Give Me Hell (Give Me, #4) (2024)

Give Me Hell is the story of the only female Valentine, Mac. I’ve wanted her story ever since meeting her. She’s loud, independent, outgoing, honest, protective and caring. She does whatever she wants to do. When she sets her mind on something, nobody can change her mind. I always thought she belonged to someone special and Jake is someone special. Jake is sweet, talented, kind and strong. He is the drummer of Jamieson and he loves making music with his friends. He didn’t have the easiest past, but meeting Mac made it a little better. Jake always has and always will love Mac.

This book was so worth the wait! The characters are fantastic and I know whose book I want next. The couple is beautiful. The epilogue is perfect. The writing is superb. The book was emotional sometimes. There was so much to discover about Jake and Mac’s past. I loved Give Me Hell, but just not as much as the previous books. There was too much of their past and not enough development of their relationship in the present. Everything happened a little too fast at the end.

I have been waiting for this book, since 2014? 2015? It’s been a longass time, is basically what I’m saying. The first time I read it, I did so after rereading the entire series. It felt a little underwhelming then? But I read it again just now, and my heart is bursting with all the feels. I’m embarrassed I ever thought it was underwhelming; it’s the very definition of overwhelming. I f*cking love this series, and this particular book takes the f*cking cake.

Still waiting for that book like

OHMIGOD THAT SEGUE

Re-read 6/26/18..... these two are still freaking awesome ;)

I have been waiting for this book a long time. I first finished book 3 in this series in 2014 and now we finally have Mac's story !!

To be honest....it was worth the wait !!

I have known Mac ever since I started book 1 in the series. She has been an absolute constant thoughout the whole series and I have been on pins and needles to find out what was really going on between her and Jake.

I think this book could technically be read as a stand alone...but if you want my advice....start with book 1. It's an amazing series and you won't get the full experience if you skip the other books. This book isn't just about one couple....it's about family and starting with book 1 will give you a chance to really get to know all of them. I think not reading the other books might leave you lost as to who everyone is.

Now for those of you who have read all the other books....you already know Mac and Jake and how they have been circeling each other for ages.

This book starts off with the little cliffy book 3 left us with. I am not going into that, since it is a spoiler, but those who have read book 3 know what I am talking about. After this little revelation, we are taken back to the time when little 11 year Mac, met 13 year old Jake for the very first time....

Seems there is a lot of history here we never knew about. Also seems that Mac was always a little badass !! Throughout the book we get to experience everything that has happend in the previous book, but from Jake and Mac's point of view. Even though I already knew what happend in the other books....it never felt like this was a retelling of the other books. It was actually very enlightning to see everything through their eyes and some parts were pretty shocking and also...funny.

Not everything is funny though. Mac and Jake litterally went through hell to be with each other and my respect for Jake has grown so much throughout this book. I already knew that Mac was an awesome "kickass-take-no-prisoners" heroine, but I knew zero to nothing about Jake. Dare I say he is one of my favorite hero's of the series now ? Well, maybe, but he will have to share this nr 1 spot with Casey !!

Jake was also quite the hot dirty talking alpha man...

"You want to suck it, Princess? You want it in your mouth? Or do you want in in your puss*?"

I am not going into the storyline much further. Lot's of people have been waiting a long time for this book and I really don't want to spoilers things for them. I am sure fans will be very very happy with this one.

It was sweet, heartbreaking, hot and funny. I went through a rollercoaster of emotions and even though this book ends with a HEA for this couple....not everything ended on a happy note.

It really made my heart bleed and I myself am very curious to know if there will be more ... I NEED MORE !!!!!

My reviews are posted on Dirty Books Obsession

I know you've been waiting years for the Queen Bee’s story, and it's finally here, in all of its heartache and glory! Did you expect anything less? Were you hoping for a quick, easy cruise? Uh yeah, not going to happen. You're about to take one, wild ride and it will be a fast, bumpy, intense spin. Upon embarking, find those "oh sh*t" handles and hold on. Seriously, the heartache—don’t skimp on the tissue. If you are familiar with Kate's writing, then you know she's pure evil. This woman is absolutely sad*stic when it comes to her characters andand her readers. She loves to toy with them before tit punching them.

Give Me Hell was no exception; hence the title. Jake and Mac were a hot mess, taking 10 steps back for every 3 steps forward. And although we've followed these characters through several books, there was a lot of back story between these two we had no flippin' clue about. Due to that, I wasn’t sure what to expect from them. We knew next to nothing about Jake, other than he liked to bump uglies, quite frequently, with Mac. We knew Mac was always in the mix of it all and she’s fiercely loyal. Not to mention, the pressure was on to give this righteous rebel her due. We also knew when these two were around each other, the tension could be cut with a f*ckin’ sword. All adding up to the perfect ingredients for a kick ass novel, filled to the brim with depth, action, chemistry, angst, and chaos .

But don't worry, it isn't all about the anguish. In classic Kate fashion, she's added the perfect balance of humor, romance, and swoon worthy moments that will have you smiling ear to ear. You'll even end up throwing in a few sighs and giggles for added measure.

In all honesty, I didn’t know if this book could even come close to Give Me Grace. It’s no secret, I’m a HUGE Casey girl, and in my mind, there was no way Jake would or could compare. I'm not ashamed to admit, I almost had to eat those thoughts. Kate didn’t pull any punches with these two. She gave them her all and it showed in every single scene, every single word. Jake had me swaying. Big time. This bad boy had me questioning my loyalty. I'd catch myself thinking, "holy hell Casey, he’s giving you a run for your money!"

I have to bow down to Jake and Mac. This couple's love story was quite addictive and something beyond special. There was just so much to them, I felt everything all the way down to my toes.

I am not gonna lie...after waiting so long and knowing how hard Kate worked on this book, I was actually scared to start it. It is a longer book, and I was actually afraid maybe it would not live up to my expectations or something.

But thankfully, I had nothing to worry about. I was captivated, and the whole time I both never wanted it to end, but also desperately wanted to find out the ending. Jake grabbed my heart from the beginning and it just kept breaking for him. From past to present his pain was palpable. He had a rough life. He made mistakes. And throughout it all he just wanted one thing ...Mackenzie Valentine.

It was always her from the time they first met. But Jake's life and subsequent choices make it impossible for him to keep her.

Mac is always trying to live life to the fullest. She is fiery, independent, high-strung, and stubborn. But she feels smothered by her parents and three older brothers. She just wants to be herself, for the people in her life to have faith in her, and be a bad-a** like her brothers.

Years spin by, but they are never far from each other's minds. Glimpses of chances end in pain. Fate is fickle and keeps bringing them back into each other's worlds. Their present lives become wrapped up together in various ways as they share a network of friends and that we have come to know and love throughout this series. But their history is something they do not share with their crew. There are chances not taken and missed opportunities. They never seem to be able to stay on the same page for long. They challenge each other and rile each other up. Their unresolved feelings are strong and volatile. They can't seem to hold on or really let go.

History ties them together, but also holds them apart. There are secrets, lies, betrayals, and misunderstandings fueling the fire. They are both stubborn and opinionated. It is hard to forgive or forget. They are enemies, friends, lovers all at various times. They can be good and bad for each other. Sometimes they fight each other and sometimes they fight for each other. Only the strongest and most loyal could handle feisty, strong-willed, bad a** Mac. And Mac is not aware of all that Jake has had to deal with. They are not afraid to stand up to the other. They demand everything of each other and mean everything.

Mac has been through hell and is always trying to prove herself and is never fully satisfied. But Jake wants all or nothing, and he never seems to be able to truly get her all. There is a long cycle of ups and downs with lust, love, fighting, heartbreak, and so many emotions. She thrives on adrenaline and Jake wants her to be safe. She struggles with giving him all of her no matter how hard he tries.

I had the same reaction to Mac that her family and friends had, I wanted to shake sense into her sometimes. I was completely Team Jake. He was a great combo of bad boy with a soft, sweet center and he sometimes deserved a medal for dealing with the headstrong Mac.

It will all come down to Mac finally deciding once and for all what she can and can't live without. She does have a heart, but has a hard time bouncing back once hurt and being truly vulnerable. And she is unpredictable at best.

Like others in this series, this book also has some drama, danger, and suspense. When past and present collide along with the various bad a** entities involved there is bound to be some big action and harrowing scenes. And Holy Moly this one built up to a big one. This is full of surprises, twists, heartbreaking moments, angst, humor, banter, and so many freakin' feels. I was totally invested. I got mad and frustrated. I wanted to knock heads together. My heart was battered and stomped on, but then life would be breathed back into it again.

I knew Mac's book would be dramatic and frustrating just like she is. But WOW it really was an emotional roller coaster. I abso-freakin-lutely adored Jake. His strength, devotion, tenderness, and ability to tangle with Mac won me over. And Mac had an inner strength, resilience, intelligence, and a sense of control that made her formidable, but also had a big, caring and even sensitive heart. They were volatile, and they challenged each other like no one else. But they truly made each other's lives worth living whether fighting, loving or laughing, Mac and Jake were soul mates put through hell and back. But I don't think anyone else would have had the tenacity to withstand the ride.

All of the friends and family from this series are back as this book crosses timelines and story lines with the other three books I loved getting more insider details of their stories through Mac's point of view. The author did a great job refreshing the details and making it all relevant. Mac's overprotective brothers Mitch, Travis, and Jared are her biggest foils and protectors. The band: Evie, Henry, Frog, Cooper, and of course Jake are her project and support system. Grace and Quinn love to get in trouble with Mac and Evie when they can. This group is everything! I love them! They make me laugh, want to smack them, and sometimes hurt my heart. But they are like real people with complex personalities, histories, and strong ties.

This book is EPIC! It is Mac. It is Jake. It is friendship, love, passion, laughter, heartbreak, pain, fear, guilt, hope, joy, and everything in between. It is one of the most intense and unpredictable couplings I can think of. And the outside drama just adds a layer of danger and suspense. It's the good, the bad, and the ugly. I loved it all. I lived it all. I cannot wait for more with some of the remaining unmatched men. Bring them on!

I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review.
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4+, fajna historia, ale zabrakło tego czegoś, co było w poprzedniej części... jednak daję+ za końcówkę ;)

After three years patiently waiting we finally have Jake & Mac's story. I was initially worried that I would have forgotten some things but it all came back to me really quickly. And of course there was a big teaser at the end of the last book which I was busting to read more about.

Kate does a great job of reminding readers of what has come before this story and I was surprised when I realised that Jake and Mac's story had already been playing out through the whole series. Alongside all the other couple's stories has been Jake & Mac. They may have been secondary characters but they were cleverly weaved into each book.

Jake and Mac met when she was on the cusp of teenagehood after Mac's mother took him in as a temporary foster child. Initially being around him was just annoying as she already has three older brothers who boss her around, the last thing she needs is another one. However, over the years their friendship eventually blossomed into love.

'How do you feel?' Jake pauses for a moment, his expression hard and intense. It makes him seem so much older than his fifteen years. 'Like I belong to you, Mackenzie Valentine. That's how I feel.'

Having older brothers in her life meant always being over protected by them. At times they cross the line, always thinking they are doing what is best for her. Jake Romero is not the guy they see as a long term thing for Mac. Jake is very aware of this, he knows he could never live up to the expectations of Mac's family. So he makes a decision he deems as the best one for her. This is the first time that Jake breaks Mac's heart.

After leaving Sydney to the lights of Melbourne, Jake follows a very different life path to Mac, he gets mixed up with the wrong sort of people out of desperation to earn money to help his father. Once you get in with bad people it is hard to get out again. He is just glad that the distance will keep this part of his life away from Mac. Mac is a very head strong woman who seems to have a no fear approach to life. This often leads her into making careless and at times dangerous decisions.

'I didn't ask for this. I didn't ask for violence and chaos. It finds me, no matter where I go or what I do. I'm simply following the path created by destiny. I didn't choose the badass life, the badass life chose me.'

However, one of those decisions leads her into her job as the manager of a band called Jamieson. A band the Jake is now a member of. A lot of time has now passed since Mac last saw Jake but time has done nothing to suppress the draw these two have between them. Mac is very guarded about getting serious with Jake but a bit of harmless sex can’t hurt right?

These two seem to have very different ideas about what they want or need from each other. Mac seems to only ever have one foot in the relationship and the other one out, ready to bail at any time. This is something that Jake struggles with when he wants nothing more than to be with Mac for the rest of his life. Can they let go of the past and finally make this thing work between them?

This was a fantastic wrap of this series, though it looks like another book is coming……

OMG I want to pee from excitement!

Mac and Jake’s story is one that has been hinted at in the background of the Give Me series since the beginning, and Give Me Hell does not disappoint. This story covers everything from their very first meeting to the multiple run-ins they have throughout their interconnected past, right up to present. It follows these two through the background of Mac’s brothers’ stories, moving Mac and Jake to center-stage, while refreshing major points in the earlier plot points.

Because they have so much history together, their story actually begins long before we meet each of them in Give Me Love. Mac has always been a fiery, driven individual, set on doing everything her way or not at all. In the shadow of so many brothers, Mac chafes at the delicate princess mold her family wants her to fit into as the only girl. Jake falls into the mix at a low point in his life. Though his time in the Valentine household is short, Mackenzie leaves a mark. As his choices lead him down a darker path, throwing his lot in with the notorious King Street Boys, Jake knows he can’t drag Mac down with him.

Even as Jake was making poor choices that could lead to major negative consequences, I couldn’t help but love everything about him. He is a protective, caring soul. At their heart, his actions are always about keeping his loved ones safed, including the moment he realized he could not keep Mac safe.

Mac is feisty and stubborn, but her hard shell hides how vulnerable she is. Her impulsive, dangerous decisions often had me frustrated with her, but even as she was flying off the handle, her heart was in the right place. She just wants to be taken seriously by her more levelheaded family.

The entire Valentine family is present for this story, as is Jake’s band. I loved seeing some of my favorite interactions from the side characters through Mac and Jake’s eyes, and remembering the banter and camaraderie this whole extended family group has developed over time.

There were only a few brief moments where I noticed the length of this book. It is long. But the timeline is such that it needs to length to cover the depth of the history Mac and Jake have shared. As the secrets each have kept over the years begin to surface, the story pulled me in more than the tiny snippets we’ve seen previously could have anticipated. This story was every bit the emotional rollercoaster I expected from these two, and the wait was absolutely worth it for the story within these pages.

I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review.

***This and other reviews can be found at www.imasweetandsassybookwhor*.com ***

*ARC*

This is the kind of review I hate to type. The one where I am sitting here trying to not say I totally hated a book but also can’t say that I liked it that much either. I know and understand that sometimes a book doesn’t always work for everyone and I think that this is what happened in this situation. It had the potential to be a book that I normally would love but I got bored, it dragged and it couldn’t keep my attention at all. Now I have not read the previous books so that very well could be the reason why or it could be that I just didn’t connect with Jake and Mac. Maybe I will give this one another go after reading the previous books but sadly this one just didn’t work for me.

Aaggghhh. I don't even want to write a review. I expected something quite different. The story of Mac and Jake with some flashbacks. Not some OTT drama and a retelling of all the other books but then from another POV (I have read them!) Another book where communication could have prevented so much and I thought Mac was often quite unsympathetic.

“They would have killed you!” My shout is so loud she flinches. Why can’t she see that I was just trying to keep her alive! “I can take care of myself!” she shouts back. “You’re just like my brothers. You think you know what’s best for me, but you don’t.”

Yup Mac, keep on screaming you can take care of yourself while being kidnapped and stuff. Ugh! Not a winner for me.

4+
Ciężko przebić historię Caseya, ale było przyzwoicie. ;) Jakby cała książka utrzymała ton ostatnich rozdziałów, to musiałabym dać 10 gwiazdek ;)

Give Me Hell (Give Me #4) by Kate McCarthy
3.5 stars!!

“Don’t worry when I fight with you. Worry when I stop, because it means there’s nothing left for us to fight for.”

Kate McCarthy chucked everything at this book, humour, angst, suspense, intrigue, first love, second chance love, action and swoon. In fact, having just finished, my head is still spinning and I’m thinking, yes, Kate McCarthy, you have Given Me Hell. How the hell am I supposed to review this? My brain is running a mile minute to catch up and decompress, to digest and ruminate, so this review is a straight shot from the hip. This is the result of OMG, what the hell did I just read!!

This fourth book covers the previous three, however, this is MacKenzie Valentine and Jake Romero’s story. Their story begins as little kids and ends with them as adults, hard headed, tough, but we love each other adults. This book nearly broke me, I will be honest and say I did come close to a DNF. There was just so much going on, so many twists and turns that I just began to get that feeling of incredulity. However, this is a long book, I was at sixty something percent and I thought, nope, I will crack on, after all this time invested in this couple I need to see if they got their sh*t together. I’m glad I motored on, while Kate McCarthy was still not finished with her twists and turns, I knew how the majority of the book had gone and so I expected a lot more shocks along the way.

“You deserve better than whatever I can give.”

This is a fast-paced book, it does jump around both with point of views and time. There were a lot of years covered and a lot of drama. It seems this couple just attract it from all sides. Mackenzie is one hard ass, fiery, stubborn, obstinate woman and yet she has a vulnerable side that she likes to keep hidden. MacKenzie has no filter whatsoever, so jumps in feet first, both in speech and actions but at least you know what you are getting. She is definitely an act now think later kind of gal and this just made her all the more adorable. The mood swings and the constant push and pull and that little bit of bitterness just made her all the more real, even if at times, it was a little annoying.

“You held my heart in the palm of your hand and you’ve just thrown it away.”

Jake Romero had to grow up quick, he made some stupid decisions but made them for all the right reasons and at the end of the day, I couldn’t fault him for it. This was definitely a case of live by the sword and die by the sword. One thing never wavered though and that was his love for Mackenzie Valentine. Jake got it hard and long for Mackenzie, even in times when they were not together it was always her, always had and always would be. Jake knew that she was meant for him and when their paths just kept on crossing it seemed that fate agreed. This was one of those loves that was written from the very beginning, it was just going to take one hell of a journey to get them there.

“You don’t get it, do you?”
“Get what?”
“That in this one universe, there are nine planets. Of those planets, there’s just one that holds two hundred and four countries, seven seas, and seven billion people. Of those seven billion people, I had the privilege of meeting just one girl. And that one girl not only stole my heart, she set my world on fire.”

This was a tough read, it wasn’t always pretty and as I said there is a lot of drama. This one group certainly attract it like moths to a flame and while this is years’ worth, condensed, it just seemed a little over the top at times. However, it made for interesting reading. This was an edge of your seat read, you never knew what would come next when you turned the page.

“When I said I belonged to you, Mackenzie Valentine, I didn’t mean in just that moment. I meant across time. Across planets. Galaxies. Hell, the goddamn universe. Princess…I meant forever.”

Jake stole this book for me, he was a fantastic character, stayed true to himself and his beliefs. He had perseverance and the patience of a saint when most would have given up the ghost. The chemistry between Jake and Mackenzie was palpable, the sex scenes certainly made the pages sizzle and the emotion between the two was consuming. The push and pull and the on off relationship made this a lot more intense and you were forever willing them to see the wood for the trees. But, bearing in mind their age when most mistakes were made and meddling family members, not all mistakes were theirs. Overall, this was a good read, I liked it.

www.theromancecover.com

albo czekalam na nia za bardzo albo byla slabsza. ni mam zastrzezeń do poczatku,nie mam zastrzezen do koncowki- byla mega. jedna wielka totalna eksplozja. a Mac... Mac... Mac to jedna z niewielu bohaterek z ktora by sie jednak nie zaprzyjaznila chociaz jestem takim samym cholerykiem;) wolalam Mac w poprzednich tomach. przy czym mamy mozliwosc dowiedziec sie dlaczego jest taka jaka jest. skladaja sie na to inne, roznorakie czynniki za ktore niektorym bym wklepala.. patelnia ofcors.
szkoda ze to juz koniec rodziny Valentinow:) a jestem np. ciekawa dalszych losow Mitcha. no nic. 4.

*** FULL REVIEW NOW POSTED ***

“Family means no one ever gets left behind.”

HOLY FREAKING WOW GUYS! I have finally found a new top favourite for 2017!!! From the gorgeous cover to the epic love story that spans over a decade, this book was an addictive, heart-racing, action packed, drama filled, EPIC romance that had me absolutely hooked from the first word to the very last (literally!!!). I honestly could not put it down. Lovers of romantic suspense, you need this series in your life. (You really need to read books 1-3 first). This review is spoiler free, so you are safe to continue reading even if you haven’t read the other books in the series yet.

“How do you give up the one thing that keeps you breathing?”

This story begins with a prologue of where book 3 left us. It’s a huge spoiler (and major cliffhanger) so I won’t go into any details, but those of you who have read Give Me Grace will know exactly what I’m talking about. And then the first chapter takes us way back to when Mackenzie Valentine was 11 years old. And we get to know her family and her relationship with Jake from the very beginning.

Mackenzie Valentine is wilful, fiery, and determined to prove she doesn’t need anyone. Desperate to break free from the over-protective parents and three older brothers who dictate her every move, she runs away at the age of seventeen to hunt down the only boy who makes her feel alive.

Throughout books 1-3 of this series, we get snippets of Mac and Jake’s relationship. We know there’s a lot of tension between the two. They’re always fighting. Something big happened when they were younger, and this is explained early on in this book. The author not only takes us back to the beginning, but we move our way through the timeline of the first 3 books (which is why reading them first is so important). I’m not usually a fan of books that do this, but I promise you, it doesn’t feel like you’re reading the same books again at all. In fact, Mac and Jake’s perspective is quite different from the others, making it feel like a new book with a familiar feel to it. It also doesn’t drag. We move quite quickly through the timeline we’ve grown to love and before we know it, we’re back in present day dealing with an entirely new storyline. This would not have been easy to do, so I take my hat off to Kate who has obviously spent hours on end crafting this story to what it is, so that we get exactly what we came for, without losing sight of where Mac and Jake’s story was heading.

“Jake is infiltrating my heart in some kind of sneaky ninja attack. Is this a crush? Because it feels crappy and wonderful, and I don’t like it one bit.”

Fans of this series will adore this book. Mac and Jake are exactly the kind of characters I had imagined them to be. Kate has absolutely nailed their story in my opinion. From their personalities, relationships with friends and family, to the way they dealt with the blows in their lives. This book was obviously written delicately, to make sure that every single word in every scene was absolutely perfect and exactly how we thought it would be. The planning and execution of this book has been done with extreme detail. Resulting in a story fans have not only craved from these two characters, but so much more than what we ever imagined.

“Not having a home, or a sense of belonging to someone or something, is like being adrift at sea with no safe harbour to set down anchor. For a small moment in time, Mackenzie Valentine had been my safe harbour. I had belonged to her.”

In short, Jake was a member of the King Street Boys gang when he lived in Melbourne and is dealing with the consequences when Mac shows up in his life again. The two try to navigate their way around a ‘friendship’, but there’s just way too much history there, and they fail. Jakes past ultimately catches up with him and Mac gets caught in the middle. Her family, the Valentines, are all a part of the reason Jake was able to leave the gang in the first place but the whole thing comes crashing down with devastating consequences. The book travels across years of their lives, tying up loose ends and answering questions we’ve had for a long time now.

“Mac somehow managed to start a war and finish it all at the same time. There is no weighing the size of the balls this woman carries. Let’s just say they’re really bloody heavy.”

I honestly wish I could say so much more about this book, but I really want everyone to be able to go in without really knowing anything. If you haven’t read the first three books in the series, do it now! You get a lot of back story from those books, and it makes Give Me Hell so much more enjoyable.

This is not a standalone. It’s a romantic suspense novel filled with hot, loyal, protective, Aussie alpha males who absolutely adore their women. My heart still races thinking of what we still have to come in this series but I’m extremely excited to see another favourite get their story (you find out who it is at the end of the book – so please don’t spoil it for others when you read it!!). I highly recommend this book and the entire series to every romance lover. It’s fast paced, full of heart, and has made its way to the top of my favourites list for 2017, and quite possibly my favourite book written by Kate McCarthy to date.

5 stars!

Give Me Hell was a very difficult book for me to get through. It was a combination of multiple things that didn't sit well with me. I don't want to go into great detail about every aspect that turned me off, but the main issue was Mackenzie's character. I felt she came across as bitchy, disrespectful, and had a lack of empathy for others. She did have a few good qualities -- head strong, confident, and independent. But those couldn't seem to change my perception of her.

I did however really enjoy the fact the book was based in Australia. I love reading books that take place in other countries besides the USA. And the slang and terminology used in the writing was an added bonus.

Overall, this book just wasn't for me. But it would in no way prevent me from reading future books by the author. The writing and descriptions were great, along with the conveyed emotional situations.

~Kelly

I've been waiting for this book for what seems like forever so when I found out Kate was finally releasing it, I was a little scared to start. After so much anticipation and seeing how long the book was I was a little afraid that it wouldn't live up to all the expectations I had put on it.

Boy was I wrong! This book was everything and more! I was captivated from the start and never wanted it to end but at the same time wanted to find out how their story would end. Jake grabbed my heart from the beginning and it just kept breaking for him. His pain from past to present was completely breathtaking and palpable. I loved how the story kept on going from past to present that way we got to see how their love story started and not just the glimpses of their present that we saw in the previous books. Jake had a rough life and he made tons of mistakes but the one thing he wanted throughout was Mac. It was her from the very beginning but his life choices made it impossible for them to truly be together.

Mac is fiery, independent, stubborn, and chooses to live life to the fullest. But she sometimes feels smothered by her parents and three very over protective older brothers. She just wants to be herself and for everyone around her to have faith in her and also to be a complete bada** like her brothers.

Their history ties them together, but at the same time is one of the reasons why they aren't together. This book is fueled by secrets, lies, and misunderstandings, as well as filled with surprises, twists, angst, humor, and heartbreaking moments. Like the previous books, you'll get thrown into drama, suspense, and danger. There is a long cycle of ups and downs with these two and they go from being friends to enemies to lovers and it will have your head whipping back and forth so many times it'll put you in a headspin. I was Team Jake from the beginning and I just wanted to shake them both and yell at them to get their acts together but at the same time wrap them in a hug and tell them it would all be okay.

This book was a definite emotional rollercoaster. I was completely invested the whole time. I got mad and frustrated at them both and wanted to knock some sense into them. My heart was beaten and bruised and broken, but then certain scenes would happen and life would be breathed back into me again. This book was EPIC! It was the perfect blend of friendship and laughter, heartbreak and tears, angst and suspense, as well as hope and joy. And can I just say how perfect and gorgeous the cover is! I couldn't ask for a better book for Mac and Jake and I can't wait to see what Kate has in store for us next.

ARC received for an honest review

Sweet baby cheeses and all that is holey! It has been a bit of a wait for Give Me Hell, but well worth it!

Mac Valentine has always been a bit of a favourite of mine. I love her snark and fight and don't give a f&*k attitude, and would like to think that we would be fantastic friends.

I loved going back and reading her story from the past right up to today. We know about her as the manager of Jamieson, but holy tears, Batman! What we learn had my heart breaking

I don't want to give away anything about what happens - you wouldn't believe me if I told you anyway - but you have been warned! Curve ball after curve ball will be thrown your way.

I loved the family dynamics between the Valentines, loved that it wasn't all Leave It To Beaver perfect families, but when push came to shove, family is family, no matter what.

I was hooked from the first word to the last. Give Me Hell is a fast paced, action packed hell of a ride and I didn't want to get off.

Give Me More, Ms McCarthy!

WOW! Was this book worth the wait or what! Kate McCarthy delivered a complex book that took us through time (goes back into the past from when Mac is 11 until current day) and we get to see the troubles of the three previous books play out through the eyes of Jake and Mac. This story was incredibly complex, beautiful and full of badassery!

Mac is not ashamed of her bitchy personality and the brashness that comes from it. Now is she willing to change for anyone. Her friends love how loyal she is but only one of them has loved her since they met as kids. Jake and Mac's story is so incredibly full of secrets, heartaches and pain but no fear, Kate has worked in humor, heat and heart in equal measure.

This book was pure perfection. It was long but every word felt needed and necessary to me. I am not one to complain when a much anticipated book takes a while to come out and this is why. By taking her time, Kate McCarthy was able to deliver the complex story that Mac and Jake deserved. WELL DONE KATE! While this could be a standalone if you want I highly recommend reading the others first because once you read this you will want those stories but some of the plot points would have been spoiled for you. This whole series is a favorite of mine and Give Me Hell is the icing on the Badass Brigade cake!

Zdecydowanie para Casey - Grace zbyt wysoko postawili poprzeczkę, żeby udało się ją przekroczyć, ale było również bardzo interesująco, bo ta książka jest taki uzupełnieniem i podsumowaniem poprzednich części, kiedy wychodzą na jaw pewne fakty - udział Mac w tym wszystkim. Akcja tej książki ciągnie się od momentu, kiedy Mac miała 11 lat i już walczyła o swoją pozycję z trzema starszymi braćmi, a kiedy to poznała Jake'a. Trzeba przyznać, że był z niej kawał chłopczycy i niezłego chuligana. Zdecydowanie nie dała sobie w kaszę dmuchać, a tę jej zadziorność i despotyczność znamy już z poprzednich części. I tak krok po kroku poznajemy ich losy, co ich rozdzieliło i co ponownie złączyło. I jak tak się czyta, to aż miałoby się na nowo przeczytać poprzednie części, aby ponownie spojrzeć a ich relacje z perspektywy pozostałych bohaterów. Im bliżej końca, tym wiadomo, że szykuje się jakaś akcja i tym razem kończy się ona gorzko, bo ktoś umiera.

If you thought for one second the title of this book was a cute phrase or just something sweet, think again. It's been years since I read the first book in this series but wow did I come back at the right time!

I may have read book one but somehow I missed the others...I bought them but never got around to reading them. Clearly a mistake on my part! I am a mess. This book left me in tears. It tore my heart out repeatedly then rolled a vehicle over it. As if that wasn't enough, it gave me Hell....

I may be smirking now but it's because I survived. I may have lost huge pieces of my heart but I still came out alive. What a trip. A journey that could only leave you confused, annoyed, and so utterly in love. Give Me Hell will leave you utterly wrecked and wanting revenge. It will also give you hope.

reviewed for Sweet Spot Sisterhood

Full review to come.

4.5 stars
Jake Romero comes into the Valentine's life when his father suffers a debilitating brain aneurism and can no longer care for 14 yo Jake. MacKenzie's mother, a social worker, takes him in while locating a more permanent foster home in Sydney. While their first encounter isn't ideal, he becomes her ally in her constant antagonization of her four brothers. As their friendship grows, so does their love. Jake drifts into the Valentine's lives for the next few years until he disappears in Melbourne.

MacKenzie Valentine is a wild child with an over the top prickly attitude and overly protective brothers and father. Her whole childhood and teens she battles the control her parents and her four older brothers try to impose. When her parents enroll her in a one year finishing program to teach her to become "more of a lady" she runs, deciding the streets of Melbourne and finding Jake would be a better endeavor for a 17 year old. Somehow she finds him and lets her parents know she is safe, but not exactly where she is and who she is with. The problem is, Jake is no longer the innocent boy she adored, he is a member of a notorious gang. In order to protect her from a terrible threat and his dangerous life, he does the only thing he can, he calls her brothers. Mac is beyond devastated by his betrayal. When Jake returns to Sydney a few years later, Mac can't let go of the betrayal and loss.

Documenting the journey of Mac and Jake from the time they first meet, their reunions and their subsequent breakups/makeups, this is jam packed with action, great characters, angst and a couple of pretty big twists and turns in the storyline. Also, if you've read the other books in the series, you get a checkin with the previous characters. All in all a great read.

P.S. Kate McCarthy, pleeeeeaasssssse don't make me wait another 3 years for one of your books!

Myślałam, że jedynka była słaba. Pomyliłam się. Dwie gwiazdki to zasługa Jake'a. Bez niego... szkoda gadać. Mam wrażenie, że autorka nie miała specjalnie pomysłu na książkę o Mac i Jake'u. Około 80% to retrospekcje, z których jakieś 3/4 to przypomnienia wcześniejszych trzech tomów, z punktu widzenia bohaterów tej części, niespecjalnie wiele wnoszącego... Zastanawiałam się, czy spotkałam w książce kiedyś tak działającą na nerwy bohaterkę, jak Mac. I nie mogłam sobie przypomnieć. To, co ta kobieta ma w głowie, to strach po prostu... To, jak się zachowuje w stosunku do innych, to wstyd... Jest żenująca, irytująca, samolubna, męcząca, lekkomyślna, nadpobudliwa, choleryczna, wkurzająca, bezmyślna, ma nawalone w głowie, uczuciowo jest na poziomie dziecka, z zachowaniem na niewiele lepszym... Mogłabym tak długo wymieniać... Powinna się na głowę leczyć, bo emocjonalnie jest niestabilna...

Wątek kryminalno-sensacyjny... Autorka naprawdę powinna może poczytać jakieś kryminały czy sensacje, bo na tym polu leży i kwiczy po prostu...

I jedyne, co udało jej się uzyskać w tym tomie, to utratę sympatii - którą wcześniej tak mozolnie budowała - do praktycznie wszystkich bohaterów z poprzednich części...

WOW.

This book was hands down my favorite in the entire series. Kate McCarthy out did herself with this one. Not only was it a beautiful story but the way she went back and gave us little glimpses of each book was complete talent. I usually hate retold stories but this did it in a way that it wasn't boring but so enthralling to see another POV in certain scenes.

Jake and Mac were perfect. Their story was an emotional roller-coaster but worth every second.

I can't wait for Mitch's book. I won't say much about that character because their journey through this book was a tough one to read. But it has been confirmed that before we get that book we will be getting a spin off and Kelly's story!! Bring on those bikers !!

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It has been a while since I've read a heroine I hate as much as Mac. I wanted to tell her to stop whining, stop being a bitch, and grow up.

Also, why ruin Jared and Travis? If Mitch gets his own book, I won't read it. Mac's brothers are the villains of this story, and it completely ruins them from the previous books. This book ruins the entire series.

DNF 45%

why tell every single story again? we've read the other books!!!
if this book were edited and told only mac and jake story I'd give it 4 stars
it felt like read this book stole 3 years of my life

Mac’s story is HERE! And, BOY does it live up to the expectations I had after finishing Casey and Grace’s story where Kate McCarthy teased readers a bit with insight into Mac and Jake’s relationship.

Give Me Hell traces the entirety of Mac and Jake’s relationship, illustrating pivotal moments between them and the consequences of a series of life defining incidences - ones that irrevocably changed the dynamics of who Mac and Jake were and how they viewed one another throughout the years spent apart and together.

The start of Princess and Boy Wonder’s connection began when they were teens, forced together due to Mac’s mom’s profession and Jake’s circ*mstances. From there, an unlikely bond was cemented - one that despite the distance, harsh words, and unforgivable actions never dissipates because Mac and Jake’s love was fated from the beginning; it’s their free will choices, which include too many lies and secrets, that constantly threaten to usurp what their hearts have always wanted since everything between them began to grow.

Mackenzie Valentine is one badass chick. There’s a fire burning inside of her that will never burnout because she refuses to submit to anyone’s dictate but her own. She’s a fighter - one who will readily sacrifice herself for her family and friends because they mean everything to her, even when they try to control and tame her. She is who she is and, at times, she’s quite bitchy, but those who can see through her loud mouth tactics know the determined woman she is and respect her spirit and her heart and allow her the freedom to be herself.

Jake Romero, the original asshead, is Mac’s perfect match because he knows how to handle her, taking control when necessary and allowing her to lead when she’s too much to contend with, and in those circ*mstances, Jake takes Mac’s back and protects what’s always been his. Jake is an amazing hero because despite his past and some extremely bad decisions, he’s only done things to help and shield those he loves.

Because readers are privy to Mac and Jake’s thoughts and feelings, we’re able to see the whole picture of everything that’s happened since they first met all those years ago. This insight is one that neither of them know or will truly understand until they’re leading separate lives because both sides are missing pivotal information that would paint quite a different picture of the life changing events that Mac and Jake had to endure.

Mac’s siblings and Jake’s bandmates play pivotal roles in their relationship, and while Mac’s brothers seem to do more harm than good, they also take responsibility for their actions, even though it’s after the fact and things between Mac and Jake have already imploded.

Kate McCarthy does a fabulous job of illustrating the evolution of Mac and Jake’s relationship, and while the journey to get Mac and Jake where they’re supposed to be by the time their story ends takes her readers through hell and back, we wouldn’t have wanted it to happen any other way because it’s exactly what made them who they are, and I, for one, wouldn’t change it regardless of the heartache and emotional torment because that’s what makes a relationship and a story worthwhile.

4.5 Poison Apples (The Fairest of All Book Reviews)

Amazing!

Give Me Hell is the story of Mackenzie Valentine and Jake Romero. They met when they were only eleven and since then their relationship has been a rollercoaster, with lots of ups and downs. They've been apart and found each other again. They let the past, dream, and hopes, interfere and tear them apart. But the love they feel for each other is so intense, it keeps throwing them together. Will they fight to be together?

I loved Give Me Hell! Jake and Mac's story took me in a rollercoaster ride of emotions. I laughed, cried, and yelled with them. It will break your heart several times, but each time it finds a way to heal it again. The book hooked me from the beginning and I couldn't stop reading.
I loved that we get both Mac's and Jake's POVs and the little flashbacks.
I also loved that this book can be read as a standalone because I haven't read the previous books in the series. The little glimpses about the other couples made me want to read about them and I can't wait to read their stories through their POVs.

Mackenzie Valentine is a fiery, sassy, stubborn young woman. She knows what she wants and fights for it. She's a bada** and a fighter. But she's also very sweet and protective of her loved ones. She loves Jake with all her heart since a young age, but she's afraid she's not enough for him.
Jake Romero has been through a lot in his young life but now everything seems to be coming together. Everything except Mac. He loves her but knows he made a lot of bad choices in the past that changed both. He's a fighter and loyal to his friends and family.

Give Me Hell is a phenomenal book. It has lots of drama, laughter, angst, heartbreak, twists, surprises, and much more. Mac and Jake's story will take you on an incredible journey that you'll love and you will not want it to end. The story is flawlessly written and the characters are very relatable. Kate McCarthy's writing style makes it very easy to connect with the characters and the story.
I can't wait to read Mitch's and Kelly's stories!

4 1/2 I'm still recovering from rivers of tears stars!!

4 1/2 stars!

Firstly, Damn you Kate, that was so unfair (soooooob!!).

Secondly, this book made me feel so much! I laughed (a lot!!) and got angry, cried sad tears, cried emotional tears, cried happy tears. I had an emotional break after the final chapter, before the Epilogue, because I was still crying in my kitchen - because Mac and Jake's dad (heart clench), after that other thing she put us through.

But then the Epilogue read last night, which I thought was going to be on a lighter, happier note... Wham with the tears again. Granted, these were hard won happy tears. But sobbing on the couch ensued.

I feel like I've been put through the emotional ringer, which is not unusual with Kate's books - she gets me every time, which is why she's firmly on my favourite author's list, an auto buy.

Having said that, I had trouble with pacing around the middle, which almost brought my reading experience down to a 3 1/2 - 4 star, but that suspenseful/emotional last 25% was 6 star worthy. I think the problem I had was it just had too much content, that the central story of Mac and Jake, stopped moving forward, as we travelled through time, returning to events from all three previous books. Which, don't get me wrong, I remember those books fondly, I even re-read them recently to prepare for this one. I flew through the first 50% with Jake and Mac's back story, which went far back to the age of 10 when they first met, which was full of badassery, fighting siblings, Aussie family dynamics, a burgeoning first romance. It was around about when the rock band Jameison assembled and we met much loved familiar characters, that although I loved them, I got impatient that Jake and Mac's central story seemed to take second stage as timelines were reinacted, and I lost momentum, and I started to get impatient. I got impatient with the toxicity of Jake and Mac's relationship around about here, which didn't seem to have an end date. Although I understood why, because events that led up to it. They just weren't moving forward, until at around 75% Mac realised she needed to fight for Jake... And we were back in the story, with my full attention, at about a million miles per hour. Mac and Jake's story moved forward with an intensity and it never let me go with rivers of tears right up until the end, the feeling of complete satisfaction of a book well read. And strangely, a desperation for more. Huge book bait for Mitch's story, which I won't hold my breath, as Kate has started a new series (arrrrhh!), but I'm completely there for it.

For those New to Kate McCarthy, start with her stand alone book Fighting Redemption (military romance).