Into The Arms of the Storm / Enduring the Storm (The Storm #1 & 2) by Hollis Kay-reviews

INTO THE ARMS OF THE STORM
(The Storm #1)
by Hollis Kay
Genre: adult, contemporary, dark, romantic suspense

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au / B&N paper /

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date August 31, 2020.

I never thought I would get away from the monster disguised as my fiancé. And I certainly never thought my escape would be in the form of a devilishly handsome smirk and a pair of deviously soul-splitting blue eyes.
Mr. Hunt was a contract killer hired to make me disappear, so when he made me an offer, I took it. After a few months of laying low, he promised I would have my life back. But the longer I was with him, the more I wanted to stay. He was charming, sly, and had a dark past that was full of secrets and pain. So how did I end up working contracts with him? How did I end up falling for him? And more importantly, will I get out of this storm alive?

Content warning: This book contains strong adult themes throughout that may not be suited for everyone and may be considered offensive to some readers. These themes include; strong sexual themes, strong language, sexual assault, abuse, and graphic violence

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REVIEW: INTO THE ARMS OF THE STORM is the first instalment in Hollis Kay’s contemporary, adult THE STORM romantic suspense series focusing on twenty-seven year old Mr. Hunt aka Killer, and Amara Rose.

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise, there may be triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Mr. Hunt and Amara) covering approximately one years, INTO THE ARMS OF THE STORM follows the building relationship and romance between Mr. Hunt aka Killer, and Amara Rose. Amara is on the run from her abusive ex-fiance but a contract on her life found our heroine a prisoner in a gilded cage when her would-be killer refused to finalize the deal. Enter assassin and fixer, British born Mr. Hunt aka Killer. What ensues is the building romance and relationship between Hunt and Amara, and the potential fall-out as Hunt’s business hits too close to home.

Mr. Hunt is a fixer; an assassin who goes in and does what no one else will do but Hunt never expected to fall for one of his targets, a target that stirs something deep within our story line hero, Along with his ‘sister’ Gabby, and his best friend Luke, Hunt often disappears for days and weeks at a time, leaving Amara Rose confused, wondering if he will ever return but Amara is about to experience the life of an assassin and fixer up close and personal, an experience that neither one will forget.

The relationship between Hunt and Amara begins as a job when Hunt is hired to take down our story line heroine but Hunt quickly discovers that Amara is much more than his intended mark but a woman has seared herself into his very soul. The limited $ex scenes are intimate; the sexual attraction is palpable and hot.

We are introduced to Hunt’s foster sibling Gabrielle Hunt, as well as his business associates and fellow agents Frankie Dunn, Luke Jenkins and his fiance Jade, and their boss Sebastian Ross.

INTO THE ARMS OF THE STORM is a slow building story line that covers approximately one year in the life of our leading couple.Hunt refuses to take down an innocent woman, and brings her home where she will becomes everything he needs and wants, and more. The premise is dramatic, engaging and captivating; the slow building romance is tentative, passionate and seductive; the characters are secretive, intense and intriguing. I will add that although the story line is told in dual first person perspectives there is limited time spent with Hunt on the job, something that may have added a little more suspense to the story line premise. INTO THE ARMS OF THE STORM ends on a cliff hanger-you have been warned.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

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ENDURING THE STORM
(The Storm #2)
by Hollis Kay
Genre: adult, contemporary, erotic, dark, romantic suspense

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / Chapters Indigo /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date February 14, 2021

Play stupid games, win stupid prizes. It’s not like I didn’t know what I was getting myself into with Mr. Hunt. When I woke up, I thought we would fall into the same routine.

I was wrong.

The man I thought I knew had been replaced with a distant stranger. If I hadn’t tried to play hero then maybe we wouldn’t be here. And maybe he wouldn’t have blindly invited the enemy in. I thought I had found my happy ending, but instead, I found myself wishing it would end. The freedom I so desperately sought was delayed by the bandages that held me back as I healed. Even if things got better, would we get the chance to rekindle? Or was it too good to be true?

Content warning: This book contains strong adult themes throughout that may not be suited for everyone and may be considered offensive to some readers. These themes include; strong sexual themes, strong language, sexual assault, abuse, child abuse, graphic violence, drug and alcohol addiction, and mental health. This is the second book in a series and ends on a cliffhanger.

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REVIEW: ENDURING THE STORM is the second instalment in Hollis Kay’s contemporary, adult THE STORM erotic, dark, romantic suspense series focusing on twenty-seven year old, assassin/fixer Mr. Hunt aka Killian Hunt, and Amara Rose. ENDURING THE STORM should not be read as a stand alone as it picks up immediately after the events and cliff hanger of book one INTO THE ARMS OF THE STORM.

NOTE: If you have not read book one, there may be spoilers in my review.

WARNING: Due to the nature of the story line premise there may be triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from three first person perspectives (Hunt, Amara, Frankie) ENDURING THE STORM picks up immediately after the events and cliff hanger of book one wherein Amara Rose, having worked a job with our story line hero, is recovering following an assignment that went all to h*ll but as the days, weeks and months pass, Mr. Hunt aka Killian begins to pull away from the woman he loves, and quite possibly into the arms of his newest trainee. While Killian begins to emotionally and physically spiral out of control, our heroine struggles in the face of betrayal and vengeance, a betrayal that is about to place her in the direct line of fire. What ensues is the building romance and relationship between Killian and Amara, while someone behind the scenes executes a plan of revenge.

The sexual and physical relationship between Amara and Killian has been slow to grow but the sexual tension has always been high. Killian has previously refused to cross the line between friendship and something more although he had been hinting at a relationship for a very long time but as their sexual and physical relationship blossomed, a newcomer into Killian’s life begins to take aim at Amara, pitting our couple against one another until the very end. The $ex scenes are intimate erotic and intense with some scenes of bondage and spanking but I dislike the use of a certain four-letter word that is often more shock value than anything else.

We are reintroduced to Hunt’s foster sibling Gabrielle Hunt, he son Callum and fiancé Aaron, as well as his business associates and fellow agents Frankie Dunn, Luke Jenkins and his fiance Jade, and their boss Sebastian Ross, as well as the addition of Vanessa Robinson.

ENDURING THE STORM is a story of power, control, betrayal and vengeance; a story of secrets and lies, manipulation and retribution; love and loss. The premise is gritty, raw, intriguing, and haunting ; the characters are broken but spirited; the romance is seductive and hot but struggles in the face of betrayal and pain. Once again, although the story line is told in dual first person perspectives, there is limited time spent with Mr Hunt aka Killian while working or training his new recruit which would have given a better perspective and more suspense. ENDURING THE STORM ends on a cliff hanger-you have been warned.

Copy supplied for review

Reviews by Sandy