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Title: Hard to Come By Series: Hard Ink, #3 Author: Laura Kaye Publisher: Avon Release Date: November 25, 2014 Pages: 384 Buy Link: Amazon Amazon is having a 30% off sale on any one print book. Just use HOLIDAY30 at checkout. Ends November 30, 2014.
Blurb:
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
Funny and sexy, that's how I would describe Derek DiMarzio. Losing a limb didn't diminish his thirst for life. He was so lighthearted and fun to be around. The joker of the group, Marz seemed like the picture of a perfectly happy soldier.
Beckett and Marz used to be close, but Beckett felt guilty for barely getting a scratch while Marz lost his leg saving his friend. I really enjoyed the chemistry between the two when Beckett wasn't so awkward around Marz. Beckett made a speech once that really touched my heart. Whodathunkit? The big man had feelings, haha.
"Just give it a minute," Beckett said. "You don't always have to be too strong to accept help. No one here thinks you're weak."
Derek's eyes went wide as he gazed at his friend. How could anyone think Derek weak? The guy had saved her twice in two days and used his own body as a human shield for hers. He'd been hit with a bat and kicked in the head, and still had enough presence of mind to try to take out her brother's fleeing truck."
Marz's story was a bit predictable when it came to Emilie Garza. Regardless, I enjoyed their connection and his protectiveness towards her, as with all the other guys in Hard Ink. I also loved reading about Marz in action - being the computer genius and all. One of my favorite things about Marz was his shameless singing.
Emilie: "You give excellent orgasms...But um, has anybody ever told you that--" Marz: "I can't sing?" Emilie: "Uh, yeah?" Marz: "All the time. I can't hear it, so it doesn't bother me."
I definitely would recommend this book. Lots of laughter and romance to keep you occupied :)
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!
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...
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?
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.
Title: Betrayed Series: Rockfort Security, #2 Author: Rebecca York Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca Release Date: July 1, 2014 Pages: 320 Buy Link: Amazon Blurb: To Trust... Rockfort Security operative Shane Gallagher has been brought into S&D Systems to find a security leak. Confidential information has been stolen, and Shane suspects Elena Reyes, a systems analyst with the access and know-how to pull it off. As he finds excuses to get close to her, their attraction is too strong to ignore, but how can Shane trust the very woman he's investigating? Or Not to Trust Elena has spent her life proving herself, but now she's risking it all: everything she's worked for, and her growing feelings for Shane. Much as she wants to trust the devastatingly sexy, hard-as-nails investigator, she can't let herself fall for him...the stakes are too high.
Review
Mistrust and Romance - this is Betrayed in two words.
This book was filled with suspicion, lies, and the fight for the truth. Shane was such a strong character. He did his job even when he felt he couldn't trust his subject. Elena, on the other hand, somehow always ended up doing something that caused Shane to doubt her. Their teamwork, however, was commendable, especially when the rest of Rockfort Security came to the rescue :)
I did admire Elena's bravery, though her loyalty was a bit irritating. I guess that's just what her culture taught her. Even when her brother didn't deserve her rescue, she went after him, even at the cost of her own life.
Even when Shane didn't trust Elena in the slightest, his attraction to her propelled him to protect her at all cost. Also, as manly man that he was, he piloted a plane while he had a bullet on the side of body. That's sexy and stupid.
I love the Rockfort Security series for their action and romance. I can't wait to read the third book about Max!
Check out my review of the first book, Bad Nights!
I received an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review. Quotes in this review may be altered in the finished copy. Blurb: Welcome to Destiny Falls, New York, home of Bomb Squad--an ice hockey team full of rugged military heroes. The team's battling a losing streak, but the season's biggest game changer is one player's second chance with the one who got away... Yoga instructor Marlena Brodie is always up for a challenge, and her new job of snapping Bomb Squad out of their rut is definitely that, even though it means being in close contact with Liam McAllister, her high school crush gone bad. She can feel the damage pouring off of him--but also a wild and sexy strength that calls to her. The Army turned Liam McAllister into a man, but as a combat medic, he saw far too much to ever be whole again. He's not interested in the civilian world beyond his job as a carpenter, but he never stopped wondering what might have been with Marlena--and it isn't long before she's crashed through his carefully constructed walls. He longs for a new beginning with her, but to be the man she deserves, he'll have to step out of his defensive zone and score the most important play of his life...
Review
I read this book every minute I got. This was one of those books that you would rather read than work for a living. The book you'd rather stay up late for and screw the consequences of the next day at work. Who needs sleep?
This book was like a combination of a couple books I've read in the past. The ex-military reminded me of Jessica Scott's Coming Home series while the rest reminds me of Laura Kaye's Hard Ink series.
Melissa really captured the struggle of a veteran coming back to the civilian world and re-learning how things worked in society. When you read this book, just know that Chapters 16 and 17 were the ones to look out for. I was absolutely into it and I think they were the best chapters in the entire book. It showed just how dysfunctional yet strong Liam and Marlena's relationship was.
Liam had PTSD syndrome and as any man would, he didn't bother sharing his pain with people around him, including his twin Olivia. He was kind of like a Dom, except this wasn't a BDSM story. He definitely had tendencies, though. If he was a real person, I'd still be a bit scared of him even after reading his story.
"And I'm not going to ask you out because I don't have the patience for civilian dating bullshit."
Marlena, on the other hand, was some kind of spiritual sage. She put everything to the universe and she had some weird psychic abilities. Reading this book made me want to go back to doing yoga. The relaxation and the grounding seemed so promising.
I don't know what else to say to convince you to buy this book, but I promise it's going to be so worth it! Now I should go buy the first book :)
As the
personal assistant to the owner of one of the top engineering firms in Denver,
Tiffany Brooks has worked hard at maintaining a professional façade, intent on
ridding herself of terrible habits—like her attraction to bad boys. But when
the owner of DC Construction rides his chopper into her world two years after
their one-time anonymous sexual encounter, everything turns upside down.
Declan Cage is the type of guy who makes a lasting
impression, especially with women, yet the gorgeous assistant at Stoub
Engineering never remembers his name—or does she? Intrigued by her game, her
sexier than sin body, and an infuriating prissy attitude, Ms. Brooks is begging
to be taken into hand, and he’s the man to do it.
Armed with the knowledge Declan doesn’t recognize her, will
Tiffany give in to her desire for him yet again, or will her past come back to
haunt them both and ruin their chance at something real?
When a commotion broke out somewhere
not too far behind Declan’s table, he
twisted in his chair to see what was going on. His brow crinkled.
“I’ll be back,” he said without
looking at his employees.
Declan stood and made a beeline for
the hallway leading to the restrooms, stopping
when he came to a guy in a suit and a woman he recognized.
“Is there a problem here?” he asked.
The woman spun around to see him,
shock and perhaps a little fear written all over
her features. “Mr. Cage?”
“I see we’ve made progress, Ms.
Brooks. You’ve remembered my name twice today.”
“There’s no problem, buddy,” the man
said, puffing his chest out, reminiscent of a
peacock. “You need to go back to your table and mind your own damn
business.”
“The lady is my business.” He hooked
his fingers around Tiffany’s elbow and
maneuvered her beside him. “Are you all right? Is this guy
bothering you?”
She gazed up at him with large blue
eyes. “I’m okay. Everything’s okay.”
“It didn’t look that way to me.”
The guy she was with squared his
shoulders. “Listen, asshole.” The distinct smell of
alcohol rolled from his breath. Obviously, The Suit couldn’t hold
his liquor and falsely
thought he was some sort of tough guy when he drank. “The lady
said everything is
fine.”
“You’ve had one too many,” Declan
said. “You should probably go home before you
do something you’ll regret.”
“Who the fuck do you think you are
to tell me what to do?” The man stupidly poked
his finger into Declan’s chest. “Besides, I won’t have any regrets
about beating you like a
redheaded stepchild.”
The dude was a walking cliché. What
a douchebag.
“I haven’t had a beating since I was
nine, and I doubt you’re going to change my track record, but you’re more than
welcome to try.” He tucked Tiffany behind him in a purely protective move.
“I’ll even let you take the first swing.”
Tiffany tugged the back of his shirt
and said, “There’s no need to make a scene.”
“No scene here, sugar. I’m only
giving the guy what he wants.”
The man in the dark suit took a
horrible roundhouse swing. Declan didn’t put any
real effort behind his counter move. He ducked to the right. The
guy missed, spun
around, and stumbled away. He figured Mr. Fancypants had had
enough, but no. It took
The Suit a second, then he straightened and came toward Declan,
all wild-eyed and
doing a boogedy-boo, I’m-crazy-scary motion with his arms.
Declan waited until he came close
again then punched the man in the nose.
Immediately, the guy’s own blood soiled his silver-white shirt and
tie. He staggered
back, dazed, before he cupped his hands over his nose. Blood
dripped from his fingers,
dribbled down his wrist, and trickled over the expensive watch he
wore.
“I think you broke my nose,” he
mumbled in a nasal sound from behind his hands.
Declan’s men had flanked him—feet
spread, arms at their sides. He ignored them and nodded. “Yep. It’s broken.”
“Hey! Hey,” the manager of The Last
Inning sputtered, waggling his bony finger at
them as he came over. “I’m not having this kind of thing going on
in my establishment.”
The Suit kept his nose covered, but
aimed his pinky at Declan. “He started it by—”
“No,” the manager said. “I don’t
want to hear it, and I don’t give a rat’s ass who
started what.” He turned to glower at Declan. “Pay your bill then
all of you, get out.”
“This ought to cover it.” Jett handed
the manager a hundred.
He practically ripped the money from
Jett’s hand.
“Fine. Now, go,” he said, shooing
them away.
“No problem. We’re leaving,” Declan
said and took Tiffany by the hand. She trailed
behind him while they headed for the door then, suddenly, she
resisted. He stopped and
studied her, unsure what the holdup was. She held her right foot
out. His gaze started at
the pointed toe of her black shoe, skimmed up her shapely leg,
hip, small nipped waist,
bountiful breasts, slender neck, nose, and then finally looked
into her eyes. “What?”
“Shoes,” she said in an exasperated
tone. “You’re pulling me too hard, and I’m
walking too fast on a tile floor. I’m stumbling.”
He glanced at the spiked heels and
shook his head. “I’ll slow down.”
He slowed their pace but didn’t let
go of her until they made their way outside and
into the cool night air.
Standing beneath the covered porch
of the sports bar, he observed his workers come
out, their expressions serious.
“What’s going on, DC?” Jett asked.
“Nothing I couldn’t handle.” He
motioned with his hand. “Guys, this is Tiffany
Brooks, by the way. Tiffany, that’s Jett, one of my foremen, and
over there is Chris. Chris
is my concrete guy.”
“Hi,” she said in a small voice.
Jett and Chris nodded. “Ma’am,” they
said, almost in unison.
“You guys go on home,” Declan said.
“I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Are you sure you don’t need us to
stick around?” Jett asked.
“Naw.”
“Okay. If you’re sure.”
“I’m sure.” Declan pulled his wallet
from his back pocket and plucked a stack of
twenties out. “Here, Jett.”
Jett waved. “You don’t need to pay
me back for the bill.”
“I do,” said Declan. Jett
reluctantly took the money. “Go on home, and get some rest.”
He shoved his wallet into the pocket
he’d pulled it from.
Once his workers left, he gave
Tiffany his undivided attention. “I want you to tell me
why the man you were with was shaking you, maraca style?”
Adult Excerpt:
“Straddle me, sugar,” he said in a sandpaper voice, all grit.
Willing to go where she knew she shouldn’t tread, she did what he asked, throwing
one leg over his lap, knees sinking into the leather cushion on either side of his denim
clad thighs. His hands went to her hips. Slid down farther, where he stopped. His
fingertips touched her flesh. Using his thumbs, he stroked the front of her thighs,
undoing her. Shivers traversed her arms and legs. Her sex pulsed.
He inched her skirt up, working until the fabric bunched around her waist. When cool
air struck the back of her thighs, one side of his mouth quirked up. He appeared pleased
with himself for exposing her panties.
“I’ll give you exactly what you crave,” he said and ripped the thong from her body.
Tiffany sucked in a breath. He threw the tattered silk to the floor with his right hand
while flicking her clit ring with the forefinger of his left. “Nice adornment.” He tugged on
her piercing, giving her the right amount of pressure. “But you need me to scratch your
itch, don’t you, baby?”
She’d come too far to lie about what she needed now. Nodding, she whispered,
“Harder.”
He chuckled, and the sound was a flashpoint of sensation added to the slow stroke of
the fingers he’d slipped between her crease.
She leaned forward, hand resting on the top of the sofa by his head, and kissed him.
While their tongues tangled, he rubbed her, his other hand going to her hair where he
tugged the clip, releasing the long strands. They tumbled down her back in time with his
palm curling around the base of her neck, claiming her.
Oh, she liked the way he took possession. Everything feminine inside her needed the
pure maleness of him.
Tiffany nibbled at his bottom lip, pulling scant inches from his mouth. “You make me
burn,” she admitted.
“The feeling is mutual,” he said and plunged a finger inside of her.
“Ahh, yeah,” she uttered her approval.
He shoved his finger deeper. “You’re so wet.”
“Yes.”
Her hand went to his bulging crotch. She squeezed him through his jeans. He
groaned. With nimble fingers, she unbuttoned his fly, freeing his thick cock from the
denim. When the heavy head rested in her palm, she smiled. He was fantastic, and she’d
known from past experience he’d be commando.
Wrapping her fingers around the base of his superb erection, she began to pump him.
“Good?”
“Hell, yes,” he said and fingered her in earnest, inserting another. His thumb pressed
hard against her clitoris, sending heated spikes of sensation through her body.
She moaned, spreading the silken pre-cum leaking from him with her fingertip and
licking her lips. Tiffany wanted to taste him. Put her lips over the crown. Skim her
mouth along his shaft. Take him down the back of her throat. She swallowed, knowing
the feeling when she took him inside her pussy would be even better. She needed to
experience her sex stretched over the head of his dick again. The fiery invasion. The
awareness of being totally filled when he pressed into her tight channel.
Her chest heaving, she mumbled, “Condom.”
“Sorry, sugar. We’ll have to settle for this,” he said. Declan removed his fingers from
her body and tugged her hips down on him before he placed his steel between her
feminine folds. “Slide your sweetness along the length of my cock.”
Oh, God. She was so slick, she easily made the glide up and down, her chest rubbing
against his.
In the next instant, he splayed his large hands across her ass, pulling her against him
even tighter. This was good, sex without penetration, something she’d never done
before, and the delicious sensation had her nipples pebbled hard against the material of
her bra, but when he flicked out his tongue, everything got better. She moaned and gave
him access to her neck, where he wasted no time and tickled the hollow of her throat
before he nipped at the soft flesh with his teeth. She shivered.
“There you go.” The vibration of his deep voice sent a wave of pleasure across the
canvas of her flesh. Every part of her body hungered for his touch. He slapped her ass.
She jumped and lost her rhythm—taken aback. “Faster,” he demanded, and she didn’t
have time to consider if she liked the swat or not. He spanked her again. “Move your fine
ass.”
She complied, sliding herself up and down. He slapped her ass once more, but this
time the sensation sent a buzz to her already-stimulated clit. The joy spreading across
her caught— a wildfire.
“Again,” she uttered in a breathy voice.
“Like that, do you?”
God help her, she did.
Author Bio & Links:
London
Saint James has lived in many places, but never felt “at home” until she met
the real-life man of her dreams and settled down in the beautiful Smoky
Mountains of Tennessee. London lives with her husband and their fat cat who
thinks he owns them.
As an award-winning, bestselling, multi-published author,
London is living her childhood dream. She knew all the scribbling she did, that
big imagination of hers, and all those clamoring
characters running around in her head would pay off someday.
