³Ò²¹²µ±ðâ€� I don't fuck girls who work for me, but as soon as Amelia turns those big green eyes on me I know she's trouble. I can't keep my hands off her, and the almost-but-not-quite-sex we share in the kitchen is the hottest thing I've ever had. Except she calls it quits, before we've even started. Instead of moving on, she's all I can think about and that's bad news. I'm breaking all my rules for her, and don't even care. Until I find out who she is and what she really wants. She's after payback, but there's no way she's going to get it. No way in hell... Each book in the Viking Bastards MC series is a standalone story that can be enjoyed out of order. Series Book #1 Hooked Book #2 Payback
Christina grew up in England and spent her childhood visiting ruined castles and Roman remains and daydreaming about Medieval princesses and gallant knights. When she wasn’t lost in the past, she was searching for magical worlds in the backs of wardrobes and watching old Hammer Horrors from the safety of behind the sofa. She now lives in sunny Western Australia with her high school sweetheart and their two cats who are convinced the universe revolves around their needs. They are not wrong.
Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review
This story is some how familiar, but it also isn't. Don't want to complicate it. It sounds famimiar but there are twists and turns I didn't see coming. So not really familiar, I hope I didn't confude you.
I loved how sassy and strong Amelia is, she is the perfect match for Gage! Sometimes Gage his thought bothered me, but that's just probably guy thinking. That gift *SWOON* damn for a not knowing what he is doing he did great!
I would've loved a bit more family time and also with the mom. I don't know for me that is important.
Thank you Christina Phillips for writing this fantastic book! I hope you will write an epilogue! That's the thing the book missed.
The book takes place right after Gage's brothers. Gage and Amelia have a "past". Well actually their fathers do. There's more drama and some MC action in this book than his brothers. Plus there's plenty of hot bedroom scenes, alleys, garages and a "bad guy" to take care of. Along with some emotional angst. This one needs an epilogue too.
Now will the next book be Kat, Gage and Zach's sister, or the silent MC Hawk. My vote is for Hawk.
After reading the first book in the Viking Bastards MC series, "Hooked", I knew I would be coming back for more. This second installment did not disappoint, but it did surprise me.
The Story- Amelia comes from a family that was involved with a rival MC of the Viking Bastards. There was enough bad blood that she wants revenge, and the only way to do it is to go undercover as a bartender at Odin's. She doesn't expect her mark, Gage, to be anything like the sexy, protective guy she immediately has the feels for.
My Thoughts- This second book is definitely darker than the first one, but has all the heat and pace that this author is so good at. Toward the end, it raised my eyebrows and had me wondering about how far she was willing to go to raise the conflict stakes in the story. I'm still not sure if she crossed that line or not, but I will say that it made me think... which fun Viking MC romance/eroticas don't tend to make me do. The characters are well-rounded (with a great alpha hero) with intricate motivations, and the book reads incredibly fast. I only sort of hope that the next book in this series leans back in the "fun romp with a bad boy" direction.
The Bottom Line- If you like alpha males and MCs, this is probably your thing. If you want a quick, hot read with some emotional depth and a dose of darkness, this is right up your alley. If you want fun, hot sexytimes without the angst, I suggest the first book in this series. All that being said, I will be back for the next Viking Bastard! 3 3/4 stars
Payback was great new addition to Christina Phillips Viking Bastards MC series. I'm super picky about biker/MC romances because they typically highlight all my triggers and are not safe reads for me. If you're like me and it's hard to find a safe biker bad boy romance, I think you should take a chance on the Viking Bastards MC series. So far Phillips has introduced some rough around the edges guys with heart. I'm a huge fan of this series.
As alpha jerks go Gage is right up there with the best of them. He's cocky, he's dominant, can be pushy and hard headed but when he lays eyes on his girl, he falls big time. If you've read Hooked, you know that Gage is your typical zero-commitment never short on women kind of guy. He plays the denial game with him self but actions speak louder than words and as much as Gage avoids labeling his feelings for Amelia, the truth is always there.
For the safety gang girls, although he has a reputation for being promiscuous, once he meets Amelia there is no one else for him. It was easy to get over his past when at every turn he showed his preference for Amelia over every one before her.
As for Amelia, she's not as innocent as she appears and the choices she makes lead to your usual consequences. I liked her, she wasn't an evil mastermind or vindictive, she wasn't whiny or weak. She was loyal, caring, easily likable but not without her own flaws.
Revenge plots aren't my favorite trope in romance because it relies so heavily on miscommunication and recriminations. The blowout that results usually grinds my gears and when the truth is revealed, Payback was no different. After seeing Gage change for the better the more time he spent with Amelia, the harder it was to see him revert back to his jerk face behavior. Although his outburst was short lived (thank god!) that scene was hard to read. I was so invested in them, it broke my heart to see them lash out at each other. He does make up for it in the end and their reconciliation was adorable. It helped that they had such intense chemistry (their loves scenes were HAWT!)
So although I liked Payback and getting to know Gage and Amelia, I think Zack and Grace are still my favorite VB couple. Now I really want to go back and re-read Hooked :)
Safety: Yes, with exceptions
Ages: Amelia is 23 and Gage is 27 (neither are virgin) No Cheating Does have minor OM/OW drama: There is a club girl who tries to hit on Gage before he becomes involved with Amelia. He'd slept with her before but doesn't have any interest in a repeat performance. Amelia has some dealings with a psycho who uses her to hurt Gage and cause jealousy and Gage's TSTL moment at the end. Triggers: The confrontation scene shows Gage in a really bad light. The insults he flings out I could have really done without. It's easy to block out because what he spewed wasn't in character with the Gage we had gotten to know throughout the book. It was like a complete personality transplant. I loved the rest of the read but that scene was hard to get over. HEA/HFN: Definitely a HFN ending. No Epilogue.
I loved HOOKED, Book 1 in the Viking Bastards MC series, and was seriously anticipating book two. So when I had a chance to read an ARC of PAYBACK I was all over it! And I was not disappointed. At all. I finished it in a day and a half--and not because it was short. Nope. Once I started, it was difficult to put it down. Gage and Amelia were HOT! Lawd, were they hot. But that's not all there is to this erotic contemporary romance. The plot was great, the romance was wonderful, and the secondary characters have me clamoring for book three already. I loved Payback. Everything about it.
Amelia Davis starts working at Odin's, the bar owned by Viking Bastards MC brother, Gage Reynolds, also brother to Zach from Hooked. Her real purpose, though, is discovering if Gage and the VB are involved in illegal activities so she can turn this info over to an informant. This informant is an ex-member of the MC her father belonged to before he died at the hands of none other than Gage's father. Amelia wants the payback and justice her father never received. From the moment they met, Gage and Amelia had instant, off-the-charts chemistry between them. Gage, a known, serial hit-it-and-quit-it, finds himself taken by the new bartender and it isn't long before he's ditching his no screwing the employees rule. His attraction to her is unprecedented for him, and he can't figure out if he likes it or not. It's funny and fun reading his internal war as he explains and justifies his reactions to and actions with Amelia. Including taking her on a date. :-) Meanwhile, Amelia is conflicted. She finds herself lusting after the son of the man who killed her father--a man she she's supposed to turn into the authorities. But the info she's received on Gage doesn't really match up with the man, so she decides to abandon her idea of being a mole and quits. But Gage eventually convinces her to return to the bar, but her one condition is he keeps his hands--and his lips--to himself. What follows is a fun, sexy and emotional story of sexy times, heartbreaking confessions and two people lowering their guards to allow love in.
Because this is an erotic romance, of course there is sex. And it's hot. And it's dirty. And it's so deliciously done. :-D But also, in between the hot times, there're these moments of sweetness and sentimentality that really had me going "Oh." Also, the truth of how their pasts are connected isn't so cut and dried. This twist was really good and unexpected. Also, watching Gage fall for Amelia was one of the best things about this book--just one. 'Cause there were several. The secondary characters were so awesome I had to message the author to find out whose book was next. LOL! I guess I'll keep that secret until she's ready to tell it, but yaaay! I'm definitely a huge fan of the Viking Bastards MC series. I HIGHLY recommend Payback!
I really liked this book! A bit more of the MC side than the prior book but still not a hardcore MC read. It's sexy, rough, and full of twists that keep you turning the page. This is Gage's story. Gage is Zach's brother (Zach from the first book ). While this one can be read and enjoyed without reading the first book, it was nice to have the backstory to this family.
Amelia is looking for revenge at first. She's been told all her life that Gage's MC was responsible for her father's death. With that in mind she applies for a job at Gage's bar. Her plans quickly change once she gets to know Gage. Will the past keep these two apart or will they find a way to have a future together?
I enjoyed this one, but I think I still liked the previous book better. :-)
Gage has a rule about not sleeping with the women that works for him. But when Amelia starts working there he might just have to change his rules.
Amelia has a plan of making the people who killed her father pay. So she starts working at Gage's bar and she wants to get some payback for what happened to him.
But she didn't count on her feelings for Gage or finding out that what happened but not be so black and white.
The chemistry between these were hot and the storyline was good. I just wanted a bit more drama, but all in all a good story
Once again I say: fanfuckingtastically DEeeeelicious #TRUST
The series continues to be non motorcycle club related but also moves closer to being so. Payback brings us closer because our leading lady is also part of the world itself, but not really LOL (confused you yet?) You see, Amelia has been told this story about her late father. This story involves the Viking Bastards and their rival (or maybe not so much) MC. So she's come to get some answers and maybe a little .... payback. What she gets is a whooooooooole other story in more ways than one!
So that's all I'm gonna say on the plot because I don't want to give you all the little twist that there are but aside from that ... this woman can write some SERIOUS sexy sexy!! AND, she writes insta so very well. It's believable. It's crazy good. I love her style!
I'm not a big reader of MC books at all, but this book has probably changed that. I loved this story. Amelia looking to settle a score for her fathers death while in prison. He was part of an MC club, his counterpart of a rival club was also in prison at the time. Her fathers death was blamed on him. Her mother moved Amelia (Amy) and her two sisters away and they also took her mother's last name. They were totally isolated and abandoned by the Fathers MC club after his death. Distance. Amelia is contacted by someone from the past with word that Gage who owns Odin a bar and son of the man who allegedly killed her father is looking for help. He tells her Gage is running all kinds of illegal business and is in need of a bartender. So she applies and is hired. The minute Gage lays eyes on her is lust at first sight. Amelia keeps him at more than arms length for a really long time and I loved her. She was strong and the witty comebacks were as good as Gage's. Not to be outdone though, Gage really wants to get serious with her. He's never dated. They go on a date. He's so benign and almost clueless, but you had to love him. Amelia had long ago told Sloan (bad man) that the deal was off and she wasn't digging any dirt on them because there was no dirt to be had. There's plenty of steam in this book too once these two finally decide to do the deed. Gage is panty melting, puddle making good. When things come to a head, lies spill out, truth is buried and the whole picture becomes muddled between the two of them. You have to read the book to really get the full impact of the twists this story takes that Christina has written so well and how things unravel. No one is left innocent in this one. What a great story this was, it's honestly worth a second read. Great story Christina!! Ready for book 3!
**arc from NetGalley and Entangled in exchange for a fair review**
With as much as I liked the first book in this series, I liked this one even more! This one had more grit and MC business and still managed to keep things from getting too deep and dark.
Amelia has hated the Viking Bastards, and Axel Reynolds, for the last ten years. Ever since her mother explained to her that they were going to have to change their name and move because one of the Bastards had killed her father while he was in prison. So when she's presented with a chance to help bring them down, she jumps at it. What she doesn't expect is to fall for one of them, much less Axel's son. Except, are things the way she was led to believe? And will it matter once Gage finds out who she really is?
I don't want to say too much for fear of spoiling this for you. Just know that I loved both Amelia and Gage. His protectiveness and possessiveness and her ability to realize and accept that things don't have to turn out like she thought all her life. We got a WHOLE bunch more of the MC guys in here...Ty and Hawk, and honestly I can't wait to see Kat fall in love. I hope Gage and Zach give her tons of grief ;)
Bring on more Viking Bastards cause I can't wait!
*thanks to Tasty Book Tours and Entangled Publishing for sharing a copy of this with me*
What-a-follow-up. Yes, it was good. Dark. Intense. Hot. Deep. Amelia. Gage. Secrets. Passion. Lust. Revenge/Payback. Depends on your own viewpoint. Amelia sets in motion the payback she felt that she deserved. That was until she had a chance to meet and assess the accused. Things change all around for both Amelia and Gage.
I enjoyed book one, Hooked. It all carried over to the enjoyment of book two, Payback. Christian has given a second hot, sexy, alpha male to fall in love with and his match. Reading book one was not necessary to get satisfaction from book two, although it did provide a family dynamic to follow as it relates to Gage.
Revenge! Well, at least some satisfaction, that's what Amelia is looking for when she agrees to spy on the Viking Bastards MC to try to catch them in some of their illegal activities - payback since she believes that Gage Reynold's deceased father was the man responsible for her own father's death. Not that her father was squeaky clean, an enforcer for the Wolves, but she loved him. Getting a part time job at the Bastards bar Odin's is the first step to her plan - and puts her right smack dab in the eyes and eventually arms of Gage who runs the place. Gage is intrigued by his new bartender and though he usually enforces a no fraternization policy with the help, his attraction to Amelia overrules that. Amelia's conscience makes her take things slowly, trying to keep distance between her and Gage. It doesn't work and soon enough they are engaged in a heated affair. But a relationship of secrets never lasts long - will her plan for revenge backfire when Gage finds out the truth of who she is and destroy any chance of them reaching a happy ending together?
I enjoyed the first story in this series and have been looking forward to reading more about this Motorcycle Club featuring tough guys with heart. I really liked the characters here, and felt like Gage was true to his upbringing and his place in the club. Loyalty is key, but so is family and he has a good relationship with his brother Zach (hero of book 1 ) and his sister Kat (whom I hope will get her own story!). Amelia and Gage are both familiar with life in the club, though Amelia's mother left that life when her husband died so Amelia has had a more 'normal' life since, while Gage is still fully immersed in it. The truth of what happened between Amelia and Gage's father is at the crux of Amelia's decision to look for revenge, but she soon discovers it isn't as straightforward as she's always believed.
I liked Amelia's character too, her beliefs about Gage changing as she discovers he's not the man she believed him to be, but someone better. She and Gage are clearly attracted to each other from the start, and they share some very steamy scenes together. Since it's a novella length story, we go from insta-lust to insta-love quite quickly and there is the requisite reveal of secrets to make Gage question how deep his feelings for Amelia go (spoiler - pretty deep). All in all it's an easy read with likeable characters, hot sexy scenes and a happy ending for the couple. Looking forward to reading more in the series!
A copy of this story was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for review.
This book was provided to me via Netgallery in exchange for my honest opinion. I am a big reader of MC books and this one did not disappoint. I have never read this author before and I will definitely read more. For those that do not like a lot of violence in some MC books, this book is for you. All of the Alpha Male goodness and a sassy female lead, and is very light on violence (think bar type fights). Gage is all the things you want in a male lead: cocky, arrogant, sexy as sin and bossy. Amelia (Amy) is everything I like in a heroine: smart, sassy and doesn't do as she is told. They are perfect for each other. The plot has some turns that I did not see coming but has the HEA we all expect.
I enjoyed Hooked and readily accepted Payback when it was offered for review. I like that Phillips gives us alpha male motorcycle club men without the baggage of a traditional MC groups� treatment of women. Because her relationships take place mostly outside of the club activities, the dynamics between Gage and Amelia are those of any other modern couple.
Amelie, aka Amy, quickly realizes taking the job at Gage’s bar to help her get revenge on the MC that killed her dad isn’t going to work since she’s so attracted to Gage. Gage though isn’t ready for her to quit working with him. Of course, the story she’s always heard about her dad’s murder isn’t correct and her “enemies� are not the bad guys she expects. While she’s getting more information to support this conclusion, she’s falling for Gage. She understands the biker world making her far more comfortable with his buddies and at the their club house than most girls would be. It’s all a very interesting dynamic at play.
I really liked Hooked, with Gage’s brother Zach and his unlikely rich girl Grace but I liked Gage and Amy even more. They share more because of their familial MC histories and they’re in more similar places in their lives. The divide between them is not extraordinary and therefore it’s easier to imagine them coming together.
Smoking sex, interesting characters and enough tension to keep the reader wondering how the story will play out make this another good read from Christina Phillips.
3.5 stars ARC provided by publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoy MC books however I had not read any in the Viking Bastards MC series. This is the second book in the series. Even having not read the first book I was not behind or confused. But I do now need to go back and read the first one.
This is the story of Gage and Amelia. Amelia is out for revenge over the murder of her father. The key to that revenge is getting close to Gage, the murders son. However, it doesn't take Amelia long to decide she cannot go thru with it and the info she got on Gage cannot be correct.
Gage doesn't have girlfriends, however there is something about Amelia that he cannot deny himself of, so soon he realizes he is ready to change everything in order to keep her. However when pasts and secrets come to life it is their choices that may break them apart.
This is a pretty quick read, and I really liked these characters. There is a little angst but not much just a hot romance with bikers. Whats not to like about that.
This book was just okay for me. I enjoyed the twist of what really happened vs what everyone thought had happened. I don't really see this as a true MC book though because very little involved the current MC. It was more about what happened in the past and with MCs that weren't active in this book.
Not a bad book overall. I liked that both characters fought what they felt for the other person.
Ooooh are bad boy MC romances the dirty kind of fun.
Amelia is on a mission to take down the man who's father murdered her own...only she didn't count on him being so goregous, and sexy..and sweet. Gage has a rule: he doesn't mess with the girls that work in his bar. But one look at Amelia and he knows it's game over: she's his.
These two are hot-hot-hot! Gage is bad boy to the core and oh does he bring that to the bedroom when it comes to Amelia. He'll do and say anything to get her to fall for him. He should know better, that people aren't always what they seem.
When Amelia realizes she's been taken for a fool by one of Gage's enemies, she's stunned at Gage's violent reaction to learning her truth. If she can learn to forgive Gage for his family's past, how will he learn to forgiver her for wanting payback?
Hot hot hot read and definitely filled with edge-of-the-seat tension! I hope there will be more of these Viking bikers!
It was darker yet so appealing and captivating. Payback was a great book with a very hot, sexy romance between what would consider rival characters. Amelia and Gage are definitely going to stick in my mind for sometime to come. We also have some really wonderful secondary characters which I'm sure will continue over to the next book. After reading books like this one I am hopefully addicted to the MC books. I can't wait to see what happens next.
I don't f*ck girls who work for me, but as soon as Amelia turns those big green eyes on me I know she's trouble. I can't keep my hands off her, and the almost-but-not-quite-sex we share in the kitchen is the hottest thing I've ever had. Except she calls it quits, before we've even started.
Instead of moving on, she’s all I can think about and that's bad news. I'm breaking all my rules for her, and don't even care.
Until I find out who she is and what she really wants. She's after payback, but there's no way she's going to get it. No way in hell...
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REVIEW: 3.5 stars--PAYBACK is the second installment in Christina Phillips� contemporary, adult VIKING BASTARDS MC erotic, romance series focusing on the men and women of the Viking Bastards MC. This is MC member and bar owner Gage Reynolds, and waitress/romance novelist Amelia Davis-Crane’s story line. PAYBACK can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story line is revealed where necessary.
Told from dual first person points of view (Gage and Amelia) PAYBACK follows waitress and romance writer Amelia Davis-Crane as she plots revenge against the MC that destroyed her life and sent her family in to hiding. Years earlier, Amelia’s father, a member of the Silver Wolve’s MC was killed in prison by a member of the Viking Bastards MC, and our heroine is determined to make them pay. When someone from the past demands Amelia ferret out some information about the Viking Bastards MC, Amelia finds herself working for the very man she is hoping to take down. Enter Gage Reynolds, Odin’s bar owner and member of the Viking Bastards MC, and the man with whom Amelia will fall in love. What ensues is the building relationship between Gage and Amelia, and the fall out when the truth is finally revealed.
Amelia Davis only knows what her mother has told her about the man she once worshipped-Hank Crane, an MC enforcer, was imprisoned to protect the Silver Wolves MC and lost his life at the hands of a Viking Bastard member. On the run, and unaware that the family had moved into enemy territory, Amelia plots revenge against the son of the man who destroyed her father’s life.
Gage Reynolds doesn’t do relationship; his reputation as a ‘manwhore� precedes his introduction to our story line heroine but something about Amelia calls to Gage’s heart. Amelia refuses to give into her attraction to our leading hero, and in this, Gage is determined to win Amelia over with something more than a one-night stand. The $ex scenes are intimate and intense. Gage likes to talk dirty in the bedroom.
The world building focuses on Amelia’s need for revenge but secrets, lies, and a vendetta from the past destroy Amelia’s relationship with the man that she loves, and forces Gage to push away the woman that calls to his heart.
We are introduced to a number of the Viking Bastards MC including the reappearance of Gage’s brother –Zach Reynolds (Hooked #1), their sister Kat, and cousin Tod. The requisite evil is a member of the Silver Wolves who uses our story line heroine to destroy the rival MC.
PAYBACK is a story of secrets, lies, betrayal and revenge. There are moments of romance and love; hurt and sorrow; forgiveness and moving on from the past. The premise is revealing; the characters are spirited and flawed; the romance is sexy and spicy. Once again, like in the first book HOOKED, I was hoping for a little more grit, danger, and conflict but the premise focuses on the relationship and reveals very little about the Viking Bastards MC and their current work and struggles.
Reviewed @ Review copy kindly provided by author in exchange for a honest review
Payback can be sweet revenge. But in Philip’s latest MC romance things don’t go exactly to plan for Amelia daughter of a dead rival MC club member. Guided by the past , Amelia decides to seek revenge on the Vikings MC clubs and finds her falling for Gage her target . One of the Reynolds we got to introduced into the previous book. He happens to be her new boss and member of the Vikings who knows her past history to well.
Their shared history goes back ten years and though they have never meet. Their lives have between intertwined since then though Amelia doesn’t know the full picture and how things were ad now . Until now when Amelia walks into Odin and gets hired. She isn’t the typical girl that Gage goes for and that what makes things exciting for him.
Now Gage isn’t one to muck around and things get hot and quick fast. With Zach happily settled, things fall to him. He isn’t one to shy away from things and he isn’t afraid to tell Amelia want he wants. She driving him crazy and he doesn’t know why. As she straight laced despite working in bars and waitress. Plus she isn’t afraid to take a step back and let him beg for her.
It an interesting mix and Gage is thrown for tail spin. However Amelia may be liking what Gage has to offer but the past and need for payback is why she is here in the first place.
It is going to take some fast talking and hard loving for Gage to win Amelia and stop her. Is ready for a commitment and show her that she doesn’t need a good boy to satisfy her.
Gage and the Viking Bastards are slowly winning me over. Whilst not the most typical MC romance in the market, Philip does deliver another solid book to her Viking Bastard series , as another Reynolds finds their happily ever after with some bumps along the way. It definitely darker then the first but still it is far from the norm. Philip’s has something good going here with these characters and I can’t wait to see where she goes next.
As I didn’t expect to have the combination that we did with Amelia . The way she was written was honest and more truthful then some other portrayals I have seen . The whole idea of payback isn’t something that is written into the foundations of MC romance and I have seen it done time after time again. Philip’s brought an interesting take and fans will enjoy this latest instalement For more of my reviews, visit .And drop by the blog's
This is another fabulous instalment in this series, sexy, sensual and I devoured every word as we meet the woman that is going to stand up to Gage Reynolds and that she does, Amelia Davis is feisty and she knows how to look after herself, sit back and enjoy this one it is a real page turner.
We met Gage in the first book in this series tough Viking Bastard biker who runs the bar The Odin woman are good for one thing in his eyes that is until he meets Amelia when she is hired to work in the bar he is gobsmacked when he first meets her and having relationships with his staff is off limits so he is going to need to sack her so as he can have her in other ways but after a doozy of a time in the kitchen Gage is hooked or will complications come between them.
Amelia takes the job in the bar firstly she needs the money but more so to do some undercover work not for the books she writes although there could be a few men to help in that aspect but because of the death of her father Silver Wolves biker ten years before, she has been led to believe from a past acquaintance that something is going down. But when she meets her boss Gage well let say that all bets are off as she gets to know him and their time together in bed and out is off the charts until trouble arrives.
I loved both Gage and Amelia boy can she stand up to him I love her comebacks to him she is strong, feisty and gutsy and Gage has never felt this way about a woman before he has no idea what she is doing to him or who she really is, you see both of their fathers had a past and this is about to blow their relationship sky high, or will love bring them together? So many secrets to uncover and there is a lot of humour as well as fabulous banter throughout this one, I do highly recommend this one what a story woohoo thank you MS Phillips this one is a keeper.
Amelia is out for vengeance. Her chosen weapon is her mouth, used to brand information that should for sure put the Bastards (Viking, that is) responsible for her dad’s death away for a long time. Thanks to her father’s brother (by association of the MC), she was finally getting justice. Gage doesn’t shit in his own backyard. No way he’d want to have to deal with that mess. He has a bar to run; but when he gets a look at Amelia, he knows he’ll have trouble following his own rules. Good thing for him he’s the boss. In this 2nd to the Viking Bastards series (after Hooked, which I loved), Phillips has continued her gift of packing a lot in a few pages. This is no novella, but it is short, sensual, and full of fire. The brutality of MC life is hinted at, without taking the spotlight. Gage is rough, but has a sweet side, despite his protests to the contrary. I like Amelia’s strength. She understands what he is, and what a life with him could entail; but she explores her wild side anyway. Although the decision can be considered questionable, its also admirable. The relationship starts out being based on sex. They quickly connect to one another, but under the surface, they genuinely like each other. The flames do fly high when it comes to sex, but Phillips has a way of making the kink seems like something special, even before it is. Weird, but true. Sort of like a right of passage to the heart. I was glad to get a bit of Zach (and Grace was mentioned). I wished there had been a little more relationship development for Gage and Amelia � don’t get me wrong, I like them both. However, their relationship wasn’t as…well…developed as well as Zach and Grace’s. I do love Phillips writing style. The dialogue is my favorite part. Raw, real, and to the point. Just like life.
Gage has a strict rule running his business, and that's no one sleeps with anyone that works for him, including him. And he's always gone by the book, until the day a new employee starts. He can't get Amelia's big green eyes out of his head, and his attraction to her is making him crazy. So it doesn't take long for his ultimate rule to become seriously blurry. Amelia has been part of the MC life growing up, so she knows how it works, although she doesn't disclose this fact to Gage. She's started working at his bar for payback, pure and simple, so she can't let him get in her head. However, she can't stay away from him, and the more she gets to know him, the more things don't make sense. This was my first Christina Phillips book, and I'M HOOKED 100%! Payback is a super fast paced story that kept my heart racing the entire time. And I was fully invested with Amelia the feisty, who really entertained me, and Gage as well, although I did want to shake him a time or two. Together they almost short circuited my kindle with their BLAZING HEAT, and I can say that panties will never be the same. Ms. Phillips had a talented writing style that captured all of my attention cover to cover, and honestly, I NEVER wanted it to end. There are twists everywhere, so be prepared for loud f-bomb dropping, and on the flip side, the well placed humor kept me laughing hard. I absolutely CANNOT WAIT to read more by this amazing author, and in all of my new fan girl gushing, I HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
When your whole life has revolved around getting revenge, the moment it comes to be can seem unreal. This is where we meet Amelia, a young woman determined to right the wrongs done to her family by the biker gang Viking Bastards. Every decision she's made in life has brought her to the opportunity she's been waiting for. She finally has an in to take them down from the inside and inflict maximum payback. But her first day at the job that will bring her everything she needs to pay them back, she meets Gage. Gage just happens to be the president of Viking Bastards and the one person she wants to cause the most damage to, that is until she meets him and panties melt to the floor. What do you do when you can't resist the one man you want to take down? Amelia takes us along for this wild ride from revenge to lust and everything in between. This was an easy read that I loved. Amelia shares her inner thoughts and plans while you also get the open thoughts of Gage to complete the whole package. Watching these two tango around each and the passion they share pulls you completely in and makes for a story that captivates you as you read. See where payback will get you, especially when your heart is involved. 4/5
Payback by Christina Phillips was on my list of books on my radar in May, and was it a great pick?
I loved everything about it! Both Amy and Gage are strong, well-developed characters, with ideas of what they'd like but fall for what they really want. Neither one expects the twists life has in store for them until they're faced with the shocking reality they've fallen heads-over-heels with their enemy and there's not much they can do about it.
The way in which Gage struggles to make sense of the things Amy makes him feel is touching and hilarious at the same time. He has no clue how to deal with his feelings and tries his best in the only ways he knows how.
Amy knows whose son Gage is, but she changes her mind about him and the reason she's there the moment she meets him. I think her attraction for him and his for her is off the charts. The chemistry between the two is fantastic. She's funny in her own way. She's fully aware of what she's getting into, and what I like most about her is how she isn't afraid to give Gage a piece of her mind.
I'm not a fan of MC, I just can't buy into the brotherhood thing and all, but this was a fabulous read. Payback was a lot more fun that I'd expected it to be.
Another drama filled visit with the MC! There's just something about these guys that really gets to me ... they're supposed to be big, bad and tough, but when they meet the right woman who finally takes them off the market to all the clubhouse girls, they turn into protective teddy bears. :) On the lighter side of MC's, but lots of fun to read!
Amelia Davis has been waiting for revenge for practically half of her life, but when she sets out to get it, it doesn't work out like she planned. She can't believe some of the info she was fed, and decides it's not worth it in the end ... but her original plan comes back to bite her!
Gage Reynolds grew up in the MC, and he's happy that it's his way of life. He has owned Odin's bar for a few years now and when he meets the newest hire, he's not happy. Amelia sets him on fire the second he lays on her. He has rules ... he doesn't screw his employees ... but he's thinking to break that rule just for her!
What starts as one night turns into much more as they both find something more in each other than they ever expected. When Gage finds out the secrets she's been keeping, will there be a way to rectify what's been done?
•E²Ô±ð³¾¾±±ð²õ? WoW! Not what I expected when I started reading this book, but what a totally awesome read! You don't know what will happen when you fall in love, have your world ripped out from under you because of the lies you've been told, and then don't know where to turn or what to do! That's exactly what happens between Gage and Amelia. To find out how their story pans out you'll have to read PAYBACK. I haven't read HOOKED (Viking Bastards #1) YET, but I'm going too. Each storey is its own standalone that coincides with the MC, I can't wait to read more. This was also my first Christiana Phillips book, but it won't be my last. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC copy of this book via Tasty Book Tours through NetGalley for an honest blog tour review. Due to sexual and adult situations this novel is recommended for readers 18 and older.
This is the second book in the Viking Bastards MC series and Christina Phillips definitely delivers a gritty, hot revenge story! There's almost an instant connection between bad boy Gage and the fiery Amelia. Although Gage isn't lacking in scorching alpha male possessiveness, he's still actually kind of sweet with Amelia. Poor Amelia has a lot of weight on her shoulders but I loved how strong she was! The story is full length but still not super long, it's fast paced and packed with steamy scenes, twists and turns and lots of witty banter. I actually wanted it to be longer! I would've loved more interaction between Gage and Amelia especially in the beginning before they FINALLY get together. I think it would have built up their relationship more. Told from dual POVs with a happy ending. I received, read and voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.
Payback was such a good read and a wonderful second book in the Viking Bastard MC series. While I liked the first novel “Hooked�, after reading Payback I can’t wait to see what comes next. While the novel was darker than the first one, it also had plenty of heat, even pace, and deep emotions. I loved the writing style and all the characters were likeable. Amelia starts out with revenge and avenging in mind but she quickly changes her mind when she meets the hero. Gage is sexy, funny, and protective who’s focus is his brothers and the brotherhood of the MC, that is until he meets the heroine. Priorities change all the time and Payback is a beautifully written novel of characters with evolving priorities. This novel is an easy 5 star read.
(ARC provided by NetGalley and Entangled Publishing in exchanged for an honest review)