Hard Break

Deadlines & Diamonds #5

by Morgan Kearns

All Photojournalist Ian McCallister wants is a woman to love him. Not just any woman, though, his heart wants Kayla Black. He fell for the dark-haired, blue-eyed beauty the moment she smiled…and introduced her children.

Kayla Black is living her very own Happily-Ever-After. She has three beautiful children and a man she adores. Until the day her hero of a husband straps on his badge and is struck down by a drug dealer’s bullet.

Her perfect world shattered, Kayla has no interest in moving on and is only attempting it for her children. She doesn’t want help, doesn’t need it. And she certainly doesn’t need Ian. Or does she?

304 pages, Paperback

First published November 7, 2013

About the author

Morgan Kearns is an Emmy-Nominated Journalist turned Bestselling Contemporary Romance Author with readers cheering for her Deadlines & Diamonds series.

Some of her favorite people include those who step out of her thoughts asking for their stories to be told. Grab a book and meet them today!

If not glued to her laptop, Morgan can be found with her nose stuck in a book or cheering for her own little athletes. She lives in Northern Arizona with her amazing family and her English Bulldog, Gus.

Reviews

[Wanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always enjoy Morgan's books. And I jump at the chance to read an ARC of hers. But this book was a little hard for me to read. And I think it's because of Kayla's husband dying in the book. I'm an emotional type so when he was killed in the book, I felt really sad. In my eyes, I see it as a dad that won't see his kids grow up, see their milestones and so forth.

Now, normally I'm one that's all for moving on, in due time. I hate when I see a woman who gets destroyed by divorce or the death of a spouse, especially when she has kids. I understand that mourning is something we all go through. But when it consumes someone, it's even sadder. However, for some reason it bothered me a little when Kayla did move on. I can't really explain why. I liked her character a lot and I enjoyed Ian's character too.

I know that Ian wanted to be there for Kayla. And as much as I did like him, he bothered me a bit because I felt like he was too involved. To me, it almost felt like she wasn't given enough time to mourn her husband. In my opinion, she needed some time. Now here's where I feel conflicted. Although, I do feel that Ian was too involved, he did help the kids a lot. He was there for the kids when they needed him and I did like him for Kayla. Just not right now.

I really did enjoy this book a lot and though I wasn't thrilled with Kayla moving on the way she did. I am happy she had Ian. Ian genuinely loved her kids and I know that he would do what he had to do to make them all happy. And for that I give kudos to Morgan. She wrote the relationship before Ian and the kids so well that I was able to let go off the little that I didn't like. So I do recommend this book and I'll read anything else she puts on my lap. I give Hard Break a 3.5 stars! I highly recommend you all the read the entire series!!

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars. What do you do when the woman you love is married to someone else, someone you actually like and respect? Well, for Ian, you do nothing and everything. Knowing he is madly in love with a married woman, who has three kids doesn't seem to bother Ian until tragedy happens. Kayla is Ian's neighbor who happens to be the married woman he is in love with. Ian is exactly what Kayla needs in her life when her world falls apart. The death of her husband turns all their lives upside down but no matter how many times Kayla tells Ian she doesn't need or want him around, he doesn't give up. With all the love and help he can give Kayla and her kids, Ian slowly helps them get past their heartache and rejoin the world around them. Before Kayla realizes it Ian is so much more than just her hot, younger neighbor who is in love with her.

[Raquel Vega-Grieder · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't know how Morgan does it, each book in her Deadlines & Diamonds Series just gets better and better. I found that I could so relate to Ian, (having liked boys in that past that were with other girls), because I know first hand how it feels to want someone that you can not have. That is another reason why I love Morgan's books because she has a way of making her stories relateable to everyone.

Ian McCallister is the HOT Photojournalist who lives next door to the picture perfect family known as the Black's. From the first moment Ian sets his eyes on Kayla Black he knows his heart is lost to her. BUT, Ian has principles and even though he longs for Kayla and loves spending time with her three children he would never do anything to break up her happy home she has with her husband Leon.

Kayla Black has the perfect life, she is married to the man of her dreams Leon and has three wonderful children she adores. The only hitch in their idealistic life is that Leon has a very dangerous job. Leon being a cop always left Kayla a little worried but she never let it come between them.

Ian and Kayla's world gets turned upside down by a random drug dealers bullet. Kayla is beyond consoling and Ian just wants to do everything in his power to help her get through this nightmare. All Kayla wants to do is curl up in a ball and cry for her lost love. Ian wants nothing more than to be there for her and her children until she can pick up the pieces of her life and carry on.

This book tugged at my heart from beginning to end. I felt for both Kayla in her despair and for Ian who can help who he has fallen in love with. On the one hand I wanted to root for Ian to get his love but I felt conflicted because I didn't want it to come about the way it did with Leon's death. Ian and Kayla's story was bittersweet and filled with ups and downs to keep me glued throughout the whole story. I can't say anymore without ruining this story for everyone. On a scale from 1-10 I give Hard Break a 10. It had all the elements I have grown to love in a Morgan Kearns story and keeps me wanting more. If you are looking for a good read that will pull at your heart and keep you rooting for their Happily Ever After than this book is for you. If you are a fan of Morgan Kearns and her Deadlines & Diamonds Series. than this book is a must have. If you are looking for a great new to you author to read than Morgan Kearns is the author for you. Pick up a copy of Hard Break (and all her books in this series if you don't have them already) and let Kayla and Ian bare their souls to you and warm your heart in the process.

[Diana Jacobsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kayla had the perfect life the perfect husband and three beautiful kids. Her life is wonderful, until a devastating turn of events flipped her life on its axis. She has to find a way pick up the pieces. But with a close friend to lean on, will she make it. Morgan Kearns has done it again, brought the emotions of the characters to the forefront of my heart and had me aching for more. Her writing is poignant and through every word and description the heartache, love and happy ever after is felt.

[InD'tale Magazine · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5.0

“Hard Break” hits on every emotion. Readers will be crying, laughing and hugging their families after reading this fifth installment in the “Deadlines and Diamonds” series.

Read full review in the 2014 March issue of InD’tale Magazine.

[Tara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another book of Morgan's that I couldn't put down! I loved how "real" the people in this book were. Keep them coming Morgan!!!

[Szinna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Az elején még nagyon tetszett, aztán egyre kevésbé bírtam benyelni a történetet. A főhős Ian egy szent. Sőt még annál is jobb. A hősnőt eleinte kedveltem… aztán már nem. Erősen meginogtam, hogy folytassam-e a könyvet, amikor kitalálta, hogy amíg össze nem házasodnak nincs több szex, mert árt a gyerekeinek, ha rájönnek. Nem zavarta, hogy a pasi nem kérte meg a kezét, sőt a házasság mint olyan fel sem merült beszédtémaként. Amikor végül Ian begurult, mert választás elé állította a nő, hogy az élete álma, vagy ő, akkor már tapsoltam, hogy végre nemet mond erre a sok baromságra. Nem lett a kedvencem maradjunk ennyiben.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emotionally Charged Book! This is a book that will have you crying, laughing, cheering and swooning! The author, Morgan does a wonderful job of not only painting a picture we can see in our minds eye, but evoking our emotions! I could feel the pain, love and confusion of Kayla as she is faced with every wife's worst nightmare. I loved our hero in this book. Talk about a Knight in Shining Armor! Ian has it all, looks, love, patience, sexiness, and most of all, the biggest heart! Morgans' books are sexy and romantic, but this one brings all the sexual tension to a whole new emotionally charged level.

[Jennie Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ian knows that he has a love that cannot be acted upon but when circumstances change through tragedy, will he act on it?

Morgan Kearns has done it again. The fifth installment in her Deadlines & Diamonds series is yet another piece of magic that will leave you breathless and invested in the lives of the characters. I couldn't get enough of Ian and Kayla and felt every emotion that they both experienced as they dealt with so much strife in order to find joy.

It never fails that when I begin reading one of Morgan's books, I can't out it down and then when it is over... I want more! Make sure to move this one to the top of your reading pile!!!

[Erika · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is Ian and Kayla's story and it was a heart warming (some times wrenching) love story of loss, hope and finding your way back to new love. I loved all three of Kayla's kids but I loved Chase the most, he was such a wonderful and intuitive young man. This story will have you laughing and crying in equal parts, and some parts will have you thinking the author is out to torture you with how sad some of the parts are.

[Karen Cino · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely enjoyed this book. I loved the relationship between Ian and Kayla along with her kids. The writing was solid and the interaction between Ian, Kayla and her kids was true to life. I have really enjoyed the whole Deadlines & Diamonds Series. I look forward to the next book.

[Darcie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a beautiful story with amazing characters. The kids added some amazing love and hope to this story. I love Ian so much!