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I'll Just Date Myself by Lani Lynn Vale

Normally when you say, “I have a stalker,” you think bad thoughts. That wasn’t the kind of stalker Folsom was when it came to Kobe Sano. Folsom liked to call herself a “guardian angel in disguise.”

The first time he catches her attention, he’s been assigned to hunt her down and throw away the key. All she did was steal someone else’s child. Well, embryo, that is. What Kobe doesn’t know, though, is the man that hired him is up to no good, and she has no other choice but to run without looking back.

From that moment on, she spends the rest of her spare time running away from him while also digging into every nook and cranny of his personal life, finding every weakness he has and utilizing it any way she needs to keep herself one step ahead of him.

Only one day, when she goes to do her usual snooping, she finds out that not only is her favorite person in trouble, but he’s also in need of her help.

Too bad it takes her years to find that help.
Her next step is to break him out of the pokey prison-break style.
If she knew he’d go without question, she very well might have.

***

It didn’t take a genius to know when someone was stalking you. The signs were all there, and they eventually pointed right at Folsom.

When he figures it out, he plans to confront her and maybe address the silent sexual tension that’s been brewing between them for the last few years.

However, right when he’s ready to admit to himself that she might be the one—daughter who intimidates the hell out of him or not—she up and disappears for a year.

In that year, he spends every waking moment searching for her.

And eventually he finds her, confronts her, and is hit in the face with the secrets she’s kept from him for years.

One of which is a big one.

The daughter that she protects with everything she has—the one that he’s come to love with all his heart, just like her mom—is the very abducted child from his one and only unsolved case.

Find I'll Just Date Myself here: Goodreads * Amazon

After being told that I'd be due for a surprise because the main character was given an overhaul, I didn't know what to expect. Would I even like the new and improved Folsom?

Well, let me tell you...

I DID!!

Folsom was sweet, kind and generous. She also had a knack for being all up in your business and you not even knowing it. She'd help you in ways you didn't even know you needed. She would do anything for her daughter and for those she chose to love.

She was also a woman of mystery. While she was very blunt, she wasn't very forthcoming about her circumstances. And I liked it! It gave her character an air of intrigue that kept me guessing. Even at the end of the book, I'm still wondering if I got her full story.

Kobe was a man who I struggled to get to know in the previous books. It seemed like even the men he served time with had a hard time really knowing this guy. But Folsom found a way and I loved how her meddling created an atmosphere in which they could truly connect.

There are hit men, weird contracts, missing persons, and an easy kind of 'oops I felt into it' love.

I'm still a bit broken hearted over what Kobe had to go through to get his happy ending, but it was a sweet ending and I'm so glad these two unknowns found such happiness with each other.


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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Cute But Psycho by Lani Lynn Vale

Etienne LaFayette hits the ground running the moment he breathes free air after being paroled from a maximum-security prison in Texas.

He claws his life back from his brother-in-law who’d taken over his business during the years he’d spent as an inmate at Huntsville Penitentiary. Though it is hard, he puts his life back together in Accident, Florida.

There, he hires new employees, joins a motorcycle club, and becomes wildly successful overnight.

Seems like the perfect life, right?

Wrong.

Because one of his first clients is a beautiful, curly-haired woman that reels him in from the moment he first lays eyes on her. Only, before he can work his charm, she forms an opinion of him based solely on the person that he chose to work at his side, day in and day out. That opinion? Utter disgust.

***

Matilda Deveraux has been dealt blow after blow her entire life.

First with the death of her mom. Then living with a stepfamily that despises her.

Her entire life she’s been known as different. The “weird girl that creeps everyone out.”

It’s not her fault that she’s different, yet everyone, including Etienne’s assistant, treats her like she’s a menace to society.
Like she would be better off in a loony bin than gracing the streets of Accident, Florida.

After years of abuse from everyone around her, the last thing she needs is to be around a man that would have that horrible woman around him twenty-four seven.

As a result, she forms an opinion—something that people do to her all the time—and treats him accordingly.
Only, it turns out that Etienne isn’t who she thought he was.

He’s much, much worse. But only in the best of ways.



Matilda was a doormat her whole life and she was just about done. Done with letting people take advantage of her. Done with allowing people to walk all over her. Just done. If only her family would get the memo.

The attraction between Etienne and Mattie was instantaneous, however, his assistant was a problem. She lived to make Mattie miserable and she refused to associate with someone who associated with someone so hateful. Good for her!

When the problem is solved, will Mattie get out of her own way and give Etienne a chance?

I really enjoyed this story. The brotherhood that exists between the men of this series is so special. I love the way they interact with each other. Matilda had her quirks, but she fit and I think she was great for Etienne. He deserved a happy ending and she gave him an amazing one.


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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Nobody Cares Unless You're Pretty by Lani Lynn Vale

The problem with Wake was that he was understandable.

He was the type of villain that literally scared the absolute sh*t out of you because you knew that under the right circumstances, you could end up exactly like him.

Which, sadly, was the case for me.

I’d done the exact same thing as Wake, and now I was a murderer just like him.

Did I know that I did wrong? Hell yes.

Did I regret that? Hell no.

Did I plan on changing a thing? Also, no.

Was I falling in love with a man that should scare the shit out of me? A resounding hell yes.



Nobody Cares Unless You're Pretty was the perfect introduction to the Gator Bait series!

After meeting Wake Westfield during the craziness of Bram and Dory's story, I was excited to see that he was getting his own book. Not only that, but it would be in a new, undiscovered town with completely new characters. And to say that these people are already compelling would be an understatement. Getting to know them here was such a treat!

So there's Wake, who had served time for killing the man who thought it was okay to touch his daughter. And he didn't stop there. Oh no... He wanted everyone to feel as safe as his daughter did, so he went on a spree and started killing all of the pedophiles in the area. I know I shouldn't condone his behavior, but... I can't help myself!!

Then there's Dutch, who met Wake by asking him how to get away with murder. It was love at first sight, for both of them. If only their story was that easy.

Terror and corruption were rife in the town of Accident, and it was up to these two and their friends to fight against it, by any means necessary. There were plenty of laughs, tender moments, and tons of love interspersed with bits of suspense and mystery, making this a book I couldn't put down.

I had to know what happened next.
I needed to know that my peeps were going to be okay.
And behind all of that, I was also rooting for Dayden and Lolo. Tell me these two weren't adorable?!

New series. New stories. New characters. I'm definitely gonna be here for all of it!


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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Suck This by Lani Lynn Vale

Blood, sex and alcohol.

That was what Club Worth was all about.

Ever since vampires had come out to the world, people had been obsessed. Take a walk on the wild side and see what the nightclub was all about.

Acadia Powell, on the other hand, didn’t do vampires. Nor did she do messy.

What she did do was stay away from people like Constantine Worth, Master of the City, and the most gorgeous man in the history of men. It didn’t matter that he had hypnotizing eyes, beautiful lips, and the sexiest body she’d ever had the privilege of laying eyes on.

It should be easy for her to stay away, but with each subsequent encounter, it’s becoming harder and harder to fight the growing need inside of her.

***

Constantine Worth knew that Acadia was off limits. Not only was she human and not willing to slum it with the undead, but she was also the baby sister of the city’s chief of police. The man that liked to arrest him every other day and twice on Sunday.

He should hate her based solely on the last name she shared with her brother. Yet each time he sees her, he forgets that he’s supposed to be playing nice. She sets his blood to boil, and each time she lets the verbal slurs flow, he finds it harder and harder to maintain his distance.

Soon, he will have to make a choice. Maintain his upstanding relationship with human law enforcement, or take what he wants, and damn the consequences.



Con wanted Acadia.
Acadia wanted Con.
These two couldn't keep their eyes or their thoughts off of each other.
Too bad Acadia's human.
Funny how forbidden fruit is always the sweetest!

When one of my favorite authors decides to dabble, once again, with paranormal romance, you better believe I was gonna be all over that! LLV's books are my solace and I found some comfort with this one.

While this story tackled some ugliness (those activists were no joke), I couldn't help but be enamored by all that was developing between Con and Acadia. He was so mysterious and utterly irresistible to her. And although she was supposed to be off limits, he couldn't help but give into temptation, again and again and again.

---

Not gonna lie, I did have some issues with this story.
* It was a bit all over the place and I sometimes felt like I was dumped in the middle of an untold story.
* Acadia had a best friend, but aside from a couple of scenes, that friend was never seen again. Which was weird because Acadia went through something intense. Where was her friend then?
* other than putting the blame for what happened to Acadia at their feet, the human activists were never really put to justice that I could see. Does that mean her case is still open?
* Con's organization, his foothold on their town, his allies, everything that was a part of him was so vaguely mentioned, but I wanted some more details. For example, his dad popped up on page. More please!
* Con's dead daughter and undead wife. Ummm... why wasn't this properly explored? What happens now?
* Acadia's entire life was vague. She was such a one-dimensional character that I struggled to give her a chance.
* Honestly, more details about the important stuff and less about the unimportant stuff would have worked well.


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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Not a Role Model by Lani Lynn Vale

You better watch out for people that bounce back from everything that’s meant to destroy them.
Those were the words that Coreline King learned to live by when it came to dealing with Tide ‘Rook’ Crow, member of the Battle Crows MC, general surgeon, and all-around jerk who lived to make her life a living hell.
It all started in high school when he stopped seeing her as a random girl and started to see her as his rival.
Together, they became ‘frenemies.’ I.e.—a person with whom one is friendly, despite a fundamental dislike or rivalry.
At least, it started out like that.
Everyone always says there’s a fine line between love and hate. And at first, Tide and Coreline don’t realize how very true that is.
Not until Tide gets hurt defending Coreline’s honor, and Coreline has to fix him because she feels like she owes him.
But one night of bad choices leads to a very big ‘oops’ that will either haunt them for the next eighteen years or bring them together as tight as they ever could be.



Coreline and Tide have been frenemies for all of their lives. He makes life rough for her and she gives back as good as she gets. Fastforward to adulthood and nothing much has changed... except for the undeniable chemistry that burns between them. Can these two find a way to finally get their act together, giving into the feelings they've had for far too long?

In all honesty, I didn't like this story at first. I was actually gonna give up on it, which is unheard of because I freaking love this author!! It's just that I couldn't connect to the characters, their story felt harsh and abrasive, and it was slow going. However, as time went on, my feelings improved, and in the end, it was all worth it.

I enjoyed the tension that played out between the characters (for the most part). I did, but I was kinda sidetracked. I'm intrigued by the glimpses I keep getting of Bram and Dorcas. I want more of them. Will Bram admit his feelings for her? Will we learn more about Dorcas beyond the beautiful time seen here? And will these two remain together or finally part ways for good? Yeah, I'm really looking forward to seeing some of that.

About the Characters

Main Characters - Coreline King and Tide Crow
Children - An unnamed daughter and one on the way
Tide's family
- Derringer Crow (father)
- Reedy Crow (mother)
- Haggard "Thief" Crow (found in Always Someone's Monster)
- Callum "Shine" Crow (found in Make Me Your Villain)
- Price Crow (found in Rattle Some Cages)
- Bram Crow
- Cannel Crow (found in Chalk Dirty To Me)
Coreline's family
- Rock "Hound Dog" King (father)
- unnamed mother
- Reuben King (brother)
- Alison King (little sister)
- Enola "Toddy" Tondra King (little sister)

Check out the other books from the series:

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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Rattle Some Cages by Lani Lynn Vale

It’s not every day that you see a dead body at the beach. Or the woman of your dreams sitting next to that dead body.

Price Crow first saw Sabrina Proctor in the middle of a hurricane.

She’d been sitting next to her dead best friend, who’d passed away on the beach, with no way to get her back home, thanks to the world’s worst luck, and one hell of a storm.

So Price does what any decent person would do: he carries Sabrina’s dead best friend to their beach house and doesn’t leave her side until he’s forced to.

He had every intention of bridging that gap, of checking up on her and making sure she was okay, but life is funny and has a way of making a mockery of the best-laid plans.

Despite one hell of a connection, under the worst of circumstances, they go their separate ways. At least, he tries to. But he can’t stop thinking about her, and it becomes apparent, very fast, that he has a decision to make.

Choose Sabrina, or live out the rest of his life making everyone else around him happy except for himself.



It was practically love at first sight when Price caught his first glimpse of Sabrina. He knew nothing about her, but she intrigued him. Whether it was a coincidence or some strange sort of luck, when he goes on a family vacation, Sabrina happens to rent the house next door. However, while he's there for fun in the sun, she's there to say a final goodbye to her best friend. And when she's at her lowest, it's Price who helps her pick up the pieces.

I had a lot of problems with this story and that's really saying something because everyone and their mama knows how much I adore this author. While reading it, I kept thinking... this is messy.

For what I think is the first time, I didn't like the heroine. I didn't care about what she was going through, I didn't care about her feelings, and I didn't care if she got her happy ending. The only reason she was even a factor for me is because of Price. I loved this man and was willing to put up with the woman he chose so he could be happy. But it wasn't easy.

My biggest issue with this woman was that she was supposed to be socially awkward and shy, but I didn't really get that. I got a person who made excuses for her problems and did nothing to change them. She kept looking to others for basic things. She seemed to know nothing about life and yet she had a job with the school board. Why didn't she ever seek out some therapy?

She was very judgy, which irked the ish out of me.


No. Really? Well, I've been living under a rock and didn't hear the news. Price is better than me. Why do I smoke? Hmmm... well I don't know you and guess what? Don't ask me stupid questions. Don't question me. Mind your damn business.

She was also nosey, presumptious, and kinda rude. I'm still wondering what she was doing with her life that she put up with her ex for so long. Where was her common sense?

And so, I had to average everything out... such as missing details, my intense dislike of the heroine, dangling plot points, etc., and give this book its due.

Again, I absolutely love this author and will read whatever she pushes out. This just happens to be my least favorite book yet.

About the Characters:

Main Characters: Price Crow and Sabrina
Children: Hercules & Faye
Price's Family:
Derringer Crow (father)
Reedy Crow (mother)
Tide "Rook" Crow (twin brother)
Haggard "Thief" Crow (brother) - found in Always Someone's Monster)
Callum "Shine" Crow (brother) - found in Make Me Your Villain
Bram "Reaper" Crow (brother)
Cannel Crow (sister) - found in Chalk Dirty to Me

Check out the other books from the series:

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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Make Me Your Villain by Lani Lynn Vale

Flaws—he has them.
Laws? He breaks them.
Dues? He’s paid them.
Scars? He bares them proudly.
Lessons? He’s learned them.
Problems? He has one.
Her name is Iris, and she’s the one thing in his life that he can’t control.



I honestly don't even know where to start here. My heart is hurt! This author, one of my absolute favorites, seems to enjoy playing with my emotions lately. People are dropping like freaking flies all over the place here. Why oh why do people keep dying???

Shine was fine and Iris was sweet. They just clicked and although their connection was instantaneous, it really worked for them. Well, it definitely worked for me. I love when characters simply mesh without things being all messy. The drama involved wasn't created by them and yet it added another dimension to their relationship. I really liked these two characters so much!

Shine was awesome! I'm very intrigued by the Crow family and so far Haggard and Shine have raised the bar.

This story had so many moving parts and I was really looking forward to watching them all come together. However, many of them didn't. I'm left with putting things together with my imagination and let me tell you... I am not that creative. Aside from the dangling bits or the parts that were only partially explained, I enjoyed myself. I was entertained. I only wish there was a bit more because I needed to truly understand what the heck was going on. Show/hide spoiler

About the characters:

Main Characters - Shine Crow & Iris
Children - baby boy Crow
Shine's family - Derringer Crow (father)
Reedy (mother)
Trinket (brother)
Rook (brother)
Bram (brother)
Haggard (brother) - featured in Always Someone's Monster
Channel (sister) - featured in Chalk Dirty to Me
Iris's family - mom & stepdad
Anderson (brother)
Abby (sister)

Check out the other books from this series:

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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Always Someone's Monster by Lani Lynn Vale

A few years ago, when his sister went missing, Haggard Crow turned into something he never wanted to be. A killer.

Even after his sister is rescued a year after she was kidnapped and sold, Haggard ‘Thief’ Crow doesn’t have any plans on changing. He sort of likes the zero fucks given guy that he is now.

Bonus points, he saves women and children from extreme situations, along with his club and real life brothers by his side.

After a horrible marriage, Haggard has zero plans of ever finding a woman again. One-night stands not counting, he adores his life as a single man. There are no expectations. No ‘where are yous’ and ‘are you coming homes.’

The life he chooses to live is a simple one. Until he makes a huge mistake, and he steps over that line between ‘daughter’s best friend’ and ‘a woman he desperately wants.’

Before long, he can’t stop thinking about her. Can’t stop wanting her. Can’t stop feeling things for her that a man twenty years her senior should never feel for a girl he watched grow up.

After one lapse in judgment, he decides she needs to go. But the funny thing is, he never expected Sophia Madden to fight back. And dirty at that.



I think it's hilarious that the author actually predicted that most of us would be extremely upset by this book. I can't even think right now. I'm typing this up at the speed of lightning, hoping the ferocity of my pecking at these keys can be felt along LLV's back. I'm kidding. Maybe.

I'm just so freaking mad right now!

You ever become so invested in side characters, waiting for the day the author will bless you with their story? What happens when you realize that story will NEVER be coming???

You get a normally cool and controlled Natalie basically foaming at the mouth!

Did I love so many aspects of this story? Of course! I'm a sucker for a well-defined silver fox. Throw in the taboo that his happily ever after is with his daughter's best friend? With his best friend's daughter? Yeah, I'm here for all the taboo-ishness of this read.

I do have a question though? If I'm older than the oldest character (Haggard) and he's basically categorized as middle aged, does that make ME middle aged? Nuh uh. Nope. I've barely dipped my toes into the 40s and I'm forever young, thank you very much!

Back to the story... I loved how Haggard and Sophia had loved each other for so long, not knowing the other felt the same. I loved how everyone knew how they felt before they did. I loved how they finally got on board with the program. It felt organic rather than rushed and because of their many years of knowing each other, it was very easy for everything to fall into place. I actually wanted more and despite my tears, I would have welcomed more opportunities to see all of these characters together. I guess that's what the following books are for.

I'm super mad right now, in case that wasn't clear. But it doesn't even really matter, does it? I'm still going to have this author on my auto-buy list. I'm still going to read (and love) her books. And I'm still going to urge each and every one of you to get to reading. Seriously, you need her books in your life.

About the characters:

Main Characters - Haggard "Thief" Crow & Sophia Madden
Children - Clementine Crow (Haggard's) & Boston Crow (Haggard's)
Haggard's Family - Derringer Crow (father)
Reedy Crow (mother)
Trinket Crow (brother)
Rook Crow (brother)
Bram Crow (brother) - coming soon in Never Trust the Living
Shine Crow (brother) - coming soon in Make Me Your Villain
Channel Crow (sister) - featured in Chalk Dirty to Me
Sophia's Family - Madden (father) & Jasper (twin brother, RIP)

Check out the other books from the series:

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.