Still Standing
By Kristen Ashley
Release Date: February 2, 2021
Ebook Available from WV Reads!
2.5 Stars - After a pretty vague description on the book, I wasn't sure what to expect from this new series. I got a very entertaining book that probably could've just as easily been 300 pages instead of 500. Ashley's writing here is seldom dull but there's a lot of info we don't need. Overall, a fast pace but wordy romance with a lot of insta-love, foreshadowing of future couples, good-hearted bikers, and loads of drama.
Ashley's heroines are seldom street smart, even the ones that think they are. And that's okay, because in real life people do dumb things too. But Clara from the jump is almost annoying naive. She is sweet though and tries so hard to be loyal. Buck is... not really my type. He's got the complete bad boy package though and certainly tries to do right by Clara from the start. I have no doubt a bunch of Ashley fans and just hot biker lovers will be all over him. I was more intrigued by his son or the mysterious hot cop Scott. Pretty sure they have books in the series ahead.
The plot is not very clear in the blurb but it's tough to get into without spoiling things. Ashley went a bit out of her way to make Clara desperate but I still wasn't buying it. I get a degree might not do you a lot of good with a tarnished rep but there's always waiting tables or working a cash register. Their arrangement definitely makes for an intriguing set up but comes off sort of Harlequin paperback-ish with a dark side. Throw in their ex-spouse baggage and the romance was a bit meh for me. Otherwise, MC's, to me, always resembled mafia families in the way that going legit seems like a noble goal. But to be legit would make them boring and sort of pointless. This one is only sort of legit, like just enough to keep things interesting. The teenager drama, I really could have done without. Literally none of it helped spin a good story. There were just little annoying things too. Such as Clara constantly wakes up and wants to know what time it is but doesn't have a clock. Like, girl. Grab your phone or a watch or something! And I'm still trying to figure out the cover. Overall, this romance isn't for everyone but it's definitely an interesting read.
(NS)
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