BOOK REVIEW ~ HARD AS YOU CAN BY LAURA KAYE

Title: Hard As You Can (Hard Ink, Book Two)
Author: Laura Kaye

Publisher: Avon
Release Date: February 25, 2014
Genre: Contemporary, Romantic Suspense
Paperback, 384 pages

ARC provided by Edelweiss

Book Blurb

Five dishonored soldiers.
Former Special Forces.
One last mission.
These are the men of Hard Ink.

Ever since hard-bodied, drop-dead-charming Shane McCallan strolled into the dance club where Crystal Dean works, he’s shown a knack for getting beneath her defenses. For her little sister’s sake, Crystal can’t get too close. Until her job and Shane’s mission intersect, and he reveals talents that go deeper than she could have guessed.

Shane would never turn his back on a friend in need, especially a former Special Forces teammate running a dangerous, off-the-books operation. Nor can he walk away from Crystal. The gorgeous waitress is hiding secrets she doesn't want him to uncover. Too bad. He’s exactly the man she needs to protect her sister, her life, and her heart. All he has to do is convince her that when something feels this good, you hold on as hard as you can—and never let go.

Book Review 

Laura Kaye has done it again and penned a brilliant romantic suspense with Hard As You Can--the second book in the Hard Ink series.

In fact, I enjoyed this book more than the first.

I think that is due to the on-going story ARC as well as understanding the characters that make up this series. As each fascinating trait or quirk is revealed, I fall more in love with the men of Hard Ink.

Shane McCallan won my vote as all-time favorite with his tenderness and huge heart. His desire to protect Sara (aka Crystal) and her sister was palpable. And the way he holds himself responsible for his own sister's kidnapping broke my heart.

After literally running into Crystal in a strip club during a mission to rescue Charlie, Shane cannot get her out of his mind. And he's determined to find out more about this mysterious woman. When their current mission leads them back to Confessions, Shane reaches out to Crystal for information. When Shane realizes just how dangerous Crystal's current situation is, he can't help but want to reach out and help her. And just maybe, his guilt for not being able to help his little sister years ago will somehow be lessened.

Crystal is waiting for a chance to escape the hell her life has become.For the moment, she is left with no other choice but to work at Confessions as a waitress. And her boyfriend, Bruno Ashe, is paying for the expensive medication her sister needs to help control her seizures. Crystal knows that the club is the devil's playground--one that deals with drugs and the selling of women as slaves. But she puts on a smile and plays the role, praying for the day when she and her sister can escape.

When Shane asks for information that will help bring him and his friends closer to discovering who is behind their dishonorable discharge, Crystal decides to take the risk and helps him out. Used to being treated like a possession, Shane's behavior toward her is a welcome surprise. And Crystal starts to yearn for something that isn't possible, especially when she has no plans to stay in Baltimore.

Hard As You Can is action-oriented and filled with a twisty plot to keep you reading until the last page. And once you're there...you'll be begging for book three.

BOOK SPOTLIGHT ~ IN MY SIGHTS BY LJ.GARLAND AND DEBBIE GOULD

Title: In My Sights

A 1Night Stand Story

Pararescuemen Series – Book 2

Author: LJ Garland and Debbie Gould

BLURB:

Six months ago, Siobhan Cantrell’s world was changed forever by a sniper’s bullet. The incident transformed her from a secure confident woman to a recluse, afraid to leave her own home. When her friends urge her to re-enter the world of the living, they suggest Madame Eve’s 1Night Stand dating service. Nervous, she signs up and learns the company is renown for in-depth background checks and safe encounters. So, how dangerous could it be?

Sergeant Bobby Martin has witnessed Madame Eve’s magic firsthand. His teammate found true love through her service. Still a skeptic but giving in to peer pressure, the Air Force Pararescueman signs himself up. When he meets Siobhan, his doubts fly out the window—unfortunately bullets start flying in them. Determined to protect her from a sniper that won’t give up, Bobby vows to keep her safe. As their chemistry ramps up, so does the sniper’s attempts.

Can Bobby keep Siobhan alive, or will the killer catch them in his sights?

Genre: Contemporary, Military Romance, Erotic Romance, Suspense/Thriller

Heat level: 4

Word count – 16k

Cover art by Fantasia Frog Designs

BUY:

Amazon | ARe | Smashwords | Barnes & Noble

EXCERPT:

Siobhan entered the large suite and glanced around. She’d used every ounce of strength she possessed to walk through the front doors of the hotel and into the dining room. But with Bobby standing behind her, the fine hairs on the back of her neck that had irritated her all evening, eased. 

She strode through the room, flipping on lights, checking the bathroom. When she slid the shower curtain back, she stopped herself. What the hell am I doing? 

Turning, she caught her reflection in the mirror, the scar on her temple a permanent reminder of everything she’d lost. The sniper had taken so much from her. But did that mean she had to lose her future, too? 

By talking her into contacting Madame Eve, her friends had given her a second chance at getting some semblance of control again. And what am I doing? Looking over my shoulder, watching the balcony for shooters, and checking the bathtub for the damn bogeyman while a hot-blooded, gorgeous man is waiting in the bedroom. 

And damn it, she wanted to quit hiding in the shadows. If she could survive that day six months ago, then she was damn well done cowering in fear. Hadn’t the bastard taken enough from her? In the past, she’d never shied away from her sexual side. She’d embraced it. 

The past six months had been damn lonely. Time to take control again. Starting with the sexy Bobby Martin. 

She turned to leave the bathroom and came smack up against a hard male body. He reached out to steady her as she stumbled. 

“You okay?” 

She pressed her palms on his chest in an attempt to recover her equilibrium—and what a chest. All hard, sculpted muscle. “Uh, yeah, I was just––” 

“Looking for the bad guy?” He chuckled. 

Heat rushed up her neck and claimed her face. “That obvious, huh?” 

Taking her hands in his, he led her into the bedroom. “It’s what I do. If I can’t recognize someone clearing a room, I have no business in Special Ops.”

He tugged her against him, and she had to stop herself from swooning. The men she used to date were nothing close to Bobby. Sure, they’d been fit, but not like this man. He radiated strength and unadulterated male. Something that couldn’t be bottled if you tried. Pure down-and-dirty sex—she tilted her head and eyed him—yet something more. 

He gave the impression he actually cared. After listening to her story downstairs, he’d understood immediately how uncomfortable she’d been, sitting in the open dining room, and had gotten her the heck out of there. 

She could get used to a man like him. Except tonight would be a one-night stand—something she intended to take full advantage of. Slipping her hands under his shirt, she let her fingers glide up the rock hard abs and sculpted chest until her fingers brushed over his nipples. 

His grip tightened on her arms, and his gaze darkened with lust. “Damn.” 

A thrill shot through her at the reaction she’d produced, and as she stared up at him, desire coiled low in her body. 

“Look, I’m not gonna lie to you.” He loosened his hold on her while he perused her face, settling on her mouth. “I wasn’t sure about this one-night thing to start with, but after seeing you…well, I can definitely follow through. No problem.” He shifted his attention to her eyes, the naked heat swirling in his baby blues causing her breath to catch. “But after what all you told me, I want you to know I get it. We can play this thing any way you want. Fast. Slow. Or I can just hold you.” He trailed his fingers up and down her arms, sending delicious tingles along her skin. “Though I’ll admit, that’s not my first choice.” 

She stared at him. God, he was such a gentleman. Without hesitating, she lifted onto her toes, wrapped her arms around his neck, crushed her mouth against his, and…holy crap, what a kiss! Her pulse jumped, her head spun. A fire sparked deep inside her, and her breath caught at the passion winding through her. She didn’t know what she’d been expecting exactly, but not anything like this. 

Before she melted into a puddle at his feet, she broke the kiss and gazed up at him. “Does that answer your question?” 

A sexy grin curved his lips. “Yes, ma’am.”

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT ~ DEBBIE GOULD

Title: Second Chance ( A One Night Stand Story)

Author: Debbie Gould

Release Date: January 24, 2012

Publisher: Decadent Publishing

Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Erotic, Military

Word Count: 12K (eFormat only)

Links to purchase the book:

Amazon / Decadent Publishing

 

Lieutenant Colin Beckett, US Air Force special ops, lost his wife in childbirth while off on a mission. Two years later, he’s still trying to come to grips with the guilt that tortures him. And to complicate matters, he finds himself undeniably attracted to his wife's sister, Emily. Struggling with his desire, he tells himself he doesn’t deserve a second chance with such an amazing woman.

Emily wants Colin in her life and her bed. Enlisting the help of Colin's teammate's and Madame Eve's 1 Night Stand dating service, she plans to prove to Colin he can have everything he lost once again.

Will their one night lead to the happy ending she longs for or the loneliness he thinks he deserves?

About The Author:

Born in Wichita Falls, Texas, at the age of two Debbie and her mother moved to New Jersey, spending many happy years on her grandparents' horse farm. You'll sometimes find this setting as a backdrop in her work.

As a teenager, she and her mother found a new home in Vermont, where she currently resides. With a daughter in the Air Force, one son in college and the other working for the family business, Debbie now shuffles her time between a husband and full time job as a nurse, and writing.

About seven years ago, while looking at over three hundred treasured books lining her shelves, she realized there was a multitude of stories of her own clamoring for release. Since then, she's seriously persevered in keeping the keyboard in constant motion.

With two novels, Mountain's Echo and Infidelity, and two novellas, November Rain and Second Chance now published, Debbie is now also working with a partner, L.J. Garland. Together the two have written Sins of the Mind and are hard at work on many more manuscripts.

Debbie has been a member of KOD, FTHRW, ELEMENTS and RWA Online.

Links for the author:

Website / Blog

Book Excerpt:

 

Colin took a step back and cringed. “Aw, shit, Bobby. What’ve you done?”

 Bobby punched Zeke in the shoulder and shook his head. “Nothing bad. Actually, it’s so simple you’re gonna kick your ass for not thinking of it first, Ghost.” 

He doubted it. More than likely he would kick Bobby’s ass. The man worked overtime to hook him up, like he was a damn charity case. If he wanted to get laid, he could go find his own. Unfortunately, the only woman that spurred his senses in the last year had been Emily. He wanted her so bad he caught himself thinking about her during the day and woke up sweat-soaked and hard at night from dreaming about her. 

Shit! Maybe he did need to get laid. “I repeat, what have you done?” 

Zeke jumped up. “See, there’s this woman named Madame Eve––” 

Colin threw his hands up. “Whoa, whoa, whoa! This is low even for you. I don’t need a freaking prostitute. Damn, Bobby. What the hell are you thinking?” 

Bobby laughed. “Not that kind of madame. She runs an elite dating service and sets up one-night stands for consenting adults. It’s a no-strings-attached kind of thing. Just two like-minded adults looking for a night of pleasure. That’s it. You both go in with your eyes open and leave the next more feeling a lot less stressed.” 

Colin crossed his arms over his chest and lifted a brow, “And how does she go about finding these people and matching them up?” 

“Don’t worry I’ve checked it all out. You go on her website, fill out the application. Then she matches you up with someone who meets your needs. She names the date and place and the rest is on you. It’s all legit.” 

“You sound like an infomercial.” Colin shook his head. “This is fucking crazy, ya know. I have no trouble finding my own women.” 

“Never said you did, Lieutenant,” Zeke said. “But this way you don’t have to troll the bars, hoping to find a woman who wants to get her rocks off exactly like you. We know that’s not your scene, but this way everyone gets what they want and walks away happy.” 

Bobby glared at Zeke. “Where the hell do you come from anyway?” He returned his gaze to Colin. “More like a night of mutual pleasure.” 

“I have my own ways of relieving stress.” 

Bobby snorted. “Uh, yeah. I’m not talking about whacking off in the shower, dude.” 

Colin rubbed his hands over his face. Good God, had he really been reduced to this? "Fine."

 

Come back and visit again on July 25 for another Guest Blog from L.J. Garland and Debbie Gould--featuring their book,
Sins of the Mind. 

Someone is brutally killing the only people Victoria Montgomery could rely on in her life. With the killer closing in on Victoria herself, will the detectives assigned to the murders be able to catch the killer in time? You will be drawn into the mind of a sick, depraved sociopath. You may want to keep the light on at night.

SEXY SNIPPET TUESDAY

Tuesdays have never been so sexy!

Sexy Snippets is a weekly feature hosted by Reading Between the Wines for the 18+ crowd. To join in just grab the button, post a sexy paragraph or two from your current read and share the author & title so other participants can add the book to their TBR list if they like. Then add your post to the linky over on RBTW's blog post so everyone can follow along. Have a sexy good time!

First off, before I give my sexy snippet, I have to say that it is NOT from the main couple of this book. It is between Brandon and Cat--the secondary romance in this title.  Which in MHO, ROCKED MY SOCKS OFF--almost better than Liam and Rachel....

"Call me greedy, but I want to do the unveiling."
"And if I want to go the striptease route?" Her plump lips went pouty and sultry.
"Next time". God, he hoped there could be a next time. So far, his body was still full on, hard throttle....

He brought her face back up to his. "Next time. Right now, I want to see you. All of you."
Her hands stilled, her eyes searching his, so he let her see just how much he wanted her. Not too difficult a task at all.
"Okay then." She spread her arms wide. "I'm all yours."
"Now that's what I wanted to hear." He eased the sports bra over her head and flung it across the room.