Warning: This is not a virtuous and tender love story. It’s chaotic, ruthless, and tragic. This story takes love and kills its innocence, steals away the pure moments, and crushes the hearts of the broken. A story born in childhood, tying one girl to one boy, leads to a destructive path—that hurts more than it doesn’t, that shatters more than it heals—testing the love that binds the two through a lifetime.
Tegen Matthews is the daughter of Dorothy Kelley, a club whore in the Hell’s Horsemen. A plain little girl, Tegen falls into the gritty world of the motorcycle club. When she meets a sweet, caring boy, she embraces the warmth and affection he shows her. Cage West is the son of the president of the Hell’s Horsemen. Tall and blond with deep brown eyes, as he grows up Cage realizes the power of his dimpled smile and smooth drawl. With one chance encounter, Tegen becomes forever tied to Cage. Following is a wayward journey that is filled with regrets, mistakes, and heartache, pulling at the threads that hold them together. Cage and Tegen fight hard but love harder, and in the end, what matters is where the journey takes one girl and one boy, who have been twined with one another since the beginning.
This is Tegen and Cage’s story.
Love doesn’t erase a broken heart, and it sure doesn’t change people. But no matter how old, how flimsy, how frayed the rope of love is, it keeps you tethered to the people you love.
I will say one more time that these BOOKS ARE CRACK!!! I can’t devour them fast enough, in fact, when this one was released I did something that I NEVER DO!! I quit a book I was reading right in the middle to dive into this one!!
I need to make clear right off the bat that I love The Hell's Horseman as much as I ever have but I had to knock a star off of this one just because I didn’t feel Tegen and Cage the way I thought I would. The passion between them is OFF THE CHARTS, but a lot of the time it was hate and angry sex. Not that there is anything wrong with angry sex but fuckin’ seriously?! If you hate the guy that drunkenly took your virginity and never looked back for over a decade, you don’t just get over it in a weekend or two. Their story seemed rushed to me. When we met Duece and Eva, their story spanned their entire lives. Danny and Rippers story spanned many years and I feel like the story of Cage and Tegen deserved so much more time and background that we didn’t get. That is the only reason I knocked off a star.
Tegen is an angry, hot mess and has become someone she doesn’t even recognize half the time. When she ends up back home and has to deal with Cage yet again, it is obvious she still loves him by the way she vehemently hates on him all the time. I think I had the hardest time with the way they talk to each other. It is so nasty most of the time. Even when they seem to be getting it right, it fucking derails and they are off to scratching and spitting at each other again. Tegen is simply trying to guard her heart – I get that!
If my past were a person, I would grab the throat of the motherfucker, drag her ass down Re-do Street, and once I’d beaten the ever –loving shit out of her, I’d stand over her beaten-down, broken body and say: “You stupid bitch. You ignorant, stupid bitch. Love isn’t a fucking answer. It hurts more than it doesn’t, it’s harder than it is easy, it takes work, guts and perseverance.
She wants to believe that Cage has suddenly given up his whoring ways and wants to be a one woman man, with her. She is so scared of being broken again and ending up like her mom. Afraid of being a club whore and left with nothing when Cage changes his mind. Their road is a rough one, no doubt, but then Cage goes and says something that melts your heart, ya know, in that biker way :)
”You were never a club slut, Tegen, ” he said. “Not once did I ever fuckin’ think that. To me, you were always D’s little girl. You were family and, Teacup, you were my best friend.”
See....Sweet!
I love you, Teacup,” he said, smiling. “Always have,” he said. “Just didn’t realize it until now.”
All that said, however rough the ride, Tegen and Cage will get their HEA and I love that! Makes the hurt and crazy worth it.
Ok, now on to Dirty and Ellie – oh, did I forget to mention this is kind of a two part review?!
Now, it took me a minute to remember Ellie, the friend of Danny’s when she was younger that absolutely hates anything to do with the MC. But when she ends up back in town for a job interview and is beaten and almost raped by the chief of police whom she thought was an old friend, she finds an unlikely savior in Dirty. He interrupts the assault and saves her. Up until now I never paid Dirty much mind by HOLY SHIT!! There is a huge fucking story hiding there under all that hair and dirty and yuck!! Dirty is one broken, fucked up fucker!! So we all know what he needs, right?? The love of a good woman and that’s where Ellie comes in. I really wish that Dirty had gotten his own book, this was another thing that felt rushed to me. I wanted to know so much more about Dirty and what happened to him and why he is the way he is and I wanted there to be more time spent on him and Ellie learning to love each other. That all happened really fast too!!
But, as I said, those minor complaints aside I FUCKING LOVE THE HELL’S HORSEMAN!! I will read anything and everything the beautiful Madeline Sheehan writes about them!!
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Four Stars
**Possible spoilers below**
“You’re a waste of big dick and a pretty face!”
I love this series; I always look forward to each new one. There’s just something about Madeline’s in-your-face, gritty writing that just makes me want more. I love her writing style and I love how real some of these characters have come to mean to me. I am forever a fan of her books.
From the moment I met Cage in Undeniable I was anxiously waiting for his own story. What I didn’t expect is that not only was this about him & Tegan, but we were also introduced to the secondary couple in Dirty & Ellie. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I think Dirty & Ellie’s story stole the show. I couldn’t get into them at first only because all I wanted was Cage, but as the story went on, Dirty’s story started to really capture my attention. However, since technically this is Cage’s story, my review will focus mostly on his and Tegan’s story. But don’t get me wrong…I will be mentioning Dirty & Ellie before this review is done.
“No, thank you. Sorry, Cage, been there, done you, don’t care to be a repeat offender.”
Tegan is a woman with a grudge. She’s been in love with Cage since they were kids. They were best friends growing up. As they got older, the more Tegan fell in love. However, it wasn’t the same for Cage. He was the epitome of a man-whore. One dreadful and drunken night, Tegan gave Cage her virginity hoping that he would reciprocate her feelings. Unfortunately that is not how Cage is built. He broke Tegan’s heart, and Tegan has forever cursed the day she met him. Her motto is pretty much: Fuck Cage & Fuck the club. Both have caused nothing but trouble for her and her mother.
A string of eight little words, eight very stupid, insignificant words that meant absolutely nothing to Cage and absolutely everything to me.
Get on the back of my bike, Tegan.
When Tegan’s mom calls and asks her to come home to help her through another drama, Tegan has no choice but to reluctantly agree. She hates going home, but she knows her mother desperately needs her. She does everything in her power to avoid Cage while she’s home, but alas, fate has other plans.
Cage is tired of his man-whoring days. When he runs into Tegan, something about her looks, her smart mouth and her attitude does something to him. He’s tired of her ignoring him. It’s time to confront her and move forward.
“I’ve always had you. Only difference is now, I’m taking you.”
It’s no denying when these two get together, it’s pretty explosive. As much as I loved it when they finally got together, their relationship seemed a little forced. I know they were friends for a long time, but the long standing grudge Tegan couldn’t have just disappeared after a weekend with Cage…could it? I guess. And then there’s Cage. Can he really change his womanizing ways for Tegan? Is Tegan the right woman for him?
From chaos, the strongest sort of love is usually born.
So as I stated, I did enjoy Cage and Tegan’s story, though Tegan did rub me the wrong way. I loved her attitude in the beginning, but as the story progressed, the more prevalent her bitchiness came across. Every time Cage shut her up was a highlight for me.
Dirty & Ellie: I have to say something about this couple. I loved their story. It took a while for me to get into it, but once it got going, man oh man, their story was heartbreakingly beautiful. Dirty. Oh Dirty. The complexity of his character broke me. When all the layers that create Dirty started to peel away, the more I fell in love with him. The way he saved Ellie, gave her the space she needed, but yet still managed to make her feel safe, just floored me. I cannot wait to hear more about them in the future. For their story alone: 4.75 Stars
**Whew**
I’ve said it once, I’ll say it again: I LOVE THIS SERIES. Do you have ANY idea how anxious I am for the next book?! Do you?! I am salivating at the thought of reading Jase, Dorothy & Hawk’s story. SALIVATING! OMG! The drama and heartbreak surrounding Dorothy is off the charts and I seriously cannot wait!
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