Steel King (Clifton Forge)

Overall Grade: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️“‘What’s going on, Dash?’ With us?’ ‘I don’t know. It’s more than I thought it would be.’ He tucked a lock of hair behind my ear. ‘You kind of snuck up on me.’ I smiled. ‘You snuck up on me too.’”Just when my heart seemed mended from my sadness over the Jamison Valley series ending, Devney Perry finds a way to revitalize it. Yes, she published Tinsel and Letters to Molly in the meantime. Yet, it seemed as though there was unfinished business with the Jamison Valley folks. And there was. Namely, we needed stories born out of Nick’s life. Remember Nick? The dreamy, mechanic hero of The Clover Chapel. Emmeline’s Nick? In that book, it takes Nick’s father and brother to help save Emmeline from being kidnapped. With their aid, the family finds some reconciliation after Nick fails to join the family MC group, The Tin Gypsies. From that experience, the Tin Gypsies decide to disband, and a story is created: Gypsy King, Perry’s newest offering. And this one is an edge-of-your-seat page-turner of a book.Following the tropes of romance, the Gypsy King is an enemies-to-lovers story. Centered around Bryce, a new-to-Clifton Forge-reporter, and Kingston “Dash” Slater, the son of Draven Slater and former president of the now-defunct MC group, the Tin Gypsies, the romance follows their undeniable attraction and eventual involvement. Dissatisfied with her career as a television newswoman in Seattle, Bryce joins her father’s newspaper in Clifton Forge intent on righting her life. Disappointed that she failed to meet her life goals, she sets about investigating on and writing about the dissolution of the Tin Gypsies. She believes there is more to the story and sees it as an opportunity to meet new personal goals, rectifying her perceived failures in Seattle. Complicating this is Dash Slater. He’s handsome, intelligent, and shrewd. However, Bryce challenges him from their first meeting, and he finds himself instantly attracted to her. Unfortunately, a murder occurs in Clifton Forge, causing the arrest of his father. Dash believes in his father’s innocence and challenges Bryce to investigate the death with him. In order to do that, though, he may need to allow her access to the Tin Gypsies’ secrets, and he’s not sure if this will help or hinder his father’s investigation. In the midst of all of this, Bryce and Dash fall deeper for each other, potentially complicating their lives further. Do they find a happy ending together?I have to admit that I haven’t read too many MC books. They aren’t my usual draw. However, this is Devney Perry, one of my favorite authors, and the idea of meeting Nick and Emmy again built a definite interest in this book. And Perry did not disappoint. From its outset, I was hooked. Around every corner of this book is drama, a challenge to keep you reading. If it isn’t Draven’s arrest, then it’s family secrets coming to light. Each page reveals a new part of the story, and it pulled me in until the very end. Even in the midst of Dash and Bryce’s struggle to be together, I simply couldn’t put this book down.Even more, the characters, Bryce and Dash, are complex in their development. Bryce is an older heroine. She believed that the goals she set for herself in her early twenties would come to fruition eventually. She wanted a career, a husband, and a family. However, her career in Seattle fails to launch her. She doesn’t find a husband, and there are no prospects on the horizon when she comes to Clifton Forge. She represents anyone who holds dreams and flounders at achieving them. In a world where success is oftentimes measured by meeting life goals, Perry’s depiction of Bryce asks us to question our own goals. Is it possible that goals can be re-defined and met later? In the midst of her romance with Dash, her thinking is challenged in ways that change her and change her prospects. Her growth and journey are representations of our need to remain open to life and change.Similarly, Dash’s life is also challenged. At the beginning of the story, it has really only been a short time, a few years, since the dissolution of the Tin Gypsies. He’s developed a strong business working on cars, but there is a hole in his life, a ghost of his former life left in his soul. He attempts to fill that hole with meaningless one night stands with women, his friendships with lifelong pals, and his family. But that void still exists. Interestingly, Dash doesn’t realize it until his enemy, Bryce, the reporter, challenges him. Like Bryce, he must make choices that run contrary to his past decisions. His involvement with Bryce pushes him out of his comfort zone and rattles his life. Together, Dash and Bryce’s evolution add depth to the excitement of the story. Their character growth is the meat to the potatoes of Perry’s story.It is always an emotional journey when reading a Devney Perry book. What I found most interesting, though, is the grittiness of this new book. Maybe it’s the MC influence. Maybe it’s the hero who reminds us multiple times in the story that he doesn’t “do” love because no one could love a man who has engaged in the dangerous and violent activities of his past with the Tin Gypsies. Or maybe it’s the engaging and oftentimes heart-pounding action of Perry’s story. This isn’t Jamison Valley. It’s Clifton Forge and something dangerous is afoot here. In the midst of this danger, Devney Perry grows a deep and abiding love between her hero and heroine. She takes a woman with broken dreams and allows her to dream again. She creates a man who doesn’t believe he can be more than his past, and she knits them together into a seamless quilt of past, present, and future. Face value, the Gypsy King is a daring suspense-filled story with a fiery chemistry between its hero and heroine. Below its surface, however, is a story reminding us that, in the midst of our brokenness, we can become whole again when we give our broken pieces over to a mender who loves us deeply.“For so long I’d wanted this. Never would I have imagined I’d find it, a home—love—with the man I’d set out to expose. The enemy. A criminal who’d stolen my heart. All the foolish days and nights I’d spent wondering if I’d end up an old maid had been for nothing. The timing simply hadn’t come together. I’d been waiting for my Gypsy King (my emphasis).”

Book one sets up the scene really well. We get murder and romance. The Tin Gypsies is a formal MC in the town of Clifton Ridge- but when a murder in town occurs- well what was once peaceful is no more. We meet Dash and Bryce in this book. Bryce the driven newspaper reporter and Dash the former president of the Tin Gypsies, but now the owner of a garage. Circumstances make it so that these two strike up a deal to work together to uncover the truth. Dash is trying to prove the innocence of his father & Bryce is motivated to speak and share the truth behind this murder & whoever is involved. & if that includes the MC then so be it…Now of course things aren’t always what they seem and as these two slowly learn how to trust each other- something else blossoms.I enjoyed seeing not only the romance develop BUT also the mystery behind the murder…and so much more!Now, things don’t fully get resolved in this book. It does leave “in a sort of cliffhanger.” regarding the truth behind the mystery. As far as the romance is concerned - this was on the insta-lust/love side. Not my favorite, but it didn't kill the vibe for me. I loved how Dash & Bryce swore up and down that whatever they were doing would end once they were done working together- HA! That was a cute attempt- & yes, we get the MMC being protective and alpha with this FMC. I mean it’s an MC romance HOW was that NOT going to be included.Overall, a good start to the series. We are left with the starting crumbs of book 2 right at the very end…Read if you like:-Small town romance-MC romance-Murder mystery/ romance suspense-Opposites attract that have to work together-Strong FMC-Possessive MMC

Devney Perry does it again! She took what should be a simple romance and shook it up, tumbled it out into a jumble of emotions that had me wavering between every feeling I’ve ever experienced, and then pulled it all back into a perfect place of peace and joy and pure ecstasy.Bryce just wants to write that one amazing story that will put her name out there as having been more than a simple news woman. Her ticket to success lies in uncovering the true reason why the Tin Gypsies Motorcycle Club disbanded. But when she stumbles across a tip that could lead to a juicy bit of headline, she doesn’t hesitate to charge forward. Perhaps in doing so she’ll eventually learn the truth about the infamous club.Dash fell for Bryce the minute he saw her at his garage. Immediately he puts on the flirt and she seems to respond. And then it really hits the fan. Suddenly, he’s got his hands full and no real progress to help him out. Bryce keeps upping him and he wants nothing more than to beat her at her own game. If only he didn’t keep thinking about everything else he wants to do with her along the way.I absolutely loved how Bryce was quick to turn the tables on Dash each time he thought he had one up on her.’Everything about her [ticked] me off because of my body’s reaction.…[Darn] this woman. I liked her. That was my real problem. I liked her. Which was going to make threatening her a hell of a lot harder. That, and she didn’t seem to be intimidated by me one bit.’She was quick and sharp, witty and fun, soft and understanding. I loved everything about her. Even as her determination forced her in one direction, she wasn’t obstinate enough to not see the truth, even if there was no true evidence to support it. While I love a tough heroine, I need her to yield to the softer things in life. And Bryce knew just when to do so.’Bryce was not easy by any stretch. She was tough. She made me laugh with her wit and sass. She challenged me. And when she wasn’t [ticking] me off, she was turning me on.’Dash is that hero that you’ll absolutely love even when you want to smack him upside the head at times because immediately following that smack, you’ll want to give him a big ol’ hug. He’s a convoluted character that will have your emotions riding a roller coaster. His frustration with Bryce had me laughing out loud but when things take a turn in his life, I had to fight back the tears. Never have I read a hero that was able to wring so many emotions from me.Together, Bryce and Dash are like lighting a fire to gasoline. Even as they bicker and argue they are only a breath away from ignition.’My threat to her livelihood hadn’t done a [darn] thing except turn us both on. Was she ever going to back down?’Their banter was fun and their battles delicious because I knew that behind it all was a chemistry that was sure to light the pages on fire once they let loose. And holy heck did it!!! They don’t have an easy road to travel and there were times that this story was intense, and heavy and I couldn’t stop reading even as I felt the need to just take a breath because it was breaking my heart. This author never does things the way you expect, and such is the case with Bryce and Dash.What a perfect beginning for this new series! I laughed, I raged, I cried, and then I settled into the perfect epilogue with a smile.

I have been buying this author’s books since the first one. I love mc books but I hate cliffhangers. Even more I hate reading a book and then getting to the end only to find out its a cliffhanger. I was eager to read this book but unfortunately I just didn’t feel the connection between Bryce and Dash. The plot needed more information. It just felt light on details and the ending felt flat. However the book was well written and hopefully the next book will give the answers this one didn’t. Still an author I want to read and I will definitely buy the next book. Given it 3 stars but for me its worth 3.5 stars.

Holy freaking amazeballs, is there anything this woman can’t do? Everything she turns her writing to, is gold, and this book continues her winning streak.Gypsy King is Book one in Devney’s new Tin Gypsy Series, revolving around a decommissioned motorcycle club in a small town in Montana. The club was always causing trouble for the area and its residents, so for it to suddenly close up and its members become well behaved citizens, something doesn’t sit right with new to town reporter, Bryce. She’s used to big stories in the city she’s come from, and the apparent closure of the Tin Gypsies motorcycle club has her journalist senses tingling. On her quest for the story, she is thrown into the path of the former president of the club, Kingston ‘Dash’ Slater, and Dash likes what he sees when Bryce is in front of him, but she’s not interested in the club’s Prince, only what he can tell her for her story.Bryce has a one track mind when it comes to her story, but agrees to a deal with Dash to work together to uncover the truth, sparks fly between the two, but in the end their connection is bigger than what’s really going on in their small town.Bryce is a kick butt heroine, she knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to go after it, she has sass and strength and doesn’t fall for the lines of playboy Dash, she knows how to play the game and guarantees to win.Dash is a cocky, hot headed biker, with smooth talk for days, a killer smile and beneath it all, is a caring, protective, loveable man. He fits the biker profile, but breaks the mold when it comes to having morals, doing the right thing is key, and keeping his loved ones out of harms way is priority.When these two work together, it’s explosive and the heat between them is off the charts. When secrets are revealed, Dash and Bryce stick together, but with someone after revenge, danger is all around them.This story gave me all the feels, and I’m happy to say, I didn’t shed one tear, though knowing who’s book is coming next, I’m sure Devney is saving it all up to kill me with Isaiah’s book. This is an action packed rollercoaster ride, which keeps you in suspense the whole way through. I can’t recommend it enough, an outstanding start to what is sure to be another phenomenal series. Now I’m off to beg for book 2 to be released earlier, because I just can’t wait for it after the set up in Gypsy King.

I think I’m forever going to be obsessed with Devney Perry’s writing. I’ve read so many of her books and I’m yet to read a bad one! Steel King had the perfect amount of small town cuteness, mysterious moments sprinkled with a little bit of spice! Dash and Bryce’s relationship was so cute, I love the enemies to lovers trope and it was done so well in this book! There’s such a thin line between love and hate and it was only a matter of time for those passionate feelings turned into something else. I loved the motorcycle club element to it, despite them being disbanded we still got to see the men from the past. I’m so intrigued as to where this mystery is going to go, it’s left me constantly guessing! I can’t wait to pick up Riven Knight and see what’s next!

After reading @devneyperry’s Runaway Road series and falling in love with her writing and characters I knew I needed more. I love the aesthetic of the Tin Gypsy series so where better to start than with book one, Gypsy King.The story focuses on main characters Bryce, a journalist working on her family paper and Dash, a former Tin Gypsy. Bryce is out to find the story of her career and thinks the Gypsies will be it for her. She doesn’t realise how right on the money she is although from a completely different angle.I loved the characters and storyline in this book. If you’re a fan of Sons of Anarchy I can completely imagine you’ll love this. I had so many visual cues taken from when I watched SOA when I was reading this and it made it really easy to envision everything. The chemistry between Dash and Bryce was amazing and I loved the arc of their story.There’s a lot of story unresolved here and I wonder if we’re going to get more in the next instalment which is Genevieve’s story.

I’ve read a few of Devney Perry’s books, and have enjoyed them. When this book came out I thought the blurb was interesting and because I liked this author’s style I decided to try it out. I’m glad I did.This book is more of an EX-MC book, rather a traditional MC book. This is because the MC no longer exists. The MC was disbanded a year before the start of the book. The book starts with Bryce Ryan, a reporter who has moved to a quiet town in Montana to share in her Dad’s dream of running the local paper. One the things that has piqued her interest is the story of a notorious MC, which suddenly disbanded, for no discernible reason. She is determined to ferret out the story behind the clubs closure, and she is sure the old club president, Dash Slater can tell her what it is.Dash is reluctant to talk to a report, but is definitely attracted to Bryce and all their verbal interactions are fiery and lust filled. Things take a turn for the better for Bryce, and the worst for Dash, when Dash’s father Draven is arrested for murder. Bryce knows this is the story of the decade around their small town, but Bryce is determined to foil her attempts to convict his father in the press.I loved that this story was about life for the characters after the MC was disbanded. It’s a point of view that I’ve never seen told. There is plenty in the book about how the characters felt about the activities they carried out during their past. They are still not Boy Scouts, but they do seem to have learned their lessons and tried to move on, away from illegal activities.Bryce is a great character. She is strong, determined and also vulnerable. She wants a fresh start after spending years working in television and feeling like she’d got nowhere. She loves and admires her parents and want’s to do the right thing, even if she gets carried away occasionally.Dash is also interesting. He is someone trying to work free of his past and live life clean from illegal activities. He has many regrets and fears for the safety of his Dad. He is drawn to Bryce, but doesn’t want to become too embroiled in a relationship.One thing about this book that drove me mad is that we sort of got a HEA epilogue, but the case with Draven is not closed by the end of the book and no one seems to know what happened to the victim and why. It means I’m going to have to buy the next book, because I need to know what happens.Overall the book is well written and the characters are well rounded. I enjoyed reading this book and really want to know what happens next.