Review: Hard As It Gets by Laura Kaye

*I won this book in a blog contest*

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...

My Review

Becca Merritt is a nurse and has no idea what her brother has gotten himself into this time. When she reaches out for help, she wasn't expecting to find tall, sexy and tattooed there to help her. 

 Ex soldier Nicholas Rixey is sexy, determined and knows how got get things done. He's also got a few ghosts from his past that he really wants to get rid of. Nick has battle scars, both emotional and physical but he doesn't let that slow him down at all. He has something to do and he does it.

When Nick calls in the surviving members of his Special Forces unit who blame Becca's father for their dishonorable discharge, I wasn't sure how they were all going to work together. You get a bunch of ex soldiers in a room together who aren't all that friendly toward each other and the testosterone is bound to explode.

Becca held her own in this book. She's thrown into situations that she's not prepared for and she holds it together really well. Becca is exactly the type of heroine I like in my romance novels, tough but gentle and caring. Nick is all Alpha male yumminess when he needs to be and the stern but gentle soldier when the time is needed. 

I was waiting and waiting for Becca and Nick to finally get together because I just knew it was going to be hot and I was right. If there's one thing I know from reading some of Laura Kaye's other books is that she knows how to write a steaming hot sex scene and I wasn't disappointed, several times. *wink*

I was thoroughly involved in this story, trying to figure out who kidnapped Becca's brother and why. I like a good mystery, it keeps me thinking. 

I loved how the puppy in the book got her name, that was one of the funniest, sweetest parts in the book. I have a soft spot for three legged animals since I have a three legged rat. 

If you like mystery, action, sexy tattooed ex soldiers and passionate sex scenes then this is exactly the book to read. 

I give this book 5 stars