Book: Idaho by Cathleen Cole
Reviewed by Suzy Wickedly Good Reads
Rating: 5/5
I am already a fan of this series, so at this point, a new audiobook release is pretty much an automatic BUY IT NOW for me. I love these guys and all their crazy alpha-male energy! Most of the bikers in the Viking’s Rampage MC are former military turned vigilantes. The town protects them because these men can (and will) handle the things law enforcement sometimes can’t because of protocols and red tape. Of course, the *sshat police chief is STILL determined to bring them down. That problem has definitely not gone away. If anything, he’s trying harder than ever to find any infraction he can use to put a member of the MC behind bars. Riptide is the latest victim of his obsession, landing in jail on bogus charges before the club gets him released. And that’s just one of about a hundred things happening here.
First: DO NOT START WITH THIS BOOK. 😂 At the very least, go back to Hush , which begins the Viking’s Rampage MC: Tucson Chapter. There is also an Austin Chapter that I haven’t listened to yet, but absolutely plan to. I started with Hush and have never felt lost, but if you jump straight into Idaho , you absolutely will be. By this point, there are relationships, rivalries, kids, ongoing threats and enough MC history that knowing who everyone is makes a huge difference. And honestly, that ongoing found-family dynamic is one of my favorite things about this series.
The brotherhood between these men runs DEEP. They’ll knock the crap out of each other when someone is being a knucklehead and then bro-hug it out five minutes later. 😂 The jokes, the insults, the loyalty- I love all of it. Now we also have children in the mix. LOTS of children. And somehow some of the scariest members of the MC are also the biggest kids of them all and exactly who the little ones gravitate toward. (Yes, Butcher and the Toxic Duo, I’m looking at you. 👀 And yes, I am VERY impatiently waiting for their stories.)
But this time, we get Idaho . Idaho is Lockout’s estranged twin brother. He may be an alpha in the business world, but apparently he has absolutely no problem throwing on an MC vest (even when his own brother makes him start out as a prospect.) What makes Idaho such a fantastic addition to this group is that he is probably the ONLY man who can come at Lockout without being intimidated by him. Lockout is the president of this MC. NO ONE crosses him. Idaho? That’s just his brother. 😂 He’ll say exactly what needs to be said, and I have a feeling Idaho may end up being one of the catalysts that finally pushes Lockout toward his own love story, which we know is coming at the end of the series.
Idaho meets Ava during an altercation involving her attempted kidnapping, and we quickly discover there is much more to her story. Ava comes from royalty and is in America trying to stretch her wings after living a very sheltered life. And Idaho is considerably older than she is. So...yes. There are DADDY VIBES in this one. 😂 Big age gap. Sheltered heroine. Protective older alpha biker. And when the spice arrives, it definitely embraces the whole who’s your daddy? energy. 🔥(Pass the popcorn)
But underneath the romance and spice is everything I already love about this series: the action, danger, humor, loyalty, ongoing MC storyline and this huge, slightly unhinged family that keeps growing with every book. Cathleen Cole and Frank Jensen are a husband-and-wife writing team with backgrounds in law enforcement, and it SHOWS. There’s an authenticity to the procedural and law-enforcement elements that adds another layer to the books, while still giving me all the over-the-top MC romance fun I came for.
🎧 THE LISTEN
Michael Norman Johnson and Phillipa Miller return as the male and female narrators for the series. This is alternating male/female POV rather than duet narration, and at this point I honestly don't think I could hear anyone else voicing these characters. Michael has become the voice of these guys for me. He alters the speech patterns and intonations just enough that I can distinguish between the men without making the performances feel exaggerated. And Phillipa had some extra work this time! Ava's father is a duke, so Ava has an accent throughout the majority of the book, and Phillipa absolutely committed to it.
One important thing to know about this series: each couple gets their HEA , but the larger MC storyline continues from book to book. There is usually a cliffhanger or setup revealing whose trouble we're diving into next. And this time? It looks like Static is up. 👀 I’m ready! At this point, when I see a new Viking’s Rampage audiobook release, I don't even need convincing. Just give it to me. These crazy bikers have become one of my favorite dysfunctional found families, and I’m staying for the entire ride. Highly recommended MC Romance!
Audiobook Disclosure: I received a complimentary audiobook code from Pink Flamingo Productions in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for the opportunity to listen and review!