A LICK AND A PROMISE - Kristen Ashley

4.5 stars

Yes, I'm back with the latest in the Avenging Angels series.

And yes, it was fantastic. In fact, it brought me back to the feelings I had with the first book in this spin-off series. It felt... like a Rock Chick. (Heck yes!)

A Lick and a Promise is the fifth book in Kristen Ashley's Avenging Angels series, which starts with Avenging Angel. I do NOT recommend starting this series here. Please check out the first one! My review of it here.

From the blurb...
Luna Nelson and Knox Chambers fell together fast, and they did it hard. It was so big, so special, they wanted it just for themselves and kept it a secret from their found family: the Avenging Angels and the Hottie Squad. They both knew this was it. Together forever.

What Luna didn’t know was that Knox had secrets. Secrets that tore them apart.

But when Knox asked for them to continue being friends—for the sake of their crew, and so he wouldn’t lose her—Luna loved him enough to say yes. Yes to the torture of being in the life of a man who was the love of hers, but he let her go.

Then, Knox gets shot. He gets shot not because he’s got a dangerous job (which he does), but because his family is an absolute mess. With the man who means everything to her recuperating, Luna can’t keep away.

While Luna tries to keep the Angels safe from interfering in Knox’s family’s criminal enterprises, she and Knox circle each other, drawing a different kind of blood.

Will Knox continue to keep his secrets? And will both of them be safe in the Chambers Family Feud?

My thoughts:
So, I'll be the first to admit that this series has been a bit up and down for me. I adored the first book, Avenging Angel—it recaptured that EXACT Rock Chick atmosphere that I love so dearly, and it had enough of my original Rock Chicks in it that I took it and ran. Then we had the next few books in the series, which... were still KA, and therefore still fun... but they lacked that little "oomph" that felt spiritually like a Rock Chick book. Between that lack of "oomph" factor and the strong Charlie's Angels vibes that I've never fully bought into (it's not my thing)... it was a rougher go. I was stalling a bit, I'll be real.

But A Lick and Promise brought it back to center for me. This one was Rock Chick through and through—the romantic angst, the Drama Involving Bad Families, and a clear focus on the romantic duo amid action vs. a lot of movie action that also somehow had a romance. (Does that last make sense?)

It also had my favoriteeee thing. Say it with me: second-chance romance. Yum, do I eat that up every time. No notes, good times were had, I laughed/cried/spun/died/revived. You name it.

Come for the KA drama, stay for that OG Rock Chick atmosphere and the great romantic center. I'm now re-excited for this series and its later installments!

Thank you to the author for my copy in exchange for an honest review.