RELEASE DAY BLITZ: REVIEW, EXCERPT, TEASERS, AND GIVEAWAY: Beautiful Outlaw (Savage Outlaws MC) by Emily Minton

Since she was 18 years old, Laura has played a role…worn a mask in order to protect her family and shielded them from the wrath of her domineering husband, a man she was forced to marry due to her mother’s illness. The man who for ten years has dressed Laura up like a doll, playing her off as his dead wife, Gwendolyn. But after enduring this traumatic situation for all those years, Laura has finally had enough and reaches out to her brother for help, seeking protection and a new identity – one that doesn’t force who to be someone she’s not.

Finding her own identity after ten years of playing a part, though, is not an easy situation for Laura, especially when she is thrust into a completely different world from the one she’s used to and takes on another new name, Shay. But with her brother’s help and the assistance of his old friend, Bowie, the VP of the Savage Outlaws MC, Shay will learn who she really is and how hard she’s willing to work to have the kind of life that was taken from her all those years ago.

Shay and Bowie’s story is a great first book in Emily Minton’s new series. Readers witness both of their transformations as they finally get the kind of life they want with the person who may not seem to be their perfect match, but they are in all the ways that count. I loved watching Shay come into her own and make her own decisions for the first time in ten years. It may have been a slow process, and there are things she questions along the way, but with Bowie’s help, Shay is able to feel like the possibilities are out there for her to choose from, as long as he’s included in those plans! Bowie is domineering and all alpha, which might not seem like it would work for Shay after her past experience with her ex, but Bowie does it in a way that she likes and just might need after the past abuse.

Beautiful Outlaw has everything that I’ve come to love from a biker book: a tenacious heroine who may need protection but still has a lot of fight in her; a hot as hell alpha male hero who definitely knows what he wants when he sees it and will do whatever it takes to claim the girl who’s everything he never knew he wanted; a group of biker brothers willing to put their asses on the line to defend what’s theirs; high intensity angst with a group of villains who deserve to get theirs in the end for all of the underhanded situations/drama they cause, and a crew of supporting characters that readers can’t wait to see developed into leading roles for further stories in the MC series.

A complimentary copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 poison apples

I push Shay in front of my body. She tries to pull away, but I tighten my grip and lean down to whisper in her ear.  “Don’t move.”

My voice has her shaking; her fear is so strong that I swear I can taste it, but this shit has to be done.  Putting my hand under her chin and lifting her eyes to the crowd.  I run my other hand up to cup her breast, making sure the boys get my point, as I start to talk.  “Take a good look, brothers.  This here is mine.  If I even hear of one of you laying a finger on her, I will fuckin’ kill you.”

A few hoots and hollers fill the room, but I ignore them. I look around, just to be sure everyone understands.  “I claim her as my property.  She’s my Old Lady. Stay the fuck away from her.”

With that, I lower my hand from her face and place it on her arm.  I pull her along as I make my way to my room.  As soon as I step inside, I slam the door.  Looking down at her, I lay out the rules.  “Never fight me in front of those boys, and I mean fuckin’ ever.  If you don’t like what I do, tell me when we’re alone.  Throw all the sass you want behind closed doors, but never show anything but complete respect in front of them.”

Her face is hard.  Instead of the tears I expected to see, her eyes are burning with anger.  “So, I can say whatever I want right now?”

Her voice comes out in a hiss, as she crosses her arms.  Every inch of her is vibrating with fury, and she looks hot as hell.  I nod, trying not to crack a smile.   “Yeah, any fuckin’ thing you want.”

She lifts a hand, point a finger at my chest.  “Next time you decide to treat me like a piece of meat, give me a little warning.  Tell me you’re about to parade me in front of a bunch of bikers and let them look their fill.  Don’t scare the hell out of me like that.”

“Is that all?” I ask, still working to keep my laughter in check.

She moves forward, her finger now poking me.  “I’ll treat you with respect, but you are going to do the same for me.  I’ll play your little lap dog in front of your friends, but you better not do something like that to me ever again.  If you do, I’ll be out of here and back at Nina’s before you can even blink an eye.”

The humor of the moment dies a fast death, and I reach down and grab her.  Walking her back to the bed, I push her down and climb over her.  As I cage her body below mine, I start to speak.  “Never fuckin’ threaten me again.  You’re not going to Nina’s or any damn where else.  You’re mine, and you better never forget it.”