Smooth Sailing: Wild West MC, Book 3

4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars | 13 ratings

Price: 24.95

Last update: 02-05-2025


About this item

When the Chaos Motorcycle Club came to call, Harlan “Hugger” McCain wasn’t ready to be welcomed into the fold. They said he was a legacy. He felt like an outcast.

But he patched in anyway.

And he was all in to be a part of their not-quite-outlaw missions.

This takes him down to Phoenix, right into the orbit of Diana Armitage, a beautiful, green-eyed woman with a heart of gold and a scarily honed tendency to sacrifice for pretty much everyone she cares about and some people she barely knows.

Hugger has been existing. Life has never given him much; now, he expects even less.

Diana lives life to its fullest. And she doesn’t keep it a secret she wants to drag Hugger right along with her.

But Hugger is certain he’s got bad blood. He’s got one foot in Chaos, one foot out. One foot in Diana’s life, one foot out.

Diana and his brothers in Chaos have their work cut out to show Hugger who he is.

That he belongs.

And he’s worthy to be loved.


Top reviews from the United States

  • Gretchen Schmidt
    5.0 out of 5 stars A phenomenal 6-star read that had me hanging on every word!
    Reviewed in the United States on February 4, 2025
    Smooth Sailing was PHENOMENAL! There is something special in the way Kristen Ashley tells a story, immediately pulling me in and making me feel like I'm a part of it. I had chills! I loved Hugger and Diana and the incredible details of them coming together, it was filled with so much feeling and love. I felt like I was in a chokehold as it all unfolded, and I loved the way it broke me down a bit and built me back up. Within minutes I could feel this would be a five-star read and from there it exceeded my expectations. SIX STARS!

    I loved meeting Hugger and learning about him, he was the perfect mix of alpha, bossy, sweet, and protective. I felt so much for him as he worked through things from his past and I was filled with anticipation to learn about his connection to Chaos. I adored Diana and how deeply she loved and took care of people, and how hardworking and determined she was. I liked learning her history even though some of it was hard. I loved Diana and Hugger meeting and the instant connection they had, I could feel their attraction and pull to one another in the middle of the intense situation they were in. There were so many wonderful scenes and interactions as they got to know each other and fall in love, it was the perfect blend of emotional and entertaining.

    I thought this was a well-developed story with a fantastic build that had me hanging on every word. There were a lot of things happening, dramas unfolding, and emotional moments playing out. I loved all the different characters, connections, and cameos, seeing the bonds of the brotherhood and found families. I loved learning more about Big Petey, he's been such a presence in the Chaos series so I was thrilled that I really got to see what an amazing man he was with all the wisdom he shared. I also loved his relationship with Hugger and why he worked to bring him into the Chaos fold. I love the Wild West MC universe and seeing the different MCs working together as well as favorites from other series. I’m excited about where it all could go, the possibilities are endless.

    There was some foreshadowing happening in the beginning so I was bracing for what was to come. I was glad I did because, by the time I got to the epilogue, I was a sobbing mess even though it was absolutely beautiful and touching. From the relationship that Hugger and Diana had to the love of all the brothers, and dealing with the drama surrounding them, as well as healing and loss, this was all brilliant. There were so many poignant moments throughout full of meaning, that I got choked up several times. Hands down this is a new favorite!
    Customer image
    Gretchen Schmidt
    5.0 out of 5 stars
    A phenomenal 6-star read that had me hanging on every word!

    Reviewed in the United States on February 4, 2025
    Smooth Sailing was PHENOMENAL! There is something special in the way Kristen Ashley tells a story, immediately pulling me in and making me feel like I'm a part of it. I had chills! I loved Hugger and Diana and the incredible details of them coming together, it was filled with so much feeling and love. I felt like I was in a chokehold as it all unfolded, and I loved the way it broke me down a bit and built me back up. Within minutes I could feel this would be a five-star read and from there it exceeded my expectations. SIX STARS!

    I loved meeting Hugger and learning about him, he was the perfect mix of alpha, bossy, sweet, and protective. I felt so much for him as he worked through things from his past and I was filled with anticipation to learn about his connection to Chaos. I adored Diana and how deeply she loved and took care of people, and how hardworking and determined she was. I liked learning her history even though some of it was hard. I loved Diana and Hugger meeting and the instant connection they had, I could feel their attraction and pull to one another in the middle of the intense situation they were in. There were so many wonderful scenes and interactions as they got to know each other and fall in love, it was the perfect blend of emotional and entertaining.

    I thought this was a well-developed story with a fantastic build that had me hanging on every word. There were a lot of things happening, dramas unfolding, and emotional moments playing out. I loved all the different characters, connections, and cameos, seeing the bonds of the brotherhood and found families. I loved learning more about Big Petey, he's been such a presence in the Chaos series so I was thrilled that I really got to see what an amazing man he was with all the wisdom he shared. I also loved his relationship with Hugger and why he worked to bring him into the Chaos fold. I love the Wild West MC universe and seeing the different MCs working together as well as favorites from other series. I’m excited about where it all could go, the possibilities are endless.

    There was some foreshadowing happening in the beginning so I was bracing for what was to come. I was glad I did because, by the time I got to the epilogue, I was a sobbing mess even though it was absolutely beautiful and touching. From the relationship that Hugger and Diana had to the love of all the brothers, and dealing with the drama surrounding them, as well as healing and loss, this was all brilliant. There were so many poignant moments throughout full of meaning, that I got choked up several times. Hands down this is a new favorite!
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  • Danielle
    5.0 out of 5 stars 5 STARS! Steamy & sweet grumpy/sunshine, opposites-attract MC romance!
    Reviewed in the United States on February 4, 2025
    A spicy opposites-attract romance, Kristen Ashley’s Smooth Sailing delivered everything I was hoping for in this grumpy/sunshine, forced-proximity biker love story. Harlan, the brooding biker known as Hugger, who was in the process of—begrudgingly—patching into the Chaos MC, and Diana, the vibrant, big-hearted heroine, were pure fire together. Their electric chemistry leapt off the page, and the witty banter between them was both hilarious and heartwarming. KA masterfully built the tension and created a steamy romance that felt as sweet as it was sexy.

    The characters were richly developed, and their emotional journeys were compelling and deeply moving. Harlan’s gruff and tough exterior hid a tender heart, while Diana’s strength and vulnerability made her impossible not to root for. The perfectly paced build-up of their romance was laid out well in this compelling, dramatic, character-driven plot, and it kept me absolutely hooked from cover-to-cover. KA is a top favorite author of mine. I never miss one of her books, and her writing is always a win for me. It was no surprise for me that her storytelling, with her signature blend of passion, humor, and heart, was totally on point here. Smooth Sailing by Kristen Ashley gets five smooches from me!
  • @ericabingesbooks
    4.0 out of 5 stars Smooth Sailing
    Reviewed in the United States on February 4, 2025
    4 stars. This is such an interesting book in KA's backlog, because it feels almost like the intersection of old KA with new KA. The beginning and the end of this book are classic KA... TONS of found family vibes, a bunch of alpha male characters with a female lead that is a very feminine (flirty, classy, well dressed, loves to cook, etc) spit fire. And in the beginning of the book, we also get suspense and danger elements, with a really compelling plot, which also happens to be my favorite type of book that KA writes.

    The middle of the book is more in line with a lot of the Phoenix books she's written more recently (the exception being her Avenging Angels series, which feels more like the KA of old)-- those books are more character driven and less plot driven. And that's exactly how the middle of this book plays out. It becomes all about the relationships (familiar, romantic, and friendship). You basically have 2 leads that are exorcising a lot of personal demons and you see them slowly decide to build a life together. So I think it was really interesting to get a book that kind of fits KA's 2 main writing styles.

    I LOVE the Chaos brothers, and this book definitely makes me want to do a re-read of those books. Given that I'm someone that's read 50+ books from KA, I am very familiar with her backlog and characters. And because of that, I LOVE that she throws in a ton of cameos from other series, and that her books often intertwine/ intersect. The ending of this book had me in absolute tears, and I'm not one to cry at books. But there were also moments that had me laughing. So all in all, I really enjoyed this. I think Smooth Sailing can absolutely be read as a standalone in the Wild West MC series, but given that so much of this book is about the Chaos brothers, I'd actually recommend reading the Chaos books first (if you want a little background into the club; however, you don't need to, KA provides plenty of history as well as a character chart at the end of the book). I do also want to say that this series is definitely darker than some of KA's others. There is violence against women, and while the violence isn't portrayed on page, the aftermath certainly is. If that's a trigger for you, then keep that in mind before picking this one up.
  • karrie
    5.0 out of 5 stars LOVED IT!
    Reviewed in the United States on February 4, 2025
    As always, I am taken for a ride any time I open your books. Phenomenal book as always. All the feels are present. Great story. Loved the love the main characters gave and received. This one will definitely be on my reread list.

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