Hard Lex

Night of the Kings #5

by Shayne Ford

LUST. POWER. BAD BOYS. LOVE. BETRAYAL.
This series has it all.

HARD LEX (Night of the Kings #5)

SECRETS. LIES. DECEIT. A GAME OF LUST AND BURNING PASSION.

Dahlia is a girl who just starts to build her own path in life. Lex is the man who has it all, except for one thing. His heart is full of secrets and his blood is filled with lust, yet no one can tame his fire.
Fate brings them together in more way than one. He has a taste for mysteries. She has a heart yearning for love.
Falling for him is the hardest thing she’s ever done.
Satisfying her is the most pleasurable thing he’s ever done.
Can there be more than that between them?

This is NOT a conventional, linear romance. Expect a bit of a mess, dirty bits, cliffhangers and twists of situations.
This is a New Adult Erotic Romance. 18+ Only.

PLEASE NOTE: Although a standalone, Lex’s story includes spoilers of James’ story since it unfolds in the same world at a later date. If you wish to know the backstory of the Kings, reading James’ story (book 1-3) is highly recommended.


NIGHT OF THE KINGS (Book 1 to 3)
JAMES’ STORY

NIGHT OF THE KINGS (Book 4 to 6)
LEX’S STORY
This is Book Two.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary

190 pages, ebook

Published August 24, 2017

About the author

Get a steamy freebie when you sign up to my newsletter. ––> https://geni.us/freebiesignup

Shayne writes epic love stories with spice, plot, bits of darkness, and suspense.

Most of the time, her lead men are morally gray, and her stories are slow burn and anchored in reality, making her cast authentic and unforgettable.

All-time popular series: like the Night of the Kings, Shades of Love, and Night of the Diamonds Series showcase steamy, suspenseful romance at its best.

Her vast catalog is growing with delicious stories of all kinds that beg to be read over and over again. If you like your stories sprinkled with spice, suspense, and a dash of real life, you are in good company.

Her creative mind works overtime to come up with the stories that await patiently to be brought to life. Her love for books began when she grew up surrounded by books.

She likes to spend hours and hours in bookstores, brushing her fingers over amazing covers, and enjoying the unmistakable smell of newly printed books and freshly brewed coffee.

Never in a million years would she have thought that her stories would come to life someday and entertain so many people.

Her passion for the written word is only matched by her love for animals and nature.

When she's not writing, she's outside, walking and connecting with nature. She considers herself lucky to share her life with her amazing furry kids, who are very much book lovers as they are perfect companions.

Take a look at her lead men.

New Mafia Romance

CALLAN (The Bard Dynasty) A Standalone Mafia Romance

EWAN (The Bard Dynasty) A Standalone Mafia Romance


The Classics

The Ultimate Bad Boy Billionaire finds his match (JAMES)–The Night of the Kings Series
The Billionaire who doesn't believe in second chances changes his mind when he meets her(MCKENNA)–The Shades of Love Trilogy
The enigmatic, irresistible, hard-to-please King of Manhattan (REMI) lures her into a world of secrets and delicious affairs–The Night of the Diamonds Series
The magnetic mafia boss who wants a fake wife and makes the ultimate sacrifice for her. (MAX DE LUCCA)–The Forbidden Husband Mafia Duet
The sultry Billionaire who falls in love with a dancer (CAMERON)–The Night of the Diamonds Series
The Billionaire obsessed with a married woman caught in a web of lies (SEBASTIEN––Love is War)~The Boxset.
The Billionaire who saves a woman married to a mobster (BARON)–The Lions at Dawn Series (books 2 to 4)
The mercurial, perfect mix of fire and ice (ALEXANDER) who becomes obsessed with her –The Night of the Kings Series
The old soul trapped in a young body who sweeps his woman off her feet (SHADE)–The Golden Heir Trilogy
The rag-to-riches story where he is the answer to freeing her from a dark past (JADEN)–The Dark Heart Trilogy
The jaded Bad Boy Billionaire who moves away from a complicated past when he meets her (EDWARD)–The Night of the Kings Series
The powerful force who storms into her life and whisks her away from his brother (KIAN)–The House of Lions Series
The man charming a woman who lost hope that she'll ever find her man(TIAGO)–The Night of the Kings Series
The three Billionaires who dare a woman NOT to be with them and there's a prize in play (KAI, ALEJANDRO, FRANCISCO)–The Love Your Enemy Series
The Secret Billionaire she has a fiery affair with (no cheating involved) RHETT–The Kiss Duet
The Las Vegas mobster who becomes her protector (DAMASO)–The Lost Story Duet
The younger, ex–convict who turns her world upside down (JAX)–The Last Good Man–A Standalone Story
The Billionaire who swore off feelings for a woman until he meets her (DAVID)–The Night of the Kings Series.


And then....

The two best friends, Jagger and Braxton who find the perfect woman to fall in love with and ask to join them in their quest for freedom before exploring their feelings for each other. (WILD HEART SERIES)

The Rockstar Romance bursting with emotions. The slow-burn story of

Reviews

[Kavita Kumar · Rating 3 out of 5]

So, I see a lot of 5 star reviews, and while I am a fan of this series, this one just did not do it for me.

I am a little disappointed with the pace of the story. It's not as alluring as James-Rain story. Things are going too predictable. Dahlia is getting annoying. I'll tell you why though. She seems to be hell bent on getting her heart broken. And regardless of how enticing she finds Lex, she seems to become incredibly stupid in his presence. I understand the term, "wearing your heart on your sleeve", I do and Dahlia is a perfect example of that. But I think her love/attraction for Lex is way too rushed. While naivety might be a turn on, stupidity definitely isn't. The make up of a stripper is definitely not the best disguise, would have worked once, but for it to have worked so many times and in an intimate manner, Lex would have had to be stupid.. which he is not !! She is foolish if she thinks she would not have been recognized. She has absolutely no idea about the real Lex, she's not bothered to know about him and she's already fallen for him. Clingy much ?



And I have no idea what is going on in Lex's mind. While, I liked him in James-Rain story, he seems too aloof in his own story, holding all his cards close.

The only redeeming part in this book was the end, when Dahlia realizes who has Lex's attention. It makes me look forward to read Lex's last book. But again, the predictability of the plot is a turn off in this truly hot and sexy series. I really wanted to like Lex's story, I did !! I request Shayne to give us a bad girl in Ed's story.. make these men work for it !!!

[Monika · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!!!

So the book continues from Book 1 to finally reveal that Lex understood that secret girl was Dahlia. But seriously enjoyed the whole drama n kink between then as Boss n Secretary as well as client and lap dancer.

Lot of drama when Dahlia finds out about Rain's role. And man she actually bumped the Ferrari into a tree ... poor Ferrari :) And hell more of drama but I liked the way story takes turns and actually Lex does not make the mistakes which James did.

Loved the book till the last word and yet again could not hold myself and read next book before reviewing this one ;P

[Karin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so loving this series that I literally couldn't put it down once I started. Lex and Dahlia are perfection together but, Lex can't seem to see that. And if you've read James book you'll see why. He's so disengaged but at the same time completely in awe of Dahlia.

The way this story is written it feels like your taking the journey with these characters. I literally grit my teeth with Dahlia but, can't help but love Lex even though I want to cut him sometimes. My heart ached for Dahlia the last page and I need book 3 immediately to see what's going to happen with these two.

If I could pick one phrase from the book that Lex says that describes him to a T in my opinion it would be this one "That's what happens, things you no longer have hold more power over you than the things you do"

I voluntarily reviewed a advanced readers copy of this book

[Ariella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg. Lex figure it out who the mysterious lap dancer was. Dahlia kept falling in love deeper with Lex. When they were at a party for James and Rain. Dahlia figure out that Rain is the girl Lex can’t have.

[Lady · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book free, in exchange for my honest review.

The story of Lex and Dahlia is my favorite. I think it's because I relate to Dahlia in a way I couldn't relate to Rain. That alone made the book speak yo me on an entirely different level. I loved this book, and the ending left me wanting more. I can wait to see how it plays into the next one.

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon today (5/23/2021)! 🎁

[Aly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lex and Dahlia's story part 2
*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Lex just breaks my heart. I feel bad that he was so close to this woman he loved and now has to watch her with his best friend. But then he has Dahlia in front of him, loving him, and he can't fully give himself to her since he's not over Rain. I like the banter between Lex and Dahlia, they're both smart and their little games are entertaining. I wish Dahlia was more confident in herself, hopefully Lex can help her with that.
These two have such great chemistry and it's fun to see them develop together. Now I can't wait to see how it ends :)

[Gladys · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hard Lex by Shayne Ford is book #5 in the Night Of The Kings series and the second book in Lex's three book arc. Each arc could be read alone but to get a complete picture and much more enjoyment, I highly recommend that you read them all and in order.
Where book #1 provided us with a slow simmer of attraction and passion; book #2 brings us to a pressure cooker level of steam and heat. Some secrets are exposed, attraction & lust begin to deepen into so much more and a heart is laid bare when the biggest secret is exposed. The explosive heat and chemistry between Lex and Dahlia is enough to cause global warming and the tension and pressure that builds through the book will keep you racing through chapters to see what happen next.
Again, Ms. Ford has put our emotions through their paces. Creating a complex story and layered characters that have a hard edge of realism. Every single time she sucks us into her story, forces us to bond with them and share all their emotions. If you want a book that will engage you emotionally you can do no better than a Shayne Ford book.
So, as this book ends we are left heartbroken, cursing fate and agonizing over the coming pain, turmoil and HEA we know we will find in the next and last book in Lex's arc. I can't wait for it. I am posting an honest review after reading an ARC copy of this book.

[SBee Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars.

Steamy hot and heartbreakingly mesmerizing second book to Lex’s story ❤️

I received an Advance Reader Copy for Hard Lex written by Shayne Ford and voluntarily reviewed this book. This is the second installment of Lex’s story, Book #5 of the Night of the Kings series. We now have Dahlia and Lex meeting for more trysts, and they reveal more of each other, falling deeper into a relationship of sorts. Even though Lex is opening doors to his heart, and sharing bits and pieces of himself now, there seems to be one door that he keeps tightly shut and locked, but he is pulled nevertheless towards Dahlia. Seemingly, a hole that was left in his heart, one that he is yearning to fill with Dahlia, is not quite ready for her. All this comes crashing as a sudden realization to Dahlia, now that she is in the presence of the other two Knights, James and Ed, and the females close to them. I cannot wait to see how Lex fights his feelings for Dahlia, continuing to hold her at arms’ length. The third installment of the Lex series will be coming soon!

[Kelsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I want to be honest... I was hoping for a little more drama with this one. Knowing who Lex is and the secret he won’t even admit to himself, I thought he was going to make it so much harder for Dahlia. It was so hard reading this book, knowing that he’s in love with another woman. And yet, he does nothing to show her otherwise. Yes, he plays the mysterious man, but he completely leads her on through the whole book. I honestly thought he was going to go the other way with this and constantly push Dahlia away and be even more of an ass than he already is. The ending is the blade we all knew was hovered over our hearts. As soon as she saw Rain and Lex, it was obvious. And now we are left bleeding. I hope with the third and final book, Dahlia steps it up, becomes unforgiving, and gives him a taste of his own medicine. I want to see him groveling to get her back.

[Janine Stemmet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 2 of Lex's story is brilliant! That being said, I have followed this series right from the beginning with James' story, and I fell in love with the characters right from there on in, to get a full background of Lex, I would suggest reading these three books to give you a good background of the type of man Lex is and where hes's coming from, but its not a must! That being said, OH MY WORD!!! Can anyone say cliffhanger at the end of book 2? I absolutely adore this story and cannot wait to see what happens in the final book of Lex and Dahlia's story! Its extremely well written, it will make you laugh, cringe, cry and damn hot under the collar! But in the end its a beautiful story, you will NOT be disappointed.

[Anne Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an honest review of an ARC I read on behalf of this great author. The second of Lex and Dahlia's story. The slow burn has turned into great passion between them. Loved the games they were both playing as his Bondage Girl. For me the authors words on Dahlia's reflection on life and how Dahlia perceives it was so, so right for all of us and will stick with me for a very long time. The detail this author goes into is amazing and so insightful. It certainly makes readers see what life is really about. I will never stop reading this authors great, great novels. Thank you once again Shayne for a perfect read.

[Rhonda Hicks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hard Lex is the 5th book in the Night of the Kings Series and the 2nd for Lex. I've been following this storyline from the beginning and to be honest, as much as I loved/hated the James, Lex has made me so angry and touched my heart like no other. So much heart and so much pain gives a man reason not to be fully trustful. Dahlia loves him fully and completely, but she knows he's hiding a secret and until she can figure out the puzzle, she'll not be able to reach that part of him. Shayne Ford has once again taken these characters and ensnares her readers until we are just as lost in their emotions as they are. Thank you once again for another 5 star read.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

**I received this ARC in exchange for an honest voluntary review** As if I wasn't loving this story already, part two gave me more reason, especially with that cliffhanger!! In this part, we see more of a courtship/ possessiveness occurring between Lex & Dahlia, more so when Dahlia's "secret" is finally exposed. Definitely love the sexy times they share but more so the complexity of the relationship that's being built & the personal discoveries they make for themselves & each other. Would recommend! :D

[Nicole Ortiz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great continuation to the Night of the Kings series and Lex and Dahlia's story. This is the second installment to the series and this one also ends in a cliffhanger. So far all of these have been really good. Once I started reading this I couldn't put it down and I didn't want it to end. Well-written, love the storyline and the characters. Can't wait to read the conclusion to this.
I received an ARC and volunteered to leave a review.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A steamy cat and mouse game ensues between Lex and Dahlia. Dahlia gets quite the roller coaster ride of emotions from Lex. He hot and cold almost in the same breath. The great chemistry and amazing sex keep her coming back. This book delves deeper into Lex’s character. Lex is so hard to read. I don’t even think he knows what he wants. This makes it even harder for Dahlia. This is a great series. I highly recommend it.
This is a voluntary review of an ARC.

[Sally C · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this second book in the Night of the Kings series, Dahlia is falling more and more in love with Lex. She is also discovering his secrets, but Lex is hiding something and Dahlia is determined to find out what he is not willing to tell her. After finishing the first book in the series, I could not wait to see how Dahlia and Lex’s relationship develops as there was a lot of electricity between them from their first encounter. Loving their story!

[Debi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lex has been my favorite one of the "KINGS", because he seems to have the biggest heart. He is VERY protective of it though. He has felt what HIS heart truly needs once briefly in his life,but can't let the precious DAHLIA in. Why?? I hope that gorgeous man realizes what he could have. Great story...READ THIS WHOLE SERIES! I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Pat Labrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Feaking love this book. It picks up right where book 1 ended. I absolutely love the characters. this book is hot and very steamy that will have your heart in palpatatons. Lex can be sweet and be an ass at the same time. I loved that about him.
I can't wait for the conclusion of Lex I need to find out what happens between Dahlia and Lex

[Chrisette · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this book as an ARC reader in exchange for a review. Dahlia is Lex Harrington's personal assistant. Unfortunately, she falls inn love with him, leaving her open to his rejection. The author sets the stage with their love affair as both try to adapt to their situation. The ending of the book is a nail bitter, hopefully to be continued in the next book.

[Claire M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 2 for Lex and dahlia

This series is great it has the suspense of will they won't they but oh my it gets u hot under the collar!

Dahlia knows Lex has some kind of feelings for her but he is holding back something? Is it the one he loved but didn't love him back.
A chance meeting with Daria Morgan and she knows the truth! Will he ever be hers?

[Bren · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm just crazy over Shayne's books. Her Night of the Kings series is phenomenal l can't read fast enough to satisfy my curiosity of what's going to happen next. The Alpha male's in her books will curl your toes and melt your heart and other parts.

[Jasmine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series keeps getting better and better.

Lex is still trying to figure out why Dahlia has him so addicted to her and to Bondage Girl. But when the envelope is pushed, he has figured her out, but doesn't let her know until a business trip.

Dahlia is falling harder and harder for Lex, she can't stay away from him, professionally or personally. So when her temp job comes to an end, he asks her to be his personal assistant and the first task is a trip to London. Will she survive his games? Will he still want her after she confirms she is Bondage Girl? Will Lex finally let go of the one he can't have to be with Dahlia?

This story is so well written that it takes you with the characters and your heart feels what Lex wants to be able to feel and what Dahlia feels for Lex. The story has drama, mystery, lust, romance and hot steamy sex scenes. I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book.

[Jodia-Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Damn the secret is out and poor Dahlia's heart is broken. I'm on pins and needles waiting to see how this drama unfolds.

[Serialbookstarter:Marla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally Lex and Dahlias story gets going. I
Found some of the dialogue was wonky like the answer to a characters question didn’t match up.

[Rosemary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 5th book in the Night of The Kings Series and even though it is (at present) the last book in the series and is supposed to be able to be read as a standalone, I can tell you from personal experience that I would suggest you begin with Book 1 or even Book 4 to fully appreciate this story. This is my first book of this series to read and I did enjoy it and boy or boy there are some very hot sex scenes that made the book worth readying. Sex aside, the relationship between Lex and Dahlia is complicated and I probably would have enjoyed it or understood it more if I has at least read Lex (Book 4) first. I will definitely be reading this entire series from the beginning when I get the chance and hopefully prior to the release (if there is one) of Book 5 which I assume will be the continuing story of Lex, Dahlia and even Rain and James.

I was given an ARC in exchange for an honest review

[Debi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lex has been my favorite one of the "KINGS", because he seems to have the biggest heart. He is VERY protective of it though. He has felt what HIS heart truly needs once briefly in his life,but can't let the precious DAHLIA in. Why?? I hope that gorgeous man realizes what he could have. Great story...READ THIS WHOLE SERIES! I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Bookbytch5 janet Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hard Lex is the 5th instalment in the Night of the Kings Series, The story continues about Lex & Dahlia,The chemistry between Lex & Dahlia keeps heating up, A must read. I voluntarily received an advanced copy.

WARNING - THIS BOOK ENDS IN A CLIFFHANGER

[Heather Eastveld · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg! This book was absolutely amazing! I went through every emotion Dahlia went through,like it was part of my soul! You can't help but fall in love with the characters. Shayne Ford really makes you feel like you are part of the books! I can't wait for book #6 .

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing read! This story is so well written that the reader becomes emotionally engaged. I love this series. I voluntarily read an ARC and this is my honest review.