BETRAYAL ROAD BLOG TOUR

 About the Book

Deception cuts deep in the next propulsive novel in #1 New York Times bestselling author Christine Feehan’s Torpedo Ink motorcycle club series.

The stranger frequenting Azelie Vargas’s local coffee shop is a sight to behold. He’s tall, dark, muscular, and a complete distraction. She’s worried one look from his striking silver eyes will have her acting a fool. But it’s not a look that sets Azelie aflame—it’s the way he boldly tells her every dark, dirty thing he’d like to do to her. She should be scandalized. Instead, all she wants to do is say yes.

Andrii “Maestro” Federoff is in San Francisco on club business. Torpedo Ink needs information to bust up a human trafficking ring, and Maestro has found his mark. After weeks of stealthy observation, he’s not sure if Azelie is involved directly, or if she’s just working for some bad people. What he does know is that he needs to get close to her fast, and soon he can’t get enough.  

What began as a setup quickly turns real. But no matter how hot they burn, Maestro’s betrayal could leave their hearts smoldering in the ashes.…

EXCERPT:

The moment Andrii entered the shop, she was acutely aware of him in the room. She didn't have to look up to know he was there. She knew exactly where he was every minute. He had such a presence. She sat at her usual table, a small one for two people only, toward the back of the shop. She had a good view of the windows and could see two streets, as the coffee shop was on a corner. Instead of looking at the views-or at Andrii-she brought up the book she was currently reading. She hoped the novel would keep the butterflies from fluttering in her stomach.

With one finger, Azelie pushed back the glasses threatening to slide from her nose. The thick black frames annoyed her when they insisted on falling right when she was reading something exciting. She loved books and the adventures they could take her on. It wasn't like she was ever going to be leading a wild and crazy life, so reading about exotic places and heroes and heroines appealed to her-especially ones that were monogamous. And happy endings were always important, no matter if there was murder, mystery or mayhem.

It was impossible to shut out the giggles of the merry widows. For no reason at all, color swept up her neck into her face. She was certain the women were gesturing wildly toward her. Sighing, she glanced up over the top of her glasses, blinking rapidly several times to bring her surroundings into focus. Her gaze collided with a pair of eyes more liquid silver than gray and very intense. His lashes, very black and thick, didn't take away from his chiseled features. The fact that he wore his black hair longer, and it was streaked with fine threads of silver, only enhanced the entirely masculine vibe he had going. As far as she could tell, there wasn't an ounce of fat anywhere on him.

Her stomach clenched. Her sex clenched. Her entire body wanted to seize. He was intimidating just because he was so gorgeous.

"Would you mind if I join you? As you can see, the shop is filling up quickly."

She blinked up at him again, trying to catch her breath. Just looking at him made everything she had want to run. She had to look away, afraid she'd make an utter fool of herself if she tried to speak. She looked around the coffee shop. It was nearly empty.

"Zelie."

His voice was smooth. Like the brush of velvet against her skin. She'd never heard a voice like his before. Not ever. He had the kind of voice that made her shiver in anticipation of . . . what? Hot blood rushed through her veins and under her skin, coloring her face a bright red. There was no controlling that wild blush any more than there was controlling the flutter in her sex. And Zelie? No one called her Zelie. It was always Azelie. But she liked the way he said Zelie. Still . . .

"How did you know my name?" To her horror, her voice came out small, not at all like she wanted to sound. A whisper. As if she were inviting him to be intimate with her. She never sounded like that. She might avoid men, but when she spoke to them, she was decisive.

The table was small, and he moved the chair close to her-too close. His thigh brushed along hers. Warm. No, hot. She was suddenly very aware of herself as a woman, every nerve ending springing to life. He was definitely a man.

"The barista calls your name when your order is ready," he said simply. "I'm Andrii Federoff. I couldn't help but notice the beautiful woman lost in her own world."

No one called her beautiful. She wasn't beautiful. She was . . . ordinary. Mousy even. There wasn't a single thing remarkable about her. Not that she was complaining. The fact that no one noticed her helped her to disappear into the woodwork, where she could observe those around her without having to participate.

"Azelie Vargas," she managed to get out without making more of a fool of herself. She couldn't drink her coffee; her hands were shaking too bad. She threaded her fingers together tightly in her lap, wondering why a man as gorgeous as Andrii would choose to sit with her.

Excerpted from Betrayal Road by Christine Feehan Copyright © 2024 by Christine Feehan. Excerpted by permission of Berkley. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

 

About the Author

Christine Feehan is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Carpathian series, the GhostWalker series, the Leopard series, the Shadow Riders series, and the Sea Haven novels, including the Drake Sisters series and the Sisters of the Heart series. She also writes stand-alone contemporary romantic suspense set in the California backcountry. Learn more online at www.christinefeehan.com.

Author photo credit to Michael Greene

RECKLESS ROAD (TORPEDO INK #5)

Refuel your passion with a new installment of the Torpedo Ink series by #1 New York Times bestselling author Christine Feehan.

While Gedeon "Player" Lazaroff is one of Torpedo Ink motorcycle club's roughest members, he's also one of the calmest. Little rattles Player, except for the times his gift gets the better of him. When that happens, he has to just lie down in the dark and hope for the best. But on a night when he's on the verge of losing it, he meets a woman who manages to soothe his fractured mind.

Zyah is a striking, ethereal beauty who seduces him with every word and move. Their night together is one of pure, exquisite bliss. But when Player gets confused and thinks their intimate encounter was nothing more than a dream, his careless dismissal leaves her humiliated and angry.

Now, Player will have to devote his every breath to convincing Zyah to give him a second chance. Because she might be the only one who can save him from himself.... 

Release Date: February 9, 2021

Torpedo Ink #5

Paranormal Romance

Berkley

Review copy provided by publisher

Nikki’ Review:

Where to start with this one? First, I DNF’d this book. It was...weird. If I’m being honest, I think I would have enjoyed it if I smoked a joint or had some shrooms before reading it. It was that kind of weird. The whole white rabbit running around and other Alice in Wonderland references made me roll my eyes more than once. The heroine, Zyah, could connect with people’s thoughts when she took her shoes off and put her bare feet on the ground. You see why I think being stoned would have been beneficial? Honestly, I can’t even talk about the characters or their chemistry because I couldn’t get past this other crazy stuff. This book was nutters even for paranormal romance standards, in my opinion. 

I’ve liked the other books in the series, but this one was just not my jam. 

Rating: DNF 1 Star maybe 0

DESOLATION ROAD (TORPEDO INK #4)

Torpedo Ink is Aleksei “Absinthe” Solokov’s whole life. They’re his brothers, his family—his everything. But that doesn't stop him from wanting something that only belongs to him. That’s why the tough biker has spent the last six weeks at the library, reading every book he can get his hands on and watching the prim and proper librarian who makes his blood rush. 
 
For the past six weeks, Scarlet Foley has been fantasizing about the handsome, tattooed man whose eyes follow her every move. She senses he's dangerous. She wants him to get close enough to touch. She wishes she could let him know the real woman, not the one she pretends to be. But Scarlet has a plan to carry out, and she can’t afford any distractions.
 
Absinthe is well aware that Scarlet is hiding something. She’s a puzzle he intends to solve, piece by intoxicating piece….

Release Date: July 7, 2020

Berkley Penguin Group

Torpedo Ink #4

Romantic Suspense/Dark Romance

Review copy provided by publisher

Nikki’s Review:

I gotta say, I struggled at the beginning with the awkwardness of Aleksei and Scarlet’s budding relationship. About that awkwardness...it was like watching two 40-year-old virgins trying to figure out the dating scene. It was cringe worthy, in my opinion. I didn’t feel the chemistry...at first. Once things pick up on the physical end it was full throttle and totally made me blush. 

I swear, each book in this series gets a little more dark, gritty, and raunchy. Don’t get me wrong, all of that stuff is amaze balls, but it definitely pushed me to the edge of my comfort zone a few times. There is quite a bit of kink in this book. All in all, it’s sexy AF!

This whole series has some pretty dark content. Human trafficking, in particular, involving children plays a central role. It’s always so satisfying when one of the characters kills one of the fuckers who preys on defenseless children. I kinda do a little fist pump!

Christine Feehan once again pulled me into her fictional world and held me captive. While I had a bit of a slow start with connecting to the hero and heroine’s relationship, I think this book was solidly written. This book, and the series as a whole pulls so many emotions out of me. I’m always feeling something, it could be anxiousness, excitement, anger, sadness, or hot all over from the sexy times. The feels are just always there. 

For best enjoyment of this book, I highly recommend starting from the beginning of the series with, Judgement Road. The characters are all intricately woven, and there’s tons of backstory. 

Rating: 4 Stars (A)

Affiliate Link:

VENDETTA ROAD (TORPEDO INK #3)

#1 New York Times bestselling author Christine Feehan pushes the limits in her next novel in the Torpedo Ink series.

Isaak “Ice” Koval is on a club mission when he sees a woman who stops him dead in his tracks. Soleil is a sweet, sexy, girl-next-door type. She’s an innocent who should be nowhere near the rough-and-ready world of the Torpedo Ink motorcycle club. But Ice knows Soleil belongs with him—and he’ll do whatever it takes to keep her.

After a life of drifting from one thing to the next, Soleil Brodeur is determined to take control of her life. When her breakup with her manipulative fiancé turns ugly, Soleil searches out the stranger who offered her a lifeline and ends up in a Las Vegas biker bar where she meets a gorgeous, dangerous man straight out of her most secret fantasies.

High on adrenaline, she finds herself falling faster than she thought possible. But Soleil knows little about the territory she’s stumbled into, and even less about what it really means to be Ice’s woman.…

Release Date: January 28, 2020

Berkley Penguin Group

Torpedo Ink #3

MC romance/romantic suspense

Review copy provided by publisher

Nikki’s Review:

I just couldn’t with this one. I mean, I love Christine Feehan’s voice and style, but some of this stuff so was so far fetched, that even I, a hardcore romance reader who likes the instalove trope, couldn’t get on board. The hero and heroine meet, have sexy times on a pool table in a packed biker bar, and get married all within a few hours. Oh! And the heroine manages to get the most amazing $20,000 wedding dress that fits her perfectly, and a gorgeous wedding cake. All in a handful of hours. HOURS, folks.

I actually really like the premise of this book, and the series as a whole. All

the heroes have a battered soul. They’ve all suffered horrendously as children. I love the tortured hero trope. It makes for a great grumpy jerk who usually ends up screwing up and then groveling. 

There’s some pretty sensitive, or trigger worthy, subject matters in this series. Human trafficking and child rape are some of the things you’ll read about. It’s tough at times to get through. It made my heart break for the characters. I do like that the MC are vigilantes who take out the sick fucks who prey on children. 

The plot was interesting and kept me interested...when the sex scenes didn’t take over. I like my romance crazy steamy, but this book pushed my limits. I was getting bored with the gratuitous bumping uglies. And that is something that rarely happens to me The hero and heroine would get it on out of the blue. Those scenes felt forced. It didn’t always make sense. 

I’m really looking forward to the next book in the series. The first two books were amaze balls. This one just didn’t hold up as well. I’m giving it 3 stars because the plot is great, but some of the craziness of the beginning with the characters meeting, and marrying, was too unbelievable. Even for a romance novel. 

Rating: 3 Stars (B)

Excerpt

Chapter 2

Soleil ran through the lobby, uncaring of turning heads. One didn’t run in a very swank hotel. She wanted to grab security, but Winston had a way of talking that made her look hysterical or childish and him look totally controlled, the adult having to put up with tantrums. She wasn’t about to take chances, not when she knew they planned to kill her.

Who would believe her? Her own fiancé? A lawyer? A policeman? All conspiring to kill her? She would look crazy and Winston would explain she’d lost Bennet, the only one she had as family. He would get sympathy and understanding, and they would all look to him to take care of her. He’d probably sedate her. Did he have a doctor involved too? It was possible. She’d met one through him, one he considered important.

She burst out onto the street, her lungs hurting. Clearly, she needed more exercise if she was going to have to run for her life. Her thoughts were wild and a little hysterical. She couldn’t have that. It would only play into Winston’s hand. She raced to the crosswalk, and fortunately the light changed and there were few people in her way. She was able to cross quickly and get into the relative shelter of the hotel-casino on the next street.

Noise erupted all around her. The concentrated smoke from cigarettes threatened to choke her. For a moment, she paused, a little disoriented. The whiskey she’d drunk was making her feel a lot better. Clearer. She knew exactly what to do. She made her way through the casino with more dignity, not wanting to draw attention to herself.

The casino floor was set up so that the exits were difficult to get to. Every little turn put her in front of card tables, the roulette wheel, craps, or, when she managed to find her way through the maze, machines. A sea of them. They didn’t matter. The drinks had finally steadied her, and she was feeling as if she was in control and could do this.

Still, it was a good distance to the exits and it took her a few minutes to make her way to the other side of the room. The casino was enormous, so much so that she knew she’d probably covered a block at least. She had to have. But she walked with more confidence and less panic. Every now and then, just to be certain, she glanced over her shoulder, or paused at a machine to see if Winston was behind her. So far, her plan had worked. Most likely, he’d gone out onto the strip and worried she’d hailed a cab or taken one of the hotel’s private limos. She was afraid to do that. He could trace a cab and he’d talk any driver into coming back for him.

She thought about getting another drink, but she hadn’t eaten. Already she was much clearer in what she had to do. She felt very courageous. It only took a couple of times going in a small circle before she mastered the maze of machines and was able to push open the door that let her out onto the street. The lights were much dimmer, but still illuminated the sidewalk.

She looked left and right. She was right in the middle of the block. Across the street, neon blue signs flashed, and the sound of music was loud. Each of the bars seemed to be playing a different song, but she loved to dance and the one on the end at the right blared the best music. She headed in that direction and then changed her mind, a little shiver going through her. She knew Winston. He would hire men to find her. He would call the police and report her missing, saying she had a mental disorder and he was worried for her safety. This street was still too close.

She hurried down the block to the next line of bars. The streets seemed darker, and as she came around the corner, a few men standing on the sidewalk in front of a bar looked up, nudging one another. Alarms went off and she paused to get oriented. Just in front of her was another bar blaring dancing music and in front of it were motorcycles, instantly reminding her of Lana. Her heart jumped. Lana. She hurried toward that one without hesitation. If Lana was there, she would know what to do. She was that kind of woman.

***Affilate Link***

TOXIC GAME (GHOSTWALKER #15)

On a rescue mission in the heart of the Indonesian jungle, Dr. Draden Freeman and his GhostWalker team need to extract the wounded as quickly as possible—or risk spreading a deadly virus unleashed by a terrorist cell. When Draden gets infected, he forces his team to leave him behind. He won’t risk exposing anyone else. He intends to find the ones responsible and go out in a blaze of glory....

Shylah Cosmos’s mission is to track the virus and remain unseen. Her enhanced senses tell her that the gorgeous man eradicating the terrorists one by one is a GhostWalker—and his lethal precision takes her breath away. When he’s hit by a lucky shot, she can’t stop herself from stepping in, not knowing that by saving his life she’s exposed herself to the virus.

There’s no telling how much time Draden and Shylah have left. Racing to find a cure, they quickly realize that they’ve found their perfect partner just in time to lose everything. But even as the virus threatens to consume their bodies, they’ve never felt more alive. 

Release Date: March 12, 2019

Berkley Publishing Group

Ghostwalkers #15

Paranormal/Romantic Suspense

Review copy provided by publisher

Nikki’s Review:

I broke one of my book rules. I NEVER start a series in the middle. I have to start at the very beginning. Well, the synopsis of this book really intrigued me, and after much consideration, and a few night sweats, I started this series at book 15. Book 15! But in all honesty, the author did a great job not making the reader feel they’re missing bits and pieces of the series and past characters. That doesn’t mean I’ll ever do this again. I’m just too set in my ways. But I do feel like I deserve a cookie for stepping out of my comfort zone! 

I have this morbid fascination with killer viruses. I mean, I don’t want ever want to be in the middle of a Hot Zone, but the way it attacks the body just leaves me gobsmacked and amazed. I’m weird that way. So, I figured this would be a great book...a killer virus and a sexy romance story! See, I told you I was kinda morbid.

Anyways, this book was totally doing it for me. It was fascinating, thrilling, and the characters were really likeable. While this book has a huge romantic suspense storyline going, it’s also paranormal. The hero and heroine have DNA traits of animals. They both possess some of the strengths and the agility of cats. The heroine also shares some DNA with spiders. Shudders. However, it was kinda cool that she could shoot spiderwebs like Spider-Man! 

I liked these two together. They were both strong and smart. They had great ideas, and knew what needed to be done to survive. Oh! I forgot to mention...they’re both infected with a hemorrhagic virus. But somehow in between feeling like complete crap, and the very real possibility of dying, they fall head over ass in love. I’m still on board at this point. Even when they profess their undying love within 24 hours of meeting, I’m still holding on. But here’s where my eye to started to twitch. The hero wants to give the heroine this beautiful exotic wedding since they’re both going to start bleeding from every opening of their bodies any day now. Did I mention that they’re in the middle of an Indonesian rainforest? But that doesn’t stop them. Their team flies in all the supplies needed for a Hollywood wedding. And a meal prepared fresh by Gordon Ramsey. Well, maybe not Gordon Ramsey, but some superstar chef. So let’s recap a bit. Both are dying of a horrendous virus, they’re in the middle of a rainforest, they fall in love, they plan and have a wedding straight out of Modern Bride magazine. All in about 48 hours. 

It’s funny how they both have animal DNA, and fall for each other in the same amount of time it would take me to paint my kitchen, and that doesn’t bother me! I’m all like, cool, I can see that. I don’t read romance for the realism. But that crazy ass wedding? That was what threw me over the edge. Even I couldn’t believe that, and I’ve read hundreds of unbelievable romance tropes. 

All in all, I enjoyed this book. The writing was great, and I was certainly interested, but the wedding could have waited until the rashes from the virus disappeared. I’m not sure I’ll read anymore of this series. Maybe it’s just a little too out there for me. I’m certainly a Christine Feehan fan! I really like her Torpedo Ink series. 

Rating:  3 Stars (B)

VENGEANCE ROAD (TORPEDO INK #2)

Christine Feehan takes romance full throttle in the second gripping novel in her #1 New York Times bestselling Torpedo Ink series.

Breezy Simmons was born into a ruthless motorcycle club—and now that she’s out, she’s never going to be that girl again. But when her past catches up with her, Breezy must go to Sea Haven to seek out the man who almost destroyed her. The man who chose his club over her and left her feeling used and alone.

As vice president of Torpedo Ink, Steele is ride or die for the brothers he lived through hell with. He never thought he’d find something as pure as his feelings for Breezy, or that keeping her safe would mean driving her away with cruel words that turned her love for him to ash.

Now, Steele won’t let her walk away twice. He’ll do whatever it takes to make Breezy his woman again—especially when he learns the real reason she came to him for help, and that the stakes are higher than he ever could have imagined…

Release Date: January 29, 2019

Berkley Romance

Torpedo Ink #2

Romantic Suspense/MC

Review copy provided by publisher

Nikki’s Review:

Jesus, this book was hard to read at times. The descriptions of child abuse was difficult to get through. But it was also integral to the story. As much as it broke my heart, I needed to understand what Steele and his brothers endured. Their shared experiences shaped the men they turned into.

I loved the emotion in this book. It was dark and angsty, and that’s something that I am enjoying at the moment. Bree and Steele have a complicated past that is further complicated by a secret that Bree has kept to herself.

These two characters have both been through hell. They should be absolutely broken, but they’re not. They are some of the strongest characters I have ever read. The chemistry between them is hot AF! They continually burn up the pages with steamy passion. Yum!

I struggled a bit with Steele’s possessiveness. I love an over the top alpha hero, but he went beyond that. I had to really dig deep to understand his need to have Bree at his side at all times. I know it stems from his abuse as a child, but it was still hard to take at times.

The writing was well done, and the plot was very fast paced. I was totally invested in these characters. I’m already dying for the next book. There a number of supporting characters that I’ve already fallen hard for! 

This book is full of heart pounding action and enough sexy times to steam up your windows! 

Rating: 4 Stars (A)

JUDGMENT ROAD (TORPEDO INK #1)

An outlaw motorcycle club sets up shop next door to Sea Haven in the dangerously sexy new series from #1 New York Times bestselling author Christine Feehan.

As the enforcer of the Torpedo Ink motorcycle club, Reaper lives for riding and fighting. He's a stone-cold killer who turns his wrath on those who deserve it. Feelings are a weakness he can't afford--until a gorgeous bartender gets under his skin...

Near Sea Haven, the small town of Caspar has given Anya Rafferty a new lease on life. And she's desperate to hold on to her job at the biker bar, even if the scariest member of the club seems to have it out for her. But Reaper's imposing presence and smoldering looks just ratchet up the heat.

Anya's touch is everything Reaper doesn't want--and it brands him to the bone. But when her secrets catch up to her, Reaper will have to choose between Anya and his club--his heart and his soul. 

Release Date: January 23, 2018

Berkley Penguin Group

Torpedo Ink #1

MC Romance

Review copy provided by publisher

Nikki’s Review:

Christine Feehan is a new to me author. I have heard great things about her writing from fellow romance fans. However, I struggle with trying new stuff. I know what I like. I'm happy to say that picking up this book was a good thing! 

Judgment Road is an MC romance. I avoid those like the plague. They are typically darker than I normally like in my romance, and cheating is rampant. Cheating in any form is a hard limit for me. I get really stabby. While this book is definitely raw and gritty, it didn't have any cheating...thank goodness! 

Reaper is a troubled soul. The abuse he suffered as a child would break just about anyone. Sometimes the descriptions of past abuse were hard to read, but it was an integral part of the story. You needed to read it to understand what makes Reaper the man he is. 

Anya is on the run and looking for a place that she can call home. Reaper doesn't want to want her, but the pull is just too strong to resist. 

The raw chemistry between these two was crazy hot. There's a lot of push and pull, but just under the surface, is a sizzling fire that's about to explode! Ms. Feehan may have made me blush a few times with the love scenes. And I loved every second of it.

There's a lot going on in this book. There's so much conflict. It felt like the hero and heroine could never catch a break. It was one hurdle after another. Ordinarily I would have eye rolled at this, but I think it worked in this book. It kept things moving at a quick pace and kept it interesting. I wanted to keep reading to see how it was going to pan out for them.

Because it's an MC romance there are some brutal scenes. The violence is thick, and the blood is plenty. But it's all very authentic to the world that Ms. Feehan has built for her Torpedo Ink MC. 

Anya is a strong character. She has to put up with a lot of crap from Reaper, but I never once felt like she was a door mat. She stood her ground and kept her head up. I probably would have folded and walked away, but she fought for her HEA.

This may have been my first Christine Feehan book, but it certainly won't be the last. She has a huge backlist that I can't wait to dig into, not to mention, I'm giddy about the next book in this series! 

Rating: 4 Stars (A)