Slightly split personality Motorcycle Club

I give Regina Cole credit for trying to give the MC trope a twist, but bikers as wedding planners seems a little unbelivable since they are at the same time strong arming people. I thought the writing was solid and liked the characters so definitely would read this author again.

What an amazing love story!

Trey, true to his name, has three new women in his life, and he’s learning to love each one! Not what you’re thinking, this is a straight-up romance that finds the abandoned-as-a-baby and soul-lost loner reconnecting with his birth mom and his younger sister, all while navigating a hot-as-hell attraction to his sister’s best friend, Bethany.

Bethany is at a low point in her life, and she desperately needs someone strong to hold on to. Trey seems to be all that and a bag of chips, but she can’t shake the feeling that he’s hiding something. Probably because he is. And it’s not easy to hide eleven badass biker buddies, not even for Trey.

This rom-com has one the most original setups I’ve ever read, and the comedy flows naturally throughout. There’s no shortage of surprisingly deep moments as Trey struggles to reconcile his past with his future, while finding his true self in the middle. The author hits all the right notes with characters that are both amazing and realistic, and conflicts that smack right in the heart.

This is an action-packed, sex-filled, emotion-driven adventure through what it means to be a family. Don’t miss this book – it’s longer than most, but well worth the read. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book through NetGalley.

3 stars - good, but not great. While it's a cute plot, it's hard to wrap your head around a biker gang planning weddings.

Great book. This is my first book by Regina Cole and I very much enjoyed it. This is not your typical MC book because due to a quick lie the leader of the group has them helping to plan a wedding, not something you read in a biker book, lol. The plot was great, the characters were good and I enjoyed the way Regina Cole wrote the story, all in all a good book.
I received this book from Net Galley for an honest review.

I liked the premise of the story, because how hilarious would it be if bikers were wedding planners? There's more to this story than just something that could be construed as slapstick comedy, and I like how the story was written.

Fun, engaging and an overall good read. To Have and to Harley is book 1 in the Bikers & Brides series and what a promising start it is. I look forward to reading what comes next

I think this was a ok read, I mean bikers as a weeding planner. What can go wrong, well you have to read to find out. It was not the same kind of MC book you are expecting. But it was fine. The chemistry between the characters is hot and entertaining.

Was given this arc to give an honest review.

Book Info
Paperback, 384 pages
Expected publication: August 7th 2018 by Sourcebooks Casablanca
ISBN 1492667951 (ISBN13: 9781492667957)
Edition Language English
Other Editions:(1)
Source:Netgalley EARC

Buy book from
Amazon
B&N

BOOK BLURB


You may now kiss the biker
Bethany Jernigan owes her bestie. Big time. So when wedding planning overburdens the bride-to-be, Bethany steps in to handle the nitty-gritty. But the guy in charge isn't anything like she imagined. He's gruff, tattooed, and 100% male. His staff is even rougher around the edges, and it's not long before she feels as if she's stepped into some kind of crazy alternate reality.

Are those...bikers? Arguing about wedding favors?

Trey Harding never wanted this to get so out of hand. One little lie somehow snowballed into a world of dresses and flowers and food and holy-hell-he's-in-over-his-head. But it's not like he can confess he's not the wedding planner he's pretending to be--especially now that he's falling for the maid of honor! His charade is becoming a farce, and as engines rev and ribbons fly, Trey's running out of time to figure out how to tell the truth without losing his new family, his crew...or the woman of his dreams.

Bikers & Brides Series:
To Have and to Harley (Book 1)

What People Are Saying About Regina Cole:
"Hits the mark...joyful, feel-good romance."--RT Book Reviews for Sex Becomes Her, 4 1/2 Stars
"Cole sizzles...sweet and red-hot."--Publishers Weekly for Sex Becomes Her
"Will keep you turning the pages."--Night Owl Reviews for Sex Becomes Her, 4 Stars

My Thoughts


As I read this first foray into the world of Motorcycle riding, alpha-male men and the more strait-laced women who find them to be very much to their liking it struck me that have read books with this type of pairing more and more often in the last few years.

The fact is there are more than a few of us otherwise conservative females who find a man on a bike to be a pretty sexy specimen, especially if he is good-looking as well.

Trey Harding not only looks good to Bethany Jernigan but he also brings smiles to the faces of readers like myself who enjoys characters that step out of their comfort zone.

What really stands out for me is how much I smiled throughout the read. These 12 tough men who make up the Iron Shadows MC bring more to the table than their ability to protect those weaker. These men also have a willingness to attempt things way out of their normal set of skills, and more importantly find an enjoyment in doing so that was totally unexpected by any of them.

The greatest gift given to a reader is from an author who brings together a relatable cast of characters, a story that has heart and substance and of course best of all has the ability to stretch ones belief in ways that have only been attempted in certain Rom-Com movies.

To be able to accomplish these things with only the written word is a pleasure to discover and certainly within this tale all those things hold true for me. Even when it hurt to laugh it felt good to connect with both Bethany and Trey as they muddled their way through to find something real with each other amidst the craziness.

This story and it's characters reminded me of author Angie Fox and her Biker Witches somewhat, without the use of magic to create the mayhem of course!

[EArc from Netgalley]

On every book read as soon as it is done and written up for review it is posted on Goodreads and Netgalley, once released then posted on Amazon, Barnes and Nobles as well.

Romantic suspense is always fun when it’s jam-packed with tough guys, dangerous killers, and biker dudes doing arts & crafts for a wedding, never mind testing recipes and fighting over weird hors d’oeuvres. To Have and to Harley has something for everyone and it’s a great read.

Interspersed with all the fun is some very serious stuff. A family found, a family to dread, a bad boss, and a family to lose – all contribute to a rollercoaster ride of terrific reading. Each chapter introduced a new wrinkle, some humorous, some scary and some were so incredibly romantic and sexy as to sear my fingers from their heat. This novel kept me flipping the pages so fast, this ended up a one day read. I couldn’t put it down – so much happens to, and around, Trey and Bethany that I was hooked. Ms. Cole created very approachable characters with heart, foibles, suspicions, hopes and a growing attraction that soon turns to passion and love. The hero and heroine were perfect together.

The only part that was predicable was when Trey lost his phone. I knew what that meant but it didn’t detract from the drama that unfolded from that point on. My heart still ended up in my throat because I had no idea how anyone could come out safe and unscathed. So exciting!!!

Secondary characters were very important and Ms. Cole used them wisely and effectively. I liked Mrs. Yelverton, Sarah and Trey’s buddies. I met so many wonderful people in this novel that I look forward to seeing them again and find out what happens next, and to whom.

The happy ever after isn’t just about Trey and Bethany. It’s bigger than that and it’s totally awesome. Oh, and the wedding turned out to be unusual but awesome. How it all came together needs to be read to be appreciated. The plans that were made at the end made the HEA that much more special and joyful. I’m very impressed with the first installment of Ms. Cole’s Bikers and Brides series and I bet it’s going to be a new favorite for lot of fans both old and new. Count me as a fan.

A twist on the usual biker-romance, we have Trey, leader of a club and ashamed to share that fact (and all of the associated baggage) with his long-lost mother, he claims to be a wedding planner. OK – a stretch, but the ‘never disappoint Mama” vibe is strong in Trey. Even though his club is far different from the ‘hell raisers’ that most people associate with it. Unfortunately, he didn’t know that the reason all of the wedding stuff is scattered about the house – his long-lost sister is getting married – and who better to plan her special day than her brother? OK – lead right into it – and yes, the deception is strong here – but rather than Trey being gruff and half-assing the job – he’s gone all in. Even if that means ‘all in’ is more than uncomfortable and contradicts everything in the party-planner book for the MC’s events.

Bethany is the Sarah’s best friend, and views all the Yelvertons as family. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that Sarah’s brother is in town, but Bethany sees instantly that wedding planner he is not, but not wanting to add yet another on the long list of ‘to dos’ for Sarah (finishing pharmacy school, upcoming board exams, a returned family member long thought gone, finding THE dress, and of course, wedding decisions) she steps up to take on some of the load. It doesn’t hurt that Trey is attractive, and the guys (his staff) are often more perplexed than productive, but these two have something special.

So – we have a fish out of water romance that showed plenty of potential, and gave Bethany and Trey a chance at love amidst the chaos that was a wedding. With Sarah’s commitments, I had no real sense of her ‘needing’ the marriage right now, and then, perhaps understandably, she melts down over the ‘attention’ Trey is receiving from her parents. He was stolen years ago, dumped, placed in foster care and grew up believing he was unwanted – when nothing was further from the truth. His getting to know his parents, and dealing with the angst of a wedding, learning about his family and falling for Bethany were never in the cards. And it was cute, and occasionally funny with too many slapstick moments added for laughs, and not quite enough balance (or honesty) from Trey about his club and their mission. Like others I’ve read from this author, the premise is lofty and marvelously clever, it’s just the execution that fails to rise to the challenge, leaving an ok book rather than a great and funny one.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Review first appeared at <a href=” https://wp.me/p3OmRo-9X2/” > <a> I am, Indeed </a>

When I read the synopsis of this book, it intrigued me to see bikers as wedding planners. I had to see how that worked. This book was pretty good. The bikers are actually good at planning weddings. This book had interesting characters that added to the leading characters story. The main characters had strong chemistry that steamed up the pages and personalities that made the story captivating. I look forward to reading the stories coming out about the others.
I received an advanced copy of this book for an honest review.

I tried to get into this novel, but really couldn't connect with the characters. I liked the female character Bethany. She was strong and resilient, but I just thought Trey was a little too childish and arrogant. The connection between Bethany and Trey felt a little too rushed and a little forced to me. You may feel instantly attracted to someone you just met, but you wouldn't be leaning in for a kiss twenty minutes later. That just seemed a little too unrealistic to me. However, I enjoyed the comedic approach to Trey trying to be a wedding planner. He has no idea what he has gotten himself into, but it was fun to witness the struggle. All, in all, TO HAVE AND TO HARLEY is just an okay read for me.

Quick(ish) Review
Sigh. This was just an ok read. I wanted to love this, because the setup is unusual for a biker romance, and I really dig that. Bikers wedding planning, you just don’t see that every day and kudos for coming up with it.

But this is the type of story where you need to lean into the screwball comedy aspect, and it was just mildly amusing, at best. During the planning scenes there are hints of potential, but never more than that and the romance wasn’t a standout. It starts off slow and the Firsts (meet/kiss/love scene) were only ok. The balance between the angst and the comedy wasn’t there. But hey, perhaps it’s a case of “it’s not you book, it’s me” and since this is a debut author, i wouldn’t rule out a revisit (because the story is clearly set up for more books).

If you prefer less screwball, and more like a tinge of funny with your biker romance, you may enjoy it more than I did.

I've never read anything from this author before, but the blurb sounded interesting despite the fact that I'm not a big MC book fan but I thought I'd give it a shot and it was a good read, not a great one though. I think all the lying got to me -- and not just from the two main characters, but everyone in the book. That being said, I'd still probably try this author again because I think there's potential if it was the right storyline for me. I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC for NetGalley.

I dove into this blind because the blurb sounded like no other book I've read this year or ever actually.
I will be honest and say MC books make me nervous because the heroes can tend to be pretty much love them and leave them types. I can't deal with that anymore so taking a chance on this book was one of my challenge reads for the year. Regina Cole is a new to me author so that checked 2 boxes off my list.
I quickly found myself in the cutest story set up ever.




Big tough sexy bikers masquerading as wedding planners? Talk about a hilarious riot.

I simply couldn't put this down. Trey and Bethany were so great together. The way Trey just showed her how much he wanted her was so beautiful.


There's some twists and turns that make this so much more than the romantic comedy I thought it would be. There's hurt and pain from both characters pasts. There's side characters that have so many things going on and it just helped show who Trey and Beth were. It showed how they became who they are now. The MC friends of Trey really showed such crazy humor one chapter then the deepest loyalty the next. There's crazy characters on Beth's side too. I can't go into all the layers of this story. You just need to read it for yourself. I can't say loud enough how much I loved it. I am so relieved that Ms Cole took that worry out of my heart too about this being a MC book. Trey was loyal from the start.





I can't wait to see who the next couple will be. I really want Jameson to find his hea. Poor guy needs a home and love.
I'd recommend this book to anyone who needs a little lightness added to their romance with a good emotional story to go along with it. Laughter truly heals and love truly is found amongst the pages of sweet sexy stories like this.

I don't usually read MC romances but the premise of this one seemed unique and I loved the humor in an excerpt that I read, so I decided to give it a try. It really wasn't like your typical MC romance, and that's a good thing. Trey, is the the hero and head of a biker club called the Shadows - they skirt the law and deal out vigilante justice to thieves and drug dealers, but are not an "outlaw" type club that commits hard-core crimes. He finds out at the beginning of the book that everything he knew about his background was false. He thought he was abandoned as a baby, but actually he was kidnapped and was presumed dead. Through coincidence, for the last few years he's been living just one county over from his biological mother, who never gave up hope that he was alive.

When Trey goes to meet his mom, he finds out she's a sweet lady who runs a shelter and he doesn't have the heart to tell her that he's the head of a biker gang, so instead, he lies and tells her he's a wedding planner. It just so happens that her daughter (his sister) is getting married in 3 mos. Her best friend, Bethany, the heroine, is organizing it, but Mom asks Trey to also help. Bethany is suspicious because he's clearly no wedding planner, but she agrees, and the romance takes off.

I really liked some parts of this story. The humor involved in Trey's gang trying to plan a wedding led to some funny, lighthearted scenes. Trey was a great guy and I could understand his lack of self-esteem giving his upbringing. On the other hand, there was just a bit too much lying going on for me to love this story. I also thought that Bethany's reason for knuckling under to her mean grandmother were unrealistic and I did not enjoy that part of the story. There were enough good things that I would give another book in the series a try.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This ended up being a fun read! At first I was a little unsure, and some of the situations were a little out there... but it really was fun and entertaining. Trey has had a hard life, and Bethany has had her struggles as well but in the end they are a natural match. Sarah, Bethanys bff was a bit annoying/spoiled, but the characters overall were fun.

When Trey meets his mom for the first time, unsure how to tell her that he is do good biker gang leader, he tells her he is a wedding planner ( that scene had me in splits :) ).
Next thing he knows is he is in charge of planning his sisters wedding with her best friend, Bethany. Bethany owes a lot to the Yelvertons and is convinced Trey is no wedding planner and is determined to find out the truth.
To have and to Harley is an amazing read. It was funny, sexy and with angst and action to balance things out.
Just the thought of big bad tattooed bikers planning a wedding has me laughing out loud. The story line is unlike anything I have ever read before and I can’t wait for more in the series.

My first ever Regina Cole read and I enjoyed it immensely. It was a super cute book about family and falling in love. It was captivating and witty and honestly such a fun and cute read that will have you smiling silly.

I adored the characters. I felt so much for Trey and his struggle to make his mom proud of him. What he was doing was wrong but all he wanted was to not disappoint his real mother. Despite it being wrong it was oh so fun, getting to see all those big bad-ass man get excited over planning a wedding was hilarious and it made the end of the book even better! I'd pay to see this IRL.

To Have and to Harley was a joyful page turner that will keep you warm and happy and make you laugh out loud from time to time. I adored this book! Definitely recommend this fast-paced, sweet and sexy read.

I really wanted to love this story -- how fun is it that a bunch of alpha male, tatted-up bikers get roped into a ruse that they are wedding planners!? But I just didn't get that SPARK from the story. I needed more heart and humor -- all the emotions felt very flat and impersonal. Great concept of storyline and characters but I needed more depth, development and dimension to make a connection. To Have and to Harley just didn't engage me, but I did appreciate that it wasn't a typical MC romance trope.

2.5 stars