Book Review: Vicious Cycle (Vicious Cycle #1) by Katie Ashley

Vicious Cycle
Vicious Cycle #1

By:
Katie Ashley

Published:
June 2, 2015

Publisher:
NAL Trade

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Source:
eARC from publisher for a honest review

GR's Summary:

New York Times bestselling author Katie Ashley revs up the danger and sexual tension in her brand-new Vicious Cycle romance series. 

Deacon Malloy’s life is dedicated to the Hell’s Raiders motorcycle club. Tough, hard, and fast with his fists, he serves the group as sergeant at arms. But his devil-may-care approach to life is thrown for a loop when the five-year-old daughter he never knew existed lands on the club steps. 

Alexandra Evans is devoted to all her students—but there’s always been something about Willow Malloy that tugs at her heart. There’s an aura of sadness about her, a girl in need of all the love Alexandra can give. When Willow stops coming to school, Alexandra’s search leads to a clubhouse full of bikers…and a father hell-bent on keeping his daughter always within sight. 

The moment Deacon sees Alexandra, he has to have her in his bed—and he’s never met a woman yet who couldn’t be persuaded. No matter how attracted she is to Deacon, Alexandra refuses to be just another conquest. But it’s Deacon himself who could be seduced—into a brighter future for himself, his daughter, and the woman he’s falling for against all odds.

Lindy's Thoughts:

Vicious Cycle is the first book that I've read by Katie Ashley.  I've heard many great things about her books, and was excited to finally get to read a book that she wrote.  Also, I am a huge fan of MC Club romances, and can't get enough of these type of stories!  My favorites are the Reapers MC series by Joanna Wylde and the Chaos series by Kristen Ashley!

Vicious Cycle is about Deacon Malloy and Alexandra Evans.  Deacon is the Sergeant at Arms in his MC Club, the Hell's Raiders.  One day he is shocked to find out that he has a five year old daughter, Willow.  Willow's mother Lacey was murdered, and now he must assume full responsibility for her care.  

Deacon pulls Willow out of school when he learns that she is in danger.  A long-term enemy of the club is out of prison, and is the person responsible for Lacey's death (the only woman Deacon has ever loved).  After missing too much school, and repeatedly trying to get a hold of Deacon, Miss Alexandra Evans, Willow's Kindergarten teacher, decides to visit Willow's home to check on her.  Imagine Alexandra's surprise when she meets Deacon, a dangerous, rough around the edges, outlaw biker.  

Deacon let's her know that Willow is in danger and will not be returning to school.  Alexandra and Deacon come to an arrangement that includes Miss Evans teaching Willow at home.  As these two begin to interact on a daily basis, Deacon becomes hot for teacher, and Alexandra can't resist the sexy bad boy.  However, danger lurks around every corner, and Alexandra has to learn how to function in the MC club world if her and Deacon are to be together.

There were aspects of Vicious Cycle that did not work for me as well as aspects that I enjoyed.  I had a difficult time liking Deacon, and found it extremely difficult to relate or be attracted to his character.  I love a bad boy, but he must have a good heart.  This isn't to say that Deacon didn't have a good heart, but he came off as extremely harsh, cold at times, and even when layers where peeled back, there just wasn't enough warmth in his character to win me over.  At the beginning of the story, he left a bad taste in my mouth, when he said some truly despicable things to a man he was torturing.  I understand that he was bluffing, but what he said was so abhorrent, twisted, and truly made me sick to my stomach.

I loved Alexandra at the beginning of the story.  She came off as very sweet, nurturing, compassionate, and patient with little Willow.  However, her personality changed drastically as the story went on.  I didn't recognize the character that I had once loved.  She revealed a secret that made me look at her differently, and some of her actions in the story didn't match up.  It was like she was two different characters.

The story itself was extremely fast-paced.  I was entertained, and there was a lot of action and suspense.  I loved the secondary characters in the story.  Willow was a doll, and I felt so badly for all that this little girl had to endure.  I liked Deacon's adoptive brothers Rev and Bishop.  Rev stole the show for me!  He was sexy and sweet, protective and nurturing.  This big man had an even bigger heart, and I can't wait to get his story!  I want him to find a good woman to love.            

My Rating:

I give, Vicious Cycle, by Katie Ashley, 3.5 MC Club Life, Dangerous Enemies, Passionate, Learning to Love Filled Stars!  I am looking forward to the next book in the series, Redemption Road, because it is Rev's story, and I already love his character so much!

Mikki's Review:

Vicious Cycle, by Katie Ashley, is the first book in her new MC series. I was really excited to read this book since I absolutely loved the Proposition and Runaway series! I love her writing style and her characters are simply irresistible! I knew going into this book that this story was going to be different. It's always more darker, intense and suspenseful in the MC world.

Deacon Malloy is surprised find out that he has a five-year old daughter. When Willow shows up on his doorstep, he is left speechless. It takes him some time to get used to the idea. Alexandra Evans connected with Willow Malloy from the first moment that they met. When Willow misses school for a few days, Alexandra goes looking for her. When she visits Willow's home she is surprised to find out who her dad is and where she lives. Deacon is the sergeant at arms of the Hell's Raider MC and because danger is lurking close by he decided to keep Willow at home. Alexandra and Deacon come to an agreement that she will come every day after school to teach Willow. As days go by, Alexandra gets closer to Deacon and his family. Deacon never expected to fall for his daughter's teacher, but when an enemy from his past comes back to cause trouble, Deacon will do whatever it takes to keep his daughter, his family and Alexandra safe.

I really enjoyed this book. The story kept me interested from beginning to end, but I had a hard time connecting with the main characters in some scenes. Their reactions in some situations left me speechless. I really liked Alex and how she handled the difficult situation Willow was in. What I did not like was how Alexandra's character changed. She was an interesting heroine to follow at the beginning of this journey.  The things she did to catch Deacon's attention were just all over the place and that is when I lost my connection with her.

With Deacon I never felt a connection. His first scene in the book turned my stomach upside down. I did not like what he said and how he acted. It was hard for me to connect with him after that. I can't deny that the chemistry between Alexandra and Deacon was hot, but it fell a little bit short in the romance department.  We also got a few scenes between him and Willow, but I wanted to see more. What I did love were his scenes with his family and friends. I could really feel the love he had for them.

The plot was good and the author included a few twists that I did not see coming.  Even if I found a few problems along my reading journey of Vicious Cycle, I am looking forward to Redemption Road. This will be Rev's book. He was my favorite in Vicious Cycle. I connected more to his character than I did with his brother Deacon. He deserves an amazing HEA and I can't wait to meet the lady that will steal his heart. He's such a wonderful person!

My Rating:

I give Vicious Cycle, by Katie Ashley, 3.5 enjoyable, fast-paced, intense stars!

Book Teasers:

Purchase At:

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Kobo

About Katie Ashley:

Katie Ashley is the New York Times, USA Today, and Amazon Best-Selling author of The Proposition Series, Runaway Train Series, as well as several New Adult and Young Adult titles. Her latest series, Vicious Cycle, has been picked up for publication by Penguin Books. 

She lives outside of Atlanta, Georgia with her two very spoiled dogs. She has a slight obsession with Pinterest, The Golden Girls, Harry Potter, Shakespeare, Supernatural, Sons of Anarchy, Downton Abbey, Designing Women, and Scooby-Doo. 

With a BA in English, a BS in Secondary English Education, and a Masters in English Education, she spent 11 1/2 years educating the Youth of America aka teaching MS and HS English until she left to write full time in December 2012. 

She is represented by Jane Dystel of Dystel and Goderich Literary Management.

Website | Blog | Goodreads | Facebook 

Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram

Blog Tour: Don't Hate The Player Hate The Game By Katie Ashley

To Add Don't Hate the Player to Goodreads Click HERE

Don't Hate the Player...Hate the Game

By:  Katie Ashley
Published:  April 30, 2013
Genre:  New Adult


GR's Summary:

For Noah Sullivan being the best friend to a douchebag and player like Jake Nelson has never been easy. It's been a rocky road since kindergarten when Jake duct taped Noah to his chair before recess. With just six weeks to high school graduation, Jake accidentally blows his drunken ass up on his grandfather's tractor, and Noah finds himself immersed not only in a whirlwind of grief, but on a quest to find a mystery girl from Jake's past. 

While cleaning out Jake's room, Noah and Jake's dad make a startling discovery. Instead of the obligatory porn collection or pot stash, they find a ring, but not just any ring. Its half a carat of commitment in a platinum setting-proving even man whores have taste. After Jake's mom pleads with Noah to find the girl who meant so much to Jake, Noah begins a modern day Grail quest to track the girl down.

Since Jake was a notorious player with a legendary collection of trophy panties, Noah finds himself in over his head. There are the usual suspects like Avery, the Ice Princess Jake dated for appearances, or Presley, the school mattress Jake dated for convenience. But the trail begins to point to the most unlikely of suspects: Maddie, the Valedictorian and choir girl who was trying to help the unmotivated jock graduate--the girl who also has surprisingly caught Noah's eye and meddled with his heart. 

Hanging out with Maddie shows Noah a different side of Jake--one that was deeply human and surprisingly douche-free. And the more he tries to solve the mystery of the ring and of Jake, the more Noah starts to discover about himself and of love.

My Journey:

Don't Hate the Player Hate the Game, by Katie Ashley is a great high school love story.  In the beginning of the story we meet Noah Sullivan.  Noah is the sensitive type, who always does what he is suppose to do.  When he's with Jake Nelson, his best friend, there is nothing but trouble!  Jake is a player, that has two girls he is doing at the same time.  The ice princess, Avery Moore, and the stuck up school slut, Presley Patterson.  He humiliates kids, plays pranks on people, gets stinking drunk, copies and cheats off other people's work, and frankly, just doesn't give a damn about anything.  Well, that is what his best friend Noah thinks, and he has known him since Kindergarten.  Unfortunately, at the very beginning of the book, Noah's best friend, Jake, the party animal, is off spending his Spring break chilling with his grandparents instead of out raising hell with his friends.  He accidentally kills himself, in a freak accident, and the journey begins in finding out who Jake really was underneath all the callous behavior and facade.   Noah finds out about his friend's death from the staff at school, that call in the gang of kids that use to hang out with Jake, so they can tell them about his death at the same time.  Noah is devastated by the news, and proceeds to run outside, and fall apart.  He can't believe that this has happened, and still hasn't come to terms with the death of his Grandfather from cancer, (more a father) from two years prior.  Jake goes through a reflective period, and remembers all of the sentimental times, and out of character moments he shared with Jake.  Jake was actually a sensitive guy, though he only let others see his, "douche bag" side.  When school ended the boys had already planned to share a dorm room at Georgia Tech, and become fraternity brothers.  Now, Noah was all alone to find his own way, without the friend that had been by his side since he taped him to the chair in Kindergarten.  Noah sobbed uncontrollably, not knowing if he could stand the heart-wrenching pain.  All the kids from their "crew" were devastated.  Noah goes on a quest to find a mystery girl that was suppose to be the recipient of a beautiful engagement ring from his friend Jake, at the request of his mom.  The ring was found by accident while going through Jake's belongings after his death.  This is the journey Noah travels to find the girl, but what he finds only leaves him more confused, and leaves his feelings festering.  His journey leads him to Maddie Parker, (the pastor's daughter, and Jake's tutor/friend) on his quest for the truth, and he feels himself falling for her.  Is he making the right decisions, or is he betraying his best friend?


I loved the way Ms. Ashley let the reader into the psyche of Noah, and let us see him at his best, and his worst.  The reader gets Noah's point of view, and it helps to understand what is going on with the turmoil that overtakes him.  I found Noah changing and almost taking over where his friend Jake left off.  He is troubled, and at times disrespectful, and luckily for him, his mother is very understanding with the devastation she knows has inundated her son.   


There are so many revalations that come to the forefront throughout, Don't Hate the Player.  The reader learns of them, as they become, "AHA Moments" for Noah.  So many things were overlooked over the years of their friendship.  I loved the story telling, and could not put down the book.  When good things were said about Jake, his friends wondered if they were made up or true since they never saw that side of him.


This book is a roller coaster ride through the perils of Noah and Maddie.  The way Maddie helps Noah find himself, and Jake's mother, (Mrs. Nelson) brings reality to the forefront for the sake of Noah.  This is a wonderful full circle story of friendship, love, redemption, and closure.  Get your kleenex ready!  You will sob your heart out in this long, sad, journey.  I give, Don't hate the Player, Hate the Game 4.5 devastaingly sad, regretful, loving, heart felt stars!

About the Author:

Katie Ashley is the New York Times, USA Today, and Amazon Best-Selling author of The Proposition. She lives outside of Atlanta, Georgia with her two very spoiled dogs and one outnumbered cat. She has a slight obsession with Pinterest, The Golden Girls, Harry Potter, Shakespeare, Supernatural, Designing Women, and Scooby-Doo.

She spent 11 1/2 years educating the Youth of America aka teaching MS and HS English until she left to write full time in December 2012.

She also writes Young Adult fiction under the name Krista Ashe.

Katie Ashley's:

Twitter/Facebook/Goodreads/Website

Purchase At:

Amazon/Barnes and Noble/Smashwords

Giveaways:

(1) Ebook of Don't Hate the Player:
*We will chose (1) follower to win an e-copy based on most meaningful comment! 

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Follow the Tour

The Party (The Proposition 0.5) by Katie Ashley

To Add The Party to Goodreads Click HERE

The Party

(The Proposition 0.5)
Author:  Katie Ashley
Published:  February 15, 2013
Source:  (Free on Smashwords)
Mature Content:  18 and Over

GR's Summary:

Coming off a break-up with his latest “friend with benefits”, the last thing Aidan Fitzgerald needs is a family hassle about his bachelor status. But after standing up as godfather for his great-nephew, Mason, that’s just what he gets at the Christening Party. Escaping the wrath of his father and sisters, he wants nothing more than to get to the company Christmas party. There he knows he can knock back a few stiff drinks and find some new no-strings-attached girl to take home for the night.

The last thing Emma Harrison wants is to attend another party—least of all one at work. After throwing the annual life celebration (for the anniversary of her fiancée’s death) with close friends, she’s finally gotten the courage to take matters into her own hands and become a mother. Convincing her slightly inebriated best-friend, Connor, to be her sperm donor was a lot easier than she thought, and all that’s left now is to start the process. But at her best friend and work colleague, Casey’s, insistence, she decides to make an appearance at the company Christmas party for her new boss’s sake.

Neither Aidan nor Emma could imagine what fate had in store for them at the party.

My Take on this Journey:

This is a very short Novella about Emma Harrison and Aidan Fitzgerald.  Emma has had a string of bad luck in her life, and she feels that her biological clock is ticking.  She is shy, witty, and a fiery red head with a temper to match her hair.  Aidan is a good looking, blue-eyed, blond bachelor, known as the office man whore.  He loves them and leaves them.  Emma and Aidan meet at an office party, and he gets his eyes set on the beautiful knock out, and decides that she is the flavor of the night.  The only problem is that Emma is very shy, and though she is attracted to Aidan, she is a woman that is too smart to get involved in a one night stand.  Once her girlfriends tell her about his reputation, all bets are off.  Aidan isn't use to anyone saying no to him, so he is taken aback by her negative response to his advances.

This is a very fast-paced novella.  It starts out in the present, then goes back to two years prior, and tells the story of how these two characters first met.  Emma has had a lot of tragedy in her life, and isn't interested in finding a relationship.  In this short little novella, the author makes Emma into a well-rounded character.  The reader gets the essence of her.  

Aidan is a very self-absorbed character, yet very intriguing.  He is constantly being badgered about his bachelor status, and told that he needs to settle down, by his sisters.  I found him at times to be very blunt, and it was humorous how he thought that his cute little smile could get him anything he wanted.

Sorry to say, that this little Novella has the dreaded little cliff hanger.  My followers know what I think of those!  Looking forward to the sequel, and hope it gives me the kind of ending that makes me go along for the ride.

I give this little Novella a clock-ticking, thrill seeking, 3 1/2 stars.

Come Along For the Ride,

Purchase At:  Amazon/Smashwords (Free)

About the Author:  Katie Ashley

These things always sound overly pretentious, don't they? 

*Strokes chin* What to say about me?!!! 

Anyway, I was born and raised in the burbs of Atlanta. I'm an only child with a large extended family much like the one in My Big Fat Greek Wedding...except we're Southerners. 

I have a BA in English, a BS in Secondary English Education, and a Masters in Adolesecent English Education. I've been teaching English for twelve years in both middle and high school. I've also taught adjunct classes at a local college where I had students waaay older than me, and that was a weird one! 

I'm also a former cheerleading coach. Nothing teaches you about life quite like being stuck on a bus with a squad of fifteen year old girls!!

Katie's:  Website/Goodreads/Twitter/Pinterest