired of being put in the middle of her parents drama. Therefore, she makes a plan to get a job, save up money, and attend the local junior college, until she can afford to move back to Oregon and return to her college.
However, life gets complicated when there are break-ins and vandalism in her grandmother's neighborhood. Then, she meets the sexy and very tempting MC Club enforcer, Zion. Aubrey plans to stay away from him. She refuses to stray from her plan, and get involved with anyone; especially a criminal. Yet, circumstances put Zion in her path time and time again. Will Aubrey be able to resist this sexy bad boy? Or, will Zion eventually wear her down?
Undaunted fell a little flat for me as far as MC Club Romance is concerned. I enjoy learning about the MC Club sub-culture, and I would have liked to see more about the rules, norms, and everyday practices of club life. I really liked Zion's character. He became a reformed bad boy, and was willing to do what it took for Aubrey to give him a chance. He was charming, and very good to Aubrey, Ms. Evans, and his MC Club. However, Aubrey was a frustrating character. She kept changing her mind about whether she wanted to pursue a relationship with Zion, and I just wanted her to make a decision and stick with it. She also wasn't the best decision maker.
The plot was steady. I was curious about the criminal activity in the neighborhood, and to see how everything would play out between Aubrey and Zion. I enjoyed secondary character's Noah (Zion's cousin), and Ellen (Aubrey's friend.) The two of them seem to have a past history, which really piqued my history. I loved Noah's charm, and the way Ellen was a strong, independent, and confident lady. She knew her worth, and demanded respect. I think Noah and Ellen would make a really good story.
My Rating:
I give, Undaunted, by Ronnie Douglas, 3 Sweet Motorcycle Club Bad Boy Filled Stars!
*To Read More Book Reviews, Visit A Bookish Escape at http://www.abookishescape.com
September 17, 2015
I absolutely adore motorcycle romances and was excited when I discovered Undaunted. The blurb starts out with: "Following in the tradition of Kristen Ashley, Joanna Wilde, and Jay Crownover, this first novel in a sexy, dark New Adult series tells the thrilling story of a young woman who finds herself drawn to a Southern motorcycle club’s inner circle—and a dangerously hot biker." This sentence alone had me sold. I one clicked the audiobook almost instantly. Sadly, that is where my excitement with the book ended. I actually didn't find the story dark at all; however, what I did find it was frustrating. Well, not "it" per se but the female MC, Aubrey. *Rubs forehead* I wanted to like her character but the author made it really difficult for me to get a bead on her personality. She was wishy-washy in her response to Zion and love in general. I felt as if I was getting whiplash with her constant back and forth. I adored Zion and would have absolutely loved seeing him with a strong female lead who was less concerned about her plan and more concerned about finding love. Sure, Zion was definitely not a poster child for upstanding citizen. But what he lacked in that department, he definitely made up for in heart and his adoration for Aubrey -- even when she did not deserve it.
The story was actually very ... interesting ... I still did not understand the "why" behind the vandalisms. Oh sure, the author explained it but it was contrived. Added drama to make the story a bit more interesting. I didn't dislike the story overall and I think Tavia Gilbert's narration helped in making an okay story a good one. I'm not sure if I'll continue the series but I'm curious about Dash and Ellie.
The story was actually very ... interesting ... I still did not understand the "why" behind the vandalisms. Oh sure, the author explained it but it was contrived. Added drama to make the story a bit more interesting. I didn't dislike the story overall and I think Tavia Gilbert's narration helped in making an okay story a good one. I'm not sure if I'll continue the series but I'm curious about Dash and Ellie.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 143 reviews