This month I read 10 books. Not terrible but I know I can do better.
Here are the books that I read this month.
5 star reads:
Blurb:
Peter Parker Penn.
Unlike the superhero his mother named him after, Parker is no good guy.
In fact, if there’s a picture in the dictionary under anti-hero, it’s his.
Parker’s spent his life trying to get back on the right side of the tracks, but each step he takes forward, he takes two more steps back.
To save one, he hurts others. To make this good, he turns that bad.
For appearances’ sake, he plays the part. He does what people expect him to do-mostly.
And at the end of each day, he goes back to his lonely apartment and wishes he was a different person. One who could fix the things he’s broken.
Then Kayla Nash forces her way into his life, and the world as he knows it is irrevocably changed.
Everything he thinks he has right is wrong. And everything he thinks is wrong is oh, so right.
One thing leads to another, and suddenly he’s growing a conscience, and trying to prove to her that he’s as bad as everybody says he is.
Yet she won’t listen.
She’s convinced that she can save him.
Little does she know, Parker isn’t worth saving, and never will be.
My Review:
This book was so much. Love. Tears. Heart. Laughs. Anguish.
I LOVED LOVED LOVED THIS BOOK!!!!!
I loved Kayla. I think she was the perfect match for Parker. She balanced Parker and made him see the person he was today, not the person he used to be.
Parker also showed Kayla that she was worth something. Kayla didn’t have the best childhood and she always felt second-best.
There were multiple times in this book that I hate Lani and once you read this book, you will understand why.
If you have read Lani’s other books, you will find a huge connection in this book and it will be a big part of the story.
I don’t know how she does it. This book touched my soul. My heart ached for the characters when they were sad. My heart was happy for them when they were happy. I think I felt every emotion possible in this book.
It is so hard to say a lot about this book without giving away huge plots but I think this may be my second favorite Lani book, after Ghost’s book.
And when you get to the end of the book, just have your tissues ready!!
Blurb:
High powered divorce lawyer, Victoria Larkin, is known as the ice queen. Tough. Emotionless. What they don’t know, is that ten years ago, she lost everything. Including her hope for the future.
Chase Monroe struggles with his own demons. Devastated by guilt and on a mission to correct his past, he uses his skills as a college psychology professor to help others move beyond their grief.
When Victoria is forced to attend grief counselling, she meets Chase, and there is an instant attraction. Chase is determined to help her confront her past and find happiness. Victoria is afraid to relive her pain.
Just as they begin to step forward, tragedy strikes and throws them backwards, and they find themselves, once again, shackled to the past.
Can Chase and Victoria find the path to a happy future together? Or will they forever be wishing for yesterday?
**Recommended 18+ due to language and sexual content.**
My Review:
Victoria (Tori) has not had an easy life. Losing her husband and daughter at just 18, she hid her feelings and moved on with life (the best she could) becoming an “Ice Queen”. As a top divorce lawyer, her hard attitude helps her be the best.
Chase is a college professor who also has a help group for people who have lost loved ones. When Tori is ordered to attend the group, Chase is knocked off his feet. This beautiful woman is lost in herself. His goal is to bring back the woman he knows is hiding inside.
They do not have an easy journey. There are tears, yelling, laughing, tears.
But Chase is also battling his own demons.
What happens when their demons cross??
This was an amazing story!! It really touched my heart and showed me its okay to move on in life after a loved one passes away.
Blurb:
I’m an asshole.
And I make no apologies for it.
My life has been spent drenched in the blood of my enemies.
Our family legacy, left only to me when my brother walked away.
Women are pawns in a game for pleasure. Nothing more.
Until her. Madison Parker.
I’m enthralled. Captivated.
But my past is far too dark.
Pushing her away is my only option.
Yet her stubborn, sassy mouth and beautiful eyes weaken me.
I save her as much as she saves me.
Then blood is spilled once more, and I’ll forever live with the guilt.
Can light find its way through my darkness?
Can she truly be the salvation for this ruthless heart?
*This is romantic suspense story. It may be best to read Indulge prior to this story, but it is not imperative. Due to scenes of an adult nature, this book is for 18+ ONLY.
My Review:
Wow…what a story.
I am going to warn you now….this is not an easy story to read. There are parts that could be triggers. Like major triggers. So if you need a warning of any kind, this book is probably not for you.
With that being said…..HOLY COW!!! What did I just read?!?!
Wrath: can be defined as uncontrolled feelings of anger, rage, and even hatred. Wrath often reveals itself in the wish to seek vengeance. In its purest form, wrath presents with injury, violence, and hate that may provoke feuds that can go on for centuries.
Callan and Madison have a story that makes you feel so many different emotions. There were times when I wanted to scream. Times when I wanted to cry. Times when I needed a cool drink because what I had read had been majorly hot!!
Callan is not a good man. He has done a lot of bad things in his life. Callan is a man that doesn’t love, or so he thought.
Callan also knows what he likes in the bedroom, and it takes a strong woman to be able to handle it.
Madison is a young woman trying to find her way in life. She has a powerful father and a “perfect” fake boyfriend. Madison also has secrets. Secrets few people know. Secrets that she keeps to herself.
Callan and Madison are like oil and water. But in their case, the oil starts to mix into the water. The water starts to dilute the oil, weakening it.
“She’s stealing my fucking breath, and I’m fucked because I want to give it to her.”
Dani did an amazing job in this book showing the push and pull between Callan and Madison. This isn’t a fairy-tale romance. This isn’t a sweet, loving read. This book has heart and soul. It has love and hate.
I can not wait to go back and read the first 3 books of this series!
Blurb:
I watch you, I see you in ways no one else can, and through my lens I create a life of you for someone to dissect. I capture you in your vulnerability; that smile, your laugh, those tears. I document you and sell your secrets.
When I watch you through my lens you’re mine until I pass you to the buyer. I, like most people, have a fetish for pretty things and in my job I get to be around a lot of pretty things. They pay me to watch them and capture them in a frame for many purposes, and sometimes I like my profession a little more than I should.
I took a job to capture her… I wanted to capture and keep her in more than just the image. This time I will take myself away from the lens and become the client because I cannot resist her, she reminds me too much of my first, I need to have her.
Traumatised from a vicious attack, Nina Drake finds herself shut off from the world until her neighbour brings her out of more than just her nightmares. Even after moving and changing her name, she still can’t shake the feeling of being watched. The memories are so close.
And so is the shadow of the creator of them all.
My review:
**MAJOR TRIGGER WARNING***
This book is a very dark read. If you need a trigger warning of any kind, this book is not for you.
Now….what I’m the hell did I just read!?!
Like holy moly.
Nina is a young woman who goes through a dramatic event. She doesn’t understand why it happened and just wants to restart her life.
Then she meets Devon. Devon changes her. Devon makes her come out of her shell. But Devon holds secrets.
You think you have this book figured out and then BAM….total plot twist.
This book was soooo good. I’m definitely going to have a book hangover.
4 star reads:
Blurb:
Gavin Boudreau lives for the job, but he also believes in “work hard, play harder.” As the youngest guy in Ladder 37, he figures he’s got plenty of time before settling down becomes a priority. Soft, pretty women who aren’t looking for promises are exactly his type, and he’s comfortable with that. Working with a gorgeous EMT isn’t going to change who he is.
The last thing Cait Tasker needs in her personal life is a firefighter whose challenges on-scene have been a thorn in her side from minute one. Her plate’s too full for a man anyway. Back in her childhood home to help her family cope with an unexpected tragedy, she’s got enough to handle without throwing a hot, testosterone-laden fireman into the mix.
As long days on the job lead to long nights together, Gavin and Cait will discover how far temptation can take them—and what happens when the one you thought was all wrong for you turns out to be the person you can’t live without.
My Review:
Gavin and Cait have a cute story.
Gavin is a fireman (my favorite) and Cait is an EMT. They didn’t start out on the best foot with each tiger but as time goes, they both start to develop feeling for the other. The problem is Cait has a lot of family baggage and she isn’t in the place she needs to be to move on with her life.
Will Gavin wait for her or will it be too much?
This was a sweet story. I’m ready for the next one.
Blurb:
Bane
Naked surfer. Habitual pothead. A con, a liar, a thief and a fraud.
Last I heard, he was extorting the rich and screwing their wives for a living.
Which is why I’m more than a little surprised to find him at my threshold, looking for my friendship, my services, and most puzzling of all—looking humbled.
Thing is, I’m on a boycott. Literally—I cut boys from my life. Permanently.
Problem is, Bane is not a boy, he is all man, and I’m falling, crashing, drowning in his sweet, perfect lies.
Jesse Carter
Hot as hell, cold as ice.
I wasn’t aware of her existence until a fat, juicy deal landed in my lap.
She’s a part of it, a little plaything to kill some time.
She is collateral, a means to an end, and a side-bonus for striking a deal with her oil tycoon stepdad.
More than anything, Jesse Carter is a tough nut to crack.
Little does she know, I have the teeth for it.
*This book contains material that might be offensive for some or elicit a strong emotional response.*
My Review:
WARNING: This book had triggers and if you need a warning this book might not be for you!
Roman ‘Bane’ Protsenko is a liar, a con, a thief, a whore. Someone you can’t trust as far as you can throw him.
Jesse Carter is a lost nine-teen year old girl. After going through a traumatic incident two years ago, Jesse is a ghost of the girl she used to be.
When Bane is tasks with the job of bringing Jesse out of her shell in return for money he needs for a project, he thinks he can accomplish it with no issues. Problem is part of agreement is he can’t have “relations” with her.
What happens when Jesse starts to be her old self and Bane can’t stay away? What happens when Jesse start to remember parts of her past she blocked out and realizes everything is not what it seems?
This story is about finding yourself again. There were parts of this story that were hard to read. But those parts made the story have more meat and heart.
L.J. Shen did an amazing job writing this story. She was able to make me connect with both main characters and told this story in a beautiful way.
AWESOME JOB!!
Blurb:
My sick obsession with domination and sex had become an addiction, and I was no longer willing to be a slave to it. Now, I’m six months sex free, and I haven’t tied a woman up in five.
I’ve never felt more powerful in my life.
Then Eden Vaughn got a job at Empire Sevens and turned my newfound control on its head.
She makes me feel weak—testing my restraint—silently begging me to show her how deep my addiction runs. I can’t have her sort of temptation in my casino, and I’ll do whatever it takes to get her to quit.
I’m into all things dark and filthy, but innocence is my kryptonite. She’s virtuous and vanilla, and vanilla is my VICE.
My Review:
What a read!
Eden Vaughn is a young woman just trying to survive. When she makes the decision to leave her situation and go live her her aunt in Vegas, she had no idea what she was getting herself into.
Zander Hale is a recovering addict. Recovering from what? You have to read to find that part out. When Zander first sees Eden, he knows that it is not going to work. There is no way she can work for him, in his hotel and casino, and him not touch her. He can’t touch her. That would undo all his progress.
“She’s everything I desire. Everything my addiction needs. Blonde. Beautiful. And so fucking innocent even the sinful lights of Vegas refuse to reflect on her flawless skin.”
Zander is determined to make Eden quit, he won’t fire her because of her aunt.
How much and Eden take before it’s too much?
Zander and Eden play a cat and mouse game. But what happens when the cat catches the mouse? Will the mouse survive or will that cat break the mouse?
This was a great story. There was a lot of angst in this story and a lot of back and forth. You need to prepare yourself because you won’t see the ending coming!
Warning: This book ends in a cliffhanger but it is going to be soooo worth it!!
Blurb:
Memphis Police Lieutenant Asher Cunningham is one of the best. Respected among his peers, he’s well known for his discipline, assertiveness, and remarkable intuition.
He’s also a sex addict.
A secret he’s kept hidden until he finally decides to seek the help of renowned psychiatrist Dr. Marley Bennett. There’s something intriguing about his new therapist that makes him want to confess all of his deepest, darkest desires without the fear of being judged. But it’s the flush coloring her cheeks and those sensible skirts she wears that really tests his control. Pushing her limits becomes his new obsession, and he quickly learns that the good doctor has secrets of her own.
He’s her patient.
She’s not supposed to be attracted to him. She’s not supposed to want him to possess her in all the ways he promises he can. But from the moment he steps into her office, the tattooed cop has her feeling things she shouldn’t. With every commanding word and deliberate touch, he tears down her walls one by one. And with every layer he peels back, Marley realizes she needs him more than she could have ever imagined.
My Review:
This is another really good read by K. Langston.
Asher Cunningham is a police officer, who just happens to also be a sex addict. When he decides he needs help, he starts to see a psychiatrist. The problem is, the minute he sees his psychiatrist, he knows it’s going to be trouble.
Marley Bennett takes her job very serious and that means not mixing business with pleasure. But the first time she lays eyes on Asher Cunningham, she knows he is going to be trouble.
“I’m not blind. They see my tattoos. My tan skin. Firm muscles. It’s like flies to shit but her… She’s different. She’s a challenge. A conquest. And one I want to fucking conquer.”
Asher and Marley try but they just cannot keep it professional. Feelings start to get involved and everything changes. But Marley isn’t just protecting her heart from Asher, she is also protecting her daughter.
But what happens when Marley’s past comes back into the picture? What happens when Asher and Marley’s new relationship gets tested?
This is such a good story. It has everything you want in a story. Lust, love, angst, hot sex.
Can’t wait to see what K. Langston comes up with next!!
Blurb:
You want some?
She snarls those words at him with barely concealed hostility the moment he arrives at her window to ask for her license and registration.
After a few choice words, he lets her go with not one ticket, but three.
Next time she should check the attitude at the door and realize that he’s a cop, and just doing his job.
Come get some.
Fast forward a week, and he’s still unable to think about anything else but her and her bad attitude—oh, and those sexy lips, angry eyes, and her promise to make his life hell.
Knowing he should stay away, he takes a step back and tries not to think about anything that has to do with those long legs, and that mouth that could be used for much better things than spewing venom.
Then she makes a mistake.
At an interview, she rattles off a random number to use as a reference for a job that she desperately needs, and that number just happens to be Johnny’s.
She’ll regret being so rude, and one day she’ll think twice when she decides to throw attitude toward a man like him.
Vowing to make her life hell, he decides to have a little fun.
Never get enough.
What he doesn’t expect is to fall for her.
The more Johnny learns about June, the deeper he digs his hole. Soon, he doesn’t know which way is up, and he’s just fine with that.
Over time, he learns that not everyone bothers to dig past her prickly demeanor and get to the woman that lives deeper.
When one too many citizens of Hostel, Texas tries to back her against the wall, he’s had enough.
After all, you don’t mess with what’s his.
My Review:
Johnny and June….with these two names, you know the story is going to be good.
This was such a sweet story.
Johnny is struggling and trying to get back into everyday life after the war. He decided to move away from his overbearing parents and into Hostel to become a police officer. (if you have read Lani’s others books, this town will be familiar to you).
Then you have June. Poor June. She has a bad reputation because of her family. She is judged off things her parents did. I hate when people label other people based off their family. We don’t get to pick our family most of the time.
“That girl? She’s good as gold. She’s loyal. She’s beautiful. Smart and funny. But it’s hard for men to break in there with her. She’s been burned by every single man she’s met in her life but two—me and her pops, Tennessee. Trust me when I say, don’t go there unless you’re ready to stay there.”
Johnny and June don’t meet under the best circumstances and their second meeting isn’t any better. But for some reason Johnny automatically wants to protect June. He has this drawl to her.
“Mr. Good Intentions was gone. In his place was Mr. Get You Some.”
Neither one is ready for a relationship. Neither one wants a relationship. But sometimes you don’t get to choose what the heart wants.
Johnny stole my heart from the beginning and June broke my heart. They were two broken souls that needed each other.
“Like a goddamn breath of fresh air during a sandstorm in the middle of the Afghani desert.”
Of course in good Lani fashion, she had to throw something things in there to make your heart pound, but that’s what she does. She gets you invested into the story, scares you, makes you want to cry, and then smooths everything out…most of the time.
She know how to keep me on my toes.
Awesome job!!!
3 star reads:
Blurb:
No one sets out in life to hit rock bottom.
I found the man I loved, got married, and that was all I got. It went south so fast I never saw the bottom coming, until I was face first in the darkness with the devil himself.
I became a spiraling tornado of chaos. Love, lies, and drugs. It twisted around me, as did his arms. Nothing was the same, nothing will ever be the same…
My Review:
I went I got this book pretty blind.
I gave this book 3 stars and here is why….
The book has a good story. A story about losing yourself. Not knowing how to get out of a situation your stuck in. Learning to love yourself.
But there were a few times I got confused.
I think some of the same words or phrases were used to many times.
And I didn’t like the ending.
So this was a so/so book for me.
Books with Kathy 
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