I’ve always had one goal in life – find the man who murdered my mother and make him pay for taking her away from me.Who would’ve guessed that a beautiful woman from a one-night stand would lead me straight to the person I’ve spent the last six years searching for. Now I just need to find a way to get close enough to kill him. The problem is, the closer I get to my mother’s killer, the more … the closer I get to my mother’s killer, the more secrets from my past are revealed.
And no matter how hard I try to fight them; those secrets may be the death of me.
Ivan is the second full-length, MMA romance with a HEA in this three book series. Readers are advised to start with the first book, Cain, since Ivan is a continuation of that story and contains the same secondary characters.
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Interesting 4 stars – Of the three Out of the Cage Novels, this is the most violent. Ivan’s condition though is interesting. Good thing Maylin is a cure. Too bad Maylin has to marry someone else. A bit of suspense and danger followed. Has plenty of steam. Ending created a dilemma for Ivan but made the series interesting.
A cage fighting syndicate run by the Italian mafia and a strip club run by the Irish mafia. Ivan is a fighter. When he mistakes Maylin for a stripper at her Daddy’s club, it sets off a dizzying chain of events. One surprise after another kept me hooked throughout the story.
Ivan is an orphan that was raised by the Italian Mafia to be one their MMA fighters. Now the Irish Mafia has taken over the Italian territory and Ivan can make his own money doing what he enjoys. However, he is haunted by his past and is not sure he will ever find the perfect woman for him. Then luck or chance intercedes, and he literally bumps into Maylin, the daughter of the Irish Kingpin in charge of everything. Ivan’s entire world changes as he decides Maylin is the woman he has been dreaming about.
Ivan is book 2 in a trilogy about three young MMA fighters in servitude to the Mafia. I read the first novel, Cain, years ago, so I did not remember much of that story while I was reading Ivan. I did enjoy the first novel in the series. There is mention of the characters from the previous novel, but it is not necessary to have read the first novel in order to understand this one. Ivan was slightly different than Cain. The story line to me became convoluted at a point with all that was going on with this story. It was information overload. Ivan’s backstory alone was like, “WTH?!?” There was some suspense in the novel, but the author let it drop and it was not mentioned again by the end of the novel. I am not sure if it will pick back up on the third novel in the series. Although this story is part of a series, it does end with a HEA. The cliffhanger/epilogue of the story is the introduction into the third novel, Knox, in the series.
One good book, Ivan was nothing what I expected which made his story so good, love the twists and turns and suspense in this story, love to see a future jump of Ivan and Maylin’s life in another book being they are so young in this story, really liked this couple.
I didn’t dislike this book, but I did find it very unrealistic. I liked the bond between Ivan and his friends. I liked his protectiveness as well. But I just found the whole situation a series of stupid choices. And the little glimmers of humanity in her dad are severely overshadowed by his own greed and selfishness, even in the end. Just an odd series of events, rolled all together in one really short story.
I can’t tell you how excited and anxious I was to start this book. Since I’ve read the first book from this series that I wanted to know everything about the rest of the gang and this guy simply intrigued me.
I’ve already said this but I’ll keep telling it until everyone knows this lady. Her books speaks for herself and you will get caught into this web of feelings and emotions with a touch of hot stuff.
Lane Hart is the author in question and her writing is intense, amazing, simple yet pretty detailed.
Ivan is the second book from the An Out of the Cage series and let me just say that you need to be prepared.
This book explores the lifes of Ivan and Maylin.
But I totally advise you to read Cain first because despite they are all standalones the first book will give you the lights for the rest of the series.
Ivan had a childhood marked by sadness, tragedy and violence. Since the day of his mother’s murderer he was sent to live in a house with other kids and there he bonded with Cain and Knox. Like them he’s also a MMA fighter that needs to survive and keep going in order to find the man who ruined his life.
Maylin is a sweet girl that hates her father’s business. One night was enough to change her life. When she’s called to met her father at his strip club she can’t imagine what’s about to happen.
Amazing… Simply amazing… Like I knew it would be.
Supeb plot, very well written, super engaging and intense. The way the story progressed left me with that feeling of wanting more and more each time. The interation between the characters is beautiful, raw and dark. The unknown left me anxious and nervous but excited at the same time.
We might think that we don’t deserve happiness but life has a way to show us the other way around.
Love, loyalty, friendship and desire are very present as well as betrayal, crime and punishment.
The hot stuff are there and Dayum… What scenes..
Lane you are magnificent and your words shows just that. Every story takes us to a world of desire, feelings and so much more.
Now… Now I want Knox’s book. Don’t let me wait to long.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
Ever since I read Cain, I have been waiting for Ivan! Ivan is the second book in Lane Hart’s Out of the Cage series and it’s a good one. If you haven’t read Cain, I suggest that you do because as in all her series there are several inter-connected characters. Ivan is the quiet one. The one that everyone wonders what is going on in his head. He has been consumed by revenge since he was a young teen and for the first time in a long while he becomes distracted by a young woman. He thinks she’s a stripper but she happens to be Maylin, the daughter of a mob boss and someone that has her own major problems happening. Ivan and Maylin connect and she becomes his focus because she’s caught up in trouble from Ivan’s past. I don’t want to give anymore of the story away, just know that it’s angsty, steamy, funny and an exciting YA/NA romance. It’s written in dual POV so the reader can really feel connected to the action. I recommend Ivan completely.
It was only a matter of time before Keely and Jack got together. We have been seeing this coming for years now! And it finally happens. This story could not have been more perfect! Knowing what we know about Keely, and Jack, there was no other way that they would have gotten together. They are working together to help each other get a head in their careers. She needs his help with the restoration of a historical building, he needs a wife to try to win a contract. They settle on being engaged. But its got to be real. So her whole family and his (including his bother that Keely dated for a while) had to be informed of the engagement. Well you cant live together and act all lovey in public without it spilling into real life. Not to mention the chemistry they have always had.
I am a sucker for the “brother best friend” story. I also love a good enemies to lovers tale. This story told BOTH! It was hot, funny and a bit emotional. Exactly what I love and have come to expect from Lorelei James’ work.
Ivan by Lane Hart a five-star read that you need in your life. This is the second book in the An out of the cage series but they can all be read as standalone and if you read one Lane Hart book I promise you will want to go back and read them all, Ivan has always been someone you can see that we only get to scratch the surface, when his story is revealed it shows us that we have just been seeing the top of the tip of the iceberg. There is so much more to the big brooding man than meets the eye, I don’t know what it is about Ivan but he blew me away, will he let the past ruin his future or will it fuel the future he has planned.
Just when you thought there is no way Lane could top Cain then you read Ivan……. holy hell. This read was riveting, spellbinding and held me captive from the very beginning. I can honestly say this book was definitely unputdownable due to the unexpected twists and turns which will have you on the edge of your seat and leave you begging for more! Can’t wait for the next book in this series!
This second book in the Out of the Cage novels is fast paced and packed full of emotion and revelations. Ivan finds himself stuck between a rock and hard place more than once in this steamy page turner and even when he’s not making the best decisions, you can’t help but feel for him. The book is well-written and Hart has masterfully woven a tale where even the good guys do bad things, but you love them anyway. The conclusion was absolutely perfect and I can’t wait to see what’s in store for Knox – he may just have the toughest journey of all for his HEA.
I have to say, Lane’s cage fighter series, are some of my favorites. I can never get enough. Ivan especially. This is the second book in the series and it’s definitely my favorite so far. Ivan, whose mother was murdered, just wants revenge for the man who killed her. With his past, and a woman in his life, you hope that he gets his happily ever after. I rooted for Ivan the whole time and I’m so happy that Cain and Knox made appearances. Can’t wait to read Knox’s book next.
You just gotta love Lane Hart’s cage fighters and I’ve been anxiously waiting for Ivan’s story. He’s been dark and mysterious, quiet and secretive with his past. Now it’s all revealed and it left me heartbroken for him.
Maylin’s father has taken steps to bring peace between to mafia factions. Unfortunately, it is at her cost. Struggling with what the future will hold for her and all the potential horror that is to come, she escapes for the night with a man she meets at her father’s place of business. One night of wild intense passion and a glimpse inside the mind of her lover’s demons leaves her wanting more, but torn due to miscommunication.
Ivan’s history is steeped in guilt, shame and fury. He was unable to help the most important person in his life and since that moment his only goal is vengeance. He does not partake of the ladies like his buddies do. He has a mental block that refuses to release him from its grip. Until he meets Maylin and suddenly he has hope that he’s not completely broken.
As heartbreaking as Ivan’s struggle was, I loved that when this couple came together they were both a bit innocent, insecure and scared. Their connection quickly grows. When Ivan sets out to not only rescue Maylin from a horrible future, but to seek his own justice, I fell in love with the man he transformed into.
This is a fast paced read that never bogs down with unnecessary prose or dialogue. The secondary characters each have their own stories to tell and I loved seeing Cain and Gabby as well as getting a better look at Knox and Jade. While this installment did not have much of the cage fighting element, it was heavy with steam, light with angst, and full of action.
This is an honest review of an advanced reader copy.
Dual POV
Safe – no ow/om drama
Possible triggers