In Burn It Up, the Desert Dogs have been boiled down to a small group of men who meet once in a while around a kitchen table to talk about almost nonexistent business. Casey Grossier, who was once a wild member of the Desert Dogs, has now settled down to owning a bar and occasionally riding his motorcycle for excitement. Abilene Price and her baby have been taken in and are living on the ranch. Her baby's father, James Ware, is being released from prison, and Abilene expects trouble from him. She warns Casey and his friends about this terrible man who may come and try to take her baby.
After an interesting beginning, this story turns into a long, drawn out story about a woman with what seems to be a sexual addiction who can't seem to make a decision or a commitment, and judges others without considering that her own life has been littered with problems, many which were of her own making.
This book is a disappointment and terribly overrated. ( )

I read this book not knowing it's the latest in a series....that being said I found it easy to catch up on who's who and how they fit together.
That being said, Casey is a trip...trying to leave his past behind and become a "better man" while worrying if he's going to go off the bend like his mom has. Should he get involved further with Abilene and baby Mercy when there's a chance he won't remember them in a few years? And what of this no more running from responsibility and putting others before himself. His old partner, Emily, wants him to do "just one more" job and then she'll leave him alone. While I knew it wasn't exactly legal I didn't come close to guessing what it is he used to do. He did consider doing this last job, but only as a way to get money for Abilene to get her little dream house and maybe go to school. Once again, putting others before himself.
Now Abilene, not her real name, is....well she's sort of...um...okay straight up she's annoying and a hypocrite. She's running scared from her ex (who's just getting out of prison) and letting everyone think it's because he's abusive. WRONG, he knows her secrets and is afraid he will spill the beans then no one will stand by her and her baby will be taken away. When they do talk James, the ex, tells her he basically wants to be sure the baby is safe with her....an ex-heroin addict who's known for running from her problems as much as being one to deny there is any problem. She convinces him that she is changing. That having a baby has made her realize that she needs to grow up, change her way of doing things, and stop falling for the wrong kind of men...criminals to be exact. He wants to help her and his kid but she won't take "dirty" money so now it's up to him to find a legal job to be able to help them.
Here is where I have issue with Abilene and her small mindedness. I will cut her a small break after finding out she was raised in a strict religious household and broke free. Going a little wild would seem reasonable. Now she's trying to grow up and be the best she can for her daughter, also admirable. The "guidelines" she has for the man she is going to let into her life seem ...well as rigid as the home life she ran away from.
Casey falls hard for her and for the first time in his life decides to share what he did and why. Instead of being forgiving and trying to reason with him, she gets her panties in a twist and tells him they can not be together and that eventually she hopes they can go back to being friends. Okay... hold the phone...here you are talking about not being able to handle the secrets he voluntarily gave you because he cares and didn't want those secrets to come between you yet you haven't shared with him the fact that Abilene isn't your real name. That you have a shady past and are not the innocent girl you look like. AND with all your talk of feeling a need to have your crucifix back to be able to possibly rebuild your relationship with God you condemn Casey for his sins...oh let he who isn't without sin cast the first stone. Obviously you forgot some pretty important lessons you were taught as a kid. UGH...just wanted to slap some sense into her.
Add to all their drama...a man creeping around the Triple C at night, a fire and a death that hurts just to think about it. Poor Miah!
Yes they do get their HEA but I don't know if I'm that happy about it. Takes her a long time to "wake up" to what a wonderful man her and Mercy have in Casey and the fact that love changes everything. For the last part of the book I thought Casey was too damned good for her judgmental ass and if he wasn't so heartbroken he'd be better off without her....but what would he do without baby Mercy whom he's come to love as his own.
Oh well, good luck to them. Now...let's get Miah's story. After his heart break in this one....ah he so needs to find him some Happy. ( )

1.5 stars ( )

In Burn It Up, the Desert Dogs have been boiled down to a small group of men who meet once in a while around a kitchen table to talk about almost nonexistent business. Casey Grossier, who was once a wild member of the Desert Dogs, has now settled down to owning a bar and occasionally riding his motorcycle for excitement. Abilene Price and her baby have been taken in and are living on the ranch. Her baby's father, James Ware, is being released from prison, and Abilene expects trouble from him. She warns Casey and his friends about this terrible man who may come and try to take her baby.
After an interesting beginning, this story turns into a long, drawn out story about a woman with what seems to be a sexual addiction who can't seem to make a decision or a commitment, and judges others without considering that her own life has been littered with problems, many which were of her own making.
This book is a disappointment and terribly overrated. ( )

x ( )