Vanilla et Motricium Oleum
About
My entire life I’ve been bound by loyalty—first to my family and then to my country—arrogantly confident in my decisions and instincts.
Finding my wife engaged to another man obliterates the foundation of everything I’ve ever held true.
It’s only fitting that I end up back home, in Lost Hope—yet my wounds start to heal here. They scar with each day passing by. Nine years later, all that remains is a gruesome picture of the culmination of my worst decisions carved on my body.
My only reprieve is HER and her sweet vanilla scent.
The quintessential good girl—and painfully beautiful—she’s the town’s sweetheart and the balm to my shriveled soul.
I’m as hopeless as the town’s name when my cruel past breaks us apart… until she returns, pregnant with my child and thinking the worst of me.
My loyalty demands that I keep her close, while my darkness whispers she cannot be trusted. She left me once when I needed her the most. She’ll leave again when I least expect it.
We strike a feeble truce for the sake of our unborn baby, and my heart doesn’t stand a chance against her.
The instinct to keep my distance fades into nothingness with every stolen kiss and healing touch.
But is she strong enough to stand at my side when the ghosts of our pasts threaten to obliterate our feeble foundation once more?
Vanilla et Motricium Oleum is the second book in the Lost Hope series of interconnected standalone novels. It's a surprise-pregnancy romance with a pinch of suspense, complete with HEA, and a cliffhanger introducing book three of the series. This book is intended for readers 18+, with explicit scenes, mature language, touching on sensitive topics, and more.
Praise for this book
Knowing that Book 2 would follow the sweet, soft Maevis and the charming, adorable Tatum had me salivating to read it as soon as I finished Lege et Lacrima.
Starting off with a wallop, Vanilla shows us another side of love. The love that's not always easy, not always sunshine and rainbows, but runs deep, burrowing into the heart until it takes it over completely. Vanilla explores vulnerability and trauma, heartbreak and forgiveness, and the bonds of found family. Nothing about this book is shallow or superficial. Every character, every moment, takes a hold of you and refuses to let go.
Once again, Alina was able to capture raw, powerful emotions, and then soothe it over with comforting characters and sweet, heartfelt moments of joy. I cried a lot and laughed even more thanks to the rollercoaster of feelings this book elicits. Come fully prepared with a box of tissues, some cupcakes, and a cozy blanket, because once you settle in to read Vanilla, you aren't going to want to move for a long time.
Now two of Alina's books hold a spot in my Top Reads of 2024, and I cannot wait for Book 3, because I'm sure it'll be joining their ranks.
Is it possible to fall in love with a fictional character? The answer is yes. The moment Tatum made his appearance in Lege et Lacrima. I was in love. And now he has his own book Vanilla et Motricium Oleum.
To say Tate and Mae's story was amazing is an understatement. It was so much more. I loved everything about them. The way Alina writes makes you feel like you are part of the story, part of the Lost Hope family. So much depth and emotion.
They laughed. I laughed. They cried so did I. They hurt, I was right there with them.
But in saying that Tate and Mae's journey touches on some tough subjects that may be triggering for some. So please read the TW's before diving in.
I can not recommend this book/series enough. And I suggest reading Lege et Lacrima book one in the Lost Hope series to get the full experience.
But be warned once you start you won't be able to stop until the very last page then you'll be begging Alina for more.
I was so looking forward to this book, because it has one of my favourite characters as MMC.
The way I squealed when it showed up on my kindle at 00:01 this morning 🩷I fell in love with Tate over and over again with this book. And we even got to see how sweet and loving Mae is!
Alina, yet again, managed to write it with all the emotions possible and also give it to us raw. I loved her style of writing in Book 1 and I am so glad she continued with it.
Tate and Mae go through so many ups and downs, but it was mostly because they didn’t communicate properly and that was driving me crazy.. 😃 I caught myself multiple times shouting at my kindle 😂
Overall the book is amazingly written and the story is beautiful. It’s definitely one of my TOP reads for this year.
I am also looking forward to book 3, because I need to know more about Maddox 🤭🤭