Judgment Road (Torpedo Ink)

I have read everything I've ever found written by Christine Feehan. Some I've enjoyed more than others. But I can state unequivocally that she is a truly gifted writer. Judgement Road is technically the first book in the new Torpedo Ink series. She has actually brought three of her series together in a seamless fashion. In this new series we get to know a group of people that were reared to be killers. They were abused and tortured from childhood. But they survived by banding together. They are a very strange family. They create a motorcycle gang and call themselves Torpedo Ink. While they are all stone cold killers you grow to emphasize and finally even like them. This is the story of Reaper, the club's enforcer, and Anya. They both have their own issues. But Reapers are far the worst. Anya is his light. She just has to figure out if she can learn to live in his world. I couldn't put it down. Loved this book.

I really wanted to like this book, but could find little in it to interest me. The author didn't fully explain the backstory and the motivation of the main characters early on, but instead doled out bits of information throughout the first several chapters. The list of characters was long, like a Russian novel. The sex? Politically incorrect. The main negative, for me, was the (aversion) and unfamiliarity of the biker culture. I don't think this is a series I will continue.

As a big Christine Feehanfan I was really excited to get a free ARC to review this book which is the second in the series ( the first was the last in the sisters series). I was intrigued by Reaper when first meeting him and while in took a while I’m glad he found His HEA. Ms Feehan did a great job showing how he struggled to adjust to his new life (no instaromance here) and found a great match for him in Anya who has enough fire to go head to head with him and enough love to free him. While a little hotter than some of her other books I really enjoyed the dynamic between the leafs and their extended family. This book is a great blend of biker action and suspense and I can’t wait for the next book. A definite must read

I enjoyed the glimpse we had of the club in Bound Together. I thought it would continue with the paranormal aspect in some way. I hadn't thought Feehan would go straight to Erotica. Her books are usually hot enough, so any hotter and we all might go up in flames. I kept getting this nagging feeling that some of the book was written by a man. Very coarse language with the graphic description. Not to say, I don't read stuff like that, but I usually know that is what I'm about to read. Silly me. I was thinking along the lines of The Drakes and the Sisters of the Heart series and this would just be a MC book and so on....I'll continue on with the series cause I love everything Feehan does. I'll just go in with eyes wide-open.....

I've always been a huge fan of the Drake Sisters and Christine's Sisters of the Heart, and I was so looking forward to reading this new series. I enjoyed reading bits and pieces, but it's just so sad the way from what these men/women went through as children and just breaks my heart. Reaper and Anya was a good story and it kept me reading, but I'm just not into so many of these crazy sex scenes. I can understand a few of them happening and that's always good, but not every chapter or every other chapter. Please tone it down a bit in the next books.

I love Christine Feehan novels. She's written several series. First there were the Drake sisters. Then Sisters of the heart. Now Torpedo Ink. Judgement Road contained a plethora of foul language. And it was X-rated almost constantly. I just sort of skipped those pages...but it was good on another level. Learning Reapers story made me wonder how he was still alive and more fully explained the dynamics of the brotherhood. I'm looking forward to the next instalment!

GREAT book. Kept you interested from the first page to the last. It would help to read Sisters of the Hear Series, but you really do not have to, as she only mentions some of the characters from that series.

Yes, there are sex scenes and yes there is violence, so if that turns you off, skip. But if you want a great read, this one is for you. Please note, I do not mention what the story is about, as I do not want to ruin the story for you and put in spoilers.

This book and others from CF lately have been a little too dark for my tastes. I have always loved her books, but they are starting to slide too far into the dark sex world for my tastes. I hope she pulls back a little and gets back to the good story lines she used to write.

Tortured hero, dumb heroine, and sex. Lots and lots of sex. Throw in a big misunderstanding and the typical abuse and you have the new Feehan book. Same as the last one, and the one before and .....

The story or so called plot is the very least part of the book. Lots and lots of sex. Talking, doing, thinking about sex. That IS the story. And in a way I can understand due to circumstances but holy moly! And who the heck has important conversations while having sex? It seems all her couples can. You can actually miss something that may be pertinent if you skip all of it.

To me, Feehan has fallen down the rabbit hole and is going farther into areas of abusive men and the women who want to "see to their every need". UGH!! I cringe every time I read that saying. There is a line and she is dancing on it. And it's ok for the men to act like trolls, they know best and are just protecting the little woman. And the women are strong but they take the abuse because the man needs them too and he knows best. He's only making her life better. I don't understand how she can promote that kind of thinking!

I guess I've gotten picky in my older age. I want to be told a story when I sit down to read. I want to be engaged in that story and in the characters. A good love scene when warranted is great as long as it isn't pages and pages long. Sheesh some authors can write a hot one in a couple of pages and it's good. I don't want a play by play of every sex move. I've had sex, I know what happens, I don't need or want a manual on it. I'm not sure if she's obsessed or if it's just lazy writing but after 20 yrs of reading I'm about done. (less)

Usually love Feehan's books. Unfortunately this book contains too much sexual content. I don't need 5 pages of sexual detail every other chapter. It takes away from the plot and disrespects the characters.

Christine Feehan is one of the few authors who are must reads for me. Like I’ll be reading something else and one of her books release and I’ll drop that book for hers. All the time.

So when Judgment Road released I was super excited to jump in. Things were going really well, the only disappoint was the lack of “paranormal” in this book. It a really small thing that only came up around the turning point of the book. If more powers are used later on I don’t know about them since I stopped reading half way through.

Now comes the (mild) spoiler part.

I get that Alpha males have to be badasses and sometime that makes them thick-skulled but they usually realize their wrongs and make up for it. Sometimes it works other times it does not. In the case of Reaper his apology fell kinda flat for me and I ended up hating everyone’s response/reaction after that.

Anya pretty much get blindsided in the worst way by a man she’s fallen for in a world she doesn’t know the rules. I thought they were just going to simply question her for info but she gets tied down to a chair and mind-raped in a room full of men, one being her lover, who were also all traumatized and abused as children.

I can’t see anyone in that room being okay with questioning anyone that way. Reaper is apologetic after but the trust is gone. Anya is gutted. His sad life story of why he and his bothers are they way they are falls flat after attacking someone like that and it sure doesn’t justify it. Nope.

To make matters worse they bring in Blythe who isn’t really there for any kinds of sisterhood and banding together for what a woman went through, oh no, she’s there to help Anya change her mind and say “they aren’t that bad” “they had tough childhoods” “I hated my husband after he abandoned me too but gave it another shot and I’m so happy now”. So much cringe.

So I closed the book and will not be finishing this one. The only other time I’ve DNF a Freehan book is “Wild Cat” for the same reason. I’ll read the next book as most of her series are not like this bad, damn what a disappointment.

I have been reading Feehan's books for years. I do believe this will be the last purchase I make of her books. With all of the women's degrading going on in the world she does not have to add to the mix; however the main women in this book allows bondage, being told what to do, etc. I do not purchase books to see women degraded and her recent books all lead in this direction. Save your money on this one.

First of all I love her books. Strong women, lethal men who are total badasses — and will do anything in the world for the women they love I was looking forward to reading Reapers story. Czars was ...good. Not great. Reapers was completely downhill. I agree with what another reviewer wrote. Anya claims to be such a strong woman, that she’s tough and smart. I didn’t see any of that. She continually tells Reaper different things, she “draws the line” then he looks at her, he kisses her or he looks hurt—and she forgets all about everything else. Let the club torture her— she can’t forgive that. Two pages later and she can’t live without him because his kisses taste like fire. Seriously? So disappointed that she claims to be strong and yet she is continually hurt, abused and in her mind it’s ok. Do not recommend.

I am having a really difficult time not wanting to throw my kindle across the room with this book. Twice I’ve had to stop reading out of anger. First, there should be a warning that anyone who has ever suffered any type of abuse at the hands of a man should NOT read this book!!! The torture and lack of choices given to the woman in this book, and how she is bullied to forgiveness, this is not romance. It’s distubing. It sends a horrible message to any woman , let alone a woman who may currently be in an abusive relationship, or has fought so hard to get herself out of one. To be tortured, and then given excuses as to why it was done, then telling the abused they aren’t “giving them a chance because of one mistake”. Horrible.

This book some may find hard to read due to the subject matter and it is at times raw, gritty, in your face, and darkly sensual. I loved it !!!!!
The members of Torpedo Ink have been together since childhood but a childhood that no child should ever have to suffer, has made them a family. They are finally free to have a life without living in the shadows, without looking over their shoulders at every turn, and now they are making their life in the small town of Caspar buying up the buildings, renovating, and putting down roots but all is not as it seems....Anya is on the run and finds a job working as a bartender for the Torpedo Ink MC. she feels safe there until she sees Reaper, with the face a a fallen angel he ignites a need in her that she has never known before. Reaper has always been able to control himself no matter the situation until he hears Anya laugh and that sound shreds his control like nothing ever has, she is a puzzle that doesn't add up for Reaper. Why does he feel the need to protect her but at the same time wants her out the door and not causing the feelings he has.

When situations are misunderstood, when you don't have all the facts it is easy to make a judgement call but judgement calls without all the facts have a way of coming back to bite. Can Anya overcome the hurt and anger when she is misjudged and put thru a traumatic interrogation, can she forgive what she feels a blatant betrayal. Will Reaper be able to overcome his childhood memories or at least break the power they have over him, to keep Anya by his side and for once know love.

Judgement Road the beginning of a fantastic new series by Christine Feehan. You don't want to miss a minute.

3.5 Stars

Anyone familiar with Christine Feehan’s other types of series, especially the paranormals, might be surprised at this new trope. The founding members of the outlaw motorcycle club, Torpedo Ink, are bloodthirsty in a different way than vampires. They grew up under heinous and horrifying conditions in a Russian orphanage. After moving to a small town in the Pacific Northwest where they now own a biker bar, they establish a secret business which is something quite different from most clubs. Trained as assassins, each of the men and the two women members have emotional and physical scars that are almost unimaginable. Reaper is the club enforcer whose job requires him to be a killer without mercy or conscience. He believes himself to be soulless and undeserving of love or any happiness outside of protecting those he considers family in addition to his brother. Anya has her own issues from a difficult childhood and is on the run from a group that is causing problems for the local MCs. Working as a bartender at the Torpedo Ink’s club, she attracts Reaper’s attention. Once this very powerful man focuses on someone, he does not let go for good or ill. One bit of a paranormal element comes in the form of certain psychic abilities the club members have developed from their time in hell on earth back in Russia.

This is a very dark, intense, and gritty read because of the situations Reaper and the Club deal with giving Anya a harsh introduction to his lifestyle. Their mutual attraction is powerful and passionate, but Reaper considers himself too damaged and broken to deserve Anya. He constantly pushes her away, but conversely, does not want to let her go. Anya sees Reaper for who he is with all his scars, physical and emotional, finding him beautiful despite them. A small thing that seemed odd to me is though Reaper’s real name is given in the beginning of the book for readers, Anya never asks him what it is.

After their experiences in Russia, the club has become a type of Robin Hood group. They are former bad guys who have become good guys doing illegal things to take out a certain kind of criminal element. They have taken the skills their abusive trainers meant for evil turning them into a noble cause; however, most of what Torpedo Ink does is quite illegal and deadly. Life for men and women in motorcycle clubs is portrayed here with a certain amount of romanticism; however, the treatment of women often seems very unattractive since in many respects, they are second class citizens. Except for the two women members in Torpedo Ink which is very rare, most are either wives known as “old ladies,” or women who hang around the club good for only serving the member’s needs. Life in this MC and others they deal with is very much a man’s world. Anya and Reaper work fairly well as a couple though he did some really wrong things, mostly because of his background, clueless state when it comes to relationships plus recurring nightmares. Hearing about Reaper’s and the other members’ back story is quite hard to take so be warned. While the relationship between Anya and Reaper drives the book hence its romance category, graphic violence, killing, and mayhem is not for everyone. Clearly Ms. Feehan’s talent as a writer shows in this book as it will take riders on quite the emotional ride.

"We all have something to hide."
"Something that would hurt the club?" he persisted.
She frowned at him. "Of course not."
"Then you're perfectly safe."

***

Christine Feehan continues to be one of my most favorite Authors. I've followed her work from the Dark Series to the Leopard Series, GhostWalkers, Drake Sisters, Sisters of the Heart, and Torpedo Ink. Every novel I have read of Christine's has come to have a very special place in my heart.

I was excited to receive Judgment Road and anticipated reading the novel as I have all of Christine's other works. I couldn't wait to open the book and have the characters and places come alive in my imagination. I wanted another hit of Christine's world as only she could write it.

What I didn't expect was to spend hours of my life completely enraptured in the pages of Judgment Road.

Reaper leapt from the book and into my heart. Oh my word! He was tough, but he had a heart of gold. He did what he had to do for the Torpedo Ink motorcycle club, his family, and didn't look back when he made a decision.

Once his eye caught sight of Any Rafferty, there was no going back. A girl has to make a buck, right? Anya is hard working, loyal, and has a secret that could rock Reaper's world.

When that secret was exposed, it rocked my socks! What was going to happen next? I just had to know!

***

To be completely honest, Judgment Road was stunningly brilliant and smart read! I kept needing to turn the page, not put the book down, until I read, for myself, Reaper and Anya's HEA. Once I did, and the steps they took to get there, I was blown away! Judgment Road was awesome!

Family is thicker than blood. Often, those we meet grow closer to us than our own biological family. For those of the Torpedo Ink motorcycle club, this was exactly the case. I just loved every person for their unique style and what they offered the club.

I can't wait to read more of Christine Feehan's novels! If I could give Judgment Road more than 5 STARS, I would! Great job, Christine!

This is the worst book this author has ever written in my opinion. Caution there will be spoilers.

Reaper is a disgusting,perverted, control freak. He grabbed the heroine so hard that he left bruises on her. Instead of feeling bad this sorry excuse of a man gets turned on by them and wants her to get a tattoo of his fingerprint bruises. Let's not forget that his emotional baggage causes him to almost kill her. He also allows her to be interrogated and traumatized by his brothers. He thinks about cheating. Then before it's all said and done he has her having sex with him in front of his brothers and strangers. He is described as macho. Well if that's macho then no thank you.
Our heroine Anya is lonely and desperate for a family. Therefore she accepts the horrific things he does and allows other to do to her. Over and over it's said she's a strong independent woman well before she met him that might have been true. No evidence of that once she hooks up with him.
Another issue I had is how crude the language in this book is. CF has never written like that before and I don't understand why she would.
Last but not least is I noticed all of this group talks about how Blythe is teaching them to live in society. That's crap. She makes excuses for their bad behavior and thinks everyone should just forgive. Each time Reaper hurt Anya (physically and emotionally) Blythe made excuses and basically told Anya to forget about it. What kind of woman does that?
Seriously doubt I'll read the next book in this series. My skin is still crawling from reading this one.

I love and have read all Christine Feehan’s other series so was looking forward to this new one. Unfortunately I just didn’t like it. Similar to other reviewers comments, regardless of the trauma of the male character’s childhood, his behavior toward his love interest I found disrespectful and that never changed throughout the plot arc. It was basically all about him, what he wanted, what he could deal with. There was little to no focus on what she needed or wanted and he constantly trampled over her voiced needs. She made her dreams quite clear and by the end of the book you realized she was basically stuck bartending in a biker bar sexually servicing her lover. There was mention of her talent for drawing, cooking, baking and interior design yet none of that was realized. Many of Feehan’s other books have related male characters raised the same way this one was and they treated their women in a much different manner. I’ll pass on reading further books in this series.

This is a dark book with lots of triggers: mental and physical abuse, rape, torture, pedophilia and very descriptive violence. Some parts are hard to read/get through.

Torpedo Ink MC is comprised of Russian immigrants who escaped from their “home.” They were stolen as toddlers after their parents were murdered, raised together and tortured into becoming assassins for their government. Horrific things were done to these kids to remove all emotion from them. The MC is compromised of 15 men and 2 women. They each have their “specialty,” they can communicate telepathically and most have some supernatural “gift”.

Reaper is the MC Enforcer. Since leaving Russia a few years ago, he has no interest in women or sex. He lives for riding and fighting. He is a complete and total control freak with many, many, psychological and emotional scars.

Anya Rafferty is a bartender at the Torpedo Ink’s bar. She is hard working, a good bartender, outgoing yet guarded and kind hearted. She was raised by her mom, mostly in shelters, got her GED on her own and paid for bartending school.

When she starts working for the bar, Reaper is immediately drawn to her. He’s reeling since he’s never had an emotional reaction to anyone before, so he attempts unsuccessfully to get her fired. They both eventually cave and more struggles begin.

Blythe, Czar’s wife, seems to be the one positive note in all this. She’s the calm in the storm, the light to their dark. Everyone looks to her for guidance.

SPOILERS:
I’m on the fence about this book. I had things I liked and a few issues. I liked that this MC had 2 fully patched women. I liked that this group of people escaped, stayed together, supported each other and made it a priority to hunt down and “take care of” pedophiles and save the kids involved. I wanted to kick some butt when this group tortured Anya and no one tried to stop it. In fact, Reaper secured her to the chair. And she eventually forgives him, and them?! WTH?!

At 462 pages, this is a LONG book. It was like a train wreck. You can’t look away, and yet you‘re distraught/sickened by the carnage. I wasn’t left with any warm fuzzies after reading this. This is my first book by this author and I’m not sure if I’ll be looking for the next one in the series.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher.

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Caro

Amazing. Exciting. Intense. Wow! What a book! Another series by Christine Feehan to add to my collection.

I do have to warn readers that (fans of Feehan already know) will start this series that although you can read it as a separate series, Torpedo Ink is in a way linked to Sea Haven, so some of the characters or events mentioned might sound a little confusing, other than that Judgement Road is a great book.

Judgment Road’s plot is intense, another waring if the mentions of violence and graphic elements aren’t for some readers. Reaper and Anya’s relationship starts off rocky, but with time they manage to understand and trust each other. Reaper has a violent past that he is trying to leave behind, while Anya is trying to build a new and better future for herself. Reaper’s loyalty is first to Torpedo Ink and its members, it has always been that way and now that he has found Anya, Reaper is having a difficult time finding how to set them both as priority in his life. Anya, on the other hand is ready to be that someone’s special person and number one, but being with Reaper shows to be more difficult than she imagined.

“Fine. I’ll go, but if they try anything with their questions, I swear, I’m getting a gun and shooting you.”

“Think there should only be one bloodthirsty person in our family, babe, and you’re not mean enough.”

There is a particular event in the story where Torpedo Ink interrogates Anya, but their way of interrogating isn’t your typical way. Anya is tortured mentally, and Reaper can’t do much to help her. This scene was one of my favorites, it showed some of Torpedo’s special abilities, how strong Anya can be along with more of her personality, but mostly it was a very emotional and intense moment among the characters. But there are a lot of romantic moments between Reaper and Anya that make up for the bad ones.

We also get a few scenes with Viktor and Blythe, Torpedo Ink’s leader and his wife. There are several glimpses of the rest of Torpedo Ink’s members as well, such as more of their personalities and what they have been up to since their introduction in Bound Together. I’m really curious to read more about the only two female members of Torpedo Ink, Alena and Lana, it would be interesting to know more about their background stories. Another interesting character would be Reaper’s brother Savage, in this book we got to see what Reaper is like, so getting to know Savage will be quite intriguing.

Judgment Road is the first book in Christine Feehan’s new series, Torpedo Ink, it has steamy romance, action, funny moments, and amazing characters. If you’re a fan of Feehan, you will love this book, and if you’re new to Feehan’s books I recommend you read Judgment Road, you’ll love it

This book is a spin off from the Sister's of the Heart series. We met all the characters that will be in this series in the last book about Blythe and Victor (better known as Czar). I would recommend reading those books but at the very least reading Bound Together so you get a little bit of the back story about these characters. This first book is about Reaper and Anya. Reaper was raised in the same "school" as Czar and his "brother's and sister's". He doesn't really feel anymore and lives for his MC and his family. Anya is a bartender that has been hired for the bar the club owns. She gets to Reaper just by being there and he wants her gone. But Anya needs the job and can't figure out what she did to make him not like her so much. Neither realize how much their lives are about to change.

I absolutely loved this book!! I started it and just couldn't put it down and finished it in less than a day. It was that good for me! I knew these books about these particular characters were going to be heart wrenching. I just never realized how much. Reaper has a lot of issues just because of everything that happened to him and his family in that "school". He is most definitely a damaged man, and he knows he is. He doesn't want to have to feel anything and resents that Anya can make him feel just with her laughter. Anya has her own secrets that she is trying to steer clear of. She doesn't want trouble and doesn't understand why Reaper seems to have it out for her. Until something happens and it pushes him into showing her exactly why he thinks the way he does. The things that Reaper goes through are horrific and the fact that he still has issues from those things are heart breaking. Anya thinks that what they have will be just a quick thing until something the MC does shows her not only what they will do for each other but in the end how much she truly means to Reaper. And then when he makes another mistake and she truly realize how damaged he is? Heart wrenching. Absolutely heart wrenching. There were parts of this book that made laugh, made me cry, made me mad, and made me fall in love with them all. I absolutely cannot wait for the next book in this series! Right now, I just want to know who it is about! Loved, loved, loved this book!

I went into Judgment Road super excited because it had two things I like: written by Christine Feehan and it was a motorcycle club romance. Unfortunately, I think in the end it Judgment Road was just an okay read. I understand some of the themes of a MC romance are going to remain the same for all book like alpha males and slang lingo. I was hoping for something different and this just felt like a rinse and repeat of every other MC romance I have read. I liked the paranormal twist of Judgment Road. It wasn’t enough to really bring the wow factor to Judgment Road and I feel like that was what was missing to really make this a great story.
I felt like Anya was a bit of a copy and paste of the same MC heroine I have read before. You know the heroine I am talking about, the woman who will do anything to fix her broken man. The woman who smiles a lot and uses terms of endearments like honey or sweetie. Plus, she is usually running from something so she needs the big strong man on the bike to save her. So, maybe it was just me, but I couldn't connect to Anya. I felt like the romance was just okay. It was hot with a lot of super sexy fun times. Once or twice I found myself skipping over the sex scenes to get back to action. It was all stuff I have read before there again wasn’t anything wow or exciting.
Like I mentioned before the big bad biker is actually broken emotionally. The different part of this book I liked is that this alpha male isn’t afraid he needs help. I like that therapy is mentioned and used because you don't see too many badass motorcycle club enforcers willing to at least try therapy to work their issues. I really enjoyed that Reaper loves Anya so much that he is willing to work through his issues. It wasn’t like some stories I have read where the heroine works some kind of sex magic and the hero is instantly cured. Anya has to work with Reaper to get him enough to let her touch him and sleep beside him at night.

The part of the story that really drew me in and kept me from DNF'ing this book was, the world Christine Feehan has created. I was really fascinated and drawn to all the members of the Torpedo Ink motorcycle club. I felt for them, and I mean tears in my eyes felt for them, because they have all had such a tragic past. The things some of them went through are things no one should have to endure. I especially liked that Torpedo Ink also has two fully patched women in their ranks. I am especially intrigued by the romance brewing between one the females and a member of another club. I honestly think I am more interested in the potential of this new romance than I was in the main romance in this first book.

All in all, Judgment Road was not a bad read. There were some good points: like the world, kickass female motorcycle club members, and an alpha male willing to try therapy. But, it also felt like it dragged in places. I felt like the romance was bit lackluster. I have seen this couple a million times already. But, I am now invested in this series because I fell into some major like with some of the other club members. I have to find out what is in store for my favorite Torpedo Ink members next.

*I received a copy from the publisher for an honest review

I'm not totally sure how I feel about this one, even hours after finishing it. It was quite dark and full of angst. The characters were all SO damaged, and had PTSD all over the place. It was really hard for me to read at times, for many different reasons.

Reaper is the enforcer of the Torpedo Ink Motorcycle Club. He's a fighter, a killer, always stone cold and remote, often even with his brothers and sisters. This is a unique MC in that all of the members grew up together, and were tortured together in Russia. They were all taken as orphaned kids to a "school" where they were taught to be assassins. They were tortured, physically, mentally, and sexually. What they endured, at ages as young as 2, was completely unimaginable, and it scarred and shaped them permanently. They are all very co-dependent on each other and they are all endlessly loyal to their president, Czar, as he's the one who helped to save them all. Reaper hasn't ever had sex other than when he was being forced, or had to do it as part of the jobs they sent him on. He believes he's incapable of feeling anything for anyone, other than a sense of loyalty to his club, and to Czar. Then he hears the new bartender's laugh, and he doesn't know what to think anymore.

Anya Rafferty is a great bartender. She's been working for about a month at the MC's bar and she really needs the job, as she's on the run. They pay her under the table, and she feels a sense of safety being under the MC's protection, as one of their employees. She's seen Reaper watching her each night in the bar, and she's wildly attracted to him. But, she feels like he stares at her like he hates her. She has no idea what's really going on beneath the surface. Anya grew up in shelters with her drug addict mother, until her death. Then she bounced around, and was always on her own. She's never had a family, or anyone to watch her back. When Reaper begins to act differently toward her she isn't sure what to think, or if she can trust him.

Reaper and Anya's chemistry is explosive, but they both have no idea what a ride they're in for. Reaper has more demons than he knows what to do with, and Anya has trust issues aplenty. They both have to come to terms with their issues, and it is a long, long road. There were really tough situations that happened, that made me cry and hurt for both of them. They both also make plenty of stupid mistakes along the way, some of which would be unforgivable to most people. I had a really hard time in particular with a couple of instances where I didn't see how anyone could reasonably come back from that. At least not in the short term. Granted, this is an extreme world, and they can't go to anyone outside the club for help, like a therapist, but I think they all would have seriously benefited from talking to someone who wasn't wrapped up in the same trauma they all endured.

There was a suspense side plot with a rival MC and some kidnapping situations that kept the story moving along, and that part was well done, exciting, and scary. Plenty of the side characters were quite interesting, especially the 2 ladies in the MC, but I'm not sure I'm hooked enough to keep going in the series. The trauma of these characters was absolutely heartbreaking, and there was so much pain and angst. I like my reads a little lighter, in general, and I had a hard time getting through this one at certain points. This is my first read from this author, so I didn't really know what to expect, and I have no idea whether this book is indicative of the rest of her work. The story flowed smoothly, and the writing was top notch, but I just couldn't take the pain of these poor people, and it physically hurt sometimes to continue reading. That is, perhaps, the sign of a great read that I felt so much, but for me, the pain was TOO much. Some of the situations, which I can't go into without spoilers, felt too contrived to be realistic, and I really hated some of the choices the characters made.

If you like high action suspense and super angsty, dark MC reads, this book could be for you. It just wasn't quite for me.

I was generously given an ARC for a honest review. This is my first Christine Feehan book but it is not my first MC book. At times I felt there was too much explanation regarding the terms surrounding the MC world. I've read all of Joanna Wylde's MC book so I feel I'm pretty well versed in that particular field of books. But if you are a MC novice, this is a good start. The book is a good beginning to the series but there's a lot going on.,,,,,,,such as the romance between Reaper and Anya, the backstory of Torpedo Ink, the current story of Torpedo Ink with the other MCs and the introduction of all the other members to set up the storyline in future books. Although this a first book in the series, I felt like if I had read the previous book/series where the Torpedo Ink is an offshoot. I would have had a better exxperience with the book. I believe it's the Sea Haven series?....the story of Blythe and Czar. There definitely were times where the story dragged......esp when Reaper and Anya were constantly flip flopping with their decisions with each other. I got tired of Anya always wanting to be first and treating Reaper like a child at some points. Also Reaper and his constant back and forth with Anya was tiring too. There were 2 Reapers: the strong enigmatic assassin/brother and the weak, bad decision making lover of Anya. I wished there was a better middle ground between these 2. And for all of Anya's declaration of love, she was pretty quick to call it quits esp at the latter half of the book. All she needed was to talk to Reaper and she came around pretty quickly but was so stubborn after the "therapy incident". I actually felt bad for Tawny.....she was just thrown in and took all the blame. There are plenty of sex scenes and while they are definitely hot, sometimes my annoyance with both characters took a bit away from the scene. The best parts of the book were when they went on their "missions". It really showcases their individual talents within the group. The hardest part of the book was reading about the torture school in Russia. It really does make the reader wonder how any one of them survived and are able to live the lives they are living currently.
Finally, I would recommmend this book and the upcoming book (hopefully about Pierce and Alena). Regardless of my sometimes annoyance of Reaper and Anya, it is still a solid MC romance with a twist. And I will be picking up more of Ms Feehan's other books!

**Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy**

Rough, brutal and intense are three words that come to mind when trying to describe the reading experience of JUDGMENT ROAD. It has an outrageous premise that the reader is expected to buy into, of the horrific past of the members of the Torpedo Ink motorcycle club, but what I could see for a lot of people is that it would just be too much to take in a romance novel.

This is definitely a motorcycle romance - paranormal romance, not so much. If JUDGMENT ROAD is a lake, then the paranormal aspects of the novel are about a cup of water. First off, you get about a quarter into the book before any paranormal aspect is even mentioned, and the various talents of the members of the club that make up the paranormal aspects felt like an afterthought to give the book the paranormal label.

Putting those things aside, I did enjoy the characters. Anya is a strong, independent woman who has some trauma but not too much in her past (Reaper has the monopoly on trauma in this book). Her reactions to things made sense and I liked that about her character. Reaper...well, he was hard to love, but eventually I came around.

My problems with the book stem from the ridiculous backstory that Feehan has built for the members of the motorcycle club - they grew up in a spy school in Russia where unspeakable (but frequently mentioned in the book) things happened on a regular basis - and from the fact that it was billed as a paranormal romance where there is little paranormal to be found. If this was sold as a regular contemporary romance, minus the minuscule paranormal aspects, I think I would have been much better prepared and enjoyed it some more.

I was honestly very excited for this series because I enjoyed Czar and Blythes book. I find his group of brothers and sisters to be intriguing and fascinating. They were so damaged but loyal to each other. I guess I wasn't expecting how bad these issues would impact the supposed romance and love in this book. Of all the brothers she met, Blythe thought Reaper the most emotionless and hard to reach so I was surprised Feehan decided to start this series with one of most damaged and complex men. The female protagonist was damaged herself which is part of the only reasons I think this couple accepted the over the top things that Reaper did to cope with his control issues and non trust in pretty much everything and everyone not the club. I honestly think I'm going to have to read it again because I kept having to put it down and normally I devour books. This one just didn't keep my attention and some of the things especially the repeated graphic sex scenes I actually skipped. I like sex scene as much as the next woman but it got a little much. The interrogation and torture was just wow but I kind of see the justification for it in their mindset just because it's club before anything and everything. Not healthy at all but I can see their reasoning sort of. I think this is not the book for the faint hearted especially when it comes to abuse both emotionally and physical. It's not watered down or especially realistic but it's definitely not a soft/fluff romance. I didnt hate it but I'm not sure I liked it either. I liked some of the other brothers so I'll definitely try the next one or just skip to the people I liked books.

I have to say. I REALLY wanted to like this series and I'm hoping that this book just is CF just not putting her best foot forward. Usually her male characters have some redeeming quality that encourages a reader to like not only the character but the book. This one........I just couldn't stand him. I get that Reaper has had a life no one would ever want but there is a difference between being a strong and dominating male versus just being an abusive jerk. Reaper not only toed the line on the latter-he dances over it.
If there were paragraphs without him talking about how much he lusted after her boobs and butt, and how much his pants got tighter and yadda yadda....then the other paragraphs were about him being a pushy, masochistic, bully that completely pushed Anya around, abused her and got off on the fact that he not only bruised/hurt her but then wanted to keep doing it to mark her. When he actually DID really hurt her, he cared more about how they could be sexual together instead of helping her heal through the trauma. The character Anya, I guess is suppose to be seen as strong but really she's just submissive and bland. There's nothing really great about her and there were many times I really wanted her to make good on her threats of beating Reaper with a pan. Maybe she could have gotten lucky, killed him, and shortened the book. At the very least we wouldn't hear for the millionth time how much he like her boobs and butt.
There really isn't much special about the book. I WANT to like it, I think it could be very good and CF certainly knows how to write but these characters could easily be the same as those in the Shadow series with the exception that, so far, the male characters are just......so bad, and not in a good way.

Review: JUDGMENT ROAD (Torpedo Ink) by Christine Feehan
Publication Date: January 23, 2018
Genre: Contemporary/ Paranormal Romance
Reviewed by: Reading in Pajamas/ Cori
Rated 5 Stars

When Christine Feehan announced this new series I was so excited and she didn’t disappoint me. I loved JUDGMENT ROAD! Hot bikers with paranormal abilities, danger and smoking hot romance make this series addicting. The Torpedo Ink MC is made up of survivors from a brutal Russian training facility. JUDGMENT INK is emotional, raw, gritty and has darker elements. There were times the story made cringe and want to cover my eyes rather than read the emotional scenes. Christine Feehan is a master storyteller and always delivers a story in a way that makes the reader feel like the story is coming alive and I felt a full range of emotions while reading this one. I’m hooked and can’t wait to read each club member’s story. I recommend this series for romance lovers who enjoy a dark storyline and biker romance lovers will definitely love this one.

*Review copy provided by Penguin in exchange for an honest review.

I will not restate the plot nor reveal any spoilers in this review.
I fell in love with Christine Feehan's writing many years ago when I picked up Dark Prince from the local library. Since then I have read (and own) most if not all of her books. This book was not a disappointment. It is the second one in the Torpedo Ink series, which has ties to both Sisters of the Heart and the Drake Sister series. As in the first book of Torpedo Ink, all characters are well-defined and remain true to their characterizations. The main characters, Reaper and Anya, are well written and fleshed out and have great depth and many facets that make this novel believable. They are not two dimensional characters that are forgettable.
*As in her trademark style, Christine Feehan has written a book with adult content, and I would caution parents to be aware of this before young teenagers are permitted to read it. It has adult language and graphic sexual content. But for this style novel, I rate it 5 stars!

So, I was a huge fan of the Drake Sisters and Sisters of the Heart series' all set in Sea Haven and now we are delving into the MC created by Victor Prakenskii from the last Heart book based in Caspar. I think I have always liked these characters because with every couple at least one of them have been through some very serious and messed up stuff, especially the Prakenskiis and the other children from the Sorbacov "schools" in Russia. This is Reaper's story and though we don't know for sure yet, I believe his story is one of the worst. I love the family of brothers and sisters that survived their vile childhood and how well they take care of each other even if they can suggest some stupid ideas at times. Anya thinks Reaper absolutely hates her but doesn't understand why. He tries to get her fired from her bartending job at the MC bar, but can't follow through when Czar puts it on him. It turns out Anya has peaked Reapers interest which a first for him and he doesn't know how to handle it and is trying to protect her from himself. Anya is a great character and really tries to help Reaper as they become closer. This is where the stupid comes in with Reaper, Storm, and Ice. Anya had one rule for Reaper and that was no other women or she was out, but Storm and Ice trying to help Reaper with a huge problem really talks him into a bad idea and you can see it coming. It does not stop the club from banding together to protect Anya and Reaper until things can at least be talked about. This really was a great book, but I had a couple of problems with it that knocked it down from 5 to 4 stars. Too much sex! I am in no way a prude, you can't be if you read Feehan's books, but this time there was so much that it became boring. Also, for as messed up as Reaper was, he sure got over it quickly (not without an incident), but still. I believe we were given a possible preview as to the couple that will be in the next book and I am looking forward to that one.

I was super excited to read this as Christine Feehan is a name I've seen around and this seemed right up my alley.

I think this must be a spin off. There were several instances where references were made to other characters/situations/place with a casualness that assumed we knew who they were. I found myself confused as to whether this was supposed to be a paranormal/supernatural book, because the "special skills" the Torpedo Ink members exhibited were kinda supernatural, but if they are then it's not explained well. If they're not supernatural, there felt like a disconnect as to how their special skills were discovered.
The Hero was the wrong kind of Alpha for me and the heroine flip flopped between bad ass and meek.
Turned out to be a swing and a miss.

Author Christine Feehan has been an automatic purchase for me since I picked up my first book by her years ago. I have been utterly hooked on her writing since. I think I have nearly every book in paperback at least. So when she comes out with a new series or an offshoot of a series such as this I get really excited and I can't wait to devour it.

Judgement Road is set in Casper the town next to Sea Haven. In this book we get a glimpse of some old faces and a mention of a couple more. This is its own series so it can be read all by itself, but I would certainly suggest reading the Sea Haven series so you can immerse yourself in this world while you wait for book two!

This first book in the Torpedo Ink series floored me. This has been the darkest book by Ms. Feehan I have ever read. It was brutal and devastating. The story was captivating for so many reasons. The brutality of MC life was there but that wasn't why it was brutal. The brutality was the reality of these new character's world. The devastating qualities were two parts. One is the result of their upbringing in the brokenness they are and the second part being the beauty of what that brokenness has wrought. This MC is so much closer than mere brotherhood and sisterhood. They were forged by hell and baptized by blood into a family that is closer than death. Nothing could separate them, or could it?

These characters and I don't know if it was because Reaper was the first introduced but he most especially, will cause a reader to become completely endeared and enthralled by them. I want each of their stories. Reaper and Anya's story was not for the faint of heart and if the rest of the stories in this series are the same it will be hard for many to read. If you are sensitive to hard subjects you may want to proceed with caution. That said I devoured this book. It was so hard to set aside for any reason. I love this world and the characters that Christine Feehan has created for Torpedo Ink. The story was highly engaging and had some major dirty sexy scenes. I very highly recommend this book and look forward to the next in this series.
**I bought my copy via BAM

I did enjoy JUDGMENT ROAD, but I wouldn't really call it paranormal romance.

I'm going to jump right into the characters. It takes a bit to really get to know Reaper, but I liked him. He has a really tough past that wasn't easy to read about. He is pretty deadly and comes across as heartless, but I felt for him and was really rooting for his HEA. Anya is on the run, but we don't really find out from what until way into the story. She is alone in the world and it was easy to connect to her feelings. She didn't trust easily and there were a few times that I wanted to shake her and say OPEN UP a little, but I totally got where she was coming from.

I enjoyed getting to know the secondary characters. They are ALL flawed and it will be interesting to watch them in future books. Having said that, I wasn't totally sold on the back stories of the motorcycle club. It is pretty out there and the facts are a little few and far between. I think maybe this might change as we get to know each member better.

The only paranormal thing happening in JUDGMENT ROAD is the fact that it's mentioned a few times that the members of Torpedo Ink motorcycle club have some talents. There isn't much use of these talents and their talents are an afterthought in the grand scheme of things. Maybe this will change in future books, but as of right now, I don't really feel the paranormal coming through.

Now the romance definitely shines through and the sexy times can get pretty steamy. The relationship between Anya and Reaper is slow to form and has it's issues, but they fit together. When they both let the romance happen it is pure magic.

* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Judgment Road by Christine Feehan is the 1st book in her new Torpedo Ink series, which is a spin off from her Sisters of the Heart/Sea Haven series. When the last book in the Sisters of the Heart series left off, our heroes, (Viktor/Czar) and his wife, Blythe and all the members of Torpedo Ink Club were together as a team, and will continue to be major or supporting characters in this new series. Czar is the President of Torpedo Ink, and the man who is the glue that keeps them (his 17 members of Torpedo Ink) together as a team. All of them suffered horrible abuse in their childhood, making them all lethal assassins; living still in the darkness of the past. In Bound Together, Blythe was the lone light that they all grabbed hold of, and being Czar’s wife, she is always protected by them.

In Judgment Road, Reaper is our damaged hero; Torpedo Ink’s enforcer, and the man who is always first to protect Czar. Reaper is feared by the enemy, but loved by his brothers and sisters of Torpedo Ink; but mentally he also lives in a cold and dark inner world.

Anya, our heroine, is one of the new bartenders in the club, and she is very beautiful. Reaper starts feeling things he has never felt, and this brings his shield up; which makes him try to fire Anya. She cannot understand why he is mean to her, as she has done nothing wrong; she is a loner, who also does her job well. When Czar refuses to fire her, Reaper will have to fight off his attraction to Anya. When he follows her after work, he sees she lives in her car; and forces her to come back to the compound. In a short time, Reaper and Anya will act on their lustful feelings for each other, though he was very macho and demanding. Reaper begins to realize that he needs Anya (his only light to his soul), but he has a long way to learn how to treat her, something she tries to work with him on. Their chemistry was off the wall sizzling.

When a rival gang, comes to check out Torpedo Ink, Czar and the team notice that they keep watching Anya, and soon they fear she might be a spy. They will all take her to the back and question her, using mental force to find out the truth. But Anya is not a spy, she is running for her life, as she accidently discovered something about the rival gang, and ran for her life, when her friend was murdered. Now after she recovers from the damaging force, she wants to leave Reaper, since he did not trust and protect her. She loves him, but she needs to know she has to be his first priority. Reaper, Czar and the entire team try to apologize for their mistake. Can Reaper win Anya back, and be able to protect her first?

What follows is an exciting adventure with Czar, Reaper and the team trying to help another rival club fight off the bad guys, who were kidnapping club leaders wives. I loved so many of the Torpedo Ink members, and loved how the two girls ( Lana and Alena) were just as lethal as the guys, especially using their looks to trick the bad guys. They were all so good together. You have to sympathize, and Feehan gives us flashes to the past, and shows us how much they suffered; especially Reaper. It is these dark memories, that will hurt his relationship with Anya, who loves him; but Reaper fears he will hurt her when in the midst of his bad dreams. Very emotional.

As usual for Feehan, the story does have a lot of sex scenes, and though they were very steamy and great together, there were times early on when Reaper was too rough and always demanding control. I also thought the mental torture scene was something that was easily brushed off, which was surprising.

Judgment Road is a very dark story and romance, especially when we learned the things they had to endure in Russia; abuse, rape, torture, and murder. But they are survivors, and slowly we will get to meet the other members of the team, as they find their way out of the darkness to the light of love. Despite the dark violent story, Judgment Road was a great read, exciting, sexy, and a fabulous group of secondary characters.

Christine Feehan writes a compelling book. I read the entire book in a 24 hour period. This is a difficult book to digest. Torpedo Ink is an unusual group of people who have banded together as family into a motorcycle club. Their horrific childhood has produced individuals who are unconventional and who approach situations in unconventional and sometimes an inappropriate manner...thus, making the "motorcycle club" a good vehicle for their stories. Their code is one they honor but isn't necessary always legal.Each person is dealing with their own trauma and discovering ways to overcome their past. Anya grew up in a shelter which is again an unconventional and difficult childhood although not as horrific. When you take their childhoods into account, the story works. The story, however, is a brutal one. This book is very pornographic. I personally would not want to invest my life in a person like Reaper. His attitudes are overbearing to the extreme and his personality and behaviors are unpredictable and violent. Anya is a sexual forgiving independent woman. She frequently concedes to Reaper's needs and demands because she loves him. In a real life situation her attitude would quite probably cause her to be a codependent abused woman. Anya's easy capitulation into exhibitional sex is disturbing I find the concept of the "old lady" being "property" offensive. Women have fought too long for respect and recognition to allow someone to subjugate them like chattel. This was a fast paced entertaining uncomfortable read. I realize considering the physical and sexual abuse suffered by the Torpedo Ink group, future books will still have overtones of psychological distress and conflicts in adapting to a "semi" lawful lifestyle. . Hopefully, however, the next book will approach the integration of someone into the "family" with a different approach. I do hope as well that the next book has the same sexual tension without the extreme and frequent graphic quality. A little goes a long way in a well-written book. Again, Feehan has created an intriguing group--abet one that stirs the reader to uneasy compassion and curiosity.

Wow! Judgment Road. What an incredibly intense, emotional story with a severely damaged MC enforcer and a strong, feisty bartender who captured his attention.

Christine Feehan is a new-to-me author even though I'd heard of her before. Holy heck! What rock have I been living under and why have I not read her before this? Her stories are exactly the kind I like to read with uber alpha heroes, strong heroines and so much intensity it makes my toes curl. Right now, I think I'd be hard-pressed to name another author who writes heroes as alpha as Ms Feehan does. I mean, these men are chest-thumping, spitting, grunting alpha.

This story is the first in a new series by Ms Feehan. It's a spin-off from the Sea Haven / Sisters of the Heart series. Czar and Blythe who are the main characters from the last book in the previous series feature heavily in this new series although I do not think you need to read the previous series or Czar and Blythe's book in order to know what's going on in Judgment Road. Ms Feehan does a fantastic job of providing backstory to not only Reaper but also the Torpedo Ink MC and their members as a group. She very skillfully weaves it into the narrative so you don't feel like you are getting an information dump as you learn more and more about this group of people who have escaped terrible circumstances and found a life for themselves as a group.

Right from the start this is a dark, edgy and severely intense story. It grabs you by the throat and keeps you held there to the very end. The light moments are few and far between, but what you get is a lot of camaraderie, loyalty, and love. The men and women of Torpedo Ink radiate intensity. The emotion in the story will have you in a choke hold.

Another thing that struck me is these men and women of Torpedo Ink have their own set of moral and ethical code. They straddle the line between good and bad, legal and illegal. They do what they feel is the right thing based on their own experience and upbringing. And while some people might balk at what they consider acceptable behaviour, I grew to like them for their own moral fibre and what they considered right and wrong in defense of the weak, and righting the wrongs of the greedy and evil.

Reaper is scary. He's hard as nails, tough, rough and scarred. He's so damaged that at some point I'm wondering if there's any way of redeeming him and bringing him back into the light. His past was so traumatic and tragic that it's a wonder he's a functioning adult. It's a credit to his strength and determination that he's the man he is today. I loved that he tried with Anya and even though at one point he did something very, very stupid (as men do), he was trying something so that he could be with her despite his issues. I also loved that he was deadly and lethal. There's that hint of paranormal with his skills and what he can do that's captivating. I was totally invested in Reaper's character.

Anya is a wonderful heroine. Even though she's had a difficult past and she's running from trouble, she's strong and stands up for herself. While she falls head over heels for Reaper, she also remains fully her own person. She's independent and headstrong without being ridiculous about it. I love that she fought for her own rights, and she fought for her and Reaper together. And when things went south, she was willing to listen and work on things, if not forgive right away. She certainly had a right to be angry with the stupid stunt Reaper pulled with the help of Ice and Storm. Seriously, sometimes men do stupid things. I loved that Anya was not an unreasonable heroine even when Reaper was being difficult and demanding. She was for all intents and purposes understanding and supportive, which was exactly what Reaper needed.

I loved Judgment Road and I loved Ms Feehan's men. It was a heavy-duty and intense read. There were moments when I felt I had to put the book down and take a breather from the story because it got so intense. I'm not certain I'd go back and read the books in the previous two Sea Haven series because that's a lot of books to tackle, but I might if time allows it. I'd certainly keep reading any new books in the Torpedo Ink series. I'd love to see these men in the group all find love.

Judgment Road is the first book in the thrilling new Torpedo Ink MC series by bestselling author Christine Feehan. A dark, dangerous, sexy, MC romance that will take you on a wild ride! With a truly unique storyline, complex characters that you can't help but fall in love with, hilarious banter, steamy sexual encounters, angst, intense situations, violence, and intriguing twists and turns, this emotional roller-coaster of a story will capture you right from the start, and hold tight until the very end. It was an amazing story, and a terrific beginning to what is going to be an incredible series!

Savva"Reaper" Pajari is an enforcer for Torpedo Ink MC, although his main objective is protecting their president. Reaper, along with all of the members of the club, survived what can only be described as an unimaginable hell growing up in a "school" in Russia. He was forced to become an assassin, never learning the most basic things about life, forced to control everything about his body and his emotions, and was brutalized mentally, physically, and even sexually from a very young age. So when the new bartender working for the club starts causing reactions in him beyond his control, he wants her gone, even though he knows that he'll follow her.

Anya Rafferty has had a difficult life for as far back as she can remember. Always living at shelters with her mom until she died, always having to be strong and fight for everything she had, but she's never given up. Now she's running from some very bad people, the owners of her last bartending job, living out of her car in a campground, and working in a bar owned by Torpedo Ink MC. She desperately needs this job, but the scariest member (& also the most sexy) is determined to get her fired. She has no idea why he doesn't like her, but she's determined to do whatever it takes to keep the job. However, she's not prepared for what comes next, especially in the form of one silent, deadly, absolutely gorgeous man that she doesn't want to say no to.

This was absolutely one of the best Motorcycle Club (MC) stories that I have ever read. Being one of my favorite genre's, which I have read hundreds of, it's very rare for me to find a story that I love as much as this, as well as from a new-to-me author. (I know, I must have been living under a rock or something not to know about this amazing author!) Most of the books in this genre either focus on the club or the romance aspects of the story, but this book had the perfect balance of both. I loved how well developed all of the characters were, not just the main ones, the details about the club, and how it was all brought together. This is going to be an incredible series, and I'm definitely looking forward to the next book.

I strongly recommend this book, and exceptional author.

I have voluntarily reviewed this arc provided by the publisher via NetGalley.

Holy moly - what a crazy awesome intense book Judgment Road was. I'm a sucker for a good MC romance book. To be "good" for me there has to be a perfect balance between hard and soft - darkness and light. I love a conflicted alpha hero who isn't always right and who does things that we might consider bad or extreme - but he does them for the right reasons. And I love when that hero finds someone to love, and he gives his whole heart over to it. I love a motorcycle club that is more of a family than a club. And, Judgment Road delivers on all these points - in spades.

At first, Reaper is a tough character to love. He keeps to the shadows - quite literally - as one of the main enforcers in his motorcycle club, Torpedo Ink. His job is to guard the president, Czar, by any means necessary. He's quiet, broody, and aloof. He loves his fellow brothers, but doesn't even enjoy their company or their touch for too long. He is truly a tortured and lonely soul - until he sees the new club bartender Anya.

Before he knows it, Reaper is acting totally out of character when it comes to Anya. He's watching out for her. He's talking to her. He's letting her touch him and get in his space. He recognizes her as the light that can break up all the darkness inside of him, and that scares the crap out of him. As a result, he makes some bad choices along the course of their budding relationship - and some of those choices are REALLY bad. But, for the first time, Reaper is having to make some impossible choices between his loyalty to his fellow brothers and sisters and his loyalty to the woman he could love forever. It was easy for me as a reader to forgive him for his poor choices when you understand how agonizing it was for him to make them - especially early in the book.

Judgment Road is a super sexy book. Reaper and Anya are so wonderful together, and they absolutely light the pages on fire. Their relationship is a roller coaster of highs and lows, but through all of it, there's no denying their connection.

Torpedo Ink is a club made up of members with an absolutely horrific and tragic past. They are brothers and sisters born out of circumstance and pain, which makes their bonds so incredibly strong. They back each other up without thought, even if that means someone else has to die. Make no mistake - this is not a hearts and flowers kind of book (although Reaper and Anya have some moments that get close to that, in their own way). There is death and pain and loss in these peoples' pasts, and that has carried over to their presents, in some way, shape or form. The club is not without blood on its hands. But, they have a code, and that makes their actions much easier for the reader to take.

I know Christine Feehan writes mostly in the paranormal genre, so I wasn't entirely surprised to see some really cool paranormal elements in Judgment Road. It's most definitely not at the forefront of the story, but you'll see instances peppered throughout the book where a paranormal element comes into play. It's done perfectly so that it doesn't overwhelm the story, but it does make things a little bit more interesting. I really loved that.

Things are set up for book 2, and I'm super excited for that to come out. Now that I've been introduced to these wildly fascinating characters, I can't wait to read more.

Judgement Road is an emotionally dense storyline filled with action-packed mystery, suspense, intrigue, and an erotic based romance. It is a dark story and I would be remiss in not warning readers of the explicit scenes of violence and mentions of sexual assault and torture. Strong plotting and the conversational style narrative helps to combat the somewhat weak characterization. Feehan does a good job of introducing us to the protagonists and integrating their backstories into the narrative. The paranormal aspects are far more subtle but they are apparent as you go deeper into the story (they appear are more instinctual in nature). Feehan takes her time building the tension of the main conflict, allowing us to participate in the story as we follow the MC into the fray. The various other MCs and the common denominator that brings them together offers readers the excitement and suspense we expect from her series. The barely civilized manner they all possess just adds to the sense of danger and anticipation.

The romance balances nicely against the main conflict. While it has a definite strong foothold with multiple explicit sex scenes, there are enough everyday scenes and various subplots that serve as nice counterpoints. It doesn’t overwhelm. Feehan digs deep into Reaper’s issues and does not offer Anya or their falling in love as an instant cure-all. Allowing them to spend time together helps them both to learn to trust and fall in love but we aren’t ever fooled into thinking Reaper is cured. Anya and Reaper aren’t an easy couple and there were some scenes that made me question whether they would make or if they even should. This is established almost from the beginning. Reaper is dangerous and Anya is not all that safe with him. Though Reaper is dominant to the point of offensiveness at times, Anya is more than able to handle herself against him and knows when to bend and when to break bad.

The ending comes at you hard, wrapping up the main conflict while opening the door for much more to come. I’m looking forward to each of the members getting their HEA. There is seventeen total (2 down-15 to go) so that tells us this series will be quite a few books. I foresee a couple threesomes. ;) Future plotlines and a possible romantic connection already in the works is touched upon in though it’s not going to be an easy ride for any of them. Now, I won’t lie and say there weren’t some issues. On three separate occasions, Feehan uses almost the same setup and descriptive terms to open a scene featuring the two female members of the MC. Some of Reaper’s and the MC’s actions left a nasty taste in my mouth but at least Feehan explains the reasons behind it and it’s not mere lip service.

Regardless, I enjoyed this new venture and fans of Feehan are sure to enjoy also.

Grade: B-

Christine Feehan has been a favorite of mine for many, many years and her new series, Torpedo Ink, just further proves why! This action packed start to her brand new series sucked me in and kept me wanting more. This book is sinfully good in all the right ways, but delightfully sweet too.

Feehan did an amazing job of pulling us into the lives of the Torpedo club members. Their backstory was heartbreaking and she gives you just enough of it to emotionally connect with them. Their past truama has shaped them into who they are, but believe me when I tell you it’s not all that they are. These big, bad bikers have a soft spot and it gets you all up in your emotions every single time their way of life is brought up.

Reaper is a hard man who believe himself emotionless and untouchable. He’s moody, untochable, and painfully aware of how broken he is. Being the enforce for this club, he’s all danger and everyone around him knows what a loose cannon he could be. When he first meets the new bartender for the club, Anya, he’s intrigued by her, but also alarmed at how this woman could make him feel so much after all that he’s been put through.

Anya Rafferty was on the run from some very bad people. She was broke and living in her car when she took the bartending job with the Torpedo Ink club. Her goal was to keep her head down and earn enough cash to figure out what to do next. Her plans never involved the dangerously sexy beast of man named Reaper. He was everything she wasn’t looking for, but deep down she knew he was everything she needed. Being from the streets and never having a family before, it takes Anya awhile to learn that families stick together even during the bad times. Torpedo Ink is just what Anya was looking for even if their world frightened and confused her.

Reaper and Anya together are mindblowing! The connection, passion, and bickering back and forth kept me enamored the whole time I was reading this book. The characterization of each member along with the two main characters are brilliantly thought out by Feehan; she gave us this history and continuity that will have you wanting to devour every single word. The plot was fast paced and perfectly executed as well. I was on the edge of my seat at times and then down right shocked at others. I cannot wait to get my hands on the next installment of the Torpedo Ink series!!

I wanted to read Judgment Road because it was a spinoff from the Sea Haven series and I rather enjoyed a few of those books. Although, I was not drawn to the motorcycle club idea because honestly it just doesn’t appeal to me but I was willing to give it a try because I am a fan of Christine Feehan’s works. At the start of Judgment Road I was thinking that I made a mistake because the main character Reaper basically worshipped his club and well……. meh, but as the story progressed I found that there was more to this club than met the eye (which is also something I remembered from the Sea Haven series) and I began to like where things were going.

Reaper was not a character that I was drawn to initially, especially with how he was such a creeper around Anya Rafferty. I will admit though that I was drawn to the mystery of why she got under his skin so easily. As the story between them played out I began to like Reaper more and more. He may not have said all the right things, like ever, but his actions spoke volumes. I loved that he cared so much about Anya’s well-being and happiness. I wasn’t the biggest fan of how domineering he was with her in the beginning but given his history and that it was something that he was willing to try and deal with so that he could be safe for Anya, well that did melt my icy heart a bit for him. I think that Anya and Reaper together was a great pairing and their relationship was both steamy and swoony.

Some of the subject material in Judgment Road was very hard to read because just the idea of what had taken place in the lives of these characters when they were children was just disturbing but I loved that they bound themselves together and developed their own family. I also loved that skills that the club members learned for nefarious purposes, that they turned those skills around for the purpose of good. The scenes where they went to take down the bad guys, absolutely epic. I am a fan of vigilante justice and everything that was done to the villains in this book set very well with me. By the time I was done reading Judgment Road my personal judgment on this series had also changed and I can’t wait to continue reading the Torpedo Ink series!

This review is based on a complimentary book I received from NetGalley. It is an honest and voluntary review. The complimentary receipt of it in no way affected my review or rating.

Release Date: January 23, 2018
Berkley Penguin Group
Torpedo Ink #1
MC Romance

Christine Feehan is a new to me author. I have heard great things about her writing from fellow romance fans. However, I struggle with trying new stuff. I know what I like. I'm happy to say that picking up this book was a good thing!

Judgment Road is an MC romance. I avoid those like the plague. They are typically darker than I normally like in my romance, and cheating is rampant. Cheating in any form is a hard limit for me. I get really stabby. While this book is definitely raw and gritty, it didn't have any cheating...thank goodness!

Reaper is a troubled soul. The abuse he suffered as a child would break just about anyone. Sometimes the descriptions of past abuse were hard to read, but it was an integral part of the story. You needed to read it to understand what makes Reaper the man he is.

Anya is on the run and looking for a place that she can call home. Reaper doesn't want to want her, but the pull is just too strong to resist.

The raw chemistry between these two was crazy hot. There's a lot of push and pull, but just under the surface, is a sizzling fire that's about to explode! Ms. Feehan may have made me blush a few times with the love scenes. And I loved every second of it.

There's a lot going on in this book. There's so much conflict. It felt like the hero and heroine could never catch a break. It was one hurdle after another. Ordinarily I would have eye rolled at this, but I think it worked in this book. It kept things moving at a quick pace and kept it interesting. I wanted to keep reading to see how it was going to pan out for them.

Because it's an MC romance there are some brutal scenes. The violence is thick, and the blood is plenty. But it's all very authentic to the world that Ms. Feehan has built for her Torpedo Ink MC.

Anya is a strong character. She has to put up with a lot of crap from Reaper, but I never once felt like she was a door mat. She stood her ground and kept her head up. I probably would have folded and walked away, but she fought for her HEA.

This may have been my first Christine Feehan book, but it certainly won't be the last. She has a huge backlist that I can't wait to dig into, not to mention, I'm giddy about the next book in this series!

Judgment Road is the first book in a new series and it is gritty and very dark, far more than I expected. Right off the back I have to say that if you are prone to triggers I would be very careful reading this story. There are some tough subjects in this story and if you aren't comfortable with it then don't. For me it was a very powerful and emotional dark story for a band of people forming the Torpedo Ink MC, and how they are transitioning into regular life. Reaper is the enforcer of the group and is a hardened trained assassin and protector of their leader. He's trained his body to not react but when he sees the new bartender, his body comes alive with a strong physical attraction. Anya is attracted to Reaper and on the run from dangerous people, newly hired as the new bartender at their bar. Their love story isn't easy and has some serious bumps to overcome, but in the end, it is a very fulfilling story when an anti-hero gets a chance at love and good in his life.

Reaper and the others that make up the Torpedo Ink MC are hardened trained assassins and have never been taught the normal, common sense ways of forming relationships and behaving. Reaper found it extremely hard to process these feelings he was having and how to express them to Anya, without making a total mess of it. It was important for this to be conveyed throughout the story because this wasn't the norm for them and how they had each other's back and wanted to make changes. Anya was a tough character and didn't have it easy either with her past and no family for her to count on. These two characters did some major growing and knew they had to take baby steps in order to have a chance at a good life together.

Judgment Road is a well-written story with its dark edges and angst. Its gritty subject matter isn't for everyone but I felt it was worth the tears and heartache because it was a good story and the characters are worth getting to know. Christine Feehan is taking this series a place I haven't been before and I am all in on this one. I'm definitely looking forward to more stories in the Torpedo Ink series.

Review copy provided for a voluntary review.

I don’t normally read MC biker romances. I don’t have anything against them, they just aren’t my thing. However, when Christine Feehan writes well,her books are really, really good. This book had elements of greatness. Judgment Road and those bikers in Torpedo Ink had a background that was different and drew me in. Stolen when children in Russia, they were abused, trained, and raised to be assassins. When they escaped Russia they stayed together forming this club and using their skills to help others who have been victimized. I liked that theme, but wow, this was a pretty dark book. If you have triggers about rape, abuse, etc. this will be a difficult read. I don’t have those triggers and at times I cringed in horror.

Anya and Reaper were kind of typical of a biker and his babe. He was totally Alpha and she was sassy and sweet. There was a ton of smoking hot sex (a little too much at times) but they had a lot of past trauma to get over, on both their sides to get to their happily ever after. Anya was on the run from a group that wanted her dead and without giving away the story, Torpedo Ink ended up saving women who were brutalized by this same group. I wish Judgment Road was a little less sex and a lot more of that story because it was a really good romantic suspense tale and got me totally hooked. If Reaper hadn’t had trauma in his own background that he and Anya worked through with sex, passages that were important, I would’ve skimmed a lot more than I did.

This series is an offshoot of the Sea Haven series, if any of you are fans. Viktor (Czar) and his wife Bythe were the last book in that series. There is a mystical element to the Torpedo Ink members, just as there was in the Sea Haven series, with each biker having a trait that was kind of magical and mysterious. This magical element gave the series a little boost into the unreal, but made it a lot more fun to read.

Judgment Road was a pretty dark, grueling start to this series, but there were some other members that I found pretty fascinating. I think I’ll need to keep an eye out for the next one, but am hopeful it will be a little lighter read. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for my honest review and it was honest!

It is always a red banner day when a new Christine Feehan title hits my kindle! I know I’m going to be diving into all the things including intriguing characters and an emotional story I can sink my teeth - and heart - into. And my heart was totally invested in Reaper and Anya’s story, a roller coaster ride of discovery and acceptance. Of course, when you are dealing with this group of men and women, including cross-over characters from the Sea Haven/Sisters of the Heart series, you know there are going to be additional challenges thrown in!

Reaper is an enforcer in the Torpedo Ink MC group of brothers and sisters. It is an incredibly tight-knit family of the heart created by horrific circumstances and loyal to the core. Reaper is steel tough. He will protect his family with everything he has and has no time to smile, to love. When Anya crosses his path he doesn’t know what to do with her, or himself….

“He was so ******. He had to stay away from Anya Rafferty.”
“He could barely breathe when he looked at her.”

Anya was the complete opposite. She cared about those around her and yearned for family. And love….

“Why would she want the one man who had more issues than she did? And she did want him. Desperately.”
“Her body was going up in flames, but it was her heart that had her worried.”

Reaper was cold as ice but having Anya, keeping her, meant he had to open up, be more. That journey, for both of them, meant revelations, pain and sacrifice – and all of it hard won. From one scene to the next, they were going to be challenged in what they believed in and held true. It was brutal, painful and also hopeful as they knocked down one huge problem after another.

This action and emotion-filled story filled all the nooks and crannies it needed to get me out of a lowly book funk. I’ve already re-read this again as I read it so fast the first time around I needed to experience it again. I had to enjoy it one more time before shelving it on my “go to/re-read” shelf.

**Reviewed for 1-Click Addict Support Group**

3 1/2 rounded up - As a long time fan of the author's work, I was thrilled to see that she was taking on Czar's family and the biker world. I try to go into biker books with an open mind, knowing that the culture needs to be both exaggerated and romanticized to work as a compelling story. This was both of those things on steroids and at times, it went too far. There is an enormous cast of characters and the key in the front became invaluable in keeping them straight both by club name, real name, and relation.

I don't post spoilers, so I'll just say that there was so much thrown at Reaper and Anya, from inside and outside their relationship, and Reaper's past, as well as club business, that eventually I hit a wall. With as many future stories as she set up, it was unnecessary to throw everything into this book to see what worked.

For some, this is going to be a hard read and while I don't have triggers, I flinched more than once. Reaper and the rest of his 'family' were trained in the Russian schools like the Prakenskii's. Their upbringing is the stuff of nightmares, which he has often, and his fears of hurting Anya are rooted in that horror. Justifiably so. Putting that personality in the uber-macho biker culture made Reaper hard to like and even harder to forgive. That he brought me to tears, several times, wasn't quite enough and even though it worked for the story, it bothered me that everyone kept pushing Anya to forgive. They knew what he was capable of, what they were capable of, and I really, really needed them to do more to protect her. The whole 'give him a chance because he's damaged' is too easy considering how many times he/they hurt her.

Now, one might say that's what this author does well. Gives us edgy, damaged, unlikable heroes to fall in love with. And I do every time. I did with Reaper. I just didn't quite trust him with Anya and part of that is because right up until the end, he didn't quite trust himself.

An interesting start to a new series. Throttle back the cliched biker tropes, stop turning strong, smart heroines into yes women, and this could be a total kick-ass series.

I have been totally excited about this new series from Christine Feehan. I was a little worried as its a spinoff of the popular Sea Haven series and, despite my work on reading her back list, I haven't read this entire series yet. While there were a few areas where I wished I had the backstory, for the most part I was fine reading this without reading that earlier series.

So... Torpedo Ink. A motorcycle club and family forged in horrific circumstances. Seriously, the back story on these guys (and girls) is so sad and intense and sometimes hard to read. So it was emotional as hell y'all. In addition to their tortured background, these guys are trained assassins and most have some special ability. There were only light paranormal elements, not enough to really classify this as a paranormal romance, but a nice blend of fantasy and dark reality to make our characters more interesting.

Anya Rafferty is our heroine, and does not start out as part of the Torpedo Ink family. Anya was somewhat of a tortured heroine herself, having been homeless most of her life. But I had to admire her drive and work ethic, and the plan that she had for her life. I also admired that she didn't really let her life circumstances get her down, she was determined to take care of herself and solver her own problems. I was kinda worried about Anya's sweetness and how she would fit in with all the damaged bikers, but she had enough sass and temper to hold her own most of the time. I also came to see her sweetness as the perfect counterbalance to our hero's darkness, and I think they were paired well together. There was a time or two that I wish Anya would have communicated better with our hero, but for the most part they were adults and acted as such. There wasn't a ton of unnecessary drama or fighting, and I liked that.

Our hero and one of the enforcers for Torpedo Ink is Savva Pajari a/k/a Reaper. Reaper was an extremely damaged individual due to his childhood, sadistic captors, and horrible things he was forced to do. There are times when you think that Reaper is so damaged that he will never be able to function as a normal person. And he won't really - Reaper is definitely never going to be normal. But that doesn't mean that he can't function or have a relationship. I was so wrapped up in Reaper's character that I found myself siding with him more often than Anya. The turmoil that Reaper experiences was palpable. He had to learn to overcome past torment to make things work with Anya, but also had to learn to balance this new person in his life with his family in Torpedo Ink. It definitely was not easy for him.

The relationship between Anya and Reaper was like the rest of the book - intense. There were not a lot of light and happy moments between the two, but the small ones were poignant and meaningful. The chemistry was off the charts and the intimacy was hot, heavy and usually rough. And when Reaper's past intruded into these moments, it was emotional and hard to read. I couldn't help but want things to work out for them just because Reaper deserved it so much... Anya did too, but again, I was wrapped up in Reaper.

I think this promises to be a long-running series due to the amount of secondary characters that will make good heroes and heroines. All of the Torpedo Ink members need to tell their own story, and I can't wait to read the future books.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book that I received from the publisher, Berkley Romance.

I absolutely loved this book. I am a HUGE MC fan and this book is one of the most interesting plot wise that I have read.

The Torpedo Ink crew are close knit, intuititative and dangerous. Their history is heartwrenching, devastating and unimaginable. Reaper's story is horrendous and it has caused such damage and trauma that he has separated himself both emotionally and physically from everyone other than his brothers and sisters of the MC. His aggressions are best released in his role in the MC as the enforcer- and he is pretty scary in that role.

Anya is a new bartender in the MC's bar. She is gorgeous, funny and a smile that draws every man in her radius. Reaper can't stand her! Ok, well maybe that's harsh. He really is drawn to her and can't stand that. He knows his past and his decision to separate himself physically and emotionally from women and Anya is a huge threat to that as he is so drawn to her.

Anya has hard a very difficult life. She is a shelter kid and knows the hardships of life. Once again she has found herself alone and fending for herself. Her heart's desire is to fit in, belong, have someone love her and put her first. She has a dangerous secret she doesn't want to expose and yet she likes these people that surround her at the bar. All but Reaper. For some reason he doesn't like her and she can't for the life of her think what she has done to allienate him.

When secrets are forced into the open decisions are made and sides are taken betrayal doesn't skim the surface for what Anya feels. Is there anything that can be done to recover from that? Anya has dealt with a lot in life and knows the struggles and fights of the world are sometimes necessary. Sometimes you have to JUST STAND STILL. Is she strong enough to overcome other things she will face? Although Reaper is the big, scary enforcer, Anya is fierce. Fierce in her love, support and strength. Exactly what Reaper needs.

Why is it that when I absolutely love a book and just want to jump and shout for everyone to read it that I have such a hard time doing a review for it??? I spent my whole Sunday sucked into the world of Torpedo Ink and did not want to leave it!

Christine Feehan wove such a compelling tale about this group of people, the horrors they have overcome and how they have triumphed. I'm such a sucker for that kind of thing. I like to see people who have been beaten down to a point that would break most people and come out on top. How they turned around and became the saviors of other victims just gets my blood pumping with excitement.

The bond these bikers created in their will to survive is awe inspiring. When Anya stepped into their world, I felt sorry for her at first. She's never had a family or a home. She has never had someone that would stand at her back and fight for her. To see this in this group and be on the outside edges was not easy for her. Who would have thought that it took their betrayal to her that would actually be the one thing that would bring her into the fold?

What can I say about Reaper. I loved him, I felt for him and I wanted him to have his Anya. He deserved her after everything he went through. He deserves to find happiness in a world so ugly. The things he's seen and was made to do as a child is every parents nightmare. The result of that childhood has made him one of the deadliest men, but also a Hero.

This was such a riveting read for me. It is dark and full of angst. It has violence but it also has love. It has evil and it has good, but most of all it has a bond between a group of people that runs so deep it can never be broken. There is a touch of paranormal to this story. Each member of the Torpedo Ink has an ability that aids them as they seek vengeance and saves the weak. I truly can not wait for the next in the series! ARC provided by Netgalley.

I was very excited to see a new series, Torpedo Ink, from one of my favorite authors, Christine Feehan. The cast of the Torpedo Ink series was first introduced in Bound Together, the last book in the Sea Haven/Sisters of the Heart series, and are Viktor's (not biologically related) brothers and sisters. In Judgement Road we get to see a lot more of the Torpedo Ink crew - and a lot more of their horrible upbringing.

I was engaged from the beginning, seeing the mysterious Reaper - overprotective, quiet, dangerous - taking care of his family, trying desperately to ignore the mysterious new bartender, Anya. Growing up in the school he did, with the abuse and deprivation, without seeing anything normal Reaper has no idea what to do with his feelings for Anya. He doesn't even know he likes her. He makes a lot of mistakes but Anya couldn't find a fiercer champion, or one more determined to love her and make her happy.

Anya hasn't had an easy upbringing either, she and her mother bounced from shelter to shelter, but she was determined to make a life for herself, to make a home and build a family. She was working on her great life plan but her life has taken a dramatic left turn, sending her fleeing, and she has found safety at Torpedo Ink's bar. Reaper isn't the guy she imagined herself falling for but she can't stop thinking about him, and when they get close, she can't resist him.

There are quite a few tense moments in the story, both with his relationship with Anya (he's thisclose to blowing it with her multiple times), and with Torpedo Ink's fight against another club that is targeting women.

I like that this book shows you that people are more than their upbringing, that you can come from the worst of circumstances and make your life what you want it to be. There are a lot of members of Torpedo Ink so I'm looking forward to many, many years of books featuring these strong, scarred, men and women.

--Trigger warning--

Disclosure: eARC provided in exchange for an honest review

Just WOW! I just wish I could write a book as half as good as Christine Feehan. But I’ll have to settle with reading them instead… like that’s a hardship! I’ve always loved author Christine Feehan’s writing; this book did not disappoint. I can honestly say this will be added to my collection when it comes out on paperback. She has a way of writing hot men with complicated histories like nobody’s business. This is a spinoff of a spinoff, so it was nice for me to hear some familiar characters from those stories as well. If you haven’t read from this author yet, no worries you don’t need to read the other books to follow along with this story. I love MC stories and felt this story had solid characters and I really liked the heroine Anya, she was a great fit to our hero Reaper. Even though she isn’t your normal biker gal, she seemed to understand Reaper very quickly; I think it was because of her own experience in her life growing up. In fact, she tired her best to help Reaper throughout the book. But you will have to read to know what happens I don’t want to put any spoilers out there. I do have to disclose that there is abuse mental and physical, torture, pedophilia, and violence for those who have issues with those types of triggers though I felt the author did a great job not to over whelm her readers with too much description of the encounters. The story was full of action and as with all Ms. Feehan’s books, hot dirty sexy scenes you should check it out if you like dirty dirty kinky dirty. I cannot wait to see what the next story in the Torpedo Ink series will bring us; I bet they will be just as amazing!

***I voluntarily reviewed this ARC for an honest review via NetGalley, this is my honest opinion and has not been influenced by the author, Publishers or NetGalley in anyway.*** Thank you!

I was delighted to get this ARC at NetGalley, I really didn't expect it. I have read all of Christine's Carpathians so this was a treat. It was pretty typical Feehan, lots of description and restating things a few times and kinda slow pacing, but I was expecting that. I have found I must put my internal editor away and just go with it. Her books are worth it. Warning this has a LOT more sex than usual.

These bikers are so damaged but not broken. They somehow have good hearts and bleed for those who are abused as they were. They are the survivors of a Russian spy's training "school" using the most horrific techniques imaginable to shape these children into assassins. Many have certain gifts that help them in their operations. They kill to protect or defend now. Their mission now is to hunt pediphiles and rescue their victims. Reaper, Savva Pajari is a Sergeant at Arms with his blood brother Savage, Savin. Their job is to protect the leader, club president Czar, Viktor Prakenskii. They are VERY good at their job. They have side businesses, one of them is a bar where Anya Rafferty works. She's running from a bad group of men because she overheard something she wasn't supposed at their casino/bar. She's a very good bartender by trade and they hired her for her skills. Reaper is drawn to her immediately but he's not interested in a relationship and has few skills. He also has a phobia of being touched. There's some sex problems as well. When he discovers she's sleeping in the wilderness in her rattle-trap car he steps in and brings her to the compound. The intrigue and action in this book are fabulous as only Christine can write it. I loved these character's hearts and dedication to each other.

Thank you Berkley for granting me this NetGalley ARC.

This is the first book in Feehan's new MC series and it does not disappoint
The story takes place just outside of sea haven. Torpedo Ink is compromised of survivors - each having a special or psychic gift that is unique to the individual but all sharing the same horrific past. They survived together ❤ and now they live as a tight brotherhood, rebuilding, and reclaiming their lives - Learning to live and love in a world they don't completely understand.
Reaper is the enforcer - swift, deadly the perfect killing machine- he lives to protect his club, his family - he never questions his duty - until Anya
Sweet innocent -smart mouth little vixen Anya

Well developed characters both main and secondary
The plotline flowed smoothly - though I had a small problem with the "closed spaces" issue -if he could do it at the club he could do it in a house - don't want to give spoilers but that was a major hiccup for me -the reason for the loss of a star
Lots of action, suspense, mystery and steamy romance
Will be adding this series to my Must have list
If you are a fan of Feehan's writing style or the MC romance genre then this is definitely one series you don't want to pass up

voluntary review of arc
Anya is on the run but she will get back on her feet. In may take time and a plan but she will get there. She never expected Reaper and he definitely never expected her. But now that they have found each other can they navigate something neither has experience with…a relationship?
Judgment Road is first in Christine Feehan’s Torpedo Inc. series. I really really enjoyed these new characters created by Ms. Feehan. They are so damaged but strong. They have a code of honor that may be slightly different but it is still on the side of right. And I while I don’t know the complete story of these characters, Reaper is a good entry into this world. He is navigating a world unfamiliar to him. His only family has been his brothers and sisters and they share a history, so learning how to integrate someone who engages not only his body but his heart and soul isn’t easy for any of them. And I adored Anya. Her sense of family isn’t much better than Reapers but her triggers are less deadly. I love that Ms. Feehan didn’t make their journey into a relationship simple. They have issues and those issues affect how they relate together as a couple and as a club.

This story is extremely well written and enjoyable. Ms. Feehan doesn’t hide the problems Reaper and Anya face and she does a great job of laying out issues that will pop up in later stories. I can’t wait to see where she will take us next.

Five Shooting Stars

The first book in the new series that spins off Sea Haven and Sisters of the Heart focus on Czar's motorcycle club members.  This book focuses on Reaper, one of Czar's enforcers.  Reaper has not known compassion and knows that he is too damaged to ever find what Czar and Blythe have together and when he sees Anya, he knows that he has to get rid of her before he does something he will regret.  Anya is running from some very unpleasant people who murdered her roommate. She knows she doesn't fit in with the biker crowd, but she starts to feel safe in Casper and from the moment she set eyes on Reaper, she knew he was the one for her.  When she overhears him demand that Czar fire her and the nasty things he calls her, she realizes that he is the cold and cruel man that he portrays.  Reaper comes to her aid after some drunk bikers corner her in the parking lot of their bar and from that moment on he knew he couldn't let her go, even though he knows he can't give her what she deserves. Their love affair had highs and lows, intense moments, and when he is forced to watch as she is interrogated by his brothers he knows that he could very well lose her forever.  The scene where she is interrogated was so intense and emotional. The after path was poignant and perfect.  Their whole story was great, I had to go back and re-read several scenes they were so good.  Loved it and hate that I now I have to wait for the next one.  I am so happy to return to Sea Haven and I want more!

“You choose to stay when you had your way out. That means you live by our rules.”

“He was beautiful. A beautiful troubled man, forged by the fires of hell, ravaged by monsters.”

“It’s just us right now, Anya. The world can keep moving all around us, but for just now, in here, in the dark, it’s just the two of us.”

It’s been quite a while since I’ve been in the MC world and boy was this one heck of a book to dive me back into that genre…

Judgement Road hits the ground running and pulls you in instantly. This story is raw and gritty, showing the darker side of the MC world. The characters are family, yet tough and beyond complicated. They are real and don’t take shit from anyone. Their story is brutal and yet intoxicating at the same time. You won’t be able to put it down.

Reaper and Anya’s story took me by surprise. Both damaged and doing the best with the cards they had been dealt. Their connection was instant, intense and explosive. It wasn’t all hearts and flowers between these two, but they did have their moments and they certainly steamed up the pages.

Judgement Road is an intense read that took me for one crazy ride. There was action. There was danger. There was darkness and complexities. There were twists and turns that kept you on your toes. There were intense moments that pushed your limits. And there was an intense love that can only be found and understood in the biker world. This book is a bit darker than the MC novels I typically read, but I am so glad that I took a chance on it. This is my first book by this author and I look forward to checking out more from her in the future.

>Book review – Judgement Road
>I am an independent reviewer. This book is the 1st book in the Torpedo Ink series and ends in an HEA. Eighteen survivors from a horrific school in Russia come to America and form a family, an MC. A lot of these survivors have paranormal tendencies, honed since birth. Torpedo Ink uses their skill as trained assassins, along with their paranormal skills to track down anyone hurting women or children. They are the ultimate gang of rogues who will do anything to save the helpless.
>Reaper has been especially abused. He fights an attraction to the new bartender. He is afraid he may accidentally kill her if he lets go around her. The relationship between Reaper and Anya seems so real. She sees his need for therapy and how limited his options are and attempts to help him any way she can. The MC was raised together and tortured together. They have skewed real world reasoning skills, but try their best.
>The scene with Reaper and Tawny almost brought tears to my eyes. Anya suffers from the poor decision making of the MC, yet loves Reaper so much, she sticks with them. This book is appropriate for an adult audience. I am giving this story 5 stars. There are a lot of triggers in this story, but they are needed to show the extreme abuse the Russians had to survive. The scenes where the gang works together seamlessly to save some women are a thing of beauty.

I enjoyed Feehan’s original Drake Sisters series and I love MC romances, so when I saw this book, I became excited. I wasn’t sure what to expect. Would there be magic? Would it be all MC? I kept expecting there to be magic, but there was none. This book did have psychic abilities though. There is also mystery and some intense moments that made me sick to my stomach and my heart pound. I definitely found myself wanting to throw my kindle at times because I was so mad at the hero in this book. The heroine is very forgiving, which I am not so sure I would have been in this situation. The hero has a horrible past, which is connected to his club members pasts as well, which gives him his issues, but also explains the strong bond that his club has with one another. The hero is the enforcer or rather killer in their club. The heroine is a strong female who has been though her own stuff,that fits with this group, but she does have one or two moments where she is not so smart in her strategy. They have to work through their pasts, but they get their much deserved happy ending.
This was a different kind of MC story then I have read before, and I have read many. I definitely was involved in this story and its characters. Seeing this family MC work together, why and how they are bonded, intrigued me so I kept reading. I am left with many questions about each of the characters and the enemy.The characters came alive for me. I felt like this book put me through the ringer. This was a good read for me. Also, a good start to a new series. I look forward to reading the others stories and seeing them get their happy ending. I need more!

Wow. This book. I won't go into a summary of the story itself, as the other reviews do a good job of that. I will instead focus on some of the content itself, and my reaction to the story.

I will caveat my review with a couple of things:
1) I'm a huge fan of this author. I have read everything she has published to date, including her offshoots, novellas and anthologies.
2) I was not excited about a series focused on a motorcycle club, even from this author.

So, I entered this read with a bit of trepidation, afraid that I was not going to like it at all. And I came back from the journey on a clear, emotional high. This book has ALL the feels. Outrage. Joy. Sadness. Despair. Sorrow. Anxiety. Thrills. Embarrassment. Horror. Love. Excitement. Eroticism. Surprise. Hope. And kinky sex. And it should likely contain a trigger warning for victims of abuse. While this author generally always has elements of darkness in her story-telling, this particular story seems even darker to me than the majority of other titles that she's previously released. The hero has a particularly horrifying past that he is attempting to overcome, and the specific details of that past are simply part of the overall storytelling. The heroine is interesting and conflicted, and her own path towards finding happiness in this relationship is engrossing. There are also elements that give some clear indication of what is in-store for the rest of the members who make up the Torpedo Ink MC, and I think that this official kick off for that series is well done. I will look forward to what comes next from this author in this series.

This is a voluntary review of an advanced copy.

This is not a warm fuzzy romance set in an MC and while there is a great romance, there is also a background of assassins who were raised in a brutal school. The few children who survived the dangerous training bonded together and will probably never lead a normal life.

Reaper sees Anya and knows that she is a danger to his emotionless life and wants to get rid of her at the bar. They have a long way to go when they give in to their attraction. With his background, Reaper knows that he is a danger and you just think that he would never hurt Anya but his fears come true.

Even though that is a sad part of the book, there is an even more painful part to read when the club wants to question Anya and uses pretty pervasive techniques and she feels like her trust in them is betrayed. That was a hard section to read.

Throughout the book, Reaper and his "family" support and rely on each other. I don't think that they could be apart! Unfortunately, two of his brothers lead Reaper into a situation that is so so wrong.

There is lots of action in the book as they are dealing with other clubs and help get two women back from the Ghost club. It was so much fun to watch these guys and women in action as they put their training in action. I sure hope that there will be more books in this series, as there seem to be so much more waiting to happen!

After possessing nearly all of Christine Feehan’s titles I am totally amazed how she integrates intrigue, suspense, and romance. In her latest title Judgment Road, the first book in her new series Torpedo Ink, published under Berkley Publishing Group brand (Jan 23, 2018). Proves why Christine Feehan is a bestselling Author.
Torpedo Ink is an MC made up of 18 men and women, who had survived a horrendous life and banded together to bring down the men and women who tortured them.
At an early age, Reaper was trained to be an assassin. At the age of five, he put those deadly skills to use, along with his brother and sister to escape captivity. Now, he utilizes his skill to protect their leader Vicktor “Czar“ Prakenskii. Though he and the others have been free, for some time, it has been hard for Reaper to let go of the past. But when he spots the new bartender, he is hit with an overwhelming attraction that Reaper knows that the only way to save Anya was to have Czar dismiss her.
Anya a woman of mystery, who bartends for Torpedo Ink. She stays to herself and doesn’t make waves. Unfortunately for her, she caught the eye of Reaper. But when trouble from Anya past buttheads with her present, she is glad that she has the men and women of Torpedo Ink willing to protect and dispose of the danger that comes calling.
Judgment Road, Judgment Road, an inspiring tale, filled with angst, and hot erotic instants...like all of Christine Feehan stories, you can’t help but fall in love with the characters and the world that she created.

They sure hopped into bed fast. Going from barely knowing each other to having wild sex the very next day. Anyhow that's how Ms Feehan's books have been lately. And why this woman chose to sleep on lonely campgrounds knowing how dangerous it gets when she has a stash of money saved from all those bigs tips and prestigious clubs like the Ghosts' is beyond me. Just where did she plan to escape to if things got rough? Beverly Hills? St. Tropez? Put all that savings to good use already lady!

Reaper came across as a bully to me, demanding and making things all about him. Also usually I get a visual of the characters but all I know of him was that he had blue eyes and scars on his face. I don't recall if any mention was made of even his hair color. When Pierce asked "you got a man?" to Elena I cracked up. So too when Reaper was going all lethal and threatened to kill Preacher (I think it was) quite gruesomely, he responded with, "shut up you dumb (expletive)”.

Inconsistencies once again including when one of the 2 girls was referred to as Lena and I had no clue if she was talking about Elena or Lana. And were they communicating telepathically on the missions? No mention was made of that. I can only assume they were from reading previous books. But for someone reading this for the first time they would probably think the guys were texting each other.

I hope the next book in the series is better and that Elena and Pierce are next up!

Christine Feehan has done it again, she has created a world full of strong, compelling characters that really grab readers by the heart strings as well as being full of suspense that holds them hostage throughout the story. I loved the Drake Sisters and then I fell in love with the Sisters of the Heart characters and now I get to visit Sea Haven some more with more wonderful characters.

The romance between Anya and Reaper is anything but easy as it has lots of emotional turbulence, turmoil that keeps readers wondering as to whether or not this couple can get the past issues that keep rearing their ugly heads and the present issues that threaten to tear them apart. Readers can’t help but become emotional caught up in the story as well the character’s lives.

The suspense builds throughout the story keeping readers glued to the pages as there is danger coming from several different directions but that danger is kind of all tied together which makes for a medium to fast paced and complex plot that.

I must say that while I was looking forward to the release of Judgment Road, I also had some doubts about it too because I wasn’t sure that I would like the mc angle of the story, but I am glad to say that I was completely captivated by the members of the Torpedo Ink MC and that Christine Feehan did such a great job of world building that they slid right into Sea Haven with no problems whatsoever and I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.

Book one and I'm hooked on the Torpedo Ink series!!

Reaper and Anya are great!

I cannot even imagine what Reaper endured and survived. He's a mess. Inside his head he's broken and wants not sure he's redeemable. Flying on his bike, the free fall into the ocean bring on his mind. He's a protector. Innate to his being. He's the Seargent At Arms for the Club, a job he takes very
seriously. The club will do anything to protect those being violated...anything. They all survived horrors and it's who they are to protect others.

Anya is a survivor, as well. Childhood meant fear, no security, hunger. Her adulthood is about making it. And she did, until it all fell apart and survival meant running, giving up her dreams. And it was working until Reaper. Ah the man knew how to cut her down. He learned she's a fighter and she's got spirit.

The sparks and denial amped up the chemistry to a point of explosion, or implosion. Whichever comes first. Their journey is quite a bumpy road and full of sabotage and fear. On the other side is hope and the alien feelings of love and a family.

Survival. Acceptance. Coping. Hope. Future. Love. Family. Those are my words to describe Reaper and Anya's story.

I must admit, I'm not a patient reader. I'm now starving for book two. Will it be Alena and a Diamondback?! Ooooh! It's too delicious to even consider.

(I read the Nook format.)

**I received an ARC of this book in order to provide an honest review**

Bikers. Russians. Sex. Violence. Romance.

Mix all those elements together with a paranormal twist and you have Ms. Feehan’s debut Motorcycle Club (MC) Romance novel, Judgement Road.

I have read ~almost~ every book Ms. Feehan has ever written so I feel like I can say with confidence, her fans are going to love this series. Now as a disclaimer MC Romances are, by nature, grittier and Feehan really leans into that world. This book is dark, unforgiving, and filled with beautifully flawed characters. In the immortal words of Forrest Gump, Feehan heroes and MC Romance goes together like peas and carrots.

Reaper is a deeply tormented hero who has found solace with the Torpedo Ink MC brothers and sisters he “grew up” with in Russia. By grow up, I mean they were systematically physically and mentally abused together. The group decided to settle in a small town right outside Sea Haven, yes there are cameos from the Drake Sisters Series and the Sisters of the Heart Series. The final SotH novel, Bound Together is actually a bridge to the Torpedo Ink Series and I highly recommend reading that book first. Anya, a former shelter kid running from something or someone, is hired as the bartender at the Torpedo Ink bar. Reaper can’t stay away from her light and Anya falls in love with his flaws. There is a subtle paranormal element which permeates the plot.

As a hero, Reaper is a delightful combination of a scarred assassin and alpha lover. But my favorite character was Anya. Anya doesn’t put up with unfair sh*t from Reaper or the entire MC. When Reaper messes up (big) she really makes him work to get his HEA and really, who doesn’t love a good grovel? It was an extremely refreshing turn of events for long-time Feehan fans like moi.

Is there a lot of sex? Yes (also, it was a little kinky which I enjoyed). But Feehan does a good job mixing up the scenes so they didn’t become repetitive. Due to Reaper’s issues surrounding sex, I always felt there was a strengthening of their relationship through each intimacy, a necessity in my eyes. Of note, everyone walking around naked made me laugh and relate to Anya as a character (read the book, you’ll understand).

Feehan is one of the best in the business at building intense, high-octane worlds with violent and scarred men and women. This genre was made for her and I am excited to see her jumping in with both feet. I wanted to be a member of the Torpedo Ink MC and I am truly excited to see what where this crazy, violence-prone family goes next.

I'm not a fan of Christine Feehan, as I pretty much tend to avoid paranormal romance anymore, but when I saw that this was more a MC romance, I decided to give it a shot, and boy am I glad I did!

For fans of Feehan's paranormal works, I can say that I see some paranormal things hinted at, so you would feel at home reading this. For those like me that are avoiding paranormal, I would say that there's not enough of it present to turn you away from the story!

It definitely featured the tortured hero trope, and even a little of the Villain to Hero trope as well, but it is so much more than the tropes! I loved the sense of family that was evident in this Club, it was so much stronger than what I had seen in other MC books! I believe the shared bond really strengthened it.

I enjoyed reading about Reaper and Anya. I found it very believable, the way their romance grew, and the lengths they went for one another. I loved Anya's strength, and her ability to help the club achieve their missions. However, it felt like I was missing something while I was reading this, as if there was a prequel story that I needed to have read beforehand, possibly with Czar and Blythe's story. It could just be me and my innate curiosity!

I am definitely looking forward to more books in this series!

***I voluntarily reviewed an ARC provided by NetGalley.***

If you are a fan of PNR then you have definitely heard of Christine Feehan. Her name is synonymous with the genre and she has many series that span many years. I've never read one of her books because I hate jumping in at the middle of a series and the first books in those series seem so long ago that I never want to pick them up.  Judgment Road is the first book in her new Torpedo Ink series so I jumped at the chance to read it.

This book is darker and grittier than I expected it to be, but I liked that it went in that direction. I'm usually sensitive to violence, but it fit with this book. I will say that there are multiple triggers (so many I couldn't possibly remember them all) but abuse of all kinds is rampant in their pasts. Reading this book made me wish that I had read more of her work (especially Blythe's story) but I didn't ever feel like I had missed something needed for the plot. Just that I want to know more about these characters in any way possible.

I enjoyed this book quite a bit, and I can definitely see why shes a constant favorite in the PNR genre. I will be going back to read some of her older books so I can enjoy more of her writing. Lucky for me there are dozens of books to get through before I'm caught up on her.

I received an advance reader copy of this book that I have chosen to review.

Reaper is the enforcer for Torpedo Inc. MC in Sea Haven. Anya is a homeless bartender hiding secrets that could cost her everything.

Christine Feehan’s Judgement Road is much more than your normal MC drama. Reaper and Anya’s love story is a tortured one. Judgement Road will take you on an incendiary journey into the dangerous world of outlaw Motorcycle Clubs, but it is the romance that keep you on the edge-of-your-seat.

Reaper suffered incredible horrors growing up. Some parts of his history are devastating. Anya is the perfect woman to soothe his wounded soul if he will let her. I felt deeply for these two. I liked the fact that Ms. Feehan didn’t take the easy road with Reaper and Anya. We must accept that certain problems cannot be instantly fixed. Ms. Feehan’s characters needed to fight for their happily ever after and they most certainly did. Reaper and Anya’s love story is smoldering!

Judgement Road’s excellent emotional arc pairs well with the intense suspense plot. If you are a fan of Feehan’s other novels set in Sea Haven you will enjoy the addition of Torpedo Inc’s fiery brothers. The outlaws of Torpedo Inc. are fierce characters with fascinating personalities. I look forward to discovering more about them in the next Torpedo Inc. novel.

**Received a complimentary copy in exchange of an honest review.

I absolutely love snow days! 3 inches of snow in Georgia allowed me to not put this book down and read till I got to the end! Yeah snow!

This is the first book I have read from this author. I picked well. This was very action packed with hot sex and deep story line. I wish that she had started the series with Blythe and Czar instead, because even though it said book #1 it felt like I fell into a middle of a series or missed something. That was the only drawback.

Reaper was so deep and troubled. My heart went out to him in so many ways. He had love and compassion in that dark place in him. His character has many edges and sides. He was written with tons of depth and my heart ached over his flashbacks and how scared he was to hurt Anya.

Anya too had some hard times and I loved how she threw herself behind Reaper and showed him how he could love and have feelings, but still be tough as nails. Her reactions were true and not made up for the story.

There were so many side characters to make so many interesting stories. I loved all of them. I am so up for more of this series and I hope that the #1 in the title means there are going to be many more!

Received an ARC from the publisher through NetGalley. Thank you!

When I ordered this book the reviews were good and I decided to read something a bit out of my norm. I"m an avid reader and do enjoy several genre: fantasy, romance, mystery. I read this book and really enjoyed it. Did it entertain my imagination? Yes. Keep me engrossed in the plot? Yes. Well written? Very much so. I don't understand the negative reviews other than people have become so easily critical of everything & so easily offended by life! The storyline includes a man, Reaper, who has had a horrendous past that has caught up to him when he meets Anya. He wants her and fears what he might do to her physically due to his past. His reactions weren't abusive, rather instinctive. I can't imagine how they could be anything other under the circumstances. The sense of family within Torpedo Ink was unique, as were their powers. I would've liked a little more exploration of the paranormal aspects of the members and maybe the author will do another novel and explore that--I HOPE! I also enjoyed the action scenes when the MC was on a mission.The story does contain explicit sex. Unlike some poorly written best sellers there is heart in the story and the sex (in general) was key to the storyline.

I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.

There are lots and lots of triggers in the book and its not for the faint of heart. If you can handle the triggers, you will not be disappointed.

**Trigger warning** mental/physical/sexual abuse of children -- all related as memories of the past.

This book takes you through a myriad of emotions, from happy to sad, thoughtfulness to sadness, to violence and regret.

Each character that we meet is flawed in some way, and those flaws are described in such a way that the horror of their past is shown in a brutal way that explains that those flaws.

~~Wicked Reads Review Team~~

Judgement Road is crazy sexy. The characters are well defined and the story very intense. I liked Reaper and Anya. I liked this book but I didn’t love it. More than once I double checked that it was the first book in the series. The story with Czar and his family was so spelled out that I felt like I’d missed their book. The elements for a good story were all there; plenty of personal interaction, the misunderstood bad boy biker and an intense ongoing situation that the club and Anya are both coincidently involved in.

The story was authentic in that it didn’t try to sugar coat the biker life. These weren’t outlaws trying to go into legal activities like so many of these type books. Reaper was also authentic because a few days or weeks of interaction with Anya didn’t suddenly take away all his demons and make him a perfectly functioning human and boyfriend.

I struggled with the amount of sex. I like a sexy book but several of these scenes seemed to add very little to the story. I felt like I had to get through them to get on with the story. The sex was often gritty and unpleasant too.

Feehan writes welland she creates a good story but the book didn’t wow me.

Have been waiting for this series to begin since the Sea Haven series ended. Really like that we're following the lives of characters we got a glimpse of.

Where several of the Sea Haven books addressed social issues of our time, some in a very heavy handed way, Judgement Road tackles the same issues but inspires with the people involved using their skills, talents and abilities to effect change, in their own unique way.

All in all I liked the book, good story, great editing, interesting situations resolved\progress made\character growth, for the most part. However, the last chapter left me confused, I think it was supposed to be the equivalent of a bow tied on top of a pretty package but instead left me disconnected from the story and created no anticipation where the series will go next or whose life we will get involved with. This is a trend I've seen in Feehan's books the past several years, regardless of the series.

Yes, I'll read the next book when it comes out but I won't rush out and preorder, instead it will be a read when I have time, not a read I will make time for.

As much as I adore Christine Feehan's works , I felt that this book was a lot of sex with intervals of events happening around the couple. There were some moments where I felt that I was getting to know the couple but was transitioned to them either having sex or the need to complete some event in the story. The couples problems never really seemed to be resolved and seemed more to be dictated by one partner rather than an understanding developing. I understand that the male lead had traumatic things that may have led to him having trouble understanding how relationship works but the female lead, only protested more in her mind than in action. Only a couple of times did she really speak up but then it went right back to the way it was. It was mainly the male lead having a noticeable character development and the female lead kind of moseying along until she had to make a big decision. I felt that there could have been more to this story and would only recommend this book for those who need a bit of smut to escape their everyday life.
I was provided an ARC of this book by netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Christine's gone & done it again. What a great start to a new series that Judgement Road is.
I've loved these Russians trained assassins from when Victor first turned up back in WATER BOUND.
Reaper is such an emotional man great within his position of Torpedo Ink MC (as what his namesake tells) but when it comes to relationships that's something different & he knew that he had to have her, barmaid Anya (who came in to get a job as she's running away from the last club the Ghosts) & claim her as his, even though he didn't realise what he was doing & if she didn't want to or not.
And was he lucky what a kind, level person she is & that she did want his body. But whilst it was quite a cold interaction to begin with, she went along with things, but it wasn't until she was ready to go that he opened up to her & god, you'll cringe & feel such empathetic feelings for Reaper & his childhood or lack there of that you can cry for him especially as a child. Anya's childhood wasn't rosy either though it was compared to his.
BEAUTIFUL LOVE STORY

I have enjoyed Christine Feehan’s books in the past so while I am not a huge fan on MC characters I was interested to see what she would do with this type of story. Judgment Road is a bit of a paranormal story which is Feehan’s signature as well as an MC story. It is loosely tied to the Sea Haven Series. Ms. Feehan does a marvelous job of showing the why and not just the how of the men of Torpedo Ink banded together. While each is a wounded troubled soul this is the enforcer, Reaper’s story.

While Reaper and Anya are survivors which is clearly shown in their story, they did not grow as a result of the events. I like to see growth within the characters instead of “love will solve all my issues.” Also, Reaper showed negative characteristics that I couldn’t get past, which Anya seemed not to mind.

The storytelling was wonderful, pulling me into the story. However, it is a dark, gritty romance in the middle of a harsh world that Ms. Feehan has created.

An ARC of the book was given to me by the publisher through Net Galley.

Anya is a bartender at the Torpedo Ink biker bar. Reaper is a club enforcer, a man who has survived horrific things and is still only surviving by being the hunter he needs to be for his sanity. Reaper doesn't want love and tries to get the sexy bartender fired because he doesn't need the distraction. All that changes when Anya stands up to him when he attempts to fire her. Anya ends up keeping her job and working her way into Reaper's mind to the point that he can't stop thinking about her. But, Anya's got secrets too and between her secrets and Reaper's secrets, finding their way to each other isn't easy.

I liked this book for the most part. Anya comes off as strong at times, but at other times she almost bows down to Reaper and gives all control to him. Yes, there is a reason for this and yes, he is definitely a traumatized man, but still, some of his actions just didn't fly with me. However, the sexy times were great and hot, hot, hot! These two were fire and nothing could put them out, including their pasts.

Dangerous, Deadly and Dirty…That’s Judgment Road. Torpedo Ink is not just a club but a family made up of kids who had lived through the unspeakable only to learn various skills and became highly efficient assassins. Reaper was the deadliest of them all and had a coldness to him that everyone knew could be unleashed at any time. Anya was a woman on the run and is hiding in the Torpedo Ink bar as a bartender and this is where Reaper notices her and feels a pull he has never felt before. Reaper also knows that he is too damagned to anyone in his life but especially this woman. Besides Anya there are three other very strong females with varying degrees of importance within the club.

If you don’t like dirty sex and violence this probably isn’t for you…but if you can handle it Ms. Feehan gives us that and so very much more. I cannot wait to see what stories will come out involving the rest of Torpedo Ink because I know they all will have one hell of a story to tell.

I received this ARC for a freely given and honest review.

I own the majority of Christine Feehan’s Books....I’m a huge fan. I wanted to like this book. For the first time, I was not envious of the relationship of the main couple. It is the opposite of anything I’d want. He hit her, stood by while others tortured her, and agreed to let another woman touch him. Like I put in the title, the had great detail of child rape.....I was repulsed by much of what happened in this novel. Sorry Christine :(

One of the most heartbreaking beautiful erotic love stories I have ever read.

I've come in late to the game about Reaper's family but this is the first in this new series which is a spin off of another. But it is so good!

Reaper doesn't say much. He is the Sargent at Arms for Torpedo Ink and he is good at his job. He doesn't smile and you never ever touch him!

Anya is the new bartender in their bar. She is good with customers and her heart is good as well. She needs this job.

When Reaper first see Anya he wants her gone. No questions just fired! Anya over hears what he says about her and she gets mad. So mad she does something no one else would ever do and that changes things for them.

This is a beautiful but painful story filled with angst and erotic moments that will make your toes curl. I love Reaper and Anya and I fell in love with all the characters.

I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have many books by this author but this is a new genre for me to see her write in. She has magic with her words so she was able to pull me in to this one even when at first I was not to certain. Dark and Intense are two words that fit this one with love the sealer of the lives of these people even though they thought they know not how. Dark past but survival brings them together forming a well greased unit in Torpedo Ink. Each character has their own story with it really telling the most about Reaper and Anya. I was a bit agitated whenever I had to put this down for like work or sleep. I would say my eyes even leaked a tear or two at times with what I was given in this. Suspense and drama fills bits with heat so hot between some that your fingers will burn. Dang nab it I now have to read whatever comes after this one because I feel alot for these guys again thanks to the magic of the words to transform you to be right there this time.

I have loved the Feehan's books, the Sea Haven books had warmth , humor and connections with her characters, the Sisters of the Heart held the same Magic. H
In her early Ghostwalker series, you felt the brotherhood of the men. She developed her characters and you felt you knew them. All her books had steamy sex but it was part of the story not the story. Now since the whole 50 Shades craze, it seems there is less story line and character development, but instead just page after page rough sex. No connection, no magic. Just Rough Sex.Judgement Road held no magic for me. I even had trouble liking Viktor\Czar in this Book. I Am Glad I borrowed it from the library.

This book shook my world like a 3 year old holding a snow globe. The characters and situations are so intense and riveting you can't help but feel overwhelmed by their stories. This book was an unexpected gem to read, it is so well written and to see the character development and their struggles throughout this book is truly a work of art. The push and pull dynamics between Reaper and Anya were spectacular! The MC cast of characters with all their special talents was a very interesting addition to this book. I really enjoyed all the other characters included in this book so we have more than just Reaper and Anya. So many times I was close to tears reading this story, I was emotionally spent by the time I finished. It was just a wild journey to go on with this author, the creativity and original ideas in this book, outstanding!
This is my first book by this author and surprisingly it will not be my last.

Judging by the cover of the book and the flip side excerpt, I thought it would be a good read and it was okay. I have to say that the author has a very, very sexually active imagination and or desire, that would drive her to write such a borderline pornographic book. There was far too much 'male dominance' over the leading female character in this story right from the start. The only thing missing was bondage and come to think of it, there was a bit of that too, by tattoo. The author portrayed the leading male character, Reaper, as a total creep with a traumatized "buried deep soft side" but yet she had him in full control of the woman right down to telling her how to um, position herself for his pleasure. Most often it was just borderline rape but of a sickenly submissive female. I was very disappointed in the amount of x-rated sex scenes in this book and was hoping the book would expand to more of a 'biker story'. It was just a twisted love story between two couldn't be more different people. If you're into that sort of thing, you'll love it. This book made 50 Shades of Grey seem tame.

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Christine Feehan is as talented as it gets! Every character she crafts is so tangible, with all the vulnerability you expect in any human being and so much more strength than you can imagine. I've read the entire sea Haven, Drake Sisters, and Ghostwalker series so believe me when I say, this last series from Feehan brings all the goods! Even better it allows us to stay plugged-in to the Sea Haven characters.

If you love intense drama, engrossing characters and hot romance you can not go wrong with Judgement Road. Honestly, even if these things aren't quite your cuppa, read this and you'll realize that you just never read them done right. I can't recommend this read and this author highly enough.

I received an ARC of this book, from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for a fair and honest review.

287 children were taken from their families and put in schools where they were abused and taught to do unspeakable things. At the end only 18 survived and Judgment Road is the first of their stories.
If you’re looking for happy, boy meets girl and after some conflict they get together type stories this series is not for you. It is violent, gut wrenching, and heart twisting with hope woven in. The experiences of those children, now adults are revisited and these stories are all about how they learn to cope/fit in the real world with all of their “baggage”. Banding together and creating the motorcycle club Torpedo Ink was one of those ways.
Up first, is Savva Pajari aka Reaper. Reaper has issues from his childhood that make him feel apart from his brothers and sisters of Torpedo Ink. And those issues have him resisting the new bartender, Anya Rafferty. Reaper does everything he can think of to get rid of her because she “bothers” him. He eventually gives in and accepts her place in the club and in his life. Both have secrets that do find their way out but before all is resolved we are led on an up and down, gut wrenching, heart crushing road that has us rooting for this couple with all the power we can muster.
New allies and villains are met. I for one can’t wait to see where Ms. Feehan is going to take us.

I returned this book. It is a misogynistic violent book with no literary value. I was careless in my selection and should have read the reviews more carefully. What I don't understand is how this trash got such a high rating.

This is the first book in her new series Torpedo Ink. I understand that when you get a new series going it will take some time to warm up to all the characters. With that said Reaper probably was not the best choice to start with. Don't shoot me readers. There were times when i wanted to slap Reaper for how he was acting. I felt there should have been a deeper connection between him and Anya. (for example why couldn't she call him by his real name instead of his Club name. It would have cemented for me the deep connection they were supposed to have. A good example for this is in Bound Together if i recall correctly Blythe used Viktor's name and did not call him Czar like she constantly did in Judgment Road. what i'm trying to get at for the intimacy of the characters it should have been this way between Anya and Reaper

This is book 1 of the Torpedo Ink series. Reaper is the Sergeant at Arms of the club. His job is to stand in front of Czar. That’s his self-appointed task since he was a little boy. He wouldn’t be here today if Czar hadn’t appeared in his life. The members of the club are his family and he will take care of them. They have left Russia and come to live in the town of Caspar. They have a bar on the compound and he has a problem with the new female bartender. He wants her gone but she’s still there. Anya is causing him problems. This is such a good book. If you are looking for adventure, you need to read this book. It will keep you on your toes all the way through the book. It’s fast paced and keeps your attention. I can’t wait to read more about the exciting members of Torpedo Ink. I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley for a honest review

What a delightful surprise. Ms Feehan does bikers just the way I like them, hot, broody and super possessive, in Judgment Road we get to live out Reapers story with Anya and boy did I love it. Reaper is dark, broken and yet when he meets Anya her acceptance of what he is, allows him to be. Notice I didn't say fix, because it's not about fixing it's about accepting. This book was wonderful and kept me enthralled through out the story, I savored this book, there where times that I would put it down because I wanted to let each moment last between these two. I really can't wait to see who the rest of club ends up with. I love how Ms Feehan's story focuses on the individual couples while letting us see small aspects of the rest of the club. Well done.

Judgment Road is the first book in a new series, Torpedo Ink, by Christine Feehan.
I almost have no words to describe how good this book is... This book is FIRE!
It's dark, raw, gritty and truly consuming! I can't read fast enough. When I wasn't reading, I was thinking about reading.
All of the characters has left an indelible mark on my soul. Great character development that I know is only going to grow with each book. I can't wait to learn more about them.
Reaper is the MC's enforcer...a domineering presence. He's brooding, tormented, and a weapon.
Anya, the beautiful bartender has secrets and Reaper's confronting our just what they are. Is she a threat to the club....or just him?!
* I received a copy through NetGalley provided by Berkley Publishing. My thoughts on this book are strictly my own.

Ms. Feehan's books appear lately to have devolved into horrific and graphic sexual/physical abuse of women and especially children. I usually don't mind a somewhat "dark" book, however the last couple, especially Judgment Road, have gone beyond dark into truly disturbing and deviant...not something that should entertain. The sex has become just pornographic.
*spoiler*
Also, I think it is very demeaning to portray a woman who forgives a man who holds her down for his "brother" to torture information out of her. Not only forgive him but the whole group who was present at the torturing. All within hours of said torture because he was "sorry" and there was that pesky attraction thing going. Really?

The first of the Torpedo Ink series centers around Savva Pajari known as Reaper, an enforcer for the Torpedo Ink motorcycle club. Seen as cold and unfeeling, Reaper becomes fascinated with the new bartender Anya Rafferty and her infectious laugh. He fell for her when he saw her give a homeless man a blanket. She was attracted to him but became angry when she heard Reaper ask Czar, the club’s president, to get rid of her. Czar was amused because he knew Reaper had finally met his woman. Reaper has a lot of problems originating from his early years of abuse at the hands of Sorbacov and his evil cohorts but Anya is determined to help him deal with his nightmares in order to have a future together with him.

Yes, this book tackled some very dark, disturbing information. It was done in a very respectful way. I actually enjoyed the characters and that they are a twist from her earlier books. Reaper and Anya fire up the pages of this book. They are fantastic together. The book is about a love so strong it brings a very disturbed individual into the light. He gets to have a real life. The love and devotion the other characters show one another is astounding. They depend on each other to a degree that we could never understand. This book is great and I highly suggest you read it. It is a little dark as I mentioned earlier but handled extremely well. Way to go Christine. I can hardly wait for the next installment in Torpedo Ink!

I do not generally like MC books. I especially do not like MC books where the women are shared and treated like property. This is not that type of book. Having read the conclusion to the Sea Haven books we were introduced to Torpedo Ink MC and Reaper. Reaper seemed fascinating to me. He is a completely tortured hero and is well written. Anya, while also an interesting lead has a few flaws which is why a 4 instead of a 5 star rating.

This book is a lot darker than many of Ms. Feehan's books. The paranormal elements are very subtle. The MC gang as a whole is an interesting lot. This is a character driven novel and the plot is kinda thin. That said the characters are pretty interesting. Will I continue with this series - I don't know, but this was a good book.

This was a great start to Christine's new series. However I feel I must say that I don't feel it is a stand-alone. There are paranormal aspects in this book that might not be understood unless you've read the series this has been spinned off from. Aside from that I absolutely loved Reaper's story. So much pain and cruelty in early life is scarring. To bring it into adulthood is even more maddening. Can you imagine never being able to be touched? How lonely that existance must feel? You have your family but still, the nightmares are exhausting and hate filled. Reaper's story is full of pain and confusion but also hope. Also may I say the sex scenes are seriously vamped up. Christine already writes a damn good sex scene but wow talk about needing a fan? I needed two.

This book! Holy Wow!
I've been a fan of this author for a while. Wasn't sure I was going to like this new genre. That'll teach me to doubt the amazing talent that is Christine Feehan.
Reaper is a scary scary man. I love that there are hints of the soft heart underneath all that steely coldness.
Anya is running from something. This author does a great job keeping her secrets.
And that's all I'm saying to keep this completely spoiler free.
This book is full of heartbreak and secrets. Its also a great new world full of tough, strong men and women who struggle every day to remember their humanity.
I also loved the hints of PNR that are sneaked in.
Judgement Road is a wild ride that everyone should read!

Reaper looked out for all the members of Torpedo Ink. He didn't think he deserved anything or especially anyone of his own but he couldn't resist the new bartender. Anya just needed to keep her new job but she was very attracted to Reaper. Neither of them were looking of a long term relationship, but they decided to give in to the attraction. That was just the beginning.

While Reaper and Anya work on their relationship, they also have to deal with club business and Anya's past. There is lots of action, suspense, and learning how to work together.

I'm looking forward to more of the members of Torpedo Ink.

I received an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

First in her newest series, Christine Feehan has us back to the amazing California Coast. A magical place with its healing powers. The motorcycle gang Torpedo Ink has chosen Caspar as a place they can settle and heal from their past. Brought to our attention in her in her book Bound Together, Caspar is a small semi-abandoned town right next to Sea Haven, a site for many of Christines previous books. We are introduced to the Torpedo Ink MC. and the stage was set for this book to be about Reapers story. He was raised, with the other members of the gang in Russia. Tortured and brutalized, trained to become a killer, he was dead inside. Until he heard her laugh, saw her smile and that hair...Anya Rafferty she had him feeling things he never knew, It scared him, he feared for her, he fought his new found emotions. She was in his head, he couldn't fight her. Even warning her if the dangers of caring about him, she could not fight it herself. She also knew things his club needed, getting her to reveal her past almost broke them both...he knew he had devastated her with the mistrust, but they needed her information. He vowed to never turn on her again...they would continue to fight each other for their love through all the turmoil of their traumatic pasts. It would never be an easy road for them. After becoming a part of the family Anya felt she was where she belonged right beside her man Reaper. This story is filled with action, love, frustration, scary times. You will smile, cry, be on the edge of your seat and become part of the newest family Christine has introduced you to. I am looking forward to seeing who her next Torpedo Ink member she will share their story. Christines very thorough in her research of the motorcycle clubs, I found all the facts surrounding this lifestyle very intriguing. Excited for this new series!

Anya was raised in shelters and on the streets. She’s hiding out in a little town working as a bartender in a biker club. Reaper comes from Russia and had a very traumatic childhood. He is the enforcer for the club and probably the most damaged. The club was raised in a school for assassins in Russia, now they rescue people who have been kidnapped or are being sold. Reaper wants Anya but is terrified of hurting her.. Anya just wants a normal life, a family to love her, and kids. There is so much to this story and I don’t want to give anything away. Sexual graphic. Bikers. Torture of children. The story will leave you wanting to bawl your eyes out.
* Voluntarily read and reviewed this for Netgalley *

The first book in a new series from one of my most favorite authors!! Torpedo Ink starts this great series! Caspar, close to Sea Haven is where a motorcycle gang has decided to find homes for all the members. This is a special motorcycle group that has been forged with years of brutality that all members lived through. Reaper, the enforcer for the group would give his life for his leader or any of his fellow members. He has no feelings. So why does Anya bother him? Anya is on the run from a scary past, and doesn't think that Reaper should have the right to tell her to leave her job. Arrogance meets stubbornness!! Who will win the battle of wits? Steamy, intriguing, page turning action!

I just finished Judgement Road and loved it. It was everything I thought it would be. Christine Feehan you did GREAT as always. There are some authors that I have to purchase the book itself instead of getting on my Kindle the way I always do and this is one of them.
I started reading the Safe Harber series first and loved it so much I had to go to the very beginning. I have loved everything I have read so far. Everyone should get a Christine book and read and I can promise you will be in love with here also.
Thank you Christine for another great read and I hope Code and his girl friend get to meet because I was really drawn to him from the very beginning.
Thank you.

I weep for Reaper. Such a tortured past and current with Anya providing moments of hope and peace. I am in awe of Anya 's strength. Some of this (sex included) was a little rough, but it was a very intricate part of the plot. I am thrilled with this new spin off and can't wait for the rest to come. I personally don't need so much, nor so detailed, but the story was so well done, so emotional, so feeling that I still have to give it a 5. I am a proud member of CF Ambassadors and received this ARC. I asked to be able to provide my opinion.

"His soul had been gone so long ago that he couldn't remember having one. Now, his heart was slowly disappearing."

This book was okay'ish!

It made me feel squeamish with a lot of the lengthy detail of dark subjects. Beware if you do not like reading about rape, child molesting and violent death.

There are a few great moments of great action, but this book is mostly made up of at least half sexual content, quarter repetitive thoughts or story-line and quarter actual action. When the action gets going it is brilliant and exciting to read, but other than that, not much else to write about.

I think i will read the next book just to see if the series improves. I wouldn't recommend this book to my friends or book club though!!

This book was awesome. The characters were well developed!!! Everyone of them were strong in different ways. Story was absolutely amazing!!!!!! An MC story to say the least with good plot and intrigue to keep me turning each page. I should have had a box of tissue at my side. My emotions were rolling in this story for everyone of the characters even the those support the main characters. Reaper and Anya were awesome together. Scorching intimate scenes that were jumping off the page!! I will doubt be getting the next book in this series!!!!! [email protected]

Love that you’ve continued the Sea Haven series and that there are so many more stories to write! Would easily be 5 stars, but either typos or just odd word choices in spots messed with the flow of the story. Assuming the areas in italics are the members talking telepathically like in previous books, but didn’t read that this was explained anywhere in this book. Would make it hard for anyone reading as a stand alone book to understand. Or maybe I missed the mark and they were talking via devices? Whatever the case, I love these stories! Please keep them coming!

Judgment Road (Torpedo Ink #1) by Christine Feehan ...this book follows the SEA HEAVEN series and has Victor (Czar) and Blythe and some others return...I'm glad I got to preview this book through #NetGalley. This is Reaper and Anya's story. Reaper has so many hang ups from the "schools" and things he has done..Anya is hiding from something in her past. He knows he should avoid her...she can't take her eyes off him. There is so much going on in this book..motorcycle clubs...hot rough sex...violence..and redemption...this book is a little heavy at times but you get to their HEA...and I am looking forward to the next Torpedo Ink book.

Anya, a woman who paved her own path, alone as a matter of survival. Reaper, a man who survived horrible torture because of his bond with his "brother and sisters". The two meet when Anya enters the world of Torpedo Ink, a motorcycle club. The attraction is immediate. However, it takes them both time, filled with emotional and physical trials, before they come to realize what they are to each other and what they need from each other. Both have secrets and fears. Anya craves a family and finding a place among this MC, with Reaper, she feels its within reach after never having a family. She needs to learn what this entails. Reaper never thought he'd find the passion and emotions he has with Anya, he's a man who sacrificed himself to protect his family since he was young. They were all he lived for. He needs to learn how to fit Anya into this dynamic, how to give her the trust and place in his life she deserves. Traumatic ( he hates that word) experiences throughout his childhood, nightmares and flashbacks keeps him at a distance from Anya because of his fear of hurting her. Both use the bond they feel to work through their issues along with the support of Torpedo Ink. Both make mistakes and have to allow each other to learn from them instead of walking away. Their's is a roller-coaster of emotion. A fight with a common enemy, with action, a bunch of humor woven into the tale to break the dark moments and of course Ms Feehan's talent of writing paranormal into her creations keeps the story moving, along with hot sex. Torpedo Ink is a brilliant ensemble that draws you inhoping for each one of them to find their happy ending. This is a wonderful start to a new series, a spin off from Sea Haven and Sisters of the Heart series, we will get to visit with characters from them from time to time, as well.

great start to another exciting series from this author. A different type of MC. Hot former Russian assassins with issues. But who doesn’t love a bada$$ with ice blue eyes! This story had some of the usually MC behaviors but without most of the criminal activities like gun runner or drugs. Fantastic MC characters which appears to have some mystical abilities. The brothers were harda$$, scary, lethal and delicious. Reaper was the baddest of all. Liked the girls too. Anya vacillated a little too much between staying or going and was very forgiving. Worth the read! Can’t wait for the next story. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC. Thanks to NetGalley.

I was ... disappointed to say the least.

A lot more graphic and brutal than a lot of her previous works. She made Reaper really difficult to love. He mostly just scared me. Very few redeeming qualities that weren't sex-related and generic protectiveness. Despite trying to paint her as strong, I felt really sorry for Anya a lot. She's manipulated and controlled often.

At more than one point in the book the characters stumble upon really graphic scenes of particular women being raped. Reaper and his siblings have a horrifying history and he hardly communicates his care for Anya and yet it's somehow easier than anything to, when she's hurt, tell her all about how awful he had it as a child. It feels like a guilt trip. They betray and hurt Anya, and she immediately reverts back to trusting them because Reaper goes into a spiel about how bad they all had it. He practically manipulates her into feeling sorry for him, blaming his inexcusable actions on his childhood. So she feels sorry for him instead of angry that they hurt her. It comes off as gaslight-y in some ways. Not looking forward to reading more in this series; very excited for the next ones in her other new series though. Those read in a much less worrisome and uncomfortable way.

So I was really happy to see another series coming out of Sea Haven. But this is a huge let down. She set up a great cast of characters in Torpedo Ink and she spent a good amount of time developing their story lines. But that is about the only good thing I have to say about this book. The Anya/Reaper story line has almost no heart to it. It just feels like one graphic, exceptionally dirty, scene after another.

I will tell you that this is a XXX story. This is a break out from a previous book. This is about Motorcycle Clubs. Not in a good way. I liked Christine's books. I have most of her books. Anya is a bartender that works with a bike club. Czar is the leader who brought his people from Russia for new lives. Someone wants to find Anya and Reaper won't let anyone at her. Their clubs are getting together to stop a big club to kidnap the leaders of the "Old Lady". This is a real deep, dark erotic book. It is a raw story. I had to keep walking away which it took 4 days to read it! Do go to check this book! Give it a chance!

We first met the members of Torpedo Ink in Bound Together (Sea Haven/Sisters of the Heart #6). Judgment Road is the first in an exciting new spin-off. Judgment Road tells of Reaper’s road to redemption and like everything else in his life it is not an easy path. Anya Rafferty is a strong young woman who is over qualified to be the bartender in the MC’s bar. Reaper doesn’t know what to make of her but the more he watches her the more he wants her and that could be deadly for her. My heart broke for these two damaged individuals. Christine Feehan masterfully put them back together again stronger than ever. A fantastic story.

Was hoping for another great read. What a bitter disappointment. Didn't even finish it, Too much "sex" not enough actual story! I want strong characters,not abusive ones.....It seems as thought the actual story takes a way back seat (Think back of the bus in distance) to Reapers control of Anya...and worse yet, she allows it! Ms. Feehan this is a dismal failure!

If you like graphic sexual descriptions with a little storyline mixed in, this book is for you!. To be honest, I would have given more stars for the plot but there was so little of it. Submissive heroine, just lets the hero overpower her emotionally and physically. Maybe this is what sells books now. I won't be reading any more of hers. There are several loose ends to the plot also. Maybe the series will address those loose ends later. I'm just not into the whole, "wear my semen" scenario.

For the last couple of years CF books have way too much sexy times in them, there has barely been any real story to them and the heroines have been push overs. And with this book Cf has continued that Trend the first half is just pretty much sex when we do get some story the heroine here (Anya) gets tortured by the MC club and the hero Reaper but she forgives him far to quickly for my taste, sure he's had a bad childhood but still that's no excuse. I used to love CF books they used to be great with lots of story with just a dash of sex to flavor it. I was holding out hope I would be great because it was a spin-off of the sisters of the heart series but with this book I think I've finally given up on her, lately it seems she phoning in or she's trying to cash in on the fifty shades of grey craze by having weak female leads and lots of sex. I think from now on if I do read anymore of her books I'll just get them from the library if I can and hope that CF will eventually get out of this phase and get back to writing real stories again

Before you read this book, you should read the Sea Haven series and the Drake Sisters series. Drake Sisters first. Why? Because, then you'll understand the importance of the characters better and how important the little town of Sea Haven truly is.

Intense and moving. Reaper is a man forged from hell, with the body of a fallen angel. The woman who claims his soul, must be strong enough to battle his demons.

Christine Feehan is a very powerful author, who's skills with the written word, wrap her readers completely in a world beyond our own. A world where her characters become like family.

I almost can't believe how far into this book I made it (DNF @75%) given how awful it was. This book is about a man who was once abused, now abusing a normal woman and she loves him for it. Period. The "plot" line outside of this is so paper thin as to nearly be non existent so really the book just jumped between the characters either having sex or thinking about having sex with one another, to aggressive and flagrant moments of abuse. There was also a lot of contemplation of running away by the female lead but, given that she was being held prisoner by the male love interests biker gang and was also apparently significantly more tolerant to being tortured and abused – both psychologically and physically – than I could ever imagine being, she didn't seem to mind it.

Overall, if you like empowered women, strong female leads, redeemable Alphas, and a plot (or at least the barest bones of one) then this book will not be to your taste. I would in fact give it no stars if I could, but that's not an acceptable the store rating.

I love all the Sea Haven books. Love love love!! so pumped to see this new series at sea haven.... BUT
So disappointed in this book. I loved the family and all the members of the club. Had a huge problem with all the sex. Her books had always had some exciting sex scenes but this was really extreme. Started skipping over those portions in the book!

This new series is going to be gritty and darker than some of her previous series. Perhaps even more erotic as well. All of the members of Torpedo Ink are damaged and will have to overcome some of it in order to form relationships with outsiders. Reaper doesn't want Anya around because he is afraid of what he will do to her, but he also can't let her go. Anya is on the run and doesn't want the kind of life he leads. She doesn't feel that she will get what she needs from Reaper because Torpedo Ink is number one in his life. It is a rocky relationship. A lot of emotion in this book.

I voluntarily read an advanced reviewers copy of this book

This book was really good. It showed the ups and downs of life and how the traumas of the past can hurt but also make a person stronger. I really liked that this was not a cookie cutter romance. It was not a simple guy meets girl and falls in love.... it was more of a guy meets girl...wants girl...but spends time pushing her away all while wanting to grab her closer.

Overall this was a really good book. It was the perfect length... with the perfect amount of drama, romance and heartache.

TSTL heroines drive me nuts. So if I was a bartender named Anya with long curly black hair who witnessed something that puts me in danger, u would not find me working in a bar looking exactly the same as I did before using the same first name. Oh but wait, she changed her last name name. So of course no one is going to find her. Dumb. Many others have commented on how abusive Reaper is. So let's reinforce the idea that the love of a TSTL woman can fix decades of abuse and PTSD. God forbid that someone gets professional help. So tell your daughters that it's ok to stay with the guy who assaults them as long as he feels bad about it. Maybe her love will fix him, if he doesn't kill her first.

Every member of this club is lethal. They have no social skills, but are very loyal to each other. Will there be room for someone else? Anya took the job because they would pay her under the table. She is living in her car and hiding out. There are some bad people looking for her. They are on her trail and Reaper will do what is necessary to protect her. She deserves someone better than him, but he can't let her go. He tried, but he can't let her go. Will she be able to accept him when she knows all of his secrets? He sure hopes she will.

This book made me VERY emotional. Reaper and Anya will make your insides twist and turn. They are both battered and had hard lives. Anya isn't cut out to be a biker's Old Lady, but there is no way Reaper is giving her up. He's tried, he even went to Czar about it.

Anya has secrets, but could be the clubs biggest asset, if only Reaper will keep her around.
Anya's past comes calling and it isn't pretty. Reaper's demons come back with a vengeance. Can these two get past their issues and see what's right in front of them, or will they go down in flames?

This is one MC that you don't want to mess with. They may be small, but you'll never see them coming.

I loved this MC Romance. It keeps you on your toes and unsure of what's coming next. Truly a rollercoaster of emotions. Told in multiple POV's. The writing is fantastic and the characters are likeable and have deep emotions. I came to love the members of Torpedo Ink and Anya. Whom they've become after the extreme trauma they faced and survived.
There is violence, family, and steamy chemistry. It can be read as a standalone.
I'm looking forward to the next book in this series.
Reviewed on behalf of Once Upon an Alpha.

This book is one of the worst things I have ever read. There is barely a plot and the problems the main "hero" seems to have are made up as they go along. The female lead is a complete idiot who seems to have every possible problem a female lead character could have short of a learning disability. I couldn't read it all the way through. I actually threw this book out. There was no world building at all. It just went straight in to some weird ass mix of Tillie Cole + Joanna Wylde. I would rather burn this book than donate it. Please, pick another book from an author who actually knows how to write contemporary MC novels.

I understand why a lot of people are upset about the abuse the “heroine” is put through and accepts. One part of the book was a little too much for me too but it was handled in a way that let me move forward as well. I’m willing to accept more from fiction than reality especially when it’s coming from CF. That said, I knew going in from reading the other two series affiliated with this one that this series was going to follow some extremely damaged characters and one of the things that CF excels at is writing damaged characters who deserve salvation and love and find them. All of the characters will find their ways into your heart if you are open to it and your heart will break for all of them. I cannot wait to continue reading this series. CF.... I expect 16 more books from this series because I want to know ALL of their stories! (Now with all that said, I picked up the paperback version of this at a big store that starts with a W for half the price...)

So much better than those insipid Drake sisters. I really enjoy this series. The Reaper/Anya sex scenes dragged a bit. Maybe I just don't care anymore, or maybe there are only so many ways to achieve total ecstasy with your man/woman and I wanted to get on with the story. But the characters are interesting, there is a definite thread leading to the next coupling, and I enjoy the world of biker gangs which I will never know in real life. Really looking forward to book three in this series.

4.5 stars-- JUDGMENT ROAD is the first instalment in Christine Feehans’ contemporary, adult TORPEDO INK slightly paranormal, erotic, romance series focusing on the members of the MC Torpedo Ink. The Torpedo Ink series is a spin-off from the author’s Sisters of the Heart / Sea Haven series but you do not have to have read the original series to understand or follow Torpedo Ink. This is Torpedo Ink enforcer and Sergeant at Arms Savva ‘Reaper’ Pajari, and bartender Anya Rafferty’s story line.

NOTE: Most of the characters including Torpedo Ink club president Victor ‘Czar’ Prakenski, and his wife Blythe Daniels were introduced in the final instalment of the author’s Sea Haven Series BOUND TOGETHER.

WARNING: JUDGMENT ROAD contains, and makes reference to graphic violence, rape, murder, torture and abuse against children and women, and therefore, may not be suitable for all readers.

SOME BACKGROUND: At the tender age of ten years old, Victor ‘Czar’ Prakenski set about to save and rescue over three hundred children from a Russian child sex-slave operation but in the end only eighteen survived. The Torpedo Ink series focuses on the survivors: their stories, their history, and their happily ever afters.

Told from several third person perspectives including Reaper and Anya JUDGMENT ROAD follows the acrimonious relationship between Torpedo Ink enforcer, assassin and Sergeant At Arms Savva ‘Reaper’ Pajari, and bartender Anya Rafferty. Anya Rafferty is a new hire at the biker bar run by the Torpedo Ink MC; a woman that quickly gets under Reaper’s skin but a woman whose past may be a threat to the security and safety of the Torpedo Ink MC. When a rival MC comes looking for help the Torpedo Ink gang set into motion a search and rescue mission that reveals a much darker and deeper threat than anyone had suspected, a threat that quite possibly leads back to Anya Rafferty. What ensues is the building and volatile relationship between Reaper and Anya; the search and take down of the threats against Torpedo Ink; and the potential fall-out when Reaper’s nightmares and heart breaking past refuse to let go.

Reaper is a stone-cold killer; a dark and tormented man whose own family-the Torpedo Ink MC- is troubled by his emotional instability and inability to let go. Trained as an assassin Reaper believes he is incapable of any relationship involving the woman with whom he will fall in love. With the arrival of Anya Rafferty, Reaper slowly begins to shed his dark and cold exterior. Anya Rafferty is on the run and finding a home with the Torpedo Ink MC places everyone in danger. Unaware of the history, and the savage beginnings of the man that she loves Anya finds herself at a crossroads, ready to run, on more than one occasion.

We are introduced to all eighteen members of Torpedo Ink- survivors of horrific abuse, torture and betrayal at the hands of the sick and depraved. A tight-knit group that calls itself family, the Torpedo Ink gang collectively share telepathic abilities, as well as a heart breaking and devastating history that only furthers their close relationship and over-protective nature as it pertains to one of their own.

The world building reveals the tragic history of abuse, torture, rape and ‘education’ of a group of children who discovered that the world and people have a sick and twisted version of right and wrong. In past reviews I have remarked on the author’s increasing violent story lines and abuse against women and children but in the case of the Torpedo Ink series, the violence is part of their history and lives-ingrained and imbedded –into their very existence. The story line heroes are not the perpetrators of the violence and abuse against the women they love but are the saviors and salvation of those who suffered years before.

JUDGMENT ROAD and the Torpedo Ink are the stories of the broken; the damaged; betrayal and revenge. The premise is dark, startling and edgy; the characters are colorful, charismatic and protective; the romance is dramatic, controversial and healing. Christine Feehan enters the world of the MC with the first fiery instalment in the Torpedo Ink series.

I am great fan of Christine's. Her books are fast moving and flow so well together. This one was no different. I must read the book about Bythe and Czar. But this book is about Anya and Reaper. It is also a standalone.

Would I recommend it ? Most definitely! It kept me totally engrossed. Motorcycle club, female bartender named Anya and a big bad a** dude name Reaper. Enough written.

Nope it has a kick a** plot. Now enough written.

Reaper acts like he doesn't care, but he actually does, “you have trouble with those idiots at the bar, you look my way. Understand me?” It was an order. He didn’t ask." Reaper says what's on his mind, “got to eff you again hard, woman. Only thing that mellows you out.” This book was everything, I loved the characters I can't wait for more books to come and other characters getting a story. Reaper that man was just scrumptious, he had his demons and his demeanor screamed alpha, bossy man.

Anya has been on her own for so long she had forgotten what it was like to have family and friends. This was a new feeling and when she felt threatened she did what she always did. She planned extensively and then made a new life for herself elsewhere. That all changed when she met Reaper. He was unlike any person she had ever met. Together they would heal one another and they found finally feel the peace that had been missing so long for their lives.

I have been a fan of this author for years. Her earlier books were heavy on romance, supernatural talents and destiny. This book was poorly written with sudden changes from a hostile hero to a suddenly deeply committed hero who is still unlikable. What happened to this author? There is nothing to love here, just really bad storytelling.

I really enjoy a good MC (Motorcycle Club) romance. All the members of Torpedo Ink MC have been through hell and as a result they have unique talents. Reaper is the enforcer making him one of the most brutal members. He prides himself on feeling nothing but rage when needed but when he meets Anya he feeling something different. It's a red hot love story, with graphic but necessary to the plot violence, and a hard won HEA. I'm looking forward to the next one in the series!

Will read next in series. MC plot had many dynamics to keep it interesting. However, way too much unnecessary dialogue as it got repetitive especially with the intimate moments. Had to skim parts referring to the H's background as it dealt with sexual abuse. SO BE WARNED.

Anya is bartender at the Torpedo Ink bar Reaper is the enforcer for the club. He sits a month in the shadow when she is there. He finally says he wants her fired and they tell him to fire her. He follows her home and finds out she is sleeping in her car. She want tell them why she is on the run. Men is coming and they find they are after her. Anya and Reaper try to get together and have to work it out together because they fell in love with each other

Needed a book to keep me entertained while sitting in the Jury Duty pool. Grabbed this book based upon past reads by this author. Was shocked to find that her writing has become nothing more than thinly veiled porn. The child abuse... distasteful. The book had no redeeming value and went into the trash where it belonged. I won’t be picking up any more of Ms Feehans novels. Too bad she strayed so far from her beginnings.

This is new and different to me for Christine Feehan. I have read her paranormal, but this sounded so interesting, I wanted to give it a chance. I was so glad I did. I love MC stories and this was a great one. It is definitely an interesting start to a new series and I am looking forward to reading more. Christine can write all genres and I am there to read it. This was suspenseful and entertaining and definitely left me wanting more.

I was excited about a new series from Christine Feehan but Judgment Road is a "no" for me. The vulgar language and violent sex totally turned me off to this series which is a shame. I was looking forward to hearing more about Czar and Blythe's background and story plus there are so many characters I wanted to know more about--Alena and Lana, Savage, Steel, Code, Keys, and Absinthe. If the next books have language and sexual scenes like Judgment Road, they will be a "pass" for me.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book. I admit up front that I enjoy almost all of Christine Feehans books. I thought this was a new series but it felt like Czar's book should have been first. Really enjoyed the.characters. Their stories are complex and tortured. I rate this a 5 There is a lot of sex so just be prepared. Overall I think most romance readers will enjoy this book.

Reaper and Anya were both such well developed characters who were both likeable. This MC club is formed from the survivors of a assassins school in Russia and they were abused. The plot was great with several little twists. Lots of action, great chemistry between Reaper and Anya. Secondary characters were also as well developed and likeable. Touches of the paranormal added to the story and I loved it.

I love a really good MC book and this one didn't disappoint. It has a lot of action and drama. This book is Raw and Dark . So if you don't like a lot of rough sex and torture and all around MC life style this book is not for you. Reaper's past is really bad. Actually all of the club members are. I didn't like the sex scenes that much because it was really rough. But aside from that it's a really great book. I can't wait to read the rest of club members stories.

This is a great book with a wonderful story and well developed characters. The story flowed very well and was very enjoyable. This book will keep you reading long into the night and you will not want to put this book down until you finish. This was such a great read and full of surprises. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader’s copy of this book. The free book held no determination on my personal review.

I love Christime Feehan. I truly do. But this book is terrible. It has a horrible message and I cringe for any young girls who get their hands on it and think that anything that happens in this book is acceptable. Anya is abused. By someone who was abused and has terrible trauma, yes, but it is abuse. And even though she tries to leave they give a million excuses for him so she stays. And the message is that he didnt mean it so its ok. And the gang force her to stay because they are family. And that my friends, is the cycle of abuse.

Spoiler alert. I got this as a library loan for my iphone. I wish I could boil my phone to sterilize it!! I did not finish this book. I could not get past the “hero” beating his lover becsuse of his past trauma. Spousal abuse is NEVER ENTERTAINING!!

I would give this minus five stars, if I could. Most people who work at something for a long time improve in their abilities, but Feehan is getting worse - she used to write romance, but this is just pornography, and completely degrading and disrespectful to women. Just because a male character says he respects women doesn’t mean he actually does. Every single thing about this story was distasteful - the main guy and all of the members of the motorcycle club are completely disrespectful, and flat out abusive, towards the main female character. I will not be purchasing anything else this author writes.

An excellent book. Really enjoyed Reaper's and Anya's relationship. Great back story with the right level of menace. Best thing about the book was the camaraderie of everyone in Torpedo INK. My first Feehan book and it won't be the last. Wish I had known that Czar's story was the last book of the Sea Haven series though. I would have read that series first.

I normally love Christine Feehan. But I HATE the trend I am seeing of using severely sexually abused children as part of a story line. And this book was graphic. It made me ill to read and I couldn't finish it. Christine you are a great writer, you don't need to highlight this type of horrific abuse to sell books.

I love all of Christine Feehan's books and this one was no different. I was captivated from start to finish. I was drawn to Reaper, a greatly flawed hero, as are his brothers. Despite a harsh introduction to their life, Anya was determined to fight for him. Their love for each other was enviable. This book was very gritty in places and very emotional - I am looking forward to the next!

I was looking forward to this after Czar's story. This book was a BIG disappointment. Did not like the character Reaper. The sex scenes were too much and very tasteless. Christine tone it down a little. I have enjoyed your books so far but this one was lacking

This book has a wonderful story to read, and sex has a place in it, but when you put in too many sex scenes and F--- words, the story becomes lost. I read everyone of Christine Feehan's books, but I felt the sex scenes became boring and wordy just filling space to make the story longer.

The writing in this book is excellent, however the story content was not worthy of Ms Feehan. I'm not a big fan of erotica but this goes way beyond that. Reaper is a total a&& and Anya is a submissive who thinks she is strong. Spoiler- one of the last scenes in the book is a nightime club BBQ and everyone is having sex. There was a great deal of time taken to write this scene but the rest of book seems thrown together.

Reaper wants Anya gone. She is messing with his head. But really not doing anything. But he then decides he will have her and then be some. But after having her, he can't let go. But he has problems that mess with his head and after waking up hurting her, he tries to let her go. But they are getting closer and it seems like they will make it.

Upon first reading I was unsure how I felt about the charcters in this book. I have to now state they stuck with me and had me going back for another read through. I now want to get to know them all better. This is my first book by this author but won't be my last. Torpedo Ink is a series I am looking forward to.

What a disappointment, this one is nothing but sex, sex, and more sex. With very little story. I was so disappointed. I won't be buying any more of this series, that's for sure. And I just loved her Sea Haven books, but NOT this one.

Dear lord, I absolutely loved Reaper and Anya's story! Smart, sexy, tender, engrossing, and heartbreakingly beautiful! I was entranced from the very first page and couldn't put Judgment Road down until I finished. I am captivated by all of these Torpedo Ink characters and cannot wait for more in this series.

Wow! This books was amazing. It was a cross over between the Sea Haven/Sisters of the Heart series. If you have read these series you know you are getting an amazing story. Anything that Christine Feehan writes is going to grab you and not let go until the end. I can wait for more books in this series!

Amazing! Feehan takes these fragile, wounded individuals and creates a world where they can thrive and find love. Then to top it off she adds a handful of action and adventure. Another gripping series that will keep you on edge wanting more.

Sea Haven makes another appearance in this latest series and yet the chatacters are so strong, they in no way rely on any previous series to draw the reader into the story. I won't give any spoilers but Feehan describes (some of) the horrors that Reaper survived through and how they are still affecting his life today. CF told the tale so intensely, I sat there reading and crying for Reaper and all the members of Torpedo Ink. I, for one, cannot wait to see what's in store for the rest of the Torpedo Ink members.

A treat for readers who love Christine Feehan and motorcycle club books. This is one of the best if NOT THE BEST MC book that I have ever read. It has suspense, romance and heart. Christine's new series is going to be a winner like her Carpathian series. I am so excited to read the rest of the series once she writes it...hopefully soon!!

Reaper is an enforcer for an MC. Anya is a bartender for the club. They have a love/hate relationship. A interesting, exciting read! I will be looking for the next book in the series.

I received an arc from netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

This is newest book and the beginning of a new series. I love it and the the way that she writes. I just wish she could write faster so I could get more books like this. I love the new characters and how they fight for the helpless(kids). Really a great read.

What an amazing book. It's dangerous, dark, and deep. I loved the romance, violence, sex. It's not for the faint of heart, but if you like reading erotica, this will be right up your alley. I loved it!

This ARC was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This new series is grittier than the sisters of Sea Haven. This MC series definitely started out by grabbing you by the shirt tail and keeping you on the edge until the last word. I cannot wait to read the next book in the series.

I have been a fan of this authors Carpathian series, but this book just blew me away!!! I'm absolutely in love with these characters. The story is raw, not sugar coated at all. There are dark disturbing themes and it made this story so powerful. I can't wait to read more of this series.

I loved this book. Christine Graham did a wonderful job creating another great series. I got one can't wait to read about what happens with Reaper and Anya and all the rest of Torpedo Ink. They each have their own battles to overcome.

Judgment Road is a fast paced, gritty, hardcore, emotional ride debut novel of a new series you’d expect from Christine Feehan. It’s a can’t-put-down book that sucks you into the raunchy, messy, and lethal world of the Torpedo Ink motorcycle club. I can’t wait for the next book!

Bad boys. Lost girls. Tortured pasts. Hopes and dreams. When the MC calls, how do you respond? Set in Sea Haven, this story has more intertwined tendrils than expected. Sexy, romantic and action packed.

The book was fast paced and I couldn't put it down. I bought it on the release date. Christine Feehan wins with this one again! I love all her books and all her series!

A little harsh in some areas, but no more so than her previous novels. All her Russian alpha males are damaged in their own unique way.

This book was disappointing from start to finish. The plot was very hard to believe. Spoiler alert, I mean as if Anya could actually have worked at both Ghost’s and the Ink Bar. Please! Spare me. This book has way,way too much sex. Im so sorry I read it.

This is not a strong book. Reaper is a dark, damaged individual. His lady doesn't leave much impression. I love so many of her books but this is not very good nor are these characters unique or engaging. A couple of weeks after reading this it is pretty much gone from my memory. I would not suggest buying this.

Best novel yet! I like seeing it through a man's eyes. Very edgy, sultry, very good story built from a rough past for all but the passion, desire, temptation and connection of family holds you into it. All things wrapped into one an excellent read. I was done with the book in 3 days. I want more.

I love all of Christine Feehan's books and as with all of her series I can't wait for the next installment. This series is definitely a little edgier then the other Sea Haven series, but still captivating and an exceptional read.

Like the other books with the Sea Haven women, this has it dark elements. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Anya and Reaper. I also liked getting to see how Czar and Blythe were doing. Can't wait for the next one.

I absolutely loved this book.
Reaper wanted Anya fired because she brought out emotions he didn't know how to process. He made some mistakes, some big ones. But she stuck with him. Through everything.
I'm a fan of Mrs Meehan's work, but this new series has me very excited. I can't wait for more.

Anya is in hiding for her life. She has taken a job as a bartender at a biker bar. Reaper is the beautiful, scard man who is unwillingly attracted to her.

There is explicit rape and violence . May be upsetting to some people.