Hard to Serve (Hard Ink 4.7/Blasphemy .5) 1001 Dark Nights by Laura Kaye-Review & Book Tour

HARD TO SERVE (Hard Ink 4.7/ Blasphemy .5) 1001 Dark Nights by Laura Kaye-Review and Book Tour

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HARD TO SERVE
Hard Ink 4.75 / Blasphemy .5
by Laura Kaye
Release Date: June 28, 2016
Genre: adult, contemporary, erotic, BDSM, romance

Hard to Serve

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date June 28, 2016

To protect and serve is all Detective Kyler Vance ever wanted to do, so when Internal Affairs investigates him as part of the new police commissioner’s bid to oust corruption, everything is on the line. Which makes meeting a smart, gorgeous submissive at an exclusive play club the perfect distraction…

The director of the city’s hottest art gallery, Mia Breslin’s career is golden. Now if only she could find a man to dominate her nights and set her body—and her heart—on fire. When a scorching scene with a hard-bodied, brooding Dom at Blasphemy promises just that, Mia is lured to serve Kyler again and again.

Then, as their relationship burns hotter, Kyler learns that he’s been dominating the daughter of the hard-ass boss who has it in for him. Now Kyler must choose between life-long duty and forbidden desire before Mia finds another who’s not so hard to serve.

•••••

REVIEW: HARD TO SERVE is installment 4.7 in Laura Kaye’s contemporary, adult, HARD INK romantic suspense series, and the latest novella in the multi-authored 1001 Dark Nights. HARD TO SERVE is also the first installment in Laura Kaye’s new spin off -BLASPHEMY- a series focusing on the exclusive BDSM club of the same name. This is Master and police detective Kyler Vance, and artist and gallery owner Mia Breslin’s story line. HARD TO SERVE can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous series (Hard Ink) is revealed where necessary.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Mia and Kyler) HARD TO SERVE sets the stage for Laura’s new BDSM series Blasphemy. Mia is a submissive and is hoping to join the exclusive club but finances are tight considering she is new in town and has recently opened her very first gallery. A guest pass to Blasphemy finds Mia in the capable hands of Kyler Vance-a detective on medical leave; a co-owner of Blasphemy; and a man who does not do relationships or long term partners. What ensues is the building relationship between our leading couple, both in and out of the club that collapses like a house of cards when Kyler and Mia’s connection is revealed.

We are introduced to several of Kyler’s friends, fellow Masters at Blasphemy, and the co-owners of the club. A number of the characters and couples from Laura’s HARD INK series stop by for a cameo appearance including tattooist and Hard Ink co-owner Jeremy Rixey who is Kyler’s friend and tattoo artist. Mia’s best friend Dani is there for moral support.

HARD TO SERVE is a provocative and steamy story line with graphic sexual imagery including bondage (rope play), multiple partners, breath play (asphyxiation), anal and oral sex. The premise is edgy but familiar-the BDSM trope has been flogged too many times; the characters are sensual and colorful; the romance is fated and hot.

Copy supplied by the tour promoter

Reviewed by Sandy

Hard to Serve Teaser

excerpt

So many readers asked for more stories in my bestselling Hard Ink series, and I’m so excited to be able to give you just that in my new, super sexy HARD TO SERVE! HARD TO SERVE is an edgy stand-alone love story about a Baltimore police detective whose red-hot BDSM relationship with a new submissive seems like the perfect distraction from a trumped-up investigation against him until he learns that the woman is his boss’s daughter. Talk about sparks flying! I had so much fun writing this book, and I can’t wait for everyone to read it! And if you enjoy it, you might like to check out the whole Hard Ink series, now complete! Happy reading!

 

Now, here he was, knocking on the door of Mia’s apartment on the second floor of an old brownstone, dressed in a fucking suit to take her to dinner.
Mia opened the door wearing a smile and a beautiful teal-blue dress that hung all the way down to a pair of tall, peep-toe wedges. She wore her hair loose again, soft and wavy and thick around her shoulders. So damn gorgeous, this woman. “Hi,” she said. “I’m ready to go, unless you would you like to come in?”

“Well, I’d at least like to do this.” He stepped inside, dug his fingers into the heavy silk of her hair, and kissed her. She hummed at the contact and her body went soft and pliant against him, her breasts pushing into his chest, her spine sagging her weight against him. His hand slid down to grab her ass and gave a little squeeze.

“You don’t play fair,” she whispered.

Grinning, he pulled back. He loved the arousal in her dark eyes, the humor in her expression. “I’d have thought you knew that by now.” He winked.

Her laugh was like the sun breaking through the clouds, warming him and lifting his spirits. And giving him just that much more evidence that he was doing the right there here, with her.

She rolled her eyes and shook her head.

He grasped her by the jaw. “You know, when you roll your eyes at me, I want to put you over me knee.”

A slow grin crept up her face. She rolled her eyes again.

Challenge. Fucking. Accepted.

Pushing the door closed, Kyler grasped Mia by the waist and lowered himself to one knee, laying her over his other knee in the process. She screamed and bucked, but he held her in place with an arm across her lower back. He rucked up her dress, baring miles of lovely legs—and a bare ass, too. She wore no goddamn panties.

“Oh, Mia. Very good,” he said. She’d anticipated one of his desires without him having to voice it. He hadn’t wanted to put any undue pressure on whatever it was they might be by articulating a list of rules for their time together. He was trying to play it by ear, to see what might be natural between them. Whether that was the right way to go about it, he wasn’t sure. But it wasn’t like he had a lot of experience at relationships. He ran his palm over her smooth cheeks. “And it’s gonna be even better when this ass is nice and pink. Five ought to do it. Count.”

About The Author Black and Red

Laura Kaye NewLaura 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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Hard Ever After (Hard Ink 4.6) by Laura Kaye-Review, Book Tour & Giveaway

HARD EVER AFTER (Hard Ink 4.6) by Laura Kaye-Review, Book Tour & Giveaway

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HARD EVER AFTER
Hard Ink 4.6
by Laura Kaye
Genre: adult, contemporary, romantic, suspense
Release Date: February 2, 2016

Hard Ever After

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Add to your GOODREADS shelf

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date February 2, 2016

Justice served. Honor restored. Team reunited.

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

Hard Ever After Teaser

excerpt

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.”

About The Author Black and White

Laura Kaye NewLaura 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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Hard to Let Go (Hard Ink #4) by Laura Kaye-Review and Book Tour

Hard to Let Go (Hard Ink #4) by Laura Kaye-Review and Book Tour

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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

Hard to Let Go

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / The Book Depository

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.

••••••••••••••

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

excerpt

 

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.”

 


series spotlight

Hard As It Gets  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

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk/ Barnes and Noble / KOBO / The Book Depository

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..
___________________

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

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk/ Barnes and Noble / KOBO / The Book Depository

Hard as You CanAbout 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.

________________________

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

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk/ Barnes and Noble / KOBO /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date August 19, 2014

Hard To Hold On ToEdward “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 ByHard 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

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk/ Barnes and Noble / KOBO / The Book Depository

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.

______________
Hard To Be GoodHard 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

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / iTunes

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.

About the author

Laura Kaye NewLaura 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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Hard To Come By (Hard Ink #3) by Laura Kaye-Review and Release Week Launch

HARD TO COME BY (Hard Ink #3 ) by Laura Kaye-Review and Release Week Launch

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Hard to Come By
Hard Ink 3
by Laura Kaye
Genre: adult, contemporary, romantic suspense
Release Date: November 25, 2014

Hard to Come By

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk/ Barnes and Noble / KOBO / The Book Depository

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.

••••••••••••••

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

excerpt

 

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?


Series Spotlight

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

Click HERE for our review of HARD AS IT GETS

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk/ Barnes and Noble / KOBO / The Book Depository

Hard As It Gets  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..
___________________

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 our review of HARD AS YOU CAN

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk/ Barnes and Noble / KOBO / The Book Depository

Hard as You CanAbout 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.

________________________

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 our review of HARD TO HOLD ON TO

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk/ Barnes and Noble / KOBO /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date August 19, 2014

 

Hard To Hold On ToEdward “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.

 

About The Author Black and Blue

Laura Kaye NewLaura 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.

Website | Blog | Facebook | Hard Ink Puppy FB | Twitter | Newsletter SignUp

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Hard to Hold On To (Hard Ink 2.5) by Laura Kaye-Review and Release Day Tour

Hard to Hold On To (Hard Ink 2.5) by Laura Kaye-Review and Release Day Tour

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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

Hard To Hold On To

*Did you know Laura is donating the proceeds of all the sales from the first two weeks to a national non-profit that assists wounded veterans?*

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk/ Barnes and Noble / KOBO /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date August 19, 2014

Hard to Hold On To on Goodreads

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.

•••••••••••••••••••

REVIEW: HARD TO HOLD ON TO is the third instalment and first novella in Laura Kaye’s adult, contemporary Hard Ink romantic suspense series focusing on a tight knit group of ex special forces Green Beret soldiers trying to prove their innocence in an Afghanistan operation that went completely wrong. This is Edward “Easy” Cantrell and Jenna Dean’s storyline. Jenna had been held prisoner by the ‘Church Gang’ and Easy is one of the men who helped in her rescu . The storyline covers about a day in the life and the series covers about a week in total (to date).

HARD TO HOLD ON TO commences immediately following the events of HARD AS YOU CAN. Jenna is Crystal’s (Hard as You Can) younger sister and finds herself the victim of a kidnapping and human trafficking ring. With her rescue, Easy begins a slide into an emotional abyss where flashbacks and guilt begin to eat away at the heart and the mind. Suffering the effects of PTSD Easy knows that without help the nightmares and guilt will force his hand to do the unthinkable.

The relationship between Easy and Jenna fast becomes friends to lovers. Easy and Jenna have an immediate attraction to one another but Jenna’s injuries require that Easy try to remain distant. In the end, Jenna only wants and needs one thing-the strong arms of Easy to make all the evil-disappear.

HARD TO HOLD ON TO is a quick and intense read that looks at PTSD and the effects of war, death and tragedy on the human psyche. Some people are stronger and able to live through the atrocities while others struggle with the reality of what happened. The difficult times sometimes outnumber the good; the emotional shame may batter the mind so that the people suffering are afraid to reach out for help; and in the end everyone must be aware that experiences affect each individual differently.

HARD TO HOLD ON TO pulls the reader into an emotional struggle for one man whose guilt over the loss of a friend continues to burn on his soul. The rescue of Jenna is a reminder of the people in Easy’s life he was unable to save but with it will come the help from the unlikeliest of sources. Another fantastic and remarkable storyline from the pen of Laura Kaye.

Copy supplied by the publisher through Edelweiss.

Reviewed by Sandy

Excerpt 2

 

Easy tugged down the covers and gestured for Jenna to get in. She chose the side that would allow her to lie on the uninjured side of her face.

“After what you’ve been through, I don’t want to do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable,” Easy said.

Propping herself on an elbow, Jenna shook her head. “You won’t. You’re the—” She blanched as if she hadn’t meant to say whatever she’d nearly said.

Which made Easy need to know. He crawled on the bed as if lured by the words. “Finish. That. Sentence.”

She eased back onto the pillow, red hair sprawling around her shoulders like silk, and stared up at him. And it took everything Easy had not to settle himself on top of her and tease the words out with his hands and tongue.

“The only one who makes me feel safe,” she whispered.

Satisfaction humming through him, Easy turned and stretched out on his back. Because if he kept looking at her while she was looking at him like that, he might not be able to restrain himself from having what he wanted. A taste. A chance.

None of which she was in any shape for. And given the shitstorm in his head, probably neither was he.

“Good. That’s good,” he murmured, blowing out a long breath. Damn, he was tired. Not just because he hadn’t slept much the night before. But because of the size of the load he’d been shouldering for the past twelve-plus months. If he could only figure out how to put it down. He scrubbed his hands over his face, wishing he could shake himself out of this fucking slump.

If Rimes were here, he’d kick Easy’s ass for being such a morose motherfucker.

But he wasn’t here. Which was the damn problem in a nutshell.

He dropped his arms to the bed and peered over at Jenna.

She lay on her side facing him, hand tucked under her chin, not looking the least bit settled or relaxed.

“Whatchu need?”

“You.” She spoke the word without any hesitation, any doubt, any seeming self-consciousness.

“Have me, Jenna. Whatever you want,” he said, his cock stirring no matter how hard he reined himself in.

Holding his gaze, she moved closer until her head rested on his shoulder and her body trapped his arm between them. And, suddenly, she wasn’t fucking close enough.

“Here,” he whispered, lifting his arm and inviting her closer. And damn if his heart didn’t soar when she fitted herself the rest of the way against him, her face against his throat, her breasts against his ribs, her leg curling up onto his thigh.

He wasn’t sure whose sigh was louder. All Easy knew was that this was the first time in more than a year he didn’t feel alone. Wrapping his arm around her, he couldn’t resist squeezing her in just a little closer.

“Thank you,” she whispered, her breath ticklish against his neck.

He laced his fingers between hers where they rested on his chest. “I gotchu. You just close your eyes and know I’m here.”

 

Hard Ink Series

And don’t miss the other Hard Ink books, now available:

Hard As It Gets

Hard As You Can

Hard to Hold On To (8/19/14)

LK Donation Promo Final 2

About the Author yellow
Laura Kaye-21About Laura Kaye:

Laura is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over a dozen 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.

Website | Blog | Facebook | Hard Ink Puppy FB | Twitter | Newsletter SignUp

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Cover Reveal-Hard To Hold On To (Hard Ink Novella) by Laura Kaye

Cover Reveal-Hard to Hold On To (Hard Ink Novella) by Laura Kaye

Laura Kaye is thrilled to share with you the cover to her next Hard Ink book, Hard to Hold On To which releases on August 19, 2014! Check it out:

Hard To Hold On To

Pre Order: Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk/ Barnes and Noble / KOBO / iTunes

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 Hold On To on Goodreads

And don’t miss the other Hard Ink books, now available:

Hard As It Gets

Hard As You Can

A Note from Laura:

Hey guys! I am so excited about Easy’s book that I can hardly wait for August to get here! Easy’s character was a total surprise to me. When I initially plotted out the series, there were four surviving members of the Army Special Forces team and therefore I planned for and sold four book in the series. But then, when I sat down to write Hard As It Gets, all of a sudden the story demanded there were actually five guys, and Edward “Easy” Cantrell was born. And I’m so glad! Because Easy’s character is a totally tortured hero, which I adore writing! So I’m super happy that we added his story and this novella into the series, and I can’t wait for you to learn about Easy in Hard to Hold On To!

Is it August yet???

xo, Laura

Praise for the Hard Ink Series:

For Hard As You Can:

“TOP PICK! There is a sinister and desperate edge to this tale that will keep readers glued to their seats. Kaye has dark romantic suspense nailed!” ~ RT Book Reviews Magazine

“Hard As You Can is another five star read. The characters Ms. Kaye has created are wonderfully broken and the drama is gritty, but the burgeoning romance and the tight-knitted relationship of the team leaves you with a sense of redemption. A must read series!” ~San Francisco Book Review

For Hard As It Gets:

“Edgy, sexy and full of suspense! A great read from a great new author!” ~ #1 NYT Bestselling Author J.R. Ward

“Sizzling romance… The intriguing tattoo parlor and military background will appeal to fans of Suzanne Brockmann and Lindsay McKenna.” ~Publishers Weekly Review

About The Author beige

Laura Kaye-21About Laura Kaye:

Laura is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over a dozen 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.

Website | Blog | Facebook | Hard Ink Puppy FB | Twitter | Newsletter SignUp

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Hard As You Can (Hard Ink #2) by Laura Kaye-Blog Tour, Review and Giveaway

Hard As You Can (Hard Ink #2) by Laura Kaye-Blog Tour, Review and Giveaway

Hard As You Can Banner  2
Hard As You Can
Hard Ink #2
by Laura Kaye
Genre: contemporary, suspense, action, romance, adult
Release Date: February 25, 2014

Hard as You Can

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk/ Barnes and Noble / KOBO / The Book Depository

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.

•••••••••••••••••

REVIEW: HARD AS YOU CAN is the second storyline in Laura Kaye’s contemporary, adult, romance, suspense Hard Ink series focusing on five former Special Forces soldiers trying to prove their innocence from a mission that went horribly wrong. This is Shane McCallan and Crystal (Sara) Dean’s story and begins immediately on the tail of book one – Hard As It Gets. Nick and his men are hoping to extricate Becca’s brother Charlie from the men who hold him captive and Crystal Dean may be Charlie’s ticket to freedom.

The storyline follows Crystal as she is in desperate need of help if she is to ever save her life and that of her younger sister but Crystal knows that to run could mean the end. When her father’s past bleeds into her present, Crystal is caught between illegal activities and the law. Her only choice is to remain bound to a man and a job she does not want and hope that in the near future she will be able to escape. Enter Shane McCallan-the man who will become both her protector and her future.

The attraction between Crystal and Shane is immediate-there is no denying the heat-but Crystal’s life is not hers to command. As the storyline progresses, Shane will discover that Crystal and her sister Jenna are in danger and the people behind the threats are tied directly to the Special Forces mission in Afghanistan that all went to h*ll. Crystal has suffered horribly for her father’s sins and Shane will ensure that it will never happen again.

The world building continues from book one. We learn more about the men who have each other’s backs as well as the emotional scars that have kept them apart for so long. A family of survivors, our Special Forces soldiers will pull together to save those they love and get one step closer to the truth about what happened.

Laura Kaye writes from the heart-her storylines are about survivors –men who have survived the war in the Middle East only to return to a war on drugs, gangs and human trafficking -are all topics tackled in the stories of Hard Ink. Each member of the Special Forces team has a story to tell and a special someone to find.

Copy supplied by the author.

Reviewed by Sandy

__________________________

Series Spotlight

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

Click HERE for our review of HARD AS IT GETS

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk/ Barnes and Noble / KOBO / The Book Depository

Hard As It Gets  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..

Q & A

HARD AS YOU CAN is your second book in the “Hard Ink” series (after USA Today bestseller, HARD AS IT GETS). What can readers look forward to?

Readers can look forward to tons of sexy alpha male goodness, awesome bromance between the Hard Ink men, more antics from the Hard Ink puppy, and another great love story between Shane and Crystal. But readers should also be ready for a book that is darker, more intense, and more emotional. This book pushed me to emotional places that were tough as a writer, and might be tough for readers, too. But I think that just makes the payoff at the end so much sweeter!

Describe Shane and Crystal. What are their best traits? What are their weaknesses?

Shane and Crystal are such an amazing couple to me. They’re each exactly what the other needs. Shane’s best traits are his protectiveness, his fundamental kindness, and his soul-deep loyalty (his southern accent and humor are also right up there!). His biggest weakness for sure is a tragedy from the past for which he blames himself—and it’s something that continues to motivate him in Hard As You Can. Crystal’s best traits are her courage, protectiveness, and selflessness—she’s willing to do anything to keep her younger sister safe. Her biggest weakness is also that selflessness, because the sacrifices she’s required to make are getting bigger and bigger and bigger.

If you could describe your book in a 140 character tweet, what would it be?

When a woman in trouble assists an ex-soldier’s covert mission to regain his team’s stolen honor, he finds a new mission to save her, too

What are you most excited about with this second book release?

I’m really excited to take readers deeper into these awesome characters and into the mystery behind the Hard Ink team’s ambush and discharge!

What books are you reading right now?

I’m almost done with Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander (yes, I’m very late to the party but OMG JAMIE FRASER!!!). And I’ve recently devoured and loved Juliana Stone’s Offsides and Shelly Thacker’s time-travel historical romance, Forever His.

What can fans of your “Hard Ink” series look forward to next?

There will be two more Hard Ink books in 2014!

Hard to Hold on To – August 2014
Hard to Come By – November 2014

About The Author beige

Laura Kaye-21About Laura Kaye:

Laura is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over a dozen 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.

Website | Blog | Facebook | Hard Ink Puppy FB | Twitter | Newsletter SignUp

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Hard As It Gets by Laura Kaye-Review and Blog Tour

Hard As it Gets by Laura Kaye-Review and Blog Tour

Hard As It Gets Blog Tour Banner

Hard As It Gets
Hard Ink #1
by Laura Kaye
Release Date: November 26, 2013
Genre: contemporary, suspense, romance

Hard As It Gets

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk/ Barnes and Noble / KOBO / The Book Depository

ABOUT THE BOOK; Release Date November 26, 2013

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..

•••••••••••••••••••••••

REVIEW: HARD AS IT GETS is the first instalment in Laura Kaye’s new contemporary, adult, suspense, action-filled, adult HARD INK series focusing on a group of ex special forces soldiers trying to prove their innocence in an Afghanistan military operation that went horribly wrong.

The premise of Hard As It Gets finds Becca Merritt at Hard Ink Tattoo Studio when her computer nerd brother Charlie goes missing and the only clue is a cryptic message to contact Rixey at Hard Ink Tattoo. Nick Rixey is a former special forcers soldier who once served under the command of Becca and Charlie’s father- Colonel Merritt- and wants nothing to do with Becca or her brother. Painful memories and the loss of friends has forced Nick to walk away from the life he once knew and the people he loved. But when Becca’s life is threatened, Nick gathers his former friends for another mission that will bring them one stop closer to clearing their names and uncovering the truth about what happened the year before.

The relationship between Becca and Nick is one of instant attraction but one that is initially subdued because of the circumstances surrounding Nick’s association with Becca’s father and the search for her missing brother. Nick wants Becca but knows that if the truth about what happened in Afghanistan were ever revealed he could lose Becca once her brother has been found.

The storyline is a suspense filled, action packed search and recovery for Becca’s missing brother and the people behind his abduction. Although the ex special forces friends are closer to clearing up their name, they are no closer to finding the people behind the operation and why they were the ones to take the fall. The story ends with the mystery yet to be solved but in doing so will allow each member to be front and center in a future storyline.

Laura Kaye pulls the reader into a heart pounding story about honorable men who have been placed in a dishonorable position because of one man’s greed and struggle for power. We are introduced to the surviving members of the special forcers team-each bearing the emotional and physical scars of that fateful day-and each with their own story to tell. Nick will come face to face with the ‘brothers’ he once served with and fought beside and, realize that pushing them away was the biggest mistake he could have made.

HARD AS IT GETS is a story about betrayal and loss; lovers and friends; retribution and honor. Laura’s grasp of the military life and the day to day struggle of those who survived will make you think about all of the soldiers who have returned only to remember those that they left behind.

Copy supplied by the author/publisher

Reviewed by Sandy

Excerpt beige

Hey everyone! I’m soooo excited to be celebrating my release of Hard As It Gets, the first book in my new Hard Ink series that follows the surviving members of a disgraced Army Special Forces unit as they follow new leads to uncover the conspiracy that saw them discharged from the military. Running their covert operation out of the back of Nick Rixey’s tattoo parlor, their mission brings them into all-out war against an organized crime ring. Along the way, the team finds love and support in unexpected places—but will they be able to regain their stolen honor?

Today, I wanted to share a sexy excerpt from the book where the action is heating up for Nick and Becca – ahem – enjoy!

Excerpt ~ Chapter 11, just after Becca has survived a kidnapping attempt:

Becca’s insides nearly vibrated with the need to know what the hell Nick wasn’t telling her. She’d hit the edge of her tolerance for any more mystery, even of the tall, dark, and achingly handsome kind.

His lips pressed into a grim line and his eyes flashed. “Becca, let’s just—”

“No.” She stepped right into his space and jabbed a finger into the granite of his chest. “Don’t put me off anymore. I deserve to know. I need to know,” she said, hating the strained pitch of her voice.

His expression went dark and his jaw ticked. She saw it in his eyes the minute he made the decision to spill. Her stomach plummeted to the floor. It was bad. He didn’t need to tell her that much. Everything inside her braced for the onslaught of bad news.

When he spoke, the words were even, straightforward, factual. “Someone ransacked your house. Picked the back door lock again. Went through just about every room.”

The brick walls bent and warped around her, but she shook off the dizziness and forced herself to focus on Nick’s face. His presence was the only thing grounding her. “Why would they do that? Could you tell if anything was missing?”

He shook his head. “The why of it I intend to figure out. I promise you. But the place was too much of a mess to—”

“Take me.” Becca pushed past him and hit the handle on the door.

Arms wrapped around her from behind. “Becca, we—”

“No!” She threw off the hold and scrambled away, her back coming up hard against the wall.

Nick’s expression was a roiling sea of emotion. Surprise. Fear. Anger. Concern. “I’m sorry. What just—”

“That was how he grabbed me.” She swallowed hard and shuddered at the remembered press of the man’s flesh against hers. “I’m sorry,” she rasped, embarrassment heating her face, despair and exhaustion sucking the fight out of her.

He came forward slowly. “Don’t apologize,” he said, his voice cranked tight. “And don’t cry.” His thumb swiped under her eye, once, twice, and then his knuckles caressed her cheekbone. The little touches were comforting, sweet, and she thought maybe he needed to give them as much as she needed to feel them. He tucked the loose strands of her destroyed ponytail behind her ear.

“I’m not crying,” she said despite the wetness plain on her face. She shook her aching head, then pressed her cheek into his hand. “I’m not.”

“I know.”

Guest Post beige
Introducing Nick and Becca from Hard As It Gets

I am absolutely thrilled to be celebrating the release of my sexy contemporary romance, Hard As It Gets, the first book in my new Hard Ink series. If you like sexy, gritty contemporaries, military heroes and themes, and even a little suspense, Hard As It Gets is the perfect book for you! *grins*

Today, I’d like to introduce you to Nick Rixey and Becca Merritt, the hero and heroine of Hard As It Gets. They just sizzled together on the page and I really enjoyed writing them. I hope you love them, too! So, without further ado, please meet Hard As It Gets’s Nick and Becca:

MEET HERO NICK RIXEY:

Becca’s first impression of Nick:
“I’m Nick Rixey. Who wants to know?”

Becca jumped at the deep sound of the man’s voice. Geez. How long had he been standing there? And, big as he was, how had she not heard him approach? It was like he’d materialized out of thin air.

The surprise of his appearance pounded adrenaline through her system. Her racing pulse had absolutely nothing to do with the bulge of his impressive biceps straining the sleeves of his black T-shirt, the hints of ink just visible on his upper arms, nor with his harsh yet darkly handsome face. And definitely not with the way his jeans hung on those lean hips. Right. Definitely not.

Given who her father was, or had been, this was the type of man she’d expected to find at the end of Charlie’s cryptic note. His dark hair was a little on the long side, but the hard edges and leashed strength of his body clearly read ex-military.

Nick’s Job: Process Server, Part-time Tattoo Artist

3 Words that Describe Nick: Tortured, Alpha, Heroic

3 Things he Loves about Heroine Becca Merritt: Her courage, her compassion, the way she takes away his hurt

Who could play Nick if the book was made into a movie? Tyler Hoechlin hung above my desk for months (in fact, he just may still be there!), so he’s got the look for sure!

MEET HEROINE BECCA MERRITT:

Nick’s first impression of Becca:
Becca Merritt was the all-American girl personified, with her fierce blue eyes and wavy hair the rich color of honey. Bet she tastes as sweet, too. And, damn, that body. It was all he’d been able to do not to gawk at the curves her fitted T-shirt hugged, or trace his eyes over the lace just visible through the thin cotton. It was like the sun had strolled through their front door, casting heat and light all over him. Only the haunted dark circles under her eyes ruined the analogy.

Becca’s Job: ER nurse

3 Words that Describe Becca: Loyal, Compassionate, Strong

3 Things she Loves about Hero Nick Rixey: His intensity (in everything), his strength, his willingness to help her and her brother

Who could play Becca if the book was made into a movie? With her wholesome prettiness, Blake Lively would make a good Becca Merritt!

Do you have a question for either of the characters or their author lady? Ask away and we’d all be happy to chat!

Thanks for reading!
Laura

“Edgy, sexy, and full of suspense! A great read from a great new author!”
~J.R. Ward on Hard As It Gets

About The Author beige

Laura Kaye-21

Laura is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over a dozen 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.

 

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