Bump Start (Northern Roots: Atlantic)

Holy goodness I was not mentally ready for Alder and our grumpy monkey Cade. But man do I LOVE them! This is book 3 out of the Northern Roots series and they keep getting better each time! I’ve enjoyed the first two a lot but this one! Grumpy ☠️ x grumpy 🐻 is perfection. Two lost souls who find strength in each other. Cade is struggling with depression and wants to find a way to feel alive. He discovers that Danger is was helps him mind quiet down and his body feel alive again. Alder is Danger. As VP of his local motorcycle club he often finds himself with dirty hands. He sees Cade at a local bar and knows he’s someone who will flip his world upside down. But as a rival MC group threatens to take everything Alder loves away from him, he has to figure out how to help his brothers and remind Cade that his life is worth more than an empty bottle of rum. This is definitely a darker romance as the spicy is kinky and explores pain and breath play. There is always an element of danger when in the world of motorcycle clubs and that is a major component of this book. There’s an on page death of a side character (quick-ish and deserved) Please check the trigger warnings on this because Cades symptoms of depression can definitely be something that could be hard for people to read. And remember that depression isn’t a thing that looks the same for everyone. Spice was spicing and plentiful for sure. It starts early and goes strong throughout the book. 4/5 🌶️ there’s definitely a…

Cade's depression was all-consuming and it spoke to me on a personal level. I didn't exactly connect with him - I've never quite spiraled like that or self-medicated in the same way - but the feeling of disconnect and trying to feel something did resonate. I think for that reason, the story really worked for me. Alder's semi-chaotic personality was fabulously enjoyable too. I wish, though, they had connected on a deeper level sooner. It felt like things stayed superficial for a long time, focused mostly on the physical and the interest they did have on each other, without delving into the more, until the last quarter. I love Eve Holmes' writing style though, and this was no exception. And I've really enjoyed this entire series so far.