A review by kfriend
Ignite by Cassandra Robbins
5.0
I just love Cassandra Robbins brand of MC drama. The Disciples series have everything I want in an MC read- grit and danger, foul mouthed emotionally-stunted alpha bikers, feisty heroines with just the right balance of sweet and sour, and just the right balance of steam and heart. And Ignite is now my favorite of the patch- the surly VP and his delicate ballerina stole my heart.
Axel is just alpha MC deliciousness- hyper protective, dominant, and HOT. The prickly VP- a stoic and detached leader whose only loyalty and commitment is to his club. Until the scrumptious Cookie….err Candy….err Antoinette literally dances right into his club. And HOLY HELL- a flame is light. The attraction is instant, the chemistry intense, and suddenly we’re all overheating. They both recognize the attraction for what it is- DANGEROUS. Suddenly the lone wolf wants someone, and that is dangerous for Axel’s life view. And Antoinette sees literal danger in this MC leader- power and brutality oozing from his presence. But our poor, down on her luck Antoinette finds herself in his crosshairs, and Axel is trying to figure out if that is just where he wants her or not.
I LOVED this couple. FLOOOOOOOOOOVED THEM. So, let’s get the juicy stuff out of the way first- THEY ARE HOT. Fan-yourself-need-a-cold-shower hot. LAWD. Their connection is combustible- sexy and naughty, totally explosive. Axel is an alpha dirty talker, and our little ballerina likes it when he is naughty. SCORCHING chemistry. But, Cassandra also brings in the heart.
But, what I love most about Cassandra’s MC romances is emotional connections she creates- this frenetic need and attachment that is intensely visceral. The connections always start out fragile, delicate but sound, and then they evolve subtly, so much so our characters don’t always even notice its there until they are forced to- but here is a steady interlocking of souls. People who are the unexpected missing pieces to each other- and Axel and Antoinete could not be any more different, but they CLICK. Because both of these characters are actually quite lonely - committed to their independence and stubbornly resilient, but alone. The little ballerina is the light to Axel’s dark- a bright eyed, exuberant love whose vulnerability is only made more beautiful by her hard labored survival. Her love is so pure, so awe-inspiring that she unleashes something in Axel he didn’t even know he needed. And the big dark biker gives her something she has never had- safety and contentment, which only bolsters her courage as we see her evolve into a girl unafraid to express her emotions, to stand up for what she wants.
Cassandra gives us a perfectly paced push-pull here, mostly focusing on the sweet but confusing connection these two develop but sprinkled with the MC danger we love AND the amazing bonds of brotherhood and the family-you-choose charm of the Disciple crew. I love these characters so much- and it is great to see our former main players get a chance to lay down the knowledge they’ve learned from their own tumultuous love stories.
I’m so glad I discovered this series- the prose is on point, the plots riveting, and the characters are dimensional and captivating. But the way Cassandra writes chemistry truly sets her apart in a sea of derivative MC stories. The relationships, both the romantic and platonic, are so thoughtful and complex. The connection drives the stories- and it catalyzes the characters’ growth, which not only makes the stories more addictive, but it also makes them more emotionally profound. Few MC writers so artfully bring a sweet and beautiful poignant to the love of dark and grizzly men- but Cassandra? She doesn’t just make it delightful, she makes it feel real. I love this series, and I love Axel and his Antoinette.
Axel is just alpha MC deliciousness- hyper protective, dominant, and HOT. The prickly VP- a stoic and detached leader whose only loyalty and commitment is to his club. Until the scrumptious Cookie….err Candy….err Antoinette literally dances right into his club. And HOLY HELL- a flame is light. The attraction is instant, the chemistry intense, and suddenly we’re all overheating. They both recognize the attraction for what it is- DANGEROUS. Suddenly the lone wolf wants someone, and that is dangerous for Axel’s life view. And Antoinette sees literal danger in this MC leader- power and brutality oozing from his presence. But our poor, down on her luck Antoinette finds herself in his crosshairs, and Axel is trying to figure out if that is just where he wants her or not.
I LOVED this couple. FLOOOOOOOOOOVED THEM. So, let’s get the juicy stuff out of the way first- THEY ARE HOT. Fan-yourself-need-a-cold-shower hot. LAWD. Their connection is combustible- sexy and naughty, totally explosive. Axel is an alpha dirty talker, and our little ballerina likes it when he is naughty. SCORCHING chemistry. But, Cassandra also brings in the heart.
But, what I love most about Cassandra’s MC romances is emotional connections she creates- this frenetic need and attachment that is intensely visceral. The connections always start out fragile, delicate but sound, and then they evolve subtly, so much so our characters don’t always even notice its there until they are forced to- but here is a steady interlocking of souls. People who are the unexpected missing pieces to each other- and Axel and Antoinete could not be any more different, but they CLICK. Because both of these characters are actually quite lonely - committed to their independence and stubbornly resilient, but alone. The little ballerina is the light to Axel’s dark- a bright eyed, exuberant love whose vulnerability is only made more beautiful by her hard labored survival. Her love is so pure, so awe-inspiring that she unleashes something in Axel he didn’t even know he needed. And the big dark biker gives her something she has never had- safety and contentment, which only bolsters her courage as we see her evolve into a girl unafraid to express her emotions, to stand up for what she wants.
Cassandra gives us a perfectly paced push-pull here, mostly focusing on the sweet but confusing connection these two develop but sprinkled with the MC danger we love AND the amazing bonds of brotherhood and the family-you-choose charm of the Disciple crew. I love these characters so much- and it is great to see our former main players get a chance to lay down the knowledge they’ve learned from their own tumultuous love stories.
I’m so glad I discovered this series- the prose is on point, the plots riveting, and the characters are dimensional and captivating. But the way Cassandra writes chemistry truly sets her apart in a sea of derivative MC stories. The relationships, both the romantic and platonic, are so thoughtful and complex. The connection drives the stories- and it catalyzes the characters’ growth, which not only makes the stories more addictive, but it also makes them more emotionally profound. Few MC writers so artfully bring a sweet and beautiful poignant to the love of dark and grizzly men- but Cassandra? She doesn’t just make it delightful, she makes it feel real. I love this series, and I love Axel and his Antoinette.