Free Ride

by M.N. Forgy

From the first page, I knew that this was a story that would sucker punch me every step of the way and I was correct, I would be fine one minute and totally winded the next, the detail, the dynamic, the total derangement was so fantastically absorbing that my imagination was tripping over itself trying to keep up with the story.

The story starts with Harley at the tender age of just 6 but that is about the only time I can use that word because there is nothing tender about Harleys life and I struggled with how much that bothered me, she was just a little girl and already she was struggling not only to find her place, one that should have been without question, but also struggling to know the love and kindness of those who were supposed to care. My heart broke for her, while my mind couldn’t help but be consumed by a sense of foreboding that the rest of her life would follow suit…but did it?

Well as you can imagine, the author didn’t let the grass grow under Harley’s feet and we pick up years later, and it was to find a young woman that was struggling with the reality of living with Dissociative Identity Disorder, a mental illness that was almost certainly a result of the neglect and abuse she suffered as a child. Her life is a constant battle with the numerous personalities that she duels with daily in a bid to keep control of her sanity.

But can the guys in the club see past her issues and actually see her, the woman that will do anything to protect the only family that has ever cared for her? Or will her illness mean that she will always be treated as if she is the one in need of protection? I understood both sides of that argument but was desperate to see Harley fly, spread her wings and find purpose …and boy did she!

Because this woman was no broken waif, she had a heart as strong as an ox and a capacity to love and be loved that was quite simply astonishing, she loved her father and the guys in the MC, they were her family and she also loved Benji. But that was a love that she didn’t feel able to share, because with her issues she knew that loving him meant that she had the capacity to hurt him, so she was convinced that she shouldn’t get involved. It was just as well that Benji, was on a mission of his own and allowing her to stay away was never going to happen, because this sexy as sin guy was totally in love with her crazy soul and there was only one place he was willing to let her be and that was by his side!

I loved Benji, he was a beautiful soul who saw the best in Harley and refused to allow her illness to define her or them, she was as crazy as a box of frogs at times but that didn’t stop him worshipping the ground she walked on, and my heart swooned for this behemoth of a man, glorious! But darn it at times, they drove me bat**it crazy!!!

This isn’t all sweetness and light as you can probably imagine, so I would say that if you love a story that doesn’t sugar coat the truth then this is for you, if you like your stories truthful, realist and totally undiluted then this is for you because there is one thing this story most definitely is and that is raw and if you’re in two minds as to whether to pick it up or not then I would implore you to please, read it, you will not be disappointed.

I have read many books by this author and I have to say that I think she is getting better and better with each one, this was a work of majesty, it took the subject of mental health and gave it an channel to illuminate, to show the world, to show those of us who know little about the disease just what it is and can be.

That is never an easy task but MN Forgy you are a queen amongst women, hats off to you…