Review // Counter to My Intelligence by Lani Lynn Vale

If a man says he will fix it.. he will. There's no need to remind him every six months.

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Standalone - The Heroes of The Dixie Wardens MC #7
Release - January 6, 2016
Genre - Contemporary Romance
Dual POV - 1st person / Silas Mackenzie & Sawyer Ann Berry
Heat Level - 4 out of 5
Format/Source - Kindle gift
Length - 345 pages
Publisher - Indie

Sometimes the heart wants what it can’t have.

That’s the motto Silas Mackenzie, the president of The Dixie Wardens MC, has lived by since he was a young man.

Now he’s well on the way to middle age, has three grown children and he’s lusting after a woman he should definitely stay away from.

Especially not one that his ex-girlfriend had given birth to, and happens to be only twenty-nine years old.

Sawyer isn’t a young girl at heart, though.

She’s seen the inside of a jail cell for eight long years, and every one of them was spent paying for a crime she didn’t commit.

Silas Mackenzie knows as soon as he sees her that the she has sacrificed enough.
And maybe…just maybe…so has he.

It’s time for Silas Mackenzie to get what he deserves, and, in the process, put a little bit of happy back into Sawyer’s world, one rough, bearded kiss at a time.

Okay, so this was one of the books I was looking forward to the most. It's Silas, y'all!! There were so many moving parts and people to this story that I find myself craving more.

What developed between Silas and Sawyer was quick and easy. I liked that she seemed so well-suited for him. I think at this point in his life, he needed what she had to offer. And while my heart broke for everything Sawyer had to live through, such as eight years in prison for a crime she didn't commit, suffering atrocities at the hands of prison guards, the bullying of the townspeople, I was happy that she had someone like Silas and his people at her back.

So what else did I find in this book?
⭐ I got my first real glimpse of Lynn (you can find him in Repeat Offender). In this book he's known as Black Jack and although I learned quite a bit about him in his own book, seeing him in this light was quite the experience. I wonder if he'll pop up again in these original stories.
⭐ knowing that Silas (and Lynn) are CIA and actually seeing it in action are two different things
⭐ Silas shaved off his braided beard (although he does sound super hot without it)
⭐ Sterling, the Navy SEAL who has popped up now and then, makes an appearance and I think his book is next. There was a definite spark between him and Ruthie (Sawyer's bestie/cell mate)
⭐ Silas visiting Tunnel's grave... heartbreaking. He carries so many burdens as it is and it hurt to see how much losing Torren had effected him

You want a story full of heart, drama and intrigue? Read this book!

My Notes

I'm not gonna lie... the idea of the relationship between Silas and Sawyer gave me a bit of an icky vibe. It started with him seeing her mom and although he made it clear for us (the readers) that he never slept with her, the intention was there and kissing was mentioned. That's just gross and honestly... I don't even know why it was there. Adding that level of intimacy wasn't necessary. Silas and Sawyer's mother never had to be anything more than friends and it would have served this story just as well. That's just my humble opinion.

Silas & Sawyer's family tree:

    Their children
        Samuel Cash Mackenzie (Silas' son) - Boomtown
        Sebastian Sue Mackenzie (Silas' son) - Lights to My Siren
        Shiloh June Mackenzie (Silas' daughter) - Texas Tornado
        Amelia Rose Mackenzie (their daughter) - Any Day Now

    Sawyer's family
        Dallas Berry (brother)
        Cole Berry (brother)
        Brody Berry (brother)
        Johnson Berry (brother)

Check out my other reviews from this series:

 

Lani Lynn Vale is married to the love of her life that she met in high school. She fell in love with him because he was wearing baseball pants. Ten years later they have three perfectly crazy children and a cat named Demon who likes to wake her up at ungodly times in the night. They live in the greatest state in the world, Texas. She writes contemporary and romantic suspense, and has a love for all things romance. You can find Lani in front of her computer writing away in her fictional characters world...that is until her husband and kids demand sustenance in the form of food and drink.

Visit https://lanilynnvale.com/ for more information!