A shy and distrustful woman running from a controlling ex-fiance seeks shelter with an outlaw motorcycle club with a tradition of protecting those who can’t defend themselves, and falls under the watchful eye of the club’s mysterious and intense leader who’s intent on discovering all her secrets
Brotherhood. Club. Family.
They live and ride by their own rules.
These are the Raven Riders . . .
Raven Riders Motorcycle Club President Dare Kenyon rides hard and values loyalty above all else. He’ll do anything to protect the brotherhood of bikers—the only family he’s got—as well as those who can’t defend themselves. So when mistrustful Haven Randall lands on the club’s doorstep scared that she’s being hunted, Dare takes her in, swears to keep her safe, and pushes to learn the secrets overshadowing her pretty smile.
Haven fled from years of abuse at the hands of her criminal father and is suspicious of any man’s promises, including those of the darkly sexy and overwhelmingly intense Ravens’ leader. But as the powerful attraction between them flares to life, Dare pushes her boundaries and tempts her to want things she never thought she could.
The past never dies without a fight, but Dare Kenyon’s never backed down before….
So much better out here,” Haven said, the night air cool against the tingling warmth of her skin. Although she was pretty sure that not all of the heat burning through her insides was from the alcohol—her unusual flirtatiousness and closeness to Dare over the past half hour had made her desperate with a heat that had nothing to do with her drinking game. She walked to the railing and leaned against it, chuckling a little at herself for needing the support it offered. She felt so damn free, and it was a heady, exhilarating thing. “What’s funny?” Dare asked, settling a hip against the railing right beside her. Arms crossed, jaw ticking with tension, dark eyes blazing, he was staring at her like he wanted to reprimand her or devour her. Oddly, neither alarmed her the way she would’ve expected it to. Haven shook her head, leaning it back and letting her gaze float over the night sky. Blurry points of light swam in the moonlit heavens. It was beautiful and peaceful despite the pounding bass beat of music thumping from inside the clubhouse. “Not funny, just good. Happy, you know? Being able to do something a little . . . scary, but knowing I’d be safe doing it.” When Dare’s gaze narrowed, she shrugged. “I don’t know.” A long moment passed before Dare finally spoke. “You are safe here, Haven. Never doubt it.” Peering up at him, she nodded, all kinds of words sitting on the tip of her tongue, challenging her to let them fly. “It’s weird feeling safe—or at least safer—after a lifetime of not. It makes me want to try things I could never let myself try before. It makes me . . .” She shook her head and dipped her chin. Dare stepped closer, his thighs coming up against her hip. He lifted her chin and made her look at him. The contact combined with the command in the gesture lanced white-hot desire through her veins. “Makes you what?” “Want to feel alive,” she whispered, her heart suddenly racing in her chest. Dare’s jaw ticked again as his gaze swept over her face. She didn’t think she was imagining the raw emotion pouring off of him and wrapping around her, but she wasn’t sure if she was reading that emotion right or projecting her own desire onto him. “Do you feel alive, Dare?” she asked, the alcohol flowing through her and the night spinning around her like she was walking through a dream. “Jesus,” he bit out. The rough desperation in his voice made her wet between her legs. “Just once,” she whispered, not sure what she was asking him for. But he seemed to know. Because his hand was suddenly tangled in her hair and his mouth was suddenly on hers, claiming, probing, tasting. Haven moaned and parted her lips, inviting him deeper. Dare jerked back from her, his fingers rubbing roughly over his lips. “Fuck, I’m sorry.” On instinct, Haven’s body pursued his, pinning his back to the railing. “Please don’t stop,” she said as her hands gripped his shoulders. She had the strongest urge to climb him, to wrap her legs around him, to grind against the hard bulge pressing electrically against her belly. “Please,” she whispered, tilting her mouth toward his. “I liked it.” Dare’s hand cupped the back of her head. “You’re killing me.” “Dare,” she said, her body restless against his. In a move that sent the world spinning, he flipped them around so that she was the one pinned against the railing. He pushed his legs between hers and leaned down over her, forcing her to arch her back, to yield, to open to him.“Tell me what you want from me. Say the words,” he said, his eyes absolutely on fire. Her heart was a runaway train in her chest, frantic and picking up speed. The thought of giving voice to her desires was terrifying and thrilling and dizzying all at once. “I want your mouth,” she said. The words sounded odder out loud than they had in her head, but they were more accurate than asking him to kiss her—because her mouth wasn’t the only place she wanted his. “Jesus,” he rasped again, his mouth coming down on hers once more. The whimper she released was part relief, part anticipation. It had been so long since she’d kissed someone that she felt a little uncertain, but Dare’s intensity barely allowed her the capacity to worry about it. He was like a dark storm bearing down on her, relentless, magnetic, all-consuming. Rough callouses from his hands scratched against her cheeks as he guided her. Hard breaths spilled over her lips, and the wet slide of his tongue tasted like whiskey and desire and man. Her hands found the soft length of his hair, and her breasts pushed against the hard plane of his chest. Then her lips were freed as his mouth slid over her skin—exploring her cheek, her jaw, her ear, her neck. He hiked her up to sit on the wide railing, the move surprising a gasp out of her, especially as he crowded the space between her legs, pushing himself closer, bringing his erection against the place between her legs craving friction, hardness, so much more of him. Maybe even all of him. One strong arm wrapped around her back and held her steady, while the other hand stroked her hair, her face, her breast. The soft groans and breathy grunts spilling out of him were delicious and thrilling, and bolstered her confidence that she wasn’t the only one losing herself in this moment, in these touches. She almost couldn’t believe this was happening, and part of her was certain she must be dreaming. Because Haven Randall didn’t have beautiful things in her life. At least, never before.
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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After a long battle to discover the truth, the men and women of Hard Ink have a lot to celebrate, especially the wedding of two of their own—Nick Rixey and Becca Merritt, whose hard-fought love deserves a happy ending.
As Nick and the team shift from crisis mode to building their new security consulting firm, Becca heads back to work at the ER. But amid the everyday chaos of demanding jobs and their upcoming nuptials, an old menace they thought long gone reemerges, threatening the peace they’ve only just found.
Now, for one last time, Nick and Becca must fight for their always and forever, because they know that when true love overcomes all the odds it lasts hard ever after.
••••••••
REVIEW:
Some Background:Laura Kaye’s adult, contemporary Hard Ink romantic suspense series focuses on a group of ex-special forces soldiers trying to prove their innocence in an Afghanistan mission that went horribly wrong. One year earlier, the five surviving members of the twelve man team returned home to discover they had been dishonorably discharged and their records falsified. HARD EVER AFTER begins shortly after the events of HARD TO LET GO wherein the team of ex-Special Forces had been cleared of all wrongdoing, and the people responsible got what they deserved.
HARD EVER AFTER follows the celebratory preparations for Nick and Becca’s upcoming wedding, but also focuses on a threat against the woman Nick loves. Becca’s return to work finds our heroine trapped between the past and the present, unsure whether she has lost her mind, or the devil has returned to finish the job. While the gang prepares for the wedding, Becca and Nick must deal with another threat to Becca’s safety and their future together.
Laura Kaye blends romance and love; action and suspense; friendships and looking towards the future. The story line revisits some of the past as well as all of the couples we have grown to love who gather together to protect one of their own. HARD EVER AFTER is a heartwarming and dramatic conclusion for the original Hard Ink heroes. The premise is climactic; the characters are inspiring and spirited; the happily ever after is long overdue.
Copy supplied by Edelweiss
Reviewed by Sandy
Nick dove into the truck’s cab. “Go, go!” “Fuck!” Shane punched the accelerator and pulled the truck into a hard U-ey. Another round hit the back quarter panel. “Get down, Becca,” Nick said as he reached for the Glock at the small of his back. But she was way ahead of him, tucked in a ball on the floor behind his seat. He didn’t have a clear shot of anything, especially with chaos already breaking out around the ER’s entrance as people dove for cover and the couple of on-site police officers rushed into defensive positions. In what felt like long minutes but was only a few seconds, they were clear of the area. Shane ran a red light to get them away from the hospital altogether. Twisting in his seat, Nick looked out the cab’s rear window. “Watch for a tail.” “On it,” Shane said. “You need to alert the team, Vance, Chen.” “Yeah,” Nick said, but first he needed to check on Becca. Christ, every reassurance he’d offered the past week had just been blown to shit. His gut was a wreck, his mind unhelpfully crafting one horror story after another about what might’ve happened if Chen hadn’t called. Or if Nick hadn’t returned to the hospital immediately. Or if Coleman hadn’t been able to pull Becca off the floor. “Becca, are you okay?” “I don’t know,” she said, her voice shaky. When she looked up at him, her skin was ashen. He reached back and clutched her hand as he dialed Marz. “Yo, hoss, wassup?” Marz said. “We’ve got a situation,” Nick said, filling him in. “Let everyone know what’s going on. And if you have a chance, scan the security feeds around our neighborhood looking for anything potentially suspicious. We’ve been keeping an eye out for the wrong damn car.” “You got it,” Marz said. Nick had just hung up when his cell rang again. Chen. Nick put it on speaker. “I heard about the hospital. You okay?” Chen asked by way of a greeting. Nick wasn’t surprised that Chen had information that was only minutes old. “Yeah, we’re in one piece,” Nick said. “But it was fucking close. Too close.”
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.
LOVE IN THE LIGHT (Hearts in Darkness #2) by Laura Kaye-Review, Book Tour & Giveaway
LOVE IN THE LIGHT Hearts in Darkness #2 by Laura Kaye Release Date: January 12, 2016 Genre: adult, contemporary, erotic, romance
We cannot tell you how excited we are to bring you the Release Week Blitz for LOVE IN THE LIGHT by Laura Kaye! LOVE IN THE LIGHT is a novel told in dual POV and Part Two of her bestselling Hearts in Darkness Duet. This much anticipated follow-up is finally here! Make sure you grab your copy of this sexy novel today, and if you’re new to the series you can grab the first novella HEARTS IN DARKNESS for just $.99 for a limited time!
Makenna James and Caden Grayson have been inseparable since the day they were trapped in a pitch-black elevator and found acceptance and love in the arms of a stranger. Makenna hopes that night put them on the path to forever—which can’t happen until she introduces her tattooed, pierced, and scarred boyfriend to her father and three over-protective brothers.
Must fight for love in the light…
Haunted by a childhood tragedy and the loss of his family, Caden never thought he’d find the love he shares with Makenna. But the deeper he falls, the more he fears the devastation sure to come if he ever lost her, too. When meeting her family doesn’t go smoothly, Caden questions whether Makenna deserves someone better, stronger, and just more…normal. Maybe they’re too different—and he’s far too damaged—after all…
•••••••••
REVIEW:LOVE IN THE LIGHT is the second installment in Laura Kaye’s contemporary, adult HEARTS IN DARKNESS erotic romance series focusing on paramedic Caden Grayson, and accountant Makenna James. LOVE IN THE LIGHT should not be read as a stand alone as there is too much information imparted in the first installment HEARTS IN DARKNESS.
Told from dual third person perspectives (Makenna and Caden) LOVE IN THE LIGHT is the continuing story about Makenna and Caden who met two months earlier when the elevator in which they were standing stalled for close to four hours. In the dark, Makenna discovered her elevator mate suffered with horrendous claustrophobia as a result of a fatal car crash when Caden was fourteen years old that killed his mother and younger brother, and left Caden trapped until someone finally came to his rescue. LOVE IN THE LIGHT looks at the affects of PTSD, depression and the guilt Caden suffers with survivor’s remorse, and the loss of family and the people he loved.
LOVE IN THE LIGHT is a sexually erotic and emotional story line centered around the holidays, and one man’s inability to let go of the past. Caden is a paramedic whose PTSD from the car crash years before begins to overpower his emotional stability, and what he believes is, his fragile hold on the woman he loves. He hides behind numerous tattoos and piercings, that add to the scars as reminders of the past. We watch as Caden is pulled, once again, into the darkness –a darkness he may not be able to overcome.
Laura Kaye captures the essence of one broken man; two souls who cling to one another but are torn apart through guilt and memories; and three hearts that will move forward towards a happily ever after. We are introduced to Makenna’s extended close-knit family including her over protective brothers and ever loving father. The James brothers need their own happily ever afters. And we can’t forget the fellow fire fighters and paramedics who stand by their friend and member of their crew.
LOVE IN THE LIGHT is a passionate love story; a heartbreaking and painful reminder that the human mind is fallible; that the destructive nature of insecurity can lead us towards another path. The premise is engaging and dramatic; the characters are compelling and real; the romance is emotional and intense.
Copy supplied by the promoter
Reviewed by Sandy
“So Caden said you two met in an elevator,”
the tattoo artist said to Makenna, amusement plain in his voice.
“We really did. We were trapped in it for over
four hours,” Makenna said, smiling. It was a little weird to talk to someone
she couldn’t look at, but she couldn’t move while he was working. “In my office
building. I rode it just today.”
“That’s quite a way to meet someone,” Heath
said with a chuckle. “How come nothing like that ever happens to me?”
“Maybe you don’t ride enough elevators,”
Makenna said.
The tattoo machine pulled away from her skin.
Heath laughed. “I guess I don’t,” he finally said, leaning back in.
The needles hit a sensitive spot along her
spine that had Makenna grimacing. Originally, she’d been thinking of putting
the piece on her shoulder, but when she’d decided on the bigger size, she
thought it would look better in the center. Heath had warned her that the
central placement meant inking over bone, which could hurt more, and it sure
did.
Caden braced his elbows on his knees so he
could lean closer. “Want to play twenty questions?” he asked.
She smiled, knowing he was trying to distract
her and appreciating the heck out of the gesture. “Are there still questions
left we haven’t asked each other?”
“Probably,” he said. “For example, I don’t
think I’ve ever asked you your favorite sex position.”
“No laughing,” Heath said, as Makenna tried to
hold back her humor. Heat filled her cheeks. “Also, TMI. However, I like TMI,
so feel free to answer, Makenna.”
Since the needle was away from her skin, she
did laugh that time. “Okay, so maybe there are questions we haven’t asked.” She
winked at Caden as Heath got back to work. “And, to answer the question, the
second part of the night on my floor.”Caden’s gaze went molten. He flicked at the
spider bite piercings with his tongue. And that had parts of her going molten, because she knew how
freaking talented that tongue was.
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.
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.
•••••••••••••
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
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..
___________________
Hard As You Can Hard Ink #2 by Laura Kaye Genre: contemporary, suspense, action, romance, adult Release Date: February 25, 2014
ClickHEREto read Sandy’s review of HARD AS YOU CAN
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.
________________________
Hard to Hold On To Hard Ink 2.5 by Laura Kaye Genre: adult, contemporary, erotic, romance, suspense Release Date: August 19, 2014
ClickHEREto read Sandy’s review of HARD TO HOLD ON TO
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.
_________________
Hard to Come By Hard Ink 3 by Laura Kaye Genre: adult, contemporary, romantic suspense Release Date: November 25, 2014
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.
______________ Hard To Be Good Hard Ink 3.5 by Laura Kaye Genre: adult, contemporary, M/M, romance
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.
_____________
Hard To Let Go Hard Ink #4 by Laura Kaye Genre: adult, contemporary, military, romantic suspense 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.
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.
••••••••••••••
REVIEW:HARD TO LET GO is the fourth full length and final installment in Laura Kaye’s adult, contemporary HARD INK military romance series focusing group of ex Special Forces soldiers trying to prove their innocence in an Afghanistan military operation that went horribly wrong. This is Beckett Murda and Kat Rixey’s storyline.
Told from dual third person perspectives HARD TO LET GO is the culmination of weeks of investigations searching for the truth behind the disastrous Afghanistan mission that left six soldiers and their commanding officer dead, and five others caught in a military conspiracy that reached close to the top. Each of the previous installments brought out heroes one step closer to finding the truth.
Beckett Murda stands alone. He is a man who is numb to his surroundings but determined to keep his distance until the time comes to take down the people responsible for the destruction of their lives. Enter Kat Rixey- a government attorney and Nick Rixey’s sister- and the woman who will keep Beckett from further destroying his life. But Kat is hiding a secret that if revealed will aid in the focus off of her brother’s search for the truth. When Kat reveals the information the team needs to finalize their investigation, everything will come full circle.
The relationship between Beckett and Kat is initially strained as Beckett tries to distance himself from forming new friendships or getting involved with the Team leader’s sister. But like all romance storylines, the sexual attraction is strong and there is no denying that Kat and Beckett are destined for their own happily ever after-if only Beckett can let go of his past. The $ex scenes are intimate, sensual, and hot.
HARD TO LET GO is an ensemble storyline. All of the previous couples, as well as the members of the Raven MC play a secondary and supporting role throughout the storyline. We are witness to the building relationships between the Special Forcers soldiers, and the women and men that they love. Each of our series heroes has found his happily ever and with it comes the realization that life will continue but for the lives that were lost.
Laura Kaye’s HARD INK is an exceptional character driven series where the focus is not only on the couple in question but on the group of heroes as a whole. The friendships formed between brothers (both blood and of the heart) are heartwarming, riveting and inspiring; they support and nurture one another the way family should support the people that they love. Laura’s storylines are seductive; she will pull you into the depths of heartbreaking struggles, and intoxicating romance arousing your curiosity about the ‘what ifs’ and the future for five soldiers and the women they love. The intense pain and sorrow of the past will never be forgotten but finding the one person that calls to your heart puts everything into perspective. Congratulations Laura Kaye for the inspiring and provocative world of the men of Hard Ink.
Copy supplied by the publisher through Edelweiss
Reviewed By Sandy
Beckett was a wrung-out mess.
He’d just spent the past hour talking to Emilie, and it was maybe more than
he’d talked at one time in his whole life. He couldn’t exactly say he felt
good, and maybe not even better, but he could say that he was a little proud of
himself for facing his past. Didn’t matter that dealing with that shit was as
comfortable as swallowing crushed glass, because choking it down was the only
way he’d have a chance at a future.
At least, a future that he really, truly wanted.
One where he wasn’t alone. One where he wasn’t angry. One
where he wasn’t wasting the time he might have left on this earth—time his
seven fallen teammates no longer had.
Jogging down the stairs from the third-floor apartment,
Beckett headed to the gym. No matter how trashed he felt, he had one more
conversation that absolutely had to happen tonight.
With
Nick. About Kat.
Beckett
had seen the all-knowing looks on Marz’s and Jeremy’s faces when he and Kat
joined the all-hands’ meeting earlier in the evening. If he didn’t go to Nick
soon, the guy was going to learn about them some other way. And then the hell
was going to be even worse to pay. And Beckett didn’t want that to happen. Not
just because he didn’t want the hassle. But because he owed it to Nick—as his
friend and his brother—to come clean.
Didn’t mean that his gut wasn’t all twisted up about
whether Nick would think him good enough for his baby sister, though.
He reached the gym door, took a deep breath, and punched
in the pass code. Man up, Murda.
Right.
Inside, things were hopping, despite the fact that it was
pushing eleven o’clock. Some Ravens were lifting weights. Others were shooting
the shit around the table. And two guys were tossing a ball back and forth,
driving Eileen crazy by bouncing it over her head. Easy was pounding out a fast
pace on the treadmill. And, in the back corner, Nick, Marz, and Shane were
poring over something on Marz’s desk
Beckett had faced down terrorists who wanted nothing more
than to take his life with their very hands, and he’d probably never been as
nervous as he was right now. For fuck’s sake
He moved into the room. About midway across he spied Cy
peeking out from behind a weight machine. “You and me are gonna have a talk soon,
too,” he said, pointing at the cat. A one-eyed blink was his only answer
And then he was standing on the far side of Marz’s desk
next to Shane, peering down at what the three men were examining.
Marz gave him a smile and tapped his finger against the
pages. “Just going over all these instances when Merritt noted Kaine as having
changed orders regarding counternarcotics missions.
“Marz was right,” Nick said, looking up at him. “Some of
these gave me a bad feeling in my gut at the time, because they seemed out of
character for Merritt. He was never a last minute kinda guy. Every damn time
he’s marked those changes as having been ordered by Kaine.”
Beckett nodded. And then his mouth acted without his
brain’s permission. “I’d like to date your sister.”
Hard As It Gets Hard Ink #1 by Laura Kaye Genre: contemporary, suspense, action, romance, adult Release Date: November 2013
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..
___________________
Hard As You Can Hard Ink #2 by Laura Kaye Genre: contemporary, suspense, action, romance, adult Release Date: February 25, 2014
ClickHEREto read Sandy’s review of HARD AS YOU CAN
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.
________________________
Hard to Hold On To Hard Ink 2.5 by Laura Kaye Genre: adult, contemporary, erotic, romance, suspense Release Date: August 19, 2014
ClickHEREto read Sandy’s review of HARD TO HOLD ON TO
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.
_________________
Hard to Come By Hard Ink 3 by Laura Kaye Genre: adult, contemporary, romantic suspense Release Date: November 25, 2014
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.
______________ Hard To Be Good Hard Ink 3.5 by Laura Kaye Genre: adult, contemporary, M/M, romance
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.
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.
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.
REVIEW:
NOTE:HARD TO BE GOOD is a M/M storyline with adult situations and some sexually graphic M/M text.
HARD TO BE GOOD is the latest installment in Laura Kaye’s adult, contemporary HARD INK series focusing on an elite group of ex special forces soldiers trying to prove their innocence in an Afghanistan mission that went horribly wrong. Kicked out of the Army with a dishonorable discharge, the Special Forces Team begins an investigation of their own. This is Jeremy Rixey (tattoo artist, owner of Hard Ink Tattoo and SF leader Nick Rixey’s brother) and Charlie Merritt’s (Becca’s brother/the Colonel’s son) storyline. HARD TO BE GOOD is part of an ongoing series, where each of the storylines are interconnected therefore I recommend reading the series in order for cohesion, backstory and continuous world building. The timeline events span less than three weeks over the series.
HARD TO BE GOOD picks up immediately after the events of book three-HARD TO COME BY-following the attack and explosion at Hard Ink Tattoo. From the local mob, former special forces soldiers turned rogue, and an unknown enemy, the SF gang at Hard Ink are targeted. Someone wants something, and they believe that Nick and his fellow Special Forces team are either protecting or know of the whereabouts of what it is they seek.
Charlie Merritt is Becca’s brother- a computer genius and a victim of a brutal abduction that saw Charlie loss a part of his hand in the introductory storyline. Enter Jeremy Rixey, Nick’s brother and owner of Hard Ink Tattoo, and the man who calls to Charlie’s heart. As the gang tries to set up surveillance in the hopes of discovering the people behind the attacks, Jeremy and Charlie take their friendship to the next level. Jeremy is a bisexual male who knows what he wants, and Charlie continues to hide in the shadows at Hard Ink Tattoo.
The relationship between Charlie and Jeremy begins as friendship but the sexual tension is high. Everyone at Hard Ink is aware of the attraction between the two men, and with it comes the good natured shoulder slapping when they finally admit the truth.
All of the previous storyline couples are present as well as what remain of Nick’s Special Forces Team. I believe there is a spin off in development that includes the Raven Riders Motorcycle Club-Nick and the Team’s new allies in the war at home.
HARD TO BE GOOD is a sensual, passionate and hopeful storyline. Laura Kaye’s HARD INK is an addicting series with intense and emotional stories. A great series and a talented author that will capture your attention and heart.
“You should be inside celebrating,” Jeremy said, his
voice a raw scrape. “You and Marz did an amazing thing this morning.” An hour
ago, Marz and Charlie had cracked open a heavily encrypted microchip that contained
a wealth of information that not only seemed likely to help the team clear its
name, but proved that Charlie’s father hadn’t been dirty, like they’d all
thought. “And I’m so happy for you about your dad.”
A wounded darkness passed through Charlie’s gaze, but
he finally nodded. “Didn’t feel right without you there.” Pink filtered into
his cheeks, and damn if that wasn’t as cute as it was sexy. Jeremy wasn’t sure
anything had ever made him blush.
“I’m just not—” Jeremy shrugged and looked down at Charlie’s
chest again. Having seen the guy dress more than once, he knew that shirt
covered lean muscle that ran from strong shoulders down to his narrow hips.
Jeremy fisted his hands against the urge to burrow them under the hem of the
tee. After weeks of looking, and wanting, he was dying to touch. Jeremy found Charlie hard to read though, and
hadn’t wanted to do anything to scare him off. “—very good company right now.
I’m sorry if that—”
Charlie nudged Jeremy’s chin up with his hand, his
fingers just barely touching Jer’s stubble-covered skin. But then his thumb
landed softly against his lips.
Jeremy’s heartbeat kicked up and his lips fell open.
Slowly, oh so tentatively, Charlie stroked the soft pad of his thumb back and
forth across them.
“Charlie,” Jeremy whispered as arousal surged through
his body, spiking his pulse, tensing his muscles, hardening his dick.
Uncertainty poured off Charlie as the man’s hand
trembled where it touched him, but those blue eyes absolutely blazed desire. No
way was Jeremy imagining that.
“You’re always good company, to me,” Charlie said in a
low voice, his gaze dropping to Jeremy’s lips. Charlie leaned in closer, and
closer still, and Jeremy could hardly believe the other man was the one to
initiate this. But he was fucking thrilled.
Jeremy swallowed, his lips anticipating that first
soft brush. Charlie was so close his shaky breath caressed Jeremy’s lips. His
pace was maddening but so damn sexy Jer could barely breathe. And then
Charlie’s eyelids fluttered closed and he was right there…
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.
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.
••••••••••••••
REVIEW:HARD TO COME BY is the third full length storyline in Laura Kaye’s adult, contemporary Hard Ink romantic suspense series focusing on a group of ex-special forces soldiers trying to prove their innocence in an Afghanistan mission that went horribly wrong. One year earlier, the five surviving members of the twelve man team returned home to discover they had been dishonorably discharged and their records falsified. This is Special Forces team member, IT specialist and amputee Derek (Marz) DiMarzio and psychologist Emilie Garza’s storyline -one that pits Emilie’s brother against the Hard Ink team.
Told from third person point of view, the storyline follows Derek as he is tasked with ‘getting to know’ Emilie better. Emilie’s brother Manny, an ex-Special Forces soldier, is a suspect in a number of suspicious murders and the soldiers of Hard Ink begin tracking his connections to their former commander-the commander who is believed to have turned on his men and left them to die.
The relationship between Derek and Emilie begins as a lie but soon develops into something more. Derek and Emilie are immediately attracted to one another but Derek knows the risk of destroying Emilie when the truth about their relationship is revealed.
The colorful secondary characters include all of the previous storyline couples as well as the remaining Special Forces soldiers and the local bike gang whose new mission is to help track the people responsible for the devastation that awaits the Team. The men of Hard Ink will acquire two new allies in their war at home but will lose someone close at the end of the day. Two more potential relationships have started to bloom.
The timeline from book one to book four is approximately two weeks to date. The mystery and investigation surrounding the Team’s set up and resulting fall out is slowly building as the team members begin to gather information and clues about the people and places involved. It is not an easy mission for the Special Forces Team-the war at home is as dangerous as the war in the Middle East.
Laura Kaye’s HARD INK family consists of passionate men and women whose love for one another is protective and profound. Their stories of loss, sacrifice and survival are emotional, intense and startlingly real.
A great series. A wonderful storyline. An amazing author.
Copy supplied by the publisher through Edelweiss.
Reviewed by Sandy
Marz was playing with fire. He damn well knew he was. But that didn’t make him want to pull away.He just wanted more of the heat.Marz nuzzled the side of Emilie’s face with his nose, his lips. She turned her face toward him and offered her lips. He couldn’t refuse.
Capturing her mouth on a tortured groan, Marz poured every ounce of his longing and confusion and desire into the kiss. They grasped at each other and Emilie turned in his arms. He pinned her against the railing and planted his hands in her hair. She opened to him and accepted his tongue, sucking him in until Marz’s blood ran hot and his hard-on ached. He ground himself against her and devoured every little moan and whimper and gasp she spilled.Trailing kisses from her mouth to her jaw to her ear, Marz dragged a hand down her body and grasped her breast in his palm. She cried out and her head dropped back, drawing his mouth to her neck, where he licked and sucked and nipped as he kneaded her soft flesh. “You are so damn sexy.”
Her hand flew to his hair and grasped the back of his head. “Touch me,” she said. “Don’t stop touching me.”
Marz pulled away long enough to do a three-sixty scan. The lighthouse cast a dark shadow over them, and the pier was otherwise empty. His heart raced and his pulse hammered. He dove back in, trailing kisses down her neck to her collarbone, which he traced with his tongue. Her nails scratched deliciously at his scalp and her grip urged him down.Through the thin material of her blouse and bra, he mouthed and flicked at her nipple. He shifted the deep vee of the neckline to reveal a lacy royal blue bra. He tongued her through the lace until she was panting and moaning and writhing against the railing.
“Oh, my God,” she rasped as he shifted her shirt and moved to her other breast. This time, he tugged the lace down to bare the deep pink of her nipple. She tasted and smelled like something fruity and sweet, and it made Marz hunger for more. “Derek,” she gasped. “Yes, yes, yes.”
Her palm cupped and squeezed the bulge of his erection through his jeans. His hips jerked into the touch, craving more of her, all of her. He groaned and it seemed to egg her on, because she pressed and rubbed her hand against his trapped cock until he was panting and imagining taking her down to the ground.
“Jesus, Emilie, you’re driving me fucking crazy,” he said as he worked kisses back up her body to her mouth.
“I know just what you mean,” she said. Her molten hot gaze met his. Eyes hooded, lips shiny and swollen, cheeks flushed, she was a freaking goddess standing under the moonlit sky. He felt the force of her beauty every bit as much in his chest as in his cock.
“You sure about that, babe?” he asked as he took her mouth in a deep, wet kiss. “Because my imagination has me stripping you of those fuck-hot jeans.”
“Yeah?” She rubbed his cock in a long stroke with the heel of her hand. “Mine has us getting a room at the hotel back there. So I’m sure,” she said with a smile.
Marz’s heart hammered against his breastbone and his cock jerked, clearly liking her idea, too. Except, if he took her up on it, he was going to end up buried inside her for as long as she’d have him. And so long as this clusterfuck of a situation defined their relationship, he couldn’t take things that far. Could he?
Hard As It Gets Hard Ink #1 by Laura Kaye Genre: contemporary, suspense, action, romance, adult Release Date: November 2013
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..
___________________
Hard As You Can Hard Ink #2 by Laura Kaye Genre: contemporary, suspense, action, romance, adult 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.
________________________
Hard to Hold On To Hard Ink 2.5 by Laura Kaye Genre: adult, contemporary, erotic, romance, suspense 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.
Laura is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of nearly twenty books in contemporary and paranormal romance. 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.
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.
Hard As It Gets
About the book: Release Date February 25, 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.
Hard to Come By
Hard To Be Good
HARD TO LET GO (Hard Ink #4) by Laura Kaye
