HARD AS YOU CAN by Laura Kaye

Hard Ink Series #2
Harper Collins, February 2014
Paperback
Obtained via:  publisher
ISBN:  0062267914
ISBN13: 9780062267917
Romantic Suspense
***


 

The second offering in Laura Kaye’s Hard Ink series, HARD AS YOU CAN, centers on super sexy soldier Shane McCallan and dance club hostess Crystal Dean’s unlikely romance in the middle of a mission. 

Shane is one of a group of Special Forces soldiers trying to clear their names after they were double crossed by their commanding officer.  He runs into Crystal on an off-book recovery mission to the club Crystal works at while she bides her time until her autistic sister graduates and she can get them out of danger and into a better life.

Laura Kaye’s HARD AS YOU CAN was an interesting story with a lot of action.  The characters were multifaceted and a good fit for each other.  Crystal has had a difficult life and is stuck with a thug for a boyfriend that she has to keep happy until her sister can graduate and she can get them both out of that life into something better.  The sacrifices that Crystal makes for her sister throughout the book are endearing.  Shane is sexy, alpha and more than capable of coming to Crystal’s rescue.  It was easy to cheer for Shane and Crystal, if only to get Crystal and her sister out from under Crystal’s thug boyfriend’s thumb.  However, this reader found it difficult to really empathize with Crystal.  She just came off as a bit too rough around the edges and not quite ready for the relationship that instantly formed between these two characters.  On the plus side, the background story of the soldiers working on clearing their names continues in this book and presumably into the next book in the series.  And it is this hook that will keep readers coming back for more.  This is where the suspense comes in and where the real story takes place.

Still, as the second book in the Hard Ink series, HARD AS YOU CAN introduces two more characters and quite a bit more storyline in the soldier double cross plotline that readers will really enjoy.  Fans of military romance and romantic suspense will most likely find something here that they can enjoy.

Reviewed by T. Barringer
tammyLRM@gmail.com

"This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book."

 

HARD AS IT GETS by Laura Kaye

Hard Ink Series #1
Avon Books, November 2013
Paperback
Obtained via:  publisher
ISBN:
Romantic Suspense
***



Laura Kaye’s Hard Ink series leads off with HARD AS IT GETS is filled with mystery, intrigue and a bevy of sexy ex-special forces soldiers attempting to clear their names.

This series surrounds the mystery of why Nick Rixey’s Special Forces unit was set up, covered up and left hanging with their reputations decimated and nothing but questions remaining.  In HARD AS IT GETS, Becca Merritt’s brother has been kidnapped and the only clue she has to his whereabouts is a note from him telling her to search out Nick Rixey and her father’s ex-military unit at a place called Hard Ink Tattoo.  Since Nick is under the impression that Becca’s father turned traitor to his unit and set them all up for a fall, he is more than reluctant to help her.  He is also very curious as to why the note points her to them.  But when Becca’s life is put in danger, Nick can’t stay on the sidelines any longer and finds himself reluctantly offering his help.  What ensues brings organized crime rings, thugs and danger to the men of Hard Ink, but it also might answer some very important questions that these men have about their last mission.

Laura Kaye’s Hard Ink series is off to an intriguing start with HARD AS IT GETS.  The characters are strong and likeable.  The mystery surrounding both the kidnapping and the overall story of what happened to Nick’s team make this romance hard to put down.  The comic humor thrown in throughout the book as well as the completely unnecessary to the storyline, but oh so endearing three-legged puppy, that makes an appearance serve as a welcome change to the usual edge-of-your-seat military romances.  It will be interesting to see if Ms. Kaye can keep subsequent storylines in this series as fresh and intriguing as Nick and Becca’s story while continuing to unravel the bigger story behind the story without losing momentum.  Hard as it is to wait for the next story, Hard As You Can, this reader looks forward to it.


Reviewed by T. Barringer
tammyLRM@gmail.com

"This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.