Ride For Me (North Shore Crew Book 1)

Ride For Me is a second chance at love story set in New Zealand. Both lead characters, Lily McMillan and Gage Westbrook, have emotional backgrounds however it is Gage who is truly, truly hurting and unprepared for love this time around. His thoughts sum it up…’I wasn’t meant to want, to crave, to feel ever again.’

This author uses very descriptive expressions and meaningful sentences to clearly build images of each scene. Both lead characters tell the story from their own perspective, each character develops as the story continues and as we get to know them better we understand why they act and react the way they do. Their brutal self honesty is very refreshing too.

This is a slow burn romance in one way yet quick in another. Then there is the suspense element that has you guessing and wondering who is behind the scare tactics. The action is intense and has you on the edge of your seat, I literally couldn’t put the book down at this stage.

The story has a good dose of humour with the fun banter between characters zipping back and forth and zany antics of the crew. This balances the more serious elements which forms much of the book. I warn you though, you will laugh out loud, you will cringe with fear, you with get angry and you will probably cry BUT I am positive you will enjoy this amazing story just as much as I did!

A new to me author, VR Baucke turned out to be quite a surprise. A story of second chances, Gage has experienced great loss and sorrow and decides to stop wallowing in his life and move with his cousin to work in his Uncle’s construction business. What he was not prepared for was the “crew” that his cousin Mace was part of and I do not mean his work crew. Mace and his friends shared a deep bond. They were there for each other through thick and thin. He was most taken by Mace’s friend Lil and her fiery spirit. Lil had also suffered from loss of love and her self esteem took a blow as well. When she met Gage, she was not sure why but he set her nerves on fire. The two of them “danced around each other” until the draw was too much. They must face some trials in order to see where this attraction will lead them. I was drawn into the suspense and steam that woven through this story. I look forward to Book 2!

VR Baucke did a great job on this story. Ride For Me was a great story, it was well written and had a great plot that was filled with so many feelings. Lil and Gage were strong characters, both have been through so much in their lives. Lil, you instantly loved her, the girl is fierce, one tough cookie. Gage and Lil were good for each other, they made a strong pair, the completed each other in a way that both needed. The connection was strong and their chemistry was sexy. They were great together. I’d suggest reading this story, it was great.
Thank you, VR Baucke. Great work 🙂

First off, this entire crew is absolutely amazing and I’m just going come out in say it now, but Mace is my favorite and I already want to claim him. Now, onto Mace’s cousin, Gage, and his best friend, Lil.
This book starts 4 months in the future so the prologue is a little confusion but it all makes sense as you read through the rest of the story. Thinking back to the prologue after finishing the book, it truly breaks my heart to know what happened.
I absolutely love Lil. As Mace puts it, she is hell on wheels. The girl is feisty and she gives as good as she gets. Though under that tough exterior she is broken, she has had her heart broken in a terrible way. She doesn’t give her heart easily or to just anyone. She is also a total badass, a fighter and stronger than she realizes. Gage is rough, rugged and has a total bad boy vibe, but he is also hiding his past, his heart break. He doesn’t want to be attracted with Lil, but he also can’t deny their chemistry.
This book had me on the edge of my seat and I may have yelled at my kindle telling those men to hurry up! You’ll understand exactly what I mean once you’ve read the story.
Gage and Lil are two people who have experienced loss and pain in the past and they found each other when they both needed it most and were able to mend their hearts and break down the walls they both built up for themselves. But will the past destroy everything they built?
This story was unexpected. It had laughs, it had steaminess, it had drama and it had unexpected suspense. There are twists and turns you may not necessarily suspect and that is what makes this story stand out.
I CAN NOT wait for the rest of this series and to learn more about the others in the crew!

Getting to know The Crew in Ride For Me is quite a nail biting experience. These characters are so easy to fall in love with, relate to and I felt as though I was one of them.
They are simply perfection.
All throughout this novel I was caught giggling or in absolute fits of laughter, amazed by their bond and loyalty and totally blown away by the events VR Baucke has conjured up to make such an exquisite read.
My favourite parts were upon hitting those anticipating, heart throbbing scenes that have you so far gone your chest hurts! I simply couldn’t keep my emotions in check.
For anyone wanting suspense, romance, laughter and amazing twists then I highly recommend this novel for you.

Gage Westbrook is a broken man who has moved to a new town looking for a fresh start. When he is thrown into his cousin Mace’s group known as The Crew, the last thing he expected was to meet someone who could potentially make him whole again. Lily McMillan is a woman who had her heart ripped out and stomped on by the man who she thought would be her forever. When she lays eyes on her good friend Mace’s cousin she wasn’t expecting to feel an intense connection. Will these two be able to put together their broken pieces or is their relationship doomed before it even starts?

5/5 Stars

Ride For Me (North Shore Crew #1) by Vi Summers

This is the first book I’ve read by the author. Summers sure knows how to captivate the reader’s attention. I was hooked from the beginning.

Lil is the twin of Mickey(Josh). When she meets Gage she isn’t sure what to make of him. He kisses her one second, but pushes her away the next second. As time passes on things get better between them. The quote I chose for Lil is: “F*** you, Jono, you sicko. They’ll find me soon, then you’ll be sorry you set your hands on me.”

Gage moved up from his hometown to get away from the past. When he meets Lil and falls hard for her he doesn’t know what to do. The quote I chose for Gage is: “Just over three years ago, I was in a relationship that…ended…very abruptly. It wasn’t expected, and some days I feel like I haven’t gotten over it at all. But what you need to know is that I haven’t been in a relationship of any sort since then. Even the mere thought used to make me physically sick. I never wanted to have a relationship again. Ever again. I just, I don’t know what it is about you, but you…F***. For whatever reason, I’m drawn to you no matter how much I don’t want to be. You’re like the dawn of a new day after a thousand years spent in darkness; the very place I’ve become accustomed to living in. You would never be ‘just another notch on my belt’, as you put it, and it’s hard to ignore what naturally seems to be between us. Plus, it’s baffling the hell out of me. What’s even more confusing is that I’m not even sure I want to ignore it. I just don’t f***ing know.”

Highly recommended for Romantic Suspense lovers.

Lil and Gage have that special something that most grown women dream of, wish for, and deem ‘relationship goals.’ Despite their previous relationships that ended in tragedy, and the initial need to fight that zing that they both feel, they cautiously explore a friendship, and recognize the potential that could have them be so much more. I felt as though Vi Summers did an amazing job introducing the reader on The North Shore Crew members, their different connections, and the lifelong friendships that they’ve shared. They are each other’s chosen family, and the drama and growth that each of them goes through and their support system leaves the reader wanting and appreciating their friendships as well. I absolutely adore the connection that Lil and her brother Josh ‘Mickey’ share, how we see how the two main characters deal with their own grief and losses, and encourage the reader to be stronger, and to appreciate the little things.

The only thing was that I felt as though the book was a wee bit long. The first half does tend to drag a bit, only because it’s a lot of build up to Lil and Gage’s HEA. Once you hit the 50% mark, things start to really pick up, and the reader is drawn in, if anything like me, and finishing the remainder of the book in one sitting. There are a lot of raw emotions, some graphic events, lots of love, care, and sincerity. A++ from this avid reader, very much looking forward to indulging in more by this author, specifically Break for Me, where we’ll get to dive into Mace and Jess’s adventure!

Power packed with emotion! This book gets you from the start. Gage and Lil both come into the story with history. Written with amazingly well -written characters, the plot keeps you engaged with the main and supporting characters. They will go through good times, rough times and very challenging times. What makes the relationship is that they come through it together. They are there to support each other and get through it. The crew is all there for each other. This is one heck of book. I can’t wait to get out and get the rest of the series. Ms. Summers can write books that keep you locked in. Highly recommend.

The first book in The North Shore Crew series, Ride for Me by Vi Summers has you hooked from the very first chapter! The book started out a bit confusing due to the prologue being set four months in the future, but as the book continues everything slowly started to make sense and made me want to keep reading it more and more.

The perfect ‘opposites attract’ friends to lovers story, Lil and Gage have both dealt with heartache and loss, making an interesting spin on the story. There were definitely times that I was tempted to yell at my phone as I was reading it, getting frustrated with the men in the story. If you read it, you’ll know what I’m talking about.

This was my first read by Vi Summers, but certainly won’t be my last! I am excited to eventually read the other books in this series.