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Rock Hard by Nalini Singh #Review

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Rock Hard by Nalini Singh #ReviewRock Hard by Nalini Singh

Series: Rock Kiss #2
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Published by TKA Distribution on March 10, 2015
Pages: 398
Format: eBook
Source: Purchased
  add to goodreadsfive-stars      three-half-flames

 

Oh, Nalini Singh, you knocked me out with this one. I loved Charlotte so much and wanted only the best for her. We met Charlotte in the first book, Rock Addiction, where Molly is her best friend. Both of these women have been through a lot. While we get a hint in the first book that Charlotte has a few issues, we don’t know where they stem from. Throughout Rock Addiction we only know the hero as T-Rex, the nickname Charlotte has given him.

Gabriel Bishop thrives on challenges. His rugby playing days are over, but his strength to take failing companies and turn them around gives him the challenges he needs. Against a lot of odds, he wants Charlotte, the little mouse who wears clothes 2 sizes to big and can’t look him in the eye. Right away he starts a campaign to win her over, not knowing all the facts as to why she is the way she is, but he is damned determined.

Charlotte lost her mother to cancer and father a few days later. Devastated, she tries to move on with her life and becomes involved with an abusive boyfriend. Something happens that changes Charlotte from a shy, but sweet girl into someone who is scared of her own shadow. She barely made it through the interview for her current job and just wants to hide in the wood work doing the work and being ignored.

Gabriel is not having that. He slowly brings her out of her shell and little by little gets the full story of what happened. While she was traumatized, he wants to help her and claim her for his own. There is a lot of dirty talk where Gabriel tells her what he wants to do, but he is often the gentlest of men, while also being the strongest alpha. Charlotte is fearful of him, but at times gives him back exactly what he gives, putting him his place. As he says, his catnip is smart women and Charlotte is his catnip.

What I loved was the slow progression from a mouse to someone even stronger. Don’t get me wrong. Charlotte overcame a lot even before the story started, but as the story progresses we see how Gabriel pushes her gently to be more than what she think she is and can be. We go from clothes that hang off her to slightly more comfortable but fitting clothes where she doesn’t hide her body. We go from throwing a stapler at T-Rex’s head to telling him he works to much and arguing with him. We also see Gabriel go through some things with is family, which Charlotte helps him through.

“Ms. Baird, where the hell are you?” came the growl down the line. “Do you not realize I pay you to be available when I need you?”

Charlotte’s hands itched for that jug of ice water. “Yes, I realize that,” she said, managing to keep her tone polite. “However, I did work well beyond my contracted hours yesterday.”

“What? Ermine complaining already?” A snort. “Don’t tell me you’re pacifying your boyfriend when you should be at your desk.”

Charlotte saw red. “Yes, I am,” she said, her mouth moving ahead of her brain. “In fact, we’re about to check into a hotel.”

Throughout the story I loved each of the characters. Charlotte for being so strong and pushing herself to be less afraid. She stood up for herself and cared enough about Gabriel to fight her fears. Gabriel for his part was a strong force and he sweetly pushed Charlotte knowing she was the one woman worth fighting to have and hold. Smoldering hotness abounded from each page. While he went slowly, the dirty talk kept my motor running.

Nalini Singh addresses some hard issues the two are dealing with. She doesn’t bush them off or gloss over them. Taking time to address each issue, realistically deal with them and move onto another. Nothing was overly dramatic in the fact that they hurt each other. Neither hurt the other, but supported each other to get to mutual ends together.

While this seemed to be a rock band series, we took a little detour to get a best friend’s story and a rugby player’s downfall. It was a great addition to the Rock Kiss series and I can’t wait to read more.

Challenge Info:

Pervy Girl: Dirty Talking
Literary Pickers: Bracelets/Cuffs

Want to see where it all began? Catch up with Molly and Zach’s story!

Rock Addiction by Nalini Singh

About Nalini Singh

I’ve been writing as long as I can remember and all of my stories always held a thread of romance (even when I was writing about a prince who could shoot lasers out of his eyes). I love creating unique characters, love giving them happy endings and I even love the voices in my head. There’s no other job I would rather be doing. In September 2002, when I got the call that Silhouette Desire wanted to buy my first book, Desert Warrior, it was a dream come true. I hope to continue living the dream until I keel over of old age on my keyboard.

I was born in Fiji and raised in New Zealand. I also spent three years living and working in Japan, during which time I took the chance to travel around Asia. I’m back in New Zealand now, but I’m always plotting new trips. If you’d like to see some of my travel snapshots, have a look at the Travel Diary page (updated every month).

So far, I’ve worked as a lawyer, a librarian, a candy factory general hand, a bank temp and an English teacher and not necessarily in that order. Some might call that inconsistency but I call it grist for the writer’s mill.


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