Lay It Down

Desert Dogs, Book 1

By: Cara McKenna

Narrated by: Tom Weiner

First in the exciting new Desert Dogs series, starring hot and sexy bikers in the Southwest

"Backbreaking days, wild nights, and the hard hum of steel between your thighs..."

That's a life well lived, according to the Desert Dogs - four friends who call Fortuity, Nevada, their badlands home.

Vince Grossier is the self-crowned outlaw king around here. But when Fortuity's slick new mayor invites a shady casino development to town, the invaders' cutthroat takeover tactics quickly turn deadly. With police turning a suspiciously blind eye, it's up to the locals to fight back, and Vince is on the front line. The pretty photographer hired by the developers might be the key to infiltrating the enemy - and a temptation too good to pass up.

Finally free of a controlling ex, Kim Paget is not looking to be taken for a ride - not on the back of some tattooed roughneck's bike and definitelynot in his bed. But when she finds evidence that her bosses are rattlesnake dangerous, Kim must entrust her safety to the man who threatens danger of a whole different kind.

©2014 Cara McKenna (P)2014 Blackstone Audio

3.5 GOOD BUT NOT WHAT I WAS EXPECTING

What I was expecting was a MC badass biker gang, hot sex, old ladies, patches and some hot Alpha type guys. However, what I got was mainly a Murder/Mystery with a Hero who had once formed an easy going innocent Biker Club (now disbanded) with friends when they were all much younger. Now he's sure one of those friends had just been murdered.

Vince is a tattooed, sexy, drool-worthy hard-ass Alpha type who's been in trouble before, he's got a dirty mind and a mouth to match it and he's got quick and snappy dialogue too and when he sees Kim he knows he wants her in the worst (or best) way. He denied the romance but was all in for the desire and sex but it was interwoven with the main plot line of murders, cover-ups, mystery, suspense, with paranormal visions, a few hot sex scenes, some interesting secondary characters and eventually the I love you's happened but I just didn't feel any romance.

Narrator had a very gravelly voice like he'd smoked 40 a day so his female voices suffered for it.

Worth a credit? This had a bit too much murder/mystery to the plot than I personally like and the plot line doesn't conclude but will continue in further books but I don't think I'll be following this series, not because it's not good, but because it just doesn't 'fit' with my own personal romantic taste.

Good start to the series :)

3-3.5 stars

This was a good story. I liked Kim and Vince and the story was enjoyable overall but there were a few times I had trouble feeling completely sucked in to the story. I will say I almost gave it 4 stars but for the most part it felt like more of a 3 star read and I just couldn't go 4 stars for the overall rating.

Kim is a photographer that comes to Fortuity to take promotional photos of construction of a casino that's being put up in town. Her mother died when she was young and her father became a controlling jerk in the guise of being protective and looking out for her. Kim got out of her dad's clutches, only to get involved with a guy that tried to push her around (in a nice way) as well. They end up breaking up right as Kim is starting her photo job in Fortuity.

Vince is a bit of both a good and bad guy. He works in a rock quarry but supplements his income with odd jobs, some of which aren't legal. He's been in jail (although it hasn't been for anything too serious) and is currently on probation. On the other hand, his mother has checked out (mentally) and he lives with her so he can take care of her. He doesn't sleep around constantly but when he does, he's never been one to get attached and is usually looking for the door soon after he's had his fun.

When the story begins, Vince gets a call from one of the sheriff's deputies, Alex. He and Alex have been friends for a long time (regardless of the fact that sometimes they fall on opposite sides of the law) and he's concerned when Alex wants to meet him at the bar talking about having seen some bones. Alex says he needs to talk to Vince about it and since he's freaked out, Alex agrees to meet him. Alex never makes it to the bar and the next day, Vince finds out that Alex supposedly died in a car accident. Vince thinks something is up with the whole "bones" thing and then Alex suddenly having a fatal accident but can't get anyone to believe him...not even some of his oldest friends. Around this time, Kim arrives in Fortuity for her photo shoot and decides she need s drink. She goes to the local bar and attracts the attention of Vince. Vince and some of the other residents of Fortuity aren't too happy about the casino being built because they like their small town and are worried about how the influx of tourists and such into the town will change it. When Vince finds out she works for the casino he's not thrilled but soon he gets over that because he's interested in Kim enough that he wants to get her in bed.

Vince and Kim don't jump into bed immediately and Kim makes him work for it because he starts out treating her like just another one night stand. To woo her, Vince takes her out into the wilderness on his motorcycle for some shots she wouldn't normally get and they explore their mutual attraction a bit. Kim isn't sure if Vince is the kind of guy she should be getting involved with but is very attracted to him and thinks that if nothing else, he might be an adventure. Along the way, Vince tells Kim about the issue with Alex and his "bones". He asks Kim to keep an eye out while she's taking photos of the construction site but neither of them actually think she'll see anything that will help. While this is going on, Vince's brother comes back to town after being gone for the last 9 years and Kim gets pulled into some family stuff and finds out more about Vince...some good, some not so much. Still, Kim finds that she likes him and wants to be with him and Vince is surprised to find that he feels the same. While all this is going on. Kim does end up being the key to Vince and his friends finding some evidence that proves something messed up is going on. As they figure the mystery out (at least partially) they also discover that they both have fallen for each other and want something more. The story ends with Vince and Kim starting on a HEA together.

This was an enjoyable story. I liked both Kim and Vince. They weren't perfect people but they worked well together, especially once they both realized their feelings and agreed that they wanted more with each other. It was a bit strange going into the story because I thought Vince was in a motorcycle MC but he wasn't..however, he and his friends decide to form one at the end of the story so it does become a MC story in the end. Overall, I liked the story and may decide to try more of the series in the future.