I can't even write a proper review for this because I'm just so appalled at the ending.

There was no way at all for this couple to end up together in my head. The things he did to her, and the fact that she did not want anything to do with the biker life, made this the case.

AND YET. She did a complete 180º for a guy she'd had sex with a few times, calling it "love". He did terrible, unforgivable things and didn't try to redeem himself. Rage.

So yeah, the sex was hot but this was a mess. The ending didn't even try to make sense.

Release Date: February 1, 2018
Harlequin Dare
Hard Riders MC #1
Review copy provided by publisher

Nikki’s Review:

Rating: 3.5 Stars (B+)

Wow! Harlequin has sure upped the ante on the sexy times with their new Dare line! I kept saying...this can't be a Harlequin novel, it's way too hot! But alas, it is indeed a Harlequin. This new line is definitely not your Grandmothers romance!

Rev is a tough as nails ex SEAL. He now spends his days riding with the Hard Riders MC. Is there anything hotter than a guy with gorgeous tattoos riding a Harley?

Evie is a princess by day. Not a real princess of course, but she wears the costumes for little girls who are celebrating their birthdays.

What a contrast these two are. He's all leather and tattoos, and she's sparkle and sunshine. But sweet baby Jesus, in the bedroom they are both crazy wicked! Evie is most definitely not a prim and proper princess when the clothes start coming off. Anne Marsh could make a nun blush when these two start in on the sheet yoga.

One of the things that I struggled with in the book was Rev's lack of edginess. When I read an MC romance I expect a bit more dark and broody; rough around the edges and sometimes not nice. I like him to be redeemable, for sure. But Rev was just a bit too sweet to really fit the roll. Don't get me wrong, I liked his character well enough, but I just wanted...more. I certainly appreciated that there isn't any cheating in this book, which is rampant in many MC books. That alone would be a DNF for me.

This is my first Anne Marsh novel, and it won't be the last. The writing was thoughtful and kept me interested. She snagged my attention with some of the secondary characters, and I'm looking forward to reading their books in the future.

This book is a great start to a new series. It was a perfect length to enjoy from start to finish in one evening. If you like your MC romance a bit on the softer side, Ruled is a perfect selection!

4 Stars!

Evie has a children party planning company and so far she's doing fairly well with it, so long as she can keep her MC rider brother away so he doesn't scare the clients. After her brother gets in trouble with a rival MC and she meets Rev, she has a new problem since he self-appoints himself as her bodyguard to protect her against the guys who her brother was dealing with.

I really liked Rev. He was dashing and swoon-worthy. A knight in leather on a mean motorcycle. As heroines go, Evie was likable. She was hard-working and nice and didn't irritate me all that much, although there were a few instances when she was defending the good for nothing brother of hers in which I really wanted to slap some sense into her. The chemistry between them was electric and my kindle sizzled with how hot they were together.

I will admit that I haven't read all that many MC books, that's generally my co-blogger Jaymie's area, however, I found Ruled to be quite entertaining and fast-paced. It was fun and hot for the most part, a really good start to the series. I really disliked Evie's brother and really would've liked him to have a more fitting ending, though. I felt that part of the story was a bit rushed, but other than that I recommend this book and will keep an eye on the next titles in the series.

*** Copy provided to the reviewer by Harlequin via NetGalley, a review wasn't a requirement. ***

This is book 1 in the Hard Rider series and it features Eve and Rev. He’s tough, an ex-SEAL and the enforcer for the MC. She’s tough, got a sassy mouth and she runs a princess party business for kids. There are no hearts and flowers in this story but there are real, down-to-earth feelings and lots of delicious down and dirty sex. Life in this MC sounds pretty good!

I am LOVING this first book in this new series! I can’t wait for the next one.

Ruled by Anne Marsh

Subgenre: contemporary
Release date: 22 Feb 2018
Publisher: Mills & Boon DARE
Format: ebook
Length: 169 pages

It is a place of decadence and what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. Hopefully.

The princess car is very visible and that is the way Eve Kent likes it. Eve creates the princess experience for her young clients. She has her car all decked out in the princess theme and has others who help her from time to time including an Elvis impersonator and some Vegas showgirls. She has her brother, Rocker, who is part of the Black Dogs Motorcycle Club. Eve has virtually raised her brother after the family chaos. She is not happy her brother has joined a motorcycle club as their father dealt drugs and was part of many bad things. Her girlfriends want to find her a man for a quick lay so that she can release some tension.

Jaxon Brady, aka Rev, is part of the Hard Riders. He is ex-military as are many other members of the club but they do protect their own. He is instantly sexually attracted to Eve and is more than satisfied to show how he can please her even in a nightclub, when she is on a date, with another man. He has been sent to find Rocker as it is believed that he is involved in drug dealing. There is a lunch to show Eve that not all bikers are bad, protection from other groups and bad guys, and kidnapping to show her brother that they do mean business.

This book is written in the first person from both characters’ point of view. Eve speaks and Rev speaks. Initially I had difficulty figuring who was speaking and what was happening. The writing style is very much in the style of how someone might think and speak, and can appear to be choppy. This can be very disconcerting if you are not used to this style of writing, and I haven’t read many books in this manner.

There is instant sexual chemistry between the two main characters and they are ready, willing, and able at any time to have sex. There is less of the feelings and emotion until towards the end of the story. Readers should be aware that the sexual relationship takes precedence over the emotional relationship in this line. The emotion does come to the fore for the happy ever after but it is all about the instant attraction and sex.

reviewed by Heather

I received Ruled in return for an honest review from the publisher.

Evie is just trying to make a better life for herself and her baby brother it just happens to be pink princess parties that are in her future. She may have a thing for bad boys but she's not going to act on she wants a good nice guy. That is till Rev shows up at one of her parties hunting for her brother who causing trouble in his territory. Now he's all that Evie can think of and she's not the only one feeling that way. Rev feels like he has to protect Evie but at what cost?

I like Evie she's trying to make a better life after having a rough childhood it just happens to be creating princess parties for little kids. Which I think is such a great way to spend her day's wearing dresses and having princess parties. I honestly wasn't sure about Rev as I've not read many MC books before but his club isn't about running drugs it's about taking care of their neighborhood, keeping things clean. Most of them are former military so I found an instant connection.

I wasn't sure what to expect as the whole MC is a new genre to me but I was excited to check it out. Who doesn't love the idea of a princess and a rebel from two different worlds finding a happy ever after together. Right away it was instant chemistry for the pair even if she may have wanted to avoid it as he's not the nice guy she was looking for. I love the idea that while they are an MC group they aren't about the traditional kind I expected which I found refreshing. I like the characters they are easy to connect with you have to just love Evie she's adorable. This is my first book by the author but I'm hooked, her writing style was smooth and the story just flowed from start to finish. The Dare novels are perfect to read in one sitting quick fast-paced and steamy.

In the first batch of new releases from Harlequin's new imprint, Dare, Anne Marsh's Ruled brings sexy to an extreme new level!

Evie Kent is independent and has the weight of her brother's well-being on her shoulders. Jaxon Brady is a member of the Hard Riders MC, doing his part to keep their territory free of gangs and drugs. There is nothing normal about a woman who plans princess birthday parties falling for an alpha male biker and that's what makes Ruled so compelling. Evie and Jaxon are complete opposites, but somehow come to understand each other so well. Their story shows that sometimes we don't always know what we want until it's right in front of us. Evie thinks she wants someone safe, but Jaxon has naughty bad boy written all over him. Yet, as hard as she tries she can't resist him.

If you enjoyed Clare Connelly's Off Limits, you'll love Ruled! It's a fun, sexy read that keeps you eagerly flipping the pages. The characters are out of the ordinary, but absolutely believable. There's red hot passion and crazy plot twists that make this a smoking hot read you don't want to skip!
*ARC provided in consideration for review*

Bikers and brawn, what could possibly go wrong... actually nothing - this is a great book!

I really enjoyed this well written story, it had good characters who interacted with each other brilliantly - it has the right amount of detail that held my attention right to the end.

Would definitely recommend this one - 5 stars from me, a thoroughly enjoyable read!

Ruled is the one of the first books released under the new Dare imprint from Harlequin. These are short books; coming in under 200 pages. This is also the first in a new MC series. Jaxon "Rev" Brady is sent to find out where Evie's brother, Rocker, is hanging out. He is from a rival bike club and needs to answer some questions.

They say opposites attract, right? Well that is definitely the case with Evie and Rev. They are from completely different worlds, yet they are attracted to each other. While I did like them together, I wanted more. For me, the book was too short. It definitely could have benefited from a longer book length. I never really felt like I got to know Rev's character very well. I would have liked to see more of the couple when they weren't having sex or talking about it. There were also a couple of times that I thought Rev crossed the line with Evie consent wise. I'm not really into anger sex scenes. But, I guess it works for some people.

Other than one scene, I never sensed Evie was in real danger. The whole situation with Rocker and the cartel seemed rushed and wasn't fully fleshed out. It's not a bad story. I mean, I did enjoy it. I just wanted it to be longer. I am interested enough to read the next one when it comes out.

Will appear later this month at both blog http://romrevtoday.blogspot.com/ and review site http://romrevtoday.com/

RULED – Anne Marsh
Hard Riders MC, Book 1
Harlequin Dare
ISBN: 978-0-263-93207-2
February 2018
Contemporary Series Romance

Las Vegas, Nevada – Present Day

Eve Kent owns a “Princess” birthday party business and also tries to keep an eye on her brother, Rocker, who is part of a local motorcycle gang. She doesn’t approve of what he’s doing, but he’s a grown man, right? One day, Jaxon “Rev” Brady of a rival motorcycle club shows up at one of her parties looking for her brother. Rocker is trying to get involved with a group that runs illegal drugs and Rev wants to stop him because they don’t want these bad dudes infiltrating Vegas. Eve informs Rev that she hasn’t seen her baby brother for a few days, but that doesn’t deter Rev. He’ll just keep watching her since he knows Rocker will show eventually.

From the moment Rev set his eyes on Eve, he wants her. He’s commitment phobic and she’s the sister of a rival biker, but that doesn’t stop him from lusting after her. Eve is sassy, smart, and sexy—just the way Rev likes them. While he’s trying to keep her safe from a drug cartel, who is going to keep her safe from him?

Eve and Rev seem like they’re mismatched. She runs a respectable business for kids, while the former SEAL Rev is rough, tough, and rides a motorcycle. Yet the sparks fly between them in the sizzling hot RULED by Anne Marsh, the first book in her Hard Riders MC series. Rev belongs to the Hard Riders club and they want to keep Las Vegas free from a drug cartel. Unfortunately, Rocker of the rival club Black Dogs is flirting with assisting the drug cartel, and Rev is assigned to stop him, which means using Eve to get to her brother.

Once Rev meets Eve, he vows to keep her safe as she could prove to be an innocent casualty in Rocker’s quest to land the drug cartel’s business. Eve brushes off Rev, but he’s determined to follow her and keep her safe. As they interact, the sexual vibes burn hot between them, and she’s soon the recipient of his talented fingers strumming her body to life. One taste of each other isn’t enough. Will getting involved with Eve prove to be a fatal distraction for Rev? Can there be any future between a biker and a woman who is way out of his league?

While Rev and Eve bicker and banter in the first part of RULED, they’re soon burning up the sheets. There is an essence of danger because the drug cartel might decide to move in and use Eve as a pawn to get to her brother. With plenty of sex and a dash of suspense, RULED is a simmering hot read you won’t want to miss.

Patti Fischer

Evie Kent has sworn she'll never get involved with a biker, but there's something about Jaxon Brady that she just can't resist. Unfortunately though, he's assigned himself her protector from a rival biker gang. Will Jaxon be able to keep Evie safe, or will they lose their chance at happy ever after?

Although I loved how this story started with getting to know the heroine in terms of what she does for a living and whether she's happy, I have to admit I was hoping for a bit more intrigue and mystery when it came to the danger the heroine was in. However, in saying that, I liked the moment the heroine and heroine met, as Jaxon does his best to charm her and get the information he's looking for. Will Evie makes things easy for him?

Both the main characters were enjoyable, but I wasn't feeling much of a connection between them at the start of their relationship. Yet, I must admit, their chemistry does get stronger, as the heroine opens up about her past and is determined to set rules. Moreover, the heroine is strong and brave with everything she has to deal with including what the hero does to her towards the end to protect his MC brothers. I also liked how much of a challenge she provides for the hero, because no way will she make things easy for him. Yet, what I liked most of all about the heroine was how protective she was of her brother, even though he continued to make stupid choices that put her life at risk. Will she learn that she can't protect him forever? While the hero, he's confident, charming and I liked how determined he was to win the heroine over and protect her from harm. Will he succeed in his duty to keep her safe? What is he willing to do to protect his MC brothers?

Overall, Ms. Marsh has delivered a read that I liked where the ending had me sympathizing with the heroine because of what happens that should have her mad at the hero, but had me liking how things worked out for this couple. Will the heroine be able to handle being part of an MC club, if she wants to be with the hero? I would recommend Ruled by Anne Marsh, if you enjoy books by authors Clare Connelly, Lisa Childs, JC Harroway and Nicola Marsh.

Eve had a big pink RV that she used for her business “ Perfectly Princess Parties”. Eve lived in E Las Vegas. Eve put the princess into party. She had the dresses , the sparkle and attitude to keep her audience riveted and wanted to be her and the team she had when they grew up Eve was halfway to a degree in finance. Eve is in the lake waiting for her brother to have their monthly company meeting. Her brother had yet to make it there. Eve is trying to figure out how to drum up more business. Income wise they hadn’t hit survival levels yet. Eve had three part time princesses and herself and she has a singing dragon. Rocker is Eve’s brother and he belongs to the MC The Black Dogs. Rocker is also her business partner. Rocker swears his club is into legal activities. Eve had practically raised Rocker- since he was eighteen legally- as her parents weren't really there for either of them but she was older and did the best she could. Eve knew bikers were the opposite of safe. Rocker had been secretive lately. Rocker finally gets to the lake and gives his older a sister a kiss and he doesn’t care who knows that he loves his older sister. Then Rocker gets a phone call. and says it is club business and leaves again. Rocker did tell Eve trouble was brewing. But he said he had it handled. Eve loves Rocker but does not approve of his life choices. Samantha is one of Eve’s part time princess as was Carlie and they wanted to see Eve set up with a man for at least a night. Jack and fixed a date he was to meet Samantha and Eve next weekend.Eve has a mortgage , a very small retirement plan and she has her own stuff. Rev is part of a MC that consists of ex military.He and Vic wko is another member of the MC is on a side of the road across from Eve’s home. Eve had a party going on for some little girls and was dressed up as a Rev is instantly attracted to Eve and wants her. Vic is Vice President of the MC The Hard Riders which is the MC Rev belongs to. And is Enforcer for, Vic likes women and they like him back. Rev is a retired Navy Seal. The members of the Hard Riders were more sinners than saints but their territory was as free as they could make it from drugs and violence that plagued the rest of Las Vegas. Rocker is being disrespectful of the Hard Riders because the Black Dogs atr running illegal street guns through the Hard Riders territory and noe Roker is affiliated with the Columbian drug cartel. Rev MC decides Eve would be a good hostage. Rev gets Eve to call Rocker. Rev and Rocker talk and are suppose to meet. When Eve went out the next weekend and had went to the bathroom Rev was there. Rev hands Eve a beer. They end up in a booth and he is making Eve feel good and they leave together. Eve for once forgets the rules and sleeps with Rev.
I loved this book. It was an easy fun read. I felt it was realistic also. I loved the fact the author showed not all MC and their members are bad people doing bad things. I loved Rev and Eve together. I loved how Eve stood up for herself even against Rev. I felt bad that Rocker made some bad decisions but at least he wasn’t shot to death. I loved how protective Rev as well as Rocker was of Eve. I loved the characters in this book and the ins and outs and I highly recommend.

The second of the new Harlequin Dare books I'm reviewing this month, Ruled by Anne Marsh is a Motorcycle Club (MC) romance.

Evie’s princess party business is booming. The only cloud on her horizon is her brother’s involvement in the Black Dogs motorcycle club - and Rev, the enforcer from rival club Hard Riders who keeps turning up to poke his nose into her life. It would be an awful lot more convenient for Evie if she didn’t find Rev sexy as sin, because she’s vowed she wants nothing more than to stay away from MCs forever.

The chemistry between Evie and Rev was both off the charts and very believable, with some superbly written sex scenes, but there were a few continuity errors in the book that really got to me - anyone can accidentally write putting on a condom twice in the same sex scene, but Rev stating that the club ‘saved him’ when he was seventeen, when we’ve already had a long explanation for the Hard Riders being strictly for former serving members of the military, threw me off quite badly. Additionally, I didn’t care for the way things finished up with Evie’s brother and I felt she compromised her principles a bit too readily considering by the end of the book, she still didn’t know if Rev even had a regular job and paycheck.

There were some exceptional parts about this story - the hot sex scenes and the fun of Evie’s party business being among them - but there were a few too many annoying parts as well. I can’t say any more than ‘it was okay’ and therefore I’m giving it three stars.

Opposites not only attract ... they combust! With the kick off the brand new Harlequin DARE line, Anne Marsh introduces us to the men of the Hard Riders Motorcycle Club. They're rugged and tough, yet loyal to a fault when it comes to their brotherhood. Club enforcer Rev meets his match when he stumbles across Evie Kent. They might be on opposite sides of the situation, but they can agree to disagree when it comes time to enjoy each other's company. A solid plot and cast ... looking forward to more in the series.

She's a good girl just trying to earn a living ... he's a bad boy willing to do anything for his club. When Jaxon "Rev" Brady, the enforcer for the Hard Riders motorcycle club, meets Evie Kent he's not sure what to make of her. Can he really believe she's as sweet and innocent as she comes off, or is it all an act to protect her brother from his wrath? Evie wants nothing to do with the MC life, but she won't stand by and watch her brother be bullied! Rev actually likes her, and he might even want to be with her but when her brother pushes things too far, he won't let his feelings for her get in the way of club business ... no matter what!

I admit to not being a big fan of MC stories, but I really liked the description, so I gave it a try. Thankfully this was not like some other MC books I've read where it's all about the clubhouse and the politics and what happens there and how the women are demeaned. Obviously it had some club talk and business, but it was primarily about the relationship between Rev and Eve. I loved them together. The story was extremely sexy and had tons of very steamy moments mixed in with the tension between Rev and Eve's brother. I would have liked to see more development of the characters other than Eve and Rev, but overall, I really enjoyed it and will be putting Vik's story in my wish list.

Ruled by Anne Marsh
Hard Riders #1

Eve Kent has a party business with a princess theme for the young fairytale crowd. Her father was in a motor cycle club and was taken to prison for years leaving Eve and her brother to their own devices. Eve’s brother “Rocker” has followed in his father’s footsteps and put his sister in danger. Stepping into her life comes another MC member from another club that needs to keep his eye on her. Rev is an ex-SEAL and one bad boy but with a good heart. Keeping Eve safe is Rev’s main focus but doing so and remaining true to his brothers in the club is not always easy. Rev and eve steam up the pages in this quick read introducing a new series. This is not nearly as dark and gritty as many MC books.

Thank you to NetGalley, Barclay Publicity and Harlequin DARE for the ARC – This is my honest review.

3-4 Stars

I ended up DNF'ing this one. I did not like the hero or heroine.

Okay ... so I'm just gonna go ahead and just say the main story plot that really just didn't work: Rev and Eve's journey to HEA was just wham bam done. I don't know any other way to put it. It was quick and instant for sure. That usually is no problem in romance fiction, but with this story, that wasn't the only thing going on in it. We have an entire MC world happening with suspense and drama that also has to fit into the plot. So basically, the story doesn't work in this length. It needed time to develop, both romantically and suspensefully. At-least it did for me. It's not an all together bad story-line, but it could have been great with a little more depth and a little less drama. It felt like it was trying to do too much .... so I'm very middle of the road here. I see a lot of potential as an MC series and hopefully as the series progresses, we'll get to see more of Rev and Eve to solidify their romantic journey a bit better. Who knows ... we shall see.

***ARC Provided by the Publisher via NetGalley***

Jaxon "Rev" and Evie are not a match made in heaven. He is a biker and she is a princess. Literally. Ok, she runs a company where she throws parties and dresses up like a princess, but the meaning is there. And, he really is a biker, in a rival gang of the one her brother is a part of.

So, this is not a simple relationship, and she is determined to have nothing to do with Rev. But, she is attracted to him, and he is attracted to her...so, staying away from one another isn't exactly working out.

I loved that Evie tells Rev that, if he wants to be with her, he needs to date her and follow her rules. And, I loved that he followed them, in his own way. I liked the way the author handled the meshing of their characters, and their lives. They come from different worlds, and believing that it would work out and that they would get a happily ever after required me to believe that they were able to meet in the middle, and I believed it.

The characters were interesting and I believed in their attraction. I did enjoy this overall and I recommend it.

Rev is biker bad boy. Evie girly girl. I love how different they both are. It takes a manly man to pull off driving around in a very pink girly RV. I love the pull between Evie and Rev. Ruled is a quick biker read. I highly enjoyed this one. If you are looking for a biker romance then this is one to check out. Anne Marsh did a great job with this one. Though I did want to smack the crap out of Rocker it was an enjoyable read. I look forward to more of the Hard Riders MC series and Anne Marsh's work