REVIEW - Hard As It Gets by Laura Kaye

I was absolutely thrilled to receive an ARC of this first book in the Hard Ink series to read and review. I'll admit to salivating with the NEED to read it since first laying eyes on the gorgeousness that is that wonderful cover. Laura Kaye has quickly become a must-read author for me and I'm happy to say, she just seems to get better and better.
You can hear Laura talking about her new series here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCb0qdCz4JI

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...

REVIEW

Laura Kaye has a knack for drawing you into the character's world and persona with a few choice words. 

Although Becca, our heroine looks soft and wholesome - as far from Nick as you can get - she soon proves that appearances are deceiving. Nick is forced to acknowledge early on that there is so much more to Becca than he ever expected and she earns his grudging respect, regardless that she is the daughter of someone he despises - with good reason. 

As I've come to expect from Ms. Kaye, the sexual tension is red-hot and builds like a tempest. It is most satisfying when they finally give in to their bodies needs. But the sex scenes aren't just about the characters scratching an itch. They're deeply emotional and sensual - and because of that, they are some of the most sexy I've ever read. Each encounter has meaning to Nick and Becca and leaves them becoming more enamored of each other. With the external conflicts both characters face - Becca needing to find her brother, Nick to clear his name and hide the fact it was Becca's father who put him in the position he finds himself in - their happy ever after is far from a sure thing. 

This book tackles a large cast and first-in-a-series necessary background information with style. No backstory dumping here. The reader learns all they need to about Nick and the terrible tragedy that he and his SpecialOp buddies suffer in bits and pieces and through dialogue. The pain they feel about that day and how it still affects them all is raw and honest and adds to the overall feel of grittiness and reality. Each member of the SpecialOp team have their own distinct personalities and I'm already looking forward to getting to know the others better in the follow-up books.

Overall - a great introduction to what is sure to be fantastic series. I'm hooked.