Payback

Vigilante Justice #1

by Kristin Harte, Ellis Leigh

He carries the burden of protecting an entire town
Being the oldest Kennard brother, I’ve got a centuries-old promise to uphold—run the family business to give the townspeople jobs and the sort of security they can only find in Justice. When a motorcycle club blows that plan apart, I’ll do anything to make them aware that they picked the wrong town to target. As a former Green Beret, I know just how to sabotage an enemy. The only weakness in my armor is my attraction to a five-foot-nothing blonde who unknowingly holds my heart in her hands. My obsession with her could cost me my life, but I’d sacrifice it all to save hers.

She owes a debt that could cost her life
I’ve spent three years hiding out in Justice and paying off a debt to the Soul Suckers, one they’ve decided to collect whether I’m ready to pay or not. When danger lands on my doorstep, one man jumps in to help. Alder Kennard—former Special Forces soldier and current object of all my fantasies. But the Soul Suckers won’t let a debt go unpaid, and with the price on my head rising every day, it’s only a matter of time until they come back for me. Alder would put his life on the line to save mine, which is something I simply can’t afford.

Everyone has a debt to pay, and the only currency I have left is my body. So when the time comes, I’ll trade my life for his.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Military Fiction, Romantic Suspense, Contemporary Romance, Suspense, Amazon

466 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 25, 2018

About the author

Kristin Harte started off as a chemistry major in college but somehow ended up writing romances featuring ex-military heroes and the women who knock them to their knees…literally and figuratively. She likes drinking in the shade, snuggling under a warm blanket on a cold evening, and researching how to blow things up. Her children know nothing of what she writes, and her husband just hopes he’s not at their Chicago-ish home the day the government shows up to confront Kristin about her Google search history.

When not writing good men doing bad things, Kristin can be found writing paranormal romance as Ellis Leigh or co-writing naughty novellas as London Hale.

★ The Vigilante Justice series kicks off January 25th. Jessica from OMG Reads says "This is one you're gonna want to put on your radar #TRUST"

★ Never miss a single release! Sign up for Kristin Harte's newsletter for all the latest from Justice, Colorado. www.kristinharte.com/newsletter

Reviews

[Jessica Alcazar · Rating 5 out of 5]

so this was ridiculously HOT and so fucking engaging I didn't stop reading till the very end!

This is one you're gonna want to put on your radar #TRUST

Some words that come to mind when I think of Payback: fast-paced, suspenseful, passionate, dramatic and very sweet. I was hooked from the beginning. Not only did the author hook me to the current story, but I am very hooked to the arc she very intricately wove into the story for future books in the series.

The most unique aspect of this story is that it reads like a reverse MC story would go. She could have easily made this an MC romance series, but instead chose the town and its people against the motorcycle club Soul Suckers to be the focus of the series. It’s a very unique series and I’m really looking forward to continuing this journey.

This is actually my first experience with this author as a solo writer and I am totally hooked. I don’t actually read paranormal romance, so her past series are not for me, but this, this is gold. Not very many romantic suspense stories catch my attention as well as this one did. I am highly impressed. Well done!

Copy provided for blog tour review

[Gwen Shafer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book that I have had the privilege to read by Kristin. She has gained a fan of her books. I cant wait to read more from her. I absolutely loved the story of Alder and Shye. Alder is a determined alpha male that will do anything that is needed and will do anything that is needed to keep the woman that he loves safe. Shye is a strong independent woman that just wants to be free and feel safe. Put these two together and holy cow you have quite the chemistry. I absolutely loved this story line. It was gripping and enjoyable from the beginning to the end. I highly recommend this book and this writer. I cant wait until the next one in this series comes out.

[Pamela(AllHoney) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first book in the Vigilante Justice series by Kristen Harte. Alder Kennard runs a lumber company along with some of his brothers. When he buys the timber on a mountain he sends his men to check things out and discovers members of Soul Suckers MC there. Soon after a trailer is set on fire that Shye Anderson lives in. Shye is the star of Alder's fantasies but he hasn't acted on his desires yet. Now the woman of his dreams needs help and he is there.

Shye is a waitress at a diner that Alder frequents. He and his brothers often eat there to keep an eye on her. Kinda creepy but that didn't bother me. Shye has secrets and she has no intention of revealing those secrets. But now she knows that Soul Suckers will be coming for her.

The story ends on a cliffhanger. The issues not resolved will apparently be addressed in future books. Did I enjoy it enough to seek out the rest of the series? Probably not. I didn't hate it but I just didn't love it enough.

[Kira Gold · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was exactly the testosterone ride I needed today. A quick action-packed romance that starts with a fire, and burns even hotter. Alder is the alpha oldest brother of a logging company in Colorado, and Shye is the sweet young thing with a dark secret. As they give in to long held feelings for each other, a motorcycle club with bad intentions tears their world apart.
This was sexy and fun. One of the most intriguing parts were the descriptions of the wood (no, not that wood...well, that too) and the trees the Kennard Bros. make their living from.
I can't wait for the next--I'd love to see more of these rough and tumble (lots of tumbling, please) guys.

[Mandi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the premise of this - the MC is the bad guy. The super alpha, over the top protective heroes...

But it fell a little short for me by the end. The bad guys were not present enough in the book and I just needed more from the story

Review to come

[Darlene I read WAY to many books · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good book.. had some ups and downs for me but good.

But shye has been in town for few years as a waitress and pushing away Alder a guy who has been obessed in love with her but hasn't made a move because he thinks she super shy and if he shows his alphaness it scare her away so he was beta for years slowly making small talk with her. Until their town and Shye lil home are targeted and set on fire. Making him move up his timeline to have his girl. What I don't get is why Shye kept that secret hidden for so long her excuse she was protecting Alder that man is military and buff and he can handle grown ass men.. so idk why she didn't tell him sooner.

We had few sad moments and more secondary charas..

No ow/om drama, no cheating, secondary charas, Drama, sexy times, virgin gal and no manwhore

Recommend-maybe
Cover-⭐⭐⭐
Heat level-🌶🌶🌶

Slowburnish
Age gap
36H/23h
Pinning
Push away from h
Masturbation
No condom
Death
Hea
Epilogue

[Jen_C · Rating 2 out of 5]

It will work for others but not me. Most of the things Alder said caused me to laugh, roll my eyes, or want to slap him. He did manage to say some really sweet things but his pillow talk .......not for me. Had to skim.
Also very repetitive writing style which is not a fave for me. The words "Mine, chanting, growling, my girl" were used A LOT.

To each her own.

[Judy Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

COMPELLING ROMANTIC SUSPENSE!!!
Title: Payback
Series: Vigilante Justice
Author: Kristan Harte (Ellis Leigh)
Designation: Book 1 of Series, Short Novel (Approx 200 pages), Not Recommended As Standalone, No Cliffhanger but HFN #contemporary #romanticsuspense #militaryromance #sexyalphaheroes #smalltownromance
Reading Platform: Kindle Edition
My Rating: Five Sinfully Sexy Stars*****

Oh my! I loved, loved, loved Payback, the debut release for Kristan Harte and the first book in her compelling new Vigilante Justice Series. And it's official, I'm hopelessly hooked! Payback may be the launch of Harte's career in the contemporary romantic suspense genre, but this isn't her first rodeo. For readers who may not already be aware, Kristin Harte is the alter ego of USA Today bestselling paranormal romance author Ellis Leigh and one-half of the contemporary romance dynamic duo known as London Hale. It's no big secret and neither is the fact that I'm a huge fan of this author's work and have followed her career for years. Harte/Leigh is a gifted storyteller and skilled wordslinger who excels at creating original storylines set in vividly depicted worlds populated with larger-than-life characters. So, when I heard the whispers across Facebook of her move into the contemporary romantic suspense, I was beyond excited but with reservations. I'm a diehard romance junkie and romantic suspense is my all-time favorite subgenre, but I'm also somewhat of a rom-spense snob, meaning I'm pretty darn selective with the authors I choose to read. I'm passionate about quite a few things but two that top my list, only surpassed by family, are good food and great books. When it comes to food, I'm very much a meat and potatoes kind of girl which, surprisingly, also applies to my choice in literature, meaning I enjoy reading something I can really sink my teeth into, the kind of book that satisfies all my cravings - danger, drama, action, adventure, angst, mystery, suspense, humor, passion, and romance but most importantly, it must be well written with creative storyarcs, intriguing conflicts, and engaging characters. Already being familiar with Harte's work, both as Ellis Leigh and London Hale, my expectations were high but Harte did not disappoint. She not only met them, she surpassed them and delivered it all in Payback! But, as usual, I digress when talking about books and authors I love, so let's talk details!

Payback is a riveting, edgy, fast-paced, somewhat dark novel filled to the brim with pulse-pounding danger, edge-of-your-seat adventure, heart-pounding action, spine-tingling suspense, heart-wrenching angst, intense drama, explosive passion, tug-at-your-heartstrings romance, and, of course, steamy dreamy sex. After all, this is a Kristin Harte/Ellis Leigh story and anyone who has read her work in the past already knows Leigh pens some of the dreamiest sex scenes ever! The narrative is beautifully written in the first person with clearly defined his and her perspectives. The dialogue is smart, snappy, gritty, sometimes humorous, exceptionally well executed, and flows effortlessly. One of the things I enjoy most about Harte/Leigh's work is her balanced ratio of narration and dialogue, which is extremely important to the balance and flow of a story. Harte/Leigh's stories move at lightning speeds, yet are always comfortable and easy to follow with no unnecessary fluff or filler. But, without a doubt, my favorite element of every Harte/Leigh story is the cast of well-developed characters. Don't get me wrong; I think all the components of a book are important: setting, plot, conflict, resolution, along with overall craftsmanship including title, cover, formatting, execution, and editing, but without engaging, relatable protagonists complemented by a cast of entertaining ensemble players, there is no story. Some stories are born from a single character and written around him or her which, according to the author's comments at the end of this book, is the case with Alder Kennard in Payback, a fact for which I will be ever so grateful. Alder is an unforgettable character, one who restores your faith in love, makes you believe anything is possible, and remains in your heart long after the final page is read. In my humble opinion, Kristin Harte/Ellis Leigh writes the most unapologetically protective, possessive, passionate, and fearless heroes and heroines I've ever read. From what I understand about the Vigilante Justice Series, the entire saga will be based upon the Kennard family, a tightknit group of five siblings from the fictional town of Justice, Colorado, along with their friends, love interests, and pets. Yes, there's a dog named Rex! Rex may be a mixed breed, but he's an intelligent and loyal mutt! My kind of dog! Who doesn't love a story with a loyal pet as one of the characters? In Payback, the two protagonists are 36-year-old Alder Kennard and 23-year-old Shye Anderson. I was immediately smitten with Alder Kennard. Alder is handsome, intelligent, hardworking, loyal, brave, selfless, and kind. He's what my dad used to call a man's man! Who in the world can resist a hero with all those qualities? Not me! lol... Alder may be my favorite of all Harte/Leigh's heroes to date. And what do I even say about Shye? I fell in love with sweet, inexperienced, young Shye Anderson instantly. I related to her character on a very personal level, and my heart literally ached for her. Alder and Shye are such complete opposites, yet they complement each other brilliantly. The interaction between them is nothing short of magical. The passion between these two unlikely lovers literally explodes from the pages. Their story almost ripped my heart right out of my chest. I sniffled, snorted, sobbed and fumed through the entire story but by the end, I was happy, satisfied, and well entertained.

Did I like this story? No, I LOVED it! I was glued to my seat from the first page to the last, completely captivated, white-knuckling my reader with my heart fluttering wildly in my chest as the pages flew as quickly as the time, and adored every single minute! Would I recommend it? You bet, and I am but only for adult readers since it does contain explicit language, violence, and sex. Alder Kennard is a silver-tongued devil who knows how to talk dirty to his woman! *swoon* And FYI, this is not erotica but the love scenes could be described as erotic. Harte/Leigh writes some of the most beautifully emotional and heart-seizing sex scenes ever! This book does not end with a cliffhanger per se, but rather what I call a happy for now. Although each book features a different couple finding their happy ending, there is an underlying interconnected conflict that will be resolved as the series progresses, therefore I recommend reading the books sequentially to enrich your experience and avoid spoilers. The author's note in the back of the book does tell us that we'll be hearing more about Alder and Shye in future releases. Will I read this author again? Absolutely! Just as soon as she releases her next book! I've already preordered the second book of the series, Retaliate, which releases March 15, 2018. And finally, was I entertained? Completely! Fabulous entertainment and an awesome read! Well done, Kristin Harte! Well done, indeed!

Five years ago, Alder Kennard returned to his hometown of Justice to take over the family's floundering sawmill and lumber business after spending fourteen years as a Green Beret. Justice, Colorado is a very small community with no money for police or fire departments. Alder, his family, and friends are the police and fire departments. Of the 348 residents, 90% depend on the Kennard Mill for their livelihood. As the oldest Kennard sibling, Alder sees himself as not only responsible for his family and their business, but also the safety and welfare of every single citizen in Justice, and that includes Skye Anderson. Shye is a relative newcomer to the community, having moved to a rundown trailer just outside Justice three years ago when she began working as a waitress at the nearby truck stop. Alder may be thirteen years older than Shye, who at first glance seem to have nothing in common, but we all know age, similarities, or commonalities have nothing to do with the laws of attraction. The heart wants what the heart wants, and Alder Kennard's heart has wanted beautiful, timid Shye Anderson from the moment he first set eyes on her three years ago. And the one thing Alder has in spades is patience, one of the many things he learned as a Green Beret. Although they've never gone on a date and never had any interaction outside the restaurant at the truck stop, Alder is willing to wait as long as it takes for the woman he already sees as his. Shye Anderson may not know it yet, but she already belongs to him. It's just a matter of time. But sweet little Shye has a dark, troubled past with secrets she's convinced no man could ever accept. She owes a debt and if not paid, the cost could be her life. She lives in constant fear but is determined to never involve anyone else, especially not handsome Alder Kennard. She never wants to be responsible for the death of another person - not again - and the Soul Suckers MC wouldn't hesitate to punish her by harming someone she cares about. She may be attracted to Alder, but he can't help her. Besides, a good man like Alder could never be interested in someone like her, especially if he knew her secrets, right? We'll see!

[lucy · Rating 1 out of 5]

parece que esta autora no sabe lo que es el desarrollo de los personajes ni de una historia.

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book as an ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book is a contemporary romance by the author Kristin Harte. Although this is my first book by her, but will not be my last, I have read other works by her under her other author pen name of Ellis Leigh (paranormal books)and this book is just as well written. The story revolves around Alder Kennard, his family/close friends and the fictional town of Justice, Colorado. Alder is the eldest son, a former Green Beret and owner of the primary business in the town...his family's lumber mill. He has had his eye on the pretty diner waitress Shye Anderson for the last three years just waiting on the right time to make his move. Make her his girl forever. Unfortunately an unsavory MC, the Soul Suckers, suddenly were making an appearance in town and up on the land that the mill wanted to harvest trees from. Why were they there and what did their presence mean for the small town? Alder wanted them dealt with, but after a series of incidents he then wanted vengeance. How does a former Green Beret go about protecting what he considered his (and that included Shye)? He gathered reinforcements of course. And with a former Green Beret as a best friend, a younger brother as well as a close employee who were former Navy Seals and a Mill foreman (also best friends with his twin younger brothers) who was an ex-Marine, Alder plans to bust the Soul Suckers wide open. I can't wait to see what this sexy, Alpha, former military man has in store for those that have threatened all he holds dear. This should be a definite one-click and I do not think you will be disappointed!

[thehotmesslibrary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Payback focuses on the Kennard Brothers and is book one in this new series. This book focuses on the eldest brother Alder Kennard, who runs and pretty much owns the town of Justice, Colorado. The head honcho of the sawmill, he oversees everything that is going on in town from jobs to the safety of the residents. When that safety is threatened by a motorcycle club, Alder isn't impressed and he and his brothers are going to stop at nothing to make sure that the MC doesn't over run the town.
Alder is a former Green Beret and is called into the mountains of his town when a forest fire is reported only to find out that the trailer of the woman he has been in love with for years, Shye. Shye has big secrets that she has been keeping from Alder and sadly they are starting to come to light with the ruin of her trailer. She owes a debt to the Soul Suckers MC and if she doesn't start to pay, things are only going to get worse for the residents of Justice.
This book was an okay read for me. I found it a bit slow and sometimes felt that Shye's characters was a little bit wet. Basically if she had told Alder at the beginning what had been happening to her and what she had been asked to do, I don't think there would have been as much resulting drama. The book focuses heavily on Alder and Shye's relationship but also introduces us to the rest of the Kennard clan (which later books will be about) and sets up the scene for what is going to happen in Justice as the clan take on the MC that is trying to wreck carnage on the small town. Overall, this book was okay, it had action, intrigue and passion but I just felt a little bit flat reading it. The book did end on a cliffhanger though and it would be interesting to see how Shye and Alder's relationship develops as well as the rest of the brothers and what happens with the development of the MC. But maybe more of a library book loan than a buy it book for me!

[Karen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Has promising & interesting elements though some macabre. E.g. The wood color variant, ex-special forces brotherhood non military industry boosting hometown's ecconomy then the extreme brutal payback system of MC
I found the patience of a man who controlled a town & naivety of a biker princess a bit of a stretch.

[Sofia · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story was great. Then the ending happened and it felt very, VERY rushed. 2.5 stars. It was almost a three. Almost. Alder was great. Shye was decent. All of the other characters in the book were pretty good. None of them were that annoying which was a pleasant surprise.

[Ruby · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars!

[Stephany · Rating 2 out of 5]

.

[BecReadReview · Rating 5 out of 5]

seriously hot

A broken woman who gets involved with a alpha protective male. What could possibly go wrong? Love the protective yet respectful way The hero loves the heroine. The band of brothers are amazing as backup. Sad to see evil always exist in people who should protect you. A steamy, hot,suspenseful and romantic story worth reading.

[Meise · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ok I seriously struggled with this one, but I have personal rules against just out right not fishing a book, so I suffered through it.

(1) I did not see their relationship as being delivered/developed in a realistic way. I know it’s fiction and that allows for some creative graces when it comes to reality but for me this didn’t work. The childish possessiveness from the male MC—I mean he was like a kid with a toy he did not was to share. I get it! That’s your girl! However, if the relationship between the two had been developed in a more realistic manner I wouldn’t have seen her as an unshareable object but perhaps someone loyal and that would have been more of a healthy relationship to identify with. Loyalty can be demonstrated in several actions: trust, commitment to one person, consideration for that other person—all of which would still allow the reader to see them both as belonging to each other WITHOUT 1000+ reiterations of MY/MINE. Their relationship was just unrealistic to me. I mean y’all barely talk to one another for three years and then one of the first few major interactions is getting it on in the back of the restaurant?!

(2) For people who who have background/specialties related to being observant, most of these characters couldn’t find the biggest clues that were sitting right in front of them. That way the reader could have had time to relate to the characters and seeing WHY they fell for each other as opposed to “Dang! That girl looks good! I want her! She’s mine!” I felt like more time developing true relationships between character could have served a lot better

(3) The unnecessary repetitiveness. Apart from the MY/MINE from the male MC, there were alot of topics that were repeated every time certain characters were mentioned. Like the recovering drug addiction brother: bringing it up a few times would have been okay, but it seemed like each time the poor guy was mentioned he had to bear that scarlet letter. If everyone is always thinking of him as the druggie how is he supposed to ever grow as a character and out last that association. Also, if the repetitive characteristics were supposed to help the reader distinguish everyone apart and understand their mannerisms/habits, then it might have been better to not introduce so many characters at the beginning and give time to the development of a few and then then build the rest of the world gradually.

Just my opinion on it and how I felt reading it.

[Lexy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Honestly the worst thing I’ve read in a long time. I can’t DNF a book but I got super close with this one.
The “hero” Alder is so possessive, and NOT in any kind of romantic or nice way. He constantly calls Shye “my girl” as much as he possibly can in any given context, to the point where I wonder if he has some sort of mental illness where he covets people as possessions. Also, his thinking that she’s hotter because she’s a virgin? GROSS. That’s gross. I don’t care what you think about that, I think it’s gross.
Shye is possibly the only character I liked (I use this word LIGHTLY) in the book, and that’s only because she isn’t as ridiculous as Alder, but she still can’t tell anyone why she’s the one they’re hunting down? And in ALL HIS GREEN BERET TRAINING HE CAN’T SORT THAT OUT FOR HIMSELF?!? Give me a break. It’s like everyone in this novel took stupid pills and then all came together to live in Justice.
I saw that it said “vigilante justice” and normally I HATE that trope but I decided to give it a go. I still hate it, that’s not the authors fault at all, however, making the sheriff a weak-minded individual who is bought and sold to the highest bidder in terms of how the law is enforced and on whom is ridiculous. There’s better ways to go about writing vigilante justice and this has got to be my absolute least favourite.
Anyway, hated the book, hated the sex scenes (spoiler: he “finishes” in his pants or on her pants like two or three times, can’t remember, like what is happening here) and hated the plot. I cannot even fathom how I laboured through this book. Do not recommend.

[Eleanor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eeeeps. This has trouble written all over it. Wowza.

Alder Kennard, former special forces and now informal leader of their town of Justice, has been in love with Shye since she arrived in town, 3 years ago. Alder, as the head of his family, will do anything in his power to keep his family safe, his town flourishing and their lives peaceful.

But then the Soul Suckers MC roll into town and disrupt their lives. They’re somehow connected to Shye, and now that she’s in hunted by them and now that fires are started throughout the town and one is responsible for the death of a close friend, Alder and his friends take it upon themselves to take care of the MC.

Shy has been serving Alder and admiring him from afar, whenever he visited the diner where she works. She is as gone for him as he is for her, but neither knows the truth. Shye is also tied to the Soul Suckers, and just as their name suggests, they’ll do everything in their power to suck her soul; hers and everyone they come across. When Shye’s trailer is torched, Alder offers her a place to stay, and their attraction is fast to ignite.

I love alder and Shye. They’re both so gentle but also so very fierce in their determination to do the right thing. Their chemistry is hot and intense, their seemingly instantaneous love is addicting and Kristin Harte’s words are perfect.

I can’t wait for the next installment. I need to get to the next part, the Retaliation part for the story.

[Jenn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Alder has been in love with Shye for 3 years, but hasn’t made a move, waiting for her to show some sign she’s into him. Little does he know she has been for just as long as him.

Shye has her reasons for not approaching him during this long period of time- but he doesn’t know. Finally Alder is presented with a chance to get a taste of her, and he goes for it.

Even if Shye wants him- she has a deep secret she can’t let him know about- and she tries to hold it in- even as he pursues her and tries to protect her.

I liked the storyline but never once did I actually feel her feelings for him as I did his for her. As the story played out- I liked all of the elements, but I felt like I needed more to it. Things happened but to me, the sex portion overshadowed the story. Especially when a member loses someone close to them. I don’t really know how to explain my feelings on what was lacking and why I didn’t feel the Love feeling back from Shye.

I felt like more needed to come from the bad guys and good guys fighting... but things happened to easily or in the background and we didn’t get to see some of it.

[maria.g · Rating 3 out of 5]

Five years ago Alder Kennard returns to his hometown to run his parents business along with some of his brothers. A lumber company. However, he is more than that he has appointed himself as the protector of this small town. They personally look after each individual in the town. They provide their own vigilante justice. Moreover, most people in the town are grateful for the unofficial post Alder has taken upon himself.
Skye Anderson moved to a rundown trailer just outside the town three years ago when she began working as a waitress at the nearby truck stop. She had had a hard past and there are secrets keeping her just where she is, until one day her trailer burned down. She is this sweet girl that keeps to herself.
She is more than a decade younger than Alder but that doesn’t stop either of them from wanting each other. Their story was sweet and cute most of the time (but Alder was a bit too much alpha male at times, it felt uncharacteristic for him) whereas the situation they are in are brutal. The story did end in a cliffhanger. But, for some reason I didn’t feel the need to INSTANTLY read the next book.

[Jamsu · Rating 2 out of 5]

Suspense books are out of my comfort zone but I honestly wanted to like this. I think I would've even DNF'd the book if it wasn't so short. I even DNF'd it around 90% but like I was so close of finishing it, so I wanted to see what happens.

I couldn't connect with the heroine. The writer(s) wanted to keep the readers waiting for answers so finding out what she did before why she did what she did just made me dislike her. I don't like secrets and I just couldn't invest the story much because of that. It didn't help that the hero was so trusting and thought that she could do no wrong.

Alder is actually the one that made me finish the book. He was so sweet and the idea of Shye being scared of him made his gut sink like a rock.

I think a lot of other people would still like this even though it was two star read for me. I just couldn't deal with Shye and her choices. I did feel bad that she felt like she wasn't good enough but I just wish she had told the truth to someone.

[Will Decker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since reading this story back in 2018 the author has added an epilogue so it isn't the cliffhanger that I originally received through Book Funnel. There is a thread that runs through the entire series, but at least we have a conclusion to this element of it. The writing style is good, the characters are developed and hold true to form, and there's a decent amount of action mixed in with a heavy dose of spice. A very enjoyable story.

[ImABookAddict · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh

The ending didn't make sense. It was so abrupt. It felt like she just skipped chapters filled with action and then the end. She added another short novella at the end, explaining that one of her Arc readers suggested she add more because the ending was confusing. It was. I was glad she did. But the entire book fell flat to me anyway. Maybe it's just my current mood. Anyway, I won't be reading the rest of the series.

[Eve · Rating 3 out of 5]

That was a fun read, I liked it. My only real complaint would be how abrupt the ending was, definitely didn't feel like a proper conclusion, just kinda came out of nowhere. Besides that though, I'm incredibly happy with this read, it was a nice way to pass the time.

[Marissa Chavez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shye and Alder were super sweet! I love how protective he was of her! All in all it was a great book! 😊

[ZETTER · Rating 5 out of 5]

Claiming Skye!!!

Alder Kennard, a former Special Forces soldier and now owner of Kennard Mills was living up to his family's reputation. The Kennards being the fonder of their town Justice, it was up to him and his two younger brothers (Bishop, Elijah & Finn) to protect the townspeople.

They have been doing just that when a motocycle club, the Soul Suckers blew into town and threatened to disrupt their town. He wasn't about to let that happened on his watch. Especially when it seemed those bikers were after the woman who had unknowingly imprinted herself on his soul.

Skye Amderson had been hiding out in Justice for the past three years. She had a debt to pay because of her what she'd owed and she wasn't ready to pay such heavy price. The Soul Suckers didn't care. When they showed up on her doorstep, Alder Kennard came to her rescue.

Both Alder and Skye had been crushing on each other for three years. Now that he had her in his life, the very protective man wasn't about to let her go. Even though she knew why Alder and his were being hunted, she didn't share any tidbits until it was too late.

The confident and stoic Alder had to do something that ripped his heart out. He sent her away in order to protect her but he missed her lile crazy so he went to bring his girl back home.

He and his team took care of the business the bikers had in Justice. Even though they knew that wouldn't stop them from coming after them. Alder and Skye finally got their HEA.

PAYBACK is the first installment in Ellis Leigh's alter ego, Kristin Harte's newest series, VIGILANTE JUSTICE . It was intriguing, fast-paced and sizzling. Marvelous job by Kristin Harte.

[K Cram · Rating 5 out of 5]

Page Turner! Riveting, Action Packed, Suspense, Sweet, and Sexy Hot!

Kristin Harte has kicked off her new Vigilante Justice Series with a BANG! As Kristin’s first book under this name you may think she is a new author, but she is an incredibly gifted paranormal author also know as Ellis Leigh, and also as a contemporary romance co-author known as London Hale.

Payback is Alder Kennard and Shye Anderson’s story. The Kennard’s own a sawmill and lumber company in the little town of Justice, CO. Shye moved to Justice 3 years ago in order to payback a debt to the Soul Suckers MC. She either pays the debt with information or she could pay with her life.

From the first time Alder saw Shye, he knew she was his, but he would have to take it slow, and as a Green Beret who knew how to be patient. So no matter how long it takes, he will wait. Three years later the Soul Suckers MC make life in Justice anything but safe. The Kennard’s view Justice as their town, and the safety of their town and those that live and work there is their responsibility. And NO ONE will get away with hurting anyone in Justice.

When the threat gets a little too close to home, Alder is determined to take care of the problem and keep everyone safe, with Shye’s safety being #1. Shye has an unknown history with the Soul Suckers MC and she will pay with the only thing she has, her body, if it means Alder, the man she has come to care about, safe. She’s to damaged with many secrets for a good man like him.

Payback is a riveting page turner that is action packed, suspenseful, with some SEXY HOT love scenes.

I highly recommend Payback! Well written Kristin Harte! I can’t wait for Bishop and Anabeth’s story in Retaliate (March 15th).

[Missy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Honest review: This book was ok, not great, there were just so many weird moments.
I'm all for alpha males, but this alpha bordered on stalker. 3 years? 3 years of someone having to keep on eye on the "girl" at all times? Ya that's weird, not romantic, red flag weird. Let's go back to girl, while you are told basically from the beginning that there's a large age gap, which would be fine, some of the references make you uncomfortable, in a wtf? sort of way. Like how little she is, how young she is, it goes on often enough about the little girl, not a petite woman. It has a really weird vibe.
And then the part with the house fire..... The man couldn't seem more emotionless. Like more concerned about if his girl, is warm and fed, than one of your good friends tragedy. I was waiting for this to take a Sleeping with the Enemy sort of turn. It didn't, thankfully. There were so many slang terms or pet words for the same thing ex: cunt(shudder), pussy, little girl, slip of a woman, thrown in there too, that it seemed like Alder had different personalities. Loads of stereotypes too.
And up until the last chapters, you wonder if Shye has any backbone at all.
I saw a lot of great reviews, and sadly I guess it just wasn't for me. Maybe I'm being too harsh, and I apologize to the author of I am.

[Sleepless · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the town of Justice,. Colorado gangsters receive payback and readers cheer!

I was really terrified for Shye and Alder as war is declared against a brutal motor cycle club! Ready to protect his girl and his town, Alder and his team of former elite military are ready to rid the country of Soul Suckers MC!
I dislike cliffhangers, but I understand authors need to sell books! Payback left off at a very inconvenient place!
The dynamic characters, powerful storyline, romantic sizzling sex and yes fear are essential elements of this book! The Kennard family and friends staredown an evil and violent enemy! I feel very afraid because the MC are going get their payback!
This book by Kristin Harte is a wonderful tale of strong alpha men safeguarding the women they adore!