Took me a long time to get to this one, but I enjoyed the mystery, suspense and romance. I appreciated that Bran was honest with Carly from the beginning. Things were wrapped up with this couple but the ongoing story with the brothers continues into the next one.

A copy was kindly provided by Berkley in exchange for an honest review.

This is one of those stories I liked but didn’t love but felt invested enough that I wanted to continue reading but felt no sense of urgency to do so. Overall I liked the storyline and found the characters interesting. Sometimes it did feel a bit too fast-paced and some things were glossed over making me feel disconnected. I liked the emotion and drama. This one falls into the "good" category for me.

Satisfaction is the second book in the Lawless series. The first, Ruthless, introduced us more in depth to the siblings who appeared in the Masters & Mercenaries series. From the first moment I met the Lawless siblings I was intrigued. Not only was I interested in them as characters, but in the mystery and danger surrounding their parents' death. In the first book we saw Riley attempting to use Ellie as a means to finding more information, but he never made it. He realized that his love for her was much greater than his willingness to use her.

Brandon was a sibling I was intrigued about, mostly because he seemed to be so different from the rest. I knew he had some issues and I was excited to delve into them. Unfortunately, for me, it seemed those issues weren't fully explore. Yes, we were told why, but I wanted more. Carly herself seemed very insecure and it never seemed like she got past her fears. She was constantly doubting Brandon's feelings for her. I completely understand feeling insecure, but being insecure seemed to be the focus. For her as well, it seemed that she (and Brandon) never fully discussed her issues. There was also a situation where Carly needed some money and in the midst of this insecurity and doubt, she accepted quite a sum from Brandon. I, personally, didn't care for that.

Overall I've been enjoying the story. There's no question that there is intrigue and suspense at every turn. The end of this book ... well, let's just say you'll be dying for the next one to release. Although I couldn't jump on board entirely with the characters, I'm still following the story and I CANNOT WAIT for the next one!

I wanted to love this book. I truly did, but I just couldn’t get into it. I love this author and expected great things and I found myself putting this book down and walking away. I’m a binge reader and this just doesn’t happen with my favorite authors. The characters fell flat and the chemistry just wasn’t up to par with what I know Blake can deliver.

This is one of my blogger shame books - a review that fell through the cracks back the first of the year when I had to get one of those dreaded eye injections. So I apologize to Lexi and Berkley for this being so late. I definitely wish I would have gotten to it sooner than now! Things have gotten very interesting in the Lawless family.

The next mark for the Lawless siblings is Carly Fisher, personal assistant to the evil television homemaker, Patty Cain. Carly got conned by an embezzling ex-husband and is being blackmailed to stay in her job with Patty, so her life is fairly miserable. When the country girl escaped from Alabama to join the glitzy team with Patricia's Paradise, things didn't turn out quite like she hoped. Despite her friendly and caring personality, things with Patty and the ex instilled Carly with self-esteem and adequacy issues. When she is approached by Brandon Lawless, with his movie star good looks and mesmerizing smile, Carly's perceived inadequacies often went into overdrive and had her second-guessing his motives, words and attraction.

Brandon Lawless, the youngest brother, had the roughest time of all the Lawless siblings. Left in foster care until a traumatic event when he was 16, Bran was left with anger problems and his own self-esteem and adequacy issues. This particular quote summed him up perfectly:
Something deep and dark had happened to Bran. Something that made him think he wasn't worthy of being loved. It made him wary of conflict and always looking to be the one who got pushed away.
My heart really went out to Brandon, and I thought he was great hero. He was one of the broken, broody and dangerous characters that you want to protect and shield from further harm, while going all swoony at his protective instincts. Add to that some serious steamy skills, and I fell for Bran hook line and sinker.

The romance between these two was paced nicely within the confines of the story. I was glad that Bran approached Carly and laid everything on the table from the beginning, instead of making her a mark like Ellie in Ruthless. I liked them working together as a team toward a common goal, and I loved that Bran brought Carly out of her shell sexually and undid some of the damage done by her ex-husband. Sometimes the combined feelings of inadequacy did seem a bit much... but they were overcome by a certain point and stopped popping up at every turn.

The investigation into the murder of the Lawless parents ebbed and flowed in this installment. There wasn't quite as much action as I had expected, until the last 10-15% of the book. There were some good clues that had my mind churning, and several of my suppositions were confirmed by the end of the story. Even though I had guessed the twist before the end, I still think its a dynamic plot conflict and I am really looking forward to how this all plays out in the next book, Revenge. I still think that Drew is going to be my favorite Lawless character... particularly after a little more of his geeky side came out in this installment.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book that I received from the publisher, Berkley.

This is the second book in the "Lawless" series. I read the first book and I think I gave it either 4 or 5 stars. It was action packed and fast moving and I was really looking forward to getting the story on the next Lawless brother. Lexi Blake is a really good author but I have to admit, I didn't enjoy this installment in the series quite as much as the first one.

Bran is very different from the Lawless brother who stars in the first novel in this series. Instead of being as heartless as his brother, Bran is a bit more concerned about the havoc the Lawless brothers might visit on innocent bystanders as they seek to avenge the deaths of their parents. Bran is trying to protect Carly from getting trampled by the Lawless revenge plot in the way his Sister in Law once did. At the same time, if you read the first book, you know that Bran struggles with some issues of his own that he tries to lock down in this book.

Big brother Drew is working on part 2 of the Lawless revenge plan and it involves Carly. Carly is a divorcee who is trying to protect her little sister from a mess caused by her ex husband. Drew's plan involves some dating website shenanigans that Bran decides to undercut by approaching Carly directly. And that is the beginning of a cute but sexy romance.

I liked Carly's character because she seemed real to me. She wasn't super confident and that made sense given her life circumstances. She was in minor shock that someone like Bran wanted her but she turns out to be his perfect match. We find out that Bran has been traumatized by something that happened in the past. As a result, he thinks that he doesn't deserve to be loved. So if you have read any of my reviews, you know I love a story about redeeming love. That was this book. Carly basically drags Bran away from all his inner turmoil and shows him that he deserves love and even if he doesn't deserve it, he can't live without Carly.

This was a good book but the issue for me was the comparison between this one and the first one. The connection between the characters in the book was so intense and the characters were so strong that I kind of expected that in this book. It didn't happen that way. There was some hot sex scenes but I definitely didn't feel the compelling connection between Carly and Bran that I was expecting. Also, in general neither Carly or Bran were the dynamic characters that I was looking forward to seeing in this series. I was satisfied that the mystery moves forward in this book and there are some new plot twists. All in all, this was pretty good and I am definitely going to be back for Drew's story in the next book.

The book had a steady pace from the first to the last page. The thing is that close to the end a huge (and when I say huge I mean HUGE) revelation happened and the book decided to end. Not cool. You can't reveal something like that and then expect me to wait until June when the third book will be released. Again, not cool. I really want to see where this story is going and how it will end. I got invested in the story of the four Lawless siblings. I am not okay with the way this book ended. I want the next book now. Not only it will give us all the answers, it will also feature Drew, the older sibling and the one who is set on the revenge plan. I want to see how his lady will affect him, considering his character and how he is acting. I am hoping she will be more likeable than Carly. I got tired of reading about her insecurities and how she thought that Bran was using her to get what he wanted and didn't truly want her.

Ian has appeared in every single book I have read so far and I still love him. The sad thing is that Ellie and Riley are almost always mentioned and I didn't get the chance to see them. I am starting to worry and think that Bran and Carly will also disappear in the next book and it will be only, Hatch, Drew and his lady, which doesn't make me happy. And the fact (which is almost a guarantee) that Ian will appear in Drew's book doesn't make me feel any better.

Overall, I was satisfied with the book (see what I did there). I didn't feel like the main couple had any chemistry and I wasn't a big fan of Bran and Carly, but to be honest I was mostly focused on the revenge plot. It didn't bother me that the romance aspect didn't work for me. What bothered me is the waiting for the third book after the big bomb was dropped.

SATISFACTION - Lexi Blake
Lawless, Book 2
Berkley
ISBN: 9780425283585

January 2017
Contemporary Romance

Multiple locations - Present Day

Brandon Lawless is the nice brother, so he’s not about to let his family use Carly in their schemes. Instead of manipulating her into doing what they want, Bran explains the situation and offers Carly help with her own troubles in exchange. And if that means that Bran has to pretend to be her boyfriend in order to get close to Carly’s boss, well, he’s perfectly fine with that. He’s never been good enough for a real relationship in the past, but she’s the first woman that makes him want to really try to be better.

Carly is stuck in a job she hates working for a woman she loathes - but she can’t escape, not while her boss has leverage over her. So when Bran offers his help in exchange for some insider information and a chance to get into her office, she jumps at the chance. But Bran’s family is more than a little intimidating, and his issues stemming from his youth spent in foster care are out of control. And when the schemes start to get deadly, is Bran going to be on her side, or stick with his family?

The second book in the Lawless series is just as action-packed as the first. While Carly’s role seems innocent and safe at first, it gets lethal fast. Bran and Carly have a lot of challenges to face, both externally and internally. And Bran’s relationship with his family just adds another speed bump on his road to happiness.

Each book in this series works as one part of a whole. The Lawless family’s machinations against their parents’ old business partners is a complex, multi-step plan. So the series must be read in order, and there’s no way you can just stop, especially not after the major reveals at the end of SATISFACTION.

SATISFACTION follows RUTHLESS (August 2016), and the trilogy concludes with Drew’s book, REVENGE, coming June 2017.

This review will be posted on Romance Reviews Today in March 2017.

Satisfaction by Lexi Blake brings us back to the Lawless family who is just wanting a second chance to redeem their name. We saw in the beginning how each one got separated but there is one person who got the brunt of this separation and that is Brandon. Here is a guy that didn`t have the best luck and now he is trying to be good. Carly shows him the possibility of being loved for who he is and not what he can do.This love scares him and loved it that Lexi Blake shows us a side of him that not even his family really knew. The attraction these two share is unique and yet it is one you don`t see often. The woman showing the man that with hope love can be possible with hope in it. Loved it.

*4.5 stars*

Hold onto your seats… it’s getting bumpy….

This author knows just how to bring me to my reading knees! I’m guaranteed a well-written story no matter what the storyline or what characters inhabit them and this series, this book, had me glued to the pages…

The Lawless family are on a mission and it is Brandon’s turn to lead the charge. When he crosses path with Carly Hendricks she may be friend or foe but he is going to treat her as a means to an end. A very beautiful, potent, sexy… means to an end. Carly finds herself in an impossible situation however, that doesn’t stop her from trying to do the right thing…

Complicated. In one word that would describe their relationship. Trust is at the heart and when there is none, well, hang onto your kindles as this is going to be bumpy! Carly is confident in her work yet is a mix of uncertainty and lack of confidence when it comes to the compelling and ‘out of reach’ Brandon. Brandon knows what is at stake and love can’t be a factor. While not a recipe for disaster there is also no smooth sailing as the family’s mission continues amidst half-truths and secrets…

“Maybe he was satisfied that they were going to do the job and then they would shake hands and say good-bye.”

While I couldn’t be more satisfied with how Carly and Brandon’s story played out, the author couldn’t leave it at that. Oh no, wouldn’t want to get the readers too complacent… That ending? That jaw dropping, ‘what the @#$% just happened’ twisted ending will have me stalking the shelves for Drew’s story!

I absolutely loved this book. This is the best book I've read this year. I know it's only been a month, but I couldn't put this book down. Bran. Brandon. Bran. Bran. Bran. Bran. Oh how I love thee. I really thought I would want Drew's book because he was so nerdy in a hot kind of way, but Bran really snuck up on me and just smacked me in the face.

Drew was supposed to be the one that went in and swooped Carly off her feet a la Riley and Ellie. Bran wasn't so keen on that plan, so he went in before Drew could and laid it out straight. Patricia Cain murdered his parents, he and his siblings were taking her down, could she please help? Cue the misbelief. Not that Patricia Cain was innocent. Carly didn't have blinders on when it came to her boss. She knew exactly what kind of woman she was. No, Carly thought that Bran was batshit crazy.

Carly was exactly the kind of woman that Bran was drawn to. A woman that needed help. Not to mention the hotness factor. Bran knows that his plan to lay it out for her was exactly right. Having Drew go in and manipulate her the way that Riley did to Ellie would never have worked out. This way, Bran could help her with her problems (which were many) and the Lawless siblings could take down Patricia Cain. If Bran could get some time with Carly between now and then, all the better.

When Carly leaves Bran, she still isn't sure. That all changes when her ex-husband's problems turn up on her doorstep quite literally. Suddenly she's calling Bran and he's sleeping on her couch. She's agreed to help him and he's pretending to be her boyfriend. Then they're not pretending. Carly is falling in love with a man that might not know how to love her back. It's readily apparent that Bran has issues that he refuses to acknowledge let alone discuss.

Bran had a serious case of PTSD stemming from his childhood. While the Lawless siblings are closer than most, they have more problems than most as well. Bran was left in foster care long after he should have been. Drew finally admits that it was easier for Bran to be left in the system while he was starting up 4L than to bring him home. He tells Bran that revenge came first. It was heartbreaking. Once that comes out in the open, it finally brings Bran some peace.

Carly and Bran are just perfect for each other. Carly has so little control in her life thanks to Patricia Cain that she grabs it where she can. Bran is glad to cede control to her in every place except for the bedroom. It works surprisingly well for them. I love it. Carly was a little insecure which got a little old, but Bran more than made up for it. He was so damaged, but he confronted it head on and that was refreshing. I loved him.

There was a twist at the end of the book that I didn't see coming and I can't wait until June!

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

I really enjoyed Bran and Carly’s romance and definitely recommend it. The twist at the end is such a doozy, I cannot wait to read Drew’s book next.


**ARC provided by publisher via netgalley for review**

Lexi Blake is the master of sexy suspense! I probably sound like a broken record when it comes to Lexi Blake, but her writing is top notch! I am very picky about what Romantic Suspense I will read and review. For every 5 or 6 I start, one will be finished. Lexi is one of the few who has never let me down!

I was introduced to the Lawless family in Reckless, but this family and some of the characters are tie ins and crossovers from the Masters and Mercenaries series by Lexi. While I have not read all of that series yet, I might have to move them to the top of the reading list! I have been getting glimpses into the McKay-Taggart crew, and I am definitely intrigued.

I loved the love story between Brandon and Carly. I can enjoy a good insta-love story, but sometimes, I want something more believable a realistic. Their relationship didn't explode overnight. There was a build-up of trust, conversation, and stolen kisses. Once they finally gave in to the building passion, it was explosive! I loved it!

Brandon may have been underestimated by his siblings, but he shouldn't have been. He shows that he not only can pull his own weight with the family vengeance plan, but he can go above and beyond, making sacrifices for his family and loved ones. Fiercely loyal and driven.

Carly is a woman I can relate to well. Taken as a fool by a loved one, she has been burned in the past, but she refuses to give up or give in. She doesn't trust easily, but she still is willing to take a risk on love. She is living a false life, forced to work for a cruel woman. Her strength of character through all that she has had to endure is inspiring.

There were quite a few surprises in this book, and I was caught unaware. There are few things in books that make me happier than when I can be caught off-guard, as I've been know to predict plots in the first few chapters, but I love that Lexi can surprise me, over and over again! I loved this book, and cannot wait for more from Lexi!

WHOA. WHOA. WHOOOOOOAAAAAAAA. DID NOT SEE THAT COMING.
Full review after I process


Now that I've processed make sure you read this series in order! These are my first books by Lexi Blake and I am hooked. There's a ton of suspense and a plot that will keep you guessing until the end. Our two main characters are extremely likable and trapped in circumstances beyond their control. The romance is heavy even with the backdrop of this revenge drama. The Lawless family is well on their quest for revenge when they realize that not everything is as it seems. What they once knew gets turned on their head and I can't wait to see how it all wraps up. I highly recommend to anyone who likes romantic suspense novels.

Lexi Blake is continuing her Lawless series with the youngest brother Brandon who has a dark past from his days in foster care. Brandon decided to help take down the next family enemy by having to get close to her assistant Carly Hendricks. Carly starts to care deeply for Brandon, yet was still leary of him and his goals. Great unveiling of plot twist that kept the story moving, loved seeing Brandon and Carly fall in love. Can't wait for the next in the series.

Satisfaction is the second book in the Lawless series and it follows the youngest brother, Brandon as he journeys to that elusive happily ever after. A happy ending that he does not believe he deserves. When we first meet Brandon is the first book, Ruthless, he is a happy go lucky kind of guy until he gets into a fight and the brothers plus Hatch have to go and bail him out. You get a sense that of all the Lawless siblings, Riley and Bran are still dealing with issues from when they were in the foster care system.

Riley has trouble sleeping with the door open. It's got to be locked and he has to sleep alone. Bran, Bran has nightmares about a night he'd rather forget. About a girl he cared about and couldn't save.

Riley is the charming brother. Andrew is the vengeful brother. But Bran? Bran is the protective brother. He's Captain Save a Hoe. You can find him at the strip club beating on guys that think strippers are their personal property. In the first book, Riley got in a lot of trouble because 1) he fell in love with his mark and 2) he lied through his buck teeth about everything under the sun. Bran is determined that they learn from their mistakes so when the next phase in their revenge plot calls for getting close to the personal assistant of the next person on their hit list, Bran sneaks in and steals Drew's spotlight.

Carly Fisher is Patricia Cain's personal assistant and overall grunt. Patricia Cain is next up on the Lawless siblings hit list. They need Carly's assistance in getting close to Patricia so that they can take her down. Drew's plan was to seduce Carly into letting him get close so that he use her to handle his business but Bran's idea was to bring Carly into the plan. Make her an ally. Present her with the truth, with the facts and let her decide if she wants to help them. Drew is not a fan of Bran's plan and he's not a fan of allies.

Bran and Carly's romance was sweet. I really enjoyed seeing them get to know each other and getting to know the both of them myself. They were great characters, and I loved Bran. I loved how honest he was, how hard he worked to take care of those he loved and I really loved how he went toe to toe with Drew. Drew has a tendency of being so narrow-minded that he can be hard to be around. His personality is very off-putting but for those that know him, that love him, they understand him. Bran is the opposite of Drew. He's very easy to be around. He's quick to smile. He's loyal and even when he was being a dumbass, I loved him.

Carly was the newbie on the scene, so she had a lot of catching up to do on making me like her. I enjoyed her character as a whole but she did get on my nerves from time to time. Her reasoning drove me nuts but in her heart of hearts, she was a good person. I liked that she was smart, she was loyal to her sister and when she stopped letting her insecurities get to her, she was a great partner for Bran.

Overall, this was a great story with characters that rocked my socks and I'm really thirsty for Revenge, Drew's book. I called his heroine right when we met her in this book. The ending for this book has me super anxious for the next one because I just know Drew is going to piss everyone off in the name of protecting his family and I just know it's going to be good. I'm so here for it.

<strong>4 out of 5</strong>

Satisfaction
Lawless series book #2
Release Date: January 3, 2017
Review copy provided by the publisher

I always look forward to discovering what Lexie Blake's characters will be like. I've come to expect a healthy dose of sarcastic wit and laugh out loud moments. I was very happy to see that this book had those ingredients.

I will admit that I found this book a wee bit slow in the beginning. I wasn't put off by it because I was confident that I would get sucked into the story soon enough. After a few chapters, that did indeed happen. I've never been disappointed by a Lexie Blake novel. I'm glad to see the trend continue with this book.

I had a quick social media conversation with a friend about how to describe Brandon. I couldn't put my finger on a word that I thought would encompass him. He was vulnerable, yes, very much so. But there was something else. My friend nailed it on the head...blunt, Brandon Lawless is ridiculously blunt! His thoughts and feelings, no matter how awkward or painful they might be, always came spewing out of his mouth. He kept a dark secret to himself, but other than that, Brandon was honest in everything. It was sometimes uncomfortable, but not it a bad way. It was actually refreshing to have a hero that didn't beat around the bush.

I adore a story that has the hero wanting to be the "knight in shining armour". Brandon's need to coddle and protect is always apparent. Carly doesn't want to fall hard for this guy. She's got a ton of crap going on with her evil boss and doesn't want anymore complications. Too bad her heart and girly bits didn't care about practicality.

I loved these two together. They made a cohesive team. Brandon wanted to keep her safe and she eventually let him do it. I've read a lot of romance novels, and I think Brandon might be the hero that I wanted to save the most. He's tortured and doesn't believe he deserves a chance at real happiness. I wanted to scoop him up and love on him.

This book has a continuing story arc that started with book 1 and will continue through the next book. Each couple gets their happily ever after, so there's no cliffhangers there. The suspense aspect, catching the bad guys is continued. In true Lexie Blake fashion, there is some serious super sleuthing in this book! All sorts of clues and moments where you're like...what the hell?! I didn't see that coming! I'm always kept on my toes and I love it!

The supporting characters in this book are fabulous. Drew Lawless, the older brother is a hoot! His social graces are lacking. He's a bit awkward, but he's super yummy and delicious! His book is next and I can't wait! I was so excited to be able to visit with some of the McKay-Taggert team from Lexie's, Masters and Mercenaries series! This series is a spinoff of sorts from that series, but you don't need to have read those to fully enjoy these books. But you totally should read that series too! I can't really delve into too many details without giving away spoilers, so it's a bit daunting to try and tell you how much I enjoyed it. The characters were well written, the plot is thick with important details and fast paced action, and the love scenes were tantalizing. This is a book, and series, that any romance lover won't want to miss!

I love me some Lexi. Seriously everything she writes is full of passion and love and I am totally addicted to every bit of it.

Brandon is simply delicious. I loved him for Carly in and out of the bedroom, but mostly for her heart. What begins as a fact finding mission turns into something so much more. They are scorching hot together and I loved the intrigue that was the background to their love story. I can't wait to read more in this series.

I give Satisfaction 5 hearts!

Oh Lexi Blake, how do I love thee?!?! Let me count the ways......oh wait, we don't have all day for that. But let me tell you, that list is incredibly long!!

Lexi never ceases to amaze me with her talent. Her books are never repetitive of any previous plots or scenarios. And I love that we see the awesome characters from her other series (Masters and Mercenaries). And she gives us just enough information to give us an idea on who they are, but also gives us the perfect combination of curiosity with a hint of hidden persuasion to have us wanting to go read that series.

But back to the book. Satisfaction is book #2 in Lexi's Lawless series and it's just as good as the first one. This book is about Brandon (Bran) and Carly. The Lawless family is still going after the people who murdered their family and their next target is Patricia Cain, Carly's boss. But Brandon doesn't want to use another person in their game of revenge and throws a few curve balls into Drew's plans by meeting Carly first.

We met Bran in the first book and know he has this sort of hero complex where he wants to help the damsels in distress. But Carly isn't exactly the same woman he's used to going after. And Bran is completely different from the rest of his family because of his experience in the foster care system.

I love the chemistry between Bran and Carly. And their entire relationship is built differently. They are both coming at this with a means to an end. But when things get more involved than they anticipated, they both need to face their problems one way or another. One thing I loved about these two was their honesty with each other. I think that really add to their connection and made their story so much more.

Lexi has this unique way of combining her suspenseful writing with her romance. Neither is out of sorts and they both blend perfectly giving us this amazing story. Lexi gives her characters some complexity to them and you always are able to connect to them and they become so real to you.

And of course, just when I think Lexi has given us every twist or surprise we can think of, she goes and throws us a huge cliffhanger that leaves me jaw smashing into the ground....where it will stay until I get the next book.