Are some men just born bad…or do circumstances conspire to make them that way?Grant “Hawk” Benning will go down in history as one of the baddest, most hated men on the eastern seaboard…and then some.Hawk cut his teeth on leather and steel, growing up heavily influenced by a culture of violence, drugs and crime. He would navigate the pathways between adolescence and adulthood using only the … adulthood using only the tools he’d been given…realizing too late that the club that made him a man, would likely bring about his ultimate demise.
Hawk’s life, his destiny, was with the Southside Skulls. Prospect at seventeen, Vice President at twenty-one. Two and a half decades of riding alongside the prolific Doc Marshall.
Hawk will have a full life…but one wrought with a loneliness built by his reluctance to allow any glimpse of the man who really lived behind the kutte.
During his life, Hawk will fall in love with three women.
The first will become his closest friend and she’ll leave a legacy that will both brighten and darken Hawk’s days to come.
The second, a free spirit…the one in touch with her own soul…the one who may have taught him how to reach his, if only she’d had the time.
And the last…the woman who would ultimately give him something that no one else ever could…a chance to glimpse and explore the best parts of himself…the parts that even he didn’t know existed.
Ride along, read along, and make your own decision in the end.
Was Grant “Hawk” Benning born to be bad…or was the deck just stacked against him from the get-go?
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*I received a free copy of this book which I voluntarily chose to write an honest review for.
I have to say that I am enjoying these early years books for this series. They provide great insight into what made these remarkable men who they were. Hawk has a story you would never believe starting with a rough childhood leading all the way though his life answering all the nitty gritty questions. You are in for rough ride as you read but you won’t be able to put it down. Cooke has a way of bringing the darkness to li in the best possible way ever. Perfect for fans of MC romance. I really liked it so I give it 4/5 stars.
Grant “Hawk” Benning had a crappy childhood his only saving grace was Dolly,she was his best friend.Growing up in the Skulls M/C he becomes a dark man,this is the only life he knows and he lives it to the fullest.Could the love of a woman take him from the dark into the light.
Jessie Cooke takes you into the world of the M/C world and she makes you never want to leave
I’ve read a lot of this author’s books and enjoyed them. The “Early Years” books in the series have been, hands down, my absolute favorites. The Early Years covers the lives of the founding members of the club. In this book, the author takes what appeared to be an irredeemable character, Hawk, from previous books and makes him into a hero that you have to love and respect. Now I can understand what made Hawk the man he appeared to be in other stories. He goes through unimaginable abuse, loss and rejection during his life. I can’t wait for the next book in the series and hope I haven’t seen the last of Hawk.
A very gritty, steamy story giving Hawk’s history as well as the Skulls. There was a lot of darkness to this tale and some touching moments and others hard to take. For the most part Hawk was a good man buried under his upbringing and life experiences. Characters that have been in the previous stories were included in the telling of Hawk’s story, so the reader may find familiarity and continuity in the world of the Skulls.
I received a copy of this story through Enticing Journey Book Promotions, and this is my unsolicited review.
Darkness With The Biker
That’s pretty much described Hawk. He had a crappy childhood especially when his mother ended up marrying one of the Southside Skulls MC bikers. Cal taught him everything a boy shouldn’t know but needed to if he was going to grow up to be in the MC as he got older. Cal was a poor example of a man and Hawk was always thinking ahead as to how to get Cal out of his and his mothers’ lives.
Hawk had friends as he was growing up and two of them had a great impact on his life at a young age. One would break his heart and the other would leave him with a promise that on his return things would get much better. He also met other women along the way who had captured his heart but every time he loved someone they would end up dying or leaving him. For a man who was said to have so much darkness surrounding him Hawk was a man with a true heart and would help out people as much as he could. There was goodness within that darkness that not many knew about.
This was my first time reading this author and she has me hooked!! She takes you on a crazy ride messing with your head and heart the whole way through. Now I can’t wait to read Lion’s story.
I love me some good MC reading, and this delivered just that! Although I haven’t read the whole series I could easily follow along and it makes me want to start at the beginning! I need to learn more about all these characters, Hawk definitely has me intrigued as does Doc and Lion
4 stars
In Jessie Cooke’s latest, we finally get Hawk’s tragic backstory; a man whose need for love and acceptance drives him to be a rebel with a cause. Cooke does a good job of making us all feel badly for disliking Hawk from the previous books but while I was deeply intrigued by his story, this book felt more like filling in some necessary gaps for fans of the Southside Skulls than the telling of Hawk’s story itself. There were times when it felt a little like a history book, rather than a character arc where you’re building a relationship with the character.
I very much appreciated learning the reasons why Hawk, and Doc, made some of the decisions they did and why the two men have what appears to be a grudging loyalty in the other books. And I’m deeply intrigued by Lion’s introduction and can’t wait for the rest of his story.
AnnMarie – Alphas Do It Better Book Blog
Wow ! Ms. Cooke does it again what a fantastic read.We loved Hawk’s story from beginning to end.I am so glad we got to hear Hawk’s story as he was one of the most elusive members of the series who kept himself and his life outside private.
We loved Hawk in this story and you could say even that he was a bit of a hero for all the sacrifices that he made for his club and for all those he loved.I loved the fact that we saw a totally different side of Hawk this time around we saw him and a protector and provider and deep down a man capable of loving with his whole heart even if it was broken a time or too.
There was know doubt that Hawk could be dark and dangerous but, he was capable of so much more and we are just wondering if just one of the women he loved suck around his life might have been so much different.
We found Hawk to be smart and cunning as well and if Doc Marshall was not in charge he would have no problem seeing to that club of his in his own right.I got to say we never realized the extent Hawk went to too protect Doc Marshall and his club making great sacrifices to himself while pretty boy Marshall just skated through life while everybody else paid the price for all of his bad choices.
Overall we just loved the story from cover it was intriguing and heartfelt and we loved seeing that Hawk although down right dangerous was capable of compassion and forgiveness and we just loved his protectiveness of those he loved.Despite the life he lead he did have people he loved and loved him back.Hawk’s story was not all hearts and flowers and it was a bit dark but, one thing was sure the darkness that he carried within him never consumed him or it.
I think we have not heard the last of Hawk as I am waiting to see what impact he has on Lion’s life and that of the mysterious daughter of his…
5 amazing stars from us
This is the 4th book in the early years, and the 27th book in this phenomenal series. Hawk was the VP who rode along beside Doc Marshall, and his story is heartbreaking and emotional. This is a well written flawless story which is about Hawk and the three women who made an impression in his life. I was intrigued and hooked throughout and I highly recommend for all MC lovers.