Still Standing by Kristen Ashley Blog Tour

When Clara Delany walks into the Aces High Motorcycle Club’s hangout, she’s hit rock bottom. She’s hiding her car from the repo man, she has less than two dollars in her bank account and the only employment she can get is delivering messages for a criminal.

All because of a man. Therefore, she’s sworn off them.

And then she meets West “Buck” Hardy, president of the Aces High MC.

Buck also meets her, and the minute he does, he makes it clear (to everyone but Clara) that they’re starting something. Since Clara doesn’t get that message, she decides to leave Buck and sort out her life in order to come back to him clean.

She’s not gone but hours before life hits Clara with another blow. Which means Buck and his boys have to ride in and save the day. After that, Buck makes no bones about where they stand.

But does he?

Welcome to the first novel in the Wild West MC series which will tell the stories of the brothers of the Aces High MC, the Resurrection MC, and the Chaos MC…
 and the women who love them.

 

 

Book 1
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo
Audiobook (US)  ~  Paperback (US)

 

 

“Babe,” he growled.

A warning.

Definitely.

I’d gone too far.

I also didn’t care.

“Okay, so then does Tia have to sleep with one, or, say, all of your boys?”

“Don’t do that shit. You know that’s not what I’m talkin’ about.”

“So maybe you’ll explain what you’re talking about.”

“I would, you shut your trap.”

I shut my trap and stared at his shadowed head.

He stared at mine.

Then he muttered, “Christ, need my head examined.”

“You could get off me,” I reminded him.

“Is this shuttin’ your trap?”

I shut my trap again.

“You take of care my house and my business as well as me.”

“What does that mean?”

“That means you move outta the apartment before they kick your ass out. You move into my house. You keep it clean. You keep me fed, that is, when I’m not feedin’ you, and I like to cook, so mostly, I’ll be feedin’ you. You come to work with me and take care of the office, and you go home with me.”

Wow.

Was he serious?

That sounded like… it sounded like…

My God, it didn’t sound like a sex-for-safety arrangement.

It sounded like a relationship.

 

 

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆☆
I am a huge fan of Kristen Ashley's books, and this is an excellent addition to her catalogue. What I really liked about this story is that there is a little edge, just a few imperfections in West which bring him back to human, and Clara has to decide whether to deal or whether to leave. And those moments are tiny, yet very significant. They add tension, but they also add character – clever writing!

There is little more exciting than a new series starting, and one which links in with favourite others, well, it's like icing on an already very rich cake. I started this on Saturday morning and finished it Saturday night... I could not tell you what I ate (although I think I did), I only dressed because I had to go outside to take a walk to reduce the tension. Basically, I just imbibed this delicious treat from cover to cover. There is only ever one problem with that… having to wait until the next offering appears.

There is undoubtedly world building, and we need to understand what this MC is about, who the key players are, who matters, and who doesn't. We find out some history, some allegiances, and some outstanding battles, but it unfolds so neatly as the story develops, that really I only realised how much I knew about them when I started writing my review.

If you like an intense, slightly edgy and very sexy biker romance, then this will be your next great read. If you have never tried one before, then welcome to a fantastic starting point, and be clear, you are very likely to go back and delve into previous Chaos series books at the very minimum. Enjoy!


Shelby – ☆☆☆☆☆
Still Standing is the first book in Kristen Ashley's new motorcycle club series, Wild West MC. I will say that I adore Kristen Ashley as an author, and I have the most difficult time reviewing her books.

Clara is in a bad spot, she's been left high and dry by her criminal ex-husband. She's been drug through a criminal investigation, lost all of her possessions and her home, and also her job as a librarian. Bearing all of this, she has no family – no one to really lean on with the exception of one friend, who is also not in the best situation. Clara has had a rough life, but she has always done what is needed to keep going.

West "Buck" Hardy is the president of Aces High MC. He is the stereotypical leader of a motorcycle club: alpha, big, burly, attractive, and gruff. He has a lot going on in both his club life and personal life. He is ready to take advantage of a strange situation when it's presented and Clara is absolutely in need of help.

I liked Clara, she is so down to earth and relatable. She's been dealt a rough hand, but never gets defeated. Bring Buck into the picture and they are explosive (sometimes in a negative way). I found this story sucked me in, there weren't any slow parts, if anything it was quite fast paced. I will say the only negative that I noticed was some situations were recycled from recent stories (you'll know what I'm referring to). Honestly, this was a great story with just enough grit, great characters, sweet scenes, and I am excited for book two!


Mary – ☆☆☆☆
This is the beginning of a new series from author Kristen Ashley and it is a new MC too. If you love either of those, then you need to read this one.

Clara “Toots” is down on her luck. Her husband swindled millions and got caught. She was crucified at his trial because people thought she knew what he was doing. Now she is down to her last few dollars, has lost her job, is about to lose her home, and is working for a criminal delivering messages. When one message she has to deliver has her going to the Aces High MC hangout, she meets West "Buck" Hardy.

Buck and Toots are drawn to each other, but Toots doesn't trust men because of her recent past. After one incredible night together, Buck has claimed her, but Toots doesn't know what that means. As Buck tries to explain it, Toots wants to run away.

Can Buck and Toots work through her issues? Will Toots make Buck understand she doesn't share? Is there a chance for a future for Buck and Toots?

I love Kristen Ashley and her writing style, she can kill it with MC stories. I really liked this one, but there were times I wanted to slap both Buck and Toots upside the head. I can't wait for more in this series.


Veronica – ☆☆☆☆
The story of the big, strong, handsome man coming to the rescue of the poor, beautiful damsel in distress is one that has been told many times. This time our hero is Buck, the President of Aces High MC, and Clara, former librarian, down to her last dime, who has gotten involved with a bad guy to try to get by.

I was sucked into this story right from the get go. I’m a complete sucker for a character that is struggling to get by and fighting to survive, and Clara fits the bill perfectly. Clara and Buck’s first meeting is fun and sexy and I was having a ball right along with them. I was a quarter of the way through the story in a flash and I didn’t want to stop reading.

Clara is not your brash, outgoing heroine. She is reserved, follows the rules, and cares what other people think about her, so her first meeting with the women of the MC was so uncomfortable, and I could totally relate to how Clara was feeling. The uncomfortable doesn’t last long but the women don’t feature much in the story, but I hope we see more of them in future books. The focus of this book is very much on Clara and Buck.

Still Standing is packed full of drama and I loved the drama. Relationship drama, kid drama, kidnapping, exes, and danger. Lots of highs and lows, and my emotions were running high. But one event had me so fuming mad I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to keep reading. Because, seriously, “you were standing in my way”? Argh! Buck went from hero to zero in a flash. I put the book down, too angry to go on. But at 2am I woke up still annoyed and before I knew it, spent another three hours reading. I know a book has its claws in me if I’m reading in the middle of the night, something I rarely do. Buck doesn’t entirely redeem himself in my eyes, but I got over my snit.

For those of us that have read a lot of Ashley’s work, you’ll see similarities in storylines from some of her other work, but for me that didn’t make Still Standing any less enjoyable because this is why I love her. For those who haven’t read any or many of Ashley’s books, Still Standing would be a great place to start as it is a great example of what her work is about, love, life, drama, and a happy ending. I really had a blast reading Still Standing, even if it made me mad for a bit. I’m looking forward to more from the Aces High MC.

 

 

KRISTEN ASHLEY is the New York Times bestselling author of over sixty romance novels including the Rock Chick, Colorado Mountain, Dream Man, Chaos, Unfinished Hero, The ’Burg, Magdalene, Fantasyland, The Three, Ghost and Reincarnation, Moonlight and Motor Oil and Honey series along with several standalone novels. She’s a hybrid author, publishing titles both independently and traditionally, her books have been translated in fourteen languages and she’s sold over three million books.

Kristen’s novel, Law Man, won the RT Book Reviews Reviewer’s Choice Award for best Romantic Suspense. Her independently published title Hold On was nominated for RT Book Reviews best Independent Contemporary Romance and her traditionally published title Breathe was nominated for best Contemporary Romance. Kristen’s titles Motorcycle Man, The Will, Ride Steady (which won the Reader’s Choice award from Romance Reviews) and The Hookup all made the final rounds for Goodreads Choice Awards in the Romance category.

Connect with Kristen

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Facebook Group: Kristen Ashley – Rock Chicks Group!

 

 

 

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Still Standing (Wild West MC #1) by Kristen Ashley to read and review for this tour.