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Review: Hard To Come By (ARC) by Laura Kaye
Hard To Come By
Laura Kaye
Hard Ink Series, book 3
Published November 25th 2014 by Avon
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…
5 Stars
Intense in action, intense in romance.
Emile had to make choices that would tear anyone apart. Standing her ground, doing the right thing, changed the game for more than a few people. In turn changing her life forever, both good and bad. A sweet woman who has been burned, Emile’s trust has been shattered. Life has thrown her one hell of a curve ball, that has that fear all over it.
Derick is my favorite of the dishonored Heroes of the Hard Ink series. An easy going, light hearted, caring, gonna make you smile kind of man. Not to mention incredibly sexy. He is the embodiment of strength. He has not let his disability get him down. Struggling through the pain and fighting to move forward, Derek is the kind of person that will always see the glass half full that. For as strong as Derek is, even loneliness it’s at eats at his soul.
Connection, chemistry and passion. I think this may be Laura Kaye’s best book yet! Intense is almost to light a word for Hard To Come By. I got chills as I was reading because it was too real! Action is around every corner, more questions are asked while discovering the truth from a lie. Emotions bleed from the pages, that in turn made me really care for these fictional characters. Not only care, want to just in and join their fight. Ms. Kaye caught my attention with the first book in the series, Hard As It Gets, with Hard To Come By she has 100% captivated me. If you want compelling characters, steamy romance, and a book that, is in my opinion is written with a lot of heart and soul, you have all that right here. A damn fine read.
Readers note: Hard To Come By is the third book of the Hard Ink series. It could be read as a stand alone, I do feel reading the previous books will enhance and give a lot of understanding as to what is going on.
A review copy was provided by the publisher for an honest review.
Laura Kaye’s HARD TO COME BY – Release Day
We are beyond thrilled to bring you the Release Day Launch for Laura Kaye’s HARD TO COME BY! HARD TO COME BY is the third full length novel in Laura’s Hard Ink Series, published by Avon Romance. As a special treat, through December 2, pre-order Hard to Come By or purchase it during release week, and receive exclusive bonus content! Just fill out the quick form here!
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Hard to Come By on Goodreads
Pre-order or purchase before December 2, and get awesome bonus content!
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?
About HARD TO COME BY:
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…
And don’t miss the other Hard Ink books, now available:
Hard As It Gets
Hard As You Can
Hard to Hold On To
Praise for Hard to Come By:
“Rough sex and explosive fights power Kaye’s third Hard Ink novel, a thrilling adventure that feels more like an action movie with a romantic subplot than a typical contemporary romance. New readers will head straight for Kaye’s backlist after powering through this installment.” ~Publishers Weekly Starred Review
“TOP PICK! If you’re looking for danger, gritty action, and sizzling passion, then Kaye has just the book and the series for you.” ~RT Book Reviews Magazine
About 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 | Goodreads
HARD TO HOLD ON TO – RELEASE DAY
We are so excited to bring you the Release Day Launch for Laura Kaye’s HARD TO HOLD ON TO! HARD TO HOLD ON TO is a Contemporary Romance filled with suspense and is a novella in the Hard Ink Series, published by Avon Impulse (an imprint of HarperCollins). And if this novella weren’t hot enough on its own, Laura is donating 100% of her proceeds from the first two weeks’ sales to a national non-profit organization that assists veterans transitioning back to civilian life!!
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EXCERPT:
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.”
Did you have a favorite line? Thanks for reading!
About Hard To Hold On To:
Edward “Easy” Cantrell knows better than most the pain of not being able to save those he loves—which is why he is not going to let Jenna Dean out of his sight. He may have just met her, but Jenna’s the first person to make him feel alive since that devastating day in the desert more than a year ago.
Jenna has never met anyone like Easy. She can’t describe how he makes her feel–and not just because he saved her life. No, the stirrings inside her reach far beyond gratitude.
As the pair are thrust together while chaos reigns around them, they both know one thing: the things in life most worth having are the hardest to hold on to.
Hard to Hold On To on Goodreads
Other Books in the Hard Ink Series:
Hard to Come By (11/25/14)
Hard to Be Good (3/10/15)
Untitled (7/28/15)
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
“Kaye’s depiction of sexual tension and her sex scenes are masterful and this will appeal to fans of Maya Banks’ KGI and Julia Ann Walker’s Black Knight’s series.” ~Booklist
About 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 | Goodreads
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