Blog Tour: Ride Steady (Chaos #3) by Kristen Ashley

Ride Steady
Chaos #3

By:
Kristen Ashley

Published:
June 30, 2015

Publisher:
Forever Romance

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Source:
Review Copy from Publisher for a honest review

GR's Summary:

The ride of her life . . . 

Once upon a time, Carissa Teodoro believed in happy endings. Money, marriage, motherhood: everything came easy---until she woke up to the ugly truth about her Prince Charming. Now a struggling, single mom and stranded by a flat tire, Carissa's pondering her mistakes when a vaguely familiar knight rides to her rescue on a ton of horsepower. 

Climb on and hold tight . . . 

In high school, Carson Steele was a bad boy loner who put Carissa on a pedestal where she stayed far beyond his reach. Today, he's the hard-bodied biker known only as Joker, and from the way Carissa's acting, it's clear she's falling fast. While catching her is irresistible, knowing what to do with her is a different story. A good girl like Carissa is the least likely fit with the Chaos Motorcycle Club. Too bad holding back is so damned hard. Now, as Joker's secrets are revealed and an outside threat endangers the club, Joker must decide whether to ride steady with Carissa---or ride away forever . . .

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Chaos Series on Goodreads:

Lindy's Thoughts:

I love all things Kristen Ashley.  Her stories never cease to stop sweeping me off of my feet, and into the stories that she creates.  I have loved the Chaos MC series from the very beginning.  In fact, this was the series that turned me on to MC Club stories.  It is in my absolute favorite MC series', along with Joanna Wylde's, Reaper's series.  I haven't found a biker series that can top either of those two!

In Ride Steady, the third book in the Chaos series, we get a romantic, wild, and passionate story about a second chance at love.  Carson Steele and Carissa Teodoro, were in love with one another in high school.  Unfortunately, they never knew the person they had feelings for, felt the same way.  Carson ends up leaving his senior year of high school due to his abusive father.

Carissa ends up marrying her high school sweetheart, Aaron, (a man she would have left if she knew that she had a chance with Carson.)  However, her husband cheats on her and leaves her for a younger woman when Carissa is pregnant.  He promptly moves the woman (a thin and beautiful model) in to Carissa's old home.  Now a single mom, Carissa is struggling financially, while her ex lives a life of privilege and excess as a high powered attorney.  To top it off, Aaron is bullying Carissa and using his money and power to deny alimony, fair child support, and attempt to get full custody of their son Travis.  

Carson, returned a year ago to his hometown and is now known as "Joker."  He is a respected member of the Chaos Motorcycle Club and has reinvented himself.  Now he sports long hair, a full beard, tattoos, and has filled out with muscle.  Needless to say, when he finds Carissa stranded with a flat tire on the side of the road, and begins to assist her, she doesn't recognize him.  Something looks familiar about him, but she can't figure out why.  Joker recognizes her, but knows that with all of his demons, he would ruin a good girl like her.  What he doesn't count on is the fact that Carissa has set her eyes on him.  She thinks he is kind, is very attracted to him, and is very determined to break through his walls.  

Ride Steady was a really long book, and yet it flew by!  I was glued to this story.  I loved the brotherhood of the MC, the fully fleshed out characters, and sizzling, sweet, and romantic relationship between Joker and Carissa.  I swooned over the way that Joker bonded with Carissa's baby boy Travis, and over how he treated Carissa like she was the most amazing woman in the world.  The MC ladies were a fun and sassy group as well.  They brought Carissa in to the fold, were warm, loyal, and a very fun group.  There were a ton of crossover characters in this story from other books by Kristen Ashley, as well as a few new characters that were introduced.  All of these characters felt like real people to me.  Ms. Ashley evoked life in to them, as well as feelings of intricate bonds of friendship, loyalty, love, and a sense of family.        

My Rating:

I give, Ride Steady, by Kristen Ashley, 5 Selfless & Adoring Lover, Loyal Brotherhood, Sexy 'Manly Man Biker' Filled Stars!  I am looking forward to continuing the Chaos series, and can't wait to read, Walk Through Fire next.  

Mikki's Review:

Ride Steady has been appearing on my social media for quite some time. I have some book besties that absolutely love KA and I’m jealous that I did not get a chance to read many books by her. The only other book I read from her is Kaleidoscope, which is book 6 in her Colorado Mountain Series. I really loved my reading journey so when I saw that Ride Steady was coming out, I wanted to give the Chaos Series a try. I’m so happy I did!! Once again, I was reminded of how beautiful and captivating KA’s writing style is! 

Carissa Teodoro always knew there was something special about Carson Steele. He was the ultimate bad boy in high school. When they finally get a chance to talk to each other, Carson leaves town unexpectedly. Carissa has always wondered what happened with him. Years later, Carson comes back into her life and she falls hard and fast for him. Carson is a changed man, but the emotional scars from his past have a way of catching up with them. Carson tries to push Carissa away, but she’s determined to fight for the man that touched her heart so many years ago. 

I really enjoyed this story! Carissa and Joker’s love story totally melted my heart! From the beginning until the end, I could not stop reading! Joker is one fine alpha male that will steal your heart! Both of these characters went through so much in their lives, but the determination of Joker to be happy in life was breathtaking! Nobody could stop him from achieving his goals. His father was a big jerk that I could not stand!!! He left physical and emotional scars on Joker, but our beloved alpha hero is a survivor that did not stop until happiness came knocking on the door. I loved how he took care of Carissa and Travis. Every time he would hold or play with Travis I would get a swoon attack!! OMG!! That was soooooooo adorable and sweet!!!! I’m a big fan of Joker!! 

Carissa was a great heroine as well! I connected with her from the very beginning. I loved how she handled the complicated situation with her ex-husband. You could see that her past relationship was a big disaster, but she came out of that relationship a changed woman. She knew exactly what she did not want in a man. Joker came into her life when she most needed him. He was her number one supporter and he loved her little family with a fierce passion. In high school she might have been quiet about her feelings towards Joker, but she can’t keep quiet now. She loves him and tells him every chance she gets. The chemistry between these two was really hot!!! KA sure knows how to write some pretty steamy scenes!!! Joker’s dirty talk will melt the panties right off of you! 

Even though I did not read the previous book in this series, I was surprised of how well I connected with everybody in the story. I loved Joker’s neighbours and his teacher from school. They are such wonderful characters! I have to admit that it took me some time to figure out who was who at Chaos. They have so many members!!! I know this can be read as a standalone, but I highly suggest you read the previous books. I look forward to reading more book in this series! I will definitely read the previous books and reread Ride Steady before the next one comes out. 

My Rating:

I give Ride Steady, by Kristen Ashley, 4.5 passionate, healing, tender, sexy, memorable stars!

Excerpt:

     “What now?” he clipped, planting his hands on his hips. 
     I watched him do this. 
     His knuckles were all scabbed. But his fingers were long, not graceful, but handsome. They were a working man’s hands. They’d be rough. I could even see grease stains around the nail beds. 
     Something about that caused something to happen inside me. 
     My focus shifted from his hands to his crotch. His jeans were faded. The area around his crotch more faded. 
     Up I went to a black belt with silver rivets in it that had seen some wear, the length beyond the clasp dangling from a belt loop to the side in a supple way, the leather not close to stiff. 
     Up his flat belly to his wide chest and broad shoulders and bulging arms. 
     And up to his long black hair that looked thick, messy, had a lot of wave and brushed his shoulders. His beard wasn’t bushy, it was trimmed, but it was about two days away from being unkempt. 
     He was tall. 
     He was annoyed. 
     I felt the latter because he was the kind of man whose mood altered a room and I understood this because I was right then experiencing it. But I also knew it wasn’t just that or that we were the only ones in the room and having the conversation that was making him annoyed so of course I’d be feeling it. 
     It was him. He had that kind of power behind his personality. 
     I shifted my eyes to his. 
     Steel. A strange flat color that seemed impenetrable.
     And suddenly I had a new dream. One that didn’t involve motherhood, cookies, doing laundry, and being a soccer mom. 
     One that centered around penetrating the impenetrable. 
     “So? What?” he prompted irately. 
     At his words, I flew across the room. 
     He had the chance to go back on a boot but that was all he had before my body slammed into his, my hands went to either side of his head and I lifted up on tiptoe as I yanked him down. 
     Then I pressed my lips hard against his. 
     A breath later, something strange happened. 
     Strange and wondrous. 
     His arms closed around me, and if I could think of anything, I’d worry about the state of my ribs. 
     But I couldn’t think of anything because his tongue spiked into my mouth and my world changed. 
     My entire world. 
     I didn’t have a dead sister. 
     I didn’t have a dead mother. 
     I didn’t have a lonely father looking after his mother, who was addled with Alzheimer’s disease. 
     I didn’t have an ex‑husband, who I once loved who I thought would cherish and protect me and help me build my dream, but now was making my life a misery and trying to take my son away from me. 
     I had this. 
    All of it. All the biker named Joker gave me by holding me so tight it was a pain that hurt so good and who was invading my mouth with his tongue in a way that stated clearly he could do it for a lifetime and never get enough. 
     My hands left his head so I could curve my arms around his shoulders as I pressed closer. 
     In return, one of his hands slid up my spine. He pulled out my ponytail holder and drove his fingers into my hair, cupping the back of my head, tilting it one way while he slanted his the other. He deepened the kiss in an intoxicating way while his other hand glided down and cupped one cheek of my behind. 
     That felt good. 
     He shuffled me back. 
     I went with him. 
    We kept kissing. 
     Then he turned quickly and we were falling.  
     He landed on his back on the bed. I landed on him but barely had the opportunity to experience the dizzying beauty of the long length of his hard frame under mine before I was given more beauty when he rolled me and I had the weight of his hard frame pressing mine into the bed. 
     His hand left my bottom and went up, fingers yanking at my navy LeLane’s polo shirt, pulling it from my khakis, and then I had its heat, skin against skin. 
     I was right. 
    His hands were rough.

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About the Author:

Kristen Ashley was born in Gary, Indiana, USA. She nearly killed her mother and herself making it into the world, seeing as she had the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck (already attempting to accessorise and she hadn't taken her first breath!). 

Kristen grew up in Brownsburg, Indiana but has lived in Denver, Colorado and the West Country of England. Thus she has been blessed to have friends and family around the globe. Her posse is loopy (to say the least) but loopy is good when you want to write. 

Kristen was raised in a house with a large and multi-generational family. They lived on a very small farm in a small town in the heartland and existed amongst the strains of Glenn Miller, The Everly Brothers, REO Speedwagon and Whitesnake (and the wardrobes that matched). 

Needless to say, growing up in a house full of music, clothes and love was a good way to grow up. 

And as she keeps growing up, it keeps getting better.

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