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.
FIND AT GOODREADS here.
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MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS BOOK:
From the moment I started reading this book I found myself smiling. From its fun and flirty banter, to its charming main couple, I found much to make me happy. With its romance of two people trying to find their place in the world I found myself cheering them on every step of the way as they dealt with small town prejudices, self-esteem issues, and the very serious issue of PTSD. By the turn of the final page I wanted to start reading it all over again while counting down the days until the next installment in the Simple Man series hits bookshelves.
June Carter Common had a rough childhood courtesy of her criminalistic parents who cared more for drugs and stealing for their own benefit than they did their daughter. When she wasn’t being ignored she was forced to endure the unwanted advances of men that has left her with an aversion to being touched as an adult. All that would’ve broke the average person but June survived. It was a bumpy road of survival though marked by anger at those who treated her like trash, those who pretended to care, which has left her with a colorful criminal history of her own that has made it difficult to get ahead. There are some bright spots in her life thanks to her sweet and caring grandfather, Tennessee, and her friend Amanda who support her unconditionally. Despite a town that judges her by the actions of her parents, they stand solidly beside her. They’re not the only support she has after an unforgettable encounter with the new cop in town. Their initial meeting might be teeming with antagonizing words and actions, but it soon becomes clear that they’re meant to be together in a crackling romance that pits this delightful duo against a town of narrow-minded people. June is an admirable heroine who’s been put through the wringer but keeps going. She’s a strong-willed heroine doing what she must to survive. She’s bold, brash, but there are moments of weakness when being judged by others that broke my heart. There’s both good and bad things about small towns and unfortunately she’s gotten a lot of bad from a group of hypocritical busybodies. With Johnny by her side though she becomes more empowered, discovers what it means to have a family, in a romance of acceptance that brought a tear to my eye.
Johnny Mitchell Mackenzie loved being a soldier, loved the camaraderie. Being forced out due to an injury left him lost and angry and trying to find something just as meaningful. Dealing with PTSD is making it even harder to find his place as he’s scared of harming others. Tired of his overbearing parents, and unwilling to talk about his fears, has him starting over as a police officer in Hostel, Texas. It’s the quintessential small town with colorful characters and teeming with gossip. It also has June, the woman the town loves to hate. Their first meeting ends with him giving her tickets but it doesn’t get her out of his head. Her strength in the face of the town’s prejudices calls to him as he too feels like an outsider. Theirs is a crackling connection that grows more loving and protective as the story progresses. Johnny starts out a bit gruff, a bit rigid, but being around June brings out a softer side. They open up to each other, sharing their hopes and fears in a romance that pulled me in completely. Johnny’s a sexy beast with scars inside and out, but I was drawn to his imperfections and unwavering support for June. He’s careful with her while still letting her grow into the empowered woman that finally stands up to the town’s most unpleasant individuals.
This was a charming story teeming with fun and flirty banter and sweet and sexy encounters. June and Johnny, like their namesakes, are an unforgettable couple who are perfect together. They make each other whole, while helping each other work through their painful pasts. The town of Hostel is vividly depicted with colorful denizens, unpleasant gossip, and a small group who feel like family and who support June when she needs it most. Coke Solomon stood out for me as the man to finally give June a chance, a man with baggage of his own due to a vile ex-wife. He deserves happiness and I look forward to his story being told. This was a story that brought forth every emotion, tugged at my heartstrings while keeping me on the edge of my seat and I appreciated the nice balance even as some of the actions frustrated me. The nastiness of the town did get a bit frustrating at times though as I wish others would’ve stood up more boldly for June. The fallout from Johnny’s beating also felt unnecessary as the romance of Johnny and June was thrilling enough and didn’t need any distractions. On a whole this was a delightfully charming and scorching romance that kept me grinning from ear to ear and I look forward to meeting Ms. Vale’s next Simple Man.
June Carter Common had a rough childhood courtesy of her criminalistic parents who cared more for drugs and stealing for their own benefit than they did their daughter. When she wasn’t being ignored she was forced to endure the unwanted advances of men that has left her with an aversion to being touched as an adult. All that would’ve broke the average person but June survived. It was a bumpy road of survival though marked by anger at those who treated her like trash, those who pretended to care, which has left her with a colorful criminal history of her own that has made it difficult to get ahead. There are some bright spots in her life thanks to her sweet and caring grandfather, Tennessee, and her friend Amanda who support her unconditionally. Despite a town that judges her by the actions of her parents, they stand solidly beside her. They’re not the only support she has after an unforgettable encounter with the new cop in town. Their initial meeting might be teeming with antagonizing words and actions, but it soon becomes clear that they’re meant to be together in a crackling romance that pits this delightful duo against a town of narrow-minded people. June is an admirable heroine who’s been put through the wringer but keeps going. She’s a strong-willed heroine doing what she must to survive. She’s bold, brash, but there are moments of weakness when being judged by others that broke my heart. There’s both good and bad things about small towns and unfortunately she’s gotten a lot of bad from a group of hypocritical busybodies. With Johnny by her side though she becomes more empowered, discovers what it means to have a family, in a romance of acceptance that brought a tear to my eye.
Johnny Mitchell Mackenzie loved being a soldier, loved the camaraderie. Being forced out due to an injury left him lost and angry and trying to find something just as meaningful. Dealing with PTSD is making it even harder to find his place as he’s scared of harming others. Tired of his overbearing parents, and unwilling to talk about his fears, has him starting over as a police officer in Hostel, Texas. It’s the quintessential small town with colorful characters and teeming with gossip. It also has June, the woman the town loves to hate. Their first meeting ends with him giving her tickets but it doesn’t get her out of his head. Her strength in the face of the town’s prejudices calls to him as he too feels like an outsider. Theirs is a crackling connection that grows more loving and protective as the story progresses. Johnny starts out a bit gruff, a bit rigid, but being around June brings out a softer side. They open up to each other, sharing their hopes and fears in a romance that pulled me in completely. Johnny’s a sexy beast with scars inside and out, but I was drawn to his imperfections and unwavering support for June. He’s careful with her while still letting her grow into the empowered woman that finally stands up to the town’s most unpleasant individuals.
This was a charming story teeming with fun and flirty banter and sweet and sexy encounters. June and Johnny, like their namesakes, are an unforgettable couple who are perfect together. They make each other whole, while helping each other work through their painful pasts. The town of Hostel is vividly depicted with colorful denizens, unpleasant gossip, and a small group who feel like family and who support June when she needs it most. Coke Solomon stood out for me as the man to finally give June a chance, a man with baggage of his own due to a vile ex-wife. He deserves happiness and I look forward to his story being told. This was a story that brought forth every emotion, tugged at my heartstrings while keeping me on the edge of my seat and I appreciated the nice balance even as some of the actions frustrated me. The nastiness of the town did get a bit frustrating at times though as I wish others would’ve stood up more boldly for June. The fallout from Johnny’s beating also felt unnecessary as the romance of Johnny and June was thrilling enough and didn’t need any distractions. On a whole this was a delightfully charming and scorching romance that kept me grinning from ear to ear and I look forward to meeting Ms. Vale’s next Simple Man.
My rating for this is an A-/B+
*I got this book from the author for review in exchange for my honest opinion.
THE PREVIOUS BOOKS IN THE SIMPLE MAN SERIES:
She’s in a white dress that dances around her ankles, and her hair tumbles in a long sheet of curls down her back. A veil covers her beautiful eyes, and she smiles directly at him. Janie is everything Rafe’s ever imagined she would be on her wedding day.
Breathtaking. Gorgeous. Perfect.
The moment he sees her walking down the aisle towards him, he knows that she’s the one.
Then she passes him, making her way to the man she’s to marry.
A man that wasn’t him.
A man that he knows with one hundred percent certainty isn’t good enough for her.
It seems that her father isn’t the only one who’s having a hard time giving her away. Rafe only wishes he knew why.
Everything about Janie sparks protective instincts he doesn’t feel for anyone, not even his own fiance.
What he feels for the bride, however, isn’t merely a simple attraction. He knows that something is there just beneath the surface…if only he could reach it.
It has to be something huge, too, otherwise he wouldn’t be drinking whiskey straight from the flask in a church pew and wondering how many years he would do in prison if he shot the groom in front of about a hundred witnesses—half of those being cops.
He was good…but not that good.
A near-death experience cost Rafe almost six months of his memory, but right now he can’t help but feel like a huge mistake is being made on both of their parts. One that’s going to cost him everything.
Then she says I do.
Then she says I do.
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.
Coke Solomon has lived a full life.
He’s a retired army drill sergeant, so he is more than used to getting his way.
And if he can’t have it his way? Well, let’s just say that’s never happened before...
At least not until Cora Maldonado walks into his life, demanding he fall in line, or she’ll find a way to make his life hell.
He finds out fast that Cora marches to the beat of her own drum, and a lot of times that drum takes her farther away rather than closer to where he feels she needs to be.
He can’t stand it.
He wants her, and he has to have her.
It doesn’t matter that she’s twenty years younger than him, and has a father that would rather see him dead than have his baby girl anywhere near him. Nor does it matter that his ex-wife is highly offended that she’s been replaced with a much younger woman.
Despite the odds stacking against them, he’ll fight for what he wants.
His ex-wife, her father, and their age difference be damned.
Tyler Cree has never been good at the whole look and don’t touch thing.
From the moment he was old enough to walk on his own two feet, he’s been looking for trouble.
Trouble comes in many forms…quite a few of those forms being the female persuasion.
Tyler knows what girls want—a bad boy. And he has the bad boy image down pat.
Ex-military—check.
Hot cop—double check.
A bike between his legs and a devil may care attitude—oh, yeah.
All the girls want him, yet none of them will have him—at least not all of him, anyway. A certain appendage they can have all they want. His heart, however, is not up for grabs. The useless organ inside his chest was broken and battered, mutilated by the one woman he thought would keep it safe.
Spoiler alert: she ripped it to shreds and set fire to the pieces.
To protect himself, Tyler keeps everyone at arm’s length, and never lets anyone get too close.
Then Reagan Rose Alvarez barrels into his life, and trespasses on not only his property, but straight into his abused heart. One glance is all it takes, and he’s suddenly thinking about things he hasn’t thought for quite some time—thoughts that a man like him should never have about a woman like her.
One moment of weakness is all it takes, and suddenly he has no other choice but to go on the offensive.
Keeping her is the only other option now.
Turns out, his heart isn’t as broken as he thought it was.
The only problem is, now the little she-devil holds it in the palm of her hands, and she has no clue just how much power she holds.
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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