AJ is the latest of Jessie Cooke’s Phoenix Skulls books. I wouldn’t quite call it one of the Phoenix Skulls books, but more adjacent to the world. I mean, the guys are in the book, but the main character, AJ, isn’t a member of the MC. There is also another plot, which features Lion and Madison, who I figure are going to be coming up in a book sometime soon.
So, here’s our story. AJ, AKA Atsa Jacy, owns a big construction company in Tempe. One day he comes home to find out that his fiancee is fucking another man, in their bed. She has the best everything that he could buy for her, including tits. She figures that she is going to be able to use all that everything to get AJ back, but he’s soooo not interested in her skanky ass. Instead, he packs up, leaves their apartment in his super duper pricey luxury car, and drives to a bar. Where his car is promptly stripped. But, when he’s at the bar, he meets an older Najavo man. They have a discussion about their shared heritage. And the man (Rock FTW) tells AJ to search for his passion.
Then there’s Jolene. And yeah, I had Dolly Parton running through my head the whole time I was reading the book. Jolene is from Louisiana and is a photographer. She’s been offered a job documenting various First Nations people, and she will be traveling for the next several months to various reservations and spending time there with host families and taking lots of pictures. Her first stop just happens to be in Phoenix, where AJ is now working construction and working on the Phoenix Skulls clubhouse. They meet each other and sparks fly.
Meanwhile, Madison, who is the daughter of Hawk from the Southside Skulls, is being hidden by the guys in Phoenix, at least until Lion is sent out to get her to take her to the ranch that the Southside Skulls own. There is a lot of tension there.
I don’t mind having two plots going on in the story, along with dual POVs for each plot, but I think that the various plots would’ve been better served being broken down into 2 books. I know that would’ve made both books short, but I think that they would’ve worked better.
I liked AJ and Jolene. I would really like to see more of them in the future. I think that they are going to be a really fascinating couple.
I’m looking forward to seeing more about Lion and Madison.
I really like the compromise that AJ and Jolene come up with. I think it’s perfect for them.
OK, that’s all for this one! Go check it out! Happy reading!
In Between the Pages 