Make You Burn by Megan Crane (Deacons of Bourbon Street #1)
Released: August 4, 2015
Motorcycle Club Romance
Loveswept
Reviewed by Mandi
This book had potential – I was even a little excited when I first started reading it. A motorcycle club romance set in New Orleans. It starts off gritty and sexy. Ajax was a member of the Deacons of Bourbon Street motorcycle club (MC). But ten years ago, near the time Katrina hit, he left the club to become a mercenary. I wish I could elaborate on why he left, what he did when he was gone etc… but we never really learn much about his past. Ajax comes back because the president, Priest, has died in a motorcycle accident. He comes back to pay his respects and the first person he sees his Priest’s daughter, Sophie.
Sophie is devastated that her father is dead, but growing up in a tough club, she was taught never to show her tears. She runs a bar in New Orleans and when Ajax walks in, she can’t believe he is back in town. Ajax immediately gets up in her business and before you know it, he has claimed her and she is his.
Elaborate set-up, right? Sigh. After maybe the first chapter, I started to lose hope that this book would work for me. First, we barely get to see inside this club. In the past years, members have drifted away, and when Ajax comes back (he was the vice president) he starts to “get the band back together.” But we don’t really get to see any of that. This club had gone from doing illegal activities to trying to change their tone to clubs and strippers – so what’s going on now? What is the culture? What kind of personalities make up this club? These are things I love about other MC romances. The guys relationships, the conversations when they hang out together. We don’t get that in this book.
Ajax is a very alpha, possessive, rough hero. Sometimes this is fun in a MC themed book. In this case, he turns out to be one of the most disrespectful heroes I’ve ever read. He does the whole possessive schtick with Sophie, and uses sex as his main form of communication. He is a big jerk – who stays a big jerk until “The end.” He says horrible things to her and she just takes it. I wanted her to have some spunk and fight back. Be strong! But her character is just flat and gets used by this horrible man and gets claimed by him in about two days and the book is done. Where is the romance? Even if it’s a darker, gritty book – there still has to be a romance. I needed some reason to want Ajax and Sophie to have a happy ever after. Instead, I’m cringing that this girl has to live with this guy forever. I don’t even think he smiled once at her. Her personality fell flat – she never shined, she never laughed – it was really disappointing.
After her father’s funeral, after the will is read and he leaves his stuff to the club rather than her, Ajax gets pissed because she is upset by this.
“I’d spend a little more time worrying about my feelings and a little less time feeling sorry for yourself because your daddy didn’t love you the way you think he should have. Newsflash, little girl. Fathers suck. Grow the fuck up and deal with it.”
This is how he speaks to her at 87% through the book. And I think two pages later she ends up having sex with him. Because why not?
This was the big “love” moment:
“You wear my name, Sophie. I’m not going to be sticking my dick in anything else.”
That thing in her broke open. It roared through her then. So intense and so harsh she almost doubled over, and it took her a stunned moment to recognize what it was: longing.”
Sophie! You deserve more than just a guy promising not sleep around on you!!
A very unlikable hero. A heroine whose personality fell flat. And no motorcycle club culture.
Rating: D-
Goodreads l Author Website l Series
That’s actually exactly how my husband proposed: “you’ll wear my name and I’ll keep from sticking it in anywhere else.”
gag.
Thanks for the heads up.
I want to respectfully disagree with your review — and please don’t take it in an antagonistic way. It’s just that I had such a different perspective on this book that I wanted to tell you about it. For me, it was so unlike the “usual” MC reads where the guys are complete dicks and use women in any and all ways. Yes, there was some of that in this book however I felt that Sophie did have a personality and lived her life her way…within the club rules, but on the periphery of those rules. This was her life and her upbringing; I didn’t judge but I don’t have to like it. I can’t really express it in this post — sorry! But the reason I did like this book was because it didn’t exhibit the ugly MC things that you found when you read it. Again, my perspective, however I just wanted you to know that someone else read it and saw it in a completely different light. Also, I thought I read enough to understand Ajax’s background but with the thought that more would come of why these folks (who I assume will be in the rest of the series) left the club in the first place. Again, a different perspective. Knowing all that, I gave the book a 4 star rating because I thought it was better than the usual disgusting treatment women receive. Again, my perspective and my call. Will I read the rest of the series? No, because I don’t like the MC overall theme of such stories but I did consider it. Did I think Ms. Crane did a good job with her take? Yes, I do. And knowing that both of these perspectives are out there, folks should decide for themselves. And again, no offense to your take!
Hi Gale
First of all – ALL opinions are welcome! I love to hear thoughts whether they agree or not. If we all agreed, it would be boring :)
I just wanted Sophie to be a bit more independent with more of a backbone. While she loved her father, I assume he was in control of her and then she moves onto a man, who in my opinion, doesn’t treat her well (at least verbally). I just felt she was not respected.
But yes – people should decide for themselves is this book is right for them. I believe the next 3 books in the series are each written by a different author so it will be interesting to see how they relate to one another.
I love MC romance. lots. I like a little possession in my hero and I dont mind a docile heroine but I do not like when douchey hero mistreat the heroine. Or does not temper his controlling tendencies with charm or wit or something . … the fact that he was so mean in his speaking for so much of the novel gives me pause . …
Yes. And the fact he doesn’t apologize for it or treat her any better by the end of the book….