HARD AS STEEL (Hard Ink 4.5): 1001 Dark Nights by Laura Kaye-a review

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date September 22, 2015

After identifying her employer’s dangerous enemies, Jessica Jakes takes refuge at the compound of the Raven Riders Motorcycle Club. Fellow Hard Ink tattooist and Raven leader Ike Young promises to keep Jess safe for as long as it takes, which would be perfect if his close, personal, round-the-clock protection didn’t make it so hard to hide just how much she wants him—and always has.

Ike Young loved and lost a woman in trouble once before. The last thing he needs is alone time with the sexiest and feistiest woman he’s ever known, one he’s purposely kept at a distance for years. Now, Ike’s not sure he can keep his hands or his heart to himself—or that he even wants to anymore. And that means he has to do whatever it takes to hold on to Jess forever.

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REVIEW: HARD AS STEEL is the latest novella in the multi-authored 1001 Dark Nights series, as well as Laura Kaye’s erotic, romantic HARD INK suspense series focusing on the men and women of Hard Ink Tattoo. This is tattoo artist Jessica Jakes, and Raven Riders MC leader/tattooist Ike Young. HARD AS STEEL is also the first storyline that introduces the characters for Laura Kaye’s new RAVEN RIDERS MC series-a 2016 spin off/cross over from her Hard Ink series.

Told from dual third person perspective HARD AS STEEL runs parallel to some of the events in Laura Kaye’s HARD TO LET GO (Hark Ink #4) that finds our heroine on the run when she is targeted by the same people out to destroy the ex Special Forces soldiers (of Hard Ink) trying to prove their innocence in an Afghanistan military operation that went horribly wrong. Jessica needs help when she inadvertently becomes entangled with one of the men out to destroy the soldiers, so our heroine calls Ike Young, her co-worker and best friend to help hide her until the danger passes. What ensues is a sexual relationship between Jessica and Ike wherein Ike begins to push Jessica away when ghosts from the past continue to control his present. Jessica and Ike’s relationship has been developing for a couple of instalments and HARD AS STEEL bridges the old with the new. The $ex scenes are erotic and intense. Ike and Jessica like to play a little rough in the bedroom.

HARD AS STEEL introduces a number of potential players in Laura Kaye’s 2016 RAVEN RIDERS MC series. The Raven Riders MC members have played a small role throughout the Hard Ink series, and with the release of HARD AS STEEL Laura Kaye will begin to focus on the bikers and the women they love. In HARD AS STEEL there is limited character cross over between the two series-any important information from the previous instalments is revealed where necessary. The premise is engaging and entertaining; the characters are colourful, charismatic and familiar; the romance is hot and spicy. I am looking forward to Laura Kaye’s new RAVEN RIDERS MC series-there is plenty of room for some dark and dangerous bikers who are a little rough around the edges.

Copy supplied by the promoter

Reviewed by Sandy

Hard As It Gets
Hard Ink #1
by Laura Kaye
Genre: contemporary, suspense, action, romance, adult
Release Date: November 2013

Click HERE for Sandy’s review of HARD AS IT GETS

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Tall, dark, and lethal…

Trouble just walked into Nicholas Rixey’s tattoo parlor. Becca Merritt is warm, sexy, wholesome–pure temptation to a very jaded Nick. He’s left his military life behind to become co-owner of Hard Ink Tattoo, but Becca is his ex-commander’s daughter. Loyalty won’t let him turn her away. Lust has plenty to do with it too.

With her brother presumed kidnapped, Becca needs Nick. She just wasn’t expecting to want him so much. As their investigation turns into all-out war with an organized crime ring, only Nick can protect her. And only Becca can heal the scars no one else sees.

Desire is the easy part. Love is as hard as it gets. Good thing Nick is always up for a challenge..
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Hard As You Can
Hard Ink #2
by Laura Kaye
Genre: contemporary, suspense, action, romance, adult
Release Date: February 25, 2014

Click HERE to read Sandy’s review of HARD AS YOU CAN

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About the book: Release Date February 25, 2014

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.

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Hard to Hold On To
Hard Ink 2.5
by Laura Kaye
Genre: adult, contemporary, erotic, romance, suspense
Release Date: August 19, 2014

Click HERE to read Sandy’s review of HARD TO HOLD ON TO

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date August 19, 2014

Edward “Easy” Cantrell knows better than most the pain of not being able to save those he loves–which is why he is not going to let Jenna Dean out of his sight. He may have just met her, but Jenna’s the first person to make him feel alive since that devastating day in the desert more than a year ago.

Jenna has never met anyone like Easy. She can’t describe how he makes her feel–and not just because he saved her life. No, the stirrings inside her reach far beyond gratitude.

As the pair are thrust together while chaos reigns around them, they both know one thing: the things in life most worth having are the hardest to hold on to.
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Hard to Come By
Hard Ink 3
by Laura Kaye
Genre: adult, contemporary, romantic suspense
Release Date: November 25, 2014

Click HERE for Sandy’s review of Hard To Come By

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date November 25, 2014

Caught between desire and loyalty…

Derek DiMarzio would do anything for the members of his disgraced Special Forces team—sacrifice his body, help a former teammate with a covert operation to restore their honor, and even go behind enemy lines. He just never expected to want the beautiful woman he found there.

When a sexy stranger asks questions about her brother, Emilie Garza is torn between loyalty to the brother she once idolized and fear of the war-changed man he’s become. Derek’s easy smile and quiet strength tempt Emilie to open up, igniting the desire between them and leading Derek to crave a woman he shouldn’t trust.

As the team’s investigation reveals how powerful their enemies are, Derek and Emilie must prove where their loyalties lie before hearts are broken and lives are lost. Because love is too hard to come by to let slip away.

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Hard To Be Good
Hard Ink 3.5
by Laura Kaye
Genre: adult, contemporary, M/M, romance

Click HERE for Sandy’s review of Hard to Be Good

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date April 7, 2015

Hard Ink Tattoo owner Jeremy Rixey has taken on his brother’s stateside fight against the forces that nearly killed Nick and his Special Forces team a year before. Now, Jeremy’s whole world has been turned upside down—not the least of which by a brilliant, quiet blond man who tempts Jeremy to settle down for the first time ever.

Recent kidnapping victim Charlie Merritt has always been better with computers than people, so when he’s drawn into the SF team’s investigation of his army colonel father’s corruption, he’s surprised to find acceptance and friendship—especially since his father never accepted who Charlie was. Even more surprising is the heated tension Charlie feels with sexy, tattooed Jeremy, Charlie’s opposite in almost every way.

With tragedy and chaos all around them, temptation flashes hot, and Jeremy and Charlie can’t help but wonder why they’re trying so hard to be good.

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Hard To Let Go
Hard Ink #4
by Laura Kaye
Genre: adult, contemporary, military, romantic suspense
Release Date: June 30, 2015

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HARD TO LET GO (Hard Ink #4) by Laura Kaye

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date June 30, 2015

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

Beckett Murda hates to dwell on the past. But his investigation into the ambush that killed half his Special Forces team and ended his Army career gives him little choice. Just when his team learns how powerful their enemies are, hard-ass Beckett encounters the biggest complication yet—seductive, feisty Katherine Rixey.

A tough, stubborn prosecutor, Kat visits her brothers’ Hard Ink Tattoo following a bad break-up—and finds herself staring down the barrel of a stranger’s gun. Beckett is hard-bodied and sexy as hell, but he’s also the most infuriating man ever. Worse, Kat’s brothers are at war with criminals her office is investigating. When Kat joins the fight, she lands straight in Beckett’s sights—and his arms. Not to mention their enemies’ crosshairs.

Now Beckett and Kat must set aside their differences to work together, because the only thing sweeter than justice is finding love and never letting go.

Laura is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over twenty books in contemporary and paranormal romance and romantic suspense. Growing up, Laura’s large extended family believed in the supernatural, and family lore involving angels, ghosts, and evil-eye curses cemented in Laura a life-long fascination with storytelling and all things paranormal. She lives in Maryland with her husband, two daughters, and cute-but-bad dog, and appreciates her view of the Chesapeake Bay every day.

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