Review: Lay It Down (Desert Dogs #1) by Cara McKenna

Series: Desert Dogs #1

 

Series: Desert Dogs #1

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Publisher: Signet Eclipse

Publication Date: 8/5/14

Format: eARC

Pages: 336

Source: Publisher

Rating: 3 stars

GoodReads  |  Amazon  |  BN

 

Backbreaking days, wild nights, and the hard hum of steel between your thighs... 

 

That’s a life well lived, according to the Desert Dogs—four friends who call Fortuity, Nevada, their badlands home. Vince Grossier is the self-crowned outlaw king around here. But when Fortuity’s slick new mayor invites a shady casino development to town, the invaders’ cutthroat takeover tactics quickly turn deadly. With police turning a suspiciously blind eye, it’s up to the locals to fight back, and Vince is on the front line. The pretty photographer hired by the developers might be the key to infiltrating the enemy. And a temptation too good to pass up.

 

Finally free of a controlling ex, Kim Paget’s not looking to be taken for a ride—not on the back of some tattooed roughneck’s bike and definitely not in his bed. But when she finds evidence that her bosses are rattlesnake-dangerous, Kim must entrust her safety to the man who threatens danger of a whole different kind.

My Review

 

No one will be more surprised than me that I did not love Lay It Down. I don't even personally know of another reader who was more anxious to read this book. It's possible that my expectations were too high, but I honestly don't think that's it. As much as I wanted to love this book, I didn't.

 

Here's why...

 

Cara McKenna is a master at writing stories with a bit of quirk. It can be that the character has an unexpected kink, personality or occupation. Or they story might revolve around an unusual circumstance. Whatever it is, I go into a McKenna book just knowing there will be some sort of hook that will have me dying of giddy as I read. Lay It Down didn't have that. It was mainstream, which is fine. I'm sure that this novel will find a huge audience for that very reason. But for some reason, deserved or not, I just felt somewhat let down.

 

Lay It Down is not an MC book. And fine, that doesn't really bother me, and it's not promised in the book description, but.... it's kind of implied. A lot of readers are going to look at that cover and assume. Vince Grossier is a dude who just happens to ride a bike while trying to solve a murder mystery and get into his favorite gal's pants.

 

Lay It Down read like a cross between a modern-day western and romantic suspense. The story is set in northern Nevada, with the townspeople, led by Vince, dismayed over a casino development. There's a lot of talk about the red dirt and quarries and shafts (not the fun kind). Though it's actually fit the story, it didn't turn my crank. The same for the romantic suspense element. There's an old murder, a new possible murder and bad guys who'll stop at nothing to get their way. The story does not end on a true cliffhanger, but there seems to be a big series arc. I just don't have a lot of luck with the sub-genre.

 

Something I love about McKenna's other work is her ability to make me believe in a couple, despite impossibilities. I've believed in a hermit alcoholic with a penchant for ropes and his sweet lady love. I've believed in a Parisian male prostitute and his virgin lover. I've always felt that connection. With Kim and Vince, I totally bought the physical, but didn't really understand why exactly they fell in love.

 

There's an element of magical realism in Lay It Down, and it just didn't work for me. Vince's mom and his brother both have "the sight". They're able to predict the future and it does play an important role in the story, at least on the mom's end. I don't know, it felt unnecessary, to me.

 

As long as I'm wearing my tightest pair of rantypants, let me just add one more issue. I love the swears. I use the swears a lot in real life. I like to mix things up which means I vary my swears. But geez, it felt like every other sentence started with the word "Goddamn..." I mean, I get it, it's a great swear word but what about the other greats? They were vastly underused. I swear, I got so annoyed that my eye started twitching every time another sentence started with that word.

 

 

Okay. I know this review is coming off as pretty negative, but I did like Lay It Down well enough. The main characters were fairly engaging, as were the secondary characters. I'm hoping future books will focus on different leads, particularly Rayna and Vince's brother Case. The story was interesting, it just didn't pull me in. My favorite part, to no one's surprise, was the sex. McKenna is always stellar at the physical interactions between her characters, and Lay It Down was no exception.

 

So. Do I recommend Lay It Down? I do, but long-time McKenna fans should be prepared for something completely different.

 

 

Favorite Quotes

 

 

  She spoke to his throat, watching the pulse tick there. "I want you to know, you're the most obnoxious man I've ever met."

  He nodded thoughtfully, looking not at all surprised. "That's why I dialed back my usual wooing tactics."

 

 

  "You banged a guy named Vince... Holy shit. That is so awesome. Are you his old lady now? Do you have to get his name tattooed on your cleavage?"

  "He's not in a gang you spaz. Though he is on parole..."

  A pause. Jesus Christ, Kimbo. I don't think I've seen you go through a major breakup before, but when you're in the market for a bad-idea rebound, you do not fuck around."

  "Apparently not."

  "You're my new hero. Tell me everything."

 

 

About Cara McKenna

 

Cara McKenna writes smart erotica—sexy stories with depth. A little dark, a little funny, always emotional. She also writes red-hot romance under the name Meg Maguire. Her wonderful publishers are Ellora's Cave, Harlequin Blaze, Loose-Id, Penguin / Intermix, and Samhain. She loves writing sexy, character-driven stories about strong-willed men and women who keep each other on their toes, and bring one another to their knees.

Cara was a 2010 Golden Heart finalist, a 2012 Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Award nominee, and a 2012 Golden Leaf finalist.

Cara is represented by Laura Bradford, of the Bradford Literary Agency.

Before becoming a purveyor of red-hot romance and smart erotica, Cara was a record store bitch, a lousy barista, a decent designer, and an overly enthusiastic penguin handler.

Cara now writes full-time and lives north of Boston with her bearded husband. When she's not trapped in her own head she can usually be found in the kitchen, the coffee shop, or jogging around the nearest duck-filled pond. She is a very proud member of the Romance Writers of America® and her local New England Chapter.

Website  |  Twitter  |  GoodReads

 

Cover Reveal + Chapter One: Every Time I Think of You by Tracey Garvis-Graves

 We are so excited to share the cover for the upcoming Every Time I Think of You, by New York Times bestselling author Tracey Garvis-Graves. We also have the first chapter available for you to read!

 

Title: Every Time I Think of You

Author: Tracey Garvis-Graves

Age Group: Adult

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Publication Date: 9/16/14

Add on Goodreads

Thirty-year-old Daisy DiStefano has two people she holds dear: the grandmother who raised her, and her three-year-old son, Elliott. But when Daisy’s grandmother is killed in a seemingly random act of violence, Daisy must take steps to protect herself and her child.


Despite a thriving career in San Francisco, thirty-six-year-old Brooks McClain has returned home to spend what little time his mother has left before she succumbs to the deadly disease that is ravaging her. The seasoned investigative reporter has taken a position with the local newspaper and been on the job less than twenty-four hours when he’s summoned to cover the death of Pauline Thorpe.


Brooks is all business, but the more time he spends with Daisy DiStefano, the more invested he becomes; there’s something about a single mother, a defenseless child, and an unsolved crime that has stirred Brooks’s protective instincts like nothing ever has before.


And when the unthinkable happens, Brooks will do whatever it takes to clear the name of the woman he’s fallen for and the child he’ll protect at any cost.


Romantic and suspenseful, Every Time I Think of You shows how far two people will go to fight for the ones they love, and the life they’ve always imagined.

Pre-Order Every Time I Think of You at Amazon

 

 

Chapter One

 

  Three-year-old Elliott DiStefano hid underneath his mother’s bed when the shouting started. He didn’t understand what the raised voices coming from the living room meant, but instinct told him to hide.

  No one ever yelled in his house. Sometimes they used a different tone with him, firmer. “Stop climbing everything, you little monkey,” his mama would say or, “It’s time to pick up your toys and get ready for bed,” Nana would announce. Most of the time he would do what they said, although sometimes they had to ask him twice, especially if what he’d rather do was play a little longer. But they never spoke to him in such a harsh way, and they never told him to shut up like the man in the living room just did to Nana.

  Elliott clutched his favorite green army man tightly in his hand. His nana had given him a bath after their early dinner at five, and asked if he was ready to put on his pajamas. “I can do it myself,” he’d told her, and she’d smiled and walked out of the bedroom he shared with Mama, closing the door behind her. She’d promised they could watch a movie and that Elliott could have one of the cookies they’d baked earlier that day for his bedtime snack. But then someone knocked on the door and now there was yelling and no movie and no cookie.

  The man’s voice was scary and mean. Nana sounded like she was crying and as Elliott’s fear grew he began to tremble. The yelling got a little louder, followed by a crash and a thud. Then nothing. Was the bad man still there? What if he’d left but planned to come back? Elliott could no longer hear Nana’s voice and he wondered where she went. Did she leave? Did she go with the man? He curled himself into a tight ball and began to cry silent tears.

  He had no way of knowing how much time had passed. It was dark under the bed and the crying had tired him out, so he rubbed his stinging eyes and took a little nap. When he woke up he desperately needed to go to the bathroom. His mama and Nana had been so proud of him when he stopped wearing diapers, and he hardly ever had accidents, but he couldn’t risk leaving the safety he’d found under the bed. The minutes ticked by and though he tried his best to hold it, he peed in his pajamas, soaking himself from the waist down. He started to shiver.

  It was quiet for a long time and then someone banged on the door and shouted something, but Elliott didn’t know if that was bad or good. He heard voices in the living room, not yelling, just talking, but he remained hidden. Mama would be home soon and she’d know what to do. Elliott decided to wait for her under the bed.

  More voices, drawing closer. The door to the bedroom opened. Elliott froze, wondering if it was the bad man coming to get him. He didn’t make a sound as a pair of legs wearing dark blue pants, with a stripe down the side, came into view. If he didn’t say a word or make any noise, maybe the person would leave.

  No one would have known he was there if he hadn’t coughed at that very moment. It was a bit dusty underneath the bed, and Elliott already felt a little wheezy, like he might need another dose of his medicine.  The legs bent as someone crouched down to look under the bed and Elliott squeezed his eyes shut, terrified of what he might see.

  “It’s okay.” The man said, speaking softly. “I’m a policeman. I’m here to help. Can you come out from under there?” Heart pounding, Elliott didn’t answer. He couldn’t.

  More footsteps. More dark blue legs. Elliott stayed put. No one was yelling, but Elliott’s heart was still beating fast, and his body felt like Jell-O. A lady wearing a dark blue uniform lay down on the floor next to the bed. “What’s your name?” she asked. She sounded a little like his mama. Her smile was nice like Mama’s, too. He didn’t think a bad person would smile at him, so he answered her. “Ewiott,” he whispered.

  “My name is Officer Ochoa but you can call me Regina, okay?” He nodded. “How old are you, Elliott?” she asked. Using the hand not clutching the army man he held up three fingers.

  “Three, huh? That’s a good age. I want you to know that you’re safe and no one will hurt you. Can you come out from under there? Here, take my hand.” She stretched out her hand to him and he hesitated but finally touched her palm with his fingers. She urged him gently toward her. Once he was close enough she reached in and grabbed him by his pajama top, pulling him the rest of the way out.

  Elliott blinked and let his eyes adjust to the light. One of the officers noticed his wet pajamas, and his shivering, and they wrapped his Thomas the Tank Engine comforter around him, speaking in low, soothing tones.

  “I want Nana and Mama,” he said. They could barely hear him.

“What is your mama’s name?” they asked.

  “Daisy,” he said. He knew this was true because it was the name other people called her when they said hello. And it was easy to remember because it was the name of a flower, and he liked flowers.

  “Do you know your last name?”

  He nodded. He and Mama had practiced saying it. “DiStefano,” Elliott said. Maybe it didn’t come out as clearly as it sounded to him because they repeated it back like a question and he nodded.

  The officers exchanged a glance and one of them said, “Got it.” The officer who spoke scribbled something on a pad of paper and left the room.

  “We’re going to take you to the police station and we’ll call your mom so she can come get you,” Officer Ochoa said. “Okay?”

  He wanted his mama more than anything, so he said okay, and when she bent down and scooped him up, comforter and all, he put his arms around her neck. She hurried down the hallway and just before they got to the door, when he would have tried to look for Nana to make sure she was coming too, Officer Ochoa pulled Elliott’s head down to her chest and all he could see was the dark blue of her uniform.  

 

Trailer

 

 

About Tracey Garvis-Graves

Tracey Garvis-Graves is the author of On the Island and Covet. She lives in a suburb of Des Moines, Iowa with her husband, two children, and hyper dog Chloe. She blogs at www.traceygarvisgraves.com using colorful language and a snarky sense of humor to write about pop culture, silly television shows, and her suburban neighborhood. You can e-mail her at traceygarvisgraves@yahoo.com. She’d love to hear from you.

 

Excerpt and Giveaway: The Request by Marquita Valentine

 

 

 Welcome to the The Request Blog Tour, with Marquita Valentine. My stop includes an excerpt, teasers and the tour giveaway. The tour is being hosted by Wordsmith Publicity, click on the banner to visit the homepage.

 

 

 

 

Series: The Request #1

Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: 6/25/14

Hosted by: Wordsmith Publicity

Roman Smith ~ Shopkeeper by day. Assassin by night.

The undercover Russian contract killer has never turned down an assignment that rids the world of scum. But this … request is the first time his conscience gets the best of him.

Only, he has a good reason—Everly Andrews, the woman who saved him from dying and has no clue who or what he really is. There’s nothing Roman won’t do to keep Everly in the dark, even if it means losing her in the process.

The Request is a three-part series, releasing every month, perfect for the summer!

Part One: The Request – Releases June 25, 2014

Part Two: The Deception – Releases July 30, 2014

Part Three: The Confession – Releases August 27, 2014

 

Links

GoodReads  |  Amazon  |  B&N  |  iTunes

 Preorder Links: 

The Deception: iTunes  |  The Confession: iTunes

 

 

From Chapter One

 

  Every Wednesday, at precisely four o’clock, Everly Andrews enters my bookstore to pick up her latest package of romance novels. We’ve been doing this for over a month now. She gives me a list of five books—sometimes ten if she wants to gift a few to her friends—and then, I give her a future date. Sure, the books come in quite a bit faster than a week, but it’s the shortest amount of time between her visits I can allow.

  Any shorter, and I’d put her in danger. And that is not acceptable.

  You see, I don’t actually sell romance novels. I don’t sell books at all. My store is a front. I’m a death dealer—an avenging angel to some... while others would pay millions to see me die.  I can’t blame them really. An eye for an eye, and all that.

  Everly is the only one in this city I talk to on a regular basis, even if she’s the one doing most of the talking while I answer as vaguely as possible without sounding like an arse. In any case, it’s practically four and I’m bound to start pacing if she doesn’t show up soon. Habitual people like Everly are a comfort to me, and yet that source of comfort is their greatest weakness.

  A weak spot in their armor, if you will.

  The bells on the front door ring, and I let out a breath. I don’t particularly like the sound, but in my line of work, a bloke needs the extra time it affords.

  Automatically, my hand goes to the gun strapped under the counter, only relaxing when I catch a glimpse of mahogany waves gleaming.

  Here comes my weak spot. My solnyshko. My sunshine.

 

 

 

 

 

5- The Request, Part One (ebooks)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

About Marquita Valentine

New York Times Bestselling Author, Marquita Valentine, writes sexy heroes that make you swoon and sassy heroines that make you laugh. She’s the author of the bestselling contemporary romance series, Holland Springs, and the new adult romance series, Boys of the South.

Marquita met her husband aka Hot Builder at Sonic when they were in high school. She suggests this location to all of her single friends in search of a good man—and if that doesn't work, they can console themselves with cheesy tatertots. She lives in North Carolina in a very, very small town with Hot Builder and their two children.

 

Website  |  Newsletter  |  Twitter   |  Facebook  |  GoodReads  |  Pinterest  |  Boys of the South Pinterest Board  |  Holland Springs Pinterest Board

 

 

REVIEW AND GIVEAWAY: DASH OF PERIL by LORI FOSTER

Welcome to The Bookish Babe's stop on the Dash of Peril Blog Tour, hosted by Media Muscle. My post includes a review and giveaway.

Series: Love Undercover #4
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Harlequin HQN
Publication Date: 3/25/14
Format: ARC
Pages: 475
Source: Publisher
Rating: 3 stars

A no-nonsense female cop reluctantly teams up with the one man who makes her lose control in a deliciously sensual new novel from New York Times bestselling author Lori Foster...

To bring down a sleazy abduction ring, Lieutenant Margaret "Margo" Peterson has set herself up as bait. But recruiting Dashiel Riske as her unofficial partner is a whole other kind of danger. Dash is 6'4" of laid-back masculine charm, a man who loves life—and women—to the limit. Until Margo is threatened, and he reveals a dark side that may just match her own.

Beneath Margo's tough facade is a slow-burning sexiness that drives Dash crazy. The only way to finish this case is to work together side by side…skin to skin. And as their mission takes a lethal turn, he'll have to prove he's all the man she needs—in all the ways that matter.

Last year I was introduced to the Love Undercover series with Getting Rowdy. With it's broody, swoony hero, the romance and suspense, I found it to be a fun read. The end of that book began leading us toward Dash of Peril, so I obviously wanted to get to know the yummy Dash.

Dash of Peril picks up four months after the end of Getting Rowdy, with that minor arc picking up again and leading this story. With a Lieutenant heroine and a civilian hero, Dash of Peril has an interesting dynamic, a true reversal of typical gender roles, particularly in romantic suspense. Here we have Margo trying to protect Dash and becoming frustrated when he doesn't listen. And Dash is frustrated bc he wants to help Margo, but she's worried about his safety. He finds it a bit annoying and offensive, but knowing that she is the boss (in this case) he goes along, has Margo's back, and lets her take the lead.

Margo is truly a strong heroine, knows who she is, and how to get her job done. She is prickly in the beginning, and sometimes her defensiveness irked me. But there is a reason for her harshness, she comes from a law enforcement family, with a nice enough brother but complete jerks for parents. They've made it plain that wish they'd had another son instead, belittle her when she's injured, and are simply awful. It's no wonder Margo is so rigid and afraid of being less than perfect. Tough and in control Margo also has a secret: she likes it when a man takes control in bed, and typically engages in anonymous sex so it doesn't affect her "real life".  It is very hard for her to reconcile her two sides, especially with a man whom she knows, and that leads to her reluctance with Dash.

Dash Riske was a great hero. By most accounts, he's pretty alpha, but I was happily surprised to see that he didn't jump into Margo's life and work and force her to do things his way. Knowing that respect in her job depends on her strong demeanor, he was careful to not undermine her. That was so great! But, one place Dash was the boss was in the bedroom. Margo's desire for submission, to let that control go, feeds into Dash's need to be super bossy in the bedroom.

As far as the suspense part, with Dash of Peril picking up a few months after Getting Rowdy, we immediately learn  Margo is back undercover trying to busy a kidnapping/porn ring. I like that Margo is proactive and tenacious. What I don't like is continually having the tough, smart heroine making reckless decisions. For example, continuing to go undercover against her boss' orders, and doing it alone. What part of going to bars very late at night, pretending to be drunk, having a few drinks, is supposed to be smart? Reckless is the better word here. I will say that as the story progresses, Margo does begin to make better choices. I would just like to have seen her be a bit more rational in the beginning. And the bad guys? They were idiots. They did everything the hard, stupid way. At one point, one of the good guys even mentioned how stupid they were. Give me a smart bad guy to fear and I will be on board.

Dash of Peril is a long book, four hundred, seventy-five pages. Sometimes, more is necessary, but in this case, the book could've easily been seventy-five pages shorter. We had a lot of repetition between Dash and Margo, and much set-up for the next book in the series.

Despite my irritation, I did find this to be a good story. If you're a fan of the Love Undercover series, I think you will enjoy Dash of Peril.


Favorite Quote

  When she didn't pull away, Dash leaned in again, nudging her lips apart with his own. She relaxed at the damp touch of his tongue, first tracing her lips and then dipping inside.
  God, he tasted good, like a man should. Her heart pumped faster. More so than the average guy, Dash was muscular from work in his construction company. Tall, handsome, friendly...and sexy.

Love Undercover Series

 

   

(covers lead to GoodReads page)

 

 

My review of Getting Rowdy

 

 

 

Purchase Links

 Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble  |  iBooks

GIVEAWAY

One winner will receive a copy of Dash of Peril.
Must be 18+ years of age; open to US only.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

About the author

Since first publishing in January 1996, Lori Foster has become a Waldenbooks, Borders, USA TODAY, Publishers Weekly and New York Times bestselling author. She also received the Romantic Times “Career Achievement Award” for Series Romantic Fantasy and Contemporary Romance.

Lori believes it is important to give back to the community as much as possible, so she routinely arranges events among authors and readers to gather donations for various organizations.

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest

RELEASE DAY EVENT and GIVEAWAY: HARD AS YOU CAN by LAURA KAYE

Congratulations to Laura Kaye on her newest release, Hard As You Can. To celebrate, I'm sharing and excerpt and giveaway.

 

 

Laura will also be hosting a Facebook party for HARD AS YOU CAN on 2/25 from 12-9pm EST Join here: https://www.facebook.com/events/416084181828110

Series: Hard Ink #2

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Publisher: Avon

Publication Date: 2/25/14

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.

 

 

 

 

It’s release day! And I’m so excited to share Hard As You Can, the second book in the Hard Ink series, with all of you here today! Hard As You Can follows the surviving members of a disgraced Army Special Forces team as they fight to regain their stolen honor, and finds their investigation crossing paths with a waitress willing to do whatever it takes to stay alive and protect her younger sister. For Shane McCallan, saving Crystal Dean is a mission he refuses to turn down.

Today, I’ve got a super sexy scene to share with you, one that was a total surprise to me as I was writing it! I hope you enjoy this peek at the first time Shane and Crystal find themselves alone with each other:

“Do you like to dance, Crystal?” Shane asked in a low voice.

“Uh, what? Why?”

His smile was crooked, playful. “ ’Cause dancing’s something people do when they’re getting to know each other.”

“Really?” Maybe where he was from. Then again, she worked in a strip club. Dancing was something people did to make money. So, okay, maybe her view of dancing was a bit jaded.

“Absolutely. Ask anybody.” The song faded away, followed by the announcement of a Southern rock station’s call sign. A new song started, and Shane turned to her with a smile. “Dance with me.”

Crystal peered up at him without the slightest idea how to respond. Because her body was saying hell, yes!, while her brain was screaming bad idea, really, really bad idea.

He stepped closer, arms raised, expression full of all kinds of invitation.

The next thing she knew, her right hand was in his and her left had slipped around his neck. Ohmigod, ohmigod, ohmigod, ran over and over in her mind. What am I doing? But then he tucked her hand against his chest and tugged her against him with the hand that settled at her lower back. And the closeness stole her breath.

He moved them to the beat of the song, a slow, sexy, bluesy number she didn’t know but would never forget. Some songs carried memories like the images were imprinted upon the very lyrics themselves, and she had no doubt this would be one of them.

All of a sudden, the air in the room felt ten degrees warmer. As they swayed to the beat, Shane’s body pressed against hers from thighs to chest. With every step and move and turn, Crystal’s breasts rubbed against the hard plane of his chest. Strong hands held and guided her body, making her want to feel them explore her everywhere. Arousal rose like a waking dragon inside her. Cautious. Curious. Dangerous.

This was wrong and stupid on so many levels. But, scary as it was, it felt so freaking good that she couldn’t force herself to pull away. One song. It’s just a dance. Just a dance just a dance just a dance.

And, holy crap, she wasn’t the only one aroused.

Against her belly, Shane hardened.

Crystal sucked in a breath, and he pressed his lips close to her ear. “We’re just dancing here. That’s all. I promise,” he said. But the adrenaline was already in her blood, setting her to a trembling she couldn’t control. Part curious interest and part instinctive fear. “Sshh,” he almost cooed. “Just dancing.”

The echo of her own thoughts from a moment before allowed her to draw a breath that almost calmed. They turned and swayed to the music, moving closer, pressing tighter, Shane’s lips so close to her face that she could feel his breath shudder across her cheekbone.

He was a fire she had no business playing with. She knew that even as she leaned her face against his . . . and got exactly what she’d hoped for.

He kissed her.

Just a brush of his lips against her cheek, but a kiss all the same.

And as much as it made her head spin, it was the little catch of breath in the back of his throat that sent a jolt of electricity down her spine to settle low in her belly. Light as a feather, he caressed her cheek, her temple, her ear with his lips. With him, always such gentleness, so different from almost every other sexual experience she’d ever had. It made her feel safe to allow this to continue.

 

Between them, his erection was firm, long, totally unyielding.

She shivered, caught between interest and fear, desire a river moving faster and faster inside her. The whole experience was a revelation—that her body had the capacity to respond this way, that a person existed who could pull these reactions from her.

For a moment, she gave herself over to the dizzying sensations. In her mind’s eye, she saw them undressing, fumbling their way back the hall, falling naked and wanting on the bed. What would it be like, just once, to take something that she wanted without worrying about anyone else, without being afraid? Just one wild, secret night, all for her? What would Shane be like?

 

So that’s Shane and Crystal for you! Did you have a favorite line? Thanks for reading! ~Laura

Read an Extended Excerpt of Book 1, Hard As It Gets

 

 

 

Hard Ink Series
 

 

 

(cover lead to GoodReads)

 

 

My review Hard As It Gets

 

 

Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble  | iTunes | Kobo

 

 

 

GIVEAWAY

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

About the author

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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REVIEW: HARD AS YOU CAN by LAURA KAYE

Series: Hard Ink #2

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Publisher: Avon

Publication Date: 2/25/14
Format: eARC
Pages: 384
Source: Publisher
Rating: 3.5 stars

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.

 

I'm a big fan of Laura Kaye's; Hard As It Gets was one of my most highly-anticipated books of 2013. I adored Nick, and I liked Becca. Two people stole the story for me: Jeremy Rixey (this dude needs a story!) and Shane McCallan. Shane was such a fun addition to the Hard Ink gang. His presence was commanding. So with that, it is no shocker that I was very excited for this book.

 

Hard As You Can picked up immediately where book one left off. There's a recap of Shane and Crystal's first run-in, then the story takes off from there. The story continues with the Hard Ink gang's efforts to infiltrate the Church organization, and learn how they are connected with Becca and Charlie's father, specifically, his betrayal.

 

Now, back to Shane...he delivered in this story. So hard. He was still the same smartass, badass, sexy man I was hoping to find in Hard As You Can, and I loved that. I also really liked this book's heroine, Crystal. Her backstory was very brutal, very difficult to imagine enduring. Crystal's love and care for her sister was admirable. I liked that she was smart, biding her time to make the right moves.

 

All the interactions and dialogue in Hard As You Can was fun. The Hard Ink crew has a fun dynamic that portrays the seriousness of their situation, but also a lot of joking and making fun at one another's expense. That was by far my favorite part of the story.

 

There were a couple of areas that I struggled with. One, the cast of characters in the story is large. I like the group and the dynamic, but with so many significant characters, I did have a hard time keeping everyone straight. Another thing was the action/terminology. I won't say this is an issue with the book, because I do think it shows Kaye is dedicated to accuracy. It's just me. I didn't follow a lot, or I had to reread to be sure I knew who was doing what where and why. And to that end, it didn't feel there was any real progression with the investigation.

 

The last area I struggled with was the romance. Now with this being romantic suspense, you're going to typically have a fast-paced romance due to heightened conditions. You're in danger, you may die, so of course, you're going to latch onto someone, especially if they're insanely attractive. Shane and Crystal were most certainly in this situation, but I'm not sure that I could necessarily buy the declarations of love with them having known each other for days, and spending very little of that time actually getting to know each other (likes/dislikes/hopes/fears,etc).  I'm definitely on board for the physical, that I get. Just, not so much the love.

 

Overall, I liked Hard As You Can. I'm starting to get the sense that Romantic Suspense is not my genre of choice. I am, as always, a big fan of Laura Kaye's work, and will continue the Hard Ink series.

 

Favorite Quote:

  "God, I can't get rid of you." Exasperation had her throwing up her arms.
   "I specialize in pain in the ass, darlin'." He smiled, forcing himself to hear down the intensity.      
  "Well, congratulations, because you clearly graduated with honors."

 

 

 

Hard Ink Series
 

 

 

(cover lead to GoodReads)

 

 

My review Hard As It Gets

 

 

Purchase Links

 

Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble

 

 

 

 

About the author

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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