Bastian's Storm (Surviving Raine)

4.5-5 stars OMG! I love the way this story turned out. Bastian is the same lovable but messed up hero and his main focus is Raine, who is a patient and loving woman (as any woman with Bastian would need to be). The story picks up a while after Surviving Raine leaves off. Bastian and Raine have settled in to a condo in Miami Beach. Bastina convinced Raine to give up Ohio because he's still drawn to the ocean. The problem is, since their rescue, Raine doesn't want much of anything to do with beaches or the sea so the condo was about as close as they could compromise on living accommodations. Raine has settled in with Bastian and is taking classes to get a degree in ecology. Bastian is rather aimless in his days and tries to keep from drinking again. There is a bit of a disconnect between Raine and Bastian though because although they love each other and want to stay together, there is a definite issues between them. For instance, Bastian would be happiest is it was just him and Raine and he doesn't like spending time with others. This makes it difficult for Raine (who likes people) to have her friends over as Bastian's not very good at playing nice which just makes things harder on Raine. They are working on this when Landon comes blowing back in to Bastian's life claiming that he and Franks just need one last fight in a death match from him. Bastian's not interested but isn't given much choice about competing, especially when extra collateral is used to get his compliance. Bastian has no choice and gets Raine to stand by him on this, promising her that he'll make it through and come back to her. Raine isn't happy but she realizes they don't have a choice and puts her faith in Bastian to come through the fight alive. Bastian gets prepared for the fight while trying to figure out how to keep this the last time he's called back in for real. Bastian trains for a few weeks and the tourney takes place in a frozen wasteland. The fighting is rough and vicious and things end with a twist (as I was hoping) which has Bastian coming out of things alive. He's reunited with Raine and with a bit more effort they're set to enjoy a HEA together. I loved how this story turned out. The action storyline was interesting and engaging but what I really liked best about it was how Bastian changed in the story. He realized some of his shortcomings and how he wasn't doing what he should to be what Raine needed. Realizing that, he was able and willing to make the effort he didn't before to make her happy which made him a much better hero. Raine was already a great heroine, being a lovable woman that's patient enough to deal with Bastian, and she didn't change in this book (thank goodness). My only sadness if that there will be no more of their story but this was a great ending to leave things on. I'd recommend this book (but only if you've read book #1 Surviving Raine). 2 thumbs up. :D ******Spoiler alert***** Just an FYI...No Shay Savage heroes were killed in the making of this book. :D

I LOVED Surviving Raine and luckily didn't have to wait too long to read Bastian's Storm. It was not "quite" as addictive as the first one, but still really good! I loved all the action and the suspense. As much as I love Bastian, I really struggled at times with how crazy he drove me in this book! Part of me seriously wanted to smack him in the head on several occasions. With that said, I know he was just insecure and the other part of me genuinely felt for and wanted to comfort him. How can you not love someone who says things like... "You are my world," I whispered against her skin. "I can survive anything as long as I have you with me." Good Lord, I do love that man!! And the action when he is forced to compete in the game is bite your nails, edge of your seat, pee your pants GOOD! I was glued to my Kindle and felt like I was right there with them. SO incredibly well written! I definitely recommend this book as everyone needs the closure that it brings for Bastian and Raine. There might just be a surprise or two in there as well that you don't want to miss!! Definitely want to one-click it today!

Bastian and Raine have been rescued from the island and are now living in Miami, however nowhere near the beach much to his dismay. Due to his lack of personality and like of others, the island was nothing less than spectacular for Bastian. He loved it and now wishes that is where he was, instead of some condo smack in the middle of the busy city. While the beach is close enough for his morning run, there was no way in hell Raine was going to live on it. Unlike Sebastian, Raine wasn't thrilled with life on the island and has been looking alhead since the rescue. She is back in school leaving Bastian with way too much time on his hands. Because he isn't drinking and isn't happy unless he is inside of Raine, Bastian has become quite the bastard. He isn't settling into "normal" life as well as Raine and needs something to occupy his time. Be careful what you wish for is the theme of this second book. Bastian runs into his old mentor Landon who of course has good news and bad. We learned in Surviving Raine that Sebastian Stark has a past and it isn't a good one. He was an ultimate fighter of the worst kind-to the death. Retired now, Bastian didn't think there was anything that could pull him back in for one more match, but was he wrong. Landon gives Bastian a deal he can't refuse (or they will kill him anyway) and sets up one last fight to the death. Now Bastian has to explain the fight details to Raine and convince her that he is going to win no matter what. With stakes as high as they are, you can't blame the guy. John Paul is also in Miami, knows what is going on with Landon and Franks and starts to get Bastian back into fighting shape. I think John Paul injects the humor needed in this serious story, I would like to read a bit more about him in the future. Hint, hint, Shay Savage. After reading the blurb I was worried that the fight scene was going to be the whole book. While my interest lies more with the relationship of Bastian and Raine, I was wrong The death match didn't start until at least 70% of the book and it was so well written you felt like you were actually watching it. There was a new character (to me anyway) introduced in the fight scenes that I am now going to have to read about, Evan Arden. Reading reviews on this book, I learned he is the main character in another Shay Savage series, so I am going to check him out. There seems to be quite a bit going on with him as well. So secrets are out, fights are on and I don't want to spoil the rest of the story. The book is well written and like I said, you feel like you are watching the death match play out right before your eyes. I am a fan of Shay Savage's writing as her "romances" always have a special something that makes them different. This couldn't have been a better follow up book to Surviving Raine and we get an awesome epilogue to boot. Excellent book, excellent series!

OMG, I can barely contain myself as I write this. Shay Savage is one of my ultimate favourite authors. I have loved all of her books and all I can say about this book is...GENIUS! What better than to pit her two uber alpha, sexy, broken and troubled males – Sebastian Stark and Evan Arden - against each other…literally?!!! Both of these men got to me in ways that so many other great male MCs didn’t. So, having them cross paths was a wet dream and also a nightmare given the circumstance but also an absolute brilliant brain child on Shay Savage’s part. I won’t go further because I don’t want to give the story away but I do want to say that Shay is AMAZING. Her stories are SO MUCH MORE than words written on a page. You so easily get lost into the drama, the angst, the suspense, the thrill, the ache and the pain of it all that it seems so real. I was on the edge of my seat for this and LOVED every minute of it!!

Had me glued to the kindle to the end. I loved the 'tournament'. Shay's books are very well written in a simple - get to the point and blunt style. Lots of diologue and action to move the story along. Also quite brutal, so be prepared for confronting scenes involving hitmen and mafia. The romance forms the core that ultimately motivates the hero's actions, but is not the focal point - the story of their new life evolving together is - and I really liked that. The sex scenes are not fade to black either, but realistic and intense just like the action. Includes murders and cage fighting and swearing. I would advise reading "Surviving Raine" first, so you have the background story of Bastain and Raine - although this book could be read as a standalone (as can Surviving Raine) you will have a better reading eperience if you tackle them in order. Written entirely from Bastian's point of view.

When I heard there would be a follow on book from Surviving Raine, I wasn't sure it needed it. But after reading the synopsis, I knew it would be really good and it was! I really love Shay's style of writing- it's such a mix of genres, which I really love because it means that you never really know what to expect. I love how she writes in the male point of view. In this story Bastian has to come to term s with his new way of life, it's a struggle for him because he feels like he doesn't fit in. Plus he has some other issues thrown at him which he then has to deal with. She has become one of my favourite authors - the kind where you pick up the book as soon as its released!

Novels by Shay Savage are always as good as expected. I already read the books when it was a fanfiction story and I bought the novel to support this amazing author. I like the suspens, Every important point or part of a character is discovered at a different time of the story, not everything at the beginning or at the end as we can see sometimes with other authors. I really appreciate that because the interest is picked gradually and we have time to know the character before his story is revealed, and when it is revealed, we really want to know. With this manner of writing, every description has become interesting. A third volume would be very appreciated !! Thank you for all your stories !

As always, Shay's work is outstanding. A real page turner. Hubby not so happy as I stay up into the wee hours reading :-) but that's the price you pay for a great story.