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Battle Crows MC #7
Never Trust the Living
It’s not every day that someone tries to pin a murder on you and a random girl you just met. But Bram Crow isn’t your average, everyday guy, either.
One second, he’s hiding evidence with the girl, and the next, he has to marry her so a police detective doesn’t get suspicious.
Did he mention that he had a long-term girlfriend at the time?
To say that things didn’t go as planned would be an understatement.
To say that falling in love with his wife definitely wasn’t part of the plan either.
Nor was her leaving him when he finally realized she was his world.
One second, he’s hiding evidence with the girl, and the next, he has to marry her so a police detective doesn’t get suspicious.
Did he mention that he had a long-term girlfriend at the time?
To say that things didn’t go as planned would be an understatement.
To say that falling in love with his wife definitely wasn’t part of the plan either.
Nor was her leaving him when he finally realized she was his world.
249 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 4, 2022
318 people are currently reading
672 people want to read
About the author
Lani Lynn Vale
162 books7,267 followersLani 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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 216 reviews
August 2, 2022
Fair warning SPOILER ALERT for the other books in the series.
We meet Bram and Dorcas in Make Me Your Villain, which is his brother Shine and Iris’s book. Their not terrible, but I wasn’t all that impressed. Anyway, the first scene we meet them we establish that they’ve been married at this point ten years, no kids, and Shine doesn’t like Dorcas because Bram apparently married her all of sudden instead of his high school sweetheart which he loves and prefers over Dorcas. We also meet Mimi, the high school sweetheart whose back in town. Who Bram gets rip roaring drunk over (in front of his wife) and pines over her (again in front of his wife).
Next day after a hangover, we learn Dorcas and Bram married under mysterious circumstances no one knows about. We also learn Bram doesn’t love his wife and has tried to divorce her eight times. Bram also confirms when asked that he doesn’t love Dorcas. Complete and utter fail for me right there - he’s had ten years as a married couple (not as friends, friends with benefits, etc) but an actual sleeping, living together married couple so what extraordinary circumstances could occur to make us believe he actually falls for this woman?
We also get a scene at a family gathering, and Iris thinks Dorcas is being petty because she keeps to the fringe of things. Let me tell you something, if I knew no one there liked me and preferred my husbands ex girlfriend over me I’d stick to the fringe to. And what Iris may be seeing as petty may actually be loneliness and the feeling of being unwanted.
Does this sound like a couple to root for? I don’t care why they got married, there is no excuse for treating the person you’ve been with for ten years as an adult like this. Nor does it speak to Bram or Shines emotional maturity to still be hung up on someone you haven’t seen since you were like 18 or to encourage said hang up. Don’t you think both of you have changed a lot over the years!?? Also, I seriously feel for Dorcas knowing that not only doesn’t her husband love her, he wants to be with someone else, but also his family dislike her for no real personal reason because they never gave her a chance because of the girl he was with when he was a teenager!
Maybe it doesn’t seem like a big deal but Bram would have to treat Dorcas like absolute gold in their story to convince me he suddenly loves her. OR we need to give him a new heroine and like Iris said to him in her book - give that woman a chance to find someone who really loves her. This better not be one of those where the heroine is pining over this dude that has treated her this way for ten years!! I could forgive a year, maybe even 2, but come on ten years?? Nope, nope, nope.
We meet Bram and Dorcas in Make Me Your Villain, which is his brother Shine and Iris’s book. Their not terrible, but I wasn’t all that impressed. Anyway, the first scene we meet them we establish that they’ve been married at this point ten years, no kids, and Shine doesn’t like Dorcas because Bram apparently married her all of sudden instead of his high school sweetheart which he loves and prefers over Dorcas. We also meet Mimi, the high school sweetheart whose back in town. Who Bram gets rip roaring drunk over (in front of his wife) and pines over her (again in front of his wife).
Next day after a hangover, we learn Dorcas and Bram married under mysterious circumstances no one knows about. We also learn Bram doesn’t love his wife and has tried to divorce her eight times. Bram also confirms when asked that he doesn’t love Dorcas. Complete and utter fail for me right there - he’s had ten years as a married couple (not as friends, friends with benefits, etc) but an actual sleeping, living together married couple so what extraordinary circumstances could occur to make us believe he actually falls for this woman?
We also get a scene at a family gathering, and Iris thinks Dorcas is being petty because she keeps to the fringe of things. Let me tell you something, if I knew no one there liked me and preferred my husbands ex girlfriend over me I’d stick to the fringe to. And what Iris may be seeing as petty may actually be loneliness and the feeling of being unwanted.
Does this sound like a couple to root for? I don’t care why they got married, there is no excuse for treating the person you’ve been with for ten years as an adult like this. Nor does it speak to Bram or Shines emotional maturity to still be hung up on someone you haven’t seen since you were like 18 or to encourage said hang up. Don’t you think both of you have changed a lot over the years!?? Also, I seriously feel for Dorcas knowing that not only doesn’t her husband love her, he wants to be with someone else, but also his family dislike her for no real personal reason because they never gave her a chance because of the girl he was with when he was a teenager!
Maybe it doesn’t seem like a big deal but Bram would have to treat Dorcas like absolute gold in their story to convince me he suddenly loves her. OR we need to give him a new heroine and like Iris said to him in her book - give that woman a chance to find someone who really loves her. This better not be one of those where the heroine is pining over this dude that has treated her this way for ten years!! I could forgive a year, maybe even 2, but come on ten years?? Nope, nope, nope.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 8, 2022
1 ⭐- Ugh! Didn't like it - triggers - pet peeve!
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R
A
N
T
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.
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I do not even know what to say.
What a big disappointment.
She's been treated like shit for 10 long years, he doesn't look her in the eye while they're having sex, she wears the other woman's ring and his family is a big shithole. I didn't see any regrets, he just went with the flow and where he was comfortable.
Our heroine is a poor thing that has been destroyed physically and mentally throughout history.
I was depressed when I read it and I think it was my last attempt at the author. The stories are getting more and more bizarre and the sex scenes cringe worthy.
And she was always a second choice, because he was too cowardly from the start to defend his choices to his family and himself.
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R
A
N
T
.
.
.
I do not even know what to say.
What a big disappointment.
She's been treated like shit for 10 long years, he doesn't look her in the eye while they're having sex, she wears the other woman's ring and his family is a big shithole. I didn't see any regrets, he just went with the flow and where he was comfortable.
Our heroine is a poor thing that has been destroyed physically and mentally throughout history.
I was depressed when I read it and I think it was my last attempt at the author. The stories are getting more and more bizarre and the sex scenes cringe worthy.
And she was always a second choice, because he was too cowardly from the start to defend his choices to his family and himself.
Mimi had been the love of my life since I was fourteen. I’d always thought that we would be forever. But she’d turned into this nervous mess. One that I didn’t even recognize.
I’d loved Mimi since I was fourteen. We’d been inseparable since. We graduated together. Started college together. We talked about me joining an MC with my brothers, and her becoming my old lady. We talked about our kids and our life together, where it would lead us.
We discarded our clothes, and for the first time in my life, I’d seen someone else besides Mimi naked.
“We have to act like we’re a couple,” he grunted. “And I have to break it off with Mimi.” I felt my insides stir.
Things happened really fast after that. As in, I never once expected him to spend quite so much time with me to sell our lie. Nor did I expect him to leave his girlfriend.
Because Bram felt horrible. I could see it in his eyes, on his face, and the way he held himself when she was around. He clearly still loved her.
“Yes.” He slid the ring that used to be his ex-girlfriend’s onto my finger, then grinned. “It fits.”
We got married at the courthouse. None of Bram’s family was in attendance, mostly because they were all mad at him.
What sucked worse was, an hour later, he dropped me off at home in his truck—he’d refused to give me a ride on his motorcycle because it didn’t feel ‘right’—he left.
I went to sleep on the couch and slept there every night for the next six months.
I’d like to say that life got better after that. But it didn’t. Bram’s family hated me. Bram resented me.
And, to make matters worse, I finally got to sleep with Bram. But only because he was drunk off his ass, and he wanted it, he said.
He fucked me, but he didn’t love me.
Yet, none of them had said thank you at all. Not even Bram, who was well on his way to drunk, had said a single ‘thank you.’
I loved a man that would never love me back.
“Fuck. That sucks. You should’ve gotten more,” Price grumbled, turning around and dismissing me.
Honestly, I think I would’ve been all right continuing to live the life that we’d made with each other… until I saw that Mimi had come back home to run her parents’ racetrack years after we’d married. It was seeing the look in Bram’s eyes as he stared at her that sealed the deal. It was that look that helped me make the decision.
No reason to keep thinking that I could make Bram happy when everyone knew I couldn’t.
No reason to continue to deal with abuse from the Crow family when I didn’t need to anymore.
He fucked me from behind. He gave me an orgasm.
And not once did he have to look into my eyes. So he could pretend I wasn’t really me.
This would never, ever be what I wanted it to be. And I could leave.
With my car packed with my belongings, I took one last glance at the house that I’d come to love—with the man that I loved inside of it—and left. Not once glancing back.
For ten full years, I’d had the epitome of perfection at home, and I’d done nothing but squander that time away. I’d come so accustomed to having her there, having exactly what I wanted and needed at all times, that I didn’t realize that I wasn’t giving back what I got. I didn’t know my wife at all, even though I knew that I loved her.
I knew that some of my brothers had problems with her. I also knew that I didn’t stand up for her enough.
I knew that she went to school. I also knew that she had a job at the college in admissions. But that would’ve been over with hours ago.
Shine uncrossed his arms as he said, “Well nobody can fuckin’ tell, you twit. You treat her like shit! If you love someone like you say you love Dory, then you don’t treat them the way you treat her! How do you expect me to treat her when you treat her the exact same way I was just treating her?”
“I’m trying to say that you all are a bunch of loyal assholes,” Jeremiah pointed out. “Yes, you loved Mimi. But there was a reason that Mimi is gone. Dory is Bram’s wife now. Y’all could’ve taken the time to get to know her. It’s been ten years. How much longer are you gonna wait for Mimi to come back before you realize that Dory is here to stay?”
For ten years, I’d done nothing but stay away from her as much as I could.
He hadn’t treated me very well. In fact, he’d treated me quite poorly. But I’d kind of ruined his life. I can see why he felt like he’d been trapped.
“Are you telling me that you like me? All those times you gave me shit about my eating habits. About how I couldn’t stand to be dirty. Or hell, even how your family treated me at almost every single social gathering you took me to… and you’re going to tell me that you adore me? Bram, if you adored me, you wouldn’t have allowed any of that to happen.”
“Speaking of,” she said softly. “Dory. Why are you calling me that and not Dorcas?” I felt something sickening lodge in my throat. “Dorcas was a way to keep you at a distance like I needed you to be. I knew you didn’t like it. And I exploited that.” She closed her eyes. “Today, right now, I think you’re no better than Amon.”
I was pregnant with Bram’s child, and it was trying to punish me. Just like Bram tried to punish me for the entirety of our marriage.
I wasn’t ever welcome. And they all thought I was weird, and they called me Dorcas, and I didn’t like being there.”
There was no way in hell that they missed me.
“You remember last Christmas how not a single person got me a Christmas gift?” I asked. “Not even your parents got me one.”
I’d missed her graduation. She didn’t know that I knew, but I had.
“I don’t… I don’t want to talk to your family, if that’s okay with you.”
We’d gotten nowhere and had nothing but ten years of heartache to show for our marriage.
October 4, 2022
I had such high hopes! But, my worries that I stated in my “pre-review” happened. Yes, Bram apologized and he did change things in his life to make her comfortable and he did chase after her BUT very few things were directly addressed!! If you’ve read the previous books you know how horrible Dory has been treated by the Crows. Shine was the only one that we saw work for his redemption. The others “visited over the weekend” but we never saw their apologies! We never saw any form of redemption from any of them!
As far as Bram’s redemption, it was basically explained away with the excuse he “battled depression”. Seriously…that’s it! He battled depression and therefore he treated her like shit 🧐 but all of a sudden I’m supposed to believe that him watching his brothers fall in love made him realize that he loved his wife? Say what? It sure as hell didn’t change how he treated her so how are we to actually believe he loves her?
Other things, that should have been directly addressed, were not - how Bram won’t look at her when they have sex or how SHES WEARING THE RING HE PURCHASED FOR MIMI, or even the fact that he got drunk after seeing Mimi after 10 years. Allllllll swept under the rug 😡😡
Infuriating because there was such a great opportunity for a wonderful redemption story and it fell incredibly short.
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Not gonna lie….believing Bram actually loves Dory is going to be a hard sale. We’ve seen how bad Bram - and all the Crows - treat Dory through 5 books. Add that to finding out more about Dorys background in Strange & Unusual makes me all the more disgusted by them.
Dory does deserve an HEA and massive massive apologies however I don’t know if LLV is capable of giving Dory what she deserves. In previous/other series things tend to be swept under the rug. For this book to be acceptable it all must be addressed….crossing fingers but not very hopeful
As far as Bram’s redemption, it was basically explained away with the excuse he “battled depression”. Seriously…that’s it! He battled depression and therefore he treated her like shit 🧐 but all of a sudden I’m supposed to believe that him watching his brothers fall in love made him realize that he loved his wife? Say what? It sure as hell didn’t change how he treated her so how are we to actually believe he loves her?
Other things, that should have been directly addressed, were not - how Bram won’t look at her when they have sex or how SHES WEARING THE RING HE PURCHASED FOR MIMI, or even the fact that he got drunk after seeing Mimi after 10 years. Allllllll swept under the rug 😡😡
Infuriating because there was such a great opportunity for a wonderful redemption story and it fell incredibly short.
********************************************************************************
Not gonna lie….believing Bram actually loves Dory is going to be a hard sale. We’ve seen how bad Bram - and all the Crows - treat Dory through 5 books. Add that to finding out more about Dorys background in Strange & Unusual makes me all the more disgusted by them.
Dory does deserve an HEA and massive massive apologies however I don’t know if LLV is capable of giving Dory what she deserves. In previous/other series things tend to be swept under the rug. For this book to be acceptable it all must be addressed….crossing fingers but not very hopeful
October 8, 2022
I really hated this book. I hated Bram for being such an unfeeling jerk and I hated Dory for accepting every crumb that Bram gave her when she should have left long ago. I don’t know what happened to Lani Lynn Vale but this is the last book of hers that I will be reading. I will still reread her old stuff but I just can’t take this drivel anymore.
That being said, if you are offended by curse words or you don’t want to read spoilers, you probably shouldn’t continue to read this review because I REALLY need to rant.
Dory has been treated like absolute dogshit by her psychopath brother for years until she finally kills him, with Bram’s help. Bram is already in a long-term relationship and for some stupid-ass convoluted reason he decides that Dory and him need to pretend to be together. He uses this as an excuse to break up with the girlfriend he dated since he was FOURTEEN FUCKING YEARS OLD because he has no balls and he couldn’t give this other woman the respect of ending it to her face because he suddenly found her annoying because she was paranoid and overprotective because of her emotional damage as a result of him being kidnapped and tortured for days. Like “oh I’m so sorry I loved you Bram and I was so worried for you that it left an emotional scar that you weren’t even willing to help me with or get me into therapy at all.” Noooo, instead, Mimi (the long-term girlfriend in case you’re not following) is just too clingy now and it’s like soooo annoying. Grow the fuck up Bram! I mean even Dory was thinking about how her pretend relationship with Bram would affect Mimi emotionally but Bram just does not seem to care.
Bram is marginally nice for the 8.5 seconds of interaction we have with him before his marriage to Dory when he basically is projecting an image that he is cheating on Mimi with Dory but whatever. Then all of a sudden Bram just has to marry Dory and he can’t go out and get her a new ring. No, maybe that would have been too expensive? Too much time? Too much commitment for the woman that you treat like shit you won’t even bother to scrape off your shoe? Probably a combination of all of those because he gives her the ring he had bought for Mimi months before.
Then come just a few chapters of Dory being treated like garbage by everyone (except some man named Jeremiah who is somehow related to Bram maybe? I honestly couldn’t tell you who he is but it doesn’t really seem to matter). Bram ignores her, never comes home, she does everything for him and he makes her feel like a used tissue. The first time they have sex it is explicitly stated that Bram let her know that it was “just because she was there and he needed it.” Ummmm EX-FUCKING-SCUSE the hell outta me, but what? I am utterly speechless. Oh, but don’t worry, every time they have their emotionless sex after that he always, always, always (and yes the word always was said three times in a row to extra reassure us, fellow readers) makes her come. He just prefers doggie style so he doesn’t have to look at her while he is trying to come. He is literally trash. He even calls her a Karen because she has hang-ups about food because of the literal torture her own brother put her through and she wants to send a dish back at Chipotle. He basically makes her eat it because apparently he is also her boss and she is not allowed to have opinions or dislikes if he thinks they are ridiculous. Even his family treats her like crap and basically show more love to his ex than they ever have her.
The “best” part is that Dory finally leaves Bram after 10 YEARS of this bullshit treatment and he tries to find her for 4 long months because he supposedly realized that very day that he is in love with her. Oh, ok Bram, it just took 10 years of emotional abuse and your wife leaving you to make you realize this but that’s totally fine. You’re actually a good guy at heart!
He finally finds her and his big apology is something along the lines of “I’m bad. Please just give me one more chance.” BITCH YOU HAD 10 YEARS WORTH OF CHANCES!! If I had been Dory I would have told him that he can move right the fuck along. But she’s pregnant so of course she gives in to him. There is no epic grovel, she does not make Bram suffer in any way, they don’t even address Mimi and his reaction to her return; literally crickets. Why does the heroine forgive Bram? I genuinely do not know. Maybe it’s because he gives good dick? That is not enough of a draw in this case. It has literally been 10 years (a fact which I feel like I can’t get over because it spanned maybe 2 chapters and I still do not understand how she put up with so much shit for so long). When he asked for another chance she said she was not the push-over she was before and boy I sure do wish that the reader had been shown some of these epic, kick-ass personality traits that she had developed. All I saw was doormat but I guess that is different from push-over because she was already lying down and ready to take whatever Bram would give her. But don’t worry, he really does ‘love her’ and he will do a totally shitty job of protecting her just like all of the other men in this series. Every criminal is a mastermind in this series and I can honestly say that I wish that his aim had been to kill Bram so that Dory could move on and find a man who would actually treat her right.
And the final straw- now this is probably only annoying to me so if you have read this far (wow I’m impressed by your willingness to read my thoughts) but you probably won’t care about this bit. Suddenly, Dory just wants to go to medical school and surprise, surprise she gets in with absolutely no struggle the first time she applies and she is like omg super smart obviously. And then Bram says that Dory will probably change her mind again and want to do something else even though she has literally been a doctor for a matter of months at the time of that thought and medical school costs on average about a half a million dollars. Again, a trivial complaint, but on top of everything else I just couldn’t.
That being said, if you are offended by curse words or you don’t want to read spoilers, you probably shouldn’t continue to read this review because I REALLY need to rant.
Dory has been treated like absolute dogshit by her psychopath brother for years until she finally kills him, with Bram’s help. Bram is already in a long-term relationship and for some stupid-ass convoluted reason he decides that Dory and him need to pretend to be together. He uses this as an excuse to break up with the girlfriend he dated since he was FOURTEEN FUCKING YEARS OLD because he has no balls and he couldn’t give this other woman the respect of ending it to her face because he suddenly found her annoying because she was paranoid and overprotective because of her emotional damage as a result of him being kidnapped and tortured for days. Like “oh I’m so sorry I loved you Bram and I was so worried for you that it left an emotional scar that you weren’t even willing to help me with or get me into therapy at all.” Noooo, instead, Mimi (the long-term girlfriend in case you’re not following) is just too clingy now and it’s like soooo annoying. Grow the fuck up Bram! I mean even Dory was thinking about how her pretend relationship with Bram would affect Mimi emotionally but Bram just does not seem to care.
Bram is marginally nice for the 8.5 seconds of interaction we have with him before his marriage to Dory when he basically is projecting an image that he is cheating on Mimi with Dory but whatever. Then all of a sudden Bram just has to marry Dory and he can’t go out and get her a new ring. No, maybe that would have been too expensive? Too much time? Too much commitment for the woman that you treat like shit you won’t even bother to scrape off your shoe? Probably a combination of all of those because he gives her the ring he had bought for Mimi months before.
Then come just a few chapters of Dory being treated like garbage by everyone (except some man named Jeremiah who is somehow related to Bram maybe? I honestly couldn’t tell you who he is but it doesn’t really seem to matter). Bram ignores her, never comes home, she does everything for him and he makes her feel like a used tissue. The first time they have sex it is explicitly stated that Bram let her know that it was “just because she was there and he needed it.” Ummmm EX-FUCKING-SCUSE the hell outta me, but what? I am utterly speechless. Oh, but don’t worry, every time they have their emotionless sex after that he always, always, always (and yes the word always was said three times in a row to extra reassure us, fellow readers) makes her come. He just prefers doggie style so he doesn’t have to look at her while he is trying to come. He is literally trash. He even calls her a Karen because she has hang-ups about food because of the literal torture her own brother put her through and she wants to send a dish back at Chipotle. He basically makes her eat it because apparently he is also her boss and she is not allowed to have opinions or dislikes if he thinks they are ridiculous. Even his family treats her like crap and basically show more love to his ex than they ever have her.
The “best” part is that Dory finally leaves Bram after 10 YEARS of this bullshit treatment and he tries to find her for 4 long months because he supposedly realized that very day that he is in love with her. Oh, ok Bram, it just took 10 years of emotional abuse and your wife leaving you to make you realize this but that’s totally fine. You’re actually a good guy at heart!
He finally finds her and his big apology is something along the lines of “I’m bad. Please just give me one more chance.” BITCH YOU HAD 10 YEARS WORTH OF CHANCES!! If I had been Dory I would have told him that he can move right the fuck along. But she’s pregnant so of course she gives in to him. There is no epic grovel, she does not make Bram suffer in any way, they don’t even address Mimi and his reaction to her return; literally crickets. Why does the heroine forgive Bram? I genuinely do not know. Maybe it’s because he gives good dick? That is not enough of a draw in this case. It has literally been 10 years (a fact which I feel like I can’t get over because it spanned maybe 2 chapters and I still do not understand how she put up with so much shit for so long). When he asked for another chance she said she was not the push-over she was before and boy I sure do wish that the reader had been shown some of these epic, kick-ass personality traits that she had developed. All I saw was doormat but I guess that is different from push-over because she was already lying down and ready to take whatever Bram would give her. But don’t worry, he really does ‘love her’ and he will do a totally shitty job of protecting her just like all of the other men in this series. Every criminal is a mastermind in this series and I can honestly say that I wish that his aim had been to kill Bram so that Dory could move on and find a man who would actually treat her right.
And the final straw- now this is probably only annoying to me so if you have read this far (wow I’m impressed by your willingness to read my thoughts) but you probably won’t care about this bit. Suddenly, Dory just wants to go to medical school and surprise, surprise she gets in with absolutely no struggle the first time she applies and she is like omg super smart obviously. And then Bram says that Dory will probably change her mind again and want to do something else even though she has literally been a doctor for a matter of months at the time of that thought and medical school costs on average about a half a million dollars. Again, a trivial complaint, but on top of everything else I just couldn’t.
dnf
July 7, 2024DNF @ 34%
This book makes no sense. He treats her like shit for 10 odd years, so does everyone else in his life. Then one day he has some random thought about how much he loves her (even though he treats her like shit) - and seriously, that thought came out of nowhere - and then all of a sudden he’s all about her?
I feel like this book was missing the actual important parts of their story. Or at least some kind of cohesive plot. Either way, it’s a DNF from me.
Note: Apparently his horrible treatment of her is explained away because he has depression. How…convenient? But okay whatever 🙄
This book makes no sense. He treats her like shit for 10 odd years, so does everyone else in his life. Then one day he has some random thought about how much he loves her (even though he treats her like shit) - and seriously, that thought came out of nowhere - and then all of a sudden he’s all about her?
I feel like this book was missing the actual important parts of their story. Or at least some kind of cohesive plot. Either way, it’s a DNF from me.
Note: Apparently his horrible treatment of her is explained away because he has depression. How…convenient? But okay whatever 🙄
October 4, 2022
I’m pretty sure I had a good time last night. Let me finish reading the police report and I’ll let you know. -Dory to Bram
I’ve been looking forward to this story for a long time now but my gosh I didn’t know she was gonna rip our heart out to get here. Whether you love him or hate him Bram and his family do redeem themselves.
Bram Crow didn’t realize what he had until it was gone. He treated her like crap and just expected her keep taking it.
To be honest, I’d always felt lonely while being with him. What’s the difference if I was lonely while with him, or lonely while I was alone?
Dory had a horrific life that we never knew anything about until now. This made her the way she is.
It’s important to get out of the house every once in a while to remind yourself why you don’t go out.
This is the last book in this series but boy did it end with a huge bang. We got a glimpse of the people from the new series and I can already tell it’s gonna be spectacular.
I’ve been looking forward to this story for a long time now but my gosh I didn’t know she was gonna rip our heart out to get here. Whether you love him or hate him Bram and his family do redeem themselves.
Bram Crow didn’t realize what he had until it was gone. He treated her like crap and just expected her keep taking it.
To be honest, I’d always felt lonely while being with him. What’s the difference if I was lonely while with him, or lonely while I was alone?
Dory had a horrific life that we never knew anything about until now. This made her the way she is.
It’s important to get out of the house every once in a while to remind yourself why you don’t go out.
This is the last book in this series but boy did it end with a huge bang. We got a glimpse of the people from the new series and I can already tell it’s gonna be spectacular.
October 5, 2022
Seriously, just no. This was ridiculous. After 10 years of, being neglected and treatet like crap, and there ain't any crawling or apologies, from either characters, it just p..... me of.
So again, the author, just glans over things and put it under the rug. Like I wrote, ridiculous.
So again, the author, just glans over things and put it under the rug. Like I wrote, ridiculous.
October 14, 2022
I loved this one. It was so much better than the last book. Wonderful ending to the series. I love Dory and Bram. They are my favorite book of the series.
July 13, 2024
Oh boy, I don't even know where to begin with this one. I battled through most of the series just to get to this book and TBH it was a disaster for me.
They're married for TEN YEARS and in all this time this repugnant weasel treats his wife like absolute shiny shite under his shoe, and allows his family to do the same thing to her. This, despite knowing some of her horrific childhood at the hands of her psycho brother.
It's only when she leaves him he decides he LOVES her and does everything he can to win her back. Sorry, not buying that BS. His 180 was so ridiculous and came out of left field it was sloppy and absolutely unbelievable.
There was so much left dangling (as in the other books in the series). The pivotal points were just swiped sideways with no explanations, let alone any fleshing out and there was SO much drama thrown in here at times I found myself waiting for the kitchen sink to be launched in as well.
I've enjoyed this author's two latest series so I think I need to steer well clear of her earlier work.
They're married for TEN YEARS and in all this time this repugnant weasel treats his wife like absolute shiny shite under his shoe, and allows his family to do the same thing to her. This, despite knowing some of her horrific childhood at the hands of her psycho brother.
It's only when she leaves him he decides he LOVES her and does everything he can to win her back. Sorry, not buying that BS. His 180 was so ridiculous and came out of left field it was sloppy and absolutely unbelievable.
There was so much left dangling (as in the other books in the series). The pivotal points were just swiped sideways with no explanations, let alone any fleshing out and there was SO much drama thrown in here at times I found myself waiting for the kitchen sink to be launched in as well.
I've enjoyed this author's two latest series so I think I need to steer well clear of her earlier work.
December 12, 2022
Dorcas and Bram married under mysterious circumstances, presumably still in love with his high school girlfriend, Mimi. It’s a fair assumption that Bram and his family treats Dory, unfairly.
His entire family, the Crows lacked warmth or compassion. Their overt dislike being a direct insult. They failed to welcome her as part of Bram’s life, leaving her to exist on the fringe of their periphery. Misplaced loyalty to Mimi whom he’s been pining over for ten years.
LLV style of writing always seems to leave the conflict unresolved. These upended issues are never addressed to my satisfaction.
Mimi hasn’t meant anything to him since before he even met Dorcas. She was clingy. He couldn’t go to the loo for ten minutes without her checking in on him.
“Mimi is on some sort of weird pedestal that I’m unable to reach when it comes to my family, but she’s not there when it comes to me. You surpassed her the moment I watched you stab your brother in the chest…”.
Travis Haynes is Amon, her vile, despicable late brother’s lackey. Amon terrorised her growing up, Travis now perpetuates his sins by glorifying him.
It’d been a harrowing six weeks since the bombing, six weeks of excruciating pain, rehab, leading them to a trial that would determine whether or not Travis Haynes was guilty of said crimes. He planted a bomb and tried repeatedly to kill Dory. He stabbed Bram, narrowly missing vital organs.
He survived the slitting of his throat, and hung on to life with sheer determination because of the hate in his heart, later hanging himself.
His entire family, the Crows lacked warmth or compassion. Their overt dislike being a direct insult. They failed to welcome her as part of Bram’s life, leaving her to exist on the fringe of their periphery. Misplaced loyalty to Mimi whom he’s been pining over for ten years.
LLV style of writing always seems to leave the conflict unresolved. These upended issues are never addressed to my satisfaction.
Mimi hasn’t meant anything to him since before he even met Dorcas. She was clingy. He couldn’t go to the loo for ten minutes without her checking in on him.
“Mimi is on some sort of weird pedestal that I’m unable to reach when it comes to my family, but she’s not there when it comes to me. You surpassed her the moment I watched you stab your brother in the chest…”.
Travis Haynes is Amon, her vile, despicable late brother’s lackey. Amon terrorised her growing up, Travis now perpetuates his sins by glorifying him.
It’d been a harrowing six weeks since the bombing, six weeks of excruciating pain, rehab, leading them to a trial that would determine whether or not Travis Haynes was guilty of said crimes. He planted a bomb and tried repeatedly to kill Dory. He stabbed Bram, narrowly missing vital organs.
He survived the slitting of his throat, and hung on to life with sheer determination because of the hate in his heart, later hanging himself.
October 9, 2022
This book was very eye opening about Dory. She really was done dirty by everyone, including her husband. It's easy to see why she ran. She is definitely a better/bigger person that I am to give Bram a second chance. Florida was a really good idea, they needed to figure out who they were, just the two of them and by getting away from Bram's family they could focus on each other. It was a bit weird how some odd things happened around Dory, some things that seemed so much like what happened with her brother. I'm glad that they got it figured out, but sadly it wasn't in time for some really bad things to happen.
I was so worried and even hated to turn the page as all of this drama went down, kept thinking something irreversibly bad would happen and I didn't want to read about that. Thankfully nothing bad happened and Dory and Bram were able to move on with their lives, living them the way they should have been all along, happy.
I was so worried and even hated to turn the page as all of this drama went down, kept thinking something irreversibly bad would happen and I didn't want to read about that. Thankfully nothing bad happened and Dory and Bram were able to move on with their lives, living them the way they should have been all along, happy.
October 5, 2022
Ok this is without a doubt the most highly anticipated book of the series and the closing chapter to one hell of a series.
Lani did not suffer fools with the Battle Crows MC. She straight up plunged us into murky waters with many ups and downs. So much heartbreak. Countless crazy moments and gasp worthy revelations. A slew of imperfectly perfect characters and a whole lot of steaming lovings. It's been a fucking journey right?!.
And Bram and Dory are the conclusion to the story.
What a way to end it.
Now I'm not going to say I cried as hard at this one as I did in Haggard and Sophia's. I didn't. But this one story left a hole in my heart a mile wide.
This book is highly anticipated and with good reason because Lani has been TEASING with these characters for a hot minute and we knew the situation between Bram and Dory was a HOTMESS. However we didn't know why.
Now before people get their pinch forks out in honour of sweet Dory to slay the heartless Bram... hold your fucking horses.
Was Bram a top class bellwhister... absofuckinglutly. Did he deserve a junk punch ... lord have mercy, he did. A few times over. But did he also have his own shit?. Yup. And was Dory a grown woman who should of told them all the fuck off a long ass time ago .... absolutely.
See this won't make sense until you read this because my crazy thoughts are trying to stay spoiler free. But what I will say is these characters are flawed. They are human. They made mistakes. Both of them. And whilst Bram and the merry band of assholes most definitely needed to grovel their whole lives. Bram earned his redemption and eventually so did the brothers.
Bram and Dory's story is a hard one. It's a real gut punch to find out just how heartbreaking Dory's story is and how much injustice the poor woman faced her entire life. But when they moved forward Bram legit worshiped the ground she walked on in anyway he possibly could. They had the sweetest obsession with one another build through unbreakable bonds forged in the most disturbing yet cathartic time of their lives. They for better or worse were made for one another because only they could relate to each other.
Bram is a little asshole but I loved him and his devotion to making it up to Dory. The sweet things he would do and the fact she had his undivided attention. Whilst he couldn't take the past away he would spend his whole life making sure Dory knew just how loved she was and I truly believed that. He won me over time and time again.
Dory is one of those quiet strengths. She was solid, dependable and sweet but she suffered no fools in the end and found her voice and the courage and I was here for it. I was here for her. Her ability to forgive spoke volumes to her character and in all honesty she is just that kind of person you can't not love.
The boys... well they are dickheads but I still love them.
I love Lani's ability to write so many characters and make you love them even in the times you don't like them. It's been a crazy journey this series and Never Trust The Living was the cherry on top of a deliciously rich cake.
I ranted and raved and at one point feared for my phone. I tried to hate, I loved hard and a laughed and I swooned because despite the sad and the trauma there is still a whole lot of wholesome goodness. Oh and in typical Lani fashion... there's a whole slew of characters.. most old and some new and interesting.
I love Dory and Bram and their HEA. They deserved it.
Now my impatient ass is eagerly awaiting the next book already and it already feels a million miles away!!.
Lani did not suffer fools with the Battle Crows MC. She straight up plunged us into murky waters with many ups and downs. So much heartbreak. Countless crazy moments and gasp worthy revelations. A slew of imperfectly perfect characters and a whole lot of steaming lovings. It's been a fucking journey right?!.
And Bram and Dory are the conclusion to the story.
What a way to end it.
Now I'm not going to say I cried as hard at this one as I did in Haggard and Sophia's. I didn't. But this one story left a hole in my heart a mile wide.
This book is highly anticipated and with good reason because Lani has been TEASING with these characters for a hot minute and we knew the situation between Bram and Dory was a HOTMESS. However we didn't know why.
Now before people get their pinch forks out in honour of sweet Dory to slay the heartless Bram... hold your fucking horses.
Was Bram a top class bellwhister... absofuckinglutly. Did he deserve a junk punch ... lord have mercy, he did. A few times over. But did he also have his own shit?. Yup. And was Dory a grown woman who should of told them all the fuck off a long ass time ago .... absolutely.
See this won't make sense until you read this because my crazy thoughts are trying to stay spoiler free. But what I will say is these characters are flawed. They are human. They made mistakes. Both of them. And whilst Bram and the merry band of assholes most definitely needed to grovel their whole lives. Bram earned his redemption and eventually so did the brothers.
Bram and Dory's story is a hard one. It's a real gut punch to find out just how heartbreaking Dory's story is and how much injustice the poor woman faced her entire life. But when they moved forward Bram legit worshiped the ground she walked on in anyway he possibly could. They had the sweetest obsession with one another build through unbreakable bonds forged in the most disturbing yet cathartic time of their lives. They for better or worse were made for one another because only they could relate to each other.
Bram is a little asshole but I loved him and his devotion to making it up to Dory. The sweet things he would do and the fact she had his undivided attention. Whilst he couldn't take the past away he would spend his whole life making sure Dory knew just how loved she was and I truly believed that. He won me over time and time again.
Dory is one of those quiet strengths. She was solid, dependable and sweet but she suffered no fools in the end and found her voice and the courage and I was here for it. I was here for her. Her ability to forgive spoke volumes to her character and in all honesty she is just that kind of person you can't not love.
The boys... well they are dickheads but I still love them.
I love Lani's ability to write so many characters and make you love them even in the times you don't like them. It's been a crazy journey this series and Never Trust The Living was the cherry on top of a deliciously rich cake.
I ranted and raved and at one point feared for my phone. I tried to hate, I loved hard and a laughed and I swooned because despite the sad and the trauma there is still a whole lot of wholesome goodness. Oh and in typical Lani fashion... there's a whole slew of characters.. most old and some new and interesting.
I love Dory and Bram and their HEA. They deserved it.
Now my impatient ass is eagerly awaiting the next book already and it already feels a million miles away!!.
September 6, 2022
I can’t believe how much my heart hurt reading Dory’s side of the story. What she lived through was horrifying but not having anyone believe her or be there for her was worse. I had higher expectations of Bram and was shocked that it took him so long to see what was right in front of him. Thank goodness those Crow boys have groveling down!
May 3, 2025
In order to protect one another after Dory agrees to marry Bram Crow. She protected Bram and Bram wants to pay her back by protecting her, he knows they will be stronger together then apart. Bram promises a real marriage but overtime Dory finds that no matter how hard she tries with Bram and his family, she is an outsider. No one understands Dory and they make no effort to and Bram just goes along with it. Having enough Dory leaves.
Bram knows he screwed up, he loves his wife but had not realized it until she is gone. When he finds her again he realizes he screwed up more then he expected. Dory doesn't trust Bram but h has every intention of getting her trust back even it if means defying his family.
This was a complicated story that I had been wondering about since book one. I loved the way this unfolded and Dory's story is haunting and you get so made about the way she was treated. Bram redeemed himself, but it took awhile but in the end he did. Wonderful way to end the series.
Bram knows he screwed up, he loves his wife but had not realized it until she is gone. When he finds her again he realizes he screwed up more then he expected. Dory doesn't trust Bram but h has every intention of getting her trust back even it if means defying his family.
This was a complicated story that I had been wondering about since book one. I loved the way this unfolded and Dory's story is haunting and you get so made about the way she was treated. Bram redeemed himself, but it took awhile but in the end he did. Wonderful way to end the series.
July 31, 2025
Talk about saving the best book for last. Bram and Dory have you on the edge of your seat. This book finally gives us all the backstory and the secrets that we didn’t know. Our questions are finally answered, your eyes are wide open and let me tell you Dory will steal your heart. A storyline filled with suspense, angst and heartbreak like you have never felt before. I’ll admit it, I cried like a baby during their story. My heart broke and the emotions their story draws from you is at times overwhelming. These two will keep you on your toes and the author will have you holding your breath making you nervous that this story is about to take an unexpected left turn when you thought you were going straight ahead. Never Trust The Living would have to be hands down the best in the series.
October 4, 2022
Amazon / Apple / Nook / Kobo
Dory's had a horrible, horrible life. Lived it in fear of her sociopathic brother and when the day would come that he finally killed her. Then something happens that changes the trajectory of that life. But is what comes after really better? Is living with a marriage of convenience with a husband that doesn't love her, treats her awfully, better than living with a horrible brother?
Bram had no idea how much his wife really meant to him until the day he came home and she was gone. Oh he knew that he'd treated her horribly for the past 10 years, but he also knew that he loved her. Why he was so horrible was one thing, but if he ever found her, he'd bring her back and spend the rest of their lives groveling at her feet and treating her the way she deserved - like the queen that she is. Now he just has to make sure they get through the next few months alive, and that the threat that's been hovering over them like a a specter is gone for good.
OK I have to get this out first - I was so mad at Bram, from the first page when he admitted how badly he'd treated poor Dory, clear til the last page of their story. Why? Well, I'm still not sure if he deserved all the awesomeness that is Dory. But, because she loved him I guess I can give him a pass. I will always have my doubts, and will always think Dory deserved much, much better than Bram gave her during the first 10 years of their marriage, but by the end I had decided that I loved Dory and her story enough that I could fairly rate this 5 stars. I'm going to miss the Battle Crows crew, but I know a new world is coming, one that starts with Wake (yay!!!) and Dutch, so I am consoling myself with this knowledge.
ARC provided by author for an honest review.
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October 4, 2022
Never Trust the Living had me in tears for like 75% of the book! Dory has had just the worst life, and her husband only adds to the heartache. The storyline crosses all the other brothers' stories timeline which I found interesting. However, you don't need to read them to appreciate Dory and Bram's story.
Dory was an abused kid who grew into a tortured adult, all at the hands of her sadistic brother. When she saves Bram, her life changes. Everything in me wanted it to be for the better, but it wasn't. She continues to be a discarded, lonely woman for 10 years while married to Bram. His family is awful to her. Bram is indifferent. After 10 years, she leaves.
Listen, I'm not gonna lie, I never quite forgave Bram. He knew so little about his own wife! Dory, who was just happy that no one was trying to kill her, took whatever tiny pieces of attention Bram threw her way. So, yeah, I'm still not okay with Bram. He had 10 years!!!! 10 years of marriage for him to finally get any of it right, and he didn't. UGH!
So, my problems with Bram aside, I adored Dory's book (I'm not calling it Bram's book even though he is the Crow brother) and wanted all good things for her! I enjoyed getting a peek into the hero of the next series as well.
POV: 3rd
Tears: yes
Trope: fake relationship
Triggers:
Series/Standalone: standalone within an interconnected series.
Cliffhanger:
HEA:
Other fake relationship tropes like The Bride Test by Helen Hoang, Wife by Wednesday by Cathrine Bybee, You're the One by Layla Hagen...then you will probably like Never Trust the Living!
Never Trust the Living
See full review on The Book Disciple
October 4, 2022
'I walk down memory lane because it's the only way I get to run into you'
This book is so damn terrifyingly hideous but also so completely perfect. Once again Ms Vale had me laughing, crying, vibrating with anger and sobbing so much my glasses steamed up, the emotional roller coaster will leave you exhausted but eager for more.
We knew from previous books that Dory's story was bad but there are no words for just how horrifying it actually was. She and Bram are perfect for each other and whilst I hate that, even whilst married to each other, it takes them so long to actually find each other, it is heart warming that they finally do. It is a very long journey of self discovery, acceptance and healing for both of them before they can finally fully open their hearts to each other and they realize that they are far stronger together.
I am sad that we have reached the end of the series but look forward to the new Gator Bait series and Wade and Dutch's story.
This book is so damn terrifyingly hideous but also so completely perfect. Once again Ms Vale had me laughing, crying, vibrating with anger and sobbing so much my glasses steamed up, the emotional roller coaster will leave you exhausted but eager for more.
We knew from previous books that Dory's story was bad but there are no words for just how horrifying it actually was. She and Bram are perfect for each other and whilst I hate that, even whilst married to each other, it takes them so long to actually find each other, it is heart warming that they finally do. It is a very long journey of self discovery, acceptance and healing for both of them before they can finally fully open their hearts to each other and they realize that they are far stronger together.
I am sad that we have reached the end of the series but look forward to the new Gator Bait series and Wade and Dutch's story.
July 8, 2024
I haven't read any of the previous books in this series, so this can definitely be a stand alone. It was recommended in a grovel FB group. Big time jump in this one. I thought there would be more of how horrible they all were to her for TEN FREAKING YEARS, not months but years. I would have left way sooner. I'm really disappointed in Bram. He never replaced the ring, never apologized for the way they had s*x, or was never defending her .....and really other than Shine, none of the others did either. There really wasn't a lot of grovel. This is not a hearts and flowers story, there is real abuse mentioned here as well as some violent moments. However, our couple does get their HEA after our hero takes his head out of his a$$. Not sure if I liked the baby name, as I kept replacing it with something else in my head.
Edit to add: after reading some of the other reviews, I guess we saw how bad the family treated Dory in the previous books. Not sure I'm interested enough to go back and read them.
Edit to add: after reading some of the other reviews, I guess we saw how bad the family treated Dory in the previous books. Not sure I'm interested enough to go back and read them.
October 12, 2022
Dory and Bram have a checkered past. They wind up getting married when covering for each other over the death of Dori's brother. He was a psychopath who did unspeakable things to Dory, including poison her food. After Bram and Dory get married, 10 years pass and Bram realizes that he hasn't treated Dory very well. He knows he loves her and vows to let her know. Unfortunately, Dory has moved and it takes him some time to find her. They then find out some surprising news and begin a new life. There is someone after Dory and Bram and his brothers, along with some new people in their life, try to find out who it is. In typical LLV fashion, there is a lot going on in this book. Not all of it made sense. Everything but the kitchen sink was pretty much thrown into this one. I didn't get the "new" connection between Bram and Dory. They did a lot of normal things but LLV seemed to think that showed their closeness. It didn't. I don't like that LLV constantly has the h face some kind of physical assault. I'm over it.
Read
October 6, 2022I’m glad Dory got her happy ending because she really deserved it. Damn, the girl been through it. Bram and his family were total a-holes. I kinda wish we saw how they managed to mend the fence on page instead of being told. LLV doesn’t drag her stories out, this is something I have found to both like and dislike because sometimes I feel like things are brushed off to quickly.
One thing I like is how LLV managed to change how readers felt Dory. Like Shine’s book… I thought she was going to be the horrible person exes that LLV gives her characters and I honestly thought Bram would end up with Mimi because of how she was introduced.
Writing this review made me realise that how much things were brushed over like why didn’t mimi call? What did she want? I mean tbh we could all possible guess.
—I do rate LLV different from other books ::: four stars here would most like be 3 or 2 stars for other books—Unfair yes.
—-
This review might be gibberish for all I know. I’m tired
One thing I like is how LLV managed to change how readers felt Dory. Like Shine’s book… I thought she was going to be the horrible person exes that LLV gives her characters and I honestly thought Bram would end up with Mimi because of how she was introduced.
Writing this review made me realise that how much things were brushed over like why didn’t mimi call? What did she want? I mean tbh we could all possible guess.
—I do rate LLV different from other books ::: four stars here would most like be 3 or 2 stars for other books—Unfair yes.
—-
This review might be gibberish for all I know. I’m tired
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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October 22, 2024This one had great bones: our h survived her sociopathic brother’s unwanted attentions, married the H for an extended alibi for both, then suffered through 10 years of callous neglect and disregard from his family and friends. When she leaves, he’s bummed. Since the reader is told most of this sick history rather than being able to enjoy in minute detail the delicious angst that could blossom from such a foul stew, I was super disappointed and just quit.
Minor quibbles with the author struggling to find her voice or a steady tone for her book. Was this trying to be a snarky girl power read or an angsty MIT surprise baby read? Who knows?
Anyhoo, I’m crossing it off the TBR and moving right along. I continue to be a frustrated OG Angst Whore.
Minor quibbles with the author struggling to find her voice or a steady tone for her book. Was this trying to be a snarky girl power read or an angsty MIT surprise baby read? Who knows?
Anyhoo, I’m crossing it off the TBR and moving right along. I continue to be a frustrated OG Angst Whore.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 21, 2022
So this mc is all about protecting abused people, with a sister who was traffickeded….and yet they bully an abused woman…even the parents….so much for empathy.And blaming Dory for what her brother was….. I usually love LLV books, but this is not a favourite. Men who treats a woman like the men did to Dory does not sit well with me. I have experienced male coworkers who has screamed and yelled at me and its not a good situation…
October 4, 2022
We finally have Bram and Dory! Let me tell you I have been waiting for these two since the start of the series. I knew their story was going to be powerful. Let’s recap what we learned from previous books.
Bram was dating Mimi when suddenly, for reasons unknown, he ended up not only with Dorcas (Dory) but married to her. They don’t have the best relationship. His family seems to hate her and Bram is indifferent. Dory leaves him but is suddenly back and pregnant in the last book.
There is so much to unpack there. Let me say that Lani Lynn Vale did an amazing job on not only keeping us interested in them for the entire series but also on their backstory. It was so amazing. I am left to wonder though that had these two been more upfront with his family, at the least, if things would have been different.
We started with eight year old Dory, who shattered my heart, and then followed her through the years (briefly) as she was tormented by her brother. We then meet Mimi and Bram. Let me say that I wasn’t crazy about Mimi before and she was just a witch in this book. That girl needed a punch in the face. Bram and Dory meet and there is no sudden “We’re in love!” Although that is the outside picture they try to portray. The years pass and Dory knows she loves Bram but she just can’t take all the hate and indifference. Now that Mimi is back she feels like Bram no longer needs her.
The problem is that Bram loves her. I’m talking deep down in his soul sort of love. He just spent so long trying to separate himself from her because he felt like she got stuck with him and didn’t have a choice. When she leaves he is heartbroken.
As we watch them attempt to repair their relationship I will say that Bram went above and beyond. He stood up to his family, moved her to a place she would be comfortable, and jumped in with both feet. Once these two begin to open up to one another they blossom together. We see two people who have been so hurt and worked so hard to hide their feelings for so long that neither thought they could be happy.
Bram and Dory have become my new favorite couple and I know that their ook is one I will read again and again. There could not have been a better ending to this series. I laughed, I cried so hard, and held my breath many times. This book was gut wrenching at times. Young Dory is so heartbreaking but watching her blossom was worth every tear.
Bram was hard as stone to begin with, never showing his feelings. Watching him learn to share was beautiful. Seeing him at his lowest as he shatters was almost too difficult to read. I worried at a few points but in true LLV fashion she gave a story of a love that will stand the test of time.
Let me also add that Lani Lynn Vale did an amazing job of setting up her next series. Accident Florida is an interesting sounding town and Wake has a shocking story already.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. This review was originally posted on Storied Conversation
Bram was dating Mimi when suddenly, for reasons unknown, he ended up not only with Dorcas (Dory) but married to her. They don’t have the best relationship. His family seems to hate her and Bram is indifferent. Dory leaves him but is suddenly back and pregnant in the last book.
There is so much to unpack there. Let me say that Lani Lynn Vale did an amazing job on not only keeping us interested in them for the entire series but also on their backstory. It was so amazing. I am left to wonder though that had these two been more upfront with his family, at the least, if things would have been different.
We started with eight year old Dory, who shattered my heart, and then followed her through the years (briefly) as she was tormented by her brother. We then meet Mimi and Bram. Let me say that I wasn’t crazy about Mimi before and she was just a witch in this book. That girl needed a punch in the face. Bram and Dory meet and there is no sudden “We’re in love!” Although that is the outside picture they try to portray. The years pass and Dory knows she loves Bram but she just can’t take all the hate and indifference. Now that Mimi is back she feels like Bram no longer needs her.
The problem is that Bram loves her. I’m talking deep down in his soul sort of love. He just spent so long trying to separate himself from her because he felt like she got stuck with him and didn’t have a choice. When she leaves he is heartbroken.
As we watch them attempt to repair their relationship I will say that Bram went above and beyond. He stood up to his family, moved her to a place she would be comfortable, and jumped in with both feet. Once these two begin to open up to one another they blossom together. We see two people who have been so hurt and worked so hard to hide their feelings for so long that neither thought they could be happy.
Bram and Dory have become my new favorite couple and I know that their ook is one I will read again and again. There could not have been a better ending to this series. I laughed, I cried so hard, and held my breath many times. This book was gut wrenching at times. Young Dory is so heartbreaking but watching her blossom was worth every tear.
Bram was hard as stone to begin with, never showing his feelings. Watching him learn to share was beautiful. Seeing him at his lowest as he shatters was almost too difficult to read. I worried at a few points but in true LLV fashion she gave a story of a love that will stand the test of time.
Let me also add that Lani Lynn Vale did an amazing job of setting up her next series. Accident Florida is an interesting sounding town and Wake has a shocking story already.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. This review was originally posted on Storied Conversation
December 26, 2024
This was extremely safe. From all the reviews here and on FB I thought I'd be getting a one two punch of angst 👊. There was none. I mean it had so much potential, but then fell flat. The plot was good. Psycho brother out to torture his sister for life saved by a marriage of convenience for both h and H. H was one of her brother's victims that she saved. To rid the public, friends, and family of any suspicion after her brother is found murdered. h and H did it together btw. Well Dory's final blow is what did it actually. H feels responsible so they fake a relationship and alibi. They're married for 10 years and we're told she's either ignored or picked on by the MC and their family members because they blame her for the breakup of Bram's ex girlfriend. I would have liked to have read how they treated her. Actual examples. Not told about it. It's over so quickly and she's moving on. She thought the H wasn't in love with her and still pined for his ex who he broke up with to marry the h. OW comes back and causes zero drama. Dealt with in a paragraph 🤷. The whole book was anticlimactic to be honest. I want to try more from this author though just to see if I can find something that fits. Though the injuries Dory sustained in the end from a bomb plus having a stroke and lived was a bit unbelievable.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 4, 2022
5 Stars!
Lani Lynn Vale is back with the next book in the Battle Crows MC series and y'all, I might sound like a broken record but this is definitely my favorite to date in this addicting series. Lani certainly has a way with her words and love stories and it just simply works for me.
Never Trust the Living gives us Bram and Dory's (cute, unique names!) story and gahhhhh my heart, this book y'all. Packed to the brims with all of the feels and all of the heat and heart that LLV is known for.. this beauty packed a serious punch and I devoured every second I was immersed in their journey.
Crazy excited for the next Lani book.
I can't recommend this author and series enough.
Reviewed for Renee Entress's Blog.
Lani Lynn Vale is back with the next book in the Battle Crows MC series and y'all, I might sound like a broken record but this is definitely my favorite to date in this addicting series. Lani certainly has a way with her words and love stories and it just simply works for me.
Never Trust the Living gives us Bram and Dory's (cute, unique names!) story and gahhhhh my heart, this book y'all. Packed to the brims with all of the feels and all of the heat and heart that LLV is known for.. this beauty packed a serious punch and I devoured every second I was immersed in their journey.
Crazy excited for the next Lani book.
I can't recommend this author and series enough.
Reviewed for Renee Entress's Blog.
September 17, 2022
Well damn, what a way to go.
So the question was asked a while back about which character in the BCMC world were you most looking forward to? I didn't hesitate back then to agree with your momma Lori ❤️ in that I wanted to know all there ever was to know about Bram. I just knew Broody Bram had a hell of a story and I would be salivating for it...and then you throw in Dory.
FML, I don't think I've ever fallen so hard and so fast for the heroine in a story like I did for Dory. You managed to create a character that no one could have ever thought possible due to the glimpsed bits & pieces of her in prior books. This was without a doubt, a love story to put other love stories to shame. Characters and plot were brilliant across the board.
On top of the gozillion+ stories to come out of that brilliant brain of yours, this story just proves beyond a any doubt that you LLV, were meant to be a writer. To spread your words far and wide and have them absorbed into the marrow of your readers soul!!!
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for the opportunity to live in your amazing world once again.
So the question was asked a while back about which character in the BCMC world were you most looking forward to? I didn't hesitate back then to agree with your momma Lori ❤️ in that I wanted to know all there ever was to know about Bram. I just knew Broody Bram had a hell of a story and I would be salivating for it...and then you throw in Dory.
FML, I don't think I've ever fallen so hard and so fast for the heroine in a story like I did for Dory. You managed to create a character that no one could have ever thought possible due to the glimpsed bits & pieces of her in prior books. This was without a doubt, a love story to put other love stories to shame. Characters and plot were brilliant across the board.
On top of the gozillion+ stories to come out of that brilliant brain of yours, this story just proves beyond a any doubt that you LLV, were meant to be a writer. To spread your words far and wide and have them absorbed into the marrow of your readers soul!!!
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for the opportunity to live in your amazing world once again.
October 5, 2022
Finally! Bram and Dory's story. I have wanted their store since the start of the series.
And what a story it is!
I'm sad this is the final Battle Crows book.
We do get the entire back story on Dory. And how she and Bram got together. And why he didn't stay with Mimi.
What Dory has been through. Holy Shit! She is so strong.
This book probes how much of a fighter she is.
I'm sorry this is vague. But there is so much I would hate to spoil for anyone.
This is a must read!
"Are girls called "chicks' because they produce eggs, or love cock?"
And what a story it is!
I'm sad this is the final Battle Crows book.
We do get the entire back story on Dory. And how she and Bram got together. And why he didn't stay with Mimi.
What Dory has been through. Holy Shit! She is so strong.
This book probes how much of a fighter she is.
I'm sorry this is vague. But there is so much I would hate to spoil for anyone.
This is a must read!
"Are girls called "chicks' because they produce eggs, or love cock?"
January 9, 2023
This book had various elements that at different times were good and horribly bad. The heroine is treated badly throughout by her serial killer brother then the hero, Bram and his family and then just for shits and giggles her stalker as well. Let’s just say being full term pregnant and being blown up is pretty significant. I’m not sure why LLV is treating her heroines like this I’m not enjoying it.
As for the romance this story doesn’t have Bram treating her badly so anyone picking this book up without reading the previous ones in the series won’t understand just how bad it has been for this heroine. I was glad to be at the end of it and this series too. 🙃
As for the romance this story doesn’t have Bram treating her badly so anyone picking this book up without reading the previous ones in the series won’t understand just how bad it has been for this heroine. I was glad to be at the end of it and this series too. 🙃
September 27, 2022
Bram and Dory's story was so heartfelt it wrecked our heart. Hands down, Dory is one of our favorite characters in this series. We loved the story but, it was messy and painful, and we shed many tears right along with Dory.
Although Dory's painful past breaks our heart, we loved that we got to know who she really was in this story and just not the glimpses that we got of her in previous books. Dory is a survivor and with everything she had to endure in her life she still remained loving and compassionate and caring and if anyone who looked beyond the surface got the gentle and caring woman and a fierce friend who would always have your back.
Bram is not seen in a flattering light in this story, and honestly he doesn't deserve the goodness and love of a woman like Dory, he is only lucky that Dory is a forgiving soul.
My heart was breaking this entire story as we constantly felt Dory's pain and sorrow. This woman impressed me with all things Dory in what she has achieved in life and the obstacles that she has overcome.
Overall, quite the page turner for us. All Dory's life struggles and pain and sorrow makes sense now, and we hope those responsible will get exactly what coming to them and then some, they all deserve to be in hell. Bram better get down on his hands and knees daily, and thank god for the gift he gave him and cherish it always.
Although Dory's painful past breaks our heart, we loved that we got to know who she really was in this story and just not the glimpses that we got of her in previous books. Dory is a survivor and with everything she had to endure in her life she still remained loving and compassionate and caring and if anyone who looked beyond the surface got the gentle and caring woman and a fierce friend who would always have your back.
Bram is not seen in a flattering light in this story, and honestly he doesn't deserve the goodness and love of a woman like Dory, he is only lucky that Dory is a forgiving soul.
My heart was breaking this entire story as we constantly felt Dory's pain and sorrow. This woman impressed me with all things Dory in what she has achieved in life and the obstacles that she has overcome.
Overall, quite the page turner for us. All Dory's life struggles and pain and sorrow makes sense now, and we hope those responsible will get exactly what coming to them and then some, they all deserve to be in hell. Bram better get down on his hands and knees daily, and thank god for the gift he gave him and cherish it always.
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