★BOOK REVIEW★Walk Through Fire by Kristen Ashley

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MY RATING

I liked it.

Fans of alpha males and second chances at love, you know what to read!

Book infos & Purchase Links

Ashley_WalkThroughFire_lowMillie Cross knows what it’s like to burn for someone. She was young and wild and he was fierce and even wilder-a Chaos biker who made her heart pound. They fell in love at first sight and life was good, until she learned she couldn’t be the woman he needed and made it so he had no choice but to walk away. Twenty years later, Millie’s chance run-in with her old flame sparks a desire she just can’t ignore. And this time, she won’t let him ride off . . . 

Bad boy Logan “High” Judd has seen his share of troubles with the law. Yet it was a beautiful woman who broke him. After ending a loveless marriage, High is shocked when his true love walks back into his life. Millie is still gorgeous, but she’s just a ghost of her former self. High’s intrigued at the change, but her betrayal cut him deep-and he doesn’t want to get burned again. As High sinks into meting out vengeance for Millie’s betrayal, he’ll break all over again when he realizes just how Millie walked through fire for her man . . .

Author : Kristen Ashley
Title : Walk Through Fire
Series : 
Chaos #4
Publisher : Forever
Pages : 615
Release date : October 27, 2015
Genre : Contemporary,Erotica.

 

My Review

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You love a man, Millie, you believe in him, you take him as he is. You go on his journey with him no matter what happens, even if that means you have to walk through fire.

It’s never a hardship to read a Kristen Ashley’ story.  Obviously she got me pretty much sold on any of her books ever since Mystery Man and Motorcycle man.

I’ve read my first ever biker romance thanks to her. I’ve became addicted to her alphas men, relentless in their ways to chase their women. Addicted to the easy bromance her male characters share with each other. Addicted to their unconventional logic.  Addicted to her heroines and their inner monologues. Addicted to the wild and crazy streak each one of them are made of. Addicted to the female-bonding—aka—woman posse she undoubtedly excels at creating. Addicted to the over-descriptiveness KA only knows how to pull off without ever being boring. (Seriously, I love knowing every little thing about their surrounding. From the carpet’s pattern to the nail-polish color the heroine is wearing. And don’t get me started about the shoes and jewelry. ) Addicted to the heartache Miss Ashley insidiously gets to my heart. Addicted to the battle of wills and second chances at love she makes her characters live through. Addicted to the rocky but swooning nonetheless— romance stories she masters at. Addicted to Kristen Ashley’s ability to make me project myself as the heroine. Addicted to her adroitness when it comes to depict families. Kids. Addicted to her world.

Did I enjoy Walk Through Fire? 

For all the reasons above, YES. Have ever in the past not enjoyed a Kristen Ashley’s book? NEVER.

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Walk Through Fire was an epic second chance at love and I dreamed myself as Millie from the beginning. 

Knowing she had found her dream man early on but understanding something horrible must have ripped him off of her life? I was craving the heartache and angst I know Kristen Ashley is capable of delivering. 

I’m done walking through fire for you, High…
I’m done not because I’m done but because there’s nothing left of me to burn. You have it all. You’ve always had it all! I gave up everything so you can have it all! Please! God! Leave me to my nothing.

Knowing how unyielding, fierce and feral her men can be, how strong, resilient and impetuous her heroine are, I knew the story of Millie an Logan/High would be explosive. And truth to be told it was.

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Their meeting 20 years ago was sweet, rushed and intense. Logan/High, young recruit of Chaos back then, knew what he had found the day he met Millie and he didn’t take any turns, he simply took what was his to take. And they live happily together for 3 years.

I fell in love with their story. I treasured the sneak peeks of their youth while hankering for the day they would finally be together again.

I knew something tragic had happened to them, and the back and forth between past and present made me anxious to know what could have deprived both of them from growing old and happy together. I literally couldn’t put the book down, I had to know. Was it Millie’s fault? Was it something High did? I didn’t have a clue. But as you must be aware, a Kristen Ashley book is full of surprises and on the lengthy side, so patience is the key to appreciate High (Logan) and Millie’s love story.

Which definitely wasn’t love for a good whole part of the book. As expected from a KA men, a Chaos one at that, High was a self-righteous asshole. Okay, maybe I did like his alpha asshole ways. Maybe just a little.

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Their reunion 20 years later was everything but sweet. High grew old bitter and vicious. Millie, whom I thought all the fire long gone from,  could definitely give it back as good as she took but I honestly was dying a little each time both of them were fighting. It was hard. Painful and heartbreaking.

Strangely that’s the part of the book I enjoyed the most. 

Off course I loved seeing them reunited and working out their difficulties, but I enjoyed a little less the second part of the book, which dragged a little for me.
Don’t count on me to tell you what was the secret responsible for their fall, I won’t say a thing, you’ll have to take a ride along Chaos’ family to discover that.

So why not 4 or 5 stars for Walk Through Fire?

This is the part where I must warn you about SPOILERS. Did you hear? SPOILERS AHEAD!

First, I had a really HARD time with the repentant look KA tried to give to Millie. Early on the book, I had suspicions but shrugged them off because I told myself it wasn’t possible. But then KA made me a fool for disbelieving in Santa all over again.

From the day Millie and High broke up, Millie never got herself another man. For 20 years she lived like a nun, no dating, no casual hook ups, no sex no NOTHING. 20 freaking years.

My sarcastic and cynical mind could not shut up about it.
I was judging. I was snickering even. My eyes were rolling so bad!
Is it possible to go 20 years without, sure. But honestly I felt like this was the most cliché of all time. She loved her man, gave everything up for him, and just denied herself to live her life again? I can understand that she loved him so much she couldn’t try at another relationship at first, but 20 years long? Unrealistic to me considering Millie’s character. 

Secondly although I usually love how KA deals with families and kids, I thought the second part with High’s kids being little shits to Millie was overstretched. Basically I felt like it was almost the main focus of the book. I understood why Millie thought the right way was to try to connect and be nice with the kids, but at some point, enough is enough! You’re a forty years old strong woman for fucks sakes! You WALKED THROUGH FUCKING FIRE! You don’t get yourself walked all over by a 10 years old kid! I was ready to get all alpha female of this kid’s arse, let me tell you! Gah!

And last but all, Chaos. Chaos irritated the hell out of me in this book. More an inconvenience than help : Chaos. 

Need an excuse to explain things happening in the book but don’t want to bother explaining them? Chaos.

Need woman drama ‘cause women are not crazy enough? Chaos is here for you.

So overall these qualms, YES, I enjoyed Walk Through Fire, I enjoyed what I love the most about Kristen Ashley’s writing. I enjoyed her bossy alpha men. I enjoyed the boisterous and hilarious woman posse. I enjoyed the angst of a 20 years later second chance at love. I certainly enjoyed the steamy hot sex scenes! 

And though Walk Through Fire wasn’t my favorite Kristen Ashley book up to date (I’ve read them all and have mostly rate them 5 stars) it certainly holds so much good feels and angst that it was definitely one worth reading.

Walked into a party, fell in love with you. Walked through fire when I lost you. Got you back. Nothin’, will make me lose you. Hear?

Excerpt

I beeped the locks and had a hand to the handle when I heard, “Lookin’ for me?”

When that deep, coarse voice came at me through the dark, my body became paralyzed, my eyes glued to my hand on the handle.

Then it kept coming at me.

“Bitch, followed you the last forty-​five minutes. Reb got in touch. Told me you hit Scruff’s.” On the next, the voice was nearer. “You’re lookin’ for me. So tell me what the fuck you want so you can quit lookin’ and I can quit lookin’ at you.” Slowly, I turned, my head going back automatically because I felt him close and I knew what close to Logan meant.

I was five-seven.

He was six-​one.

He towered over me, or at least that’s what it always felt like because he wasn’t only tall, he was also a big guy with a big presence.

And right then, it felt like that, especially since his big presence was an angry one.

His face was in shadows, I could barely see it.

But I could feel him.

And I could smell him.

God, I could smell him.

He didn’t wear cologne or aftershave. His scent was all his. And I remembered lying in our bed holding his pillow to me, my face shoved into the sheets, taking him in after I’d made him walk away.

His scent hadn’t changed. Not even a nuance.

Smelling it without warning felt like walking unsuspecting into the street and having a truck slam into you. And that feeling was so strong it was a wonder my body didn’t go careening through the trucks and bikes, slamming into them, shattering every bone.

He moved forward so he was in my space, the smell strengthened and my body tightened to guard against it.

“Woman, after all this time, whatever shit you gotta hand me, fuckin’ do it,” he ordered irately. “You got two seconds to spit it the fuck out. You don’t, you won’t get another chance, and you know I’ll make it that way. So this is your only shot. Take it or get in your fuckin’ car and get your ass outta my world.”

I stared into the shadows of his face, wishing with everything that I could see it.

Apparently, I did this for two seconds because Logan bit out, “Right. See nothin’s changed. Weak. Now get your ass . . .” he dipped his face to mine, “gone.”

And when he did, I got up on my toes and kissed him.

It was totally crazy.

But I also totally couldn’t help it.

He smelled so fucking good.

And he was Logan.

Close. Right there. His face in mine.

He jerked away, muttering a disgusted, “What the fuck?”

But the words or their tone didn’t penetrate.

I smelled him and I’d had a taste.

I was gone.

I lifted both hands to either side of his head, yanked him down to me, and went back in, going for it, giving it my all. Even when his fingers clenched painfully into my hips pushing them back to set me away, I held on tighter and shoved my tongue between his lips.

It touched his, just that, just a touch, and then I cried out into his mouth when I found my back slammed into my SUV.

But it wasn’t his way to get me to let him go.

No.

His head slanted and he forced my tongue out of his mouth when his invaded mine.

And that was when I was gone.

I was already gone but right then there was nothing to me.

Nothing at all.

Except my hands on Logan’s head, his body pressing mine into my car, his smell all around us, his tongue plundering my mouth, all this exploding fire everywhere.

He drove a hand into my hair, twisting it, the pain bristling over my scalp and I cried out into his mouth again even as I arched deeper, pressed closer, willing, like it had always been, to give it all because he was Logan, he got it all.

But also because I knew I’d get it back a hundredfold.

He swayed us forward so his other arm could lock across my back and he kept at my mouth as I rolled way up on my toes, pushing deep, wrapping my arms around his neck, consumed by the kiss and not giving that first fuck.

I was ready to ride it out.

No, I needed to ride it out.

No matter where it went.

He broke away and that was when my hand went into his hair, fisting tight in protest.

“That what you want?” he growled, his voice lower, the abrasion physical, and I shivered with delight.

I wasn’t entirely certain of the question but I answered a breathy, “Yes.”

“That’s what you want,” he repeated, a statement this time, seeking confirmation.

“Yes, Logan.”

He let me go but took my hand, his skin rough against my fingers. The feel of it back after all these years washed through me and I fancied I remembered every time, in quick succession, from the first night we met to the night before I broke it off when he’d taken my hand and guided me somewhere.

Lost in it like I’d always been lost in it, I followed blindly.

Attached to Logan, I’d go anywhere.

Even if we were walking through fire.

Author Bio

Kristen-Ashley_lowKristen Ashley was born in Gary, Indiana, USA and 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!). Her mother said they took Kristen away, put her Mom back in her room, her mother looked out the window, and Gary was on fire (Dr. King had been assassinated four days before). Kristen’s Mom remembered thinking it was the end of the world. Quite the dramatic beginning. 

Nothing’s changed.

Kristen grew up in Brownsburg, Indiana and has lived in Denver, Colorado and the West Country of England. Thus, she’s blessed to have friends and family around the globe. Her family was (is) loopy (to say the least) but loopy is good when you want to write. They all lived together on a very small farm in a small farm town in the heartland. She grew up with 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, it keeps getting better.

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1 Comment

  1. says: Lori J Pouncey

    Sweeeeeet! This one has everyone raving Sooo I definitely have to read hehehe Thank you so much for the post and the giveaway, fabulous ♡♡♡ shared!

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