Veena’s review of Rock Hard (Rock Kiss, Book 3) by Nalini Singh
Contemporary Romance published by TKA 10 Mar 15
This contemporary series from paranormal author Nalini Singh is a fantastic addition to her repertoire, the crowning glory of which is the romance between a mouse and t-Rex. Charlotte (the Mouse) and Molly (Rock Addiction) are best friends and their stories overlap and interweave with each other, even if this one comes almost a year after Molly’s story. Gabriel Bishop (t-Rex) is an absolutely scrumptious hero, who stands head and shoulders above the famous rockers who are the larger-than-life heroes of the rest of this series. The cute and witty lead-ins to each chapter totally enhance the reader’s pleasure and deserve an A+ rating of their own.
Charlotte has deep wounds of the emotional and psychological type that have left her too scarred for a relationship and yet Gabriel is just as determined to bring her out of her darkness and make her the center of his professional and personal lives. The author has done a stellar job in developing the intensity of their encounters as Charlotte gains confidence and begins to heal through Gabriel’s efforts. Her journey can only be summarized from their first dinner, when she’s a little mouse who’s afraid to eat in his presence to the self-confident woman who pokes him in the chest to make her point and win.
Gabriel has a reputation of taking no prisoners in his turn-around of failing companies and yet the patience he brings to coaxing Charlotte out of her shell to her full potential tugs at my heart strings. I love how he calls Charlotte Ms. Baird in even the most intimate moments to help her stay on an even keel and recall who she’s with. Charlotte’s story is told with a skill and empathy that showcases Ms. Singh’s talent in designing her characters to be complex, true-to-life, three-dimensional people her readers invite into their lives.
A wonderful addition to the series. I can’t wait to see the rest of the band get their own stories and perhaps Gabriel’s brothers as well.
Grade: A
Summary:
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.
Read an excerpt.
Other books in this series
