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…
MY THOUGHTS
Let me just start off by saying that I absolutely loved Hard to Come By. Derek is everything you could want in a hero. He's sweet, considerate, loyal, funny, protective and sexy as sin. I mean, when he really gets into it he has a fantastically dirty mouth and knows just how to take control. Though his relationship with Emilie begins as a mission, he is immediately drawn to her and can't help but continue to spend time with her. He doesn't even try to delude himself into believing it's all about finding her brother, knowing that he just wants to get closer to her.
After divorcing her cheating husband and dealing with her brother's ever-darkening psychological state, Emilie doesn't seem to have a reason to smile. But when Derek chats her up in a cafe and subsequently asks her out, Emilie finds herself laughing more than she can ever remember. She's never felt as wanted and cherished as she does at Derek's side.
What makes me love these characters so much is that they have real flaws and insecurities. Sure Derek is a gorgeous, muscular, tattooed badass but he lost 40% of his right leg during the ambush that killed so many of his teammates. He has to deal with a limp and insomnia, and has insecurities about his friends thinking that he is now weaker. But this never makes him overcompensate with cockiness or lash out in anger. He's a survivor, constantly adapting and finding a silver lining to any situation. He is always trying to ease tension with humor and make the people around him feel comfortable.
Both Derek and Emilie have adorable little quirks which make them feel like real people, like Derek's atrocious singing voice. Even though they're both so emotionally strong and face incredibly intense situations (kidnappings, bombings, shootings) they aren't afraid to show their vulnerability in private moments.
Laura Kaye really knocked one out of the park with Hard to Come By. Not only does she give us amazingly deep and endearing character who you can't help but fall in love with, but the sex in this novel feels so primal and raw thanks to Laura Kaye's brilliant use of dirty talk. This novel is a scorcher! And it's with two characters who couldn't deserve happiness more, which makes it all the better.
There's no fun in reading about perfect characters in ideal situations and Laura Kaye's Hard to Come By is here to remind us how utterly sexy flaws can be. I can't wait to see what the Hard Ink series has in store for us next.
Disclaimer: I received this book free in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions shared are my own.
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About the Author:
Laura is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over twenty books in contemporary and paranormal romance and romantic suspense. 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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