Joke's On You by Lani Lynn Vale

June 22, 2020

I was going to be good.
This was only a kiss.
But then she had to go and ruin it.

Joke's On You by Lani Lynn Vale
Add it to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49344304-joke-s-on-you

Booth Pena definitely didn’t make the smartest of decisions when he was a teenager.

At eighteen, he knocked a girl up and signed up for the military all in the same day—signing his life away in more ways than one. Fast forward six weeks and he’s in boot camp learning that he’s going to be a father while also learning that not only is he going to be deployed, but it’s going to stay that way for a year.

There weren’t a lot of things that the baby’s mother and he saw eye to eye on after that. He honestly wasn’t sure why he even slept with her in the first place.

Okay, that last part is a lie. He knows exactly why he slept with her. Because the real woman he’s in love with, her twin sister, Dillan, won’t give him the time of day.

Five years later, and he still wants her.

Now he’s home for good, being the best father and police officer that he can be, and still he’s not good enough.

***

Dillan Davidsdottir hated Booth Pena. Immensely.

She hated him because he slept with her sister, then left. Granted, she knew that he hadn’t meant to leave like he did, unknowingly and unconsciously leaving his son behind, but that didn’t change the fact that he had.

Five years later, and she still dislikes him just as much now as she did when he chose the wrong sister to take to his bed.

Maybe if he’d chosen her, her heart wouldn’t be broken, and his wouldn’t be untouchable.

But when a SWAT officer sees his life flash before his eyes, and decides that enough is enough, what’s a girl to do?

Give in, that’s what.

Find your copy of Joke's On You here:
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-- My Two Cents --

I've been waiting to hear the real deal between Booth and Dillan ever since I read subtle hints about their situation in other books. I went into this story with fear and trepidation. I had a feeling that LLV would make me feel better, but I didn't know how. Why? Because their situation was the hottest of hot messes and I couldn't figure out how anyone could move on from it.

The situation: Booth has a twin brother, Bourne. Dillan has a twin sister, Delanie. Booth always liked Dillan and Dillan always liked Booth. Bourne always liked Delanie and Delanie always liked Bourne. And then Booth slept with Delanie and they had a baby. See what I'm saying about a hot mess?


Delanie had the baby while Booth was deployed and so his family stepped up. There was never a moment of his life that young Asa didn't know he was loved. From his mother and aunt to his uncle Bourne, his papa Nico, his grandma Georgia, their other kids, and all the friends that make up the family that love and adore each other. Everyone helps out and works together. Honestly, it's a thing of beauty!

Fast forward and Booth's co-parenting with Delanie, working as a KPD Swat Officer. After a near death experience, he decides he's done punishing himself. He's wanted Dillan from the moment he saw her and he's going to have her. When Dillan gives him the go-ahead, it's a quick ride to a happy ending... they just have to deal with the murderous intentions of a spurned lover first.


As always, I enjoyed myself. LLV has a way of writing stories that give a strong sense of comfort. Her characters are relatable and, for the most part, easy to love and I definitely loved Booth and Dillan. And now I'm patiently waiting for the flip side - Bourne & Delanie are next!

┈┈┈┈┈◦•✩•◦┈┈┈┈┈

I'm still not sure if the 'situation' was fixed. While Booth and Dillan are together and Asa doesn't seem confused by it, I'm guessing I'm supposed to let it go. But what happens when they have kids? Sounds like some future drama and I wonder if there will ever be more stories there. I think I'm just weirded out by a) being with your sister's ex, even though they weren't together, they did sleep together & b) the whole future conversation Asa and his sibling(s) might have to explain that his aunt is their mom. I'm sure the same could be said for the intended relationship between Delanie and Bourne.

-- My Favorite Lines --

Stepping out on the porch with me, he didn’t have a shy bone in his body as he proudly stood there in front of me looking like a midnight snack.

The light that was coming from his house at his back, paired with the front porch light, lit up his body like he was a display at the museum.

And he really could’ve pulled off the Greek statue look completely.

He had well-defined, honed muscles. And I’m not talking about here and there. I’m talking about those muscles along his ribs that I liked to call ‘side abs.’ His pectoral muscles were bunched up, making me kind of envious.

Sadly, I wasn’t the biggest bra cup in the world, and when Booth stood like that, his muscles there were even bigger than my boobs.

And the veins. Sweet baby Jesus, the veins on the man.

They were everywhere.

-- About Lani Lynn Vale --

Lani Lynn Vale is married to the love of her life that she met in high school. She fell in love with him because he was wearing baseball pants. Ten years later they have three perfectly crazy children and a cat named Demon who likes to wake her up at ungodly times in the night. They live in the greatest state in the world, Texas. She writes contemporary and romantic suspense, and has a love for all things romance. You can find Lani in front of her computer writing away in her fictional characters world...that is until her husband and kids demand sustenance in the form of food and drink.

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