Ghosts are real.Well, technically speaking, maybe not. But the ones that haunt a man’s soul? Those are very real. So real, in fact, that there are times when Castiel would rather silence them forever in the worst way possible than to go on living with them haunting his every step.All it took was one single second in time for his attention to drift, and everything changed.Life as he once knew it, … changed.
Life as he once knew it, is over.
Now he’s struggling to make sense of the pieces that are left, and he’s fairly sure at least half of them are missing.
He’s living for three things now.
His club—the Bear Bottom Guardians.
His work as a police officer for Bear Bottom Police Department.
And the occasional glimpse of a girl that makes his spirit feel free.
Despite the ghosts that haunt him, he’s not willing to present them with another target. Which is why he has to stay away from her. He can’t touch her. He can’t talk to her. He can’t get anywhere near her.
Not and live with himself afterward.
The only problem is, Turner doesn’t care what Castiel wants. She also has a solution for his ghosts.
You may call her Ms. Ghostbuster.
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An enemies to lovers story, this trope is one this author uses so well in her stories.
When the text or saying at the chapter beginning has you chuckling then you know the book is going to be good! For example this text fro Turner to Jubilee…
I’d be a terrible superhero. I’d see the signal in the sky and think, “I literally just sat down.”
However, the flip side is exploring serious issues and there is nothing funny or even remotely humorous about death. I’m not ashamed to say tears trickled down my cheeks from such poignant writing, nothing super fancy but so real you feel it like a stab to your chest.
A touch of mystery and drama, a huge dollop of romance with off the chart chemistry and a pinch of family relationships all together combine to produce one terrific story I totally recommend to everyone to read.
What can I say about another phenomenal read by Lani. Lani does it again and she draws me in and keeps me reading until I am finished because I have to know what is going to happen. Lani always has this way of drawing me in and keeping me reading until the end because her description of things and places and people has my mind thinking I am right there at Bear Bottom right there with the guys and girls.
This is Castiel’s story and I have been waiting to see if he was getting his own story because he was always quiet and brooding in the corner never trying to get to close to anyone and never trying to put himself out there. I now know why and my heart goes out to him but I LOVED Turner she is the bomb! Turner makes him feel things he has not felt in a long time and makes him have hope again.
Castiel being Castiel keeps his distance from her until he can’t anymore. When he finds out she is in trouble he is right there front and center waiting to help her get through what she needs to and keep her safe and sound.
Will Castiel let his guard down and let her in or will he strictly keep it business and help Turner out as a friend.
Keep it classy is another Lani Lynn Vale piece of gold. I loved the humor, the banter, the heat between her couple and the fiery sass of her heroine. It was everything I loved in a LLV story and more. We saw a glimpse of Castiel from It Happens and saw a hint of his acrimonious relationship with Turner but we could never have expected the sizzling connection between them. I loved this story!!
Castiel was a man who had deep-rooted ghosts and painful memories. He found himself intrigued by Turner, a sassy, outspoken girl with a need for speed, but he wouldn’t allow himself to fall for her due to his painful past. But when they keep crossing paths and then a tragedy occurs that implodes Turner’s world, Castiel takes it upon himself to be there for Turner. But he would never have expected to fall for the woman who shattered his misconceptions about her.
I loved this story so much. It was full of delicious banter and had a suspenseful element that this author is known for. The feelings Castiel and Turner developed for one another felt so genuine and their love story so raw and real. I can’t wait for the next one from this author! Bravo! 5 stars! ~Ratula
5 Stars
If you follow Lani Lynn Vale, then you should know the backstory behind this book, and if you don’t, once you read the dedication, you will. LLV always writes emotionally charged stories with a side of humor and a touch of suspense, but because of the backstory, I could feel her emotions more than usual throughout this book.
Castiel is a man that has been burned in the past by his very wealthy ex-wife, and with a preconceived notion, lumps Turner in the same category strictly because of who her dad is. I love their prickly banter towards each other and how it quickly becomes charged sexual tension. The more time these two spent together, the more they just fell into step with one another. Then when tragedy strikes Turner’s family, Castiel is the unsung hero that swoops in and saves the day.
From Castiel’s gruffness, Turner’s feistiness, and the well timed humor that only LLV can deliver, I loved everything about this book. And knowing the emotion behind it just makes it that much more heartfelt.
Angela – Alphas Do It Better Book Blog
This is the seventh book in the Bear Bottom Guardians MC series. These are complete standalones, but we do see some interaction between Turner and Castiel in “It Happens”.
Turner is great. I absolutely love her subtitle job! She’s the daughter of a favorite Nascar driver and has raced herself a little.
I want an RV like hers!
Yes, her daddy is rich and she is spoiled by him. But she also works two jobs. She doesn’t just take daddy’s money.
Castiel is an awesome man. He shows it throughout the book.
What started as mutual hate quickly morphes into more.
I’m hoping Bud gets a book in another series.
Can’t wait for the next two in this series.
Liners’s book!
Slate’s book! And Harleigh Belle, Max is gonna flip his top and I can’t wait to see it!
“Fun parenting game: take a shot every time your child whines.”
-Disclaimer- Don’t do this
You’ll die.” -Coffee Cup
“I’m sorry I’m so cranky. I’m just in my terrible 30s right now.” -Castiel’s secret thoughts.
Title: Keep It Classy
Author: Lani Lynn Vale
Publication Date: March 5 2019
A heartbreaking story that you have to read.
Pace, storyline and characters were great with just enough suspense to keep it interesting.
Amazing, emotional read.
An emotional read! With the next book in the Bear Bottom Guardians MC series, we get Castiel’s book. He packs a punch with his stoic front, but underneath, he’s a really gentle guy. He was already attracted to Turner, and when they are the only ones in sight when tragedy strikes, it bonds them. I enjoyed their story. I felt like the story of his past got dropped a good bit, and no longer matches the description of the book, but the story was powerful none-the-less. Good addition to the series!
Police Officer Castiel Hendrix doesn’t feel like he has a lot going for him these days. He works hard and the rest of the time he devotes his life to the MC. He has to keep his mind busy … too busy to remember the past that haunts him. He lives with pain, loss and regret … and so many “if onlys”.
Turner Hooch mixes with Castiel like oil and water when she meets him, but she can’t deny there is a strong attraction under the surface. He drives her crazy … but when happenstance has him in the right place at the right time to help pick up the pieces when her entire world falls apart, she starts to see what a great guy he really is.
First – the thing I didn’t really like – The overall story could be somewhat disjointed, and a bit confusing at times. Some things seemed thrown in wily-nily, possibly caused by later parts of the story being written before earlier parts, and then the “extra” or “conflicting” explanations not being edited out.
However!! I LOVE both Turner & Castiel, and their interactions! The family dynamics, the friendships, and the supporting storylines were engaging and made me want to hand out all the hugs.
This is a very emotional and extra steamy read that I very much enjoyed despite sometimes having to do a double take or push some questions to the side. There is a LOT of heart in the characters & story, and it made me tear up as well as laugh out loud. Because of this, the story is more on the favorites shelf than not. : )
P.S.
The heroine’s name is Turner Hooch. Tom Hanks fans should get a giggle. : )
Keep It Classy … OMG. I cried so hard reading this book. This book had so much emotion it’s palpable. I felt Turner’s pain and grief. I also felt her struggle with how she saw herself sometimes. Even when you lose weight sometimes it’s hard to shake the mentality of being overweight. I loved her family and her relationship with them.
I loved Castiel. He was broody but had so much depth to him, more than he let others see. Their enemies to lovers story was a slow burn that became an inferno. His family, however, I wanted to throat punch.
As usual, Lani’s sense of humor is evident, but this book really really really hit me in the heart.
5 Stars
I have read every book by LLV and can I say this one was by far the most emotional of them all. This book not only broke my heart but it owned it too. Castiel and Turner’s story was also one of the sexiest and hottest of them all but believe me Lani might have made it dirty but she definitely had no issues in keeping it classy. An action packed romance of self doubt, learning to love, moving forward and finally learning to trust. These two characters had so much chemistry that you could feel it radiate off the pages. Their story was witty, sexy, angsty, heartbreaking but it was also captivating and bursting with love.
I don’t think I’ve ever read a Lani Lynn Vale story where I haven’t had a plethora of feelings filling up my head and my heart. And I think the reason for that is the fact that her characters’ flaws are realistically portrayed and Vale delves deep into their minds, mostly through her use of dual perspectives, when she crafts their stories. It’s not difficult to understand what the hero and heroine are feeling and thinking because readers are privy to EVERYTHING from both of them.
What’s not to love about Castiel – he definitely deserves his ‘hot cop’ moniker and even though his exterior defenses alienate him from people and prevent them from truly understanding who he is, it’s more than obvious that Castiel is worth the extra work it takes to know him and to have him in one’s life.
Ever since Turner was introduced as Jubilee’s best friend, I’ve loved her. She’s quirky and way stronger than she thinks she is; she’s full of life and tries to find happiness and laughter each and every day. And I get that she still sees herself as a work-in-progress even though she’s taken steps to recreate herself in a way that makes her feel healthier…that kind of body image issue is not something that easily goes away, especially when her childhood has left its own scars on her heart and her soul.
Even though Castiel and Turner wanted nothing to do with each other on their onset of their would be friendship and even relationship, there was always more like than hate when it came to these two, and while they kept up appearances quite nicely in the beginning, when it comes to their mutual hatred, but as soon as Turner needs him, Castiel steps up in big ways and has no plans of remaining invisible, at least when it comes to her.
The two things I always love about a Lani Lynn Vale story are the fact that her heroines are easily relatable and the fact that family, whether blood-related or not, is essential to the growth of these characters and they seem to always be at their backs when they need them.
Because Vale gave readers insight into how the events of her real life fused into her words and storyline for Keep It Classy, it’s easy to see just how much of her emotions are embedded into the plot and into the characters’ feelings. And I appreciate that fact so much because, in some ways, it makes Turner and Castiel’s story more personal…more impacting…more everything and then some.
4.5 Poison Apples
Keeping it classy
Turner is Jubilee’s bestie and works with her at the funeral home. Even though Turner had loving parents while growing up with her father in the spotlight, she had a rough childhood. Now years later, she is finally getting her life together and meeting Castile just highlights how much she is missing out on. Even though they fight like cat and dog! Oh, and he gave her a speeding ticket
Loved this story, much like anything LLV writes, I try and get my hands on it straight away so I can read it
I received a copy of this book from the publisher/author to review for Stephanie’s Book Reports.
Ghosts are real. Well, technically speaking, maybe not. But the ones that haunt a man’s soul? Those are very real. So real in fact, that there are times when Castiel would rather silence them forever in the worst way possible than to go on living with them haunting his every step. All it took was on single second in time for his attention to drift and everything changed. Life as he once knew it, is over. Now he is struggling to make sense of the pieces that are left, and he’s fairly sure at least half of them are missing. He’s living for three things now. His Club-the Bear Bottom Guardians. His work as a police officer for Bear Bottom Police Department. And the occasional glimpse of a girl that makes his spirit feel free. Despite the ghosts that haunt him, he’s not willing to present them with another target. Which is shy he has to stay away from her. He can’t touch her. He can’t talk to her. He can’t get anywhere near her. Not and live with himself afterward. The only problem is, Turner doesn’t care what Castiel wants. She also has a solution for ghost. You may call her Ms. Ghostbuster.
I am so in love with Castiel. He is the man!!! He is one hot cop but he also been burned. He was married once upon a time to a woman who just had way to high expectations. Now they are divorced and he is enjoying his freedom. Turner has had a bad childhood and has made some serious changes in her life. She has never had the opportunity to experience the things that most people her age have. When these two meet they have an amazing spark but they fight it. Their banter is hilarious and I was so hooked on their story I could not put it down. I have love all these Bearbottom men but Castiel just might be my very favorite. Once again Lani Lynn Vale has written one amazing book. I can not wait to see what comes next.
Turner has had a tough time with her self-esteem as a teenager and adult. She was plus sized and had trouble fitting in with a crowd. She has an unconventional job. Castiel is a hot cop and a good guy. These two have chemistry they can’t deny and it comes to light. I like a good enemies to lovers story. This was a good read just like all the books in this series.
If authors really do live on the tears of their readers, then I think that Lani Lynn Vale will have a LONG life!! I cried hard at this book. Won’t get into why, because readers need to know this as it is important on how the storyline progresses through, but beware. You will cry …. but I have to say that I think the story needed this.
I absolutely loved Turner. I had thought she was so confident in the other books, but her character surprised me … in a great way! She has snark down to a science, but that covers a heart that has been hurt and damaged. There were so many times during the reading of this book that I wanted to reach into the pages and smack the crap out of someone and all on her or her family’s behalf. But that made her so much stronger as a character.
And Castiel, I can definitely understand his characters aversion to what he thought Turner represented, but he was one of the ones that I wanted to smack early on. But when push came to shove, he was all in and all there. He did a complete 180 and never looked back. His total focus was her and that was beautiful to see.
Overall, amazing story. Lani Lynn Vale has a way to pull emotions out of me with her books, and she definitely did that with this one. I cried tears of sorrow, raged over situations, and laugh at other times (Turner’s second job … enough said!). KEEP IT CLASSY touched all of my happy reader buttons and pulled me along for the ride. HIGHLY recommend!! So, two thumbs up and happy reading!
Let’s I say that this author is one of our favorites because every time we open one of her books we know we were going to be in for one heck of a ride and this time it was no different as she is definitely the master of story telling.
We enjoy this story from beginning to end it was funny as well as tragic and infused with a little bit of drama that turned deadly.
Castiel was known as the town Hot Cop as they tease him an he has a thing being attracted to women not meant for him. Castiel has a ex wife who was a bitchy rich girl and he doesn’t want to go down that road again but, who turns up Turner Hooch who he is highly attracted to but also a rich girl to.The attraction between Turner and Castiel was evident from the start as they were always slinging snide comments constantly at each other all the time but, every time they were in a room together the sparks shined bright.We found Castiel to be sexy,hot,generous,kind,he had a sense of humor but, he also carried around ex baggage as well as family baggage constantly weighing him down.
Turner was a character you can’t help but love although she came from a loving home and family she suffered her with her own personal demons and suffered a great deal of bullying growing up from the high school kids.I loved Turner she was just a colorful character all around right down to what she did for the jobs she did for a living right and right down to her sassy mouth and sexy curves.I loved the bickering that went on between her and Castiel and I have to say they they made us laugh out loud on and off though out the entire story.I will say that her porn side of things just made things more interesting as well as creating some really hilarious moments yet again for us to laugh out loud all over again.
When tragedy strikes for Turner Castiel gives into his desires and all those reasons for staying away from Turner fell to the way side.I loved these two together they made a really cute couple and were perfect for one another and had a lot in common with each other and she was light and fun something he needed more of in his life .The chemistry with these two was super hot which created more than a few super hot sexual encounters which made them unable to keep their hands off each other and in turn kept them engaging in the act in the most usual places.Let’s just say their first time together was frig-gen hilarious and just thinking about it I am laughing in my head.
I loved the story it was so much fun to read about this couple and I think they are now one of my favorite couple from the Bear Bottom MC.This story yet again was filled with amazing character’s we just really love each and everyone of those Bear Bottom MC character’s as they always have your back and are loving and pure entertainment from beginning to end and we loved it!
Each book in this series just gets better and better but this one was so much more! After reading the dedication at the beginning of the book I was already emotional and heartbroken. Lani did a phenomenal job channelling her grief and making this book so raw with emotion, so real. She has written other books that broke me like Rome’s story in Mess Me Up but this one was so much more. The emotions portrayed and the grief told was intense and you feel every single word.
In true LLV style she not only brought the raw emotions she also brought her brilliant wit and humour, her hot AF chemistry and her suspenseful storyline that has you guessing on the edge of your seat as to what will happen.
We’ve met Castiel throughout this series of books and he’s always been a slight mystery so it was nice to red his story. LLV certainly knows how to write a hero that is hot AF, complete over-protective Alpha male and totally swoon-worthy.
Turner is so relatable, I loved her, she was fun and quirky. I so loved her wit and humour with her second job. I just wanted to hug this girl so much. She used to be a big girl, she was relentlessly teased until she had surgery. She has spent her life never being wanted so she put up huge walls around herself so she can’t be hurt.
Castiel and Turner never seemed to like each other, they have a tendency to wind each other up. Its hilarious to watch, but when tradegy strikes Turner, Castiel is there for her and these two gel together so well. They do say opposites attract.
I can’t wait to see what LLV brings us next in this series
Wow! So many feels in this one. Trademark humor that never gets old and groups of characters that are awesome. Loved seeing how these two main characters clashed and yet still found their way to each other.
I am so in love with the Bear Bottom Guardians and Lani Lynn Vale’s writing.
This book is so so good!
Turner and Castiel’s story is so full of love, fun and witty. They bonk heads at first and their comments to each other are very funny. But, then the book turns for a sad part and Castiel is so supportive of Turner and so lovely. She is strong but he is her wall to hold.
The book is a wonderful adventure of these two and it worth to read it.