Series: Rock Kiss #2 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: March 10th 2015
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
In New York Times Bestselling author Nalini Singh’s newest contemporary romance, passion ignites between a gorgeous, sinfully sexy man who built himself up from nothing and a shy woman who has a terrible secret in her past…
Wealthy businessman Gabriel Bishop rules the boardroom with the same determination and ruthlessness that made him a rock star on the rugby field. He knows what he wants, and he’ll go after it no-holds-barred.
And what he wants is Charlotte Baird.
Charlotte knows she’s a mouse. Emotionally scarred and painfully shy, she just wants to do her job and remain as invisible as possible. But the new CEO—a brilliant, broad-shouldered T-Rex of a man who growls and storms through the office, leaving carnage in his wake—clearly has other plans. Plans that may be equal parts business and bedroom.
If Charlotte intends to survive this battle of wits and hearts, the mouse will have to learn to wrangle the T-Rex. Game on.
I have been DYING to read this book – Charlotte and T-Rex’s story – since I read Rock Addiction! I was fascinated by what Charlotte told Molly about her big, sexy, ferocious, tempting boss. Now we finally get the full story! And I’m so happy we did. Rock Hard is a sweet, heartwarming, captivating book that fans of the series won’t want to miss.
He really was a T-Rex, stomping through the company, chewing up people and spitting them out left, right, and center. But the T-Rex wasn’t looking Charlotte’s way, and that was fine with her. She’d just be a quiet, industrious little mouse in the corner, not worth bothering with but too useful to fire.
Then the carnivorous creature decided to notice her.
I think it’s so freaking adorable how Nalini Singh likens Charlotte to a shy mouse and Gabriel to a T-Rex. This heightens how very different they are, which made me all the more desperate for them to get together. Opposites attract? Hell yes! There is a serious, simmering chemistry between Charlotte and her new boss, though Charlotte is way too shy to even make sense of it. Her new boss is intimidating, but in that way-too-sexy, out-of-her-league kind of way. When Gabriel makes Charlotte his personal assistant and they spend more time in close proximity, the tension between them only gets tauter. And it’s only a matter of time before it snaps.
“Come on, Ms. Baird. I promised early on that I wouldn’t bite.” A slow smile. “Unless you make the request, of course.”
Rock Hard is so much more than just a typical office romance between an assistant and her boss. For one thing, Charlotte is incredibly shy. Normally, I wouldn’t be a fan of reading about a heroine who is this shy, but somehow, Charlotte’s character worked for me. It did take me a while to warm up to her, but as we delve deeper into Charlotte’s character, we see the scars from her past that have left her untrusting of other people. My heart went out to Charlotte for the pain she’d been through, and I found myself rooting for her to win the battle against her past. But it’s only with Gabriel that she truly begins to heal. With Gabriel, Charlotte becomes a spitfire, awesome and fierce, qualities she thought she’d never recover. Gabriel makes her feel safe, and how can you not love that about the man?
“I’m right here if you need me, and I’m more than big enough to help you fight your demons. Just say the word.”
Gabriel wants Charlotte – bad. This sexy hunk of a man is determined to win Charlotte, body, mind, and soul. And oh. my. goodness. Gabriel is so delicious and swoon-worthy! He’s a powerhouse in the office as well as in the bedroom, and I loved the way he awakens Charlotte’s sexuality. I was blushing alongside Charlotte sometimes from the things he says!
As deliciously sexy as Gabriel is, I also loved how sweet and patient he is with Charlotte. He can tell she was hurt in her past, so he’s extra protective of her. The romance is slow-going but no less intense. Charlotte’s scars need to be handled delicately, and Gabriel is more than happy to oblige. I was swept away by their sweet, deeply emotional romance. The perfect combination of sexy and intense, and slow and heartwarming, Rock Hard has the the kind of romance that feels very real and genuine – I highly enjoyed Charlotte and Gabriel’s book!
A little side note: Rock Hard can be read purely as a standalone novel. The glimpses that we saw from Rock Addiction are more fully told in Rock Hard, so there’s no need to read the previous book (although I’d still recommend it – it’s a great book!).
Quotes are taken from the arc and are subject to change in the final version.
Reading Order: Rock Kiss series
#1 ~ Rock Addiction: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#1.5 ~ Rock Courtship: My Review • Ebook • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ Rock Hard: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ Rock Redemption: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#4 ~ Rock Wedding: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads (July 19, 2016)
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