Showing posts with label Lani Lynn Vale. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lani Lynn Vale. Show all posts
The man was downright drop-dead gorgeous.
I'm talking, beautiful, not going to change my mind that he's the sexiest thing in the world, better than the hero in my favorite book, stunning.
I'm talking, beautiful, not going to change my mind that he's the sexiest thing in the world, better than the hero in my favorite book, stunning.
────── ♔ ──────
Shakedown by Lani Lynn Vale
Rating: ALL THE STARS!!
Standalone - Souls Chapel Revenants MC #8
Release - November 9, 2021
Genre - Contemporary Romance with suspense elements / instant connection
Dual POV - 1st person
Heat Level - 4 out of 5 / several scenes
Format/Source - eARC provided by the author (thank you Uplifting Author Services)
Page Count - 259
Publisher - Indie
Standalone - Souls Chapel Revenants MC #8
Release - November 9, 2021
Genre - Contemporary Romance with suspense elements / instant connection
Dual POV - 1st person
Heat Level - 4 out of 5 / several scenes
Format/Source - eARC provided by the author (thank you Uplifting Author Services)
Page Count - 259
Publisher - Indie
Wanted: someone to hand feed me Doritos so my hands don’t get orange. No weirdos.
Belle Pena was an editor. Not a writer.
When her brothers challenge her to create a dating profile, she makes up the most random biography she can think of. She never, not ever, thought she’d find anybody to respond. But she was sorely mistaken.
Sadly, she finds that she has way more interest than she ever could’ve imagined.
But only one profile catches her eye.
Bruno never meant to take the dating app seriously. Being the last single man in his band of misfits, he’s happy being the odd man out. Women spelled trouble, and he had enough trouble in his life to last him through the next decade.
Only his newfound family doesn’t feel the same. One innocent ‘sure’ has the women of the Souls Chapel Revenants MC creating him a dating profile that is too spot on to be comfortable. And just when he decides to delete the app entirely, a particular face catches his eye.
One innocent question of ‘Belle is that you? Do you remember punching me in the throat in high school?’ has him stepping into trouble neck deep, and he doesn’t even realize it until it’s too late.
Purchase Links
Amazon ~ https://amzn.to/3BX40re
Apple ~ https://apple.co/3Cm2q36
Nook ~ https://bit.ly/3hIWGZo
Kobo ~ https://bit.ly/3hIhmAy
Audio ~ https://amzn.to/3ERPz9M
Apple ~ https://apple.co/3Cm2q36
Nook ~ https://bit.ly/3hIWGZo
Kobo ~ https://bit.ly/3hIhmAy
Audio ~ https://amzn.to/3ERPz9M
My Two Cents
We're at the end of the road and it's coming like LLV saved the best for last. How could anyone resist the charms and wiles of Bruno? Especially when he wasn't trying to be charming lol. He was kinda churlish and brooding and monosyllabic... and utterly delicious!
I always feel bad objectifying these characters, but then I remind myself that they're fictional and I ain't really hurting anyone and seriously... I can't help but be honest about how I feel... and all is right in my world again.
Bruno had taken some lumps in his life. He was destined for some greatness. And how awesome was it that his happiness was with Belle Pena?!
I feel like the author delivered two great characters, both deserving of blessings, and so much more. I loved how the Pena family popped in (Hi guys!!) and I loved how Bruno's chosen family was on point each and every time he needed them. And that epilogue... I'm sad to see them all go, but the author gave one amazing send off.
Check out the other books of this series:
Excerpt
Bruno
“Why Farmers Only?” I asked, wincing when I read the website’s name.
“Bruno, you have pigs. You’re a farmer. This is perfect,” Six assured me. “It’ll work out great. You can invite your date out to meet you at your farm. Y’all can go feed all of the animals. Then you can cook her dinner.”
I looked at Six.
“I don’t want to do this,” I told her bluntly.
“If you do this, I’ll never bring up you leaving me behind again,” Six declared.
I stared at her, wondering if her words were true.
I’d do just about anything for her to never bring that up again.
A long time ago, when we were in high school, her father had given me an ultimatum.
Leave Six alone, and never contact her again, or he’d make Six’s life a living hell.
The bad thing was, I knew that he could do it.
So like any dumbass seventeen-year-old, I’d done it.
I’d left her behind, gone my own way, and had never looked back.
At least, for appearance’s sake anyway, that was what I did.
In reality, I kept an eye on her from a distance, making sure that she was always okay.
At least, until Lynn, the man that might as well be my very own father, had taken a liking to her.
Then Six had come back into my life with a vengeance, and ever since she and Lynn had married, I’d found it almost impossible to get back into her good graces.
Which, might I add, was bullshit.
I’d done it for her.
Sure, once I’d ‘grown up’ I could’ve come back into her life, but who the hell would want an ex-con in their life?
I knew that I wouldn’t want anyone like me in Six’s life.
Hell, it was bad enough that I had to allow her husband, Lynn, to have a part of her life. If anything, Lynn was worse than I was.
But at least he loved her and would protect her.
That was more than I’d done for her.
“That’s not going to matter to him, honey,” Lynn said. “He believes that he deserves your ire, so he won’t care if you stop.”
That was true.
I did deserve her ire.
I’d left her, like she’d said.
Then again, I’d left a lot of people behind in my thirty-two years. Six was just one of many.
“Fine,” she said. “Then just do it because I want you to be happy.”
My eye started to twitch.
“I’m an ex-con, Six,” I said. “No woman’s going to want anything to do with me on Farmers Only. Or any website for that matter.”
Six rolled her eyes. “Bruno, you’re hot, successful, and you’re unattached. Trust me when I say that any woman is going to go for you, ex-con status or not.”
I sighed.
“I shot and killed someone. On purpose. There was no ‘oh, I might or might not have been high on adrenaline because he beat up my sister.’ I shot and killed someone. On. Purpose. People don’t just get over that because I’m hot,” I argued.
“You shot someone because you had to.” She waved my worry away. “And trust me when I say, someone out there will understand.”
Hell, I didn’t even understand.
And I’d been the one to do the shooting.
Granted, the guy had been a piece of shit.
He’d raped three women. He’d beat up his own mother. And he’d all but maimed a two-year-old with his careless actions.
But that wasn’t my reasoning for killing the piece of shit.
Hell, I hadn’t even known about all of that other stuff.
I’d known that the motherfucker had tried to kill me because of some suspected slight, and I’d had no other choice but to shoot him and suffer the consequences. That was it. Me or him.
I’d chosen me.
And then I’d spent the next eighteen months behind bars until the parole board had learned of all the other shit that the man had done in his life. Then they’d been all, ‘Oh, no. We need heroes like you on the outside.’ Which was a bunch of shit.
I was no hero.
“Are you even listening to me?” Six snapped.
“You know he’s not listening to you.” Catori, one of my brothers’ wives, chuckled.
“Where is your cut?” another woman asked. “You can’t take a picture like that. You have to have your cut on.”
I looked over to find Swayze, Trick’s wife, staring at me with her phone in her hand.
“Why?” I asked.
“Because leather and bikers go hand in hand,” she said. “If you don’t have your cut on, nobody will know that you’re in a club. And being in a club automatically ratchets up the hotness factor.”
I rolled my eyes. “It got dirty. Had to have it dry-cleaned.”
In all honesty, it got blood on it, and I’d had to douse it down with the water hose before taking it to the dry cleaners to see if they could salvage it.
If not, I might or might not need to find a new one.
I was hoping that it came out, though.
Or, at least, when I wore it, it didn’t look like I’d tie-dyed it in blood.
“Well that’s just stupid,” Swayze grumbled as she put her phone down.
“I have one from last week,” Blaise called out, pumping her fist into the air as if she’d hit the jackpot. “And he looks good in it. He’s not even scowling!”
I rolled my eyes.
“Oh, that one’s perfect. Send it to me.” Six was still typing away at the computer. “What do you think of this biography for a profile? Hobby pig farmer by day, Souls Chapel Revenant MC by night. Thirty-two-year-old man looking for a woman that isn’t afraid to get her hands dirty. Anybody that can’t manage that need not reply.”
“I think we should add this…” Wyett suggested as she rattled off her idea of edits.
I sighed and sipped my beer, wondering idly how long it would take to get dinner figured out.
I was ready to go home.
Today had been long, and my fucking knuckles were aching.
Even worse, I think my back was acting up again.
I’d have to make another appointment at the chiropractor. The one that was scared of me.
Yay.
“Ohhh.” One of the ladies laughed, catching my attention.
“Oh, here’s one for you.” Six dissolved into laughter, turning the computer screen my way.
Wanted: Man to feed me Doritos so my fingers don’t get orange. No weirdos.
My ideal match: No animals, no kids, no annoying voices, doesn’t like beaches, can deal with me not talking, and doesn’t mind when I talk down to you or that I’m smarter than you. Also, it’d be ideal if you don’t like to cuddle, because my body temperature runs hot, and I don’t generally like people touching me skin to skin. Is blunt and doesn’t try to use sarcasm. Won’t try to get me to go out to places where there is a large group setting.
Again, no weirdos.
“This chick sounds like she’s perfect for you.” Six clicked on the photo, but she didn’t need to.
I’d seen the photo.
The woman was gorgeous.
Though I couldn’t see her height, I could make out other things.
She was curled up in a chair that looked like a cocoon of sorts. One with really tall sides, big, poofy cushions, and it was all hanging from a contraption from the ceiling.
She had her knees crisscrossed in front of her, and she was wearing a baggy white t-shirt, black horn-rimmed glasses, and had a book partially in front of her face.
That book happened to be one of my favorites.
Captain’s Fury by Jim Butcher.
In all honesty, that was the very first thing to catch my eye.
Her hair, which was so fuckin’ curly that I knew if I tried to run my fingers through it, they’d get caught at least a dozen times.
“She’s perfect,” Crockett declared. “Message her. But don’t make it weird. Make it… sweet.”
“Bruno’s not sweet,” one of the boys, likely Sin, called out. “Don’t make him come off as sweet. The chick will definitely know that it wasn’t him that wrote it.”
I rolled my eyes.
“Messaged her. Let’s see what she says.” Six squealed, clapping her hands.
I sighed.
“Oh, she already messaged back. Oh my God. She said, ‘Hell no.’”
My brows lifted at that.
“Oh, she’s perfect. I just know it.” Six snickered.
“Oh my God. I knew she looked familiar! That’s Belle Pena! One of my good friends! Sorry, Bruno. But there’s no way in hell that she’s going to agree to date you. She has a type,” Beckham said as she settled her son, Hiro, more firmly on her shoulder.
She looked like she was lagging, though.
I bent forward and caught the kid before Beckham, who really was interested in this whole mess, dropped her own kid.
Beckham didn’t even notice that she was giving him away to me before she was insinuating herself into the bullshit.
I tipped back the beer and settled the kid more solidly on my shoulder.
He snuggled in deep, buried his face in my neck, and promptly sneezed all down my neck.
Gross.
“Why Farmers Only?” I asked, wincing when I read the website’s name.
“Bruno, you have pigs. You’re a farmer. This is perfect,” Six assured me. “It’ll work out great. You can invite your date out to meet you at your farm. Y’all can go feed all of the animals. Then you can cook her dinner.”
I looked at Six.
“I don’t want to do this,” I told her bluntly.
“If you do this, I’ll never bring up you leaving me behind again,” Six declared.
I stared at her, wondering if her words were true.
I’d do just about anything for her to never bring that up again.
A long time ago, when we were in high school, her father had given me an ultimatum.
Leave Six alone, and never contact her again, or he’d make Six’s life a living hell.
The bad thing was, I knew that he could do it.
So like any dumbass seventeen-year-old, I’d done it.
I’d left her behind, gone my own way, and had never looked back.
At least, for appearance’s sake anyway, that was what I did.
In reality, I kept an eye on her from a distance, making sure that she was always okay.
At least, until Lynn, the man that might as well be my very own father, had taken a liking to her.
Then Six had come back into my life with a vengeance, and ever since she and Lynn had married, I’d found it almost impossible to get back into her good graces.
Which, might I add, was bullshit.
I’d done it for her.
Sure, once I’d ‘grown up’ I could’ve come back into her life, but who the hell would want an ex-con in their life?
I knew that I wouldn’t want anyone like me in Six’s life.
Hell, it was bad enough that I had to allow her husband, Lynn, to have a part of her life. If anything, Lynn was worse than I was.
But at least he loved her and would protect her.
That was more than I’d done for her.
“That’s not going to matter to him, honey,” Lynn said. “He believes that he deserves your ire, so he won’t care if you stop.”
That was true.
I did deserve her ire.
I’d left her, like she’d said.
Then again, I’d left a lot of people behind in my thirty-two years. Six was just one of many.
“Fine,” she said. “Then just do it because I want you to be happy.”
My eye started to twitch.
“I’m an ex-con, Six,” I said. “No woman’s going to want anything to do with me on Farmers Only. Or any website for that matter.”
Six rolled her eyes. “Bruno, you’re hot, successful, and you’re unattached. Trust me when I say that any woman is going to go for you, ex-con status or not.”
I sighed.
“I shot and killed someone. On purpose. There was no ‘oh, I might or might not have been high on adrenaline because he beat up my sister.’ I shot and killed someone. On. Purpose. People don’t just get over that because I’m hot,” I argued.
“You shot someone because you had to.” She waved my worry away. “And trust me when I say, someone out there will understand.”
Hell, I didn’t even understand.
And I’d been the one to do the shooting.
Granted, the guy had been a piece of shit.
He’d raped three women. He’d beat up his own mother. And he’d all but maimed a two-year-old with his careless actions.
But that wasn’t my reasoning for killing the piece of shit.
Hell, I hadn’t even known about all of that other stuff.
I’d known that the motherfucker had tried to kill me because of some suspected slight, and I’d had no other choice but to shoot him and suffer the consequences. That was it. Me or him.
I’d chosen me.
And then I’d spent the next eighteen months behind bars until the parole board had learned of all the other shit that the man had done in his life. Then they’d been all, ‘Oh, no. We need heroes like you on the outside.’ Which was a bunch of shit.
I was no hero.
“Are you even listening to me?” Six snapped.
“You know he’s not listening to you.” Catori, one of my brothers’ wives, chuckled.
“Where is your cut?” another woman asked. “You can’t take a picture like that. You have to have your cut on.”
I looked over to find Swayze, Trick’s wife, staring at me with her phone in her hand.
“Why?” I asked.
“Because leather and bikers go hand in hand,” she said. “If you don’t have your cut on, nobody will know that you’re in a club. And being in a club automatically ratchets up the hotness factor.”
I rolled my eyes. “It got dirty. Had to have it dry-cleaned.”
In all honesty, it got blood on it, and I’d had to douse it down with the water hose before taking it to the dry cleaners to see if they could salvage it.
If not, I might or might not need to find a new one.
I was hoping that it came out, though.
Or, at least, when I wore it, it didn’t look like I’d tie-dyed it in blood.
“Well that’s just stupid,” Swayze grumbled as she put her phone down.
“I have one from last week,” Blaise called out, pumping her fist into the air as if she’d hit the jackpot. “And he looks good in it. He’s not even scowling!”
I rolled my eyes.
“Oh, that one’s perfect. Send it to me.” Six was still typing away at the computer. “What do you think of this biography for a profile? Hobby pig farmer by day, Souls Chapel Revenant MC by night. Thirty-two-year-old man looking for a woman that isn’t afraid to get her hands dirty. Anybody that can’t manage that need not reply.”
“I think we should add this…” Wyett suggested as she rattled off her idea of edits.
I sighed and sipped my beer, wondering idly how long it would take to get dinner figured out.
I was ready to go home.
Today had been long, and my fucking knuckles were aching.
Even worse, I think my back was acting up again.
I’d have to make another appointment at the chiropractor. The one that was scared of me.
Yay.
“Ohhh.” One of the ladies laughed, catching my attention.
“Oh, here’s one for you.” Six dissolved into laughter, turning the computer screen my way.
Wanted: Man to feed me Doritos so my fingers don’t get orange. No weirdos.
My ideal match: No animals, no kids, no annoying voices, doesn’t like beaches, can deal with me not talking, and doesn’t mind when I talk down to you or that I’m smarter than you. Also, it’d be ideal if you don’t like to cuddle, because my body temperature runs hot, and I don’t generally like people touching me skin to skin. Is blunt and doesn’t try to use sarcasm. Won’t try to get me to go out to places where there is a large group setting.
Again, no weirdos.
“This chick sounds like she’s perfect for you.” Six clicked on the photo, but she didn’t need to.
I’d seen the photo.
The woman was gorgeous.
Though I couldn’t see her height, I could make out other things.
She was curled up in a chair that looked like a cocoon of sorts. One with really tall sides, big, poofy cushions, and it was all hanging from a contraption from the ceiling.
She had her knees crisscrossed in front of her, and she was wearing a baggy white t-shirt, black horn-rimmed glasses, and had a book partially in front of her face.
That book happened to be one of my favorites.
Captain’s Fury by Jim Butcher.
In all honesty, that was the very first thing to catch my eye.
Her hair, which was so fuckin’ curly that I knew if I tried to run my fingers through it, they’d get caught at least a dozen times.
“She’s perfect,” Crockett declared. “Message her. But don’t make it weird. Make it… sweet.”
“Bruno’s not sweet,” one of the boys, likely Sin, called out. “Don’t make him come off as sweet. The chick will definitely know that it wasn’t him that wrote it.”
I rolled my eyes.
“Messaged her. Let’s see what she says.” Six squealed, clapping her hands.
I sighed.
“Oh, she already messaged back. Oh my God. She said, ‘Hell no.’”
My brows lifted at that.
“Oh, she’s perfect. I just know it.” Six snickered.
“Oh my God. I knew she looked familiar! That’s Belle Pena! One of my good friends! Sorry, Bruno. But there’s no way in hell that she’s going to agree to date you. She has a type,” Beckham said as she settled her son, Hiro, more firmly on her shoulder.
She looked like she was lagging, though.
I bent forward and caught the kid before Beckham, who really was interested in this whole mess, dropped her own kid.
Beckham didn’t even notice that she was giving him away to me before she was insinuating herself into the bullshit.
I tipped back the beer and settled the kid more solidly on my shoulder.
He snuggled in deep, buried his face in my neck, and promptly sneezed all down my neck.
Gross.
About the Author
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.
Visit https://lanilynnvale.com/ for more information!
I reached forward and threw myself into his arms, wrapping my own around his neck, and place a very thorough kiss on his lips.
He returned the kiss, being careful not to pen me in with his arms, and instead rested his hands just over the tops of my hip bones.
He may not know what happened to me, but I suspected he had a hunch something had happened to explain why I was skittish.
He returned the kiss, being careful not to pen me in with his arms, and instead rested his hands just over the tops of my hip bones.
He may not know what happened to me, but I suspected he had a hunch something had happened to explain why I was skittish.
────── ♔ ──────
Chalk Dirty To Me by Lani Lynn Vale
Standalone - Madd CrossFit #3
Release - October 5, 2021
Genre - Contemporary Romance / instant connection
Dual POV - 1st person
Heat Level - 4 out of 5 / slower burn / a few scenes
Format/Source - eARC provided by the author
Page Count - 262
Publisher Indie
Release - October 5, 2021
Genre - Contemporary Romance / instant connection
Dual POV - 1st person
Heat Level - 4 out of 5 / slower burn / a few scenes
Format/Source - eARC provided by the author
Page Count - 262
Publisher Indie
Two years ago, Cannel Crow experienced the worst day of her life. She was taken from a supermarket, and forced to spend a year with a man that treated her worse than a neglected, chained up dog.
One year later, she’s saved by a shadow organization that believes the law is a joke, and the only person you can count on is you.
After another year, she finally realizes the law’s limitation firsthand when the man that bought her from human traffickers, and then forced her to comply to his every whim for a year, is given a plea bargain for names of others in the operation.
Knowing that her abuser will spend the rest of his life in the lap of luxury under an assumed name, Cannel spirals.
At least, she begins to.
Then Wilhelm Schultz, call me Will, walks into her narrow world, larger than life, and changes her reality between one breath and the next.
The abrasive, larger, gruff police detective sees the world in black and white. There is right, and there is wrong.
Until he falls for a woman that needs him to see shades of gray.
The second he sees the world like she needs him to, there’s not a single thing on the planet that’ll stop him from fighting for her.
Not even the oath he swore to protect and do no harm.
Purchase Links
Amazon ⮞ https://amzn.to/2ZIcmFv
iBooks ⮞ https://apple.co/2U3JwMY
Nook ⮞ https://bit.ly/3CRybAI
Kobo ⮞ https://bit.ly/3gxlzX7
iBooks ⮞ https://apple.co/2U3JwMY
Nook ⮞ https://bit.ly/3CRybAI
Kobo ⮞ https://bit.ly/3gxlzX7
My Two Cents
After the brief glimpse I got of Cannel in Conjugal Visits, I knew I wanted to know more about her story. Who took her? How was she treated? Was she healing? And would she ever forgive Toot?
I wish I could say that what happened to Cannel wasn't pretty, but I can't. Here I am again, hoping that LLV would dip a toe in the dark side. However, the author did give enough of a hint to make me feel for the girl. Whatever she experienced had traumatized her. She was a changed woman who wished to erase the abuses she suffered. She didn't even believe she would ever find happiness again... and then she met Will.
It only took a moment for Will to know that something bad had happened to Cannel. In that same moment, he knew that he would stand in the way of anything and anyone who even thought about hurting her. He wanted to be her hero and I've gotta admit, he most definitely was. He was patient and understanding and gave her everything she could possibly wish for. He became her happy place.
"I need slow."
His eyes shifted to something between interest and regret. "I can do slow."
Aside from some drama (I see you, Brianna) and an unexpected suspenseful element (I can't be the only one who thought it was weird, right?), the romance that developed between Cannel and Will was smooth and breezy. I loved their banter, their natural ease with one another, their love. These stories are like chocolate cake to me — I CAN'T RESIST!!
Check out the previous books:
About the Author
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.
Visit https://lanilynnvale.com/ for more information!
I had almost an instinctive knowledge that Laric would never, ever hurt me.
He would always put me first.
He would always treat me as if I was number one.
He would always put me first.
He would always treat me as if I was number one.
────── ♔ ──────
Inmate of the Month by Lani Lynn Vale
Standalone - Souls Chapel Revenants MC #7
Release - September 21, 2021
Genre - Contemporary Romance
Dual POV - 1st person
Heat Level - 4 out of 5
Format/Source - eARC provided by the author
Page Count - 200
Publisher - Indie
Release - September 21, 2021
Genre - Contemporary Romance
Dual POV - 1st person
Heat Level - 4 out of 5
Format/Source - eARC provided by the author
Page Count - 200
Publisher - Indie
A porn video changed his life.
One second, he has an ex with an ax to grind, and the next, he’s internet famous—and definitely not in a good way. In an, it’ll ruin your career, kind of way.
Only, Laric didn’t know that he was internet famous.
Not until a black-haired beauty walks into his life, and stumbles over every word that she says because all she can picture is him doing the unthinkable for the world to see.
Sadly, that’s not the only thing wrong in his life. His world is messed up, and he likes it that way.
There’s no room for a woman that wants to fix him.
Because fixing requires intimacy, and intimacy isn’t something that Laric does. Not after the life that he’s lived, and the things he’s done to survive. Oh, and let’s not forget the fact that he’s a felon, and he has no regrets about how he got that title.
The last thing he needs in his life is a woman that has her head in the clouds and thinks this world is made of butterflies and confetti.
However, Catori isn’t who she seems.
The day she meets tall, dark, and handsome, he saves her life. And then never leaves—though not for his lack of trying.
Not that she’s complaining about the way they’re thrown together, time after time. She’s more than willing to have a man like Laric around. Mostly because she’s already seen the good in him that he refuses to admit that’s there.
He may be a biker that does questionable things, but in her heart, she knows that he does those bad things for good reasons. And she’s not about to throw away the chance at happiness just because he thinks he knows what’s best for her.
Plot twist: she knows what’s best for her. And that’s him.
Purchase Links
Amazon CA * Amazon US
My Two Cents
I've been looking forward to Laric's story ever since I met him in book one. After finding out he was Lynn's son, I needed to know what was next for them. Was there anything to forgive? Would they forge a path forward as father and son? Would I finally learn why he didn't know about Lynn, yet Lynn knew about him? And knowing Lynn, just how far was his reach into his son's life?
Inmate of the Month gave me answers and a whole lot more. There was so much love here!
☑ a broken hero, who had a tragic past and believed he wasn't worthy
☑ a sweet heroine, who may be just the person to heal all of the hero's wounds
☑ a suspenseful plot that proved to be more hilarious than scary
☑ friends and family that made this a 'happy reunion' kind of read
☑ two characters that seemed to mesh right from the start!
Instalove is great when it works and LLV definitely made it work. Laric and Catori were amazing together. I loved their shared humor, their chemistry, and how deep their feelings ran for each other. This story was easy to love, from its characters to its plot to the sweet and funny happily ever after.
────── ♔ ──────
I did have a couple of issues with this book, which kept it from getting all the stars. (1) There's a part where Laric's mom's age was revealed (two years ago she was 41, making her 43)... how old was she when she gave birth to Laric? He's supposed to be thirty-something. And (2) The ex drama, especially with Thor, bled through the whole book, but then fell flat. What was that? He shot Catori, bribed some gangbangers to shoot up a hospital, basically terrorized everyone, went into hiding, then popped up only to be taken down so easily. Oh and (3) I thought Lynn's last name was
Laric & Catori's family tree
Laric's family:
- Lynnwood Thatcher Windsor (father) - Repeat Offender
Catori's family:
- Jack Stoker (father) - Last Day of My Life
- Winter LaRue (mother) - same as above
- Adam Stoker (brother) - Any Day Now
Check out the other books of this series:
Quick Peek
"I feel like I'll be learning all about that big mouth soon." I paused, wincing slightly. "I didn't mean that at all how it sounded."
Adam started to laugh. "Oh, God. Y'all will be perfect with each other. By the time we've found Thor, you're either going to kill her or marry her."
I highly doubted that I'd marry her. Though I found her highly attractive, I'd sworn off women for the most part.
Women required you to be home every night — and I wasn't.
Women, particularly someone you wanted to spend the rest of your life with, likely required children — which I knew didn't need to have a dad like me.
Not to mention I just straight up didn't know how to deal with pleasing a wife or girlfriend. I mean, I knew sexually I could more than make her happy. But women, significant others, required love. Sacrifice. Devotion. Understanding. I just didn't know how to provide those.
A, I wasn't sure that love was even real. I'd never seen it and highly doubted that it was an 'actual' thing.
B, sacrificing would be okay. I could do that. But I couldn't keep doing that. I'd be willing to bend, not break.
As for devotion and understanding, I'd been taught over and over again that those two things were a f-ckin' myth.
About the Author
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.
Visit https://lanilynnvale.com/ for more information!
You couldn't handle me, even if I came with instructions. - Mavis to Murphy
────── ♔ ──────
Jerk It by Lani Lynn Vale
Standalone - Madd CrossFit #2
Release - September 7, 2021
Genre - Contemporary Romance / enemies-to-lovers
Dual POV - 1st person
Heat Level - 3.5 out of 5 / a few scenes
Format/Source - eARC provided by the author
Page Count - 207
Publisher - Indie
Release - September 7, 2021
Genre - Contemporary Romance / enemies-to-lovers
Dual POV - 1st person
Heat Level - 3.5 out of 5 / a few scenes
Format/Source - eARC provided by the author
Page Count - 207
Publisher - Indie
Mavis always assumed that she would be in a hospital with the good drugs when her time came. Not in the middle of the road, with no one around but the damn town mechanic that hated her.
But there she was, having a rock star’s baby, with no one to rely on but the one that let it be known around every turn that she was a horrible person.
From the time that she met Murphy and became best friends with him at the age of eight, she knew he was destined for greatness.
But then her grandmother fired Murphy’s mom, forcing them to live on the streets, and making Murphy to realize that maybe they weren’t best friends after all.
Murphy loved Mavis.
At least, he had when he was younger, before she betrayed him.
From that moment forward, Murphy goes out of his way to stay the hell away from her, and always makes sure to never get too close. Even though everything inside of him screams to make contact.
When he moves back to town after being gone for five years, he tries his best to stay away.
But there she is at his CrossFit gym. Then having a baby on the side of the road. Oh, and breaking him a little more with each step she takes away.
Eventually, they find their way back to each other. The only problem is, by the time that Mavis makes her way back into his heart, it breaks. And not in a rhetorical way. In the ‘he only has days to live’ kind of way.
Purchase Links
Amazon CA * Amazon US
My Two Cents
Now that's how you yank on my feelings!
LLV did warn us and I should have really taken her warning to heart, but I didn't. And when I felt like all hope was lost, I was given another chance. However, that chance came at a huge cost. It was a price I wasn't willing to pay and here at the end... I'm so angry!!
I loved the push-and-pull of the relationship brewing between Mavis and Murphy. Who doesn't love a great enemies-to-lovers story? Especially when it has a touch of getting a second chance. And I was down for the heartache the author wanted to put me through. I loved how emotional I got over this story and I can even appreciate how angry I am right now.
You know a story is amazing when it pulls something out of you. It can't be humdrum, normal, or par for the course when it affects you so strongly. And I was definitely effected by the events that took place, by the excruciating love story that developed, and by the characters I couldn't help but fall in love with.
P.S. Is it just me or did anyone else absolutely adore the fact that Murphy wasn't a perfect male specimen of hunkiness? How about how well he stepped up for Mavis and her baby? How strong he was despite everything? His relationship with his mother? How could I not love this guy?
Check out the first book of the series:
Quick Peek
I’d gone and done the unthinkable. I’d made her fall in love with me. And I was leaving her shortly.
I knew it. She knew it.
Everybody would soon know it.
“Dammit, man.” Taos paused. “I’m really fuckin sorry to hear that. Does everyone else know?”
I leaned against the truck feeling my breaths come faster and faster just from the simple exertion of holding myself in a standing position.
“I’m going to tell them tonight.” I shrugged.
The front door slammed, and I looked to it to see Fran coming out with Vlad on her hip.
She took one look at me, and I knew she knew.
“Where’s Mavis?” I asked quietly.
Fran cleared her throat. “She’s in the bathroom getting cleaned up.”
I closed my eyes and felt a wave of something fierce hit me.
“This is why I should’ve stayed away,” I admitted. “I wish I’d never come back.”
Fran sucked in a breath at my words. “You would take away some of the happiest days I’ve ever seen Mavis experience because you’re upset that she’s going to be heart-broken?”
I didn’t know what to reply to that, so I just didn’t.
I knew it. She knew it.
Everybody would soon know it.
“Dammit, man.” Taos paused. “I’m really fuckin sorry to hear that. Does everyone else know?”
I leaned against the truck feeling my breaths come faster and faster just from the simple exertion of holding myself in a standing position.
“I’m going to tell them tonight.” I shrugged.
The front door slammed, and I looked to it to see Fran coming out with Vlad on her hip.
She took one look at me, and I knew she knew.
“Where’s Mavis?” I asked quietly.
Fran cleared her throat. “She’s in the bathroom getting cleaned up.”
I closed my eyes and felt a wave of something fierce hit me.
“This is why I should’ve stayed away,” I admitted. “I wish I’d never come back.”
Fran sucked in a breath at my words. “You would take away some of the happiest days I’ve ever seen Mavis experience because you’re upset that she’s going to be heart-broken?”
I didn’t know what to reply to that, so I just didn’t.
About the Author
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.
Visit https://lanilynnvale.com/ for more information!
If one of my book boyfriends had come out of the pages and stood before me, this was exactly what I would picture. - Crockett
Gen Pop by Lani Lynn Vale
Standalone - Souls Chapel Revenants MC #6
Release - August 10, 2021
Genre - Contemporary Romance
Dual POV - 1st person / Zachariah Caruso & Crockett Archer
Heat Level - 4 out of 5 / a few scenes
Format/Source - eARC provided by the author
Page Count - 211
Publisher - Indie
Release - August 10, 2021
Genre - Contemporary Romance
Dual POV - 1st person / Zachariah Caruso & Crockett Archer
Heat Level - 4 out of 5 / a few scenes
Format/Source - eARC provided by the author
Page Count - 211
Publisher - Indie
Hangry: adjective—feeling irritable or irrationally angry as a result of being hungry.
Sometimes, Crockett felt that in her soul.
And, of course, the one time that she’s being ‘irrationally angry’ would be the time that the hottest guy on the continent walked into her place of business dressed in prison orange.
She should’ve been afraid.
She should’ve taken one look at him and walked the other way.
But, she didn’t.
Crockett Archer, better known as a doormat extraordinaire, didn’t walk away from the people she knew needed her. She’d never been able to do it with a father that didn’t love her, and she wouldn’t be able to do it with a man that didn’t think he deserved a chance at love.
One look is all it takes for Zach Caruso to know that Crockett could be his.
All he would have to do is snap his fingers, and she’d fall right into the palm of his hand.
Which is why Zach turns around and walks far, far away.
He tries not to look back.
He tries to leave her be.
But then he sees how she’s treated by the people that are supposed to love her, and all cognitive thoughts seem to flee his rational brain.
One second, he’s running in the opposite direction. The next, he’s playing her knight in dingy armor.
God help her.
Purchase Links
Amazon US * Amazon CA * Amazon UK
3.5 "Ain't He Pretty?" Stars!!
First of all, that cover... 😍😍
Second... I've been anticipating Zach's story ever since he shoved that piece of glass in that bully's heart. I've loved him for a while. And to finally see him get his happy ending made my day!
After killing the guy who almost killed his girl, Zach was tried and convicted and sent to prison. Thanks to Lynn, he got out early and he was trying to put the pieces of his life back together. First stop, a real meal. And that's where Crockett comes in.
Crockett was a doormat. Poor girl had only one ally, her grandfather. Her father hated her and did everything he could, along with her stepmother, to make her life miserable. And while her siblings didn't participate, they didn't dissuade the abuse either. And Crockett just took it... until Zach.
Amidst zany family shenanigans, the banter between friends, the appearance of Cleo and Rue (his parents from Life to my Flight), and the pop up of Ford and Ashe, I found love. Not that I was surprised, since I love everything Lani Lynn Vale puts out. Zach was a wonder!
My Notes
This was far from my favorite book from LLV. Honestly, it was probably one of my least favorite. I didn't really feel the relationship between Zach and Crockett, which sucked because I loved Zach. The story felt messy and didn't flow as easily as her stories usually do. I liked it, but I didn't love it.
There were some discrepancies as well, but I'm pretty sure they will be fixed when this ARC goes through its final editing.
* Zach finished pumping gas and replaced the nozzle, during which Crockett admired his forearms. However, when her stepmom appeared, once again Zach was finishing up the pumping of gas and replacing the nozzle.
* her stepmom hung up on her as her father's face appeared, yet she immediately continued a conversation with her father with no mention of a callback in order to talk to him.
Check out the other books of this series:
Visit https://lanilynnvale.com/ for more information!
"I don't feel pity for you... I feel anger for you. Passion for you. Need. Desire. Want. I'm pissed you didn't tell me. Sad that I don't get to see you every day. Mad that you keep ditching me because you think that's what I want. But I most definitely don't feel any damn pity for you. Not when you've persevered. When you've turned into this person that overcame a huge obstacle and made you into the woman that I see today."
No Rep by Lani Lynn Vale
Standalone - Madd CrossFit #1
Release - July 27, 2021
Genre - Romantic Suspense
Dual POV - 1st person
Heat Level - 4 out of 5 / several scenes
Format/Source - eARC provided by the author
Page Count - 208
Publisher - Indie
Release - July 27, 2021
Genre - Romantic Suspense
Dual POV - 1st person
Heat Level - 4 out of 5 / several scenes
Format/Source - eARC provided by the author
Page Count - 208
Publisher - Indie
Buy it here: Amazon
Taos was tired.
Tired of everything that came with living. Not to the point where he was suicidal or anything, but tired enough that he just didn’t give a crap anymore.
He’d seen all the ugliness this world had to offer due to his job as a police officer for way too many damn years of his less than stellar life. After finding a way to sustain his spending habits that didn’t include having criminals point guns at his face, he quits without a backward glance.
Only, he just can’t step away from old habits.
Old habits that have to do with a beautiful young woman that makes his heart feel like it isn’t nearly as broken as it is.
Fran has experienced more than her fair share of crap. After an attack that nearly took her life, she stays hidden in her house, fearful that stepping out of her comfort zone will be the final nail in her coffin.
Then her sister forces her to face her fears, and she joins Madd CrossFit.
There, she meets the man that saved her life a year ago, and realizes rather quickly that he doesn’t even realize who he is to her.
He’s everything she ever thought a man should be and wants nothing to do with her.
Maybe she’ll have to give him a reason to look her way.
And damned if she doesn’t find a way to do it.
She didn’t plan on nearly getting killed for that to happen, though.
At least not again.
While there were plenty of familiar things, such as the light and fun vibe typically found in an LLV novel, it was a touch more serious. And it had to be. Fran survived a serial killer and Taos hunted them. Makes sense. On top of that, there was no rush for the intimacy that was growing between the main characters. It wasn't a slow build, but it did grow organically.
Am I a fool for hoping that one day the author ages up baby Vlad to give him his own story? Man, that baby was sooooo cute!
I have digressed...
Fran almost fell victim to a serial killer. Taos was the cop who rescued her. She disappeared from life due to fear until her sister tried to inject some hope inside of her. That's where Taos' crossfit gym came in. Fran came out of her shell and she blossomed. Was it being around other people? Testing and building her strength? Or was it all due to Taos?
I'm going with a huge helping of Taos!
I enjoyed the suspenseful elements of this story. I couldn't figure out who the new serial killer was and it was exciting to see how everything would unfold. I loved what eventually grew between Fran and Taos and the way their happily ever after developed. I also appreciated meeting all of the side characters and I'm looking forward to reading their own stories. Jerk It, the story of Murphy and Mavis, is next!
My Notes
It didn't make sense that Fran would avoid Taos after he learned of how they originally knew each other. It was already established that she was into him and that they were building something together. I didn't get the purpose of her hiding anything from him or pushing him away because she was worried about how he would treat her. It was beyond obvious that something had happened to her, and that she lived with fear as a constant companion, even without knowing the details. So why would he treat her differently after knowing the specifics?
I was confused by the whole 'Taos has a biological brother named Greer that Fran is determined to find' storyline. I understand that he was adopted out and that despite Taos being a cop, he couldn't be found. Then by the end of the story (eight years later), Fran and her grandmother have found him. And.... nothing. She didn't even tell the man that she found his long-lost brother! Where would these details be found? Is there another book that will make this clearer?
Visit https://lanilynnvale.com/ for more information!
“You’re mine and I’m yours. We’ll make our lives good together. We’ll have babies. We’ll buy a house. We’ll grow old together until we can’t see the other’s faults. We’ll be together forever. And then, when we’re done on this earth, we’ll leave it together, because I deserve happy, and so do you." - Sterling
Add it to Goodreads / Find it on Amazon
Standalone - The Heroes of The Dixie Wardens MC #8
Release - February 3, 2016
Genre - Contemporary Romance
Dual POV - 1st person / Sterling "Kraken" Waters & Ruthann Comalsky
Heat Level - 4 out of 5
Format/Source - Kindle purchase
Length - 294 pages
Publisher - Indie
Release - February 3, 2016
Genre - Contemporary Romance
Dual POV - 1st person / Sterling "Kraken" Waters & Ruthann Comalsky
Heat Level - 4 out of 5
Format/Source - Kindle purchase
Length - 294 pages
Publisher - Indie
Nightmares
Sterling and Ruthie have more things in common than they realize, even though from the outside it doesn’t seem like they do.
Blood
Sterling is a decorated war hero.
Ruthie is an ex-con.
Their two worlds should’ve never collided, but fate has a way of turning life in the direction least expected. Now Ruthie has to try to come to terms with the fact that she’s in love with a biker who’s also a decorated Navy SEAL. One who leaves for months at a time with little to no advance warning, taking her heart with him each time he goes.
Pain
Sterling has a lot of things to overcome in order to have Ruthie, the biggest being her mind.
She doesn’t think she’s good enough.
He thinks she’s perfect.
Now it’s up to him to show her just how right he can be.
Sterling - navy SEAL, amateur baseball player, member of The Dixie Wardens, general grump and all-around nice guy (when he wants to be).
Ruthie - spent time as an abused wife, mother to a murdered child, convict for killing her husband. I respected the heck out of this woman!
Both characters knew what it was like to be abandoned and found it hard to trust. But for some reason, they were able to come to rely on each other, adding one more person to their small circle of worthy people. It started with friendship and bloomed into something romantic and beautiful. Nightmares and chilling suspense aside, what they shared was so sweet and sexy. Their shared darkness and search for the light created something truly magical.
My Notes
There was something either brewing or had already brewed between Tomasina and Garrison and I'm wondering if that will be developed.
I did have one wee problem with this story...
There was a scene in which Sterling had a girl all over him. I mean, this girl was hanging on him, stroking him, right in front of Ruthann. He ignored Ruthie, spent the night who knows where because when she had enough of watching him with another woman, she left him with the other woman, and no questions were really asked. This occurred after they had consummated their relationship the night before. He was never held accountable nor did he have to answer as to WTF was going on. Why would the author allow this to happen? Why would you want us to pretend like it didn't happen (or something)? Why include the scene at all when it had nothing to do with pushing the story forward (or you weren't going to deal with it)?
🤬🤬🤬
Sterling & Ruthie's family tree (Sterling's mother is married to Ruthann's father):
Their childrenCormac (son)
Sterling's family
Cormac Austin (foster-brother) (RIP)
Garrison (foster-brother)
Tomasina Daniels (foster-sister)
Dylan Spiers (half-brother)
Dalia Spiers (half-sister)
Ruthann's Family
Dylan Spiers (half-brother)
Dalia Spiers (half-sister)
Check out my other reviews from this series:
Visit https://lanilynnvale.com/ for more information!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Social Icons