Tag Archives: Hard Play

Kiss Hard (Hard Play 4) by Nalini Singh-a review

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KISS HARD (Hard Play 4) by Nalini Singh-a review

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date May 3, 2022

Daniel Esera is a young god on the rugby field, a sexy and charming man who’s got the world at his feet. There’s just one problem: his sudden potent attraction to his number one nemesis–Catie River. No. Just no. Not happening.

Catie River is on her way to Paralympic gold, and she’s not about to allow Danny “Hotshot” Esera to derail her plans. Too bad her body isn’t cooperating. Even worse? Her heart might be coming along for the ride. No. Nope. Never.

The pair are united in their desire to remain enemies… until a stranger’s reckless action threatens both their careers. Now, the only way out for Catie and Danny is to pretend to be in a relationship. How bad can it be? They’re adults in full control of their hormones and their hearts. There will be no kissing. No PDA. And definitely no falling in love.

Let the games begin.

••••••

REVIEW: KISS HARD is the fourth instalment in Nalini Singh’s contemporary, adult HARD PLAY erotic, romance series. This is soon to be twenty-five year old, New Zealand rugby star Daniel Esera, and Paralympian Catie River’s story line. KISS HARD can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary. Catie is Isa Rain’s sister (Cherish Hard 1), and Daniel is Jacob Esera’s brother (Love Hard 3).

Told from dual third person perspectives (Daniel and Catie) KISS HARD follows the frenemies to lovers fake relationship between soon to be twenty-five year old, New Zealand rugby star Daniel Esera, and Paralympian Catie River. A night on the town with friends finds Daniel Esera a victim of a drug assault at the local bar. Noticing something was wrong, Catie River immediately took charge, getting our hero to the hospital just in time. As both Catie and Daniel were fodder for the paparazzi and local sports news, Daniel wanted to keep everything on the down low but the possibility of a major fallout found Daniel and Catie embarking on a ‘fake relationship’ in an effort to keep the media at bay. As Daniel and Catie’s fake relationship begins to take on a life of its’ own, Daniel finds himself at a professional crossroad, a crossroad that is about to pull our hero away from the woman with whom he is falling in love. What ensues is the frenemies to lovers relationship between Daniel and Catie, and the potential fall-out as time apart forces our couple to reconsider the future with or without the person who has stolen their heart.

Catie River never considered her own happily ever after having watched her own parent’s relationship implode. Years earlier, an accident cost our heroine her legs, changing Catie’s life forever. Her relationship with Daniel has always been fraught with antagonism and irritation, anger disguising a palpable sexual attraction. Daniel Esera’s life as a professional rugby player has stagnated, and the recent incident at the local bar could quite possibly threaten our hero’s career. A fake relationship with Paralympian Catie River is the key to possibly redirecting his life but Daniel never expected to fall for our story line heroine. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

We welcome the return of Catie’s sister Isa and her husband Sailor Bishop; Gabriel and Charlotte ; and Daniel’s brother Jacob. We are introduced to Catie’s friend Laveni aka Veni, and fellow rugby player Viliame Vili Serevi; Catie’s mother Jacqueline, and her father Clive and girlfriend Gloria; as well as Daniel’s parents Allison and Joseph.

KISS HARD is a story of family and friendships, relationships and acceptance; struggle and healing, love and understanding. The premise is inviting and captivating; the romance is flirty and energetic; the characters are ambitious and charismatic.

Previous Reviews and Reading Order

Cherish Hard
The Rebel Hard
Love Hard

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

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LOVE HARD (Hard Play #3) by Nalini Singh-a review

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LOVE HARD (Hard Play #3) by Nalini Singh- review

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date Mach 10 2020

Jacob Esera, star rugby player and young single father, has worked hard to create a joyous life for his six-year-old daughter. After the death of his childhood sweetheart soon after their daughter’s birth, all Jake wants is safety and stability. No risks. No wild chances. And especially no Juliet Nelisi, former classmate, scandal magnet, and a woman who is a thorn in his side.

As a lonely teenager, Juliet embraced her bad-girl reputation as a shield against loneliness and rejection. Years later, having kicked a cheating sports-star ex to the curb, she has a prestigious job and loyal friends—and wants nothing to do with sportsmen. The last thing she expects is the fire that ignites between her and the stuffed-shirt golden boy who once loved her best friend.

Straitlaced Jacob Esera versus wild-at-heart Juliet Nelisi? Place your bets.

•••••••••

REVIEW: LOVE HARD is the third instalment in Nalini Singh’s contemporary, adult HARD PLAY erotic, romance series focusing on the Bishop-Esera family. This is rugby player and single father Jacob Esera, and businesswoman and Vice-President of Operations and Supply as EE Designs Juliet Nelisi’s story line. LOVE HARD can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary. LOVE HARD crosses over with characters from the author’s ROCK KISS series.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Jacob and Juliet) LOVE HARD is an enemies to lovers story line that follows the building relationship between New Zealand rugby player and single father Jacob Esera, and businesswoman Juliet Nelisi. Years earlier, Jacob Esera lost his best friend and the woman he loved just weeks after giving birth to their infant daughter, and in the ensuing time Jacob focused on being the best father he could be but his brother’s wedding brought back his childhood nemesis, and his late-girlfriend’s best friend, Juliet Nelisi, back into his life. What ensues is the building but acrimonious relationship between Juliet and Jacob, and the potential fall-out as Juliet’s ex tries desperately to destroy her life.

Jacob and Juliet were like oil and water, and the only thing they had in common was Juliet’s best friend, and Jacob’s girlfriend Calypso Simpson but a destructive life-style pushed Juliet out of their life. Having married more for security and companionship, Juliet would later divorce after starring in her very own media drama. Jacob Esera’s family has always been there including help in raising his daughter Esme but Jacob, a star rugby player, was lonely, and seeing Juliet Nelisi stirred something deep within our story line hero. Working together on a media campaign would bring Juliet and Jacob closer together, a togetherness that would be made stronger with the addition of Jacob’s six year old daughter Esme.

The relationship between Juliet and Jacob is tempestuous at best with caustic remarks and biting barbs but Jacob never knew the truth about Juliet’s past, a past that would shape the woman she is today. Agreeing to cull the animosity between one another, our couple would slowly succumb to their mutual attraction and slow-building love for one another. The $ex scenes are passionate and intense without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful secondary and supporting characters including Sailor Bishop and Isa Rain (Cherish Hard #1), Gabriel Bishop and Charlotte Baird (Rock Hard /Rock Kiss #2), as well as youngest brother Danny, their parents Allison and Joseph; several of Jacob’s teammates; Juliet’s boss Everett Echert; friends Aroha and Molly; and Juliet’s ex husband Reid Mescall.

LOVE HARD is a story of family, friendship, betrayal, second chances and love. The character driven premise is imaginative and spirited; the characters are clever, sensitive and realistic; the romance is spicy and flirty. LOVE HARD is an animated and intoxicating story by Nalini Singh.

Previous Reviews and Reading Order

HARD PLAY series
Cherish Hard
The Rebel Hard
Love hard

ROCK KISS series
Rock Addiction
Rock Hard
Rock Courtship
Rock Redemption
Rock Wedding

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

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Rebel Hard (Hard Play #2) by Nalini Singh-a review

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REBEL HARD (Hard Play #2) by Nalini Singh-a review

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

About the Book: Release Date September 18, 2018

Nayna Sharma agreed to an arranged marriage in the hope it would heal the fractures in her beloved family… only to realize too late that a traditional marriage is her personal nightmare. Panicked, she throws caution to the winds, puts on the tiniest dress she can find, and ends up in the arms of a tall, rough-edged hunk of a man who has abs of steel—and who she manages to mortally insult between one kiss and the next.

Abandoned as a child, then adopted into a loving family, Raj Sen believes in tradition, in continuity. Some might call him stiff and old-fashioned, but he knows what he wants—and it’s a life defined by rules… yet he can’t stop thinking about the infuriating and sexy woman who kissed him in the moonlight then disappeared. When his parents spring an introduction on him, the last woman he expects is her. Beautiful. Maddening. A rulebreaker in the making.

He’s all wrong for her. She’s all wrong for him. And love is about to make rebels of them both.

••••••••••

REVIEW: REBEL HARD is the second instalment in Nalini Singh’s contemporary, adult HARD PLAY romance series- spin off from the author’s Rock Kiss series. This is twenty-eight year old, accountant Nayna Sharma, and twenty-seven year old, construction worker/builder Raj Sen’s story line. REBEL HARD can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story line is revealed where necessary. Some of the events of REBEL HARD run parallel to, and cross-over with book one Cherish Hard.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Raj and Nayna) REBEL HARD follows the building relationship between twenty-eight year old accountant Nayna Sharma, and twenty-seven year old construction worker/builder Raj Sen. Having met at a mutual friend’s party Raj and Nayna were unaware that their traditional, Indian backgrounds were about to collide. For weeks, Nayna’s parents have set up several meetings with prospective grooms in an effort to arrange a marriage for their single daughter. Having born the brunt of shame her elder sister’s affair placed on the family Nayna is having nothing to do with the time honoured tradition but outdated ‘arranged marriage’ her parents are desperate to achieve. Enter Raj Sen, the man she met and accosted on a previous occasion, and the man with whom Nayna will fall in love. What ensues is the building relationship between Nayna and Raj, and the potential fall-out as Nayna battles between head and heart, and her need to remain independent in spite of her love and attraction to Raj Sen.

Nayna Sharma wants to do it all-travel the world, explore new places, experience the life she has always dreamed but her parents have other plans for their daughter, including an arrange marriage to a man of their choice. Raj Sen is a successful contractor and builder, and has always dreamt of marriage, children with a stay at home wife-traditional, old school marriage to a woman who lives to serve her husband and family but times have changed, and so too have the women in his life including the woman with whom he has fallen in love. Neither family is above using guilt or shame in their attempts to force a marriage between our leading couple.

The relationship between Raj and Nayna is one of immediate attraction tempered by their dual virginities and family responsibilities. Making time for themselves, Raj and Nayna will go behind their family’s backs to explore the world of dating, and falling in love. The $ex scenes are sweet, intimate and passionate, without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

The colorful secondary and supporting characters including Raj and Nayna’s best friends Sailor Bishop and Isa Rain (Cherish Hard #1), as well as both of their meddling but meant well families.

REBEL HARD is a story of family, tradition, understanding and rebellion. The premise is spirited and realistic; the romance is tender and emotional; the characters are charismatic and energetic.

Just a heads up, as the story line focuses on Middle Eastern and Indian values, some of the language and text may be unfamiliar.

Click HERE for Sandy’s review of book one-CHERISH HARD

Copy supplied by the publisher through Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

Nalini Singh is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Psy-Changeling, Guild Hunter, and Rock Kiss series. She lives and works in beautiful New Zealand, and is passionate about writing.

If you’d like to explore her other books, you can find lots of excerpts and free short stories on her website. Slave to Sensation is the first book in the Psy-Changeling series, while Angels’ Blood is the first book in the Guild Hunter series. 

STALK HER:  Website | Facebook |  Instagram  |  Twitter | Goodreads

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