Mackenzie Valentine is wilful, fiery, and determined to prove she doesn’t need anyone. Desperate to break free from the over-protective parents and three older brothers who dictate her every move, she runs away at the age of seventeen to hunt down the only boy who makes her feel alive.
Jake Romero has no choice but to leave the best thing that ever happened to him, taking him down a path that leads to notorious gang, the King Street Boys. When fate throws Mackenzie back in his life, he turns her away in her time of need, knowing he now lives a life in which she doesn’t belong. Except his decision has shattering consequences, leading to secrets, lies, and the ultimate betrayal.
Years later, their lives continue to entwine, and when his past returns demanding retribution, Mackenzie intervenes and gets caught in the crossfire, leaving behind a devastation that no one sees coming. Can their relationship withstand the hell it’s endured, or is it too late for love?
18+ Recommended. Contains adult language and themes.
ARC received for an honest review
Sweet baby cheeses and all that is holey! It has been a bit of a wait for Give Me Hell, but well worth it!
Mac Valentine has always been a bit of a favourite of mine. I love her snark and fight and don't give a f&*k attitude, and would like to think that we would be fantastic friends.
I loved going back and reading her story from the past right up to today. We know about her as the manager of Jamieson, but holy tears, Batman! What we learn had my heart breaking.
I don't want to give away anything about what happens - you wouldn't believe me if I told you anyway - but you have been warned! Curve ball after curve ball will be thrown your way.
I loved the family dynamics between the Valentines, loved that it wasn't all Leave It To Beaver perfect families, but when push came to shove, family is family, no matter what.
I was hooked from the first word to the last. Give Me Hell is a fast paced, action packed hell of a ride and I didn't want to get off.
Give Me More, Ms McCarthy!
Mac Valentine has always been a bit of a favourite of mine. I love her snark and fight and don't give a f&*k attitude, and would like to think that we would be fantastic friends.
I loved going back and reading her story from the past right up to today. We know about her as the manager of Jamieson, but holy tears, Batman! What we learn had my heart breaking.
I don't want to give away anything about what happens - you wouldn't believe me if I told you anyway - but you have been warned! Curve ball after curve ball will be thrown your way.
I was hooked from the first word to the last. Give Me Hell is a fast paced, action packed hell of a ride and I didn't want to get off.
Give Me More, Ms McCarthy!
With a
low chuckle I roll over on my bed to eyeball the stolen file that I’d slapped on my bedside table last night before crashing. I’m feeling rather pleased with myself until my gaze encounters Jake.
My gleeful chortle dies a quick death.
He’s leaning against my bedroom wall, bare-chested, arms folded, and
wearing nothing but a pair of black boxer-briefs and a furious glare.
My gaze
drops to the bed where Jake has laid out the black beanie used to cover my pale
hair, and the black leather gloves that kept my fingerprints from any surface I
came in contact with.
Fuck.
The sun is streaming in through the blinds and I know it must be late morning
already. Clearly I’d forgotten to set the morning
alarm. A rookie mistake. And now I need to get past the gauntlet that is Jake
and somehow get the file to Casey before he enacts his own plan to retrieve it.
My eyes
flick up, meeting his. “Morning,” I say coolly.
His jaw
ticks. “Care to explain?”
Jake’s car keys rest on top of the report file and I know he’s seen them. Not only had I performed a break and enter last night, I
had also added car theft to my criminal repertoire. Explaining that will likely
cause my untimely death. I pretend to consider his question for a moment. “Not really.”
Jake
pushes off from the wall and moves toward the bed, bringing him closer. “Well you’re going to.”
“No,” I say,
casually sliding across the mattress and away from Jake. “Not today. I have things to—”
Putting
one knee on the bed, Jake leans across and grabs the back of my long-sleeved
shirt in his fist. He yanks and the distinct sound of a riiipppppp renders the
air.
“My shirt,” I gasp as I fly through the air, landing on my back on the mattress
with a hard bounce.
“I don’t give a rat’s fucking ass about your shirt,” he growls, straddling my body.
His hard
thighs trap me in place and his hands pin mine to the bed. Moving will likely
end with a cracked rib.
Jake
leans his face down until I can’t look anywhere but in his eyes. “You can start with why you’re dressed like a thieving little
bandit.”
“Because I stole your car.”
“Why did you steal my car?”
“Because I couldn’t get a cab.”
I
actually considered calling for a taxi but then my movements would be on public
record, easily placing me at the scene. I’d had to rule it out.
“Stop leading me in circles,
Princess, and spit it the fuck out. What did you do?”
I huff
deeply, letting my frustration out. Jake isn’t going to just let this go. It
leaves me with two choices. Lie or be honest. I chose door number two, because
while I sometimes keep things from Jake, he doesn’t deserve
outright deceit.
I spill
out my early hours adventure, rethinking my choice of honesty as he sits back
on the bed, his fury a slow-building thunderstorm.
There’s silence for a tense moment when I finish speaking.
“You committed a felony,” he says in a soft voice. I’m not fooled by the tone. His
anger is a barely leashed lion. “And you used my car to do it.”
My lips
press in a thin line. I hadn’t thought that particular
implication through, and now I’m angry at myself. “I’m sorry.”
His
expression narrows to one of vengeful retribution. “Oh you’ll be sorry.”
“I will?”
“When I paddle your fucking ass.”
“Jake—”
“Shut it,” he growls, his voice rising. “You broke into a detective’s house. You stole her property. You—”
“Casey’s property,” I mutter.
“Don’t interrupt
me when I’m explaining your stupidity to you.”
ALSO IN THE GIVE ME SERIES
Kate
McCarthy is an Australian, living in the pretty sunshine state of
Queensland with her two kids and two dogs, Rufus and Pete.
She
loves to bake sweet stuff and eat it too. With an exciting degree in
business, she works as an accountant by day, and an author
by night. In between family life, she is most often found in bed
reading, or at the beach, still reading.
