Done Dirt Cheap by Sarah Nicole Lemon (review)

In this sophisticated novel, two young women come together in the summer after they finish high school. Virginia’s been assigned by her sketchy boss, a crooked lawyer, to get information on how to take down a local motorcycle gang. Since Tourmaline is the gang leader’s daughter, making friends with her seems an excellent place for Virginia to start, and the friendship quickly becomes a real one. Both girls have significant issues, with Virginia’s having been essentially been bartered into servitude by her mom and Tourmaline’s mother serving time; Lemon makes clear that there is no magic fix to these messed-up lives, especially not from any of the men who surround the two girls. That said, there is indeed power in a staunch friendship, and each girl finds strength in having an unexpected ally, defender, and support. A sizzling romance between Tourmaline and one of the newest motorcycle gang members adds some sexiness to the mix, but this is at the core a friend novel about two girls who deserve way, way better than life has dealt them and who are finally gaining the tools they need to grab it rather than wait for it.