Ignored, unloved and verbally degraded since the day he was born, Jace didn’t know what real love was. He spent his young life trying to stay invisible. It was the only way he could avoid the ugly taunts and physical assaults of his peers. But when you’re twice the size of the other children around you, invisibility becomes a problem, and at that point Jace had to learn how to fight, and fighting … fighting became a way of life, a means to survive.
There was one person on earth who loved Jace, and who he truly loved in return. That was his little sister Rosie. Rosie was autistic and destined to be as neglected by their father as he was. Jace recognized her worth and her intelligence at a young age, but his stepmother, frightened of what she didn’t understand and envious of how much Rosie loved Jace, insisted he be sent away to a boarding school.
Jace languished, miles away from the family that couldn’t stand to look at him, and the sister who he knew needed him, until once again his world was rocked and he returned to Boston. On his way home, at fourteen years old, he met a legend…or maybe two. A man with blond hair and incredibly intense blue eyes named Doc Marshall that reignited a spark of interest inside Jace that he’d been too busy to covet for a while. He wanted to ride a Harley. He wanted to be in a motorcycle club, and he wanted more than anything to be the guy in a leather vest who rode off into the sunset with his beautiful old lady behind him.
Jace had to put that dream away for quite a few years. Although he was bigger, stronger and smarter than most of the adults in his world, that lost, scared little boy still lived inside of him. The rage that lived there too, lay dormant, most of the time. When it flared up, however, it could be lethal, and more than once it was.
By the time Jace was twenty-five, he’d been incarcerated more than once, beaten, stabbed, burned and constantly abused. Meeting two men would change his life. One had a heart of gold and saw the potential in Jace and fed it. The other he’d met once before when he was a boy, and the other man was barely out of his teens. It was Dax Marshall, now the president of the Southside Skulls. Jace was flabbergasted to find out that Dax was not only impressed with his work, but came to be impressed with him as a man as well. Between his boss and his mentor, and the place in the Skulls Dax offered him, Jace finally had real hope for his future. Then one day he skidded into the life of the most beautiful woman in the world and although Jace knew she was way out of his league, he was helpless not to fall in love with her. Of course, she had a few flaws of her own. She was possibly the meanest woman Jace had ever met, and she might just be addicted to sex as well…but sometimes a man has to make a decision to take a right, or a left, or continue up the mountain and around the tight, dangerous curves. Everything Jace had learned or experienced in his life, had led him to that moment…climb on the back of his Harley as he revs up the engine and find out which way he chooses to go!
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Book 2 in the Phoenix Skulls MC Series.
This is a Standalone Romance Novel but characters from this story, will appear in future books in the series.
HEA and No cliffhanger.
Intended for Mature Readers.
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The Phoenix Skulls MC Series is about members of the MC club, their friends and associates.
Each story, while focused around one main character, is not necessarily about a Phoenix Skulls club member, but the story is related to Skulls members and the club.
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*I received a free copy of this book which I voluntarily chose to write an honest review for.
After meeting Jace previously he piqued my interest making me more then happy to get my hands on this book. Man has he had an interesting yet rough life. Every time he tried to get ahead people throw roadblocks in his way of he doesn’t do it himself. A chance encounter with Doc and Dax when he was younger led to his love of bikes which just may be what saves his life besides Rosie and his lady love. Fantastic getting it all from his POV. The new chapter will be quite interesting to say the least. I really liked it so I give it 4/5 stars.
4 stars
Having read all of Cooke’s Skulls books, I have come to love many of her characters but few more so than Jace. In this book we learn more of the heartbreaking backstory to this giant of a man.
Growing up in a home devoid of affection, or any true parental guidance, Jace virtually raised himself. Bigger than his peers at an early age and taunted most of his life for his looks, Jace’s anger built over the years. When his sister, Rosie, was born he found a purpose. Looking after her and being attuned to her special needs gave his life meaning and the first bit of love he’d ever experienced. With his upbringing, you’d think he might be looking for trouble but all he ever wanted was to be left alone to care for himself and his Rosie. But that didn’t mean trouble didn’t find him…
I won’t say more for fear of spoiling pieces of the story but this book is a wonderful introduction to the decisions that led this wounded man to his true family.
AnnMarie – Alphas Do It Better Book Blog
In order to really understand the continuing stories it’s better if you’ve read the previous books in the series. I really enjoyed this book. It’s more about characters than about romance. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Jace’s life and the horrible circumstances he survived to become the man he is. His story made my heart ache for all that he faced
We loved this story from beginning to end.Jessie Cooke definitely one of our top favorite MC author as she is and amazing story teller.
We loved Jace’s story it was heart felt and heart wrenching for what Jace had to go through as a young child but, regardless he did not let his past define him and he showed us just what he was capable of and that was loving someone with his whole heart something he never learned as a child because his father was nothing but, a cruel and bitter man.
Jace definitely faced trying times but, we truly believe all his trial shaped him into the man he has become.We found Jace to be loving,kind,loyal and deep down truly a good man but, that’s not to say he didn’t carry around some demons and was a little bit broken too and he could also be dark and dangerous just as the next man.We loved that through loyal friendships he has finally found a family with The Southside Skull and felt for once that it was right where he belonged and was destined to be.
We had to say that Jace had one heck of a colorful life that is for sure but, when he first met Beck for the first time he new he had found his soul mate and the one women he was destined to love and have someone love him in return.
Overall we really enjoyed getting to know Jace more in depth through his story and how as a nomad he made some really powerful friendships with both Wolf and Dax that will lead to him to have some amazing opportunities and the life he always wanted and dreamed and also he met the women he was born to love.We loved being on Jace’s adventure as it was quite the page turner and we loved it from cover to cover and everything in between.
Recommend read to all !
Jessie Cook makes me hot and bothered with her descriptions and alpha males! The author has created a character that is well developed with a mysterious and dark past. It drags you in because of all the mystery and personal issues he has been through. The feelings this author drags out of you are insane. You feel so bad for him for all he has endured in his short life. The author creates a character and plot that make a huge impact on you and your life. Family means a lot in this tale of a man who overcomes so much.
Jace Bell has been through hell in his life. He has endured a crappy, difficult childhood. He makes mistakes along the way and fails at many things, but he eventually finds his path in a crazy, fantastic ride.
One click it today!!!
This is the second book in this fantastic series, and is a background story about Jace, and the trials and tribulations, as well as a chance meeting with Doc & Dax Marshall, which changed his outlook on life, and shaped him to become the man he is today. This is a beautifully written story which is raw, gritty, thrilling, intriguing, heartbreaking, and with twists, action and love, which all had me totally enthralled throughout, and I recommend for all MC lovers.
I like all the guys in this world, but I think that there is just something special about Jace. I think that he is definitely my favorite. And I really like that Jessie Cooke went back and gave us more of his story, even after we met him and got his love story in Beck.
Jace just seems like such a really loving and sweet guy, who just happened to end up in a giant’s body. That doesn’t mean that he’s not able to pound you into bits, because he does have his rage, but he has both inside him. I felt so sorry for him and for everything that he went through as a child. His father should definitely burn in hell, and I really hope he does. But he turned into an incredibly strong and loyal man. And if anyone won that loyalty, they pretty much had a friend for life.
Great story, and I really am so glad that Jessie Cooke went back to give it to us.