Series: The Dixie Wardens Rejects MC #1
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.
It doesn’t take long, and he realizes he’s in deep. Too deep to ever want to come out.
Imogen will know what it’s like to be loved by a reject.
“New guy.” Someone muttered behind me.
I turned only my head to find Stone, the president, staring at me with hard eyes.
“Yeah?” I asked him, dropping my bag on the floor and heading in his direction instead of out the door like I’d originally intended.
“You’re here because you have a special set of skills that we need.” The leader of the band of misfits, Stone, drawled.
I nearly laughed.
“That sounds like a bad line out of a movie.” I muttered, wondering where he was going with this.
He tossed me a glare and then yelled.
“Truth!” Stone yelled. “Ghost! Get the fuck in here!”
Ghost and Truth walked in the door at the same time, both of them turning to the side to walk inside, and stared at Stone
“Ghost, hold Truth down so New Guy can give him the fuckin’ shot.” Stone grumbled.
Ghost tackled Truth and wrestled him to the desk, then sat on him while Stone leaned back and watched.
“No, motherfucker!” Truth yelled. “I don’t want it!”
“It’s the fuckin’ flu shot, you dumb shit. Not a fuckin’ tracking device. Take a fuckin’ chill pill.” Stone grumbled, staring at the scuffle that was going down in front of him.
I picked up the syringe from the table, similar to the one I’d given everybody else’s flu shot with, and stabbed it in the meat of Truth’s arm.
Truth bellowed in rage, and I flipped the guard up on the syringe before tossing it into the trash can.
“Done?” I asked Stone. “I have to get to work.”
Stone nodded.
“Yeah, thanks.” He nodded. “Have fun at the nut house.”
I grunted something unintelligible, causing him to laugh.
“Don’t sound so excited.” He laughed.
I flipped him off and walked out the door just as Ghost was letting Truth up
“Why you gotta be such a big motherfucker?” Truth growled. “If you’d been anyone else, I’d have gotten away.”
“Why do you think I called Ghost instead of anyone else?” I heard Stone reply.
WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING…
“Lani Lynn Vale has a way of taking your soul and twisting it and tearing it up, but then somehow, some way making sure that the book still makes you have a goofy freaking happy smile, and all in love with her by the end of it.” – MJ’s Book Blog and Reviews
“It was sooo good and I am sooo excited that this was my first Lani Lynn Vale book…gasp….can you believe I have not read one of her books yet??” – iScream Books
“Don’t think about it, just go one click this book and you’ll enjoy it like, I did. One thing about this author is she keeps getting better every time. You will never be disappointed about it, I promise.” – Fabulous Ladies Book Blog
Aaron and Imogen, a playlist by Lani Lynn Vale on Spotify
Congrats and Bravo, Lani Lynn Vale, for the start of this new series, and for once again creating an addictive base/cast that is sure to keep us hooked for all the future books of The Dixie Wardens Rejects MC! Something tells me this is going to be epic! And judging by this start…WOW…
Aaron came to us, for the first time in the beginning of one of my all time series, Kilgore Fire, and immediately I was anxious to know more, and what would come from his horrific accident in Shock Advised – a MUST READ – and what the future (and Lani herself) reserved to him.
New Town. New Beginning…
Well, sort of… LOL. After everything that happened in his life, Aaron sees no other chance but to leave his family and friends, and return to the town he left as a child, and hope for a fresh start (as much as possible given his physical reminders, his scars), free from all the bad memories.
But fear not because this BEARD MODE, really is about moving on, and I’m so happy that the author didn’t get stuck in his tragic past, and its memories, because it sure gave us some hilarious scenes, like that opening scene at his mom’s dinner. OMG, I laughed so hard…
“I changed your diapers, you know. Cleaned shit out of the creases of your balls,” my mother started.
I pinched the bridge of my nose.
“That’s exactly what all of your diners want to hear, Mom,”
Of course, the fact that the heroine, Imogen, witness this humorous moment, but I diverge.
Imogen, the main female character was simply brilliant. A self made woman, an ex-Marine, and a absolute badass has been struggling to keep her crazy family afloat, so when her secret childhood crush, now all man, but scarred by his past moves across the hall, she can’t help but take her fill, even from afar.
Aaron, not one for bullshit, doesn’t deny that the pixie mechanic makes him feel more than any woman before, but with the why women burnt him in the past he can’t help but be cautious and protect himself. The same goes for Imogen, even though she already has plenty on her plate, she can’t help but be curious about him, so they end up in somewhat of a friendship. I loved that, but their chemistry, attraction and the sexual tension present when both were in the same room, couldn’t be denied for long, so when the tragedy struck one person close to Aaron – WARNING: have the Kleenex prepared – he realized that living like he had been wasn’t really living, and that we all need somebody to love, and that love us back.
I wanted someone to mourn me like that when I was gone.
It was a sick reality I lived in, but I wanted it.
And I wanted it with Imogen.
What I had with her—the feeling I got when I was around her—it felt big. It felt like something I wanted to pursue.
I don’t want to spoiler who the shocking moment concerns, but that moment, the funeral, with the widow, and the K9 partner, truly broke my heart! 🙁
At least all that sadness had a positive note, because it was the kick in the butt that Aaron needed to decide to move on with his life, and let go completely of his bitter past.
“I may be in a new place in my life, but I don’t ever want to forget what that life left me with.”
And this is an amazing lesson. Yes, he’ll never forget – specially because of the visible scars in his body – but he decides to take it as a lesson, but move on, and create a new life with Imogen, that really sees beyond the scars. To her they make him that man that he is today, the man she fell in love with.
“Look at me, Imogen. I’m a fuckin’ monster.” I blinked.
“You think you’re a monster?” I snorted. “You’re fucked in the head.”
And maybe they weren’t very attractive to him, but to me they made him who he was.
Didn’t I say she was amazing?!
These two were fantastic together in every single way. And for two long time celibate – adored this, by the way – they sure burned up the sheets! Lordy, the sex scenes were scorchingly hot and Aaron’s dirty talk… WOW…
“Fuck me,” he grated through clenched teeth. “You feel like a fucking inferno in the middle of a hurricane surrounding my cock. How is that even fuckin’ possible?”
Lani Lynn Vale keeps surpassing herself, specially in the male main character area, because Aaron was one of the best and most loyal, faithful, devoted and caring men I’ve have the pleasure of reading about.
“I won’t show you. I’ll make you feel.”
I’m so in love with both these characters! The only reason for which I knocked half a star for, even though the story was brilliant, was because of the reveal of their connection in the past, I think it was completely unnecessary, and even detracted from the magic of their connection. Given how strong their attraction was, it would seemed more natural that it was a instantaneous thing. But that is just a grain of sand in this thrill, love and suspense filled plot!
The writing, plot and character development are as beautifully executed as Lani Lynn Vale got us used to, and I’d dare say, even more than usual. Add to that all the amazing and fascinating new characters from this new MC, and like I’ve said in the beginning, we are utterly hooked! And I can’t finished without saying that the author sure likes to keep us on our toes, because the mystery surrounding Ghost’s identity – for which a have a very, very deep guess of whom he is, lol, – will leave me hitching for confirmation until the presentation of his book on 7/27/17. July can’t come fast enough. Actually, next month we have more Dixie Wardens Rejects, and I’m already counting down the days!!! <3 <3 <3 <3 <3
I more than liked the way my heart raced when she’d smile at me or tease me about something I’d done or said.
All in all, I fucking liked Imogen.
The amazing sex we’d had over the last three days was just a bonus.
The best thing, though, was the way she was taking all of the bad memories that Lynn had put into my brain away, and replacing them with good ones that included her.
She’d certainly given me more pleasure and happiness than Lynn had ever given me, and I knew that I was lost. So lost that I was sure I’d never find a way back.
ARC kindly provided by the author via Enticing Book Journey Promotions in exchange for an honest review
I’m a married mother of three. My kids are all under 5, so I can assure you that they are a handful. I’ve been with my paramedic husband now for ten years, and we’ve produced three offspring that are nothing like us. I live in the greatest state in the world, Texas.
Brynne Asher grew up in the Midwest and now lives in Northern Virginia with her husband, three children and her perfect dog. When she isn’t creating pretend people and relationships in her head, she is running her kids around and doing laundry. She enjoys cooking, decorating, shopping at outlet malls as well as online and is always seeking the best deal. A perfect day in “Brynne World” ends in front of an outdoor fire with family, friends, s’mores and a delicious cocktail.
