Hail Mary (Hail Raisers, #6) by Lani Lynn Vale
Rosa’s rating: 5 of 5 iScream Cones

“The world would be a lesser place without you in it.”

I’ve made no secret that I’m drawn to stories with broken bad boys. As long as the author has my trust, that I feel safe with her, that she’ll eventually give me an HEA or at least a HFN I’m willing to place my heart in her hands for the duration. For me personally, having gone through some really bad stuff, it’s inspiring to read about others who have come through the darkness, finding light through love. It gives me hope and makes me happy. So, if given a choice, I’ll pick a book with a damaged broken character every single time.

I’ve been waiting for Dante’s story for a long time. I felt his pain and loss in every book prior to this one. I wanted desperately to meet the woman that would comfort him and bring the life back to his eyes. Now that I have, I’ve fallen even harder for him, and I have a girl-crush on her.

Dante claims that his daughter Mary saved his life. He’d been wallowing in a black hole for the last two years, unable to pull himself out of his grief. The result of his drunken one-night-stand was the best thing that could have happened to him, though it would take a while for him to see that. Having shut down his feelings for so long, they were rusty. But sweet Mary melted the ice around his heart and made him feel again.

She saw his pain immediately. She recognized it. She had enough trouble of her own, but still, she was drawn to him. She rambled, saying outrageous things to get a reaction out of him. The occasional smirk or smile was…everything. Though she couldn’t deny that, “Even when he was there, he wasn’t really ‘there’.” They formed a friendship of sorts, helping each other. Learning when to keep their questions to themselves and when to reach out with support. They shared secrets and painful memories and insecurities and fears. She fell hard for Mary, and it was mutual. But how much of their relationship was out of necessity? Were there any real feelings on his side, or was she just a distraction to help him survive his past?

And let’s not forget the villian hovering in the background. Yeah, he’s the bad guy that’s married to Mary’s mother. The man that she was running from when he met her. A man that he didn’t know even existed until he was already an unwilling father. A man that would not stay in the past and would threaten his future once he learned of his existence. Hello, suspense, good-bye fingernails. Hello, emotion, bye-bye sleep because it’s time for a #BookHangover and worth every missed ZZZzzzz. I’m so in love with this series and Dante was worth waiting for. But the new man in my future is Rafe. He’s got so many secrets that I’m anxious to learn. And I’ve not been immune to the sparks bouncing between him and a certain lady that he’s trying hard to ignore. Too bad for him, it’s not working. If I can feel it through my Kindle, it’s too hot to smother. I can’t wait! The line forms here…