This book absolutely gutted me. It's not going to be for everyone, as it goes pretty dark and deep. I had so many cathartic cries reading this I feel lighter. Delilah is an absolute survivor, and my opinion of Royce is still out to the jury, because he messed up big time. He did however come through when she really needed him, but I'm still not sure that I like him.
This book covers some incredibly tough topics, but trust me when I say that the journey is worth what happens at the end.
Please note that I did receive an ARC of this book, and the opinions expressed in this review are my own.
If you enjoy stories that rip your heart out and put them back together again…and put you into an emotional turmoil while reading…then this story is for you. Take heed of the trigger warnings. This story is not for the feint of heart, but it’s a story that will be ingrained in my heart and soul forever. It’s not just about second chances, it’s about finding oneself and building a new life. Delilah has had a past that no one should have had to endure. But somehow she keeps going, how, I’m not sure as I don’t think I could be that strong. She has known Royce, the President of the Royal Bastards for a long time, and has harbored a bit of a crush for her best friends Father. When something horrible happens to her at a young age,Royce takes action. As time goes on, feelings start to surface that some would say are forbidden, but as you read you can’t help but want life to put Royce and Delilah in its path. But it isn’t always an easy path and there are many ups and downs. I just knew in my heart that someway, somehow these two would find their way to each other. This story is emotional, intense, tragic, disturbing, heartbreaking and heartwarming. I highly recommend this book and must say to prepare yourself for a wild ride!
To read this review along with teasers from the book visit Glowstars.net
Murphy Wallace is back and she’s bringing one hell of a book. Despite its above-average size, I raced my way through Injustice and Absolution, the book dragging so many emotions out of me along the way.
The book is separated into three parts, the first showing how Royce and Delilah originally came to develop feelings for one another. This section of the book is mainly scene-setting, showing how Delilah ended up living with her best friend after Royce killed her father for the abuse he put her through for years. It also shows Royce in pig-headed pre-hero mode, providing the catalyst for Delilah to move into part two.
Part two of the book was horrible and by mid-way through I was wondering if I could actually enjoy the book or if I’d just finish it to say I’d read it. When I took a moment to examine my feelings I realised that my dislike was due to how uncomfortable a read it was. As I read of Delilah’s descent into Drew’s destruction I recognised that Delilah could easily be someone I know, that Drew’s manipulations were so subtle to her that, if you were caught in the middle of things, you too could be taken in. It was too close to home and, like a freight train barrelling towards a school bus, there was nothing I could do to stop the destruction; I had to read on and hope to make it past the pain.
Of course, this is a Murphy Wallace book so I knew I wasn’t only going to read the uncomfortable, but it was going to get worse before our hero came to save the day and I got to read the romance I was there for. If you’ve read the Devil’s Skull MC series you’ll know exactly what I mean. All I could hope was that Wallace was going to build me back up after tearing me down alongside Delilah.
But enough about the story before I go and drop spoilers.
Emotionally, on balance, I needed more from part three of the story. After feeling so thoroughly destroyed by the end of part two, I needed more romance and light (or just steam) to help me recover. Then again, that would be a very different ending and probably not so fitting to Wallace’s style. Delilah’s absolution was very different from Sasha’s in the Devil’s Redemption but suited her and the MC theme well.
On a point that I know some will pick up, this book is not taboo (despite the word being used in the description). If you’re after forbidden lovers and a hefty age gap then Injustice and Absolution will tick those boxes, but it lacks the extremity required to push it into the taboo trope. In all honesty, though, it’s such as small aspect of the story that it didn’t impact my reading. Even at its most difficult, this was an extraordinary story and I am glad Wallace is back to writing again.
Yowza!!!! Injustice & Absolution by Murphy Wallace is the totally mesmerizing, gut-wrenching story of Royce and Delilah. She has suffered tremendously in her 13 years. Royce is her best friend’s father. When she needs help, she trusts Royce with everything. But, that’s only the beginning of a whirlwind of a story!!! There’s so much danger, deception, betrayal, greed, regret, lack of trust…and so much more in this heart-breaking story!!!
I completely embraced these two characters and their skewed motivations….I often thought her actions were bizarre…but, understandable. His actions were a bit more difficult to swallow. He was the adult, and seemed to turn a blind eye…more than once, in my opinion. Nevertheless, her world is fraught with one thing after another…things that would cause anyone else to give up. Freaking LOVED this story!!! Murphy Wallace has outdone herself with this captivating read!!!
If you're new to Murphy Wallace's books, be prepared! Her stories are dark and oftentimes makes you go WTF! Injustice and Absolution is no exception.
As the title implies there's lots of injustice and it's mostly directed at Delilah. How much can one person endure? Royce, is the President of the Royal Bastards MC and the father of Delilah's best friend. He's come to her rescue before and has come to realize he has developed feelings for her. Their story is dark, gritty and at times agonizing. Murphy does a fantastic job of weaving a great story and in my opinion is the Queen of writing the best antiheroes, we love to hate.
So, with that being said, we hope Delilah and Royce find their way to a HEA and absolution.
So intense. I swear I didn’t blink for a whole hour reading this. I needed eye drops, and there is so much fuel here for other books. The characters are so full of personality they’re leaking plot bunnies all over the place and that’s a good thing because the story needs their strength of personality to get through the incredible joyride, The freaking rollercoaster of emotions that hit me as I read this, anger, hope, fury, helplessness, and the amazing psychology that the author explained, kept me riveted until the end.
Talk about resilience. The protagonist goes through hell and and I felt every rift, bump, and crash she went through. The sex is hot, cold, spicy, and satisfying as well as something else I won’t spoil you on. Lastly, I love justice, love it.
I am so glad I was one of the lucky few who were able to get an early copy of this book because this is my favorite book by Murphy Wallace. If you love a story that can gut you and then make you fall in love, then this is for you. If you have any triggers, pay close attention to the warnings at the beginning of the book.
I have been a huge fan of Murphy Wallace from the beginning but this book takes the prize as my favorite yet. The story is intriguing from chapter 1 till the end. You will love and hate characters. I truly enjoyed every second of this book
A book that hits on real topics of life keeping the reader on their toes, while hitting them soul deep with the visceral feelings that it brings out. Delilah’s life is one that is incredibly tragic and no one should ever have to endure it hurt my heart reading about it, but when she finally turns to someone justice is served. Royce is a tough guy that is the president of his MC and when he steps in to help Delilah he is ruthless and gets the job done. As the years pass Delilah develops a crush on Royce and while Royce knows this tries to fight this sometimes the heart wants what it wants. when Royce finally pushes Delilah away thinking he is letting her go so she can find someone worthy of her and experience great things in life, he doesn’t know this will set her in the direction of more heartache and pain. When Delilah tries to move on with someone new, her love for Royce is always there, but since her past was so vile it has messed her head up when it comes to recognizing those who are manipulating her and real love. At times I wanted to shake her and tell her what she is experiencing now isn’t love at all but this was something she had to go through to realize the difference and all though it shattered my heart that once more she was being hurt I knew it was a process she had to come to terms to on her own. The pain and manipulation was so real that I knew why should would think she had to make her new guy happy, but I also wanted her to wake up and realize it was also wrong. Royce knew things weren’t right with her new man and was determined to help her in any way he could. The bond between Royce and Delilah was soul deep and even though he is way older than her this kind of love can’t be defined by age. I loved their story even if it wasn’t an easy one and it will shred your heart, the reality of these situations happens every day and really places the reader in the situations. Raw, Real, and Emotional.
Murphy Wallace is back and has really outdone herself with Injustice and Absolution! This book is dark, and gritty, and doesn’t follow the usual predictable storylines that are common in dark romance, making it really stand out for me. Poor Delilah has lived a life of horrific abuse at the hands of her father when her best friend’s dad saves her and takes her in. Years later they’re both fighting their attraction to each other, eventually giving in. As much as Royce cares for her, he wants a better life for her than he thinks he can give her as the president of a motorcycle club so he pushes her away, right into the arms of Drew. This guy seems to good to be true but with everything Delilah has suffered through, she can’t help but fall for him. He manipulates her, making her dependent on him, all for his own perfectly calculated plan. My heart broke repeatedly for Delilah as Drew’s true colors came out and I cursed Royce for pushing her away in the first place but his heart was in the right place. He wanted the best for her and once he realized she was in danger, he came through at just the right moment. The road to their happily ever after was painful but Royce pulls Delilah back from the brink, helps her heal, and exacts a brutal, violent revenge against Drew. My only wish is that they were together for more of the story but with her past and the forbidden nature of their relationship, everything they went through made them stronger in the end. The love, connection, and chemistry between Royce and Delilah is everything!
Injustice and Absolution RBMC: Gettysburg, PA #1 By: Murphy Wallace Narrated by: Michael Norman Johnson, Sarah Puckett
Age gap, MC Club, best friend's father? Well yes, thank you! Murphy Wallace starts ther RBMC: Gettysburg series starts with a bang. A little dark, a lot spicy and twist and turns galore. Delilah has had a tough childhood and her best friend's father, Royce did what he felt was necessary to fix that. Getting in a good head space though has been hard, and the feelings she has now carried for him have been crushed after a one night stand. She finds consolation in the arms of Drew. The perfect man, willing to take it slow, but things begin to change. Wallace took me on a journey and it was not easy. Delilah is a tough character, very insecure and wanting to please. The men in her life are similar and different all at the same time. It's dark and gritty, the best kind of MC story, and when Delilah and Royce finally get together,the darkness lifted. A story definitely worth the listen, just have your emotions ready!
Michael Norman Johnson and Sarah Puckett team up to give a narration that is spot on. A better casting could not have been made. I love Johnson in these darker roles. He knows how to play the alpha male and the dark villain! Puckett is so good at the emotional, strong woman. Delilah had an inner strength to get her through so much and her desperation, frustration and love all come through in the scenes. Loved them.
They Say that Paint and Strength go hand in hand, you can't have one without the other. But for Delilah Pain is all she knows, she isn't sure there will ever be a day without pain. She is just a quiet mouse getting by on what little hope she has of ever being saved by a white knight in shining armor. But her strength to survive comes within the depths of something primal and deep.
Royce aka The Judge has never felt he deserved love, Only Pain and to dole out justice to those who deserve it, the derelicts of society who prey on those they deem the weakest link. But soon his world is shifted in a way he never saw coming
Can Royce & Delilah finally face the darkness that is looming over each of them and find the light to escape and accept what is in front of them, can they finally find the strength to overcome the past that has haunted them both?
I was Thrilled to read the newest edition of the RBMC Universe by Murphy Wallace. I Loved the story line and it flowed smoothly. Edgy and Dark, surrounded by light, gave a new insight into what the RBMC is about.
Injustice and Absolution, is a gripping and emotionally charged story that kept me hooked from beginning to end. Ms Wallace skillfully weaves a tale that is both dark and gritty and had times, tragic. I loved that it had such an unpredictable plot and there were many twists and turns.
The emotional depth portrayed in Injustice and Absolution is truly remarkable. Ms. Wallace delves into the depths of human emotions, allowing readers to experience a wide range of feelings. From heartbreak to anger, from hope to despair, the story captures the essence of these emotions, which made Royce and Delilah’s story feel all the more real and relatable.
Highly recommend to lovers of dark romance and one my all-time favourites by Murphy Wallace.
Oh poor sweet Delilah. This poor girl has been through so much in her life and is left with these horrible feelings about herself. She tries to get the one man she really wants, Royce, aka her best friends dad, to want her the way she wants him, but that backfires. So she meets Drew, sweet, unassuming Drew. Oh how wrong she was!
Delilah is caught between wanting love and acceptance and a toxic cycle that she’s lived through before. Her struggle and pain will rip your heart out. Be mindful of the triggers because there’s a lot of them.
Triggers/Tropes 🖤age gap 🖤best friends dad 🖤SA (in many forms) 🖤motorcycle club 🖤grooming 🖤abuse 🖤manipulation And probably more but those are the main ones.
I did not expect this at all, what a powerful, tragic, heartfelt story with all the emotions one can have. My heart could barely take it I was on pins and needles mad, shocked and cheering Delilah on to keep going god keep going, she was so strong and I really loved her strength.
Royce was different emotion wise but wow he was there when needed and redeemed himself I loved his power with no remorse . They are complicated but that's who they are. I loved them so much.
Murphy has put her heart and soul into these two and what a phenomenal story that I could not put down for a sec. It kept me consumed with the ones I wanted to pay, and Delilah &Royce were just amazing. You won't regret a thing nonstop action, cringe worthy scenes that will have you high on adrenaline. So so good.
ABSOLUTE PERFECTION!!! I don't even know where to start. This book was absolutely amazing. Murphy Wallace just blew me away. I've been so wrapped up and engrossed in this story that I haven't been able to put it down or do anything else. The characters, the storyline, everything about this book have just been incredible. It's a dark tale and not for everyone. Read the trigger warnings, please. This book touches on a lot of stuff that some may find uncomfortable. This book will rip your heart out but if you let her, Murphy will put it back for you. She's good like that. My head is spinning, this book was so good. Murphy is one hell of a talented author. I can't recommend her or this book enough. In my opinion...she nailed it!!!
Delilah and Royce - a large age gap motorcycle romance.
This story lacked details in places it needed, and had too many in other places.
Delilah moves in with Royce & his daughter Maggie on the MC compound, when she is 15.
When she turns 19, Royce starts to notice Delilah more, and Delilah already has a massive crush on Royce. But both know their love is forbidden.
Delilah is pushed into the arms of this sweet guy named Drew. He’s still a little older than Delilah but not as much of a gap as her & Royce. Drew treats her like a princess, until he doesn’t.
I felt this book was overtly long & I had to often times push myself to finish it. Definitely not interested in reading more in this series.
This book hit extremely close to home for me as I know someone very near and dear to my heart that has experienced all the Delilah had. I only wish the person in my life had a Royce in her corner! You'd never know that this author had stepped away from writing and that this book is her first release in a long time. Excellent attention to detail in the story line that had me clenching my teeth, tears rolling down my face at times. Also, seething in anger and demanding that justice be done to right the wrongs Delilah survived. Yet other times, fanning myself from the super hot and combustible chemistry between Royce and Delilah. Their story was a perfect addition to the RBMC world!
WOW! That was one hell of an emotional rollercoaster ride!!! This story was definitely dark, gritty, gut-wrenching, violent and action-packed. It had my heart in a chokehold the whole way through and I was unsure if there was going to be a happy ever after by the end of it.
Delilah and Royce take us an emotional journey with many ups and downs, with some incredibly traumatic moments but with healing in between. It is sometimes a tough journey to read about and the topic is a bit heavy, but by the end your heart will be soaring over these two.
Loved it and can’t wait for more from this incredible author.
Murphy Wallace takes us on another wild ride and I was here for all of it. It’s dark, twisted and scarily realistic in many respects.
Murphy delves into a world that most people shudder from and keep in the dark. Yet, she’s shining a light on how sick and twisted and evil people can truly be. But she also highlights the antihero and how he steps up to handle things.
“Injustice and Absolution” takes you on a roller coaster of wondering what is going to happen to next in the Royce and Delilah story. I also can wait to see what happened next with a few of the other members.
Strong female lead, Delilah, has received an over share of emotional manipulation. Her turmoil is gut wrenching, yet she pushes forward. Expect dark brutality. In this age gap romance, my heart ached, became angry yet felt protective love. This book reminds me why I love to read. Especially books of the page turner variety! There is action, suspense and creative newness. I believe Murphy Wallace is an author to follow and watch. I have enjoyed all of her books and anticipate more of the same from her future works, as her stories just get better.
This story will tear your heart apart and then put it back together. There is so much emotional turmoil that it is hard to read sometimes. While it isn't a cliffhanger, there are a few things that aren't resolved. I didn't love the ending or how things were left with Maggie. They both felt incomplete. I am voluntarily leaving a review after receiving an ARC.
This book was more than I expected. Murphy keeps getting better and better each book. I love the MC books. This book is on another level. I felt so much for Delilah and Royce. Especially Delilah. Her story gutted me. I kept going because I knew this author would deliver and deliver she did. I really liked Royce and Delilah but at the end Maggie stood out to me. I need more. Please…
Another great story from this author. My heart broke for Delilah and what she went through. What strength she had to get through this. Royce was delicious! The heat between this two was beyond scorching! This story is sad, dark and at times disturbing, it’s not for the faint hearted! But overall written really well and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
This book was soooo good. It kept me turning the pages and needing to know what happened next. I couldn’t wait for Drew to get what he so deserved because I’ve never not liked a character so much!
The chemistry between Royce and Delilah is off the charts and you can truly feel the pull that they have towards each other!
This author really knows how to create a character I love to hate!! My gosh I was fuming while reading! I hated him and loved him at the same time!! Any author who can evoke a strong emotion out of me is an automatic yes!!
Injustice and Absolution featured some spicy scenes, some entertaining characters, and some twists I didn’t see coming!
Delilah has survived from a heck of past. One that makes this quite an emotional read. I recommend you check the TW if you are sensitive, Murphy did a fantastic job pulling you into this story. It is one I couldn’t put down. Riveting and well written with great characters.
Welcome back Murphy Wallace! This book was an absolutely perfect come back. I experienced my first book hangover ever. This book had all the emotions and I felt every one of them. It ripped my heart out and put it back together again. I can’t wait to read more of Royce and Delilah’s story!