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Hard Ink #3.5
Hard to Be Good
Length: 11 hrs and 40 mins
Hard Ink Tattoo owner Jeremy Rixey has taken on his brother’s stateside fight against the forces that nearly killed Nick and his Special Forces team a year before. Now, Jeremy’s whole world has been turned upside down—not the least of which by a brilliant, quiet blond man who tempts Jeremy to settle down for the first time ever.
Recent kidnapping victim Charlie Merritt has always been better with computers than people, so when he’s drawn into the SF team’s investigation of his army colonel father’s corruption, he’s surprised to find acceptance and friendship—especially since his father never accepted who Charlie was. Even more surprising is the heated tension Charlie feels with sexy, tattooed Jeremy, Charlie’s opposite in almost every way.
With tragedy and chaos all around them, temptation flashes hot, and Jeremy and Charlie can’t help but wonder why they’re trying so hard to be good...
Hard Ink Tattoo owner Jeremy Rixey has taken on his brother’s stateside fight against the forces that nearly killed Nick and his Special Forces team a year before. Now, Jeremy’s whole world has been turned upside down—not the least of which by a brilliant, quiet blond man who tempts Jeremy to settle down for the first time ever.
Recent kidnapping victim Charlie Merritt has always been better with computers than people, so when he’s drawn into the SF team’s investigation of his army colonel father’s corruption, he’s surprised to find acceptance and friendship—especially since his father never accepted who Charlie was. Even more surprising is the heated tension Charlie feels with sexy, tattooed Jeremy, Charlie’s opposite in almost every way.
With tragedy and chaos all around them, temptation flashes hot, and Jeremy and Charlie can’t help but wonder why they’re trying so hard to be good...
160 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published April 7, 2015
126 people are currently reading
3680 people want to read
About the author
Laura Kaye
80 books7,512 followersLaura Kaye is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author of contemporary and erotic romance and romantic suspense, including the Hard Ink, Raven Riders, Blasphemy, Heroes, and Hearts of the Anemoi series. Laura's hot, heartfelt stories are all about the universal desire for a place to belong. Laura grew up amidst family lore involving angels, ghosts, and evil-eye curses, cementing her life-long fascination with storytelling and the supernatural. Laura also writes historical fiction as Laura Kamoie, and lives in Maryland with her husband and two daughters, and appreciates her view of the Chesapeake Bay every day.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 519 reviews
May 5, 2015
4 - "You're always good company, to me." Stars!
Hard to Be Good is the fifth book/novella in Laura Kaye’s Hard Ink Series, this is more of an interlude than anything, and doesn’t offer a huge amount of development on the bigger issues that Nick Rixey and the rest of his remaining team are trying to investigate and solve in relation to their discharge from the Army. This novella focuses on Jeremy (Nick’s brother) and Charlie Merritt, the guy that basically started the ball rolling in book one, Hard as It Gets, by being the victim of a kidnapping.
I will admit that I am not a huge M/M reader, it is not a genre I would actively seek out under normal circumstances, but Laura has interspersed the story and relationship development between Charlie and Jer, throughout the previous books in the series, and having followed their journey through all the thrills and spills in the previous installments, I was just as excited to read of them finally getting their happily ever after, just as much as everyone else in the crew.
Jer is quite an outgoing and vivacious character, being inked and pierced he is pretty much the opposite to shy and introverted Charlie, but their bond was built whilst Charlie was recovering from his ordeal, and their emotional connection strengthened by the time they have spent together in close quarters living and working above the Hard Ink Studio, not forgetting the attraction that has grown and been simmering between them as they spend more and more time together.
"I'm real... This - what's happening between us - is real."
I found this quite an emotional read, Jer has so much more to him than the ink and metal that is immediately visible, his sensitivity to the suffering of those around him and the loss of team members that he perceives to be his fault is something he tries to hide from the others, but Charlie sees past the jovial façade and jokey t-shirts to the hurt and guilt ridden guy inside. On the other side, Jer offers Charlie the things that he struggles with in the form of acceptance of who he is and how he wants to live.
As I said you don’t need to read this novella to keep up with the Hard Ink series as a whole, but Laura has given Jeremy and Charlie such a sweet, sexy (a ten on the hotness scale for me) and emotional coming together, that I would recommend you give it a try.
”Now that I’ve seen you cock, I’m not going to be able to live without feeling it in my throat.”
The humor is still there as well, and the interaction with the rest of the team as well as the inclusion of a one eyed cat, breaks it all up nicely with a few well placed giggles. Beckett Murda and Kat Rixey are up next in the final (sad face) book in the Hard Ink series, Hard to Let Go is due in June, and the title says it all, because it will be extremely Hard to Let Go of this series and the characters in it, they have all been so easy to fall in love with.
ARC generously provided by the publisher via Edelweiss, and it was my absolute pleasure to provide the above honest review.
Hard to Be Good is the fifth book/novella in Laura Kaye’s Hard Ink Series, this is more of an interlude than anything, and doesn’t offer a huge amount of development on the bigger issues that Nick Rixey and the rest of his remaining team are trying to investigate and solve in relation to their discharge from the Army. This novella focuses on Jeremy (Nick’s brother) and Charlie Merritt, the guy that basically started the ball rolling in book one, Hard as It Gets, by being the victim of a kidnapping.
I will admit that I am not a huge M/M reader, it is not a genre I would actively seek out under normal circumstances, but Laura has interspersed the story and relationship development between Charlie and Jer, throughout the previous books in the series, and having followed their journey through all the thrills and spills in the previous installments, I was just as excited to read of them finally getting their happily ever after, just as much as everyone else in the crew.
Jer is quite an outgoing and vivacious character, being inked and pierced he is pretty much the opposite to shy and introverted Charlie, but their bond was built whilst Charlie was recovering from his ordeal, and their emotional connection strengthened by the time they have spent together in close quarters living and working above the Hard Ink Studio, not forgetting the attraction that has grown and been simmering between them as they spend more and more time together.
"I'm real... This - what's happening between us - is real."
I found this quite an emotional read, Jer has so much more to him than the ink and metal that is immediately visible, his sensitivity to the suffering of those around him and the loss of team members that he perceives to be his fault is something he tries to hide from the others, but Charlie sees past the jovial façade and jokey t-shirts to the hurt and guilt ridden guy inside. On the other side, Jer offers Charlie the things that he struggles with in the form of acceptance of who he is and how he wants to live.
As I said you don’t need to read this novella to keep up with the Hard Ink series as a whole, but Laura has given Jeremy and Charlie such a sweet, sexy (a ten on the hotness scale for me) and emotional coming together, that I would recommend you give it a try.
”Now that I’ve seen you cock, I’m not going to be able to live without feeling it in my throat.”
The humor is still there as well, and the interaction with the rest of the team as well as the inclusion of a one eyed cat, breaks it all up nicely with a few well placed giggles. Beckett Murda and Kat Rixey are up next in the final (sad face) book in the Hard Ink series, Hard to Let Go is due in June, and the title says it all, because it will be extremely Hard to Let Go of this series and the characters in it, they have all been so easy to fall in love with.
ARC generously provided by the publisher via Edelweiss, and it was my absolute pleasure to provide the above honest review.
uncouth-author
May 12, 2020Review and rating removed
April 13, 2015
"Hard to Be Good" is book 3.5 in Laura Kaye's Hard Ink series and her first foray into m/m. Laura Kaye is a go-to het romance author for me and her "Hearts in Darkness" novella is one of my favorite sexy reads! That being said, I was no less nervous for her crossing over...and though it's being done much more successfully these days by many authors, it's not a guaranteed home run.
Thankfully, she completely stuck to what I love about her other books and remained really true to her style. And it worked.
First, this book...well, I'm gonna say it though I'm not sure if this is the official line...it really CANNOT be read as a standalone. I think the author tries to do some backtelling of the stories that lead up to Jeremy and Charlie falling for each other. But those summary statements really fall short. And frankly, they make the book weaker...muddied. I personally would have preferred a lot less review of the lead up and more of the story itself. Though I've read the entire series, I will say that you probably can just read book 3, Hard to Come By, and have a good grasp of what's going on.
Jeremy is the owner of a tattoo shop and Charlie is a computer-expert...and they have family ties to many of the characters introduced in earlier books. Jeremy is bi-sexual, outgoing, and sexy-as-fuck. Charlie is a bit shyer, has gone through hell and back, and warms my heart. The two of them together make SUCH a sweet couple, I wanted to jump for joy that it was finally happening.
Laura Kaye knows how to write sexy...not just sex...but sexy. Every interaction between the two was FILLED with sexual tension and it was HOT and also SWEET and at times FUNNY. The connection and pull of attraction between Jeremy and Charlie was so strong, I felt RIGHT THERE the whole time I was reading. Like I was some tattood biker chick voyeur in the background! (creepy). And it was also great seeing some of my favorite characters from previous books play heavily into the story.
This novella is not as gritty or dark as the books that lead up to it, but no less a part of the continuing storyline. A bit of a breather in-between all the tough action.
So, I highly recommend reading this...if you're a Hard Ink fan. And if you're just curious about Laura Kaye writing m/m, you probably *could* read it on it's own, but it just wouldn't be as satisfying.
Looking forward, I hope, to more crossing over from this author!
own-need-to-read
October 26, 2015Squeeeeeeee!
Finally starting Jeremy and Charlie's story!!!
And yummmmmmy on the cover!!! Niiiiiiiiice!
Finally starting Jeremy and Charlie's story!!!
And yummmmmmy on the cover!!! Niiiiiiiiice!
April 14, 2015
I would like to state something first -- I really think that Hard to be Good cannot be read as stand-alone. This novella happens right after the event in book #3 and while it might lack in actions (the tone is similar to the other novella, Easy's story, sort of like taking a breather in between the more serious plot) but the big casts surrounding Jeremy and Charlie as the main characters might confuse M/M readers who only want to read this installment. Ms. Kaye might try to give short recaps here and there but I truly think the experience of reading will be different.
In addition, the story happens within the span of a couple of days. For those who are not with Jeremy and Charlie since the beginning might think that it happens too fast for both men to say that they love one another. When in actuality, it is practically the culmination of friendship and some sexual tensions that happened for a couple of weeks, ever since Charlie was saved by Nick and his brothers-in-arms then being brought to Jeremy's place.
As someone who read all three books and one novella of this series prior to this one, Jeremy and Charlie's being together is one thing I have been excited about. I love Jeremy Rixey; this bisexual tattoo artist is one of my favorite characters in the series (aside from Marz). I think his sunny disposition always makes everything a little brighter. Despite being a civilian, Jeremy has as important role as the rest. He opens his house to shelter his brother's friends and their loved ones. Jeremy's funny and can bring smile to everyone's face -- and that makes him pretty sexy for me.
Meanwhile, Charlie Merritt is a little bit shy and quieter compared to Jeremy. He is more comfortable with computers rather than with other people. This is the first time that Charlie gets his own chapters and I loved finding out more about him. The rejection of his own father makes Charlie not as confident as he wants to be. He's worried if Nick and the rest of the men don't approve of his sexuality as well -- and it will hurt him if it happens especially since Charlie owes his life to them. So he approaches the relationship with Jeremy rather tentatively.
I really thought they were really sweet together. Since Jeremy and Charlie spend time together 'slightly' longer than the rest of the heterosexual couple, I thought they had stronger connection. There were enough sexy moments, tender moments, and at times funny and light moments (mostly courtesy of Jeremy's *lol*) that made me really happy.
All in all, this novella is my FAVORITE story from the series. Did I wish I get more pages? Yes, I did. But either way, I'm quite satisfied with how Ms. Kaye writes Jeremy and Charlie's.
I do have a HUGE complain about the cover though. Seriously, Avon doesn't have any money to hire the RIGHT models for the cover? They do nicely for the NOVELS but for this novella, it's not like they're even trying. Only use stock photo that doesn't even match the character physical traits. Look, I don't usually raise a ruckus over models on book covers because I'm NOT a visual person and usually have hard time imagining what characters look like. However, Jeremy has number of facial piercings and Charlie has long strands of BLOND HAIR! Can you see any of THAT description from the two men in the cover?!? Jeez.
PS: We have additional family members to the team!! A one-eyed orange tabby that named Cy (after Cyclops). I would love to see the cat gets more scenes in the final book alongside Eileen, the three-legged German puppy :)
In addition, the story happens within the span of a couple of days. For those who are not with Jeremy and Charlie since the beginning might think that it happens too fast for both men to say that they love one another. When in actuality, it is practically the culmination of friendship and some sexual tensions that happened for a couple of weeks, ever since Charlie was saved by Nick and his brothers-in-arms then being brought to Jeremy's place.
As someone who read all three books and one novella of this series prior to this one, Jeremy and Charlie's being together is one thing I have been excited about. I love Jeremy Rixey; this bisexual tattoo artist is one of my favorite characters in the series (aside from Marz). I think his sunny disposition always makes everything a little brighter. Despite being a civilian, Jeremy has as important role as the rest. He opens his house to shelter his brother's friends and their loved ones. Jeremy's funny and can bring smile to everyone's face -- and that makes him pretty sexy for me.
Meanwhile, Charlie Merritt is a little bit shy and quieter compared to Jeremy. He is more comfortable with computers rather than with other people. This is the first time that Charlie gets his own chapters and I loved finding out more about him. The rejection of his own father makes Charlie not as confident as he wants to be. He's worried if Nick and the rest of the men don't approve of his sexuality as well -- and it will hurt him if it happens especially since Charlie owes his life to them. So he approaches the relationship with Jeremy rather tentatively.
I really thought they were really sweet together. Since Jeremy and Charlie spend time together 'slightly' longer than the rest of the heterosexual couple, I thought they had stronger connection. There were enough sexy moments, tender moments, and at times funny and light moments (mostly courtesy of Jeremy's *lol*) that made me really happy.
All in all, this novella is my FAVORITE story from the series. Did I wish I get more pages? Yes, I did. But either way, I'm quite satisfied with how Ms. Kaye writes Jeremy and Charlie's.
I do have a HUGE complain about the cover though. Seriously, Avon doesn't have any money to hire the RIGHT models for the cover? They do nicely for the NOVELS but for this novella, it's not like they're even trying. Only use stock photo that doesn't even match the character physical traits. Look, I don't usually raise a ruckus over models on book covers because I'm NOT a visual person and usually have hard time imagining what characters look like. However, Jeremy has number of facial piercings and Charlie has long strands of BLOND HAIR! Can you see any of THAT description from the two men in the cover?!? Jeez.
PS: We have additional family members to the team!! A one-eyed orange tabby that named Cy (after Cyclops). I would love to see the cat gets more scenes in the final book alongside Eileen, the three-legged German puppy :)
April 16, 2015
First off, BRAVO, Laura Kaye! And thumbs up to the powers-that-be at Avon publishing that gave her the go-ahead to publish an M/M novella in the midst of a M/F military suspense series.
I'm SO HAPPY!
From book 1, I knew Jeremy needed his own story. He IS charisma. Fun, smart, sarcastic, sexy, artistic and possessing a heart that's wide open. If I were in this warehouse with these guys, I would gravitate toward Jeremy. Getting little glimpses of Jeremy is more than half of the reason I've read each book in the series. I need to know what shirt he's wearing, I need to see if there's anymore longing glances shared with Charlie... I need to see him jump into the dangerous fray with the rest of the soldiers even though he's not part of Nick's unit of men. I just love Jeremy.
But guess what. Charlie stole this show, baby! Charlie has been on the fringes of this series as a character we just can't really know because he's shy--prone to blushes and introspection---we haven't been in his head AT ALL until now. And I'm so glad we are.
Charlie breaks my heart with his love for Jeremy and his desire to overcome his fears. His vulnerability was something that twisted my heart all up.
Surprise curled through Charlie's gut- both at being included and at how good being included felt. He spent so much time alone in front of a computer that he'd nearly forgotten how being with others chased the cold loneliness away and filled him with warmth. He hadn't had that in so long.
There's no need to worry about Charlie's vulnerability when Jeremy's around. He's the last person to treat anybody in a careless way, least of all Charlie. And these two come together so easily and in such a sweet and HOT (so very hot) way.
For those of you out there who choose not to read this novella because M/M isn't your thing, the good news is that not much of the overall storyline was progressed here. I can sum up some of the things that might be of interest for the next book: So, it's not completely necessary to read this installment, but I can't imagine why anyone would want to miss out on being in the heads of Jeremy and Charlie. I LOVE these guys and their lovemaking is so smokin' hot--this is most definitely THE HOTTEST of this series.
I'm SO HAPPY!
From book 1, I knew Jeremy needed his own story. He IS charisma. Fun, smart, sarcastic, sexy, artistic and possessing a heart that's wide open. If I were in this warehouse with these guys, I would gravitate toward Jeremy. Getting little glimpses of Jeremy is more than half of the reason I've read each book in the series. I need to know what shirt he's wearing, I need to see if there's anymore longing glances shared with Charlie... I need to see him jump into the dangerous fray with the rest of the soldiers even though he's not part of Nick's unit of men. I just love Jeremy.
But guess what. Charlie stole this show, baby! Charlie has been on the fringes of this series as a character we just can't really know because he's shy--prone to blushes and introspection---we haven't been in his head AT ALL until now. And I'm so glad we are.
Charlie breaks my heart with his love for Jeremy and his desire to overcome his fears. His vulnerability was something that twisted my heart all up.
Surprise curled through Charlie's gut- both at being included and at how good being included felt. He spent so much time alone in front of a computer that he'd nearly forgotten how being with others chased the cold loneliness away and filled him with warmth. He hadn't had that in so long.
There's no need to worry about Charlie's vulnerability when Jeremy's around. He's the last person to treat anybody in a careless way, least of all Charlie. And these two come together so easily and in such a sweet and HOT (so very hot) way.
For those of you out there who choose not to read this novella because M/M isn't your thing, the good news is that not much of the overall storyline was progressed here. I can sum up some of the things that might be of interest for the next book: So, it's not completely necessary to read this installment, but I can't imagine why anyone would want to miss out on being in the heads of Jeremy and Charlie. I LOVE these guys and their lovemaking is so smokin' hot--this is most definitely THE HOTTEST of this series.
April 28, 2015
When I’ve learned that Jeremy and Charlie will have their own story, I was like:
“Oh goodie!”
Well, I already like Jeremy so much and I’m not really sure of who will be his love interest-yeah, I know, I had my suspicions but he’s a bi, you know? I was thinking, maybe another one into the mix- but learning that it was Charlie? Things have just gotten interesting.
Me:
Okay, where do I sign up to get my own unicorn?
Wait. What? Oh! Oh!
But more than the hot men, passion, and the sex, well, wait my brain is just getting out of the fog.
Aside from the sex, let it be known that the humor have not been forgotten. Finding a stray cat, the naming game, and of course, Jeremy’s vast collection of innuendo-filled statement shirts. But yeah, what’s a good story without it hurting me? I know, I’m a sucker for it.
A short, hot story of Jeremy and Charlie. It was a good and fun read, I’ve enjoyed it a lot. Oh yeah. I hope there’s more of them but what the heck, wanting more is the exciting part of it.
Me:
And holy. Fucking. Hell.
Charlie was hung.
He had a good ten inches of long, hard, hot cock.
It was like learning that unicorns were real.
Okay, where do I sign up to get my own unicorn?
“A Prince Albert. Well, two of them.”
Wait. What? Oh! Oh!
But more than the hot men, passion, and the sex, well, wait my brain is just getting out of the fog.
“I wanted to remind myself to live life looking forward, not second-guessing every decision I’ve made and step I’ve taken.”
“Conquering fear didn’t mean not being afraid, it meant being afraid of something and doing it anyway. It meant saying no to fear-no you can’t rule me, no you can’t hold me back, no you can’t keep me from the things I want the most.”
Aside from the sex, let it be known that the humor have not been forgotten. Finding a stray cat, the naming game, and of course, Jeremy’s vast collection of innuendo-filled statement shirts. But yeah, what’s a good story without it hurting me? I know, I’m a sucker for it.
His heart hurt, like it was suddenly and violently empty.
A short, hot story of Jeremy and Charlie. It was a good and fun read, I’ve enjoyed it a lot. Oh yeah. I hope there’s more of them but what the heck, wanting more is the exciting part of it.
March 20, 2015
Oh. My. Hotness.
I have been wanting a book for Jeremy since the very beginning of the Hark Ink series. My only complaint is that it's way too short! Don't get me wrong - it's a nice sized novella that fills in some holes and even made me laugh a few times. It gives readers a glimpse into both Charlie's and Jeremy's heads, which is both sweet and heartbreaking at the same time. But, it was over way too soon! I was loving my time with this new couple so much, I was sad to see it end so quickly.
Both Jeremy and Charlie are beaten down and guilt-ridden over all the events that have happened in the past few weeks. Although their friends and family have found love and happiness among the devastation, these two guys are shouldering a lot of the blame for those that haven't made it. They've both tried to hide their mutual attraction for each other up until now, and it's like they both decided at the same time that it's their turn to try and find some comfort and happiness for a change.
They don't have an easy road. Most of the reason why lies within Charlie. His father has drilled into him how wrong it is to like men, and even though his dad is gone, his words and his actions have stuck with Charlie. The others in their group - especially Jeremy's and Charlie's family members - have tried in subtle ways to let these two know that they would support them getting together and being open about it, old habits die hard, and Charlie has a difficult time getting past them.
Thankfully, Jeremy is patient and willing to wait for something he wants so badly. He's content with stealing some moments here and there with Charlie in private. At least for a little while. And those moments - OMG.
The chemistry between Jer and Charlie was absolutely incredible. They were so hot together. Laura Kaye took this spark between two compelling and compassionate men and ignited it to bonfire proportions. But, in addition to the ridiculously combustable sex, there was so much feeling in Jer and Charlie's relationship. They've both been through so much together. Their shared joys and tragedies have only strengthened the connection between them.
I read Hard to Be Good last night. This morning, I started it again, because once was just not enough for me.
I have been wanting a book for Jeremy since the very beginning of the Hark Ink series. My only complaint is that it's way too short! Don't get me wrong - it's a nice sized novella that fills in some holes and even made me laugh a few times. It gives readers a glimpse into both Charlie's and Jeremy's heads, which is both sweet and heartbreaking at the same time. But, it was over way too soon! I was loving my time with this new couple so much, I was sad to see it end so quickly.
Both Jeremy and Charlie are beaten down and guilt-ridden over all the events that have happened in the past few weeks. Although their friends and family have found love and happiness among the devastation, these two guys are shouldering a lot of the blame for those that haven't made it. They've both tried to hide their mutual attraction for each other up until now, and it's like they both decided at the same time that it's their turn to try and find some comfort and happiness for a change.
They don't have an easy road. Most of the reason why lies within Charlie. His father has drilled into him how wrong it is to like men, and even though his dad is gone, his words and his actions have stuck with Charlie. The others in their group - especially Jeremy's and Charlie's family members - have tried in subtle ways to let these two know that they would support them getting together and being open about it, old habits die hard, and Charlie has a difficult time getting past them.
Thankfully, Jeremy is patient and willing to wait for something he wants so badly. He's content with stealing some moments here and there with Charlie in private. At least for a little while. And those moments - OMG.
The chemistry between Jer and Charlie was absolutely incredible. They were so hot together. Laura Kaye took this spark between two compelling and compassionate men and ignited it to bonfire proportions. But, in addition to the ridiculously combustable sex, there was so much feeling in Jer and Charlie's relationship. They've both been through so much together. Their shared joys and tragedies have only strengthened the connection between them.
I read Hard to Be Good last night. This morning, I started it again, because once was just not enough for me.
January 29, 2019
Hard to Be Good was a novella within Laura Kaye’s Hard Ink series.
Charlie Merritt was the brother to Becca (Hard As It Gets, book one) and had been kidnapped and tortured as a result of investigating parts of his father’s death. Although changed forever, he survived thanks to the former Navy Seal rescue team. He had come clean to the world when he was nineteen that he was gay and had been living opening ever since.
Jeremy was a successful tattoo artist, owned his own shop and was Nick’s brother (book one). He was the happy go lucky one that wore these outrageously funny sexual innuendo t-shirts. He was openly bisexual, being equally attracted to both sexes.
We knew Jeremy and Charlie were attracted to each other but nothing had come of it until now. Hard to Be Good was a quick and sweet novella outlining their pursuit and acceptance.
The main suspenseful storyline was a continuation from the previous books but as a novella, it was secondary and only highlighted what was to come in future books. Kat and Beckett are next in Hard to Let Go.
Charlie Merritt was the brother to Becca (Hard As It Gets, book one) and had been kidnapped and tortured as a result of investigating parts of his father’s death. Although changed forever, he survived thanks to the former Navy Seal rescue team. He had come clean to the world when he was nineteen that he was gay and had been living opening ever since.
Jeremy was a successful tattoo artist, owned his own shop and was Nick’s brother (book one). He was the happy go lucky one that wore these outrageously funny sexual innuendo t-shirts. He was openly bisexual, being equally attracted to both sexes.
We knew Jeremy and Charlie were attracted to each other but nothing had come of it until now. Hard to Be Good was a quick and sweet novella outlining their pursuit and acceptance.
The main suspenseful storyline was a continuation from the previous books but as a novella, it was secondary and only highlighted what was to come in future books. Kat and Beckett are next in Hard to Let Go.
July 9, 2015
Breathe in, Breathe out, Breathe in, Breathe out, gotta remember to Breathe in, Breathe out, Breathe in, Breathe out.....
HOLY FUCKIN HOTNESS BATMAN, IT'S
I'm
with
Can I need any more?????
YES......
"I want you to fuck my mouth. Just the thought of it is making me hard again."
"I can take you deepest if I lay on the table and let my head hang off the end."
A shudder ran through Charlie's body. "Jesus. Jeremy. So...You want..." He shrugged. "You want to be together again?"
"Dude." Jeremy leaned in for another kiss, then rested his forehead on Charlie's. "Yes. Again. And again. And again."
This book will lead to a lot of very
And I must give a special Shout out to Eileen and Cy. They AB-So-FUCKIN-LUTE-LY ROCK!!!!
Reading Order
Hard As it Gets (Hard Ink 1)
Hard as you Can (Hard Ink 2)
Hard to Hold on To (Hard Ink 2.5)
Hard to Come By (Hard Ink 3)
Hard to Be Good (Hard Ink 3.5)
Only, Always, Forever: A Hard Ink Bonus Story (Hard Ink 3.6)
Hard to Let Go (Hard Ink 4)
TBR 9.22.15Hard as Steel (Hard Ink 4.5 Raven Riders MC crossover)
TBR 2.23.16Ride Hard (Raven Riders MC 1)
TBR 1.19.16Hard Ever After (Hard Ink)
April 17, 2015
I wanted to give this five stars, but the ending was a little more abrupt than I wanted and there were some conversations I wanted both characters to have with others. Plus ... that timeline. O_O
This is the m/m romance of Jeremy and Charlie. They're characters in Laura Kaye's excellent Romantic Suspense series, "Hard Ink". The last story ended up with a beautiful HEA amidst serious heartache and trauma. I was thrilled to see that Jeremy and Charlie were going to get a story next and I did love them. They're a great couple.
There are several things about this series that are fascinating. Kaye is great at creating intriguing characters and pairing them with great love interests. The chemistry is believable and the HEAs are satisfying. The thing is ... the series timeline started two weeks ago. And already five couples have emerged. Soul mate couples. It's instalove for sure. At least Jeremy and Charlie met each other at the very beginning of this saga so they've got a couple of weeks acquaintance, but that's not how it is for all of them.
The nature of the suspense arc is what's keeping the timeline so compressed, I suppose. It is a little distracting to me, though, as I can't help shaking my head that all this permanent hookup is happening in a half a month's time.
There wasn't really any action in this one. The novellas don't seem to go there as, I assume they're not meant to add too much to the main arc. But it would also have been nice to get the sense of how completely shell shocked they must have been after the events of the last book. I wasn't getting that very much at all from them.
Laura Kaye does a wonderful job with this series. I did want just a touch more from this story, but it's still easily 4.5 stars (GR: Bean wants half star access now). Both of their doubts are real. Their reactions to everything happening around them are organic and not contrived. They're likable enough to have me wanting to see them again in the future.
I think, however, there's only one left in this series. The offshoot MC series is coming soon as well. Looking forward to all of it!
This is the m/m romance of Jeremy and Charlie. They're characters in Laura Kaye's excellent Romantic Suspense series, "Hard Ink". The last story ended up with a beautiful HEA amidst serious heartache and trauma. I was thrilled to see that Jeremy and Charlie were going to get a story next and I did love them. They're a great couple.
There are several things about this series that are fascinating. Kaye is great at creating intriguing characters and pairing them with great love interests. The chemistry is believable and the HEAs are satisfying. The thing is ... the series timeline started two weeks ago. And already five couples have emerged. Soul mate couples. It's instalove for sure. At least Jeremy and Charlie met each other at the very beginning of this saga so they've got a couple of weeks acquaintance, but that's not how it is for all of them.
The nature of the suspense arc is what's keeping the timeline so compressed, I suppose. It is a little distracting to me, though, as I can't help shaking my head that all this permanent hookup is happening in a half a month's time.
There wasn't really any action in this one. The novellas don't seem to go there as, I assume they're not meant to add too much to the main arc. But it would also have been nice to get the sense of how completely shell shocked they must have been after the events of the last book. I wasn't getting that very much at all from them.
Laura Kaye does a wonderful job with this series. I did want just a touch more from this story, but it's still easily 4.5 stars (GR: Bean wants half star access now). Both of their doubts are real. Their reactions to everything happening around them are organic and not contrived. They're likable enough to have me wanting to see them again in the future.
I think, however, there's only one left in this series. The offshoot MC series is coming soon as well. Looking forward to all of it!
December 22, 2016
review to come.
April 23, 2015
Not bad at all.
This is the fifth book in a frankly ridiculous complex conspiracy involving disgraced soldiers, drug dealers, human trafficking, and now a motorcycle club. Jeremy and Charlie are the younger brothers of Nick and Becca (who got together in the first book) and this is their story.
All the other relationships in the series have been M/F, and I don't think this author has published M/M before, but she does a decent job here. Leaving aside the batshit crazy plot and the rapidly expanding cast all living together in a half-destroyed warehouse because of reasons, the relationship between Jeremy and Charlie is sweet and the sex is steamy.
Also: dick piercings.
This is the fifth book in a frankly ridiculous complex conspiracy involving disgraced soldiers, drug dealers, human trafficking, and now a motorcycle club. Jeremy and Charlie are the younger brothers of Nick and Becca (who got together in the first book) and this is their story.
All the other relationships in the series have been M/F, and I don't think this author has published M/M before, but she does a decent job here. Leaving aside the batshit crazy plot and the rapidly expanding cast all living together in a half-destroyed warehouse because of reasons, the relationship between Jeremy and Charlie is sweet and the sex is steamy.
Also: dick piercings.
August 2, 2020
Okay.. So I was wondering when this would happen. Considering how enthralled I've been with each book up to this point. But this is just not my fave in this series.
I love some of the strides here, in moving the bigger plot along for the series, but this one was real chill on that front as far as progress goes. But that's expected. It is a Novella.. Still more questions and very few answers on where and who the true enemy is regarding their fight.
Jeremy I've loved since book 1. He's so layered. Colorful. Sweet and complicated. Selfless and Sexy.. But I have to be honest, I never saw him getting serious with a guy. Though we are well aware that he's Bi, I just never got the impression that if he were to settle down, it would be with a man.
Which brings me to the beautiful, sweet Charlie Love this dude. So happy he's coming to terms with, or trying to, the unresolved ugliness that transpired with he and his dad regarding him being gay, on top of all of the pressing unanswered questions he's forced to face and now help solve regarding his dad's death and the true part his father played in his own demise. The trauma of being kidnapped and tortured and coming on the other side of that too, is just amazing to watch as well.. But as great as these two men are separately, they just didn't do it for me together.
For all the the reasons I mentioned above, but also because I just wasn't feeling their chemistry on all fronts, I didn't believe they belonged together. Even for a HFN scenario. A hook up or 12, maybe, but not a relationship.. They had some hot moments here, not going to lie, but for me; even those weren't as explosive as they could have been because of what I felt was lacking with them on other fronts. Their Insta-Love, which ironically, they had even longer to establish than the other couples, just didn't flow as organically for me as the other couples' did.
So this Novella is a nice slow down from the intense pace of novel 3, and it serves in moving certain minor things along concerning the overall plot. Just as far as the couple featured here, it wasn't my fave one.
I would still recommend this read and this series.
Please read in order.
I love some of the strides here, in moving the bigger plot along for the series, but this one was real chill on that front as far as progress goes. But that's expected. It is a Novella.. Still more questions and very few answers on where and who the true enemy is regarding their fight.
Jeremy I've loved since book 1. He's so layered. Colorful. Sweet and complicated. Selfless and Sexy.. But I have to be honest, I never saw him getting serious with a guy. Though we are well aware that he's Bi, I just never got the impression that if he were to settle down, it would be with a man.
Which brings me to the beautiful, sweet Charlie Love this dude. So happy he's coming to terms with, or trying to, the unresolved ugliness that transpired with he and his dad regarding him being gay, on top of all of the pressing unanswered questions he's forced to face and now help solve regarding his dad's death and the true part his father played in his own demise. The trauma of being kidnapped and tortured and coming on the other side of that too, is just amazing to watch as well.. But as great as these two men are separately, they just didn't do it for me together.
For all the the reasons I mentioned above, but also because I just wasn't feeling their chemistry on all fronts, I didn't believe they belonged together. Even for a HFN scenario. A hook up or 12, maybe, but not a relationship.. They had some hot moments here, not going to lie, but for me; even those weren't as explosive as they could have been because of what I felt was lacking with them on other fronts. Their Insta-Love, which ironically, they had even longer to establish than the other couples, just didn't flow as organically for me as the other couples' did.
So this Novella is a nice slow down from the intense pace of novel 3, and it serves in moving certain minor things along concerning the overall plot. Just as far as the couple featured here, it wasn't my fave one.
I would still recommend this read and this series.
Please read in order.
May 15, 2019
Nope, this isn't my type of story. Way too much drama and unbelievable actions. The plot, really? I didn't finish so I have no idea how things go. I do know that from what the characters described from what I assume are past books in the series that these characters are James Bond, Superman, Thor, and Super Geek (I can't think of a good reference for this one - Sheldon Cooper?) all rolled in to one set of peeps. Adios Amigos!
May 15, 2015
ARC REVIEW
One of the things I love most about this series is that each story runs concurrently with or just after the last. So each book picks up where the last leaves off. The only thing that mars the stories is the insta-love that develops between the main characters. Afterall, the men have to meet and fall in love with new female characters in each book. However, this story does not have that problem. Jeremy and Charlie are staple characters from the beginning.
This story is less about what is going on at Hard Ink and focuses more on the relationship between Charlie and Jeremy. This story is tender and sweet. It also highlights the some of the obstacles to having a gay relationship in today’s world. There is a certain level of uncertainty even though both characters are out of the closet. It’s one thing to be out, but another to be out with a partner in front of family and friends. Other issues are the same as in heterosexual relationships – does the other person feel the same depth of emotions or is this just a hook up? This story heightened my awareness of how for some people being openly gay can be a daily risk. I’ve had the pleasure of attending cultural training and hearing first hand testimony from people, their journey of coming out. This fictionalized account makes it even more real. Maybe it’s because I’m invested in these characters, but I loved this story.
IN A NUTSHELL:
I love that Laura Kaye decided to bring these two characters together for a sweet and tender love story. Must read for Hard Ink fans.
One of the things I love most about this series is that each story runs concurrently with or just after the last. So each book picks up where the last leaves off. The only thing that mars the stories is the insta-love that develops between the main characters. Afterall, the men have to meet and fall in love with new female characters in each book. However, this story does not have that problem. Jeremy and Charlie are staple characters from the beginning.
This story is less about what is going on at Hard Ink and focuses more on the relationship between Charlie and Jeremy. This story is tender and sweet. It also highlights the some of the obstacles to having a gay relationship in today’s world. There is a certain level of uncertainty even though both characters are out of the closet. It’s one thing to be out, but another to be out with a partner in front of family and friends. Other issues are the same as in heterosexual relationships – does the other person feel the same depth of emotions or is this just a hook up? This story heightened my awareness of how for some people being openly gay can be a daily risk. I’ve had the pleasure of attending cultural training and hearing first hand testimony from people, their journey of coming out. This fictionalized account makes it even more real. Maybe it’s because I’m invested in these characters, but I loved this story.
IN A NUTSHELL:
I love that Laura Kaye decided to bring these two characters together for a sweet and tender love story. Must read for Hard Ink fans.
February 23, 2016
This is one of those series where you have to read it in order and somewhat close together. I really haven't been doing that, but this book makes it imperative to do so. Things happen very suddenly, but it is because the romantic tension has been building over the course of 4 books now. I enjoyed the resolution of that romantic tension and loved that there were a lot of misunderstandings that came about before the guys could have their "Happy for Now". It was very tender and emotional, but an enjoyable read, nevertheless!
January 3, 2016
*** 3.5 Stars ***
Before reading:
Laura Kaye is trying her hand at M/M?! *Snoopy dance! SNOOPY DANCE!*
After reading:
Can you tell that I was a little excited to see Jeremy and Charlie getting their very own HEA?! I've long felt that this story needed to be told if Kaye was going to be true to her characters, and I was pleased to see that she did them justice with Hard to Be Good. In terms of sweet, sexy feels, I was not disappointed - this book had them in spades and left me smiling.
As for the question of whether this book is a standalone or not, I'm going to muddy the waters a bit and say that it's both. If you're exclusively an m/m reader and have no history with Kaye's Hard Ink series, I would not recommend that you read this book; there's too many characters and relationships and back story involved in the previous 3 books for you to get much out of this one. However, if you're exclusively an m/f reader and uncomfortable reading an m/m romance, I would say that you can consider this book a standalone (in the sense that if you choose to skip it, you won't miss any critical plot points that may affect your understanding or enjoyment of Hard to Come By).
Before reading:
Laura Kaye is trying her hand at M/M?! *Snoopy dance! SNOOPY DANCE!*
After reading:
Can you tell that I was a little excited to see Jeremy and Charlie getting their very own HEA?! I've long felt that this story needed to be told if Kaye was going to be true to her characters, and I was pleased to see that she did them justice with Hard to Be Good. In terms of sweet, sexy feels, I was not disappointed - this book had them in spades and left me smiling.
As for the question of whether this book is a standalone or not, I'm going to muddy the waters a bit and say that it's both. If you're exclusively an m/m reader and have no history with Kaye's Hard Ink series, I would not recommend that you read this book; there's too many characters and relationships and back story involved in the previous 3 books for you to get much out of this one. However, if you're exclusively an m/f reader and uncomfortable reading an m/m romance, I would say that you can consider this book a standalone (in the sense that if you choose to skip it, you won't miss any critical plot points that may affect your understanding or enjoyment of Hard to Come By).
March 29, 2015
I am going to begin saying one thing. I hated the book because it was too short! I feel cheated because Jeremy and Charlie were one of the couples I was looking the most forward to see getting together and they are two of my favorite characters. They deserved more time to shine. Laura Kaye could have written at least one hundred more pages to make me happy enough.
I know I shouldn't be complaining though because I got the story I wanted (I was wondering if I was going to since it's M/M romance and not all the writers are comfortable with writing that) and I got it faster since it's a novella and in the middle of two full length books.
I am happy because the gang is closer to getting their names cleared up. Things will get easier for them after a long time. Beckett and Kat's story is next and I bet their story will be fun to watch. I wonder how they will fall in love.
Their story brings me to the saddest thing I read in this book. Close to the end of the book I read the words "Don't miss the explosive final chapter of the Hard Ink series, Hard to Let Go". The first chapter was also included, but I didn't want to read it because the end is coming and at the moment I couldn't handle another series ending. Maybe the raven guys can get a book, but I don't think that could happen.
I know I shouldn't be complaining though because I got the story I wanted (I was wondering if I was going to since it's M/M romance and not all the writers are comfortable with writing that) and I got it faster since it's a novella and in the middle of two full length books.
I am happy because the gang is closer to getting their names cleared up. Things will get easier for them after a long time. Beckett and Kat's story is next and I bet their story will be fun to watch. I wonder how they will fall in love.
Their story brings me to the saddest thing I read in this book. Close to the end of the book I read the words "Don't miss the explosive final chapter of the Hard Ink series, Hard to Let Go". The first chapter was also included, but I didn't want to read it because the end is coming and at the moment I couldn't handle another series ending. Maybe the raven guys can get a book, but I don't think that could happen.
March 26, 2015
Um...Can I just say how BLOWN AWAY with how amazing of a story LK wrote in just a handful of chapters. The emotion was deep, the intimacy was powerful and oh so sexy, and Charlie and Jeremy had me falling so in love right along with them.
I literally finished the novella and tweeted LK and asked if this was her first M/M romance and was SHOCKED to find out it was...she did an incredible job with the flawless execution of the sex scenes, which can sometimes come out as awkward when reading an M/M romance, but I was so lost in the Charlie/Jeremy bubble, it all just flowed so smoothly...
LOVED LOVED LOVED! LK does it again!!
I also recommend HARD TO BE GOOD to anyone who has yet to try a M/M romance, LK hits the nail on the head once again!
I literally finished the novella and tweeted LK and asked if this was her first M/M romance and was SHOCKED to find out it was...she did an incredible job with the flawless execution of the sex scenes, which can sometimes come out as awkward when reading an M/M romance, but I was so lost in the Charlie/Jeremy bubble, it all just flowed so smoothly...
LOVED LOVED LOVED! LK does it again!!
I also recommend HARD TO BE GOOD to anyone who has yet to try a M/M romance, LK hits the nail on the head once again!
April 14, 2015
I heart Jeremy and Charlie!:)♥Jeremy is one of my favorites in this series.
April 14, 2015
THIS! This is the story I have been waiting for and wanting (really dying) to read since Hard As It Gets introduced us to Jeremy and Charlie and I have to say it was worth the wait!! Man, Laura Kaye really gave me everything I wanted with these two characters (except maybe a longer story, which I understand) and left me with a HUGE smile on my face. I found myself going back to re-read their story again over the weekend just to experience it all again (yeah, it was good the second time too). It is no secret that I love the Hard Ink series, but I swear Laura Kaye is getting better and better with each book. I am invested in this cast of characters and I am torn wanting this group to get their mission accomplished and never wanting Laura to run out of characters to write about!
Hard to Be Good, is excellent writing. Yes, this is a M/M story, but it is so much more than that, Jeremy and Charlie's story has been slowly building for the past three books and the result is a beautiful, emotion packed story that will make any romantic sigh. I loved how these two came together! (No spoilers). If you have never read a book in the Hard Ink series, I highly suggest you do, it will really make this novella mean all that much more to you. However, if you have to get your hands on Jeremy first, you could read this as a stand alone and be satisfied with the story on its own (I strongly suggest reading from the beginning though, it builds the tension deliciously that way).
Hard to Be Good was hard to put down. My heart was in my throat, my arms got goosebumps and my eyes welled up with tears of emotion reading this novella. Laura Kaye is magic at telling complex and engaging stories and each installment of the Hard Ink series just proves (to me) that she can write anything into a love story. The men of Hard Ink are embroiled in a battle for their honor, but the romance (and heat) that Laura Kaye infuses into each story is pretty amazing (spectacular actually .
If you haven't grabbed up Hard to Be Good yet... GO! Run to your closest internet connection and 1-click this today. Jeremy and Charlie's story is not one to miss, I promise it was worth the wait for these two.
Hard to Be Good, is excellent writing. Yes, this is a M/M story, but it is so much more than that, Jeremy and Charlie's story has been slowly building for the past three books and the result is a beautiful, emotion packed story that will make any romantic sigh. I loved how these two came together! (No spoilers). If you have never read a book in the Hard Ink series, I highly suggest you do, it will really make this novella mean all that much more to you. However, if you have to get your hands on Jeremy first, you could read this as a stand alone and be satisfied with the story on its own (I strongly suggest reading from the beginning though, it builds the tension deliciously that way).
Hard to Be Good was hard to put down. My heart was in my throat, my arms got goosebumps and my eyes welled up with tears of emotion reading this novella. Laura Kaye is magic at telling complex and engaging stories and each installment of the Hard Ink series just proves (to me) that she can write anything into a love story. The men of Hard Ink are embroiled in a battle for their honor, but the romance (and heat) that Laura Kaye infuses into each story is pretty amazing (spectacular actually .
If you haven't grabbed up Hard to Be Good yet... GO! Run to your closest internet connection and 1-click this today. Jeremy and Charlie's story is not one to miss, I promise it was worth the wait for these two.
April 14, 2015
As you can probably tell by the cover this is Laura Kaye’s M/M novella for Jeremy and Charlie. As a massive M/M reader you can definitely say that I was excited for this story. I think any author who can give LGBT fiction a little spotlight in their series is wonderful. However something just didn’t click with me for this book.
If you’ve read the last book in the series, then you already know Charlie. He was the recent kidnapping victim and he’s probably better at handling computers than he is at handling people. This is especially true when it comes to Jeremy. Now what I like about this book is almost kind of what I hated… Laure Kaye spends a lot of time setting up another elaborate suspense plot in this story. While this is great for a full length novel, it’s not so awesome for a novella length story.
That being said, the romance doesn’t even start until 20-30% of the book and given who Charlie and Jeremy are, the nature of their relationship progresses way too quickly. There’s only a smidgen of tension as all the other characters are involved in the suspense plot, drawing it unnecessarily out and then bam, suddenly their first alone time together results into some dirty talk and steaminess. While I think that Kaye had all the elements of a good story present, there just wasn’t enough time to see it all play out. All this is a bit disappointing because I was hoping for something good for these two.
I would rather just have a focus on the romance than the suspense because to me, if you’re going to bother with writing M/M for the first time, it better be epic or it kind of just falls to pieces. I don’t always think writing LGBT fiction is as simple as it looks. There’s a difference that I can notice since I’ve read so much of it, but maybe if this is your first dip into the pool, it might work better for you than it did for me. Unfortunately, I think Kaye just tried to dump too much all into one story.
*ARC provided by publisher
April 9, 2015
Review also posted at My Book Snack
Tattooist + Computer Geek = Hard Ink Hotness!
Oh my! Oh my!!! If you’ve been following along with the Hard Ink series, then you know that Laura Kaye has been teasing us with pairing Jeremy Rixey (brother of Nick and Kat Rixey) and Charlie Merritt (brother of Becca Merritt). Hard to Be Good is an M/M romance, and Laura Kaye does not hold back!
Jeremy owns Hard Ink Tattoo and a whole slew of funny t-shirts. He’s really become one my favorite characters in this series. Back in book 1, Hard as it Gets, Jeremy quickly gets pulled into what’s going on in his brother’s life. At the time, they were all trying to rescue Charlie, who had been kidnapped by some very bad people. It has now been roughly two weeks within the series timeline. Nick and his team are so close to finding all the answers they’re seeking, and Charlie is helping them with his brilliant mind and computer skills. I love Charlie! He’s quiet and shy, and in this story you get to see how he really feels on the inside, including all his fears and conflicts.
Keep in mind that Hard to Be Good is a novella. It’s short and doesn’t add much to the overall series plotline. Although Nick does something very sweet, this story really just focuses on Jeremy and Charlie, which was fine with me. I read this in one sitting, and abso-freaking-lutely enjoyed every moment! Jer and Charlie are a perfect fit. They pretty much display their heart and soul to one another, and it was beautiful to read.
“Charlie tasted like sweet, innocent temptation, and Jeremy wanted to consume every last bite.”
Wowza, Hard to Be Good is full of dirty talking and hotness! Ms. Kaye pretty much satisfied my wild imagination of how it was going to go down between these two. Everything that happens with Jeremy and Charlie is explicit, highly erotic and drips with desire!!! Thank you, Laura Kaye!
Tattooist + Computer Geek = Hard Ink Hotness!
Oh my! Oh my!!! If you’ve been following along with the Hard Ink series, then you know that Laura Kaye has been teasing us with pairing Jeremy Rixey (brother of Nick and Kat Rixey) and Charlie Merritt (brother of Becca Merritt). Hard to Be Good is an M/M romance, and Laura Kaye does not hold back!
Jeremy owns Hard Ink Tattoo and a whole slew of funny t-shirts. He’s really become one my favorite characters in this series. Back in book 1, Hard as it Gets, Jeremy quickly gets pulled into what’s going on in his brother’s life. At the time, they were all trying to rescue Charlie, who had been kidnapped by some very bad people. It has now been roughly two weeks within the series timeline. Nick and his team are so close to finding all the answers they’re seeking, and Charlie is helping them with his brilliant mind and computer skills. I love Charlie! He’s quiet and shy, and in this story you get to see how he really feels on the inside, including all his fears and conflicts.
Keep in mind that Hard to Be Good is a novella. It’s short and doesn’t add much to the overall series plotline. Although Nick does something very sweet, this story really just focuses on Jeremy and Charlie, which was fine with me. I read this in one sitting, and abso-freaking-lutely enjoyed every moment! Jer and Charlie are a perfect fit. They pretty much display their heart and soul to one another, and it was beautiful to read.
“Charlie tasted like sweet, innocent temptation, and Jeremy wanted to consume every last bite.”
Wowza, Hard to Be Good is full of dirty talking and hotness! Ms. Kaye pretty much satisfied my wild imagination of how it was going to go down between these two. Everything that happens with Jeremy and Charlie is explicit, highly erotic and drips with desire!!! Thank you, Laura Kaye!
April 15, 2015
“Conquering fear didn’t mean not being afraid, it meant being afraid of something and doing it anyway.”
Hard To Be Good is Charlie and Jeremy’s story. We got to know about them in previous books, but we never really go to KNOW them, til now.
I will admit, I am not a fan of M/M romance. However, I refuse to write a bad review knowing that the book I am reading is M/M romance. The book may not be my cup of tea in that it’s a M/M romance, but I won’t deny that this book is very well written.
Laura does a fantastic job of moving the story along and not rehashing things we already knew. These two feel something for one another and it’s pretty damn obvious to everyone else, but them.
I love how everyone is there to witness this great pairing. It shows how hard it is for some people to push past fear and be themselves. The story also shows how a person’s love for another will only become stronger when they find someone who is willing to be there strength and fight for them.
Beautiful story Laura. As always, I am really looking forward to more from you.
*Side note - while M/M romance is not my cup of tea to read, I love that Laura has taken something that is still very hard for our society to accept and make it beautiful.
I believe in true love wherever and with whomever it may be found. Love knows no bounds and has no bias.
Hard To Be Good is Charlie and Jeremy’s story. We got to know about them in previous books, but we never really go to KNOW them, til now.
I will admit, I am not a fan of M/M romance. However, I refuse to write a bad review knowing that the book I am reading is M/M romance. The book may not be my cup of tea in that it’s a M/M romance, but I won’t deny that this book is very well written.
Laura does a fantastic job of moving the story along and not rehashing things we already knew. These two feel something for one another and it’s pretty damn obvious to everyone else, but them.
I love how everyone is there to witness this great pairing. It shows how hard it is for some people to push past fear and be themselves. The story also shows how a person’s love for another will only become stronger when they find someone who is willing to be there strength and fight for them.
Beautiful story Laura. As always, I am really looking forward to more from you.
*Side note - while M/M romance is not my cup of tea to read, I love that Laura has taken something that is still very hard for our society to accept and make it beautiful.
I believe in true love wherever and with whomever it may be found. Love knows no bounds and has no bias.
April 22, 2015
Yeah, I couldn't wait to read Jeremy and Charlie's story. I have to admit that it is my first m/m book and I thought that it was tastefully written and just wonderful all around.
We have always knew who Jeremy was because he knows who he is as a person and was not ashamed of it. Now Charlie on the other hand was always shunned by his dad because of who he was and Charlie is afraid of losing the stability that he now has around him if he comes out that he is in a relationship with Charlie. In the end, Charlie puts his fears aside and just goes for it and doesn't look back.
We have always knew who Jeremy was because he knows who he is as a person and was not ashamed of it. Now Charlie on the other hand was always shunned by his dad because of who he was and Charlie is afraid of losing the stability that he now has around him if he comes out that he is in a relationship with Charlie. In the end, Charlie puts his fears aside and just goes for it and doesn't look back.
April 21, 2015
Review: Hard To Be Good (Hard Ink Novella) by Laura Kaye http://wp.me/p3d0RZ-2lt
Publication Date: April 14, 2015
Genre: M/M Contemporary Romance
Reviewed by: Reading In Pajamas/ Donna
Rated: 4.5 Stars
REVIEW:
I really enjoyed this romantic love story that involved one of my favorite characters in the series. Jeremy is fun, flirty and irreverent which I love. Meanwhile Charlie is sweet but a bit introverted, more comfortable with computers than people. They make a great couple and find that they are not so different after all. Fun, romantic and sexy but way too short. I loved it.
Publication Date: April 14, 2015
Genre: M/M Contemporary Romance
Reviewed by: Reading In Pajamas/ Donna
Rated: 4.5 Stars
REVIEW:
I really enjoyed this romantic love story that involved one of my favorite characters in the series. Jeremy is fun, flirty and irreverent which I love. Meanwhile Charlie is sweet but a bit introverted, more comfortable with computers than people. They make a great couple and find that they are not so different after all. Fun, romantic and sexy but way too short. I loved it.
May 1, 2015
I don't normally read m/m romances but when it is included in a series that I am reading, I usually pick it up to read. Since I loved both Charlie and Jeremy in the previous books I was super excited that Laura Kaye matched them up together. They end up being the perfect couple. Jeremy is definitely the alpha in this relationship but Charlie can still handle his own. The love story was sweet and holy smokes the lovin was hot! I needed a fan! ;)
Definitely recommend, especially if you are enjoying the rest of the books in this series.
Definitely recommend, especially if you are enjoying the rest of the books in this series.
June 6, 2017
Absolutely brilliant. I dont think i could stop smiling right now if i tried. Such raw love is so beautiful.
May 23, 2017
No soy yo mucho de leer novelas M/M. Simplemente, no son lo mío.
Pero ésta tenía que leerla. Primero, porque es parte de la serie y yo soy muy TOC para estas cosas y si estoy leyendo una saga que me está gustando, tengo que leerla al completo. Y, segundo, porque adoro a Jeremy y no podía dejar de leer su pequeña y tierna historia de amor con Charlie.
Son tan cuquis juntos y...no negaré que también son ardientes.
En fin, que me ha gustado bastante leer su historia. Me alegro que ambos hayan encontrado el amor en los brazos del otro.
A por el siguiente de la serie!
Pero ésta tenía que leerla. Primero, porque es parte de la serie y yo soy muy TOC para estas cosas y si estoy leyendo una saga que me está gustando, tengo que leerla al completo. Y, segundo, porque adoro a Jeremy y no podía dejar de leer su pequeña y tierna historia de amor con Charlie.
Son tan cuquis juntos y...no negaré que también son ardientes.
En fin, que me ha gustado bastante leer su historia. Me alegro que ambos hayan encontrado el amor en los brazos del otro.
A por el siguiente de la serie!
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