FIVE SECOND RAINBIRD (Underground Horseman Series #1) by NASHODA ROSE

“…if you count to five when something hurts really bad, the hurt can only get you for five seconds, and then you have to let it fly away. Just like a bird.”

She’s baaaaaaaaack!!! Nashoda Rose has been one of our favourite Authors since we read her first book back in 2013. She writes compelling, addictive stories with characters you can’t help falling in love with as soon as you meet them. She writes drama that keeps you on your toes and emotions that’ll have your hearts breaking yet soaring high with passion at the same time. So, to say we were excited to dive into Five Second Rainbird is a bit of an understatement.

‘Jesus. I’d put a gun to her head. Her. My goddamn Rainbird. The girl who gave me reason to live. Who stopped the pain. Who breathed air into my lungs when I didn’t deserve it. When I should’ve been starved for air just like he’d been.’

Underground Horsemen is a new and exciting series from Nashoda Rose, with Five Second Rainbird being Vic Gate’s. He’s an ex-underground fighter, ex-military, and ex-special forces all-around hard arsed emotionally scarred hero and we fell in complete love with him from the get-go. This Author sure knows how to start a new series with an almighty bang of an impact. We loved every bloody minute of his and Macayla’s story.

“Stay, Rainbird,” he whispered.
‘This. This was why we couldn’t stay. Because I couldn’t breathe. Because I wanted him. Because wanting him was dangerous. Because nothing could ever come of it. Because I’d break and let him in.’

Nashoda Rose has a unique way of writing, it’s instantly recognisable. She lures your heart into an intricately emotional web that snares you, whilst bombarding you with gripping moments that completely blindside you. It’s a talent we’ve greatly missed. Hook line and sinker, we were consumed and just know that this series is going to be another epic one from this Author. Old school at its very best.

“I won’t make a promise I can’t keep. That means I’ll never promise you I’ll come back from a mission. But I don’t want to go another day with breath still in my lungs without knowing you’re mine.”

This book was instantly recognisable as a Nashoda Rose book due to its dark nature, the scarred and broken characters, and the inner fighting they all go through to overcome the hard lessons of their pasts. But there’s a real sense of beauty and utter preciousness that always shines through and this Author nails that every single time. Vic Gates has to be one of the most beautiful characters in this respect. As honest as the day is long, protective, loyal with a gentle disposition that belies his violent retribution on the world to avenge, save and protect the innocents from the criminal abhorrent dregs of society. In return, Macayla is fighting her own demons, with scars running deeper than water, trying to find peace and safety for her and her son. Her story broke our hearts and the way in which it unfolded with Vic at its very core was truly beautiful yet heart-breaking to read.

‘Promise you’ll never say goodbye while I sleep. Because I’m in too deep.’

Five Second Rainbird was stunning; it was poetically beautiful, it was harrowing, tragic, dark, passionate and so damn good. We loved it! We’re patiently impatient for the next instalment in what promises to be a fantastic series!

“You have everything I am, Rainbird. Always. Don’t ever forget it, baby.”