This is a series by Lani Lynn Vale. All of Lani’s series and books are interconnected but they are also all stand-alones about different couples.
My average rating for this series: 4.65 stars
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Aaron ‘don’t ever call me Fatbaby’ Sims is lucky to be alive. Or at least that is what everyone keeps telling him. He doesn’t feel lucky, though.
He’s scarred, has more than a little bit of a bad attitude, and there isn’t a single day that goes by that he doesn’t wish his wife would’ve just finished off the job.
After being denied his old position at the fire department, he leaves, and doesn’t look back. He heads straight to Alabama and into the semi-welcoming arms of The Dixie Wardens MC. There he becomes a part of a brotherhood that forces him to get back in the land of the living.
—
Imogen is a smart girl. A girl who doesn’t always make the best decisions.
Her heart is in the right place when she walks into that prison, but it doesn’t take long for her to realize that her heart shouldn’t have had any say so in the matter. Especially when one wrong move lands her in the arms of a scarred man that looks frightening enough to scare any sane woman away.
Immediately enthralled by the angry man, she tries to get closer to him. But the harder she tries to get to know him, the further he pushes her away.
—
The only thing Aaron wanted to do after his now ex-wife was sent to jail was escape. Escape the awful memories. The pity-filled eyes. The curious glances.
He does a damn fine job at ensuring he draws as little as attention as possible, but then that annoying woman with her startling blue eyes starts hammering away at his resolve. Makes him feel when he doesn’t want to feel.
Imogen comes into his life and carves out a place for herself, obliterating his defenses one heated kiss at a time.
My Review: 5 stars
Lani Lynn Vale never fails!
Bread Mode is a mix of love, tears, and bad-ass bikers.
You have Aaron. He was a firefighter until his ex-wife attacked and left him with burns over a large part of his body. Now a prison guard/cop, he’s just trying to get by day to day. He is also a member of the Dixie Warden MC – the Alabama chapter, also know as the Dixie Warden Rejects.
You have Imogen. She is a mechanic who is taking care of her sisters son while she is deployed.
“The man was sexy. Scarred, yes, but sexy beyond belief. Very, very sexy.” – Imogen
Imogen and Aaron meet officially when Imogen takes her nephew to see his dad in prison, where Aaron is working. After an incident occurs, they realize they know each other, plus they’re neighbors. Their relationship happens quite fast but once you read the book you will understand why.
As you know with Lani’s books, just when everything is going good, something bad is bound to happen. Will Aaron and Imogen survive their hard times, or will it kill them?
Damn you Lani Lynn Vale!! I cried like a baby during this book. Like ugly crying and I have a terrible ugly cry face.
Tragedy, tears, laughter, love = this book has it all!!
“We don’t lick people” – Lies adults tell kids
Tally is a twenty-year-old single mother struggling to finish nursing school. Has she made mistakes in life? Sure, but her daughter isn’t one of them. She works hard, she studies even harder, and she’s only a few weeks away from graduating.
She’s living her life the best she knows how when she witnesses a near miss motorcycle accident between a car and a biker. A biker that happens to be the most talked about teacher at her college.
The moment she meets those startling blue, narrowly-escaped-death eyes, she realizes quickly that life as she knows it has changed. No longer will she be content to let life pass her by, even if it puts everything she’s worked so hard for in jeopardy.
***
Tommy is a highly skilled doctor. A teacher. A veteran. A fully-patched member of The Dixie Wardens MC. He’s lonely, but also set in his ways. What will it take for this man to accept that he needs to make some changes in his life? Apparently, it’ll take a guy in a truck, who’s preoccupied with his phone rather than focused on the road, nearly plowing into him on his bike at seventy miles per hour. Oh, and a twenty-something year old nursing student witnessing the entire thing from only a few feet away.
It only takes a second, a single heartbeat in time, as he looks into her worry-filled eyes to realize that he’d give anything for a single night with her. He may lose his job in the process, but after that one incredible night turns into an amazing weekend, he knows it’s worth the risk for the promise of her forever.
My Review: 5 stars
Another hit from Lani Lynn Vale!
If you love a sexy doctor who is also a teacher, a biker and former military, then you’ll love this book!!
It’s sexy, fun, entertaining, and leaves you wanting more. You definitely don’t want to miss this book.
Tommy: Dr. Tomirkanivov aka Dr. Tommy aka Dr. Bones—is an ER doctor, a teacher, a biker, and a former Marine. When Tally crosses his path, he isn’t prepared for the feelings that she makes him feel, or how her daughter makes him feel.
Can he control himself to not make a stupid decision that will not only jeopardize his job but her education or will be cross the teacher/student line?
“Only one night,” she declared. “This is the one and only time we pursue this.”
Yeah, right. But I’d agree with her if that was what she needed to hear. I’d set her straight later.
Tally: is a twenty—almost twenty-one—year-old single mom working forty hours a week and going to school full time. She loves her daughter Tallulah with her whole heart and is determined to finish school so she can give her daughter a good life. When life makes her cross paths with a mystery biker, she never realized how big of an impact it was going to make on her like. The biker ended up being Dr. Tomirkanivov aka Dr. Tommy aka Dr. Bones—and ER doctor and one of her teaches this semester.
What Tally doesn’t know is that her father and Tommy have a past history. Will she have to choose between the two or will they be able to work out this issues?
I loved Tommy and Tally’s story. There was less action in this book than some of Lani’s other books but I felt the story line made up for that. I love how both Tommy and Tally where trying their best to do what was right but sometimes emotions take over. So,Erie she you can’t help the connect you have with a person. Plus he way Tommy was with Tallulah, AMAZING!!!
Truth Alan Reacher was a biker. He was a bladesmith. What he was not, was a fool.
The moment he walked in on his girl screwing his cousin on his bike, he does the only thing he can do.
He ditches the bike seat—and the girl—riding right out of her life without a backwards glance.
That is until he’s forced to attend the marriage of his cousin to his cheating ex-girlfriend. The only bright spot of the entire thing was watching some chick go off on the groom—the groom’s ex-fiancé—right in the middle of the bouquet toss.
***
Verity Ruthann Cassidy was supposed to be here today attending this wedding as the bride, not watching the festivities as a guest from the chairs she’d painstakingly purchased covers for while her fiancé—now her ex-fiancé—screwed around on her with another woman.
The icing on the wedding cake that she refuses to eat? She’s forced to attend the wedding due to her mother being the wedding planner.
However, the night doesn’t turn out quite the way she expects it due to the hot-as-hell biker sitting in the chair directly beside her. The man gave one hell of a speech during the reception that sounded like something that could have come straight out of her own mouth, and she enjoyed every single second of it.
***
Thrown together under similarly lousy circumstances, the two newly single jilted former lovers of the happy couple decide to go to Vegas on what was to be Verity’s honeymoon trip.
One thing leads to another, and the next thing they know, their night has gone from a celebration of being single to a marriage—to each other.
Verity and Truth now have to figure out if everything that happens in Vegas should stay in Vegas.
My Review: 4 stars
Sean is a man with needs—needs that a lot of women were ready and willing to fulfill. Yet, the only woman that he wants to fulfill them dumped him for another man. A man who’s a member of his MC and is someone he has to see every single day and twice on Sundays.
He’s bitter and angry. He’s definitely not in the right frame of mind when it comes to dealing with women. Which is unfortunate for his new partner, Naomi, a fresh-out-of-school and totally green paramedic.
—
Naomi’s got enough problems on her plate. A brother who’s self-destructive and doesn’t care who he takes down with him. A man who she’s in love with but who doesn’t love her. A job that she hates because it is a constant reminder of what she can’t have.
Desperate to distance herself from her problems, she runs, taking the first job in her field that she finds willing to take on someone with so little experience.
The last thing she needs is a perpetually pissed off partner, especially when he sets her blood on fire.
But life doesn’t ask how much you can handle when it dishes out challenges. It just keeps piling them on until you’ve bested them or you’ve buckled under them.
—
Sean really doesn’t want to like his new partner, Naomi. He just wants to be left alone to live his life however he damn well pleases and without complications.
Naomi doesn’t care what he wants, she can’t be anything but herself. It isn’t long before she’s breaking down his walls and making him feel again. She’s trying to pull him closer and he’s pushing her away.
It’s not long before Sean sees the error of his ways.
It’s too bad, though, that by the time he realizes she’s the one, Naomi’s already gone.
My Review: 5 stars
Lani, Lani, Lani, what are you doing to me with this series?
I’m Only Here for the Beard is the story of Sean and Naomi.
At the beginning of this book, Naomi’s in the hospital after being hit by a police cruiser, who was being driven by her drunk brother. Realizing her life isn’t where she wants it to be, she has plans to move from Kilgore, Texas to Alabama. Yes, Kilgore Texas where more of our sexy bikers live. Naomi works with Aspen on the ambulance in Kilgore and she has always had a crush on PD. But when PD got back with July, Naomi realized that she need to move on and go forward with her life. So she’s moving to Alabama.
Enter Sean, Naomi’s new partner at work.
“Roses are red, violets are blue. Blah, blah, blah. I don’t like you”
Sean had just gotten out of a relationship with Ellen because Ellen was secretly wanting Jessie, a brother in his MC. When Sean found a woman he liked, he fell hard and fast and it usually came back to bite him in the butt. Just when he decided love wasn’t for him, Naomi walks in and turns his world around.
It takes Sean and Naomi a while to get into a relationship. They both have their own insecurities about things in their lives. But will this new relationship be able to handle the shit storm that is headed its way?
Lani knows how to make you go from “What a happy story” to ” Are you freaking kidding me? How could you do that? I hate you right now.” (I don’t really hate her by the way)
“Women are basically natural disasters with tits”
I really enjoyed Sean and Naomi story. I feel like this story had a little more personal depth than some of the other stories. I really enjoyed being able to see more of the personal connection between the characters. Plus, who doesn’t love a story that talks about the “squatty potty”.
You never know what twists and turns are going to be thrown into the series. I love how she keeps all her books connected in one way or another. Mentioning a name from a past book or having a guest appearance from someone in a past book.
And of course in good Lani fashion, she drops more hints about who Ghost is. I’m still completely stumped on who he is.
Now, to be patient till the end of the month so I can read Jessie’s story and get more hints about who Ghost is.
He’s only a friend.
Those words had haunted him from the moment Jessie James had heard them muttered from the girl who held his heart, and whom he thought had his back.
Fourteen years later, he still feels those words like a brand on his soul.
Lucky for him he has a son to focus on, a full-time job that demands his attention the rest of the day, and not a single moment to spare for a woman who won’t stand up for him when he needs her the most.
He’s only a friend.
The words had slipped out of Ellen’s mouth, and before she could recall them, or better yet, explain them, Jesse is gone from her life for good, taking her heart with him.
She tries to move on, to climb her way out of the pit of despair, but not one single person – regardless of how badly she wants to make it work – can fill the void that was left in his wake.
Time heals all wounds.
Or at least that is how the saying goes.
It’s a crock of crap, though.
Fourteen years pass when Jessie and Ellen see each other again without the influence of the town and bad memories surrounding them, and it’s as if not a single day has passed.
Ellen knows the instant that her eyes see her old love that she’s still just as in love with him today as she was all those years ago.
The problem is that Jesse wants nothing to do with her. Or at least that’s what he keeps telling himself.
My Review: 5 stars
Lani Lynn Vale continues to surprise me. I loved Jessie and Ellen’s story.
High school lovers who were torn apart and find each other 14 years later.
But other of them are broken on the inside.
Do they have the strength to confront their past and move on? Or will the past come back and tear them apart again?
Loved this story. Jessie is an amazing dad and would do anything for Linc.
Ellen has so much love to give and hopes she will be able to give it to the man she has always loved.
Ghost [gohst] noun: the soul of a dead person, a disembodied, vague, shadowy spirit wandering among or haunting living persons; a mere shadow or semblance; a trace.
That noun sums up Ghost and what his life has become with painful precision. He is barely living, merely existing but never thriving. There wasn’t much that could pull him from the darkness he willingly inhabits…except one thing. Her.
She is the reason he’s done what he’s done, and his life has become what it has become.
He haunts his former life, lurking in the background, surviving on occasional glimpses of the only thing good that is left in his miserable life. The horror he has inflicted upon her is nothing compared to the terror that waits for her when someone moves in to take her from him.
The thing about being stuck in the past is that it is like walking through life backwards. She is always looking back, so she doesn’t see what is happening in front of her. Unfortunately for her, it turns out that the ghosts of the past aren’t nearly as terrifying as the monsters of the future.
They say that true love is like a ghost, something that many talk about but few have seen. It’s a good thing for that, too, because he’ll need that element of surprise to protect her. Hopefully when the dust settles, he’ll be able to resurrect more than just himself.
My Review: 5 stars
Heartbreaking. Heart wrenching. Dark. Wonderful. Captivating. Ghost is defiantly a 5 star read.
Ghost [ghost] noun: the soul of a dead person, a disembodied vague, shadowy spirit wandering among or haunting living persons; a mere shadow or semblance; a trace
This definition describes Ghost perfectly.
He supposed to be dead. He was so badly injured he had a closed casket. But he wanders among others, staying in the shadows.
Because he’s alive.
We all know from the last five books that Ghost is someone from a past book. We have been getting bits and pieces of him over time and now we finally find out who he is.
Ghost was dead. Clinically dead but he somehow survived with luck and amazing medical treatment. But because of his injuries, he does not look like himself anymore. He looks like a different person all together. This helps him stay hidden.
Ghost keeps to himself and he does this for many reasons.
To keep his past hidden.
To keep his family safe.
Even though his family thinks he is dead, he’s always been there. He’s been to every school play, every event, everything. But he always stays in the shadows, like a Ghost.
But when something happens and his family could be in danger, Ghost comes out of the shadows.
Mrs. Ghost (you didn’t really think I would tell you his wife’s name, did you?) has never moved on. Ghost was her one true love and she hasn’t been with anyone since. They meet when she was sixteen and never looked back.
But her whole life changes when a new neighbor tries to get close to her. She had no idea that agreeing to a dinner with this neighbor would set off a chain of events that would change her life all over again.
When Mrs. Ghost find out that Ghost is still alive….HOLY COW!!!!
That is probably one of the most powerful moments in the entire book. Probably one of the most powerful moments in the entire series.
What would you do to keep your family safe?
What would you do to right the wrongs from the pasts, even if they are not your wrongs?
What happens when you can’t fight the pull anymore?
What happens when you can’t stay away any longer?
You’ll have to read to find out……and when you do…..OHHHH MAN!!!!
When you find out who Ghost is, you are going to say “HOLY CRAP!”
When you find out why he stayed hidden for so long, you are going to be shocked! Like totally, completely shocked.
This book was absolutely amazing. Sebastian has always been my favorite but now I’m pretty sure Ghost has taken that number one spot.
I was crying by chapter two. Actually, I probably cried like every two to three chapters.
I loved how characters from the past made their way into this book. I love how all of Lani’s books tie together and you never know who is going to make an appearance.
Lani never lets me down with her books. She always out does herself and keeps me wanting more. Luckily, she always has more just around the corner to give us.
This story truly touched my heart. It is about true love and doing that needs to be done to protect your family. One underlying theme in all of Lani’s books is family. She shows that family is the most important thing in life. Whether it be blood family or a family that has bonded over the years, you stick together and help each other through the good times and the bad.
Tobias knows that women are a lot of trouble, and one in particular is more trouble than most. Yet even with the knowledge that she’s a pain in the ass, he doesn’t stop himself from doing the one thing he knows that he shouldn’t do—fall in love with her.
It’s supposed to be simple. Get in, get the girl, and get out.
What Tobias isn’t supposed to do is fall for the woman he’s supposed to rescue. But he can’t help being intrigued–and amused–by the defiance rolling off Audrey every time he so much as speaks to her. This fascination only intensifies with every single word from her delectable mouth.
***
It’s been six years since her assault, yet it feels like it happened just yesterday. Audrey’s sick and tired of feeling so useless. She’s had enough of being scared, she doesn’t want to be all alone for the rest of her life. All of that boils down to a woman who’s had enough of not doing anything to reclaim her life.
She’s at a loss as to how to move on, and every attempt she makes results in failure. Just when she’s ready to quit, a sexy biker is there to push her out of her comfort zone.
Under Tobias’ patient guidance, Audrey slowly makes her way back to herself. She lands a job that she adores, and she thinks she’s finally found her place in this world. Most surprisingly, though, she finds herself falling in love with a man that honestly scares her to death.
Just when she vows to take that final step that’ll put her past in her past forever, the life she wants to live is yanked away. Leaving her with nothing to pick up the pieces.
My Review: 4 stars
I loved Tobias and Audrey. Their story is a bit different than the some of the others, but don’t worry, you won’t be disappointed.
Tobias has such a kind heart. He didn’t want to have feeling for Audrey because she is Tunnel’s sister and because she has been through terrible things in her past, but he does. He only wants what is best for her and doesn’t want to push her too far into a relationship but as the story continues, his feelings grow. Will she feel that same way? Will he be to scared to ever try anything with her?
Audrey is extremely strong. After what she went though, she is doing remarkable, even if she is still very nervous around men, but that is understandable. After finally having Tunnel back in her life, Audrey feels like life is finally going good again.
When Tobias comes into her life, she feels comfortable around a man for the first time in forever, and that scares her. She doesn’t want to let her guard down but she knows that Tobias won’t hurt her. Will she be able to let him in or will she end up pushing him away?
One thing I love about Lani’s books is that old characters make appearances. This just makes my heart happy.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It’s a bit different than some of the others but I think the story is deeper. I think it can connect to the readers in a different way than the other books did.
Winnie thinks she has the perfect life.
Two beautiful, healthy children. A police officer husband. A job that she loves. Oh, and let’s not forget that she’s a nationally ranked marathon runner.
Fast forward six months, and her perfect life has imploded.
Winnie finds herself in a completely new world, and this new world is a brutal bitch.
In this new life of hers, her husband is gone. He realizes, at the worst possible time, that he’s no longer in love with her. He’s in love with her best friend. He leaves, and doesn’t look back.
Her sixteen-year-old daughter is in trouble with the law, and she’s barely making ends meet thanks to losing the job that was keeping her and her tiny family afloat.
Then, the last thing that could make it all bearable, her running, is ripped out from under her, too. Thanks to a spinal stroke that leaves her unable to walk, let alone run, she’s having to relearn how to do the simplest of tasks—such as putting on her own pants.
She’s at the lowest of lows, and the last thing she wants is a sexy, bearded, motorcycle riding alpha to tell her how to live her life.
But Steel Cross never asks her what she wants.
***
The moment Steel Cross sees Winnie’s daughter steal some shoes for her younger brother, he knows he’s in trouble.
He’s a sucker for misunderstood teens. After all, he was once one himself.
He knows he can’t just walk away, and the moment he sees that troubled teen’s mother, he doesn’t just know it, he feels it. Down to the very bottom of his soul.
With his share of hard knocks, he knows that he shouldn’t step in and make his move on a fellow police officer’s ex. There’s a code, after all, yet he just can’t seem to help himself.
He’s done being the good guy. Sometimes he just wants to be bad.
And Winnie makes him realize that being bad is still kind of good. As long as you’re with the right person.
My Review: 4 stars
Where to begin……I really enjoyed Steel’s (Big Papa) book. It was fun and flirty but still had that edge that Lani always puts in her books. When you know something bad is going to happen but you never know when.
I loved Winnie from the start. She was strong and independent and did whatever she could to try and give her kids a good life.
Steel stole my heart. Steel made a promise to keep an eye on Winnie’s house for a friend, knowing that she was actually telling him to keep an eye on Winnie and the kids.
When Steel ends up having some run-ins with Winnie’s daughter Conleigh, you can tell that something is blooming between Winnie and Steel. The way Steel is with her kids tells so much about how he is as a man.
But they will not have the typical relationship for a few reasons. I can’t spoil the book but you will not believe what one reason is.
Steel and Winnie will have many hardships on their road to a relationship. Will they be able to get past those hardships or will they be torn apart?
About the Author:
Lani Lynn Vale is a USA Today Bestselling Author of over thirty titles. She is married with three children, two dogs, two cats, a donkey, and a couple (a couple also meaning over twenty) chickens.
When she’s not writing, you can find her curled up in her favorite chair reading.
Lani is married with three children and lives in the Great State of Texas.
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Books with Kathy 
Great review all these books look and sound absolutely amazingly fantastic I am really glad you fully enjoyed reading all of these books. Thank you so much for sharing your awesome post.
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I want them all – these look extra tasty!
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These are all very good reviews.
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