Book Review – Gutter Mind: Smoke Valley MC (Sex & Mayhem #12) by K.A. Merikan

Book Blurb

Mike is always on the lookout for a fresh fling, and there are more than enough chicks for a stud like him at the Smoke Valley MC clubhouse. But the pretty little thing he spots at the gas station turns out to be a boy, and that triggers all sorts of confusion.
Mike loves a challenge, so when he’s given the cold shoulder, his predator senses are set aflame! Straight or not, Mike makes a bet with his cousin and won’t settle for anything other than a total seduction of Arden.

Arden has bigger fish to fry than some biker’s petty insecurities. His last relationship has left him jaded and hurt, so he will never again succumb to the charms of a bad boy. Especially since Mike isn’t just hot, he’s freaking irresistible. Older, dangerous, and cocky, Mike will be Arden’s downfall if he isn’t careful.

But when a monster from Arden’s past reaches out his claws, the only deterrent Arden can think of is claiming Mike is his new boyfriend. So now he’s stuck in a fake relationship with a straight guy.

For Mike, what starts as a game turns out to be an awakening he’d never expected. The ice prince in lace is actually hot as hellfire, with a gutter mind to match Mike’s, and all of a sudden, his scarred heart is not as safe as he’d thought it was.

Book Review

I was excited to read another book in the MC universe of K.A. Merikan. Books about motorcycle clubs hit a lot of markers for me, but Gutter Mind (Sex & Mayhem #12) in particular had me especially intrigued since it is a continuation of the Smoke Valley MC saga. 

Mike was an interesting character, as he was so sexually aware that he was more concerned with hitting it than he was with labeling it. Recently, books that touch on the topic of sexual identity and not having to label oneself, especially when it comes to the fact that bisexuality exists, and not everyone has to be either straight or gay. So it was interesting to see how that played out in the story. 

I enjoyed Arden’s femme character. Funny enough, he was such an old soul that he read as a much more mature character than someone who was not quite yet 19, not even old enough to drink. We discover that Arden had an unconventional introduction to his sexuality, and therefore, that may make him more sexually mature, and that is why he doesn’t read as a younger character. Which was fine. 

Age is not much of a factor in this story. Chemistry is, and boy do Mike and Arden have it in spades. Unlike other slow-burning stories where it seems that the tension just drags and drags until the characters finally get together, the passage of time in this book makes sense and doesn’t feel unnecessary.

Arden has vowed to himself to attempt to preserve himself somewhat, and he is still recovering emotionally from the trauma of his previous relationship, so it makes sense that they don’t just jump in the sack together. If they had, I would have been disappointed. 

The two characters are so meant to be together that the conflict toward the end, which forces their *spoiler alert* separation, feels a bit forced. Like, there had to be something, so this is it. It was a bit of a skip-ahead portion in the book since I didn’t care for them being apart and preferred they just be together. 

My favorite part of the book is when Mike catches his first glimpse of Arden. He is so adorably confused by what his mind is seeing and how his body is reacting to it, but ultimately doesn’t want to spend a lot of time self-assessing and would rather spend his time possessing… fun stuff. 

This book is another must-read from this author duo.

Gutter Mind by K.A. Merikan is available on Kindle Unlimited.