✰ Bianca ✰ Janeane ✰ 
S.C. STEPHENS - UNTAMED
• release date: 3 November 2015
• Thoughtless Series #4
• 560 pages
Griffin Hancock is tired of being stuck behind Kellan Kyle's spotlight. He's the best, the main event, and everyone should know it. He has Anna, and his beautiful daughter Gibson, and to hell with the rest of them. A new venture presents itself, and Griffin decides this is his chance. When he tells the band about his new side gig, they are less than supportive. Undaunted by their criticism, Griffin decides to take matters into his own hands. Packing up his family, he leaves Seattle behind and returns to L.A. to break out on his own. But success isn't as easy as Griffin thought it would be, and he soon finds that the phrase 'You don't know what you've got until it's gone', is all too true.
• release date: 3 November 2015
• Thoughtless Series #4
• 560 pages
★★★★★
5 Stars
5 Stars
Griffin Hancock is tired of being stuck behind Kellan Kyle's spotlight. He's the best, the main event, and everyone should know it. He has Anna, and his beautiful daughter Gibson, and to hell with the rest of them. A new venture presents itself, and Griffin decides this is his chance. When he tells the band about his new side gig, they are less than supportive. Undaunted by their criticism, Griffin decides to take matters into his own hands. Packing up his family, he leaves Seattle behind and returns to L.A. to break out on his own. But success isn't as easy as Griffin thought it would be, and he soon finds that the phrase 'You don't know what you've got until it's gone', is all too true.
Now it's finally Griffin's time to be the star...at least the star of his own book. ☺
The story doesn't take place during Kellan's books - nope - it's live!
Griff and Anna's daughter Gibson is about 18 months old now and the band is about to go on tour again.
But Griffin - he doesn't want to be the bass-player in the background anymore.
He wants to be a star!
He's always known that he's too awesome to just be a guy in a band - he wants to be the STAR!
When I first joined the D-Bags a few years ago, I had been under the completely logical assumption that once my overall awesomeness was known, I would replace my cousin as the lead guitarist.
But the other D-Bags just don't get him at all - they never listen to any of the ideas he has for the band, they don't want to let him play lead guitar - NOTHING.
He's had it with those guys....family or not - he wants and deserves more!
Nobody put the Hulk in the corner. Nobody.
Perfect timing for Hollywood to come knocking. They want him to play the lead in a new Rock-Star-TV-Series.
Griff packs up his wife and kids and leaves for La-La-Land.
But of course nothing is as easy as he imagined it to be - even though he's sooo awesome ☺
WHAT WiLL HAPPEN TO GRiFFiN & ANNA???
WiLL HiS iDiOCY DRiVE THEM APART???
WiLL THERE BE A CLiFFHANGER???
_____________________________________
WAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!
THE HULK IS ON MY KINDLE!!
And gues what???? He's sooooo amazing!
I'm such a huge #KellanKyle fan (aka his number one fan!!!) and Griffin was always just the comic relief in the background - the idiot of the band.
But he's so much more.
And he's so humble too!!!! ☺☺☺
The first chapter - (hm, well, more like 80% of the book) - are just him telling us how awesome he is.
God, that guy!
He's just sooo adorable!
I didn't really know what to expect when I started reading. We all know THE HULK - we also saw tiny glimpses of a guy with feelings in the other books, but we never read about what he thinks and feels.
And it's so beautiful. Well, not really, mostly we just want to grab him and shake him and hit him and grrrrr. But there are sooo many amazingly moving moments in this book. I cried so much with and for Griffin - and I even hated a tiny little bit on all the other D-Bags here and there.
Matt gave me a dumbfounded look, like I was missing something obvious. I hated that look. It made me feel stupid, and I wasn't.
And the moments that are not full of emotions - we just have to laugh about that poor guy. I have no idea how one guy can think so much awesome thoughts about himself. I was constantly shaking my head at his awesomeness. ☺☺☺.... like that sweet quote up there ^^^ which continues as follows:
I had smarts. Smarts, skills, and looks. I was the whole package - a triple threat of awesomeness.
He says so many thinks that made me cry though...
Just once, I'd like people to notice me, ya know? Just once, I want to shine. I want ... I just want a chance.
ugh that poor guy! His total awesomeness hides this whole vulnerable side of him. And it's really hard for him to let other people see that side. But maybe by the end of the book he'll get there ...
He has his sister, who listens to him and tries to help - and he has Anna and his daughters... it's soo adorable the way he acts around his three girls.
This was just the perfect Rockstar Romance - full of feels and laughter and sexy-times!!!
The story doesn't take place during Kellan's books - nope - it's live!
Griff and Anna's daughter Gibson is about 18 months old now and the band is about to go on tour again.
But Griffin - he doesn't want to be the bass-player in the background anymore.
He wants to be a star!
He's always known that he's too awesome to just be a guy in a band - he wants to be the STAR!
When I first joined the D-Bags a few years ago, I had been under the completely logical assumption that once my overall awesomeness was known, I would replace my cousin as the lead guitarist.
But the other D-Bags just don't get him at all - they never listen to any of the ideas he has for the band, they don't want to let him play lead guitar - NOTHING.
He's had it with those guys....family or not - he wants and deserves more!
Nobody put the Hulk in the corner. Nobody.
Perfect timing for Hollywood to come knocking. They want him to play the lead in a new Rock-Star-TV-Series.
Griff packs up his wife and kids and leaves for La-La-Land.
But of course nothing is as easy as he imagined it to be - even though he's sooo awesome ☺
WHAT WiLL HAPPEN TO GRiFFiN & ANNA???
WiLL HiS iDiOCY DRiVE THEM APART???
WiLL THERE BE A CLiFFHANGER???
nope...
I'm not telling you ☺
I'm not telling you ☺
_____________________________________
WAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!
THE HULK IS ON MY KINDLE!!
And gues what???? He's sooooo amazing!
I'm such a huge #KellanKyle fan (aka his number one fan!!!) and Griffin was always just the comic relief in the background - the idiot of the band.
But he's so much more.
And he's so humble too!!!! ☺☺☺
The first chapter - (hm, well, more like 80% of the book) - are just him telling us how awesome he is.
God, that guy!
He's just sooo adorable!
I didn't really know what to expect when I started reading. We all know THE HULK - we also saw tiny glimpses of a guy with feelings in the other books, but we never read about what he thinks and feels.
And it's so beautiful. Well, not really, mostly we just want to grab him and shake him and hit him and grrrrr. But there are sooo many amazingly moving moments in this book. I cried so much with and for Griffin - and I even hated a tiny little bit on all the other D-Bags here and there.
Matt gave me a dumbfounded look, like I was missing something obvious. I hated that look. It made me feel stupid, and I wasn't.
And the moments that are not full of emotions - we just have to laugh about that poor guy. I have no idea how one guy can think so much awesome thoughts about himself. I was constantly shaking my head at his awesomeness. ☺☺☺.... like that sweet quote up there ^^^ which continues as follows:
I had smarts. Smarts, skills, and looks. I was the whole package - a triple threat of awesomeness.
He says so many thinks that made me cry though...
Just once, I'd like people to notice me, ya know? Just once, I want to shine. I want ... I just want a chance.
ugh that poor guy! His total awesomeness hides this whole vulnerable side of him. And it's really hard for him to let other people see that side. But maybe by the end of the book he'll get there ...
He has his sister, who listens to him and tries to help - and he has Anna and his daughters... it's soo adorable the way he acts around his three girls.
This was just the perfect Rockstar Romance - full of feels and laughter and sexy-times!!!
UNTAMED was such an amazingly funny & sexy, but also beautifully emotional & moving book. Griffin really deserved to have his story told. He's just too awesome to not have his own book ☺ You'll laugh, cry and you want to hit him so bad ... but I think he gets it now ... It's never too late to grow up.
__________________________________
ARC received for an honest review
It was like reading a 13 year old girl's diary! Whine whine whine, me me me. I could understand why he felt the way he did about some things, but the way he carried on - I was getting ready to call the waaaaambulance!
I will say up front - for most of the first 3 books in the Thoughtless series, I didn't like Griffin Hancock - at all. So going in I knew that it was going to be a hard sell for me to like him when the whole book was about him, but I was excited all the same to receive an ARC.
I loved getting back into the D-Bags world, but god almighty, Griffin grated on just about every last nerve. The first 65% was him all "I am awesome" and I just wanted to slap the crap out of him for being such a self absorbed jerk!
It was like reading a 13 year old girl's diary! Whine whine whine, me me me. I could understand why he felt the way he did about some things, but the way he carried on - I was getting ready to call the waaaaambulance!
I could see that he loved his family, but his actions didn't really show that at all. For as long as I had wanted to get into Griffin's head, there were times when I wanted to get out of there so much!
Makes it sound like I didn't like this book, doesn't it?
Whilst I abhorred him and his actions for a great part of the book, the last 35% of it were amazing.
After all these years, we finally saw some changes in Griffin "The Hulk" Hancock - and all for the better. I saw regard for others, I saw humility. Heck, I saw a broken man making amends.
And then Ms Stephens managed something I never thought would happen.
I shed a tear for Griffin Hancock.
And in the end, I liked the new, and vastly improved Griffin.
That all the outer bravado and jokes and crude behaviour was hiding so much. Anger. Bitterness. And at times, fear.
His story shows that you can be overly confident, but that confidence is not always enough. It can only get you so far in life.
And that family - blood or the family you create - is the most important thing you can have in your life.
So thank you Ms Stephens for making Griffin a character that I could truly like, maybe even have a bit of a spot in my heart for.
1. What was hardest about writing the story from Griffin’s perspective?
The hardest part of writing Griffin’s book was deciding what part of his life to focus on, and what journey to take him on. The possibilities were endless, and sometimes that was really overwhelming. What was the most fun? Griffin’s inner monologue was the best part for me! The things he says are hilarious, but what he doesn’t say is even better.
2. In the book, Griffin takes a chance and tries out a new career. If you could do anything else besides writing, what would it be?
Writing was the dream career for me, so I don’t know of anything I would give this up for. As long as I’m able to keep dreaming up stories, this is what I want to do.
3. Who has influenced you as a writer?
I have learned so much from the writers I admire. Colleen Hoover’s storytelling gift. Tammara Webber’s compelling characters. A.L. Jackson’s descriptive poetry. Christina Lauren’s sexy scenes. Alice Clayton’s and Tara Sivec’s humor. K.A. Linde’s ability to bleed your heart dry. Every book I pick up motivates me to do better.
4. Griffin is always confident with a capital C. What do you think readers can learn from him in UNTAMED?
Sometimes confidence isn’t enough. Sometimes you have to be humble and fallible. Sometimes you have to fail to win.
EXCERPT
When Anna came back into the room, I was my usual self—just a half chub was trying to poke through my jeans. But even that faded when I saw the little miracle in my wife’s arms. “Daddy!” Gibson tossed her hands my way and leaned so hard in my direction that Anna had to struggle to hold on to her. Gibson’s little face scrunched with annoyed concentration while she fought against her mom. Then, with a pout that only a little kid could make adorable, she turned and scowled at Anna. “Want Daddy.” She said it as a command, not a request. Gibson was only around a year and a half, but she already knew what she wanted, and she fully expected to get her way. She was so much like me, it was Anna rolled her eyes but stepped closer so Gibson could reach me. When her little hands touched my skin, they suddenly became razor-like talons. Like an eagle securing a fish from the sea, Gibson clamped onto my forearm with a surprising amount of freakish strength. “Ow, shit! Relax, Gibs. I’m right here.”
Grunting, I pulled her into my side and examined what was left of my arm. I half expected to see a mutilated flap of skin hanging off the bone. Instead, all I saw were bright red streaks where she’d raked me. Anna winced. “Guess I need to cut her nails. Sorry.”
I shrugged. “The day isn’t truly awesome until a gorgeous girl has scratched me up. I wear my war wounds with pride.” Looking at the design she’d left behind, I added, “I might actually get this one tattooed on me. How cool would permanent shred marks be?”
Anna smiled, then shook her head. “No, if you want claw marks to tattoo, I’ll give you some good ones. Then every time you look at them, you can remember how you got them.”
“Damn…yeah, that’s a much better plan. Fuck, you have the best ideas.”Gibson grabbed my nose and pulled my attention her way, where she liked it. Girl had a jealous streak a mile wide. Looking at her was like looking at a miniature version of me, if I were a girl. She had the same light blue eyes, same blond hair, although hers was a pristine platinum color while mine was a little dirtier. As it should be. She gave me a smile full of shiny white teeth, then spouted, “Fuck.”
Anna crossed her arms over her chest, but her expression was more amused than annoyed. “I think we’re at the point where we need to start watching our language.”
I looked past Gibson to Anna. “Watch my language? You might as well ask me to hop on one foot while reciting the alphabet backwards. I can’t police myself like that twenty-four-seven. I’m exhausted just thinking about it.”
Anna swished her hands at Gibson. “Well, she’s starting to copy you, and if we don’t put a stop to it now, she’s going to start calling people cocksuckers soon.”
I started laughing. “That…would be so awesome.”
Anna put her hands on her hips; true irritation was starting to edge out her amusement now. “No, it wouldn’t be.” She smiled. “Well, yeah, it kind of would be, but as parents, we have to put a stop to that kind of stuff.” She sighed. “Well, we should try anyway.”
Looking back at Gibson, I frowned. “I suppose I could try.” Even though I was sure she didn’t have a clue what we were talking about, Gibson laid her head on my shoulder, wrapped her arms around my neck, and patted my back like she was encouraging me. Yeah, if it would help Gibson, I would try to control my mouth. There wasn’t much I wouldn’t do for that little girl.
EXCERPT
When Anna came back into the room, I was my usual self—just a half chub was trying to poke through my jeans. But even that faded when I saw the little miracle in my wife’s arms. “Daddy!” Gibson tossed her hands my way and leaned so hard in my direction that Anna had to struggle to hold on to her. Gibson’s little face scrunched with annoyed concentration while she fought against her mom. Then, with a pout that only a little kid could make adorable, she turned and scowled at Anna. “Want Daddy.” She said it as a command, not a request. Gibson was only around a year and a half, but she already knew what she wanted, and she fully expected to get her way. She was so much like me, it was Anna rolled her eyes but stepped closer so Gibson could reach me. When her little hands touched my skin, they suddenly became razor-like talons. Like an eagle securing a fish from the sea, Gibson clamped onto my forearm with a surprising amount of freakish strength. “Ow, shit! Relax, Gibs. I’m right here.”
Grunting, I pulled her into my side and examined what was left of my arm. I half expected to see a mutilated flap of skin hanging off the bone. Instead, all I saw were bright red streaks where she’d raked me. Anna winced. “Guess I need to cut her nails. Sorry.”
I shrugged. “The day isn’t truly awesome until a gorgeous girl has scratched me up. I wear my war wounds with pride.” Looking at the design she’d left behind, I added, “I might actually get this one tattooed on me. How cool would permanent shred marks be?”
Anna smiled, then shook her head. “No, if you want claw marks to tattoo, I’ll give you some good ones. Then every time you look at them, you can remember how you got them.”
“Damn…yeah, that’s a much better plan. Fuck, you have the best ideas.”Gibson grabbed my nose and pulled my attention her way, where she liked it. Girl had a jealous streak a mile wide. Looking at her was like looking at a miniature version of me, if I were a girl. She had the same light blue eyes, same blond hair, although hers was a pristine platinum color while mine was a little dirtier. As it should be. She gave me a smile full of shiny white teeth, then spouted, “Fuck.”
Anna crossed her arms over her chest, but her expression was more amused than annoyed. “I think we’re at the point where we need to start watching our language.”
I looked past Gibson to Anna. “Watch my language? You might as well ask me to hop on one foot while reciting the alphabet backwards. I can’t police myself like that twenty-four-seven. I’m exhausted just thinking about it.”
Anna swished her hands at Gibson. “Well, she’s starting to copy you, and if we don’t put a stop to it now, she’s going to start calling people cocksuckers soon.”
I started laughing. “That…would be so awesome.”
Anna put her hands on her hips; true irritation was starting to edge out her amusement now. “No, it wouldn’t be.” She smiled. “Well, yeah, it kind of would be, but as parents, we have to put a stop to that kind of stuff.” She sighed. “Well, we should try anyway.”
Looking back at Gibson, I frowned. “I suppose I could try.” Even though I was sure she didn’t have a clue what we were talking about, Gibson laid her head on my shoulder, wrapped her arms around my neck, and patted my back like she was encouraging me. Yeah, if it would help Gibson, I would try to control my mouth. There wasn’t much I wouldn’t do for that little girl.
↓ LiNKS TO THE BOOK & AUTHOR ↓
If you haven't read the THOUGHTLESS Series yet
DO IT NOW!!!!
If you haven't read the THOUGHTLESS Series yet
DO IT NOW!!!!
#1 THOUGHTLESS
#2 EFFORTLESS
#3 RECKLESS
#1.5 THOUGHTFUL
Now that we're done with the DBags :((( - make sure to #PreOrder SC's new book - coming in May 2016:
FURIOUS RUSH
Mackenzie Cox is competing in her second year of professional motorcycle road racing. Last year, a fellow racer, the exceedingly arrogant, yet outrageously attractive Hayden Hayes distracted her. But this year, she's focused. And to stay that way she needs to stay away from Hayden.
