I am  excited to be able to bring you the Review & Excerpt Tour for Laura Kaye’s HARD AS STEEL! HARD AS STEEL is a Hard Ink/Raven Riders Crossover Series Novella brought to you by 1001 Dark Nights. It is a fabulous addition to the Hard Ink series and a novella you will not want to miss! Check out more about the novella, read Tina’s Thoughts and an excerpt, and make sure to enter the awesome giveaway happening below!

Hard As Steel
Hard Ink #4.5
1001 Dark Nights
Laura Kaye
Genre: Romance
Release Date: September 22, 2015

After identifying her employer’s dangerous enemies, Jessica Jakes takes refuge at the compound of the Raven Riders Motorcycle Club. Fellow Hard Ink tattooist and Raven leader Ike Young promises to keep Jess safe for as long as it takes, which would be perfect if his close, personal, round-the-clock protection didn’t make it so hard to hide just how much she wants him—and always has.

Ike Young loved and lost a woman in trouble once before. The last thing he needs is alone time with the sexiest and feistiest woman he’s ever known, one he’s purposely kept at a distance for years. Now, Ike’s not sure he can keep his hands or his heart to himself—or that he even wants to anymore. And that means he has to do whatever it takes to hold on to Jess forever.

You can purchase your copy today at the retailers listed below!

Amazon eBook | Amazon Paperback

I have loved the Hard Ink series from day one and I always get so excited when there is more to the series. When I learned that this novella was happening, I got really excited. I loved Ike and Jessica’s characters throughout the series and them having their own story was a beautiful beginning to the end of this series overall. This novella is packed with a punch, just like the rest of the series. There is high adrenaline, passion, and purpose. The attraction between these two is on fire and it grows to a raging inferno in this story. It is beautiful and zealous. These two have a foundation of years of friendship tinged with the allure of something more. When that more becomes a reality, nothing can stand in the way of their fate.

I loved getting to see a glimpse into Ike’s biker world. Knowing that this is a spin-off series in the making, I played close attention to the characters introduced. I am excited to see those faces again and hopefully see Ike and the Hard Ink gang woven with the new series. Jessica was one of my favorite secondary characters from the Hard Ink Series. She has a spunk and tenacity to rival any living person. She has a fervor for life and her feisty character is on full display in this book. Watching these two characters, both full of life and energy, duke it out was spot on. They give and take, a constant ebb and flow. When things go further than ever before they attempt to redefine their roles and come up lacking. I loved watching the constant battle for dominance but they both succumb to the emotion. Their friendship is one that turns into an all consuming lust and love, one bound to withstand the test of time.

This novella was the perfect overlap to the ending of the series. I know there is another novella coming out but this one gives us some closure with all the characters, the next one is just the icing on the cake. I am excited to meet more of the Raven Riders Motorcycle Club and see a whole new world unfold. This novella is what Hard Ink fans need and it was everything I wanted and more! 
“Last rule while we’re here,” Ike said. “No busting my balls.”

“I wholly object to that one. I’m already going to die of boredom out here. You have to let me have some fun.”

Ike got right up in Jess’s space, so close that she had to tilt her head way back to look him in the eye. “You think I don’t see how you use humor to deflect when you’re scared? But I see it, Jess. I see you. So let me be clear. You are not gonna die. Not on my watch.”

A riot of reaction erupted inside Jess’s head. The uncertainty of being laid so bare. The scary satisfaction of being seen when Jess always worked so hard to only reveal what she wanted of herself. The red hot lust caused by Ike’s hard body being pressed so close to hers.

Despite the heat inside the house, Jess nearly shivered at the intensity Ike was throwing off. She became aware of him the way you become aware of the electricity in the air before a summer storm—slowly, insistently, magnetically. Her lips parted as she scrambled for a response, but her nipples were pebbling against his chest which made her wonder if he’d be able to feel her piercings there.

Ike took a small step backward, but it was enough to break the crazy physical connection pinging between them. Had he felt it too?

“Okay, so, no dying,” she said. To her own ears, her voice sounded like a throaty purr. “And, um—” She swallowed hard, trying to gather her wits about her. “—the boredom part?” She peered up at him, hoping against hope that she wasn’t the only one as affected by whatever had just passed between them.

Ike’s eyes narrowed as if he was on to her game. “Nick and his team know what they’re doing. Hopefully this situation will get resolved fast and you won’t have to be here that long.”

“Right,” she said. Jess hoped that, too. She wanted her friends safe and their enemies to be gone. For good. Still, she couldn’t help but wonder if Ike was eager for her to be out of here. In all the years she’d known him, she’d never been to his apartment in the city, nor had he ever invited her out to the Ravens’ compound for any of their parties or the races they ran at their dirt racetrack. It had always felt like, on some level, Ike held her at a distance. That there was a part of his world he didn’t want to share—with her, at least.

And now, here they were for the first time ever, hidden away from the world in a tiny cabin. All alone.

Get a grip, Jess. This isn’t some romantic cabin getaway.

Right. Ike wasn’t here with her because he wanted to spend time with her, he was here because she’d asked for his help, because he was a good guy, and because he knew she needed protection.

When Nick’s team finished its investigation and nailed their enemies, she’d go back to her regular life, and she and Ike would go back to being friendly colleagues. It was already embarrassing enough that everyone knew she’d unknowingly slept with one of the bad guys. The last thing she needed while they were stuck together here was to make it clear how much she wanted Ike. And cared about him. Despite the fact that she had no chance with him whatsoever.

Which meant Jess needed to put her fantasies about Ike Young aside. Once and for all.

To celebrate the release of Hard As Steel, Laura and Inkslinger PR are hosting an awesome giveaway! For your chance to win one of 3 signed copies of Hard As Steel with Hard Ink and 1001 Dark Nights swag, enter this Rafflecopter giveaway. Follow the instructions listed and you will be entered for your chance to win! Don’t miss out on this awesome chance. Good luck!

Laura is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over twenty books in contemporary and paranormal romance and romantic suspense. 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.

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