Review: A dangerous and sexy romantic ride
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 08 25, 2013
Aching to Exhale picks up a year after the events of Breathing His Air, Debra Kayn's first book in the series, in which Crystal is depicted as a shrewish, jealous woman who slept with the president of a rival motorcycle gang at Raul's request, and then shacked up with a strung-out druggie errand boy at the end of the book.  So I was extremely curious to see how the author would redeem Crystal, make her seem more human, and give her a story and personality worthy of a romance heroine.And does Debra Kayn deliver!  Crystal blossoms in this book, and her brittle exterior and jealous, bitchy behavior is seen in a new light, as we learn more about her past and the reasons for her actions.  She is much more than the sum of her actions, and it was fascinating to see the layers peel back from her hard outer shell to reveal the woman beneath.Crystal has always loved Raul, and done whatever he asked.  But when he turns her out of the motorcycle club in a harsh and secretive attempt to keep her safe from his enemies, she has nowhere to go but with a club errand boy who happens to be working for the Mexican Mafia.  Pretty soon Crystal is in serious trouble, and ends up back with Raul.  Although Crystal and Raul have both screwed up and hurt one another, they never stopped loving each other.  Both attempt to hide their secrets from the other in misguided efforts to be protective, jeopardizing their trust.Raul is very much a sexy caveman-style hero, strong, protective and forceful, demanding Crystal trust him and obey his instructions, but offering her no explanation.  Crystal's had enough of this behavior, and her strength in standing up for herself forces Raul to be honest with himself about his feelings for her.  Although Raul's behavior can be really annoying, his incredibly dangerous and stressful life as an undercover agent leaves no room for the niceties.  Crystal and Raul find themselves in a complicated mess of tangled biker loyalties, all while trying to put away the local kingpin of the Mexican Mafia and shut down his drug and sex-trade business.  Raul is walking an incredibly fine line between protecting his Langsturn bikers and bringing down the bad guys he's spent 8 years hunting.  The same bad guy who wants Crystal and has a price on her head.The ending is the perfect twist on a happy-ever-after, and suits Raul and Crystal perfectly.With non-stop action, intense and sexy relationship-building and secret-life-sharing, Aching To Exhale was an exhilirating, exciting and passionate ride.  Well- done!