American Hellhound

Dartmoor #6

by Lauren Gilley

Black dogs. Demons. Hellhounds. Damned souls that haunt crossroads, taking the forms of hulking dogs with glowing red eyes. Legends of the Old World, but just stories meant to scare lonely wanderers.

Mostly.

Knoxville, Tennessee boasts black dogs of its own: the mother chapter of the Lean Dogs Motorcycle Club. And like all legends, the Lean Dogs draw challengers from every corner of the underworld. War’s brewing in Tennessee, and the Dogs’ first family is about to face its biggest challenge yet: the past.

Ghost Teague has spent the last twenty-five years transforming a once-rough club into an empire with his queen by his side, the fearless girl who turned his life around when he needed her most. This new threat is a personal one, aimed at him, at Maggie, and it’s calling into question all the decisions they’ve made thus far. With a rival club in town, and an old nemesis preying on their doubts, they’ll have to save the city, the club, and their family. And there’s only one way to do it: together.

With past and present storylines, the sixth installment of the Dartmoor Series explores the king and queen like never before, an epic tale of rising, and ruling, and leaning on one another.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Forbidden Love, Adult, Dark Romance, Crime

564 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 25, 2017

About the author

Wrote some stuff.

Reviews

[Val ⚓️ Shameless Handmaiden ⚓️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maggie and Ghost and the Dartmoor series get ALL the stars.

I just fucking love Lauren Gilley.

She is a Queen and I am her loyal subject...and I will read anything she writes for always.

That's it.

[A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gazillion Stars

"The first rule of a good ghost story: make sure it’s real.
The second rule of a good ghost story: make sure your leading lady’s smart.
And hella ferocious.
Not just anyone can put a devil dog on a leash."

If you’re a fan of motorcycle club romances, you HAVE TO read this series.

It is not one of the best. It is the best.

Usually I’m not a fan of lengthy books but 3,228 pages in total were not enough.



I want MORE.

More of this unique and all-consuming story. The story I've been living and breathing for the last few weeks. An epic tale of love, brotherhood, family, friendship and life.

More of these amazing characters who slowly, but surely snuck into my heart and will stay there forever. Strong, loyal and honorable men and women. As real as they come.

Because this little fictional world Ms. Gilley created?

It is not perfect.
But it is unforgettable.
And unbelievable.
And epic.

What is perfect, however, is Ms. Gilley’s writing. Every word she writes sinks deep into your heart. I'm in awe.



Different people like different things. For me, this book was everything. This series was everything.

Give it a try!

Zero predictability.
No cheating.
No OW/OM drama.
No weak and annoying characters.
No clichés.
No eye-roll worthy stuff.
No cheesiness.
Just a kick ass good time.
Promise!

[Bev · Rating 5 out of 5]

Re-read February 2020

Dear Ms Gilley, here, have them all! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ All of them and then some.

Because seriously, ALL the stars ain't enough for this perfection. Talk about pulling it all together and making me fall in love all over again with Ghost, an arsehole that I detested through a lot of this series! Yeah, that. I already said this the first time I reviewed it, but it was just that fantastic it bears repeating. So, what I said in my fist review ...... that a gabillion times over. This went on my 2017 favourites list and guess what? It's going on this year's list too.

Utter. Bloody. Perfection. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Original review:

This was me before American Hellhound hit my Kindle - Most. Anticipated. Book. Ever. I get palpitations just reading the sneak peeks.

Then I started reading, and fell in love all over with LG's writing. It is utter perfection. I had high hopes for Ghost and Maggie's story and my god, LG knocked this out of the freaking stratosphere. I am definitely NOT a fan of flashbacks, in this case I was chomping to get back to them, to see how they grew not only as a couple but as strong individuals. It almost seemed like I was reading two stories at once, it was done so bloody well. It truly was amazing to experience and I SO want to be Maggie when I grow up! Best heroine I've ever read by a million miles. And who woulda thought I could fall so totally in love with Ghost after thinking him an arsehole right the way through the series? Well, I did.

The writing is raw. It's honest. It's perfect. It's everything I could have wished for and then some!

My best read of 2017 and I honestly don't think anything will knock it off top spot. It was absolutely genius!!

[⊱✿⊰ Alicia ⊱✿⊰ · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 The Making Of a Queen Stars

P . E . R . F . E . C . T . I . O . N



I just love how Lauren Gilley immediately pulls me into any book she writes, I have had issues with books written in the third person POV but Lauren does it amazingly giving us not only the story of the main characters but of the whole Dartmoor 'family'.

The first rule of a good ghost story: make sure it’s real.
The second rule of a good ghost story: make sure your leading lady’s smart. And hella ferocious. Not just anyone can put a devil dog on a leash.

So this is Kenny/Ghost president of the lean dogs and his wife Maggie's story. I have been waiting for this one because next to Mercy and Ava, Ghost and Maggie have always intrigued me. Although after reading this book I see now why it was so far into the series before we got their story.



This is set in the Now & Then and takes us all the way back to the beginning of Maggie and Ghost's story and Ghosts rule as President. I thought it was clever how Lauren was able to transition between the two so effortlessly, I did find myself getting a little upset when I was getting really into their past and it would switch back and visa versa but only because I was so in love with the story.

The way Lauren has put all her characters into every book in this series so I thought I already knew Maggie and Ghost but I really didn't know them well at all. Maggie was the kick ass chick I thought she'd be but there was so much more to her and then there's Ghost. Well he just shocked the shit out of me with how vulnerable and emotionally weak he was in the beginning. It's amazing how much strength having a strong woman by your side will give you and Maggie is one strong person.

Later, she would look back on this moment and realize that it was the end of Margarete Lowe: Very Nice Girl, and the beginning of Maggie Lowe: Not To Be Fucked With.



This book could be read as a standalone BUT it would have nowhere near the impact it has after reading the first five books first. I can not say this enough, if you have not read this series I have no idea what you are waiting for just go read it!!!!

“And it ain’t no living creature that’s come for him. No. It’s old Black Shuck. The black dog. The Lean Dog. It’s one or it’s all of ‘em. Don’t matter. They’re all dark creatures. You see, sonny, when you make a deal with the devil, he always collects his price. And when he can’t find you…well…he sends his hounds after you.”

[Shile (Hazard's Version) on-hiatus · Rating 5 out of 5]

GAAAHHHH!! 5+++++ Stars🤩🤩❤❤

Maggie and Ghost deserve the best.🥰🥰

Love everything about this book.😍😍

I have fallen in love with Reese. I can't wait for his story. 😭😍

GAAHHH!!!❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[Selene · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75 stars

Genre: Literary Fiction
Setting: Knoxville, TN
POVs: Multiple, 3rd person
Plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Writing style: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Characterization: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Pace: Relaxed

From Fearless to Loverboy, Dartmoor MC's legacy seemed unmatched and unshakable while perched high on Kenneth "Ghost" Teague's shoulders. His vision for the MC fostered loyalty. His leadership and direction created Dartmoor. American Hellhound is his story.

While this book painted an intricate portrait of Ghost's challenges and progression within the MC world, it also highlighted the fact that he didn't inherit the throne of MC President single-handedly. Although he recruited and helped to advance a small group of unique men with diverse talents and abilities to work as a family unit, it was the nurturing strength of one woman who helped arm Ghost with the necessary qualities for successful leadership.

►The saga-like feel of this book left me speechless and I struggled to write a review for this book. Yeah, this author's work has a tendency to do that to me because I fell in love with the same characters over and over again! Mercy was captivating. But when was he not?! And Ian? I loved how he always seemed to be ten steps ahead of everyone else while remaining composed, refined, and elegant with tasteful dialogues--cutthroat, too!

►I loved the way LG laid the groundwork for this book! She involved every character and put on display this massive puzzle from which each character uniquely fit. Laying out how, why, and when certain characters arrived to Knoxville was cleverly entertaining and gratifying! And I was shocked at myself for being shocked at the parallels drawn between Ghost and Aidan! They were father and son, after all...

►This story was beautiful, satisfying, and rich. Enjoyed!

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant.

I’ve loved this entire series but I’ll admit for a few seconds I was a little apprehensive.
Why?
I’m glad you asked.
Simply because I’m not a huge fan of flashbacks, I always get bored and want to return to the present and the characters I know and love.
But ... and it’s a huge but that didn’t happen here. It worked, all of it, it was brilliant.
I was just as caught up in the past as I was the present
I love all these characters and I can’t wait for more and I really need to read her other books.

[TeriLyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

5++ "Lead the way." Stars

Lauren Gilley never ceases to amaze me with her extraordinary gift for story telling and character explorations. Her penchant for cultivating the most vulnerable and raw pieces of her characters is unlike any other. And her exemplary writing style continually shines, nestling her stories deep inside your heart. She possesses an ingenious ability of providing you so much depth and colorful detail without bogging you down with superfluous and excess words making every single passage rich with contextual meaning.

"The first rule of a good ghost story: make sure it's real."

American Hellhound comes to us as the sixth installment of the Dartmoor series and focuses on the reigning King and Queen of the Lean Dogs MC. As a huge fan of this series, I felt comfortably acquainted with these two strong, motivated, and dedicated characters; their presence a beacon from the very first book. Their story, though, provides readers the most intimate, extensive experience as it shows readers all sides, from both their gripping past and their challenging present, of Ghost Teague and his Maggie.

What I love most about their story comes from it's uniqueness. There's no other relationship quite like Ghost and Maggie's. True partners in the purest way two people can be. They lean on each other, understand each other, and motivate each other from the very beginning. The two of them are so natural together it's romantic in it's simplicity. And it's even more fascinating because it's never been easy. Loving each other was, of course. But the two of them don't live an easy life full of rainbows and unicorns. Ghost never did and he figured out that only a true queen could stand strong by his side.

"For that alone, he'd slay dragons for her."

Maggie Teague. There's a lot of positives one can say about this woman. What I admire most about her: she's absolutely fearless. She loves and lives with her whole heart wide open and she does it without a shred of fear. Maggie's a rare, forgiving and understanding soul who delves beneath the surface of everyone to understand what makes them who they are and then she nurtures what she finds. She gives her life to her MC family and she does it like a total bad ass. Maggie isn't a woman you can tell what to do or lock in a cage. Her wings constantly need to be spread and she needs to fly because when she does, she soars. A fact her mother never grasped since she clipped Maggie's wings from birth. And in lies her vulnerability. She may understand the code of the real world but she doesn't adhere to it, it's not where she shines. Maggie's freedom came in a leather clad, dark and broody, older biker. And she's been soaring ever since.

"My whole life's been about protection. I want to live."

Ghost Teague. The man is complicated. Staunch and forthright, Ghost doesn't abide anything other than the code of his thriving MC. He expects certain behaviors and won't accept anything less. His upbringing thwarted him in ways, making him hard. These are characteristics I've established from being an on-going fan of the series. In American Hellhound I witnessed his soft spots and his vulnerability and fell even harder. There were more than a few moments where Ghost showed his love and it abounds. He cares for his family, his MC. He cares for those individuals affiliated with them. He has soft spots I'd of never even guessed making him that much more sexy and enigmatic in a way because you're always learning something new, a new layer revealed. A young man with ambitions and dreams needed a push to succeed. His push came in the form a red-lipped, leather jacketed, sixteen year old, sex pot, rebel for whom is so very much more than the way she looks.

"Over the years, Maggie had learned a lot of things about ghost stories. The truest was this: They were always rooted in fact."

This story is a must read. Bottom line. The best of Dartmoor characters are along for Ghost and Maggie's ride. The supporting cast overwhelming in their contributions to the every day lives of these two. The depth of love and respect these people all hold for each other comes from the foundation Ghost and Maggie laid and the example they continually set. One of encouragement, advice, and stability.

Lauren Gilley proves once again she's a story-telling force. The depth of her distinct, concise, intelligent, and entertaining writing style amazes me with every published book. She never shies away from the darkest parts of her characters, quite the opposite. She exposes every raw nerve with gritty passion and zero remorse. She instinctively knows how to pull them from those dark places to show readers why those spots make them more human, more super-human sometimes actually in mental fortitude, and how we can relate to them in many ways. She makes partners true partners more than husband and wife. Man and woman leading each other to the promise of happiness and prosperity because they're partners. She endears these characters to readers making us obsessed a true testament to the power of her words.

Compelling, intelligent MC fiction. American Hellhound takes the King and Queen and lifts them higher even as it exposes them. It certainly cements the notion of Lauren Gilley's brilliant writing mind. It's makes me want to go to Knoxville and find Dartmoor because I want to hang with these people. They have to be real, right? Honest, real, and keeps you glued to the pages: American Hellhound is one ghost story you don't want to miss.

My reviews for the 5+ Star Dartmoor series:
Book 1: Fearless
Book 2: Price of Angels
Book 2.5: Half My Blood
Book 3: The Skeleton King
Book 4: Secondhand Smoke
Book 5: Loverboy


Reread: September 2020 - Adore Ghost and Maggie's story. What a representation of strong lead characters leading a strong organization and loving their motley crew of a family in the only and best way they know how.

Reread September 2022 - my favorites.

[Elfina Renee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nothing screams a good book the way Lauren Gilley's Dartmoor series does! Amercian Hellhound was the perfect conclusion, ending on Ghost and Maggie’s story.

For many of us readers, their story was long awaited and so damn good. I couldn't put it down! Filled with gut clinching drama. More than once I reached for the box of tissues, while other times ranted no freaking way! Now we're at the end and I'm screaming cause I'm not ready for it to be over. Its a no win situation.

[Saunders · Rating 5 out of 5]

5++++++++++ stars

Ghost and Maggie's story has been waiting to be told. We, as readers, have waited patiently to read about how they met, how they fell in love, their lives before and the build up to his Presidency.

We knew it would be good, but that word "good" goes nowhere near to describe how sublime Lauren Gilley's writing is, her story telling and her character are just the creme de la creme.

My love affair with this author and Dartmoor began a couple of years ago on a beach in Spain. I had dowloaded the whole series at a steal of a price. Little did I know what I was about to stumble upon. I read them back to back and spread the news. So for anyone who hasn't read Lauren Gilley and her Darmoor character - what are you waiting for? You don't know what you're missing. Read them you won't be disappointed.

Magical, simply magical.

[Somia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally the story of Maggie and Ghost, the reigning King and Queen of the Lean Dogs MC.

Maggie with 8 year old Aiden was sweet.

Ghost uncles was horrid and had me wrinkling my nose in disgust more than once.

Maggie may have been 16 when she met Ghost but there was a maturity to her that couldn't be denied. Living in a world where her mother's expectations and social world suffocate her, the connection she feels to Ghost is one that shakes up her life big time.

[Dee Montoya · Rating 5 out of 5]

FIVE STARS *****

Ghost is King!!!!!!! Omg of course this had to be an amazing book, it is Ghost's and Maggie's turn to tell their story, and what a story it was. Explosive, red-hot passionate and AMAZING.

Their story is told from past to present. How Ghost started to build his empire and how he was only ever able to even dream about building it with the help of Maggie. It took a very special kind of woman to pull out of Ghost what he was destined to do, to ultimate create a family, a brotherhood were love is all that matters. They accept each other for exactly who they are, they fight, they protect and they preserve their legacy, no matter what. The Lean DogsMC and their stories are never the same and always packed with action and passion.

I love all these books. I'll be a fan, for life!!!!

[Lynn Chambers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love a good MC read. For whatever reason, they are my weakness. The problem is they are so hard to come by. I only stumbled upon Gilley about a year and a half ago and I CAN NOT GET ENOUGH.

American Hellhound is the sixth book in her Dartmoor series. While I believe it could be considered a stand alone, I don’t recommend it as you will miss the full meaning of the back stories.

I have waited since book one for this story and OH BOY DID GILLEY DELIVER! This story is more than just a love story. It’s a story of strength and weakness and perseverance. It’s suspenseful and enlightening and full of action.

Ghost and Maggie have always been special to me, Ghost especially. My heart always went out to him. He is the President of an outlaw MC. He can’t be soft in anyone’s eyes. He carries the weight of his world on his shoulders. He takes his responsibility seriously, always trying to be one step ahead of potential disaster, and, for those reasons he could never seem to find a balance between King of an outlaw MC and loving and doting father.

But then there is Maggie. Maggie who comes from a sophisticated, law abiding, keep up with the Jones’ type family. Maggie’s controlling mother had her life mapped out for her before she was out of diapers, but, what her mother doesn’t count on is that Maggie has a mind of her own and Ghost and Aiden give her the confidence to use it.

Maggie is the right to Ghosts’ left, the soft to his hard, the sunshine to his rain. Ghost is the shield to her defenses, the power to her voice, and the freedom of her shackles. Together they are an unstoppable team and with their children and their club as their motivation, it turns into a ride that I want to travel over and over and I anxiously await for more.

Gilley is a powerhouse of a writer. Her words never fail. She is a talent that goes beyond all expectations and I strongly recommend anything she has written, MC or not. It’s worth the chance.

[Ira · Rating 5 out of 5]

The queen and her king! Hah! 😍😘.
MUST READ!!

Love love love love
❤️❤️❤️

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another wonderful addition to the Dartmoor books. A big, long, meaty, well-written read (as always). The book jumps back and forth between 'Then' (Ghost and Maggie's early days) and 'Now'. Because some of the same characters were active in both sections, I did find this a little disconcerting for a lot of the book, especially with some of the new characters. At times I found it hard to remember which plot point was taking place in which period. So although I was loving both storylines, I was feeling this was a four and a half star book, not five, because of this.

But by the time I got to the powerful ending, it all wove together so well and was so gripping I had to give five stars. And that's pretty rare for me. I don't give five stars lightly. But this book! We all love Ghost and Maggie and their complicated lives, and it was so great to see how it all began, and then in the present day how things pan out.

A nice aspect of the book is seeing snippets of so many characters we know and love from the previous books. And this felt natural, not forced as is sometimes the case in sequels. Kudos to Ms Gilley for her writing skills. And at the end of the book she indicates there is more Dartmoor goodness to come. It could have ended here, especially as there is a new Gilley series in the offing (Sons of Rome). But no, there will be more of these fascinating characters. Hooray!

If you haven't read any of these books, I definitely wouldn't start with this one. If you're not familiar with the characters, I'd say this one could be pretty confusing. And you don't get the wonderful payoff of seeing what happens to the characters you know and love. There are a few surprises in the book, and when you know the back story, it just makes you GASP! But if you don't know the characters, I doubt it would have the same impact. So, I recommend you do the obvious, and start from the start! Fearless .

Overall, a very satisfying read and a worthy addition to this series.

[Lisa - (Aussie Girl) · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Tale as old as Time".... upper middle class Princess falls in love with the biker boy from the wrong side of the tracks. In this case we get the back story of the Lean Dogs MC King and Queen, Kenneth "Ghost" Teague and Margaret "Maggie" Teague nee Lowe in a now and then style storyline. Love Lauren Gilley's writing she is one of the few that can make you love these characters in a culture that in real life is just plain bad. But she gets to the heart of these damaged people and somehow you kind of understand why they live their lives as one percenters.

This was the last book in this story arc but with quite a few stories left hanging I hope it isn't too long before she brings us back into the addictive world of Dartmoor.

4.5 stars

[Ela · Rating 5 out of 5]

No words! Lauren Gilley at her best!

[Britton Epps · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again ,Lauren Gilley blows me away. This author makes you live these lives with the characters. The entire story was perfection from the beginning to the end. I didn't want to finish reading... I wanted to savor each sentence. Loved the twists and turns right from the get go. Being able to see ghost through Maggie's eyes explained so much. Five brilliant writing stars

[Lučka · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't like Ghost until this book. I thought he was such an asshole and I turned my nose up everytime he was in the scene. But the man grew on me. Big time. I love him. Like, really love him. He's amazing. LOL

Maggie was always one of my favorites and learning she was such a badass from the start just made me adore her even more.
When 16 year old Maggie met 8 year old Aidan for the first time I cried like a little sissy. My heart swelled with happiness and all was right in the world.


I loved that part, how Maggie, Aidan and Ghost in the beginning tried, with ups and downs, to form a family. I'm not comfortable with 16 year old having sex with 27 year old, but there's smth in Ms. Gilley's writing style that the whole situation didn't creep me out. *shrugs* I thought their love was totally epic, like with Mercy and Ava.

I loved this book. It was probably the best of the series. It was full with action, suspense, epic love and characters' growth. Amazing writing style that sucked me in and wouldn't let me go until I finished the whole series.

Safety: The whole series was safe for me. I'm not bothered (most of the time) by heroes sleeping with OW(OM) before they are with the h. That happens at the beginning in almost every book, but it's not that bad. The OW/OM drama is really low to nonexistent IMO.

I have so much to say but let's just go with the
Best. MC. Series. Ever.

[Maria11 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dang I am so sad

It's over and I don't want it to be. I have LOVED this series after I stumbled onto it. I have read, reread and reread some of the installments, but I have to say this might be the granddaddy of them all.

Maggie...wow I admire her even more now. She is beyond kick ass she is beyond Wonder Woman status! I know now who is the really force behind the Lean Dogs! She was well beyond her years. I can really say in her case age is just a number, it is what is on the inside that matters. Maggie adapts and she just has the intuition at times to know how to handle things. Even at 16 she had vision and always strove to make Ghost better and more aware. She would sacrifice her happy to get him where he needed to be. She is so strong...but that word just falls flat in describing her. She is titanium.

Ghost....I have to say I really didn't like him at all in other books. This brought him into a new light and you got to really see inside of him. He is that parent who felt he did it all wrong but vows to not let it happen to his kids and it blinds his rational thought sometimes. He forgets that that the more you try to shelter the more it back fires on you. He also forget that yes he has had to struggle and make hard choices, but his life is damn good and he should be thankful his kids see that and still want to be part of his world good or bad. He is an honest character with all his faults. We like to judge him, but he is "real." We all aren't super heroes, we all don't make the right choices, but we learn and try our best. That is Ghost in a nutshell. We all fault him because he is a true to life person, not a fictionalized character with all the right moves.

Great, great wrap up. Sad to see it go, but I am so on board with all the other stories to come!

[Tracie Payne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Way more than 5 stars. Lauren Gilley has done it again. From page one she sucks you in to this family and club and makes you want to be a part of it. Seeing Ghost and Mags get their start was everything I hoped it would be. They were born for each other and born for this life they lead and I couldn't get enough. The first time they slept together was magical and so beautiful I couldn't breathe!! There isn't one single thing I would change. Absolute perfection.

[ValerieC · Rating 5 out of 5]

This MC series is epic in a way similar to Signal Bend and I am hooked on the quality of the prose as much as I am on the storyline. Most biker series are just not written to this level, but if you can find one, grab it.

There is more to come in this series (thank goodness) and I want the whole thing ASAP.

[Claire Louise¤°.¸¸.•´¯`» · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Hellhound stars

Me currently:



I'm so happy to have read this latest installment to the Dartmoor Series. Those Lean Dogs are F-Amazing, just when you think they can't get any better Lauren gives you the backstory of the King and Queen and blows your mind with how glorious their love was and still is to present day.

“Please tell me he’s not your boyfriend,” Ghost said. “’Cause damn.”
She glared at him. “What do you care? You made it very clear you think I’m disgusting.”
“No, I think you’re delicious. It’s the whole me-going-to-jail thing that gets caught in my
throat.”

Seeing how Ghost and Maggie came to be felt very fated, this couple, despite their big age-gap and background differences of the good girl who attends cotillions and teas and the hard worn divorced single dad ( how CUTE was baby Aidan! my heart ) but I never once thought "this couple shouldn't be together" or it felt forced. Right away it was perfect and the things they did for one another, you can see now how Mags makes Ghost a better stronger president, that kid was fearsome!

There was a surprise element right at the beginning I didn't expect, but loved and hope to see how that progresses in the future Legacy books maybe???

Of course we see Mercy, oh, my Mercy! how that man makes me laugh, his relationship with Ghost is a breath of fresh air.

The Dartmoor books have always been very character driven ( my personal favourite ) and American Hellhound is a perfect example of that. Yes, we have a great plot of a gang war, but what is the centre of this book is just wonderful character connections ( be it friend, lover or foe )

Lauren got me to like Roman! I want his book! he's an older hero, in his early fifties so that's going to be something different. He and Kris, I can see the angst and longing now.

Ian was as perfectly engaging and glorious as ever, I adore that posh brit and can't wait for his book either.

And REESE! A new character who intrigued the eyeballs out of me. He and Mercy were funny in a sad way.

But my favourite, oh my absolute FAVE scenes of the books were between Ghost and Aidan, if you've read the series you know this son and father have not always been so close ( that's what made seeing baby Aidan so much sadder because father and son adored each other ) but we get some resolution with that I think, it was the parts that made me misty eyed.

Ghost truly has evolved from the not so nice character we first saw ( I for one always loved him even when he seemed unlovable. I like them craggy lol ) into this great big massive caring dog!

That man was made to love his family.

She saw a beaten-down man too afraid to dream, an angry father who couldn’t turn his life around, but who could by God stand up for his kid when bigger kids pushed him around. She loved him.




American Hellhound is definitely going to be on my list of books of 2017.

[Laurie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been waiting with baited breath for Ghost and Maggie’s story since I saw Ms. Gilley was working on it. Ghost, the leader of the Lean Dogs American Mother Chapter has been hard to get a handle on. His actions regarding Mercy and Ava that had kept them apart for so long were hard to swallow, his relationship with his son was less than stellar, and some of his decisions as the chapter president left me absolutely horrified at the ruthlessness he was capable of. It was difficult to separate the president who put the whole club’s needs in front of any one member from the man who had garnered the love and devotion of a woman as strong and spectacular as Maggie. To be frank, before reading American Hellhound, I just didn’t see it, nor did I like him much, but I did hold a grudging respect for the tough decisions he was willing to make for the betterment of his club.

The farther along I got into the book, the more I fell in love with Ghost. The parallels found in what happened in the past vs. what was unfolding in the present stood out like dayglo paint. The past and the present seemed to almost merge at times, but the experience of the past gave clarity to those who had lived through it and were now experiencing deja vu.

I have always respected Maggie for not only her role in the club but the strength she has shown in the past. Even before she became first lady of the Lean Dogs, she showed she was their backbone, official title or not. Like with Ghost, my respect for Maggie increased exponentially as her story unfolded. From the moment she met Ghost she was on a collision course straight to adulthood. She reached for his hand and took on Aiden without skipping a beat and became the strong woman behind the man. She gave him a reason to strive to better himself instead of just being another brother in a club that was drowning in the machinations of a mad man (Ghost’s uncle). Yes, the age difference, especially when she was underage, was difficult to process, but Ghost’s reluctance and attempts to do right by Maggie helped me get past it.

As I read, I decided that the story could have been titled Atonement. This was Ghost American Hellhound Teaseratoning for the sins and decisions of the past, but also a healing of sorts brought on by forgiveness – not only for wrongs done but a forgiveness of self. Ghost needed some relationships repaired, but first, he had to forgive himself for making the tough decisions required of his title. Through all this, Maggie stood by her man or led the way for him, whichever was needed most at the time. The character growth from when these two first meet to the present day was staggering. I think the best part though, was realizing how many ghosts loved his family and his boys, not only Aiden but Tango too and how hard it was to make decisions that would adversely affect them.

American Hellhound answered so many questions, including some I didn’t even know I had. It was beautifully written, gritty, and showcased an imperfect couple who were perfect together. This is a case of a book being completely worth the wait.

Spice’s Rating: 5 Atoning Stars.

[Michelle [Helen Geek] · Rating 5 out of 5]

June 2017 -- 5 Stars

I just love this series. I wasn't sure what I'd think about going back to Ghost and Maggie's start. Would I like it or be engaged. I decided to trust the author and just dive in. Perfect story for these two and I loved the way she told it. I understand them so much better now.

I'll read this one again and again.

Happy Reading!

[Lori Lovesbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was beyond all my expectations!! Sheer perfection

[Carrie (Rotten Banana) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely pitch perfect story to bookend the first book, Fearless. It felt like coming home.

Full review to come.

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been looking forward to the full story on Ghost and Maggie's initial meeting and the background of their romance since I read the first book in this series. Again this author has brought me a 5 star read and a story that touched my heart and my emotions. Maggie is one hell of a woman and she and Ghost were preordained to be together. I know a lot of readers will have a problem with a 16 year old girl hooking up with a 26 year old man but as I said, some things are preordained. Ghost tried to fight against the attraction but his love for Maggie could not be denied. And Maggie was determined she would not let Ghost go. This story lets me know how Maggie was actually more mature than Ghost back in the early days and how much he depended on her. She was really the backbone of the club and helped Ghost turn it around. Ghost is totally redeemed in this story from any of his failings in past books as a parent. His love for his children comes through strongly and brought tears to my eyes. As usual, I loved all of the secondary characters and can't wait for the next book in this series. Hoping there are many, many more stories of Dartmoor and the Lean Dogs.

[Julie Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why, oh why can't there be more than 5 stars. So, so very good.

[Annica ⚡️ annica_reads_books ⚡️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the good stuff right here. Ghost Teague can call me a good girl any time he wants. 😍🤤