Hard to Come By audiobook

5- "It's the easiest thing I've ever done." Stars!Hard to Come By literally picks up from where Hard to Hold on To left off, you 100% need to read this series in order, too much has happened on the previous books, which amazingly only actually cover 10 days in the life of The Hard Ink Special Forces Team!”We’re just some guys who are trying to do the right thing.”Derek DiMarzio has figured quite heavily in the previous books in this series, being the tech guy of the team it has been his brains and gadgets that have kept eyes and ears on the ground where there would under normal circumstances be none. Like all of the other guys his outward persona, does not necessarily give the full story as to what is going on inwardly. Learning to live with his prosthesis after the ambush the team went through in Afghanistan has had massive changes on his life, and also on his friendships, as well as how the guys view and treat him. ”I just don’t want you to think I can’t protect you.”Emilie Garza, like all of the other women who have come to know the Hard Ink guys in this series, isn’t a woman who is afraid to stand up for herself. Marz is initially bought into contact with her in relation to the team’s interest in her brother, but it becomes apparent from their first meeting that there is more than a little chemistry between the two of them. ”Next time, you’ll come on my tongue.”This series just goes from strength to strength; Laura has managed to weave another love story into the developing story as a whole, Marz being the ‘happy-go-lucky’ member of the team, has a lot of depth to him, but then this book is as exceptionally well written as has every other guys whose story she has told before him. You want a whole lot of kick-ass with your romance, then this is definitely a series you need to check out.”Resistance is futile.”ARC generously provided by the publisher, and it was my pleasure to provide the above honest review.

After I read Hard To Come By I wondered why has it taken me so long to read this author!! I was very surprised how much I enjoyed this one, as I look back on how much I enjoyed this story, I realized I definitely need to try out the earlier two books. I do love this genre, its so exciting and sexy, and I really enjoyed what the author has done with this story. Even jumping into the series out of order, I never felt like I was totally lost. The author does a fantastic job of introducing the set up of the story and a bit of past events that never made it feel like I was out of control and needed to read the previous books first. Although I do wish I had read the first two books to get a deeper understanding of past events and what was going on, but I do think that if you catch on quickly than you can read it out of series if you like.The story begins when Derek DiMarzio, along with his team, have been betrayed by their commander and for Derek, its a betrayal of the hardest kind, because this commander is like a father to him. He along with his team and trying to get the bottom of the deception, and their investigation leads them to Emilie Garza, and her brother. Her brother is at the top of their list, and a way to get to him...his sister Emilie. Emilie is a psychologist, and loves her family, but she notices her brother acting strangely and out of character ever since he returned from the war.While having lunch, she meets Derek, who is gorgeous and charming and sweet, and can't resist going on a date with him. But soon her peaceful and normal life goes topsy turvy, and she enters Derek's world of danger and suspense, she learns truths about her brother and who Derek really is and the kind of life he leads. But can Emilie trust a man that has already broken her trust? Or can she trust the man she has started to love?I adored this pair...they were so good for each other and really help each other along the road of danger and intrigue. I love seeing these two learning to trust each other. Derek...well what a hero we have here. He is quite a hoot to see and I was very amused by him. Derek sacrificed one of his legs to save a teammate, and unlike most people, he is good humored about it, and makes jokes all the time relating to it. He is easy going, charming, and passionate about EVERY aspect of his life :). He definitely is the type of man you want as a friend or mate. He is dedicated, good humored, sensitive, and a protector for those he calls family. What's not to love right?Now Emilie, I loved her!! She was such a good match for Derek, and her personality was just great. Emilie has trust issues, with bad experiences in the past, and even though she wants to hold back when it comes to Derek...she doesn't. I loved the way her character really pulls through when needed. Emilie was just a sweet heroine, and I loved her from the first few chapters. She is strong, independent, intelligent and willing to do what it takes to save those she loves. She is committed to doing the right thing, even if it hurts her. It was quite fun seeing her with Derek and the dangers he comes with, but all she is adamant about is honesty...anything else she can handle. I love how upfront she is and there is nothing deceptive about her. She was quite refreshing to read and I really came to admire her.Overall a winner of a romance...and when it comes to romantic suspense...this story has it all!!! Be ready for some thrilling action, super steamy scenes, entertaining moments between the team and Derek, and a intense love story to blow your socks off!!! NEW FAVORITE AUTHOR!!

I knew I was going to love Derek from the moment we met him in the first book, he is without a doubt a hero, someone who sacrificed a lot to protect his best friend and fellow Special Forces team member and who has no regrets about any of it. Derek has a great sense of humour but more than anything I love his strength of character and the way he is so loyal to his team. He's the kind of guy that any woman would be lucky to meet and it doesn't take Emilie long to realise how great he is. The connection between them is fairly quick but in spite of that I didn't have a problem with things feeling rushed, they're in the middle of a high pressure situation and that is bound to help fan the flames between them.Emilie is in a really difficult situation, her brother has always been the one person she can rely on to protect her but the man who came home from the war isn't the boy she remembers. He is now secretive, paranoid and jumpy, Emilie can tell he's showing signs of PTSD and she's terrified he might be a danger to himself or others. For the first time in her life she's actually scared of her brother and she's not really sure where to turn to. I have to say I was really pleased with the way Emilie handled things, she doesn't bury her head under the sand and hope that the problem will go away but instead she chooses to fight things face on and make the difficult decisions that are needed. She meets Derek because he is investigating her brother and although it takes time for her to open up to him once he has earned her trust she puts her faith in the Hard Ink team to protect her.One of my favourite things about this series is the bond between the Hard Ink guys, the banter between them is so much fun to read and I thoroughly enjoy the way that the friendship they share has increased throughout the series as they work to clear their names. Derek has had a lot to deal with and there are times he feels a burden to the team because of his physical injuries but really he's just as capable now as he ever was and the rest of the guys help him to see that. There may be things he can't do now but they don't stop him in the long run and he deserves the utmost respect for that. I don't think it's easy to write about a hero who has suffered from an amputation but Laura Kaye did a fantastic job of it, she takes a difficult subject and handles it sensitively but with her trademark humour too.This series is getting better and better with every book, the guys are getting closer to unravelling the mystery of what happened to them and they make some very important discoveries in this book. The story is full of heart stopping action, a fantastic romance and brilliant friendships. If you're a fan of romantic suspense you're going to love these books but I really would recommend reading the series in order and starting with Hard as It Gets. I can't wait to find out what happens next!

Hard to Come By was the third book in Laura Kaye’s Hard Ink series highlighting former Special Forces team members that find their forever love while investigating a cover up on their last mission.Derek “Marz” DiMarzio was a computer whiz that could hack into anything. He lost his leg in an ambush that ended his military career and killed seven of his fellow team members. Brothers, Honor and Justice were the codes he lived by.Emilie Garza was the sister to one of their enemies, a fellow military man that went rogue and dirty when his military career ended. She was beautiful, independent, a psychologist and loyal to family.Derek and Emilie met under contrived circumstances while Derek and his investigative team were secretly looking for Emilie’s brother. Kaye took us through a genuine friendship with tons of chemistry. Kaye also continued the suspenseful theme from previous books to advance the investigation. As typical with the series, the plot progressed answering some big questions but leaving others open for continuation throughout the series. Kaye also introduced other key players for spin-off series, Raven’s Riders MC and Blasphemy.All in all, I loved the storyline, suspense and the characters and I can’t wait to continue the series with Beckett in Hard to Let Go. In the meantime, I look forward to a quick novella for Charlie and Jeremy, Hard to Be Good.

** spoiler alert ** *** Book Q & A**** How did the book make you feel?: I enjoyed the premise, but all of the adventure, suspense, and intrigue overshadowed the romance. * How do you feel about how the story was told?: The romance begins under false pretenses. The book is action-packed. The secondary characters are very active throughout the book. * What did you think about the main characters?: I enjoyed Marz, but his bedroom persona didn’t match his regular persona. Emilee’s self-righteousness got on my nerves. How was she so naive? * Which parts of the book stood out to you?: I really appreciated Marz’s vulnerability about his amputation. I think that aspect of the story was very tastefully-executed.* What themes/tropes did you detect in the story?: Espionage romance * What did you think about the ending?: It has a twist, but this is the only book in the series I’ve read so far so I may not have appreciated it as much as some of others.* What is your impression of the author?: I love this author but this series isn’t really my cuppa.Triggers: graphic violence and death, human trafficking

I'm a complete sucker for these guys!

This is my favorite book in the series so far! I love the growing bond between all of the characters and the build up of the plot gets more intense in this one. There were some surprises and revelations I wasn't expecting. Some parts here and there brought me to tears. As a series, I think it's important if these books are read in order. You become more invested in these characters than if you read this one as a standalone. The Hard Ink team is still trying to track down people responsible for what happened to them a year ago. I don't want to say too much at the risk of spoiling the story. Just be prepare for some gripping intense scenes. I really love Derek DiMarzio (Marz) and Emilie Garza's characters. Laura Kaye has written a hero who has faced the worst of situations yet is still able to see the light in life. Abandoned as a child, Marz never knew love. The only connection he had to people were his SF team, and the only father figure he thought he had betrayed them. I love that LK didn't gloss over the physical aspect of being an amputee either. This added to Marz's character much more and make you love him more. Marz has the ability to make you laugh, squirm in your seat with his hotness and dirty talk, and also make your heart break a little. And those tattoos!! Yep, just gonna leave it there. I wanted him for myself at times! Lol. Emilie, on the other hand, is another great heroine. She's strong in mind and heart. The things Marz and Emilie had in common were their loyalty and their nature of doing right by people they love, even when it's hard. Plus, their chemistry is scorching. Make sure you have a fan nearby or lots of cold water when you read their scenes. The plot in these books are intertwined but LK ends each book in places where you feel satisfy and not in so much of a cliffhanger, which I appreciate! While it does bring forth more questions, I'm happy with the outcome so that I don't hate waiting on pins and needles to get the next book.P.S. One of my favorite scenes in the book involved a blushing Beckett. This cracked me up quite a bit. Can't wait for his story!

Oh Marz, where can I get one of you?!?!? Hottie McHotterson. I truly can't get enough of Jeremy's t-shirt collection. It keeps me laughin'. Reading OrderHard As it Gets (Hard Ink 1)Hard as you Can (Hard Ink 2)Hard to Hold on To (Hard Ink 2.5)Hard to Come By (Hard Ink 3)Hard to Be Good (Hard Ink 3.5)Only, Always, Forever: A Hard Ink Bonus Story (Hard Ink 3.6)Hard to Let Go (Hard Ink 4)TBR 9.22.15Hard as Steel (Hard Ink 4.5 Raven Riders MC crossover)TBR 2.23.16Ride Hard (Raven Riders MC 1)TBR 1.19.16Hard Ever After (Hard Ink)

"Derek DiMarizo would do anything for the members of his disgraced Special Forces team - sacrifice his boyd, help a former teammate with a a covert operation to restore their honour, and even go behind enemy lines. He just never expected to want he beautiful women he found there.When a sexy stranger asks questions about her brother, Emilie Garza is torn between loyalty to the brother she once idolized and fear of the war-changed man he's become. Derek's easy smile and quiet strength tempt Emilie to open up, igniting the desire between them and leading Derek to crave a woman he shouldn't trust.As the team's investigation reveals how powerful their enemies are, Derek and Emilie must prove where their loyalties lie before hearts are broken and lives are lost. Because love is hard to come by to let slip away ..."Sounds awesome! Can't wait for Fall 2014!

4 DIRTY TALKING STARS!!!This book had my favourite hero so far in the Hard Ink series.I loved Derek, he was so adorable, honourable and sexy as hell. I loved his positivity towards his disability and how he didn't come across as a victim.Loved the dirty talking from both the Derek and Emilie, she was a bit of a saucy minx with all her fantasies. The suspense aspect was good too, a really good read/listen.Next please.......

3 ½ stars – Romantic Suspense