Series: Outlaws #1 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: October 6th 2015
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
The bestselling author of the Killer Instincts novels “knows how to write scorching sexual tension”*. Now she really sets it on fire in a new series about men and women living on the edge of violence, sex, and life and death.
After a devastating war decimated most of the world, Hudson Lane has only known the oppressive life under her own father’s tyranny. She finally escapes, branding herself an outlaw and hunted by the Enforcers. Her best chance at survival is Connor Mackenzie, an aggressively sensual fugitive who opens her eyes to the wicked possibilities of a world without rules.
As the leader of a band of outlaw fighters, Connor can’t resist the beautiful stranger who asks for his protection. Despite his reservations, he agrees to introduce her to a whole new way of life. But when Connor discovers Hudson’s connection to the enemies of liberty, he wonders how far he can trust the woman who has abandoned all inhibitions to challenge every forbidden desire.
If you know me, you know that I love love love Elle Kennedy’s new adult books. But I’ve actually never read an adult book by her, until now. When I first heard of Claimed, it went immediately on my TBR because it’s Elle Kennedy, obviously, but also because of the amazing blurb! Dystopian erotica isn’t a genre I normally delve into, so I thought why not give it a try with the Outlaws series? And if there’s one thing I can say about Claimed, it’s that it. is. freaking. HOT! This is without doubt a panty melter of a book – if you’re a fan of steamy books, check this one out!
In this dystopian world Elle Kennedy has created, cities are tightly, rigorously controlled by the government’s Enforcers, and those who go against the government’s tyranny, the Outlaws, are killed on sight. Connor Mackenzie is reluctantly in charge of a group of Outlaw fighters. He’s a natural-born leader against his wishes, but he’s formed a bond with his band of brothers Rylan, Pike, Xander, and Kade. They’re a tight-knit group, so when a mysterious woman shows up and wants to join their gang, they’re obviously suspicious.
Hudson Lane is on the run, and she knows her best bet for survival is to stick with Connor and his deadly, dangerous men. But she has to prove herself trustworthy first – and it’s tough going, but day by day, she proves that she can keep up with the men and be an integral part of the group. Of course, there’s also the insanely hot chemistry between Hudson and Connor. Their sex is raw, intense, and uninhibited – the steam is definitely the best part of the book.
I was intrigued by the dystopian world at first, but I felt like this aspect of the book was highly overshadowed by the sex. There is just sooo much sex that it was little too much for me at times, and I had to skim past it. I wanted the plot to move forward, but it did at a very slow pace, and we get only a shallow understanding of how the world came to be in Claimed. It’s a shame the world-building wasn’t as developed as I hoped, because it had so much potential!
Though I didn’t connect with the plot, I really did enjoy getting to know all the characters. Connor and Hudson are great together – Connor is an alpha to the max, and Hudson gives as good as she gets. If you don’t like menages, though, this probably won’t be the book for you. I’m excited to see where Elle Kennedy will take us next with the Outlaws series – I’m hoping each of Connor’s men get’s his own book!
Reading Order: Outlaws series
#1 ~ Claimed: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ Addicted: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ Ruled: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads (Nov. 1, 2016)
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