November's Wine Club Review: Hard As It Gets by Laura Kaye (#BlogTour/#Giveaway)

               Wine Selection:

2 Brothers Big Tattoo Red

Book Selection: Hard As It Gets by Laura Kaye

Lexi: Military men and tattoos, Laura Kaye certainly dealt with a stacked deck on this one. Nicholas Rixey is not only ex-Special Forces, but he knows how to tattoo. Honorable tough as nails man who is good with his hands? Oh yes...but the nail in the coffin was the first time we saw his dragon tattoo. Who else fell in love with Nick Rixey?

Crystal: Two of my favorite things; military men and tattoos! This girl was in heaven the whole time reading! I cannot even describe how much I adored HARD AS IT GETS and Nick Rixey. And speaking of dragons; Laura Kaye is such a talented writer, with the perfect descriptive balance of not too much to bore you, and not too little you can't picture it in your head - I could easily conjure up an image in my mind of Nick's tattoo moving along his back with just a ripple of those sexy, hard muscles. You know, *reaches to the side*, I think I may need my drool rag for this review. Just a feeling I have. ;-)

Crystal L: I agree. Rixey was one sexy guy. Picturing those tattoos moving as his muscles flexed while working the boxing bag... LORD HAVE MERCY. Laura Kaye hit me in my weak spots. I love a man with tattoos, but I really LOVE dragon tattoos. Throw in the military aspect and I was a puddle of goo on the floor.


Lexi: We all know Laura can write scenes hot enough to steam up your glasses, her backlist is proof of that. What I wasn’t expecting was the strong plot and perplexing mystery. All through the book I kept thinking there must be something staring me in the face, some clue, and I am missing it! Did the mystery completely suck you in? Tell me you were as helpless to stop turning pages as I was?

Crystal: Laura never ceases to amaze me with each new book she releases! I felt like I was in an Indiana Jones or National Treasure movie. Trying to piece together tiny pieces of a puzzle only to come up missing that one piece in the middle! Agh! The mystery and suspense definitely had me turning the pages faster and faster and though we got a few answers by the end, I'm weirdly happy that some of the mystery is continuing throughout the series arc. It's keeping me on tenderhooks but I love it! 

Crystal L: Laura did a really great job of unraveling this mystery one small piece at a time. I loved that. I kept mentally chanting in my head "wait for it, wait for it", because I just knew that next clue was going to pop up soon and I couldn't wait for it. I still have my suspicions about what's going down and I'm already anxious for the next book!


Lexi: I am also loving this new series (please hurry up book #2!) and am so glad Laura shares our penchant for inked men. Especially after the scene where Nick’s old team-members arrive at his place. To use the term Jess called them, a roomful of built men that could be male models. Which has me drooling thinking of who will get to be the center of attention in the following books! Maybe they will all keep coming back to Hard Ink and getting new tats. Who would you ladies pick as the next hero you want to see at Hard Ink?

Crystal:  I am curious to see how Hard Ink will fit into the series besides as just a base of operations, I am hoping that the inked theme will continue strongly in each book. But to be honest, even though he isn't built and dangerous compared to the rest of the group, I'm crushing on Nick's brother Jeremy! I hope him, and perhaps Jess hmmm..., gets a story as well down the line. But for the Hard men, I'm looking forward to Shane (Bk#2 HARD AS YOU CAN yay!), after all, who wouldn't want more of a "..big ass male model." *swipe* And then Marz (Bk#3 HARD TO COME BY). He really tugged on my heart, and not just because of his injury, his attitude as well. But I can't wait for more Hard Ink period! I was blown away by this first installment in the series, and from what I read, the subsequential books are bursting with promise! 

Crystal L: I have to admit, I loved all the secondary characters in this book. I'm definitely hyped up over the next book with Shane and the dancer we meet for a quick scene in this book, Crystal. Who's a redhead by the way. Ya'll know what that means right? HEEEEEEY... I'M A STRIPPER IN LAURA'S BOOK! *shakes the booty* No judging! A girl's allowed to dream. Especially since that would mean I could be "dancing" for the "big ass male model" Shane. Bow chica wow wow. *eyebrow wiggles* 


Lexi: Very nice choices, and I will let each of you have them since I already have Nick. Now please excuse me...I have a tattoo appointment. *grabs the remaining bottle of wine and follows Nick to the back* Till next time, enjoy Hard As It Gets! You will not be sorry.

Title: Hard As It Gets

Series: Hard Ink #1

Author: Laura Kaye

Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense

Release Date: November 26, 2013

Cover Quote: “Edgy, sexy, and full of suspense! A great read from a great new author!” ~J.R. Ward

Links: Amazon | Kindle | B&N | iTunes | Goodreads

Source: Publisher

Five dishonored soldiers.
Former Special Forces.
One last mission.
These are the men of Hard Ink.

Tall, dark, and lethal...
Trouble just walked into Nicholas Rixey's tattoo parlor. Becca Merritt is warm, sexy, wholesome--pure temptation to a very jaded Nick. He's left his military life behind to become co-owner of Hard Ink Tattoo, but Becca is his ex-commander's daughter. Loyalty won't let him turn her away. Lust has plenty to do with it too.
With her brother presumed kidnapped, Becca needs Nick. She just wasn't expecting to want him so much. As their investigation turns into all-out war with an organized crime ring, only Nick can protect her. And only Becca can heal the scars no one else sees.
Desire is the easy part. Love is as hard as it gets. Good thing Nick is always up for a challenge...

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.

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GIVEAWAY:

Tour wide giveaway provided by the publisher and author.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

LAURA KAYE'S HARD AS IT GETS TOUR SCHEDULE

November 29 – December 8, 2013

November 29

Sinfully Sexy Book Reviews http://sinfullysexybooks.blogspot.com/ 

Martini Times Romance http://martinitimes.com 

Book Addict Mumma http://bookaddictmumma.wordpress.com 

The Book Vamps http://thebookvamps.us 

Just Booked http://justbooked.blogspot.com/ 

Mary Elizabeth's Crazy Book Obsession http://www.maryelizabethscrazybookobsession.com/ 

A Love Affair With Books http://www.aloveaffairwithbooks.com/ 

November 30

mommy's a book whore http://mommysabookwhore.blogspot.com 

Crystal's Many Reviews http://www.crystalsmanyreviews.blogspot.com 

Shayna Renee's Spicy Reads http://shaynareneesspicyreads.com 

The Book Bellas www.thebookbellas.com 

Louisa's Reviews http://louisasreviews.wordpress.com/ 

Reading Between the Wines http://www.readingbetweenthewinesbookclub.com/ 

Talk Supe http://www.talkingsupe.com

Romance Readoholic http://romancereadoholic.blogspot.com/

December 1

The Book Junkie http://jothebookjunkie.blogspot.com 

Room With Books http://roomwithbooks.wordpress.com 

Crazy, Chaotic Book Babes http://crazychaoticbookbabes.blogspot.com 

Schmexy Girl Book Blog http://www.schmexygirlbookblog.com 

Foxylutely Book Reviews http://foxylutely.blogspot.co.uk 

Snarky Mom Reads... http://www.snarkymomreads.com 

December 2

Renee Entress's Blog http://reneeentress.blogspot.com 

Love Between the Sheets http://www.readlovelust.com 

Hesperia Loves Books http://www.hesperialovesbooks.com 

Fab Fun and Tantalizing Reads http://fabfunandtantalizingreads.com 

Reading Books Like a Boss http://readingbookslikeaboss.com 

Keep Calm & Read Romance http://keepcalmandreadromance.blogspot.com 

The SubClub Books www.thesubclubbooks.com 

December 3

Sugar and Spice Book Reviews http://sugarandspiceandeverythingnaughty.blogspot.com/ 

my daily romance http://mydailyromance.com/ 

Book Nerds Anonymous http://avasmith.org 

The Reading Cafe http://www.thereadingcafe.com/ 

Rumpled Sheets Blog http://rumpledsheetsblog.wordpress.com/ 

Chris' Book Blog Emporium http://chrisbookblogemporium.blogspot.com/ 

December 4

Love N. Books http://LoveNBooks.com 

Up All Night Book Blog http://upallnightbookblog.com 

Swoon Worthy Books www.swoonworthybooks.com 

The Book Hangover http://www.thebookhangover.wordpress.com 

True Story Book Blog http://truestorybookblog.com 

SMIBookClub http://SMIBookClub.com 

December 5

Just One More Romance http://justonemoreromance.blogspot.com/ 

The Blushing Reader www.blushingreader.com 

Bookaholics Blog http://bookaholics2.blogspot.com 

The Bookish Babe http://thebookishbabes.blogspot.com 

Nette's Bookshelf Reviews http://www.nettesbookshelf.blogspot.com 

December 6

Ramblings of a Book Lunatic http://booklunaticramblings.blogspot.com 

Liezel's Book Blog http://liezelsbookblog.net 

Under the Covers www.underthecoversbookblog.com 

BeanieBrain Reader http://beaniebrainreader.blogspot.com/ 

December 7

Smardy Pants Book Blog http://smardy-pants.blogspot.com/ 

Book Liaison http://www.bookliaison.net 

Romance Addict Book Blog http://www.romanceaddictbookblog.com/ 

C.W. Book Reviews http://www.houseofmalfunction.com/c-w-book-reviews 

Christine's Blog http://www.shebookblogs.com/ 

Love Drug Book Blog http://direeljagurl32.blogspot.com/ 

December 8

Cocktails and Books http://www.cocktailsandbooks.com 

Literary Nook http://literarynook.com 

Submit and Devour http://submitanddevour.com 

akiiKOMORI reading www.akiikomorireading.com 

Tiffany Talks Books tiffanytalksbooks.com