Welcome to the tour for Laura Kaye's latest in her
Hard Ink series, Hard to Hold On To. Join us for an excerpt, review and
Giveaway. Make sure to scroll down to enter.
Hard to Hold On To
Hard Ink #2.5
by Laura Kaye
SUMMARY:
Edward
"Easy" Cantrell knows better than most the pain of not being
able to save those he loves—which is why he is not going to let Jenna Dean
out of his sight. He may have just met her, but Jenna's the first person
to make him feel alive since that devastating day in the desert more than
a year ago.
Jenna has never met anyone like Easy. She can't describe how he makes her feel--and not just because he saved her life. No, the stirrings inside her reach far beyond gratitude.
As the pair is thrust together while chaos reigns around them, they both know one thing: the things in life most worth having are the hardest to hold on to.
Jenna has never met anyone like Easy. She can't describe how he makes her feel--and not just because he saved her life. No, the stirrings inside her reach far beyond gratitude.
As the pair is thrust together while chaos reigns around them, they both know one thing: the things in life most worth having are the hardest to hold on to.
REVIEW:
I
love the Hard Ink series and this is a nice little novella, but I’m not sure if
the novella is quite the right format for this series and especially this
story. Easy Cantrell is one of the quiet
ones and now we know why. He is dealing
with inner demons brought about by his perceived feelings of letting his team
down in Afghanistan. He is dealing with
PTSD. One of his only “lights” is Jenna
Dean. Taking care of her and protecting
her brings him a sense of purpose. Their
interactions are very sweet. My greatest
critique of this story is that the how and why they dive deep into their
relationship is a little underdeveloped. I understand the initial interaction
carried over from the last book, but this story felt very superficial – yes, he’s
protective; yes, he’s hot; yes, she is accepting of his condition….but it’s
still not in enough in my opinion.
However,
the strength of the story is the family of Hard Ink, and the especially the
brotherhood of these soldiers who survived together and are looking to
exonerate their names. When Easy decides
to come clean, the response is what I would’ve expected and glad to read –
strong, unconditional, loving. It makes me love these characters that much
more. I appreciate Laura Kaye for shining a light on an important mental health
issue facing many of our veterans.
Easy’s willingness to acknowledge his feelings and come forth to ask for
help sets a great example. We can all be a little more vigilant and supportive
of our loved ones. If only for that, this is a good read.
IN
A NUTSHELL:
I
recommend this novella as a part of the Hard Ink series. I enjoyed getting to
learn more about Easy and Jenna. However, as a standalone, maybe not so much. I
would heartily recommend to any new read to start at the very beginning. It’s a
very good place to start.
About
Laura Kaye:
Laura
is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over a dozen books in
contemporary and paranormal romance. Growing up, Laura’s large extended family
believed in the supernatural, and family lore involving angels, ghosts, and
evil-eye curses cemented in Laura a life-long fascination with storytelling and
all things paranormal. She lives in Maryland with her husband, two daughters,
and cute-but-bad dog, and appreciates her view of the Chesapeake Bay every day.
GIVEAWAY
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I definitely agree you've got to read the other books before diving into this one but the series is wonderful. One of my favorites, which is saying something since military romances (and anything suspense-y) usually aren't my thing. Laura Kaye is just an amazing voice in romance one of the first I recommend to readers looking to get into the genre.
ReplyDeleteI love Laura Kaye and all her books but Hard Ink is my favorite series of hers so far...
ReplyDeleteBarrie