Book Boyfriend Reviews: Lani Lynn Vale spotlight, reviews by Dee

So..today we have an author spotlight for you. The spotlight is being shined down on Lani Lynn Vale and her Freebird series! Check out all 4 books in the series, my reviews and my interview with Lani!

SO let's start with book 1 and go through the whole series!

Her
I wanted to have a pity party of one when I went for that beer. I never imagined I would meet a dark and dangerous man. That man took me on the wildest ride of my life. Literally and Figuratively. He quickly became my entire world.

Him
I didn't know I was looking for her. I saw her warming that bar stool and knew she would be mine. A man like me doesn't deserve the likes of her. But damned if I didn't take it.

Her
When we met for the first time we didn't know that we already had a connection. A cruel game was being played, and we didn't know the rules. Sam would save us, but at what cost? Sam was one of my main reasons for living. If he wasn't in this world anymore, would I still want to be a part of it?

I awoke to a large hand drifting from my neck, down my chest, between my breasts, and down my belly to slowly slide between my legs. It then turned and grabbed my thigh, lifting it back and over the thigh that belonged to the hand.

Finally waking up enough, I realized where I was, and who was doing all the touching. Sam.

Sam's hand returned between my thighs and cupped my sex.

In a sleep-roughened voice, he asked "Sore?"

"No.” I lied.

I was sore. However, I wasn’t sore enough to deny myself Sam again.

He slowly slipped one finger in my weeping core and buried it up to the webbing of his fingers. My breath hitched and I let out a low moan as pain and pleasure collided inside of me.

His finger did several in and out maneuvers until, finally, his hand fell away and I felt him take hold of his cock and position it at my entrance. He pressed lightly on my hips with his hand and I rocked back against him until he was buried to the hilt, deep inside me. I felt so full, the feeling compared to nothing I’d ever experienced before.

He took control then and slowly rocked his hips forward and back. I reached my hand back, buried my fingers into his hair, and pulled.

He growled and his thrusts became deeper. His hand traveled up my body and cupped my breast in his hand. His whole hand seemed to dwarf my small breast, but that didn't seem to deter him. He rolled my nipple back and forth between his thumb and finger, pinching lightly. I had the urge to tell him to pinch harder, but held my tongue, unsure of how he’d take me asking him to be rougher.

I got closer and closer to the pinnacle but I felt like I needed something.

“I need...” I hesitated, unsure of what I was trying to say.

Rolling us both, I ended up on my stomach while he went up to his knees behind me. He then yanked my knees up under me and pushed his hand between my shoulder blades to keep them from rising off the mattress. He buried his fingers in my hair and tugged back slightly, just enough that I felt a hint of pain.

Finally, in the desired position, he went to town. He pulled all the way out so his cock was just kissing my entrance; then, with a brutal thrust, he buried himself in me, bottoming out when he hit my cervix.

“Don’t stop!” I begged, when he hesitated for a second.

“Honey, I won’t stop until your legs are shaking and the neighbor’s know my name.” He growled, and then started again with deep thrust, after deep thrust.

This seemed to be what I needed. My orgasm rushed up on me so suddenly that I let out a high pitch wail and exploded. My muscles clamped down on his cock so hard they literally forced him out of my vagina, but he was not deterred. He forged ahead again and rode me until his own orgasm burst forth, and I felt his come jet out in spurts against my cervix. My knees gave out, and he collapsed on top of me.

Both of us were breathing hard; breath sawing in and out of our lungs like we’d just run a sprint relay. Which was quite literally surprising since Sam was absolute perfection in the body department.

I knew Sam was in excellent shape just by looking at his physique; it wasn’t the type of body you got by lifting weights. No, his body was one from demanding, physical labor. His arms looked like they could bench press three of me. Not that I would tell how much three of me weighs.

“I forgot to say your name.” I said, still panting.

“That’s ok; your wail burst my ear drums.” He soothed, patting my ass lightly.

Oh Sam, Sam, Sam... and Cheyenne. Love at first sight, but denying it the whole way. Talk about a total surprise. I don't know what I expected when I started this series, but it wasn't this and I was pleasantly surprised. I was hooked on book one, could not put it down. I just had to know how the story was going to pan out. How the story was going to end. Was Sam going to get his happily ever after? How far was he going to go to protect Cheyenne. And then he does it, he does the one thing that I never expected. He involves the one person I didn't ever think he would call. All for her. Everything for her. But everything for his boys as well. I love that they all served together, so they already have the bond, the brotherhood, the trust. They formed Freebirds for a reason, and it will surprise you when you find out what they do. Such honorable men we have on our hands here. Lani doesn't disappoint with the drama either. There is so much going on. So much you don't know about. So much Sam and the guys don't want you knowing about, but you are dying to know. Once they finally let Cheyenne and us know what's going on... your jaw drops. HOLY DRAMA LANI!!! She pulls out all the stops on this. So much going on..so much!! You know what surprised me the most? The little slips of humor we get here and there. That's not found in your typical MC books, but it fits in perfectly in these. Perfectly. Lani has sucked me in and now I'm a Freebird addict.

I give this book 4.5 hearts

Her
I wanted him, but couldn't find the courage to have him. You know that feeling, the one where you’re too scared to go to sleep, too scared to go out, and too scared to do anything? Ever since my assault, I've been functioning, but not living. That was until I met that motorcycle riding man with such a deep gravelly voice that it sent shivers down my spine. He helped me through some of the darkest moments of my life.

Him
She was a cock tease pure and simple. Or so I thought. What I believed to be a game on her part, turned out to be a bone deep fear of everyday life. We helped each other cope, and slowly our friendship turned into something more.

Them
Circumstances broke the two of us apart just as we decided we wanted to be together. A vengeful woman sets out to ruin Max and anything he holds dear in his life. Payton has gone through so much in her life that enduring one more thing just might break her. Only Max taught Payton a few things. Never hold back. Never hesitate. Do something stupid, and always learn from your mistakes. Together, they can overcome anything

“If you had a problem, all you needed to do was ask, sweetheart.” With that, he took my hand and led me deep underneath the bleachers.

Above me, I could hear the crowd going wild; it was obvious one of ours just scored. The band started to kick in; bass drums thumped a low pounding beat, saxophones rang out, and the cymbals crashed together. Max led me deeper and deeper into the shadows until we came to rest under the very middle. There were bleachers leading up to the middle of the stands. A gate was at the very top keeping anyone from coming down the stairs.

“Did you make out under the bleachers in high school?” He asked me curiously.

“No, you’ll be my first.” I returned coyly.

“Who said I was going to make out with you? Honey, I’m gonna fuck you.”

He hammered that statement home with a possessive kiss. His hand traveled down my back, and slid into the gap at the back of my jeans. His finger traveled down until, finally, he found what he was seeking. My back arched as one long thick finger found its way inside of me. I moaned into his mouth, and lifted my leg so it was resting on the rail enabling his finger to have easier access.

His magic fingers found my clit, and he thrummed it expertly; he got me very near the edge before pulling back, and spinning me to face away from him.

His cock pressed into my lower back, and I groaned in defeat. “Sex standing up doesn’t work so well for a short person.”

His hands worked my belt loose, and then tackled the button of my jeans. He shoved my pants and underwear down to my knees. My bare ass was assaulted with the cool night air, and I shivered. My knees went weak when I felt his bare penis touching the skin of my back.

Max growled and cupped my sex in his large hand.

“I’ll make it work if I have to hold you a foot off the ground to fuck you.”

I kid you not, he did that very thing. Leaning down and wrapping his hand around my waist, he lifted my body until my feet were left dangling inches off the ground and sat me down on his cock. His casted arm came up across my chest and his fingers feathered lightly over my collarbone. My hands clamped down on the arm around my waist, and I held on for the ride.

He groaned when he was seated fully inside of me.

“You’ll have to use your ab muscles.” He said before using his incredible strength to hold me off the ground as well as lifting me up and down on his cock, repeatedly.

“God, I’m close. Are you close? I’m losing it here.” Max growled.

Panting, I managed to squeak out, “Please, don’t stop. You’re so deep this way.”

I had literally no control of the depth. He was in control of the speed, the depth, as well as the pace. I was just along for the ride. It was turning me on even more to know that Max had this kind of strength. Sure, I was only one hundred and twenty pounds, but holding up any amount of weight, let alone moving it up and down, was a challenge. Max wasn’t even breathing hard.

“Fuck.” Max grunted, and started to move faster.

I took one hand from his arm, and immediately located my clit. I was close, but I could tell if I didn’t give myself a little push, that Max would be going without me if the pace he was setting was anything to go by. The first brush of my finger was all it took. Throwing my head back, I leaned against Max’s shoulder as he pounded me through my orgasm.

His harsh oath signaled his own release, and he moved slowly until at last he was spent.

“Jesus Christ, you sure do make me crazy.”

I think this might be my favorite book of the series. Oh hell, they all are pretty close to my favorite. For some reason, this one sticks in my head the most. I love the story of Max and Payton. Maybe it's because what she went through. Maybe it's because of what he's fighting, or who he's fighting. Maybe it's because of the way he takes care of her, the way he protects her, the way he loves her. I don't know, but whatever it is...there is just something that I love about Max and Payton that lingers with me. We are delivered another strong, sexy, military man who isn't afraid to love. Who isn't afraid to show that softer side to his woman. He is just like the others, he loves fiercely. They fight like crazy, but she has such sass and attitude. She starts out so vulnerable. So weak in a way. But with Max, she changes. She grows so much stronger. And I love that. I love when you see that growth in a character. Now Max. I swear I thought I was going to kill him with the amount of times he ended up in jail, and I'm surprised Peyton didn't. However, I will not lie. I cried while reading this book. Lani doesn't fail to deliver another story that sucks you into their style MC, Freebird style love, and leaves you begging for more. You still get that dose of humor, that little bit of fun that makes the characters that much more real. Lani has this way of writing that just sucks you in from the beginning. She gives each character their own story, all the while continuing to provide us a little peak at the ones who have already gotten their feature in a book. So their stories almost continue in a way.

I give this story 4.5 hearts

Her
Snark. Jokes. Attitude.
These were all things I used to disguise the hole in my heart. I'm not a happy person. I don't live life. I just exist. That is until that beautiful man rides in on his Harley Fat Boy and burns rubber on the way into my heart.

Him
My life's been no hayride either. Everyone I've ever loved in life has died or betrayed me. So I stay back and watch. Unless you're one of my brothers, you get nothing from me. I don't participate. I ride. I eat. I sleep. I work. And I repeat. That is until Ember stomps into my life with her bad attitude. She's all piss and vinegar, and makes me want to share my bike seat for the first time.

Together
They fight like cats and dogs. Don't see eye to eye on a single thing. They rant, rave, and yell.
They bring out the best in each other. They heal each other's hearts and souls. They find what they were missing, even the things they never even knew they had.

Everything is perfect. If you didn't count a gang, one of the biggest in the South, gunning for Ember. That, or the pure evilness that is Gabe's ex-girlfriend. Gabe will have to put his life on the line to save the one woman he loves, but will it be enough?

One thing is constant in life. It's about the journey, not about the destination.

Crooking my finger at her, I waited for her to come to me. She shook her head, so I decided to play dirty. Popping the first button on my jeans, I saw her eyes widen. She started to take a step towards me but then stopped herself when she realized what’d she’d just done. She was calling my bluff. Turning my back to her, I quickly popped the other four buttons and started to lower my jeans just to the curve of my ass. Glancing over my shoulder, I saw Ember charging towards me through the rain.

She hit our porch and promptly leapt onto my back. Her wet, hot, slick skin warmed my back, and I growled at the heat emanating from her. Taking her by the arm, I slung her around to where her front was plastered to my front, and her legs were wrapped around my waist.

Her warm lips traveled up the side of my neck and she hummed. “Now we both have to get nakie.”

Leaning her against the side of the house, I placed a soft kiss on her lips. One tiny, soft touch.

“Precisely.” I whispered against her mouth, and then kissed her for real.

She moaned and started moving her hips against mine. I pinned her harder against the wall with my body, but then had to make a mad grab to keep my pants from exposing anything to Cheyenne who I knew still stood there watching us. Looking to my left, I confirmed my suspicions when I saw her and Sam leaning against the wall watching us with smiles on their faces.

“You know,” Sam yelled. “We do have little kids here now. You might want to take that inside.”

“É bebê fazendo tempo.” I yelled back at Sam.

Sam burst out laughing and then hooked an arm around Cheyenne’s neck, dragging her to the door with him.

“I don’t need the weather!” He yelled before slamming the door.

If I wasn’t wrong, they were about to be doing the same thing I was about to do. There was just something about a good thunderstorm that brought out the bad in me.

“What does that mean, what you just yelled at him?” She asked me.

“Look it up in the morning.” I growled against her neck.

She might flip if I told her what it meant.

“Tell me now.” She whispered against my neck.

Thunder boomed overhead, making us both jump at the suddenness of it. My body held Ember’s up against the brick of the house. Both of our breathing was heavy. Ember’s hair lay plastered to her head. Her white shirt was transparent now. I could see her hard nipples poking through, and immediately knew she wasn’t wearing a bra.

“You’re not wearing a bra.” I growled against her lips.

“No. That suckers gone as soon as I get home,” She laughed. “And, besides, it’s not like I need one anyway. All it does is stop my nipples from being seen.”

“That it does. But seeing your nipples drives me crazy.” I informed her, all the while grinding my cock into her mound.

Lightening rented the now dark sky, followed by thunder. I slipped my hand up Ember’s waist and then grabbed hold of her waistband and yanked them down her legs, forcing her legs to let go of my waist. I divested her of her panties a second later.

“We can’t do this out here, Gabe.” Ember said, while licking a path up my neck to the line of my jaw.

That didn’t stop her from winding her legs around my waist again though. Reaching between us, I freed my cock from my jeans and positioned myself at her entrance. With one thrust, I was inside of her tight wet heat.

Ember threw her head back and cried out.

“No one can see us. It’s too dark out here, and with the rain it makes it nearly impossible to see.” I said gruffly.

“What are you an exhibitionist or something?” She asked.

I pulled out of her nearly all the way and then thrust back in to the hilt. My cock head bumped her cervix, and I immediately pulled back out and thrust forward again. I wasn’t going to last very long. There was just something so right when I was with her.

Snaking my hands in between our bodies I found her clit with my thumb and started massaging it in slow circles. Ember’s hips bucked at the contact. Her fingernails dug into my shoulders so hard I knew I’d have marks in the morning. Her head was still thrown back and the long column of her throat was exposed. I sucked on her neck, then trailed my lips downward until I got to her pebbled nipple. Sucking her shirt and all into my mouth, I gave a strong pull and she shot off like a rocket.

Her walls started constricting around me and that was all it took. I detonated and started shooting deep inside her. A long deep moan escaped from my mouth that was now hovering above her nipple.

Once we were both spent, I gave her an easy kiss on the mouth.

“I’m not an exhibitionist, or, at least, I wasn’t until I met you. Now, I can’t seem to get enough of you. I don’t think it was physically possible for me to take those three steps into the house.” I said to her.

Her eyes twinkled and then went round as saucers when thunder boomed overhead.

“Will you tell me now what that meant? What you said to Sam?” She asked.

Laughing, I pulled out of her and dropped her legs to the ground. Making sure she was steady, I let go of her completely and then shucked my jeans completely. My boxers were dry, so I left them on until I could get inside and change. I bent down and scooped up our clothes, and then opened the front door.

“Come on.” I said to her.

“You aren’t going to tell me, are you?”

“Not yet.”

“Soon?”

“Maybe.” I said.

Ember and Gabe are one of the best couples, if you ask me. Alright, they're all the best couples in their own right. Okay, they were definitely one of the funniest to me. There is such something about Ember that makes me laugh. I think it may be all her jokes, or her snark. I don't know but I found myself giggling quite a few times reading this book. I will suggest this. By the time you get to this book, have a grid of who is with who, and who is related to who. If you don't remember, you will need it to keep them straight. That is my only complaint. By the time this book rolled around, I couldn't remember who was who's brother/sister/kid, etc. We still get to see our other characters in this book, which you know I love. Lani did another superb job with this one. She has the perfect balance of sexy, dramatic and humor in the storyline. Okay, maybe the scale leans a little more toward sexy and dramatic. Okay, Okay.. a lot more toward sexy and dramatic but still, it works. It's a great balance. You will find yourself amazed at who betrayed who in this story. You will love the way Ember stands up for her students and those she cares about. Your heart will break when the reality of Gabe's past comes back crashing down and the way he was betrayed. You will be so sad with what she thinks he wants. I was heartbroken, only for Lani to turn around and stitch that heart back together. Such a fabulous job, yet again.

I give this story 4 hearts

Her
She’s the definition of lost. Doesn't know her name? Check. Cruelly beaten within an inch of her life? Check. No memory of anything that's happened since she woke up from that beating? Check. Losing a child she doesn't remember conceiving? Check. She hasn't felt anything but lost in a very long time. Then an old biker tells her danger is on the horizon. He sends her to a man that she instantly feels a connection with. A bone deep connection.

Him
He’s the definition of despair. After the death of his young wife while on a tour of duty in Afghanistan, he hasn't seen the appeal of participating in the world around him. He’s lost the only thing he ever loved. He’s been a shell of the man he once was. His only escape from reality is feeling the wind in his hair, going as fast as he can get his old Harley to take him. That’s the only time he can push his demons back far enough to feel peace. That is until she screams his name.

Okay, let me start off with this. If anyone ever tells you that you can read this book as a stand alone...stomp on their feet. It's not true. You are going to want to read the other books so you understand their history, the brotherhood, the loss, the family they have created. It will make much more sense. Plus the characters will just confuse the heck out of you. Okay, now on to Jack and Winter. Lani does a great job with this book. She has such a good balance of drama, suspense, sexiness, and even throws in a bout or two of humor. She also does a fab job of writing Jack and the dominant, sexy man that he is. And Winter...I love that at the start of the book, she's a little vulnerable. She doesn't have a memory, but she has scars from what happened to her, just no idea where they came from. So, okay, she's more than a little vulnerable; she's a lotta vulnerable. But once everything starts to come back and she becomes Winter again, she turns into such a strong female character. She doesn't just ask how high when Jack says jump, she is her own person. She stands up to people. She opens her mouth. She doesn't let people walk all over her. I love it. I love strong female leads. These two never seem to stop encountering losses or fighting through the drama that keeps getting thrown their way. It is a story that will definitely keep you on your toes, and their not your typical MC. You will be surprised when you find out more about their MC. I know I was.

I gave this book 4 hearts

Who was the inspiration for your male leads in the series?

For Sam, it was Joe Manganiello (with the graying hair).

Gabe- Beto Malfacini

Max- Clint Eastwood’s son, Scott. (OMG have you seen this man? He is hot!)

Ummm...we have now!!

Jack- it was some random guy I saw on Pinterest. He was smoking hot, so of course, I had to write a book about him. J

James- same thing. I was cruising Pinterest for tattoos and saw a guy that I loved.

Who was the inspiration for your female leads in the series?

(Don’t tell on me!!) But they were some of my friends. Almost every woman in the whole series, besides Winter, was based off of one of my friends. I wanted to make sure to describe a real woman, not someone who was Photo shopped to look at her best.

When you started the first book, did you intend for it to be a series?

Yes, and no. I don’t think I intended to make a book for every single one of them, but I did intend to write one for Sam, Max and James. The other’s were a surprise to me after writing the other books.
Is LDOML the last book in the Freebirds series?

If so, is there anyone that you thought deserved their story told and it wasn’t told?

Sam’s dad. He has some ‘splainin to do! But I sort of cover his in bits and pieces in my next series, The Heroes of The Dixie Wardens MC. You’ll get a closer look into Sam’s dad’s (Silas) life.

Blaine and Elliott will have a short story coming out at some point. Yes, they deserve a story that hasn’t been written yet, but they will get one!

And for all the Luke lovers, they will see him get his happily ever after.

If it’s not, what can we expect from future books? If they’re not Freebirds, what else are you working on?

I have a new series coming out in the fall, The Heroes of The Dixie Wardens MC. They will cover Sebastian (Sam’s brother) and the other heroes of The Dixie Wardens. Some are firefighters, others are paramedics, and some are even officers of the law!

Luke will get his time in the spotlight as well with the KPD SWAT series (Impending release—who knows? It’s gonna happen though! It just depends on how fast my little fingers can type out my thoughts!)

Can we expect a spin off that includes Sam’s family in their own MC?

Oh yes!

How hard is it to write the ‘dark parts’ of the stories?

It’s tough. I pretty much experience it right along with my characters, so it’s tough to have to deal with that. It’s hard to separate my emotions at times.

Do you have a favorite male or female character from Freebirds?

Cheyenne and Ember are tied. I’ve wanted to name one of my kids Cheyenne since I was a young girl and my husband wouldn’t let me. So my first character got my baby name! J As for Ember, she is the most like me. If I were to write myself into a book, Ember would be the most like me...I have no filter. J

What made you write a ‘different’ type of MC , instead of the typical bad boys doing illegal things?

Honestly? My mind doesn’t work that way. I’d originally set out to do just that, and the words just didn’t come. So I let my mind wander to the type of person I would be comfortable writing about, or hell even being with, and that’s where it ended up.

If you could say one thing about your series stands apart from other MC’s, what would it be?

I tried to make my men alphas, but not as$h*les. That’s not to say they’re not stern and adamant when it comes to their woman’s life, but they definitely aren’t mean about it.

Where do you do your best writing?

Most of my writing is done at the kitchen table with my kids running amuck around me. Now, the better question would be When! That’s when my kids are all asleep, and my husband doesn’t have the TV jacked up to a decibel that would blow out a normal person’s eardrums.

What is the best compliment someone ever gave you?

I had a woman message me a couple of weeks ago telling me I helped her get through her last few chemo treatments. She said that I was making her laugh, and that was just what she needed when she was feeling her lowest. It really touched my heart, and I will forever remember how it made me feel to read that.

What’s the best advice anyone ever gave you?

I had another author contact me, Jessie Lane, telling me that she loved my books. The best advice was when she told me that the cover sells the book, and I wholeheartedly agree. Jessie Lane did all of my covers, and I get the most compliments on them!

If you had any advice for up and coming indie authors, what would it be?

Make friends with another author. I have been blessed with two lovely ladies that offer advice to me, Chelsea Camaron and Jessie Lane, and I don’t know what I would’ve done without them.

If there was one genre you could dabble with, what would it be?

Historical

Who is your inspiration?

My husband. The good and the bad.

Do you like to ride on motorcycles?

Yes and no. Motorcycles are powerful machines. They’re beautiful, and strong. But they’re also not as easily seen as automobiles, so it gets me a little nervous to be on one.

Is anything in your books based off of real life experiences?

Actually, quite a bit.

In Gabe’s book, one of his favorite sayings is that it’s “Baby Making Weather.” My husband started saying that when we were first got together. Now every time it storms, 10 years later, he still says it.

In Cheyenne’s book, where she talks about her brother dropping her cake? My sister did that 15 years ago, and I haven’t let her forget it since.

All of our men were involved in the military, do you come from a military background?

No. I’ve always been fascinated, though. I’d intended to go into the army myself, but I had a knee injury when I was a teenager that kept me from pursing that option. So I did the next best thing and wrote about them.

All our characters have such strong family connections, do you come from a large, tight nit family?

I wouldn’t say my family is big, but it is tight nit! My sister and I are best friends. We can tell each other anything. The same goes for my mom. They’re always the first ones to read my books at its dirtiest. Unedited in all its glory.

If you could pick one character- one female and one male- to be real, who would it be?

Sam and Cheyenne.

If you could pick one of the books in the series to be made into a movie, which one would it be?

Ohh, that’s a tough question.

I would say Last Day of My Life.

What are you currently reading?

Captain’s Fury by Jim Butcher