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 Ashes Don't Bloom by Lenore Nox




A Wild Ride Through Rattlesnake Ridge,  But It’s Not Without Bumps

Ashes Don’t Bloom takes readers deep into the dusty, dangerous world of Rattlesnake Ridge, where love is as fierce as the engines revving beneath its characters. The story follows two couples, Delilah & Diesel and Sedona & Duke, as they navigate cartel conflict, buried trauma, found family, and high-speed thrills.

Sedona, Diesel, and Duke are ex-military living under one roof, while Delilah, the fiery newcomer with a southern drawl and charm to spare, shows up ready to stir the pot. There’s no shortage of drama: we’ve got PTSD, high-octane racing, sizzling chemistry, and small-town secrets. And yes, there’s spice. The characters are what really shined for me. Each had distinct personalities and backstories, though I would have loved more depth for Delilah, especially since she was my favorite. Her sass, wit, and weaponized "southern belle" act made every scene she was in a delight. The structure, however, was a challenge. This was my first experience with a third-person dual POV, technically, a quadruple POV, and I personally found it overwhelming. While I love getting into characters’ heads, the constant perspective shifts in third person made it harder to connect, and the dual-couple storyline might have worked better spread across two books. That way, both couples, and their arcs, could’ve had room to breathe. The racing scenes were an absolute highlight. As someone who grew up around cars, those moments had my heart racing. They brought the kind of adrenaline I’d hoped to feel throughout the rest of the book.

On the downside, Delilah and Diesel’s relationship moved way too fast for me. While Sedona and Duke’s dynamic felt earned due to their shared past, the other couple’s romance felt rushed, almost like it was driven more by plot pacing than character development. This also didn’t feel like a true dark romance to me. While it had gritty moments, it leaned more toward romantic suspense or desert noir.

Final thoughts:
This book had elements I really enjoyed, especially the characters and racing, but overall, it didn’t quite hit the mark for me. I probably won’t continue the series, but readers who enjoy third-person, multi-POV romance with spice, crime, and speed might find this to be their kind of thrill ride.






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