Serial Review: Outlaw by Katana Collins

Outlaw, Part I by Katana Collins

Book Two of the Harrison Street Crew series

Publisher: Swerve

Publication Date: March 7, 2017

Rating: 4 stars

Source: eARC from NetGalley

***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers***

Summary (from Goodreads):

Worse than bad. Hotter than hot. These are the bad boys of the Harrison Street Crew, and they answer to no one. They take what they want. And what they want is you. 

Volume One of a three-part volume by Katana Collins.

Patrick Flanagan lives outside the law. The cops don’t like him. The law doesn’t trust him. He may come at you with a charm and a handsome smile, but make no mistake—he’s as reckless and bad as they come. But when a total bombshell with stilettos and a power suit comes blazing into his life, this bad boy is about to be so, so good…

What I Liked:

In February, I read Ex-Con, the first book in this series. I read an excerpt of the first part of the book and I was intrigued, so I requested Ex-Con from NetGalley. I ended up absolutely loving the book. I haven't read many serials and I don't particular love them, but I highly recommend Ex-Con. And, I highly recommend Outlaw! This book was just as great as Ex-Con.

Outlaw is Patrick and Michelle's story. Patrick is the vice president of HSC, a street-racing gang in Boston. He loves the thrill of doing something illegal, like stealing a car or hacking into a security system. He isn't an ex-con, but he doesn't like the law, and the law doesn't like him. Bad timing at his friend's bar leads to Patrick being the prime suspect in a homicide that occurred right outside the bar - and Michelle Chiccarini is on the case. As the assistant district attorney, Michelle shouldn't be having any dealings with Patrick personally, but she can't seem to stay away.

I adored Patrick in Ex-Con, and I adored him even more in this serial. He is introduced in Part I as the lovable goofball that he is, but with a serious side that few see. Collins digs deep into his character, and we get to see sides of him that are surprising, heartbreaking, and sweet. Patrick is such a good guy, for someone who is in a club that does not-so-great things.

Michelle is so great! She's a no-nonsense, rule-following good girl that doesn't like to get her hands dirty in HSC business. But her best friend Charlie is dating an HSC member (Shane - who is Patrick's best friend), and Michelle has always been attracted to Patrick. When the murder is pinned on him, she knows he's innocent. I love how tough she is - she's sarcastic and blunt and very bossy. She is used to getting her way, but she is also fairly good at reading people.

I loved watching (reading?) these two interact. They are so perfect together. The banter, the chemistry, the tension - these two practically set the pages on fire. They argue a lot, and on paper it might seem like the most productive relationship. But they are so good for each other - the good girl and the bad boy. I personally love that trope, and I think it works well in this story.

The romance is so hot and also so well-written! This is only part one, so there was a lot of sexual tension in this book, but not quite the fireworks (yet). Patrick is such an alpha male and Michelle is an alpha female, so watching the two square off was always great. Chemistry-wise, they are hot together! Romance-wise, they work well as a couple. Though again, they're not yet a couple, in this part of the story.

This part begins with Patrick and Michelle being thrown together to figure out the details of Patrick's case - he is innocent, but he's being frame for murder. The ending of this part is very cliffhanger-y, so I was happy to have part two on hand. You'll definitely be wanting part two!

What I Did Not Like:

Nothing specific that I didn't like! This one isn't getting that coveted five-star rating from me, but still, it was excellent. 

Would I Recommend It:

I highly recommend this first part of this book! The Harrison Street Crew series had an excellent start with Ex-Con, and it continues to be excellent, with part one of Outlaw. Unlike Ex-Con, this book does not deal with an ex-con -- Patrick is a "bad guy" but not a charged criminal. I highly recommend this book if you liked Ex-Con, or if you like steamy romances featuring bad boys and good girls!

Rating:

4 stars. This first part is an excellent hook, for the book and the series in general! It was well-written, intriguing, engrossing, and hot. All things that make for a great start to a fantastic romance novel!

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Outlaw, Part II by Katana Collins

Book Two of the Harrison Street Crew series

Publisher: Swerve

Publication Date: March 14, 2017

Rating: 4 stars

Source: eARC from NetGalley

***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers***

Summary (from Goodreads):

Worse than bad. Hotter than hot. These are the bad boys of the Harrison Street Crew, and they answer to no one. They take what they want. And what they want is you.

Volume Two of a three-part volume by Katana Collins.

Ambitious lawyer Michelle Chiccarini vowed like hell she is going to do her best to prosecute as many criminals as she could. Even if that means trying to put away Patrick Flanagan, a man who can make her pulse quicken and fill her head with dirty, wicked thoughts just by looking at him. She’s got to put him behind bars. But how can she do that, when she can’t even resist his touch?

What I Liked:

This part picks up exactly where part one leaves off. There has been an explosion, and Patrick is hurt. Michelle is at dinner with her family. Patrick's case is still open, and Patrick and Michelle must figure out who actually killed the Sauceda crew's member, before Sauceda kills Patrick. It's time for Michelle to get her hands dirty, because desperate times call for desperate measures, and she is finding that she doesn't want Patrick to go to jail, or get hurt. 

Stakes get even higher in this book! I love the direction that the author has taken this story. In this part, Michelle has to do some things she didn't think she would have to - like allowing Patrick to get away with stealing her co-worker's files, or hacking into security systems to get away with it. But Michelle wants to prove Patrick's innocence. 

Things get a lot steamier between Patrick and Michelle (and I mean a lot steamier). There is a certain getaway scene that is super hot, in which I wanted to stand in front of an air conditioner. Collins doesn't write too many sex scenes in her books, but she knows how to come with creative and very hot scenes, whether it's sex or tension-building steamy scenes. 

But it's not just Patrick and Michelle's chemistry and bedroom activities that progress - the pair grow closer emotionally, which was a lot of fun to watch. Patrick is like a sealed vault, and Michelle has a hard time trusting anyone, so seeing each of them slowly open up to the other is cute.

These two are like fire and ice, in the best of ways! Watching them interact is always fun, steamy, and heartwarming. I love their arguments and their banter. But I also love how devoted they become to each other, without even realizing it. 

And of course, things progress in terms of the murder investigation, and in terms of who is trying to hurt Patrick and Michelle. There is something else happening, someone else who wants to take them down. Who is behind it all - Remy? Sauceda? Someone else? I love how Collins develops quite a story here, and not just a romance. I loved getting into the specifics of Michelle's job as a lawyer - that's some serious research that Collins did for that role.

Overall, this was an excellent addition to the book. I could not put down this serial e-galley! Part two zipped right by for me, and I jumped right into part three. After the ending of part two, you'd want to as well! Part two ends even more cliffhanger-y than part one.

What I Did Not Like:

I don't have any specific dislikes! This one isn't receiving a perfect rating, but I liked this part a lot. 

Would I Recommend It:

I highly recommend this part of the book, as well as the book in general. The series in general, really. I love the bad boys/good girls trope, and this book (Outlaw) does it so well. Patrick is s bad boy and a sweetie, and Michelle is a straight-laced good girl who is also sarcastic and bossy and assertive. I love these two together!

Rating:

4.5 stars -> rounded down to 4 stars. It's possible that I have enjoyed this book (so far) more than I enjoyed Ex-Con! I am loving the progression of this story, and the series in general. 

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Outlaw, Part III by Katana Collins

Book Two of the Harrison Street Crew series

Publisher: Swerve

Publication Date: March 21, 2017

Rating: 4 stars

Source: eARC from NetGalley

***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers***

Summary (from Goodreads):

Worse than bad. Hotter than hot. These are the bad boys of the Harrison Street Crew, and they answer to no one. They take what they want. And what they want is you. 

Volume One of a three-part volume by Katana Collins.

Patrick Flanagan lives outside the law. The cops don’t like him. The law doesn’t trust him. He may come at you with a charm and a handsome smile, but make no mistake—he’s as reckless and bad as they come. But when a total bombshell with stilettos and a power suit comes blazing into his life, this bad boy is about to be so, so good…

What I Liked:

The final part of Outlaw! I jumped right into this part, after finishing part two. How could I not? Part two ended with a very stressful scene involving Patrick and Michelle. This part is the final part of the book, and the action gets intense. We've reached the climax of the story, and s**t really went down. 

Patrick and Michelle are their own team, trying to prove Patrick's innocence, but also trying to stay alive. Someone on the inside is trying to hurt Patrick and Michelle, and they needed to figure out who. Nothing seems to add up... until it does. I loved the twists that Collins wrote, and how everything made sense in the end. I would not have guessed what was happening!

I loved Patrick and Michelle! They are probably one of my favorite couples in recent romance novels I've read. Their banter, their fierceness, their loyalty, their love for each other - I adore them and I loved watching them fall for each other. I love how little drama there was in this book - Patrick and Michelle talked out anything and everything that could have come between them. Communication is so big in this story, and I am so glad that they didn't leave misunderstandings to grow, or they didn't jump to wild conclusions and let those fester. 

And of course, their chemistry is on fire. Patrick is a sexy alpha male, and not really in the cliche way. He's a pretty sensitive guy too, and he is thoughtful and sweet. Michelle seems like a bossy, dominant type, but she loves how Patrick treats her and she losing control with him. Together, they really balance each other, and I love seeing the changes their relationship wrought between them.

The ending gets crazy really quickly! But everything ends well. I think I would have loved an epilogue, but if there are more books in this series (which I imagine there will be?), I'm sure the author will have Patrick and Michelle appear at some point. I would love to check in and see how they are doing years from this point. In any case, the ending of this part (and the book in general) is wonderful!

What I Did Not Like:

Like I said, I would have loved an epilogue or at least a little more from the ending. It's a solid, concrete ending, but I wanted a little more. I'm hoping Patrick and Michelle will show up in future books (if there are future books)!

Would I Recommend It:

I recommend this part, this book, and the series. I am not usually one for romance novels involving clubs or gangs, but this series has really surprised me so far. Collins has won me over, and I find myself smitten by these bad boys. First Shane (and Charlie), now Patrick (and Michelle)... I do love the bad boy/good girl trope, and I like how Collins makes the trope different and fresh in Ex-Con and in Outlaw. I don't really care for serials, but I am a fan of this series having serial novels!

Rating:

4 stars. This book was great! Three parts, $1.99 each... that's only $5.97 for a full-length novel. I really do recommend Ex-Con and Outlaw - you'll change your mind about street-stealing bad boys, believe me! I never thought I'd say that.

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