Grumbler’s Ride by Manda Mellett
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a book for those over 18 only due to it’s graphic nature.

This is another fantastic installment of the Satan’s Devils MC series, this one is again based in San Diego and this one is Grumbler’s story, Grumbler is a man full of tattoos and his bike is his pride and joy, he has customised it completely and is always looking to improve it, but it is known in the club as his old lady!

We begin the story with Grumbler going for another tattoo in the club’s shop, he had a patch of skin to fill and now it is done, he has a skull smoking a cigarette as a tribute to his friend Smoker who has recently passed away and is really happy with the result. He reminisces about Smoker, as he leaves the shop and as he is walking towards his motorcycle, he thinks about how he spends his money on her and the crash he recently had which damaged it and broke his leg in the process and how it is still paining him now. He hears someone shouting as he is preparing to drive off and doesn’t realise it is at him, until he takes his helmet off and sees someone running towards him. It turns out that his bike has caught the eye of a photographer and he wants to take some pictures of it, he introduces himself as Devon Starr and uses flattery to try and get Grumbler to agree to let him do the photos, at first, Grumbler is wary and thinks that it may be too good to be true, but pride takes over when he thinks that it could be used on a motorcycle magazine or book and as he hashes out a deal with Devon, he is told that it would be for the cover of an MC romance novel and that his bike is the focus, not him, but he is thinking about how doing nothing and getting paid for it sounds like a good idea, so he gives Devon his number and that is the end of that.

When we next see Grumbler, it is in church where they are discussing the club businesses and how they are doing financially, as well as other business around the other club chapters around the country, this flows as usual and decisions are made, it leads to Grumbler reminiscing about the club’s past and the troubles they had, as well as troubles with another chapter, as well the members within the chapter they had trouble with. It also leads him to reminisce more about how a fellow member Niran had to help him with his role as Sergeant At Arms, as well as becoming close when he helped him to recover from his injuries, with his experience with living with an injured leg as Niran had lost one of his. He talks to Niran after church has finished and discusses the stock check and that he is trying to get the other members to log when they take anything out, but that they aren’t inclined to do it, to which they have a laugh about it. Grumbler goes to have a drink at the club bar as the club gets louder and the girls start to settle into the evenings activities, he looks around and thinks about how they are all sexy, but too young for him. He is propositioned by one of the girls, but decided to pass as he is feeling his age and isn’t as interested as he used to be in his younger days, he also thinks some more about his younger days, Smoker and how his Prez had found his old lady, he decides to go for a ride to get out of his own head before an early night.

The next day, he gets up early and goes down for some breakfast and conversation, he talks about the club’s Prez and his old lady looking for a house and how he will miss it when they go, mainly because her cooking has improved the standard of the food in the clubhouse. He discusses his plan for the day and decides to go to the harley store to see if there is anything new for his bike, when he gets a message from the photographer asking if he is free at three that afternoon to do the photoshoot, he agrees and then heads off with Niran to the store where they drink coffee, have a chat with the other customers and but what they want. As Niran leaves in one direction, Grumbler heads back to the club for a bite to eat before heading out to the photoshoot, he is the first to get there, followed by a young lady and her mum, the photographer and finally the male model. As the shoot is happening, Grumbler ends up talking to Mary who is the girl’s mum, they both shout when the models do something they don’t like and they bond a bit over it, soon enough the shoot ends and as all the parties say goodbye, they think nothing more about it until Grumbler finds out a couple of months later that the photographs have been used, but he hasn’t received his payment and this is where the story really gets going.

As Grumbler and Mary get back into contact with each other, they realise something is a bit fishy, but what they are getting themselves into, nobody was expecting or prepared for and what they find leads their paths to intertwine in a surprising way. What will the future hold for the two and will it all end in misery? The only way to find out is to read along and see!

Reviewed by @roxsannel

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