3.75 stars

A good, solid Contemporary Romance/Suspense. Good action and interesting grumpy-sunshine MCs. But be warned, the immediate mystery is solved in this book but it looks like the larger over-arching mystery will continue through the whole series. So it's a commitment.

It took me a really long time to get invested in this book but once I was invested I was all in. I normally stay away from suspense-romance because I’m a baby but I absolutely loved this book and so excited because I’m reading it a couple years after publication which means I get to read the other books in the series. First Laura Kaye book but definitely won’t be my last!

This was another scorcher from Laura Kaye.

Both the characters and the back story have such depth, you could very much wonder if this was a true story, even though we know its not.

Nick is the ultimate in sexy. An ex special forces man who is also a tattoo artist with a kind and loyal heart. It is not only an injury that causes him pain, but betrayal from his commander that he had trusted. I would love to gets my hands on this man thats for sure.

Becca is also a very strong individual. Its nice to have a female character than falls to pieces when things fall apart around her. When she needs to she can put everything aside and focus on what she needs to even if she is scared. The chemistry between both Nick and Becca was undeniably hot.

The other members of the Hard Ink team are also awesome. Jeremy is a cool brother and has a good sense of humour. The other members of Nicks team are a good bunch of guys even if they look intimidating and it was good to see the familiarity and loyalty they showed each other when they needed to, even if there was hostility between them at first.

I must admit, I'm gutted that I have waited so long to read this awesome-sauce book.

Becca's brother, Charlie, has gone missing, leaving her a cryptic message to get in touch with Rixey at the Hard Ink tattoo parlor. Charlie said that their father, a deceased Special Ops colonel, wasn't who they thought he was. Nick Rixey, scarred by an op gone wrong, knows Becca's father was dirty but is prevented from telling her that or clearing his name.

Nick isn't inclined to help the daughter of his former commanding officer who cost him and his team so much. But he also can't seem to stay away from her. Soon her life is on the line and Nick's protective instincts go into overdrive. And he begins to suspect that the danger to Becca and Charlie is related to what happened to his team in Afghanistan. He gathers his team again for one last op...

Some random thoughts:

I loved Nick. He was a tortured soul weighed down by undeserved guilt. He was so commanding and capable with Becca's protection and security he was scary. And yet he was so gentle with her when she needed him. :::sigh::: And sexy? Wow. Just wow.

Becca was a strong heroine. She stood up to Nick when necessary, and supported him when he needed it. She was an admirable and likable character.

I have to mention the three-legged puppy that Becca found and adopted. The naming of the puppy was a running gag that provided a lot of fun comic relief. I also loved Nick's specialty as a cook. It wasn't what you'd expect, which was a brilliant twist by Laura. And Nick's interactions with his brother were very realistic. I loved the way they cracked each other up.

Because this is the story of four soldiers, the story arc is not complete in this book. We'll have to wait for the answers to some of the questions raised. There is a satisfying conclusion to Nick and Becca's story, though, that will leave you feeling warm and cozy inside.

Enjoy!

3,5/5
La portada me da ganas de salir corriendo pero el libro no ha estado mal.

Read the full review on Bookaholics Not-So-Anonymous.

Hard as It Gets is the first novel in the highly popular Hard Ink series from bestselling author Laura Kaye, a series about five former Special Forces members working to restore their honor and one that's been on my to-be-read list for quite some time, with the books sitting on my tablet for a couple of months now. This was a fantastic beginning and one that sets up the rest of the series quite nicely, keeping things intriguing with a story arc that runs throughout while resolving whatever issues Nick Rixey and Becca Merritt face here, something that remains true for each couple featured. Nick is a guy who took his job in the Army to heart and what he had to endure after the betrayal of his commander wasn't limited to physical injuries sustained but the mental and emotional burden of having lost six of his friends and teammates and having failed the four others who survived alongside him but with whom he's lost contact.

I finished all the available books in the series in two days because as soon as I finished one, I found myself starting whatever was up next in the reading order and it was all thanks to this first book. I was drawn in by the story of five men who were stripped of their dignity and honor by the very institution they served loyally for years and banded together again, in spite of a year of separation that caused them to splinter and sow feelings of hurt and anger, to learn the truth and take back what was owed to them. I loved Nick and Becca together, their relationship being a difficult one to maneuver because of what Becca's father did. The combination of romance, action, and suspense kept my attention from the cover 'til the very end of the story, and had me itching to learn more about what else was in store for this cast of characters, ex-military and non-military. Hard as It Gets sets the bar high and is a highly recommended five-star read. ♥

The storyline was decent enough, but I just didn't like the lead couple...

It's been awhile since I enjoyed a romance as much as I liked this one! (Woo!)

Although fairly clichéd as these kind of alpha-male, feisty-heroine, navy seal, romantic suspense novels go, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I also really like the instant-attraction stories - and this is definitely one!

Action packed, steamy, sweet and with a (sort of) believable romance (are they ever that believeable?), albeit with a ridiculous plot - this is a great read, and a great start to a new series! Did I say steamy? Oh, indeed!

I would highly recommend it, but I would also recommend reading this one first before reading book 2 in the series, [b:Hard as You Can|18053019|Hard as You Can (Hard Ink, #2)|Laura Kaye|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1376316511s/18053019.jpg|25337937], as it looks like the overall mystery plot will be going through each book in the series.

This book was a lot different than I expected it to be.

Seeing the cover, name and the synopsis, I kinda thought it would be one those those stories with an over-abundance of sex scenes, okay plot and characters who says things no one would ever say in real life. It was not like that. Just proves that you shouldn't judge a book by the cover.

I really liked this book. I liked the plot and the mystery which is still not fully uncovered. The characters were all good and I care about them all. The romance was also good. I will definitely be reading the next book very soon.

The main problem I had with the book was the writing. It was a bit dull, meaning there wasn't much life to it and seemed almost like an emotion-lacking droll. The third-person wasn't done very well (there are one things that you avoid in third-person like "He was so screwed" when refering to the person who's POV was going on. The name should be used instead of "He" and some other stuff as well.) Also, the story is a bit slow.

If the writing was more interesting, this book could be a lot better. Maybe that'll get better as the series progresses. Fingers crossed.

That's all for this review. This is a good book. Not a "must read" but not a "should avoid" either. If it sounds interesting to you, go for it.