TORRID
Series: Author: Abbi Gaines
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: August 27, 2024
“My Mama D used to say that mistakes happen, and cryin’ a bucket of tears over them is silly. Because wisdom is built from a pile of mistakes.”
Liberty
Thing is, my Mama D never had a one-night stand with an older man who never told her his last name and left behind a souvenir that was gonna be life changing – but I had.
My life had started as a fairytale, then morphed into a nightmare by the time I was ten years old. From the moment I’d been kicked out at eighteen, I had found a way to survive. Anything was better than the home I’d left behind. At some point, everyone gets a break, right? You would think so, but fate keeps tossing things at me, trying to see how much I can take.
Looks like it won because I’m stuck right back where I started. Living in my sister’s house, who hates me, with the clock ticking until I’m homeless again.
Liam
It was time I settled down. Found a woman I could grow old with because, let’s face it, I was so close to fifty I could reach out and touch it. The daughter I hadn’t got to raise was now in my life. Grown, married, with two little boys. I wanted to be someone she could be proud of and respect. I recently started dating a doctor, she was gorgeous, smart, and independent. It all looked good when you checked off the list. My daughter couldn’t wait to meet her. I wished like hell I felt something for her. A spark, a pull, anything at this point would do.
Then, one night, when I’m leaving her bedroom, I see a familiar face looking back at me from the other end of the hallway. The sexy bartender I should have left alone six weeks ago and couldn’t get out of my head shouldn’t be here. But she is. Which means she’s the doctor’s spoiled, selfish brat of a younger sister. This was not going to end well.
… if we all had our kryptonite, then Liam Walsh was mine.
As a self proclaimed lover of fictional red flags, you best believe this book hit the spot for me. Now if you’ve read ANY Abbi Glines book than you know she has a formula. She writes toxic, possessive, red flags uber males and the females that they dickmatize. It’s her thing, ok? And I for one, happen to find it finger licking good. And don’t you judge me for it either. It’s a bookish kink of mine and I will never get enough. The more toxic they are, the better. But I digress.
If you’ve read Abbi’s Smoke series, than you may already know daddy Liam, the 47 year MC prez and Madeline’s father from Fireball. Liberty is a thirty one year old bartender that he meets one night and after instant chemistry, they spend one unforgettable night together. Believing himself too old for her for it to be anything serious, Liam leaves the next morning, but fate has other plans for these two.
Liberty is the definition of a fighter. This poor woman has been through hell after losing her beloved father and being left with a stepmother and half sister who hate her guts. With the odds all stacked against her, she’s a hard worker but can’t seem to catch a break at any turn.
In a desperate act, she calls her half sister for help, who begrudgingly agrees. Only to soon realize that the sexy biker who walked away from her, is dating her older half sister and now looks at her like the dirt under his shoe.
Now look, did I want to cock punch Liam for over half of this book? Yes, yes I did. He was stubborn, hot headed, hypocritical, and OTT jealous. Did I also secretly love him for these things? Also yes. Did I want to shake Liberty for giving in too easy to Liam whenever he lowered his zipper and tell her to get her dickmatized self together? Yes, yes I did. But did I also understand her? Also yes. It was a vicious circle of feelings I tell you.
Much like most Abbi books, I devoured this in one sitting. It was a toxic hot mess of a book and I couldn’t read it fast enough.