| Title | : | Hard as You Can (Hard Ink, #2) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0062267914 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780062267917 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | ebook |
| Number of Pages | : | 384 |
| Publication | : | First published February 25, 2014 |
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.
Hard as You Can (Hard Ink, #2) Reviews
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4 Hunk-a-licious, Ink-tastic Stars!!
Hard as You Can is the second installment in Laura Kaye's Hard Ink series, and just like the first, all kinds of awesome!
Description...Five dishonored soldiers.
My review...
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 have to admit, I'm a huge fan of stories about hot, alpha, inked males. There's just something so mysterious and sexy about them that I just can't help but swoon for them, and Hard as You Can gave me just what I was hoping for, and more!
'Why more?' you ask. Well, 'more' because these hot, alpha, inked males are also the survivors of a Special Forces team who were set-up to be fall guys, and who are out to clear their names and bring the bad guys down. Yeah... 'more' of the yummy goodness!
And, for the record, in my opinion Shane steals the show with his sexy, Southern, panty melting charm!
This installment touches on the horrific crime of human trafficking, but doesn't go into the gory details that some books do. In this case I appreciated that because there is so much happening that I believe it would have overshadowed the ongoing plot. That said, while there were not the details, we still see the emotional aftermath of being a victim.
The bottom line...
I really enjoy this world Laura Kaye has created. It's exciting, intriguing, sexy, and even at times poignant. All the men from the team are just so powerful and yet so vulnerable, and I can't wait to read each and every story!
A copy of this story was provided by Avon Books via Edelweiss, in exchange for an honest review. -
3 It was just OK stars
He made her lose focus. He made her wish things could be different. And he made her want to throw caution to the wind and, for just once in her life, take what she wanted 
I wanted to love this book, I really did. But in the case here, it was sadly just not my cuppa at all. So, book
The story and the suspense were great. The writing was fantastic. So where did it fall flat? On a number of things.
1. The insta-love scenario. Or as I call it, the insta-lady boner deflator. For some reason, this never fails to kill a book for me, no matter what the situation. I could not connect to the bond between these 2 characters. Yes, I can understand why they were drawn to each other. But the super quick tumble into love...not so much.
2. Shane. Le sigh. I wanted to love him. He had this sweet Southern, good ole' boy charm to him, but ultimately he was just too soft for my tastes. He didn't exude alpha. He was sweet with a side of sexy but that was pretty much it.
Now with those two things aside, this would have probably been a 4 star read for me...until the 85-90% mark. If you haven't read the book, don't click my spoiler as it's a pretty big one.
I don't expect the books I read to be highly realistic. I do read for the escapism of it, after all. But unfortunately I couldn't connect to that part of the story at all.
Laura Kaye is an amazing author, and her
Hearts in Darkness novella was one of my favorite books. But this series is just not for me. I gave it 2 tries, but I didn't love the 1st book, and I couldn't connect to this one. I doubt that I will be continuing with this series.
That being said, I am in the minority here, so that tells you something. I think many will really enjoy this book. My tastes seem to be weird I guess, since I just wasn't one of those.
***ARC given to Dirty Girl Romance blog in exchange for an honest review**
For more reviews visit
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Well well, Shane ooo Shane, he definitely was another sizzling hot ex-military!!! When this book is out, just grab it! No questions asked!!
Laura Kaye is simply brilliant!!!!!!!
The story continues to fill in the blanks and answers that we need to know from Hard As It Get. The plot is so fresh and it just keep me going. I wanted to know what comes next! Not from one moment, I wanted to part with my Kindle..... that how is interesting this story was.
Laura's writing was superior and excellent!
Shane was a past and trying to find a to redeem it and his answers comes in the form of Crystal. And Crystal is really one tough chick. For all those things she went thru, she is superbly strong!
But things finally become too much, she finally gives in and leans into Shane for help.
The chemistry was amazing! UST was steamy!
It was heartwarming from Easy to Marz and of course Nick and Becca! Those two are really adorable.
"Like you're beautiful. And I'm attracted to you."
"But let me be clear, Crystal. Seeing him all over you like that would do bad things to me even if you wanted his attention. So my intentions here , they're not all honourable. Because I want you. I want you so bad I can hardly breathe"
"That's good, darlin', because you're stuck with me now"
My Shane:
Crystal:
Readers, grab this series for a smutty, action filled romance read! Don't forget Book 1 first! <3
**ARC provided by publisher** -
Hard as You Can is a surprised for me. I did not expect to like it very much. At first I thought it is a sappy, dragging OTT drama. Instead I found a romance story with a brave and sweet Shane.
The story of cops and underworld is not something new for me. Miss Kaye gives her all when she wrote Hard as You Can. The chemistry is sweet and hot. Although the lenght is bit too long, I still enjoy it.
4 stars -
4 - "How may prior military does it take to drill in a screw?" Stars!
I think this is going to be one of those series, where I fall in love with each successive book a little more than I did its predecessor. I loved Nick Rixey in Hard as it Gets but Shane McCallan, ticked all the Southern charm boxes and then some for me.
”I specialize in pain in the ass, darling.’”
I think the other big thing about this book, and I am hoping for more of in the rest of the series, is reading of the rebuilding of the bonds of trust in the team. Nick and Shane have some pretty deep moments in Hard as you Can and nothing grabs me by the throat and squeezes the ever loving tears out of me more than an outwardly strong, sexy alpha male, facing up to and dealing with his demons, that fact that you get two of them facing their personally perceived weaknesses together had me crying into a tissue for more than a minute or two.
”I’ve never felt closer to another person than I do to you.”
This book is a little deeper than it’s predecessor, what with Nick and Shane having their moment, Crystal and her sister Jenna (who I am hoping is less annoying in her own book) are dealing with some pretty serious, and potentially dangerous situations themselves. Shane being their potential Knight in a shining bullet proof vest!
He was a fire she had no business playing with.
You need to read this series in order, a lot has happened in the first two books alone, and I don’t think any reader would get the benefit of the full and very involved storyline that Laura has put together without following their reading order, another winner, and off to the next book I merrily skip. -
Review posted:
Happily Ever After - Reads
Blog rating: D+
Shane first ran into Crystal, literally in Hard As It Gets when he and his friends/teammates were on a rescue mission that took them through a strip club. Crystal is a waitress at the club where she helped Shane and his friends find the man they were searching for and Shane hasn’t been able to get her out of his mind since. The club is connected to a crime organization that has a long reach. The organization is connected to a man who once led Shane and his team when they were overseas but sold them out and their mission went horribly wrong killing half their team including their dirty team leader. Now, they’re trying to figure out who their leader was tied to, why he did what he did that resulted in their teammates being killed and how to bring down this organization that’s dealing with human trafficking and drugs, just to name a couple things. Shane and his friends are in the middle of this mess and now Crystal is too.
Crystal is forced to work at the club to pay off a debt her dead father left. She’s struggling to handle this job, her horrible ‘sort-of’ boyfriend Bruno, who’s a pretty big player on the side of the bad guys, and her younger sister is epileptic so she has that added stress. Her sister is almost ready to graduate from college and Crystal (whose real name is Sara) is using her sister Jenna’s graduation date as the time they’re finally going to run as far and as fast as they can and try to start over fresh. For as horrible as Bruno is to Crystal now, he is the reason she’s alive when he saved her after she was initially taken after her father’s death. She was held, raped, whipped, tortured, but Bruno got her out and protected her as a last favor to her father. But the Bruno we get to know on page? Total asshat. Crystal is hopeless when it comes to believing in love but she’s determined to do whatever it takes to get her and Jenna out of the situation she’s currently in, somehow. And like it or not, she needs Shane to help her and he in return needs her help with her inside track into Confessions, the club where she works and has access to areas Shane’s men don’t.
The suspense in this series continues to build and because of that, I’d recommend reading the books in order. The main storyline focuses on information Charlie (brother to Becca, the heroine in book 1) uncovers about their father, the team leader who turned dirty and got half his team killed overseas. We still don’t know why, or even really who is behind all this and there are more bits and pieces of information that come out in Hard As It Gets. There are potentially other men that Shane and his team knew of and about that are connected to this crime ring, but it’s unknown if these extra players are really dirty or maybe undercover. The storyline is ongoing, so we’re left hanging but it was interesting enough to keep me engaged in the story and that’s a good thing, because it’s the only thing that kept me in the story.
Which brings me to the romance between Shane and Crystal; I had such huge issues with the romance. Basically, there is no romance. We have two characters who meet, feel a connection and then BAM, start to feel the love. There’s a lot between Shane and Crystal that don’t work in their favor for this reader. One, their story takes place over the course of a few days and if you’ve read any of my reviews before, my biggest pet peeve is always seeing the characters fall into soul deep love within a matter of days from their initial meeting. Rarely, if ever, does this work and what made it even worse is Shane and Crystal really don’t spend all that much time together save for a few quick meetings. They have instant attraction sure, but there isn’t nearly enough together time for them on page from the time they meet to the point that Shane is ready to commit to her completely and take care of her and her sister forever and ever. I didn’t buy it at all.
There were other little pet peeves between Shane and Crystal that bothered me. Crystal’s sister is captured and Crystal is of course scared and so worried, but hey, that’s a great time for some sex with Shane – their first time together in fact. But by this point I wasn’t really into their relationship at all so that scene, while a bit ridiculous with the timing of events, didn’t hold the emotional punch it was meant to have. I didn’t get a sense of any chemistry between Shane and Crystal and it came down to not enough development of their relationship before the “I love you’s” started being said.
I was left feeling a bit disappointed with this one. I do recommend checking out book 1, Hard As It Gets, I found that to be a more well-rounded story. Hard As You Can is a good read for the suspense and seeing how that progresses, but the romance left a LOT to be desired and is ultimately why I’m giving it the rating I am. But even with that said, I’m still intrigued by this group of men and will pick up the next book to give the series one more try. -
![[~Ami~]♥Sexy Dexy♥](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1388500902i/22427047._UY200_CR8,0,200,200_.jpg)
DNF at 50%
Shane and Crystal had an almost instant connection that I just couldn't connect with. The story didnt move fast enough for me personally. I needed a bit more dialogue. I wanted more storyline. I needed more sexual tension and steam. I think I just needed a new story altogether.
Unfortunately it didnt work for me but I really hope it works for you. I love Laura Kaye's Brazen titles much more x
ARC provided by the publishers via Edelweiss -
Just as good as the first one. Still no definite ending for the bad guy, but serious damage done to his organization. Shane and Crystal and a serious case of insta-love, but it was an amazing story. Did I mention a MC shows up to help save the day..spin-off series. Now on to the next book.
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This is the second installment of the Hard Ink series, and I'm still pretty happy with it. Great characters, decent suspense, a good overall plot arc that connects the books to each other. The women are good characters rather than numbskulls who do nothing but moon over the men.
Sara aka Crystal was introduced very briefly in the first book. I figured she'd be the next heroine and I'm glad she was. She's got major problems, issues and burdens, but Shane McCallan is going to save the day. He's got a heart-breaking past compounded by the awful situation he and his Special Forces teammates have found themselves in. He's a complex hottie, that's for sure.
There was only one moment where I thought Crystal/Sara did something so unbelievably stupid she needed to sit in a corner for three days, but it was a catalyst to major action. Yes, it was seriously contrived and predictable, but I have to forgive because she was otherwise a really good character.
The whole situation seems insurmountable to me at this point. Not that that's a bad thing, there are more books ahead, I'd hate for it to just tread water until the end. The hugeness of their overriding problem is what makes the books effective, IMO, but I sure can't see how they're going to get out from under it.
Since I haven't read Kaye's back list (although I fully intend to explore it) I'm not sure if one of the elements introduced is a callback to another series or if it's a possible intro to a spinoff. Intriguing nonetheless. Two words: motorcycle club. That is all.
Good stuff if you like romantic suspense without a lot of padding. :) -
Full review to come!!
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LOVED.LOVED.LOVED
Five dishonored soldiers.
Former Special Forces.
One last mission.
These are the men of Hard Ink.
I love this series. Honestly if you like hot ex- military men, who are total Alpha, protective, sexy, sweet, caring, and loving all rolled into one, then you need to start this series.
Hard as You Can is book #2 in the series and it follows where book #1 left off but with a different one of the military men. This is Shane’s & Crystal’s story.
I would suggest to fully understand the series to start with book #1 and read them in order, because it does follow a story line, just each book is about one of the five men.
I loved Shane and Crystal. At the end of Book #1 we met Crystal. She works as a waitress in a strip club working on paying off her father’s debt from some bad men. She has no choice but to be where she is because she promised her father she would take care of her sister, so Crystal gave up her future she had planned for herself to look out for her sister and make sure that she does not end up where Crystal is.
Crystal needs help, but can she trust Shane with the life of herself and her sister?
Shane first ran into Crystal in Book #1 when the men went in on a mission to save someone. ( I won’t tell you who or say anymore than that as it will ruin book #1 for you) . Any Who Shane left that night thinking about Crystal and could not get her off his mind. When he goes back again to do some recon work he runs into Crystal again. From this point on it is Shane doing everything he can to figure out why a woman like Crystal is in a place like that.
Shane is fighting some of his own demons with his past and regrets that he has. He lost his sister when he was a kid and he lives with that regret everyday.
"God, what he wouldn’t give for five more minutes with his kid sister. Just five. Did she know how sorry he was? How much he loved her? That he’d devoted his life to making things right for others as a penance for getting so much wrong with her?"
He sees that Crystal is in a bad spot and he is going to do everything in his power to save her.
The story flows great, Laura definitely keeps you wanting to read more and find out what happens next. We get a bit of romance and suspense all packed into one hell of a story.
I can not wait for the next one which will be Easy’s story, and also to find out more about what is going on with Church and the links to Afghanistan.
Ahhhh Just got my ARC !!!!!!!!!!!!
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Some books just grab you and hold on, this was that book.
This was not a steamy, sex-filled novel, with a knuckle-dragging hero, but it was just beautiful to read. There was a slow build up to the romance and the action, not everything was resolved because the rest of the team have to get their stories but I can't remember the last time a book left me feeling so satisfied. In large part, due to this amazing hero, there's a scene halfway through the book where the hero helps the heroine into the cab of his truck and cares for her in a way that was so sweet, it was touching. Then she runs and I felt every bit of the pain that was in that scene. This was a rare book, in general I dislike reading about abuse and the gratuitous misery that authors like to throw into romance stories, but in this case, it was written in such a way that I could not help feeling the ugliness of this heroine's situation and urgently wanted her to be free of it, as much as the hero did. For me this story was better than 5 stars. -
This review was originally posted on
Addicted To Romance
Summary
When Crystal first meets Shane McCallan, he rambled in the dance club where she was working, gorgeous and charming, she got a glimpse of what it would be like to really be treated with respect and affection. But Crystal is in a bad spot and must be careful of her actions or her sister may pay the price. But when she sees Shane back with a few other men, to rescue their friend who has been tortured and held prisoner, she aids them. Crystal doesn't know why she risked herself like that, but she would do it again just to get a glance at those kind eyes. Crystal and Shane keep meeting up accidentally and the attraction between them builds. Shane along with his other teammates, need information on the Churches Gang and Crystal is the perfect way to get in, but there is more than one reason Shane is building a trust with Crystal. He admires her, and he knows that she is in a bad situation, and wants to help her get out of it. He knows that not everything is as it seems, and Crystal is the way in not only in destroying Church's evil ways and putting a stop to the drug runs and the selling of women, but also she is the way to opening his heart that has been closed off for years.
The Hero
Shane McCallan, is part of a special forces team, they have been ruined and betrayed and are searching for answers and a way to clear their names. Shane has always been protective of women, and if he hears or notices one being hurt by a man...he interceds, its automatic for him. Shane carries a huge burden of guilt from a mistake he made in the past when he was just a teenager. His sister was kidnapped, and he was babysitting at age thirteen, and he has blamed himself ever since. Shane is quite protective and caring and he wants to save Crystal. Shane is one of my favorites so far, just because of his protective instincts especially when it comes to women being abused. He takes action and doesn't hold back if he senses something wrong. And there is this scene (which I won't reveal too much about) that really won me over with this character. Where Shane battles with his inner demons, over what he can and can't do and almost put everyone he loves at risk for wanting to do the right thing. I admired his character so much mostly because has such a open heart, he is a fighter and can handle just about anything, but he has this kind and affectionate nature I couldn't get enough of.
The Heroine
Crystal McCallan, has been put in a bad situation not of her own making. When she was just a teenager, her father was branded a traitor among the club, sent to prison and Crystal was taken captive....raped, beaten and even whipped. She had a savior, and in return for her acting the girlfriend act, her younger sister is left alone. Crystal has only eight more months and then she and her sister can be free. She has never told her sister of what has really happened to her, and the price she has had to pay for their fathers mistakes. My heart ached for Crystal. At first you know that she is in a bad spot, but it isn't until certain truths are revealed, that you realize how much Crystal has suffered. She will do anything in her power to save her sister.“I’m tired of being afraid,” she said, her breath hitching. Shane shook his head. “The definition of courage is action in the face of fear. By that definition, sweetness, you’re the bravest person I know.”
I loved her strength and courage, but also she has this loving nature and despite what has happened to her she is sweet and kind. I love that no matter how bad it got, it didn't break Crystal, it only made her stronger and a fighter.
Plot and Story Line
Hard As You Can is the second book in this fabulous Hard Ink Series. And what a fabulous book this was. I have had it on my Nook forever it seems, and when I was looking for a new book to read from my shelf, I decided to pick this one up. I have been in the mood for romantic suspense lately and this one just seemed perfect for me. From the first couple of pages I was pulled in and I got caught up in the story. I just couldn't put it down, it is the type of book that will keep you up late reading. What was most wonderful about this book was the emotional engagement. It really tugged at those heart strings, in an almost painful way at times. We get to see more interaction between the team members and loved the humor.“Why were you so happy to see me? You know, besides my general awesomeness."
Marz pushed out of his chair, big grin on his face, and held out his hands. "I'm getting married!"
Shane sighed. The expressions on the other two said they'd already been down this road. "All right. I'll bite."
"I think the appropriate sentiment is 'congratulations'," Marz said, crossing his arms and feigning insult.
"Just spill the brilliance of whatever this is about," Shane said.
"Only because you acknowledged its brilliance." Marz sat excitement rolling off the guy. "I figured out how to solve the problem of getting us eyes and ears in the back of Confessions."
"By getting married?"
"By pretending to get married. And what does every pretend groom need?" Marz's grin was full of anticipation.
"A bride?" Shane said.
Marz rolled his eyes and waved his hands. "Okay, but what else?"
Shane looked between the three of them. And then the lightbulb went on. "A bachelor party," Shane said.
Marz clapped his hands. "Ding ding ding. Give the man a cigar."
Yup. The idea was, in fact, brilliant. Really brilliant.”
It was such fun to see the team again, and I love all the characters and reading this book was a reminder on how much I adore Laura Kaye. She is fabulous and one of my favorites when it comes to this genre. She really balances a love story with a suspenseful plot real well. They flow so smoothly with one another, and I loved the way the story develops. The romance between Shane and Crystal is poignant and powerful. They have a spark, but they also want more than just sex....you see them bonding on a emotional level quite early in the story and it really sets the stage for the rest of the story to progress.He leaned down and cupped her face in his hand. “Every one of the men on my team has scars. And you know what those scars are?” Heaving a shaky breath, she shook her head. “They’re proof of survival. They’re badges of honor. They’re marks of strength.” Shane swallowed hard. “You don’t have to show me, Crystal. But you do need to know there’s nothing on your body I won’t love and respect. Because it’s you.” The words reached into her chest and soothed her heart.
I think one of the other things that I couldn't get enough of was the supporting side characters...they rocked the house in this one. We have Shane's team and brothers and I loved the feeling of family you get from them. They tease and mock each other, but they also are at each other's back 100%. There were a couple of others, the bartender at the club...he was friends with Crystal's father and tries to protect and shield her when he can. Then we have Crystal's younger sister, Jane. She was superb, and she is like her sister in many ways, but she fights for Crystal just as Shane is trying to do. I really admired how Jane stands up to Crystal, and that Crystal needs to fight for freedom and get away from the abuse that Jane senses is happening. I really loved her character because only a sister can see what is truly happening and fights to save her. This story was fantastic, and I just gobbled up every delicious moment.
The Cover
I love the pose here, its so sensual and moving. And love the back with the tattoo....gorgeous!! I love the artwork.
Overall View
Hard As You Can is a stimulating read that will have you at the edge of your seat in anticipation....thrilling, edgy and captivating!! You are not going to want to miss out on this one.
I want you. I want you so bad I can hardly breathe.
Hard As It Gets (1)
Hard As You Can (2)
Hard To Hold Onto (2.5)
Hard To Come By (3)
Hard To Be Good (3.5)
Hard To Let Go (4)
Hard as Steel (4.5)
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Hard As You Can was the second book in the Hard Ink series by Laura Kaye. As expected, it picked up exactly where the first book left off.
Shane McCallan was part of the former Special Forces team that was working to clear their name from a betrayal on their last mission that killed six of their team. He also had guilt from a childhood tragedy that he carried on every mission.
Crystal Dean was living in hell. She promised her late father that she would take care of her younger sister. She was a survivor and took her role seriously. We met Crystal in the previous book when she assisted the team in rescuing Becca’s brother from the strip club basement.
I loved the suspenseful vibe; which was true to form for the series. The storyline was a continuation of the first book with the emphasis now on Shane and Crystal while the series plot unfolded. Also as expected, the storyline ended abruptly with Crystal and Shane’s relationship being acknowledged but the overall conflict only partially solved with the next book being the segue for its continuation.
All in all, it was well written, intriguing, and entertaining. I would prefer it not end so abruptly but I look forward to the next installment, Hard To Hold Onto, focusing on Easy and Jenna while guiding us through more of the suspenseful plot. -
Hotness Rating 3 out of 5
Hard As You Can is the second book of the Hard Ink series by Laura Kaye and it just keeps getting better and better. In the first book we learn of the double cross by their commander that killed so many members of the special ops team and left the others injured and shouldering the blame. Dishonorably discharged these men were sent home to heal both physically and mentally without the support of the very country they fought for.
Shane McCallen was one of these men that had his life changed so drastically on that fateful day. Back home and trying to find his way outside of the military and without the men that became like brothers to him is a daily struggle. He has so much anger about what happened to them and even more anger that their leader, who suffered the same betrayal that they did, basically fell off the face of the earth once back in the states. Yet, when Nick called after a year of no contact stating he was starting an off-the-books operation and needed the help from his old team it doesn't take long for Shane to agree to be there. There are even signs that suggest this mission may actually help them clear their name.
Crystal (Sara) Dean's life hasn't turned out anything like she planned. For now, Crystal is working at the club owned by a gang just biding her time until her sister graduates and she can get them out of danger and into a better life. She would do anything to keep her sister safe even if that includes going along with everything her thug boyfriend wants in exchange for her protection. Except, one night when a group of men break into the private rooms of the club to rescue a prisoner Crystal does the unthinkable and gets involved.
I loved Shane and Crystal's story. The sacrifices that Crystal made for her sister were heartbreaking, yet she never considered not doing all she could to protect her. Her strength was amazing. And the way Shane handled everything was perfect. Used to doing what needs to be done this was a bit of a different situation for him. He showed patience when necessary and stepped in when needed most. The romantic connection between this couple was palpable and almost hurt to read at times because of the way it had to play out.
This series definitely has me hooked. I can't wait to read Easy and Marz's stories.
You can find this review and others at
www.riverinaromantics.com -
I really didn't think that LK could top the first book in the series, but darned if she didn't do it! There was several times that I was on the edge of my seat for Sara, as she really was in a very bad situation. I WAS not ready for the book to be over and can't wait for the next book in the series. I would read the first book, as there going to be a story arc over the 5 books. Is the MC gang going to be the next series....I am in!
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Liked this one a lot more than I thought I would. It was a good follow up from book 1 and moving the secondary plot along. I didn't like the abrupt ending however. Felt like a mini epilogue would have benefited Shane and Crystal/Sara's closing.
But everything else was strongly on point here.
Reading book 2.5 now, Edward "Easy" Cantrell's story.
Enjoying so far :) -
2 ½ stars. I wanted to know what would happen, but I skimmed parts. Too much being a victim and bad luck.
Back Story:
Jimmy Church is head of a gang that kidnaps and sells women as sex slaves. Crystal’s dad worked for Church and owed him money. Dad died. Church kidnapped Crystal saying she had to pay her father’s debt. She was raped and beaten. One of Church’s thugs, Bruno, did a deal for her. Crystal would work as a waitress in a strip club giving half her income to Church. She would also be Bruno’s girlfriend. In return Bruno paid for medical care for Crystal’s epileptic sister Jenna. Bruno repulses Crystal but she pretends to like him.
All this seemed over the top for me. Sex slave and servitude is bad enough. But to add in the epileptic sister that Crystal needs to support and help? It felt overly dramatic. In one scene, Crystal leaves her waitress tables and sees Shane for about 30 seconds and then goes to Bruno in a back room. He says where have you been? Then she returns to her tables, but her manager gave the tables to another waitress because Crystal had been gone for about 2 minutes. So now she loses tips which she desperately needs. That seemed overly dramatic. Why did she go see Bruno in the middle of her shift? It wasn’t her break. Now she loses tips? Too many bad breaks.
Current Story:
Shane and his buddies are investigating something involving Church. Shane meets Crystal. There is an immediate attraction and she helps him. By the end of the book he helps her as well. (It’s a romance, so I’m not giving things away.)
I was not excited or drawn in. It might have been better if more was done with the heroine. What were her choices earlier in life? Why didn’t she leave her father’s world? (She is working as a waitress to support her sister. She could have done that elsewhere and not given half her income to Church.) I’d like a little more smarts or doing something interesting. Instead it’s just extremely bad luck in life - being a victim. If I’m going to read about a victim, be a twisted victim, get revenge in weird ways, or something odd.
A few other things I did not like. When Shane and his buddies rescued a tortured hostage, it was not shown. I’d like to know who they saw in the basement and what they did to get the guy out. Several times Shane was suffering from grief and guilt over his younger sister being abducted and never found. Sure it added some motivation for him, but the effect on me was more bad luck. For a long time Crystal never told her sister Jenna about Crystal’s forced servitude etc. Therefore Jenna did some risky/stupid things confronting Bruno, etc. If Crystal had been honest, Jenna would not have done those things.
The ending felt incomplete and too quick. One bad guy issue was resolved, but another remained.
One rape scene is shown. Other rape scenes are described after the fact.
DATA:
Narrative mode: 3rd person. Story length: 370 pages. Swearing language: strong including religious swear words, but not often used. Sexual language: strong. Number of sex scenes: 4, includes 1 rape. Setting: current day Baltimore, Maryland. Copyright: 2014. Genre: romantic suspense. -
I'm a huge fan of Laura Kaye and I loved the first book in her Hard Ink series so I have absolutely no excuse for why it's taken me so long to get around to picking up the second, Hard as You Can. Happily it's kind of paid off in my favour because the series is nearly complete so I can pretty much devour the remaining books without any long waits between instalments. This book picks up the story pretty much immediately after the end of Hard as It Gets, the group have started to uncover just how badly their team was betrayed by their commanding officer but they're still trying to tie all the pieces together and find evidence to prove their own innocence.
Becca's brother, Charlie, was kidnapped in the previous book, he risked his life to get them information and now the team are determined to bring him safely home. Shane meets Crystal when he's undercover trying to find Charlie, she helps him get away safely and now he feels a certain responsibility towards her. Crystal has access to information that the team desperately need but just being in contact with Shane puts her in danger and all she wants is to keep her head down and protect her younger sister. Crystal was put in an impossible situation through no fault of her own and she's been fighting just to hold her head above water for several years, she has been desperately searching for a way out and she knows Shane may just hold the key to her escape but is she brave enough to take that first step?
We met all the guys in the previous book and I was definitely looking forward to reading Shane's story, he's one sexy alpha and he knows how to use his southern charm to get exactly what he wants. Shane is incredibly protective of anyone he cares about and he hates the situation that Crystal is in. What he wants more than anything is to take her to safety but they can't risk removing her until they have the information they need. It isn't easy leaving her in such a dangerous position but there is much more than one life at stake and the team are unable to walk away without trying to put a stop to the gang and their human trafficking operation. Crystal is a fabulous character, she is stuck in a living hell but she has managed to protect her sister Jenna from the worst of it. Jenna has no idea how much Crystal has sacrificed to keep her safe and I had to admire Crystal for everything she has done. She's a fighter, she has never given up on the chance of escape even though it has taken years of planning and she's still got a long way to go. She doesn't find it easy to trust Shane, which is completely understandable, but she knows that he is offering the best chance she's going to have of getting Jenna somewhere safe.
I loved Hard as You Can, it's got the perfect ratio of action and suspense to romance, we get to spend more time with the whole team and catch up with the previous couple while also getting to know some newbies and enjoying the relationship that develops between Shane and Crystal. I can't wait to read the rest of the series and see if the team manages to clear their names and what they decide to do with their lives at the end of it. -
2.5 stars
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review to come.
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Talk about an intense book !
I read book one maybe two or three years ago and I liked it. Obviously, I didn't continue the series after that but I can't remember why. Well I'm glad I had a second chance because Hard As You Can was memorable. Both touching and impactful, I can't deny that Shane was a perfect hero, but it's the heroine who truly shined by her strength of character, her courage and the amazing kind spirit that she never lost after everything she has been through. I'm speechless.
Crystal spend her life acting. Not because she's an actress but because she have to, to save her skin and take care of her sister who have epilepsy. Saying that she works at a strip club is one way to think about it. The truth is she's more a captive than an employee. The bar is the headquarters of an organized-crime ring and since her dad died, she have to pay his debt in his place. She thought that she found a savior when one of her dad's friend rescued her from hell, but he was just an other monster that she have to pretend with too. Now she have to bide her time until she can run away with her sister and try to forget what she suffered.
Shane is part of a former Special Forces's team who has been discredited and discharged under false reasons. But they were the lucky ones, because others were killed. The guys are now staying at a team member's brother's tatoo parlor and still trying to find clues about the culprits and ways to clear their names. When Shane meet Crystal during a rescue mission for a teammate and she help him, a connection immediately form between them. But when Shane and his friends realize what the owner of the strip-club is really up to, Shane have to find a way to save her without wrecking the mission.
I was worried when I began the book. I don't read a lot of action/suspense romance anymore because I can't stand to read about violence in all its form. I won't pretend it was not trying at time because Crystal's life was and is so fucked up, but the author didn't went with all the sordid details or scenes . It was clear from the beginning that the heroine is not a victim but a fighter. It was a beautiful thing to see; her finally taking control back of her life and accepting love with the help of the gentle Shane. The romance was really well done and the plot also.
This series is giving me exactly what I like in this genre : brotherhood. And fierce protective heros. The background is excellent and continue from one book to another where new leads and clues are discover. -
“… her life was a house of cards, one light blow away from falling to pieces and disintegrating to nothing.”
There is nothing more exhilarating than discovering a new series that suddenly keeps you glued to its pages until the wee hours of the morning, unable to even blink away because your heart is racing so fast and your curiosity won’t let you quit. I have to say that when I first dove into this story, I already knew what a tremendous storyteller Laura Kaye is from some of her previous works, such as the very sexy novella Hearts in Darkness, but I never expected to embrace this story so passionately, to find it to be so riveting and unique, and to be craving more so soon… more of the fast-paced storyline, more of the characters, and more of Ms Kaye’s spectacular style of writing. This is one of the most well-rounded books I have ever read, such a brilliant combination of romance, action, suspense, and drama – it’s a book that has it all and it left me frantically flipping those last few pages wishing they’d magically multiply tenfold.
In the first book of the series, Hard As It Gets, we were introduced to the five dishonored Special Forces soldiers who are now on their last ‘mission’ together to salvage what is left of their reputation and to make some sense of the mystery surrounding their former commander’s criminal actions. While, in that book, their second-in-command, Nick, found his happily-ever-after in the arms of their former commander’s daughter, this story now centres around Shane, Nick’s best friend, and the woman he saves from a life of unhappiness and abuse.“A man who refused to hit a woman. How freaking miserable was her life that a man such as that was so damn unique?”
During the team’s second rescue mission, they come across Crystal, a woman who appears to be nothing more than a waitress in a seedy strip club belonging to the man they are trying to take down, but the moment Shane lies eyes on her, he sees the pain hiding behind her subdued demeanour. And his saviour instincts immediately kick in.“Crystal was well aware that much of her life was a lie, a charade, a play in a never-ending series of one acts wherein the climax determined whether she lived or died, remained free or got lost forever in the dark, seedy, underbelly of the world.”
Crystal is a woman with very few options in her life. Forced to work off her father’s debts and stuck in an abusive relationship with one of her boss’ main goons for the sake of her sister’s health and safety, she counts down the days to when they would escape and start a new life elsewhere, trusting no one around her since no one has ever given her a reason to put her trust in them. She hides the marks of her past and present abuse, ashamed of them and believing them to be signs of her own weakness, unaware that every one of those marks makes her a true survivor. For five long years, Crystal has relied on no one to take care of her and her sister, except a man who proved to be the greatest monster of them all, making her distrustful of all people offering their help. But Shane slowly gets under her protective armour, only to discover a woman desperately aching to be loved and cherished.“Her heart told her Shane might well be the most dangerous man she’d ever met because he made her want, wish, maybe even dream.”
He sees Crystal’s inner strength and brave defiance in her every action, and the more he gets to know her, the more he falls for the fearless young woman who has always put herself second. Amidst life-threatening circumstances and constant peril, they let desire draw them to one another, finding solace in each other’s touch and affection, but Crystal’s inability to embrace her dreams and see herself worthy of true happiness only show how beaten down and disheartened life has truly made her.“Shane was… a rock in the middle of the raging sea, a refuge she might claim if she had the strength and the will and the nerve to fight for it. To believe she deserved it.”
A flawless tale of passion, survival, sacrifice and love, there was not one dull moment in sight for me during this entire roller-coaster ride of a journey. I was not prepared to let it end, to let the characters go, and was only too happy to discover that the background storyline would continue in future instalments of the series. I strongly urge you to surrender your senses to the skilful strokes of Ms Kaye’s imagination and fall in love with her stories as wholly as I have.“Even if she only got to have him for a short while, she would remember him for the rest of her life as the man who had held her hand and helped her step onto the path to finding herself again.”<.b>
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Hard As You Can picks up immediately after the events of Hard As It Gets. The courageous waitress who helped Shane and his team rescue Becca’s brother, Charlie, from the Churchmen is front and center of this action-packed story, and things are about to get more intense for her and for the men of Hard Ink.
Crystal was a wonderful heroine with depth and many layers. Through no fault of her own, she got dragged into the sordid world of human trafficking, drug dealers and gangbangers. Her dreams of a normal life were snuffed out the moment her father had gone to jail, and she was forced to pay of her father’s debts and care for her ill sister. She paid a very high price for her family. Crystal was a survivor and a fighter. Her motives for enduring the abuse at the hands of her keeper were utterly selfless. Though she suffered horribly, she never lost hope, her compassion or the perseverance to find a way out. Everything she did was a calculated move to survive. If you can imagine, her physical scars bothered her more than the way she was perceived based on her occupation or the company she kept.
Sixteen years ago, Shane’s little sister, Molly, went missing, presumed dead, and he has carried the guilt of feeling responsible for her disappearance since that time. Molly was just part of the reason why Shane felt the need to help Crystal and her sister, Jenna. In his mind, saving them would have been a small step in redeeming himself. Shane embodied everything you could ask for in a hero. He was patient, compassionate, protective, confident, he had a sense of humor and he had demons to overcome. I’m also pleased that his interest in Crystal wasn’t that he had to have her in order to “get her out of his system” (like so many heroes lately seem to think is a good plan).
This story knocked the first one out of first place. There was a lot more action and suspense and the romance was a delicious slow burn. Excellent flow that was neither rushed nor boring. The main mystery of decoding Colonel Merrit’s secret messages was still being unraveled one puzzle piece at a time. The dialogue sounded very natural so that they suited the each individual character.
I loved Crystal and Shane as a couple. Crystal was a risk taker especially when it came to helping Shane, but I never felt her actions were that of a heroine too stupid to live. There was one heartbreaking moment where the reader got a glimpse of what she had to bear at the hands of Bruno. When she finally gathered the courage to tell Shane how she had ended up in that life, it was just …. I’m glad the author let Crystal summarize the horror rather than tell it through a flashback. That would have been just to painful to process. When they finally took things to the next level, it was like a huge exhale and well worth the wait.
The Bottom Line
Hard As You Can was a near 400 page powder keg of action, suspense, angst and romance. Shane and Crystal’s intense chemistry was a beautiful slow burn against the backdrop of the seedy underworld she had grown accustomed to. Great character development on both parts but most notably from the heroine made them easy to connect with. Rooting for them came easily and instantaneously. There’s a good reason why Laura Kaye is an auto-buy author for me, and the proof is in her writing. As soon as I finished reading this advanced copy, I read it again. There are no cliffhanger endings, but the men of Hard Ink continue to unravel the mystery that ended their careers one book at a time. They deserve to find their equals and the love of their lives along the way.
Favorite Lines
Crossing his arms, Shane waited.
“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 gear down the intensity.
“Well, congratulations, because you clearly graduated with honors.” (Page 59)
***
“I already told you I’d share what I’d learned. You don’t have to play me.”
His eyes narrowed, and he frowned. “You listen hard and you listen good, sweetness,” he said, the words firm but the tone urgent, almost desperate, and laced with his southern accent. “I’m not perfect, and God knows I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my life. But I would never play with a woman’s emotions to get information out of her. That kind of manipulation doesn’t hold with me. Ever.” (Page 136)
Disclaimer: I received an ARC from the publisher for the purpose of an honest review. The views and opinions expressed in this review are my own, and in no way represent the views or opinions of the publisher/distributor. -
Do you ever get into a reading rut and just need a change. For me, my go to genre is normally ex-military or special ops romance. Something about a former Special Forces coming to save the day is a perfect pick me up read. Hard As You Can just did it for me!
Crystal Dean is working off her father's debt to some really bad characters. Loosing her father wasn't hard enough but the evil of his past destroys Crystal's hope for a future...but she will do anything to keep her baby sister out of their sites.
Shane McCallan, first ran into Crystal during mission to save a friend from an evil mob boss. When this woman helps them, Shane can't help but take notice of the risk Crystal is in.
Shane has a thing for a woman that needsrescuing. Crystal definitely needs help...but his sparks of interest quickly grow into flames of desire. The closer Shame and Crystal become only puts Crystal and her sister at more risk. Shane and the Hard Ink crew are investigating the man that is holding Crystal as an indentured slave.
Hard As You Can was a wonderful addition to the Hard Ink Series. Hot as heck alphas, women that can hold their own, a fabulous cast of supporting characters make this another spectacular, action packed, steaming hot, romance make Hard As You Can a must read.
I received an ARC copy of Hard As You Can from Avon in exchange for a honest review. This book is set for publication February 25, 2014.
Written by: Laura Kaye
Series: Hard Ink
Sequence in Series: 2
Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Avon
Publication Date: February 25, 2014
ISBN-10: 0062267906
ISBN-13: 978-0062267900
Rating: 4 Stars
Genre: Contemporary Romance
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ARC Review: 4.5 stars
There is something about a Southern man...pair that with a special forces experience and a heart of gold, you've got a winning combination for a heart-stopping hero. In this book, it is Shane McCallan.
Crystal Dean has more courage and perseverance than just about any character I've read in a long time. She is beyond resilient. Every time I think about what she has endured and overcome, my heart hurts a little. If any one deserve a little (or a lot) of special attention from an ultimate alpha, it is Crystal.
The team of Hard Ink is still trying to unravel the mystery of why they were wrongly accused after a terrible ambush that ultimately led to their resignations from the military. This book takes up immediately after the series opening, Hard as it Gets. Their search for answers leads them to a confrontation with a criminal gang run by Jimmy Church. Church's enterprises include white slavery, strip clubs and prostitution. This is where Crystal meets Shane.
In the midst of all the suspense, this is a poignant love story. It suffers a little from insta-love, but the author more than makes up for it with the deep tenderness between Shane and Crystal. Crystal's ability to survive her past is what attracts Shane: "...it was the survivor in her that really spoke to this soul, that brought him peace and gave him purpose."
In addition to the connection between Crystal and Shane, it is the team dynamic that draws me in again and again. There is a strong camaraderie between the members. Forged from the challenges they faced together, this group is truly a brotherhood - with all the quibbling, quirks, and love you would expect as a family.
IN A NUTSHELL: Even better than the first, I suspect that each successive book will be better and better. If you haven't started the series, you need to get the first book now.
The full posting:
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Crystal Dean is working hard as a waitress to pay off her father's debt. Despite his death, his problems are still very much haunting Crystal's life and it seems that nothing will ever get her out of this mess.
Shane McCallan first met Crystal on another operation where she risked her life to help them. Unable to forget the fearless woman, Shane is now returning the favour when trouble finds Crystal and she needs someone to rescue her.
As the second book in the Hard Ink series, Laura Kaye plays up the suspense to sky-rocketing levels. Intense situations and plenty of action keep this story moving swiftly. However, I found the actual characters in this book to be a little difficult to connect to, which in turn affected how invested I was in the romance. Crystal and Shane are nice characters, but that intense level of connection just didn't come across on the page as much as I would have liked. When put in danger, Crystal was strong and brave, but her personality just didn't shine through. Similarly, Shane is a great hero but didn't come off as alpha as I thought he would be. As a result, the romance didn't soar, especially since there is a case of instalove again in this series.
Kaye has done her research though! With plenty of technical talk to woo and impress Romantic Suspense readers, there is a great amount of expertise when it comes to the Hard Ink crew. Furthermore, Kaye's writing style is cleverly styled and works well for the series.
HARD AS YOU CAN possesses the level of suspense that you expect from Laura Kaye, but perhaps didn't entirely win me over with its romance.
Originally reviewed for
Fresh Fiction -
Shane. Shane, Shane, Shane. Love ya, babe. He is the perfect combination of sweet, southern and Alpha. I thoroughly enjoyed Shane and Crystal’s story. This one had a very slow build up (build up meaning, it took forever for the sexytimes to happen) BUT and there is a good reason for the but… it was warranted. It took awhile for Crystal to get out of the situation she was trapped in and realize that Shane had made up his mind and that she was going to be HIS. Awwww, don’t you just love it when they go all alpha like that? Shane was a big badass but he was so gentle and sweet to her. Getting to catch up with the rest of the Hard Ink crew was nice and getting to know some of them a little bit better was also a big plus for me. Especially….Easy. I want Easy’s story…like yesterday.
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4 Stars
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4 stars – Contemporary/Romantic Suspense
