I’d love to bend her over the hood of her stupid little electric car and smack that ass.
But the project comes first.
I don’t have time for dating, especially tree-huggers. I have to get this build completed on time.
But a kiss never hurt anyone... right?
She just better not be playing me to get info on my boss. Or shut down this project.
Because she’ll find out that I can give as good as I get. That I have creative ways to punish her.
Get her begging for more…
This book is part of an amazing series of books about sexy blue-collar guys who don't mind getting a little dirty. ;) They are stand-alones and do not need to be read in order, but are all super sexy and delicious. From Alexis Alvarez (me!), Lee Savino, Renee Rose, Alta Hensley, Tara Crescent, Ava Sinclair, Aubrey Cara, Jane Henry.
Alexis Alvarez writes romances - some are light-hearted contemporary romances; others delve into the exotic world of domination and submission.
Her female heroines are strong-willed women who are never push-overs, and who can hold their own in society and the workplace, but who are intrigued with the idea of kink and submission in the bedroom. Alexis writes with skill and poetry, creating worlds that are both dark and erotic and, at times, humorous and light.
Alexis is a writer, photographer, gourmet cook, former engineer, and mom. She likes other things besides BDSM fiction, and some of them include snorkeling, lemon bars, thunderstorms, and laughing so hard with her sisters and brother that her stomach hurts.
You can find Alexis at the website she shares with her two real-life sisters, who are also romance writers: www.graffitifiction.com
Hammered, by Alexis Alvarez, is book five in the Hard n Dirty series. This book is part of a series of books about sexy blue collar guys! Each book is a stand alone and are written by an assortment of authors. They do not need to be read in order. This is my very first book by Alexis and I loved the way she writes. I would call this an enemies to lovers romance.
Talia Carlsson is a journalist for a newspaper. She is also an environmental activist. She is volunteering for a small local agency that is trying to save their local Moorish Crane which is in danger of being forced from their habitat by a large construction firm that has purchased the property that is their home. Talia just wants to speak with the owner of the firm, Danton Carter, so she and her best friend might have snuck onto the job site. What she gets instead is a very sexy man who she assumes is the job site foreman. Only he is anything but cooperative.
Dane Troy has been assigned as interim CEO for Danton Carter Construction in the absence of his uncle. He found the company with a plethora of issues that needed fixing, costing the company time and money. He’s got everyone breathing down his neck wanting one thing or another. He does not need pretty little tree huggers traipsing around the job site. No matter how sexy they are.
Talia is not to be discouraged and Dane is steadfast. But neither can deny the attraction they feel to one another. They may be on opposing sides but they are on the same side when it comes to what they want in private. Dane likes to be in charge and Talia likes to submit.
“What is it about this man that has me so worked up?”
These two start to feel like what is building between them could be something more. Something wonderful. But, between dirty politicians, crazy environmental activists who are in it for the wrong reasons, and sleazy relatives, everything that can be against them, is against them.
I’ve had this on my kindle for so long and I really wish I had read it sooner. I loved this. They both had so many forces against them. I so wanted things to work out for them. Both of them had such good hearts. The only real reason I subtracted a half of a point is that even though I don’t mind reading a bit of dominance at all in my books, I felt like there was too much emphasis on their activities and that his enjoyment came a bit too much from giving her pain, even though I have to stress that it is what she wanted and enjoyed. I just got to the point where I skimmed a bit over it because it was repetitious.
With that being said, I really did enjoy this. My heart was pounding at one point with so many things going wrong. It’s fairly short, sexy and has some sweet moments. I definitely will be checking out what else this author has written.
The first half was a solid read, with great writing, fast paced (and funny) dialogue and stellar tension building. Both, Talia and Dane, were likeable characters with an off-the-charts chemistry and an awesome banter.
But everything completely fell apart in the second half, after the author decided to pack too much of this and that in under 200 pages and made the heroine a weak and lost tool instead of a strong and intelligent spitfire we've met at the beginning.
Talia fell victim to her horny body constantly - and Dane's answer to every conflict was ... good old sex. Spiced with a little spanking and delayed gratification in this case.
I dragged myself through the one-dimensionality of the villains and through tiresome plot developments - to a chlichéd ending. Will not be coming back for more.
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
After I had started reading this book, I had to go and look to see if this is a first novel. (It's not.) That's how it reads. So many tired tropes and this is no different. What is different, however, is that Alvarez seems to have crammed them ALL into the one book. And not in a good way.
I didn't connect with the characters, there was no emotional depth, and a lot of the time I was frustrated that arguments seemed to be side-lined by sexy times. Seriously,
I don't know if Alvarez has actual D/s experience, but even those scenes seemed a) like she read an article and then stuck it into the story, or b) over the top for the amount of time they've known each other. Were they necessary? No. They didn't add anything to the story. Take them out and it wouldn't have affected the book at all. (See my comment above re: cramming superfluous stuff in.)
It could also use another round of edits because I don't think he meant to pull on his "boxes" after sex. And the overuse of "So" to begin dialogue needs to be slashed by at least half.
I received a copy and voluntarily left a review and all opinions are my own.
Anyone who has read Alexis Alvarez's work knows that she is known for her filthy and sweet BDSM romances. So when I read the blurb to Hammered and discovered that she was going to give us a nosy animal lover activist and a down and dirty construction worker who loves to dominate and spank his oh so willing female companions, I was ready to dive head first into her newest fictional world. From the first page Talia and Dane kept me captivated and salivating as their rivalry and their passion grew for one another. I couldn't wait to see how they participated in sexy punishments and settled their differences and fell madly in love.
Talia is my kind of woman! She is intelligent, feisty, curious about everything, and an animal lover with a huge heart for the environment. I enjoyed immensely watching her and Dane butt heads, hearts, and bodies over everything from their jobs to who they were fighting for, but when that bedroom door closed, the heat was all consuming! I adored her upstanding character and what she stood for.
Dane is a all rippling, dominating male and is impossible not to love from the moment you meet him with his fierce expressions, hard hat, and formidable presence. My love for him grew with each moment of passion between him and Talia and his morals made him ever harder not to fall for. I love a man who stands up for what is right and will stop at nothing to protect those who depend on him and the woman he has fallen head over heels for.
Alexis Alvarez delivers another desire filled read that is sure to give you heart palpitations and leave you a little flushed with a filthy imagination. I highly recommend Hammered for a read that is sweet and romantic as well as down and dirty! Alexis always entertains, titillates, and keeps her fans coming back for more. If you are looking for an author who can give you all the sexy bedroom dominating heroes, look no further, Alexis is author for you! And what better place to start than with a muscled construction worker who is all dominating alpha!
Hammered is the fifth book in the Hard N’ Dirty series, but can completely stand alone! Talia is a journalist by day, but her passion lays in protecting the local cranes. Trying to get an interview with Danton Carter Construction, she meets Dane, the foreman at the construction site, more than just attraction sparks between them. While seeming to be on opposing sides, everything aligns in the bedroom. But when his secrets come out, Talia tries to walk away. Fate has another idea, though, especially as they both are being played in a bigger game. Can Talia and Dane have everything they wanted in and out of the bedroom?
Oh my goodness, there was so much going on in this book, that I was just completely hooked! I naturally was dying to know about Talia and Dane, but I was curious about their opposing sides, and I loved the mystery of what all was happening and who was playing who! Talia was such an amazing character who showed her strength and true colors by trying to be unbiased, going after the truth, and fighting for what she believes in! Poor Dane, just trying to do his best to take his uncle’s company in the right direction, wanting to be ethical and fighting for his employees, a really good, dominant, yummy guy, just being pulled by the people he should be able to trust. I absolutely loved them together, be they fighting or intimate, and I definitely loved some of their more playful and punishment scenes. I loved that they were from enemies to lovers, I loved the plot line of this book, and I have seriously loved this series so far!
Hammered by Alexis Álvarez was a mix of political, BDSM, blackmail, and relationships. Over all I enjoyed this book ok, however at times I felt it was repeating itself and the BDSM part almost felt like it was not experienced. I enjoyed the characters Talia and Dane ok, but the storyline was kind of all over and so many directions and things included (the volunteering, the journalism, the mayor, the business, the singer...etc...) I would say it was probably worth the read, but definitely not a "must-read" IMO.
I usually enjoy Alexis Alvarez and her stories. But I didn't particularly like this one. I liked the main two characters, Talia and Dane. But I didn't really like the story or the secondary set of characters. I did finish the book because I wanted to find out how they got the bad guys, and of course, the book was yummy LOL.
Bottom line, I could not connect with the storyline and the secondary characters, but I did enjoy Talia and Dane when they were together.
I am a little iffy on if I would recommend this book but since it is part of this series I guess I would. They are all standalone so it would have to be up to the reader to read.
I didn't finish this one, I kept trying , but the characters didn't interest me . They seem so flat and not very likeable. I made it too about the 3rd chapter before I finally gave up , read the last chapter and called it a day.
Reviewed by GypsyBelle * I voluntarily reviewed and ARC of this book*
This was enjoyable. Loved the enemies to lovers story line. Two great characters who fight hard for what they believe in. Enjoyable from beginning to end. Haven't read a book from Alexis in a long time. Definitely pulled me in .
I must confess; I’m a huge fan of Alexis Alvarez. Her books always grab me from the first paragraph. Hammered is no exception. As soon as Talia and Dane meet, the reader will feel the electric sparks jump off the page. They have separate agendas, goals that are important to them. But those goals conflict like oil and water. Dane is the foreman of a construction crew that is developing a project near an area inhabited by Moorish Cranes. Talia is an environmental volunteer trying to save the breeding grounds of the birds. She and her BFF Lem confront Dane after breaking into the construction site. Talia wants to present her case for saving the breeding grounds to the owner of the company, hopeful she can change his mind. But, Dane refuses to connect her with the elusive Danton Carter. Instead, Dane unceremoniously escorts the women to the site exit, warning them not to return. It’s destiny that they Dane and Talia cross paths again. That begins a steamy on again, off again relationship. This is a BDSM affair, filled with passion and lots of heat. Despite both of them resisting an emotional connection, it’s clear they like one another a lot. I hesitate to use the word “love”, although it’s as close as you can get. They are more than friends with benefits. If anything, they are frenemies with benefits. The biggest obstacle to their relationship growing is a secret Dane is keeping and Talia’s machinations on behalf of the birds. Alvarez has a knack for making her characters so hot, I find myself rooting for them from page one. Talia and Dane fit that mold. In fact, Dane is one of the sexiest and most sensitive male character she’s brought to life (IMHO). If you’re looking for a hot and heavy romance, with safe dominance, fascinating characters, and a plot that goes beyond the bedroom, Hammered is for you. It was definitely for me! I was given an Advance Copy of this book for my honest review. (And I bought it anyway!!)
3 1/2 Stars The premise of blue-collar workers getting hot and hands in a series is a fun one and hooked me straight away.
Talia volunteers for an environmentalist group in her local area in her spare time. She and her friend Lem go to the construction site where there are Moorish Cranes in danger of losing their habitat. She meets Dane, well she goes toe to toe with him however he won’t budge and let them stay on the site without the correct safety equipment. This is just the start!
Talia is a strong, sassy character and extremely likeable but then so is Dane, plus he is hot! 😉 Talia calls things as she sees them, honest as the day is long but also mindful of others feelings too. She has a caring nature as well, as is evident by her need to try to stop the Moorish Cranes from losing their local habitat. Dane is a little more ‘man of mystery’ however does have a great work ethic and really cares about his workers.
The physical attraction between the two lead characters is almost tangible and when they are hitting the sheets they burn them up. Dane’s dominant side really surfaces but luckily Talia enjoys the opportunity to be submissive in the bedroom. My concern with the story, and the reason for the 1/2 a star is a yo-yo, on-off relationship between the two of them that is really cold then hot then cold, I feel it’s a bit too much. The underlying sense of ‘something stinks in the hen house’ creates a side diversion that is fairly predictable but the resolution is crafty.
All in all an entertaining light story with a touch of BDSM thrown in.
Talia’s interest in saving the wildlife is becoming a big pain. All she wants to do is talk to Danton Carter and make him see reason. Dane does not need the headache. The do-gooder environmentalists are just getting in his way. OK, the chick with the long legs was hot but he needs to get this work done. Dane isn’t willing to get involved but fate has other plans. And if Talia find out about who Danton is, he may be in big trouble.
These two sizzle from the beginning when they lay eyes on one another. But you get the feeling like things are going to get really hot then really cold. Dane is sexy and has a kink to him. I love the way he takes control. Talia is very smart but I worried that she allowed her wanting to help get in her way. Yes, she is a woman determined but you do have to pay attention to everything around you. Dane keeping secrets has it biting him in the ass. Talking is always key and these two keep sidestepping.
It feels so real in this story. All the corruption and back alley deals, the slime of politics and always trying to find an angle to screw the little person. Those are things I hate to see in the news but it is out there all the time. Don’t get me wrong, I love the story. I’m talking about the grit of it in the story. The view of what is truly going on. As I said before, communication is the key in everything.
Just to make the “Hard n’ Dirty” series fun, we find out that this book, “Blaze,” and “Filthy Fight” are connected. I won’t say how, but read it and find out.
The Hard n' Dirty series has put together quite the line-up and they haven't dissapointed. That being said Alexis Alvarez's addition to the series is outstanding! It has woven together the best D/s scenario with the alpha male dream. Every woman wants a man who makes them melt and feel like a treasure and Dane Troy doesn't dissapoint. Talia is one hell of a strong-willed, sexy and smart woman. She's what other girls dream of and more. Neither is perfect and their flaws only make the relationship that much better. The stolen glances, naughty whispers and suggestive touches all swirl together to make the perfect storm. When these two characters finally get together it is hot as hell! I'm still cooling off from the heat of their encounters. Even with all this chemistry, even with all the heat Alexis still weaves together a great story with plenty of suspense. No one is who or what they seem in this story and that just kept me on the edge flipping each page as fast as my eyes could take it in. Dane and Talia are incredible together; a couple who's strong and confident. The power exchange between the two of them is beautiful and I loved every word of it. I can't wait for more of Alexis' construction stories. Hard labor never sounded so good. I received an advanced copy of the book for an honest review and I am grateful.
One is protecting the Moorish Cranes, the other is destroying the crane's habitat. Differences abound except when they hit the sheets, then Dane is a total dominant and Talia the perfect submissive for him. I worried that it would be a never the twain shall meet type of scenario, but with Talia being a journalist by day and part time environmentalist on her free time and Dane being the foreman of the construction site that is threatening the breeding grounds of the cranes, it didn't look good. Add to the opposition of the two main characters, two very good friends support their causes, Lem is Talia's bff and Bae is Dane's and surprise, Lem and Bae hit it off and do their best to be with each other and support their friends without stirring the pot. There are also sub characters that do stir the pot, from shady politicians, to questionable motives of the head envoronmentalist that Talia and Lem volunteered with. The situation isn't looking good for either side of the conflict, but they do figure out ways to end their problems with a satisfying HEA. I enjoyed the push-pull between Talia and Dane and his take charge attitude with Talia that steamed up the pages. I suggest you read the story and see how it all works out, it kept my attention from the very start when they all meet at opposite sides of the fence, litterally.
Oh Talia and Dane...these two...captured me from the first page and didn't let go even after I finished their story. Good lord these two were so much more than I was expecting. I must admit I'm new to Alexis Alvarez, but she has a reader for life now.
Dane is dominate, dirty, sexy, and falls hard for the one person he never saw coming. It's refreshing to have a hero that isn't afraid to stand up for what he believes in and who has the back of the woman who has turned his world upside down. Talia is everything I want to be and more. She's strong, fierce, protective, and loves animals. It's was great watching her and Dane. Even better watching them work together. I can honestly say there are no other characters out there right now like these two. They are different and I LOVE it.
Alexis Alvarez sucked me in with her writing and didn't let go. She made me want so much more from these two while making me feel like I was right there watching everything happen. I love when a book completely pulls you in and Hammered did that for me. I'm so excited to see what Alexis has coming next and I can't want to lose myself in another amazing book.
Alexis Alvarez is brand new to me and I feel like I've totally been missing out y'all... because holy smokes did she knock it out of the park with this fast, sexy, charming, quirky book. Hammered took me on quite the fun journey packed with loads of laughs and love... and with two characters that completely stole my heart in every single way.
She's on a mission, not letting anything get in her path. That is until he steps in her life and shakes it up. He doesn't need a distraction but he can't let her go. That heart wants what the heart wants...even if they should be on opposite sides of the fence.
From their first awkward meeting to the does of events that followed this pair, I got lost in the pages of their journey fast and fell just as hard by the end of the first meeting. Dane and Talia were both a hot mess in so many moments y'all LOL and gah I wanted these two together so hard and yay for getting out together... but the journey they took, while dicey in moments, was so freaking good, light, interesting, and worth every moment.
If you like your romances easier, sweeter with a whole lot of sexiness and fun then this book is definitely a must read.
“Hammered” was my first drop into the new Hard N’ Dirty series and I’m loving the premise for the series and this story. It’s always grand fun when an environmentalist goes toe to toe with a construction foreman. Add in a dirty politician and an over eager environmentalist with eyes on the limelight and you have the makings for a grand contemporary story with lively characters and an engaging plot that will carry you along. Likes: Talia and Dane. While there is insta-attraction, Ms. Alvarez doesn’t make it seem obvious and the couple have their ups (grand ones) and downs (severe ones); so much so that you’ll be rooting for the win. Lem and Bae make for great friends to Talia and Dane (especially Lem) and add in the other secondary characters and we have the makings for a strong story that will have you not only checking out her other stories but eagerly anticipating more in the Hard N’ Dirty series. And as all good romances go, there’s a “sticky situation” requiring the couple to work together and I absolutely loved it. It’s a grand comeuppance that will have you grinning as you cheer on the couple.
This book started out really well and was an enjoyable story, I gave it this rating because of the on again/ off again attraction between the lead characters became a little too much and a bit repetitive.
Dane is the one in charge of the construction site where Talia sneaks onto to try to talk to Danton Carter. He is immediately annoyed that both she and Lem, her partner in crime, have come through a locked gate onto the site without any safety equipment. Things between them are definitely heated in more ways than one!
Dane and Talia are both very likeable characters, hard working with good moral ethics. Talia is trying to save the local Moorish Crane’s habitat and Dane is trying to help local people with job security and the added benefits that come with it. There are of course some less than stellar characters and these are described well too.
At times the pace is quite rapid then it slows down. It’s an easy to read book and as I said an enjoyable story. There are definitely a lot of hot bedroom scenes where they get to explore their kink.
Main protagonists Talia and Dane play a cat ‘n’ mouse game of sorts around each other in the beginning, Talia’s an environmentalist/journalist who first meets Dane on a construction site and from there on along with some ‘kinky’ sex thrown in they end up falling for one another.
When I read the synopsis for this book I was really excited to read it, but in all honesty it didn’t live up to my expectations, maybe I’ve just read more ‘put together’ books if that makes sense, this one felt immaturely put together and didn’t quite do it for me.
Hammered was the first book I’ve read by Alexis Alvarez, I didn’t realise she’d written quite so many and based on writing throughout the book I honestly thought she was rather new to the industry.
Talia and Dane… their story captured me within the first page and never let me go until the end! Every new chapter brought more twists, building the tension to even new heights. And don't get me started with the sexual tension…that was on a really high level… on a lightning-high level to be precise! I loved the cat-and-mouse-game both protagonists played at the beginning… it made the book so much more thrilling! But it also was painful to read about their unsolvable predicament, about their forced opposition. Both points of view are completely comprehensible as well as their feelings…
This book is another awesome example of the mastery and skill of this author and her finesse of involving her readers in whatever topic. To say I loved this novel would be the understatement of the year!
I really freaking hope that Alexis Alvarez also has some BDSM books out, because hot damn, the sex in this book is smoking. *fans self*
Other than that, the book was just okay to me. I liked that it was about a blue collar/white collar guy. I like that he's not afraid to get his hands dirty. I also like how commanding he is in bed. Damn, I just can't get over how hot the sex is. Probably one of the hotter books that I've read this year.
There's not too much to say about this book, but I like the premise of this series. It will be written by a bunch of different authors, but they'll all be about blue collar guys. Very unique and I'm excited to read more of them.
This author is new to me and I couldn’t wait to dive in because I have liked all of the books of the Hard n’ Dirty series. Talia and Dane come from two opposite ends of the spectrum. She is a journalist and animal rights activist wanting to protect the breeding ground of the cranes. Dane is a construction foreman that is destroying the cranes habitat. He is a dominant and Talia is a submissive, once they get together they light the sheets on fire. But don’t mistake Talia for being weak, she is a strong independent woman that allows Dane to take control in the bedroom. The suspense in the story had me turning the pages, I couldn’t wait to find out what happened. I can’t wait for more of this author’s Construction series!!
This book totally exceeded my expectations. This is a new to me author. I was expecting a quick instalove type read that was more sex than story. I was wrong to judge a book by its cover because this book actually had a great story. It built on the chemistry of the main characters as they learned to compromise. The steamy times were not the focus of the story. Yet, when those steamy times happened...sweet lord I needed an ice bath to cool off.
I'll definitely be looking for more from this author.
It’s complicated When Dane and Talia butt heads over an environmental issue, sparks fly! I loved this couple together, and wished for more “screen time” for them! They spent far too much time apart, in my opinion, because they were explosive and so sexy together. I loved watching them explore their sexual desires despite being on opposite sides of very serious issues. Alexis Alvarez never fails to bring the heat!
I love Talia and Dane! Such a sweet, hot, dirty story! I love how the author manages to make kinky kind of sweet and endearing while also making it super hot. And I loved seeing how Talia owned her sexuality, making no apologies for it, she likes what she likes. Very empowering and fitting for our time right now. Perfect amount of Kink!
Famous last words "but a kiss never hurt, right?" Funny, sexy and chock full of a dominate alpha male who knows exactly what he wants and is not afraid to take charge (Dane). Counterbalanced by a heroine who is bold, sassy and knows her own mind (Talia). When these two first meet, their chemistry explodes right off the page.
Talia is an environmentalist trying to save animal habitats. Dane is a construction worker. These two have immediate chemistry when the meet at a construction site. Will these two be able to work through their differences? A sexy hot read that I recommend if you like dirty talking, dominant men and the women who are their match.
Talia is an environmental group volunteer/ reporter who can't make progress as a volunteer. She uses her day job to write a false story about Dane and his company. I didn't read it all because Talia is very immature. Dane should have lost her phone number.
New author to me. Hammered left me a little conflicted. I liked it but it wasnt what I thought. A CEO and a reporter/activist. Things get hot then deceiving. Truths are held back and feelings get hurt. A little angst, mystery, suspense mixed with some pretty harsh dominant scenes.
My go, I absolutely loved this book. The characters are amazing and the plot even better.
Dane, with his dominate and sexy ways and Tahlia with her sassy attitude makes for an awesome and explosive relationship..the deception and lies threaten their relationship, will they endure or will it end?