Strip You Bare by Maisey Yates
Series: Deacons of Bourbon Street, #4
Romance Suspense
January 5, 2016
Loveswept
Reviewed by Tori
Miach Carpenter aka Prince has been summoned back to New Orleans by the current president of the Deacons of Bourbon Street Motorcycle Club (MC) to help them solve the murder of their former president. Reluctant to involve himself back in that lifestyle after he struggled so hard to get out, he neither less answers the summons and comes home to put his past behind him once and for all. Once there he is informed that the property of a prominent family is now theirs and his job is to find out why.
Sarah Delacroix always acts like a proper southern lady; even after she discovers her fiance cheating on her and the family name is rocked by scandal. Getting the family house ready for a birthday party is her way of putting aside all that nasty business and restoring her family’s honor. Being told by a tall, dark, and very dangerous man who her home is no longer hers is not on her list of things to do and she won’t give it up without a fight.
Miach knows all about southern princesses and usually avoids them at all cost but something about Sarah, from her high class looks to her butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth attitude, has him wondering what lies beneath her icy exterior. But there are forces at hand that will do anything to stop Micah from finding out who murdered the former head of the MC and why. Micah will have to decide what’s more important to him…his future or his present because soon the decision won’t be his anymore.
When I first requested this one I had no idea it was a four book series written by different authors. I did not read the first three and I do believe that hurt my enjoyment a little so that’s on me. Though the romance only encompasses one couple and resolves, the arc flows through the series-each book giving us clues to the mystery. I would not consider this a true MC novel. The romance is the prime focus with the MC and the mystery regulated to minor positions. I do feel you have to read the first three in order to truly understand the arc and the underlying current of anger and distrust that exist between the four main MC members.
The novel starts out very well with Yates building an atmospheric drama that draws on the lush, wicked, decadence of New Orleans and it’s residents. Our hero, Micah, is introduced and the storyline set up. The initial suspense and intrigue blend well with the hero’s darkness and simmering anger. This anger within him grows when he meets his adversary, the delicious Sarah. A debutante of one of New Orlean’s most prominent families, she doesn’t immediately bow to his authority or show fear over his dubious connections. Soon they begin a sexually spiked tension filled dance consisting of saccharine coated words and taunts; both attempting to learn what the other knows.
“Is that what you want?” he asked his tone dropping. Soft. Deadly. “You want me to throw you out of here? You can conduct your party on Bourbon street, baby, but you would have to show a lot more of that hot body of yours. You don’t get beads if you don’t pay the fee.”
Somehow words formed on Sarah’s numb lips. And a lifetime of practicing controlled, calculated comebacks came to the rescue. “I’m the Mardi Gras princess,” she said. “I don’t stand on the ground begging for beads, I throw the damn things.”
He chuckled, the sounds a slow roll of bayou smoke that covered her like a blanket. “In that case, I think I’m going to make it my mission to teach you to beg, Sarah Delacroix.”
Then…it falters and never fully recovers. Yates builds Micah as a broody man with blood stained hands. Even though he has made his mark in the business world-trading his leathers in for suits-there is still a darkness inside of him that belays his traumatic childhood and criminal past. Sarah is his complete opposite. The light to his dark. The angel to his devil. She is everything he ever wanted but never allowed himself to dream of having. And that angers him to the point where he treats her horribly. Insults, blatant innuendos, demands of submission and threats of punishment when she hesitates.
He didn’t want to be here And even if he did, she was the last woman alive he would want.
Sarah, in the first half, gives as good as she gets. She lets his insults and innuendos roll off her back, using her training and upbringing to ensure he knows she isn’t stupid and won’t go away without a fight. She fences with him like a pro and I was very excited to see how the taming of the bad boy would play out.
Waiting…waiting…waiting…
I love a good redemption of a bad boy storyline but Micah never redeems in my eyes. He remains unlikable till the end. Yes, he had a terrible childhood. Yes, he doesn’t feel worthy of love. Yes, he plans to blow New Orleans once he repaid this favor. We know this because he tells us repeatedly throughout the book. His demons ride him to the very end and nothing he does reassures readers he will change. He sets out in the beginning to learn what Sarah knows and ends up repeatedly being a jerk to punish her for his attraction to her. But what’s worse is he teaches her to accept it. It’s like foreplay for them. The strong, forthright, take no crap heroine caves like a wet newspaper after they have sex for the first time and it goes downhill from there. She justifies wanting a walk on the wild side but all I see is a lost young woman who had good sex her first time and confuses that with love.
This is not a romance. There is nothing to show the reader their attraction is anything beyond physical. I won’t lie and say the sex wasn’t hot because it was. Very explicit well written scenes that entertain but in a disconnected manner due to the protagonists. Micah spends his time insulting and threatening her and Sarah wanders around in a sexual fog, making excuses for their behavior. Yates tells us they are falling in love but I can’t for the life of me see why. Even when we see Micah’s thoughts and he has some warm and romantic towards Sarah, his actions don’t reflect that.
The mystery was the most intriguing aspect of the story though I felt it was more tell than show. Micah and the MC figure out the Delecroix connection to the MC and the reason for Priest’s death (which was rather interesting) off scene and then slowly reveals their discoveries to us. One aspect that bugged me to no end was the secretive like narrative between Micah and the MC. There is a fair amount of dialogue but felt like they were speaking in code. It’s an endless cycle of threats, posturing, and finger pointing. The MC as a whole seemed to be an angry entity that directs all it’s distrust and anger at Micah. Again, maybe if I had read the first three, I would have understood better.
While I enjoyed the beginning, the last half proved a disappointment. The romance failed on every level and the possibility of the MC and mystery subplots saving it didn’t come through for me. While some may enjoy this particular characterization of the alpha hero and the submissive heroine, I personally found the hero abusive and the heroine an enabler.
GRADE: D
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I read the first book in this series by Megan Crane and gave it one star
So – this series must not be for us for some reason
I love Maisey Yates in her other work
Yes, I saw that. I’m going to read some of her other stuff because I did like her writing style-I just didn’t like anything else.
I’ve read the previous books and give them low ratings as well. More because the stories are so short. To me there isn’t enough pages to develop the characters and story fully. Certainly not for a multi-novella arc.