I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.
Ugly Duckling by Lani Lynn Vale Series: Content Advisory #6
on October 7, 2025
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It wasn’t easy being considered the ugly friend.
She’s known since she was young that life wouldn’t be easy, and that she would have to work hard for everything she got. Life was tough when you had a face that only a mother could love.
For years, Sutton Sway goes through life knowing that she’s never going to have a happily ever after that she’s always dreamed of. So she settles. She marries not for love, but for companionship, choosing a man that she never should’ve looked twice at, all so she could have a family of her own.
That family never happens, and within a year, she’s divorced and right back where she started.
Just when she’s at her all-time low, thinking life couldn’t get much worse, in walks Gunner Penn.
Gunner Penn, her protector. The man that saved her from all her high school bullies and proved to her that there were good men in this world.
He was the man that she’d compared all other men to, and probably always would.
But he’s not the Gunner she remembers. He’s harder, less forgiving, and a whole lot less happy.
He hates everyone and everything and doesn’t care who he offends.That hate and anger for the world and its occupants doesn’t seem to include her, though.
No, Gunner Penn doesn’t hate her at all.In fact, he’s loved her since high school. She was just too traumatized by life to see it.
But she sees it now. She feels it. She lives and breathes it.Gunner Penn lost her once. But he won’t lose her a second time.
Not if there’s breath left in his body.
Filled to the brim with emotion and heart! Lani Lynn Vale is the queen of wrapping a couple around a reader’s heart time and time again. Just when you think you can’t love a pair of her characters more, she comes along with the next one to steal your adoration away … but I don’t mind being fickle on occasion! If you’ve been reading along with her always entertaining Content Advisory series, you will recognize the hero of this story from Audric’s story. Gunnar has had a lot of turmoil in his life, but the precious cargo he was handed recently has changed his life for the better. Running into Sutton after all of these years only adds to his enjoyment of current times. I loved their connection from the past, and the fact that they still feel the draw to each other rather quickly. Lots of drama, equal amounts of sass and so much love all around their world makes for a really great read. I’m loving the guys of this series so much and the women they fall head over heals for are simply perfect additions to the fam. Can’t wait for Apollo’s story!
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