{Interview} with Katie Ashley, author of Redemption Road (with Review and Giveaway)

We love motorcycle-riding hotties, so it was a no-brainer when we were asked to participate in the blog tour for Redemption Road, the latest title in Katie Ashley’s Vicious Cycle series. We got to sit down and chat with Katie for a few minutes and can’t wait to share the highlights of that with you! First, here’s the 411 on Redemption Road, along with our thoughts:

***About the Book***

Redemption Road by Katie Ashley
Also by this author: Last Mile
Series: Vicious Cycle #2
Also in this series: Last Mile
Published by NAL Trade on October 6, 2015
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Character(s): Bad Boys, MC/Bikers, Tattooed & Pierced Bad Boys
Pages: 336
Goodreads  Buy the Book

The New York Times bestselling author of Vicious Cycle plunges readers into a world of danger and desire in her newest in the Vicious Cycle motorcycle club romance series.

Looking for a walk on the wild side, Annabel Percy, the daughter of a powerful politician, starts dating a biker she knows is completely wrong for her. But she finds herself living a nightmare when she’s kidnapped and transported into a hell on earth she never could have imagined.

Born and bred into the Hells Raiders MC, Nathaniel “Reverend” Malloy lives and dies for his brothers. But when he becomes the unexpected savior of a rival club’s captive, Rev makes it his personal mission to nurse Annabel back to health—and to shelter her from the nightmares that torment her.

Once Annabel heals, she’s stunned to realize she is falling for the seductive man who saved her. Faced with their impossible attraction, can she accept the life he leads, or will Rev walk away from the only life he’s ever known for the woman he was never supposed to love?

Kassiah: I don’t know why, but I didn’t read Vicious Cycle the first book in the series before picking up Redemption Road. I’ll definitely check it out after reading this.

Nathaniel “Rev” Malloy saved Annabel Percy two months after she had been captured with the intent to be sold into human trafficking in Mexico. Their relationship grows as he helps her mend–physically and emotionally. Meanwhile, her captors aren’t happy about being raided and seek revenge on the club.

I really don’t like storylines where the captive falls for her captor, so I was really happy when that wasn’t what happened here. I enjoyed the pacing of the story and the way Annabel and Rev allowed themselves to open up to each other. There were trust issues with both of them and I didn’t feel like it was insta-love (insta-connection, yes!). I also felt like the way they felt about themselves was so authentic–neither felt like they were good enough for each other and it was refreshing that it wasn’t just because of some contrived cliches. Rev was sweet, tender, and swoony, and I loved that about him.

This book deals with such sensitive topics, I am almost surprised that it was a romance, especially an MC one. Annabel wasn’t treated delicately in the two months she was being held against her will. Still, Katie Ashley handled it with respect, and I appreciate that. It has to be said, though, that this was a light MC romance. There wasn’t any of the gritty, dramatic, alpha-ness that I love in Bikers.

Rev’s little brother, Bishop, will be the star of the next book, and I honestly can’t wait. He’s arrogant and cocky and totally the kind of character I love to get to know.

A surprisingly sensitive MC club president and a damaged socialite find they both have something to offer each other in Katie Ashley’s latest biker romance, Redemption Road.

Report Card
Cover
Characters
Plot
Writing
Steam
Overall:	3

***INTERVIEW***

Thanks for sitting down to chat with us today, Katie. We’re so excited to get to know you a little bit!

Thanks for having me ladies! It’s a pleasure to be here.

Tell us a little about Redemption Road. What was your favorite part to write?

Redemption Road is probably one of the hardest books I’ve ever written, but I’m also extremely proud of it. It is the story of two broken people who save each other as the dangers of the MC world and a drug cartel swirl around them. It is probably one of the darkest books I’ve ever written, and it was quite difficult to capture the emotions of my tortured hero.
Any time the Malloy brothers are all together is a favorite. I love watching them play off of each other. They enjoy giving each other hell, but at the same time, they have a deep love and affection for each other.
I also enjoyed writing the progression of Rev and Annabel’s relationship.

We loved that, too! We have to admit, we have a serious weakness for hot guys with tatts who ride motorcycles. What kind of research did you do to prepare for Redemption Road?

Well, my research first started with watching Sons of Anarchy. Then I began to do nonfiction research by reading biographies of famous bikers like Sonny Barger of the Hells Angels. Then I also read some books about ATF agents going undercover in the biker world. It was very interesting to see what had been “Hollywoodized”, so to speak, and what was real.
A year ago I also had the opportunity to go out to Louisiana and hang out with a MC club. They were seriously the sweetest and most welcoming people ever. It was a great experience.

Ah, you know one of is from Louisiana. Too bad we didn’t know when you were here! How was your approach to writing the Vicious Cycle series different from writing The Proposition Series or the Runaway Train Series?

First, I had to do a lot more research to make sure I was authentically capturing the biker world. I also had to go a lot darker—the men were a lot tougher and more alpha than I was ever used to writing.

Well, it paid off! How would you introduce Annabel to readers?

While Rev is a gentle giant in respect to his size and personality, Annabel is a little of the same with regards to her inner strength. She’s a delicate, pretty package on the outside, but she has such strength and conviction of character on the outside. She could have easily been just another society girl, but she’s always bucked the system to do the things she wanted, like becoming a veterinarian.

Tell us about Nathaniel. We want to know all the things!

Nathaniel, or Rev, is a Renaissance Man and a paradox. Yes, he’s the president of an MC, but he’s always a deep reader and thinker. He loves nonfiction as well as Shakespeare. He is a man haunted by demons from the past—something traumatic that happened to him as a child as well as the tour of Afghanistan he did while in the army. He really is the total package with his looks, his caring side, and his protective nature.

We love him! If you could introduce one of your characters to another character from any other book, who would it be and why?

That’s a tough one. I think the characters from my Proposition and Runaway Train series would get along a lot better than if I had them meet up with the Malloys from Vicious Cycle! lol

haha Which character makes you swoon the most (yours or someone else’s)?

To me, Rev is very, very swoony because he is the ultimate man—tough, strong, gentle, sweet, caring, hot as hell, excellent lover etc. His past reminds me of another swoony character, and that is Zsadist in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series.

*nods* How would you describe yourself in three words?

Lol, one of the local news stations used to have the slogan: Dedicated, Determined, and Dependable. I really see myself as those. I’m dedicated to my family, my friends, and my craft. I’m determined to write the best damn books I can, and you can always depend on me to be there for you in good times and bad, and that I’ll take you on a hell of a ride during a book!

Great qualities, Katie! Do you have any current or future projects you can tell us about?

I’m very excited about my next two independent projects. I’m doing a novella that goes with The Proposition series. It’s called The Predicament, and while it’s Casey and Nate’s story, you’ll get to see all the characters you love. My next full length book, Drop Dead Sexy, which is a Southern mystery/comedy.

We can’t wait for them! Thanks again for coming by, Katie. We can’t wait to get our ::grabbyhands:: on Redemption Road!

Thanks for having me! Hope you enjoy the book!

***GIVEAWAY***

Win a copy of Redemption Road and Vicious Cycle!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

What do you think, Pretties? How excited are you to meet Rev and Annabel?

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