Title: Hard Love
Series: Guns & Ink
Author: Shana Vanterpool
Genre: N/A Contemporary Romance Standalone
Release Date: May 22, 2018
When two people in pain collide, there is something intoxicating about drowning in the chaos of hard love.
Brando Hawkins is a detective with the Denver Police Department. The world should be his to take. He’s a dedicated officer with a promising career. But Brando’s got secrets. Dark, ruthless secrets. At twenty-six, he’s burned-out, and the sight of another body, one more unhappy ending, might just do him in.
Catherine Abbott is a woman who wars with her demons and guards her heart. Immersed in a world where people ink their lives on their skin, Catherine trusts only that which she can see. And, as a rape survivor, she finds comfort in control.
But Brando’s demons start to tangle with hers. They’re dangerous, like hers. But they’re beautiful too.
A spray of bullets brings them together, and the pain of their pasts collide with the lure of their futures. Cat wants to mend his heart and his wounds, but Brando’s secrets lay tucked away in a vault so tightly sealed, she can’t get through.
Everything around them is covered in the confusion of love and the burn of revenge, but no one ever said love was easy.
Hard Love is the next standalone installment in the Guns & Ink series by Shana Vanterpool, a world of tattoos, love, and redemption from Swoon Romance.
Review by: Jennifer
(4 Stars)
So first, I will state, that IMO book one should be read before this, just so you understand the characters a bit better. The whole thing that concerns Madison and Klay does come up, briefly and it just made this an even better read to have read their story before going into Brando and Cat's. Plus the dynamic between Klay and Cat is better... explained in book one whereas in this book it may just come off as… strange. This is just IMO.
So Cat and Brando of course met in book one while dealing with Madison's "issue". Book two starts after the three have moved to Portland and started over there. When Brando gets hurt, Cat jumps on a plane and rushes to his side. They know the thing between them is unspoken and with the fears and demons they both have, they haven't even acted on other than some flirting. But Cat has to be by his side, she can't not be there to help him. When it's clear that Brando needs time off, Cat suggests going to Portland to take some time and think about things, about the future. The roller coaster that these two start at that point, has everyone bracing for the fall. Are Brando's demons stronger than his love for Cat? Will he be able to let go and just be free, or is that just an impossible dream?
The story that unfolds, I was not prepared for. I will say that if felt like it took forever, I did feel it dragged a little bit. This has soo much drama and for the most part both characters were in a dark place which made this a kind of depressing read. The sexy times were really steamy. The writing for this was good, I just found this one ok compared to book one. I am looking forward to the next book. I give this 4 stars.
Romance author, coffee drinker, and bad boy aficionado. Every second not spent breathing is an opportunity to write and read. I live in Northern California with my family and actress dog, Halle Bella. (Just Bella when she decides to cut the crap.) Escaping with a good book is something I live for and I write so others can do the same.
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