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Sometimes the heart wants what it can’t have.

That’s the motto Silas Mackenzie, the president of The Dixie Wardens MC, has lived by since he was a young man.

Now he’s well on the way to middle age, has three grown children and he’s lusting after a woman he should definitely stay away from.

Especially not one that his ex-girlfriend had given birth to, and happens to be only twenty-nine years old.

Sawyer isn’t a young girl at heart, though.

She’s seen the inside of a jail cell for eight long years, and every one of them was spent paying for a crime she didn’t commit.

Silas Mackenzie knows as soon as he sees her that the she has sacrificed enough.
And maybe…just maybe…so has he.

It’s time for Silas Mackenzie to get what he deserves, and, in the process, put a little bit of happy back into Sawyer’s world, one rough, bearded kiss at a time.

Okay, so this was one of the books I was looking forward to the most. It's Silas, y'all!! There were so many moving parts and people to this story that I find myself craving more.

What developed between Silas and Sawyer was quick and easy. I liked that she seemed so well-suited for him. I think at this point in his life, he needed what she had to offer. And while my heart broke for everything Sawyer had to live through, such as eight years in prison for a crime she didn't commit, suffering atrocities at the hands of prison guards, the bullying of the townspeople, I was happy that she had someone like Silas and his people at her back.

So what else did I find in this book?
⭐ I got my first real glimpse of Lynn (you can find him in Repeat Offender). In this book he's known as Black Jack and although I learned quite a bit about him in his own book, seeing him in this light was quite the experience. I wonder if he'll pop up again in these original stories.
⭐ knowing that Silas (and Lynn) are CIA and actually seeing it in action are two different things
⭐ Silas shaved off his braided beard (although he does sound super hot without it)
⭐ Sterling, the Navy SEAL who has popped up now and then, makes an appearance and I think his book is next. There was a definite spark between him and Ruthie (Sawyer's bestie/cell mate)
⭐ Silas visiting Tunnel's grave... heartbreaking. He carries so many burdens as it is and it hurt to see how much losing Torren had effected him

You want a story full of heart, drama and intrigue? Read this book!


I'm not gonna lie... the idea of the relationship between Silas and Sawyer gave me a bit of an icky vibe. It started with him seeing her mom and although he made it clear for us (the readers) that he never slept with her, the intention was there and kissing was mentioned. That's just gross and honestly... I don't even know why it was there. Adding that level of intimacy wasn't necessary. Silas and Sawyer's mother never had to be anything more than friends and it would have served this story just as well. That's just my humble opinion.

Silas & Sawyer's family tree:

    Their children
        Samuel Cash Mackenzie (Silas' son) - Boomtown
        Sebastian Sue Mackenzie (Silas' son) - Lights to My Siren
        Shiloh June Mackenzie (Silas' daughter) - Texas Tornado
        Amelia Rose Mackenzie (their daughter) - Any Day Now

    Sawyer's family
        Dallas Berry (brother)
        Cole Berry (brother)
        Brody Berry (brother)
        Johnson Berry (brother)

Check out my other reviews 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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Standalone
Release - July 5, 2021
Genre - Contemporary Romance/instant connection/interracial
Dual POV - 1st person
Heat Level - 4 out of 5
Format/Source - eARC provided by the author
Length - 263 pages
Publisher - Indie

When a guy saves you from a horrible blind date, you don’t expect to end up dating him.

Mariah’s confusion over why a man is pretending to know her quickly fades once she realizes the handsome stranger winking at her is trying to save her. If she leaves with him, what might this night turn into?

Damir knows he can’t watch the beautiful woman across the restaurant cringe one more time without stepping in to help her. He promises he would take her on a much better date than the one she just left, but will she give him the chance to prove it?

He's got a past that corrupt people refuse to allow him to forget. She's come too far to get wrapped back up in the hardships she's escaped.

Can such an imperfect beginning turn into exactly what they both need?

Damir and Mariah were perfectly imperfect together. His past consisted of many mistakes and missteps, but his loving and supportive parents helped to steer him onto the right path. Now he's a successful contractor, giving back to the community.

Abuse and neglect haunted Mariah's past and it was with the love of her big brother that she was able to love and thrive.

On one seriously terrible first date, Damir comes to Mariah's rescue and his white knight behavior doesn't stop there. They quickly fall in love, discovering they both want the fugture the other envisions.

One major problem: the cops who harass Damir and won't allow him to move on from his past.

I enjoyed many elements of this story, such as...
* the easy chemistry between the characters
* how simple and sweet the secondary characters were
* the way the author illustrated the harassment Damir suffered

While I didn't find this book to be as suspenseful as it purported to be, I did find it entertaining so recommending it comes easy.

Ari Reavis is a wife and mother of five. Born in New York and raised in New Jersey, she enjoys staying in, devouring books and watching movies. Her kids are running around, her husband is trying to show her martial arts moves, and she's trying to write. Her day in a nutshell.

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You’re the Charge…

Bad Boy. Screw-up. Good for nothing. Hero. Angel. These were all words Grayson ‘Torren’ Trammel had heard whispered behind his back over his lifetime. What he hadn't heard was ‘quitter,’ and he’d be damned if some little rehab chick, with her beautiful blonde hair, and hot, sassy little mouth was going to label him as such.

To My…

Tru knows Grayson’s not for her. He’s too bad. Too hot. Too demanding. Too taken.

She tells herself that almost daily as she helps Grayson get back into fighting shape after a horrific accident nearly ripped his life away from him. That had taken the life of one of the men in his MC.

Grayson is everything her father warned her about, but there’s just something about him that intrigues her. That makes her want more.

The man's a firefighter. How bad could he be?

Line…

Apparently, he could be way worse than bad, but he could also be so very, very good. Something Tru realizes, rather quickly, when the two can no longer fight the pull that’s between them.

Now there’s only one word she wants to hear when it comes to him: his.

I found the relationship that grew between Tru and Grayson to be sincere, organic and wonderful! She got him in a way that no one else had and it was beautiful. Thankfully, with Tru in the picture, Cleo's horrible little sister, Molly, didn't stand a chance!

In the last book (Life to My Flight), Torren risked his life to rescue Rue from a fire. He damaged his shoulder in the process and in order to get back to work he needed physical therapy. Tru was the woman to get him back on track and she gave her all to give him the power to be the hero he needed to be. Which was awesome because it allowed him to put down all threats to his woman.

Things got a little horrific towards the end, but overall, this was a sweet and funny romance with plenty of heat.



I loved getting that first glimpse of the love brewing between Reese (Tru's sister) and Luke Roberts. I'm looking forward to their story in Center Mass!

I'm a little confused with the story of Torren and his half-brothers. Ross seems to be the only decent one (I hope he gets a story) and I wish everything got fleshed out a bit more.

Watching Ashe and Ford playing/fighting together as kids made their connection so much sweeter, knowing that they end up together when they grow up :)

    Torren/Grayson & Tru's family tree:

        Their children
            Ashe (daughter) - Maybe Swearing Will Help
            Spencer (son)
            Coal (son)

        Grayson's family
            Ross Bradley (half-brother)
            Colby Prescott (half-brother)
            Bobby Prescott (half-brother)

        Tru's family
            Reese (sister) - Center Mass

Check out my reviews of the previous books:

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.

Kitty Kitty by Lani Lynn Vale

This is the story of a man falling in love with a woman.

A man that was supposed to be a role model, and a woman that was just barely twenty-one.

A man who should’ve known better, and a woman that didn’t know that she was destroying his career word by word, innocent touch by innocent touch, smile by smile, until it had already imploded.

The world collapses around Absinthe ‘Sin’ Solomon, and the only thing he can do is try not to take her down with him.

The moment the inevitable happens, and the gavel bangs signaling that he will spend the next nine years in prison for attempted murder, Sin tries to let go. But Blaise Mackenzie has never, not ever, been one to give up without a fight.

Her military career might be over, but her career as a prison guard is just about to get started.

And her favorite prisoner? A pissed-off older man, a drill sergeant dishonorably discharged from the Army that tells himself daily that the new ‘Kitty Kitty’ female prison guard is not for him.

After following him around for years, watching over him from afar in any way she can, Sin is released early. And the first person that he’s going to see? A stubborn little blonde-headed female that should’ve known better than to trust a man like him.

Get your copy of Kitty Kitty today!

I seriously can't even to begin to explain how excited I was to read Sin's book. The fact that it was a prison romance... freaking bonus!!

Where do I even begin? Absinthe was very easy to love. I'm talking within the heartbreaking prologue easy. Who doesn't love a hero who is willing to sacrifice his own freedom to find justice for the woman he loves? Blaise was also easy to love. She followed the man who gave up everything from prison to prison to home. He was the one just like she was. Who doesn't love and respect fidelity and loyalty like that?

The underlying theme was as horrific as ever. Child kidnapping and human trafficking are horrors no one should face and I'm glad the author doesn't turn each book into something made out of unicorns and rainbows. The beautiful and sweet is balanced out with some pain and ugliness.

And don't even get me started on the other little treasures of this story!
🖤 the side characters who've already claimed a piece of my heart or are working towards it
🖤 Zach's story is next and I've been dying for this man's story ever since the SWAT 2.0 series. I can't wait!!
🖤 Blaise was independent and brave, but she didn't do anything truly stupid to make me scream.
🖤 seeing Sebastian, Baylee and Silas again... what a treat! Ooh ooh and Johnny 😍😍

Seriously, take a look at my reading list. I've read so much of this author's books and I have no plans on stopping. I'm even now going through her back list and I'm loving the journey. So if love is something you think should be celebrated, at all costs, then read this book!

Sin & Blaise family tree

    Their children
        ...

    Sin's family
        Coke (brother) - Ain't Doin' It
        Bellini (brother)
        Gin (brother)
        Ale (brother)
        unnamed brother
        unnamed brother
        unnamed brother

    Blaise's family
        Silas Mackenzie (grandfather) - Counter to my Intelligence
        Sebastian Mackenzie (father) - Lights to My Siren
        Baylee Roberts (mother) - Lights to My Siren
        Johnny Mackenzie (half-brother) - Get You Some

Check out my reviews for the previous books in 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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You’re The Life

Cleo’s a Pararescueman for the U.S. Air Force. When a PJ is called, it’s because everyone else has said no. It’s one of the most dangerous jobs in the entire military, but also one of the most rewarding. It’s the reason he doesn’t form relationships. He’s seen his teammates divorce one by one, and he doesn’t want to do that to a woman. Especially one that he’s supposed to love. However, nowhere in his grand scheme did he plan for the force that was Rue.

To My

Rue’s life has been rough. What she needs is a break. One that’ll distract her from the fact that she’s drowning in responsibility. It comes in the form of a dark and dangerous biker who has a habit of putting his life on the line. He gives her the world, and she holds on with both hands, knowing that he only wants to be friends. Or does he?

Flight

Thinking she knows what’s best, she pushes him too far, causing his control to take flight, and Cleo to disappear before the dust settles. One night of passion turns into a year of heartbreak as Rue tries to find the ability to move on from Cleo. He was pretty clear with his wishes, and they didn’t include her. Cleo’s not through with Rue, though. Not even a little bit. She’ll be his. All it’ll take is a little bit of…persuasion.

I liked that Rue and Cleo were friends before anything else. When Cleo left her for a year, she wasn't just losing her friend, she was losing her forever. And when he shows back up in her life, she doesn't think she can let him back in. What if he hurts her again? What if he leaves?

I'm a huge sucker for second chance romances, especially when the hero realizes that he has a lot of work to do. Who doesn't love a great grovel? And Cleo definitely knew how to put in the work necessary to earn Rue's trust back.

I wasn't a huge fan of how Rue handled everything. She could be rude and disrespectful and it wasn't necessary. There were times when I wanted her to really hurt. Like when she would get jealous or possessive over Cleo, while pushing him away and treating him dirty, I wanted him to give her something to actually worry about. Alas, it wasn't in the cards LOL!

Seriously, these two were extremely hot together. I mean attacking each other like wild animals hot. And I loved it!!



There was a horrible crime being inflicted on women in this story and although the perpetrator(s) got arrested, I still don't understand what the heck was going on. It seemed simple, but it wasn't really explained :(

There was also a part of this story that just broke my heart. There's a character whose book I was looking forward to and the author made it pretty clear that no book would be forthcoming by this event. I'm crushed. Well, not really... I've been told that this character does have a book and I can't wait to read it. Still, I was pretty pissed before I found that out. I couldn't believe that the author was really going to do me like that. It's great to know that I don't have to be disappointed and sad for long!

Cleo & Rue's family tree:

    Their child
        Zachariah "Zach" Lee Caruso - Gen Pop

    Cleo's family
        Mikayla (sister)
        Meredith (sister)
        Molly (sister)

Check out my reviews of the previous books:

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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"The soul who sins shall die...and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself." ~ Ezekiel 18:20

A murderer.
A crazed obsession.
The ultimate lie.
And an innocent girl who is about to become the devil's pawn in his evil game.

If you're looking for a bad boy priest, who seeks to defile all of the seemingly innocent women in a parish, who finds himself obsessed with the purest and most innocent of them all, who isn't even really a priest, look no further than this story about Father Julien and his journey of vengeance and redemption.

Julien was looking for justice for everything he had lost and he was going to take it from the man who used to be his boss, the man who inflicted horrors on unsuspecting women. If that meant that his innocent daughter had to pay for her father's sins, then so be it. Julien didn't expect to care about her, much less fall in love. What happens to this man's mission when he goes from having nothing to lose to having everything?

Crimson Syn showed she was just as dirty-minded as ever and I'm always here for the ride! It seems that filthy 'priests' are this girls kryptonite!!

Crimson Syn is an erotica author. She delves into those hot and heavy stories where her characters are pushed to their sexual limits. Her wicked pen dips into every little niche, even if it’s wrong and kinky. Vanilla, BDSM, BBW and that twisted taboo is what she wants to make you crave.

Her Hellbound Lovers MC series is her first attempt at a bad boy biker series. If you're looking for sweet and innocent, you'll find it, but not in that wholesome way you're used to. No. Miss Syn delivers sex at its best, and the more innocent you are the more her alpha males will attempt to defile you.

Miss Syn is passionate about her family, her friends and her writing. Where she travels is her next setting, and her fantasies and dreams are her inspiration. She writes her alpha males tough and rough, and she expects for her female leads to be independent, bright women with lots of sexy curves.