Hard to Be Good: A Hard Ink Novella

“I just want to say something, Jeremy. Your brother might’ve saved me, but you’re the one who rescued me from a lonely life not worth living.”

This was another great novella in the Hard Ink series, I love that after all the craziness that happens in the full length novels we’re treated to these little breaks in the action in the form of these heart felt novellas. In the last one we were there as Easy dealt with finally facing his PTSD and in this novella Laura Kaye tackles the also sensitive subject of homosexuality and trying to overcome the fear of being rejected for being who you are. I thought the topic, again, was handled very well and was very realistic and heart felt.

I, of course, have loved Jeremy since the beginning of the series. I mean how could you not, he has such a magnetic personality and is so incredibly generous to have opened his home and upend his life to help his brother and his brother’s friends clear their names. Plus, he’s got the most amazing t-shirt collection there is! Up until now we’ve only had snippets of Charlie in the other books, so I was excited to get to see more from this shy, quiet guy. Charlie and Jeremy have become quite close over the past few weeks but both were a little unsure whether the feelings of something more were one sided or not. I loved that quiet, unassuming Charlie was the first to try to make a move. The two of them balanced each other so well. And when they came together, holy crap, that was hot as heck! The chemistry between these two was off the charts, but the scenes were totally believable and I was soooo on board with their pairing.

Having been rejected by his father because he was gay, it was so wonderful seeing Charlie’s journey of overcoming his fears that the other men would reject him as well because of his feelings for Jeremy. This group of guys is seriously the best group, they are all so understanding and have each other’s backs no matter what. So of course their reaction when Charlie and Jer’s relationship is finally revealed was nothing short of awesome. It actually brought a tear to my eye. I loved seeing Charlie come out of his shell and I just loved his and Jeremy’s relationship develop.

The overall plot wasn’t really advanced in this book, so if you don’t read it you won’t be missing much with the regard. But I would highly recommend this book if you’re a fan of this series, don’t let the M/M aspect scare you off. This really was a wonderful addition to the series, it was sexy, funny and heartfelt. I really enjoyed it and I am really looking forward to Hard to Let Go in a few days, although I will be very sad to see this series come to an end! I’ve really become fond of the men (and ladies and pets) of Hard Ink!!

Series: Hard Ink #3.5

--One Sentence Summary--
A "no regrets" tattoo artist and a shy hacker find each other in the midst of an investigation.

--What are the Issues--
After the attack on Hard Ink Tattoo, Jeremy is struggling with guilt over not being able to help more in his brother's mission to find out what really happened in Afghanistan. Charlie began withdrawing from other people after the death of his mother and now he lives a very solitary life. Knowing how his father condemned him for being gay, Charlie is hesitant to express his feelings for Jeremy in front of the team in case they share his father's beliefs.

--What I Liked and Didn’t Liked--
Finally Jeremy's Book! -- I've loved Jeremy from the beginning and he just jumps off the page in every scene he's in. I love his humor and his ridiculous shirts, not to mention his tattoos and piercing; he just has so much personality. I admire Jeremy's dedication to helping the team and supporting his brother anyway he can. He's given up his personal space, his work, and his free time to help with the investigation and he's embraced each new person with open arms.

I Love A Shy Hero -- I happen to be a very introverted person and often enjoy spending my personal time in solitary activities so I really felt like I could relate to Charlie's lifestyle. He's also very reserved in his emotions and I can connect with this. I love stories that have quiet, shy characters that find themselves suddenly being embraced by others and finding that it's ok to be themselves when they're around people who care for them. Charlie is very insecure about being out around the other military guys; in particular he worries about how he'll be treated and he doesn't want to ruin things between Nick and his sister Becca. But Charlie needn't have worried and I adored the moment when he finally said "F-it!" (literally) and went after what he wanted.

Chemistry, Chemistry, Chemistry -- I thought that Jeremy and Charlie had great chemistry together and they really just fit perfectly. Jeremy's outgoingness could help push Charlie to be more extroverted and Charlie's calm nature could provide a rock for Jeremy during all the turbulence. You can really tell how much they each feel for the other.

--Final Thoughts--
I've loved this series from the beginning and this novella was a more low-key entry to the series. Though there's not as much action in this one, it's full of emotional connections.

Book Review- Hard to be Good by Laura Kaye

Jeremy and his brother Nick are reeling after the fight with the Church gang that leaves half their building gone and two men dead. They are trying to regroup as Jeremy feels guilt from losing those men.
Charlie knows how Jeremy is feeling. He watched Jeremy almost fall to his death and decides to reveal his feelings. He almost kisses him but is interrupted by the phones. It is probably for the best. Charlie has no idea if Jeremy feels the same. Charlie is lost when it comes to reading and dealing with people. Jeremy, however, was disappointed they were interrupted. He is determined to get Charlie alone and get that kiss.
Charlie is afraid to admit to everyone how he feels about Jeremy. His father’s rejection of Charlie’s sexuality is still hounding him. His fear drives him and he has to overcome them to have a chance with Jeremy. Jeremy is surprised how deep his feelings for Charlie go.
I love this series and Jeremy has been a favorite character. I knew he would be the one to break Charlie out of his shell. This novella occurs after the last attack. The group are searching through documents for any information. There is a lull. Jeremy is dealing with guilt and Charlie is dealing with his fear. They decide to reveal their feelings for each other and the reader is along for the ride.
I liked the storyline and the subject of being gay is discussed from Charlie’s point of view. I love the acceptance and the moment Charlie decides to be himself. The author did a great job writing about the relationship of both men. It was a fast read and a good addition. I give it a 4 out of 5.

I really enjoy this series and was interested to see how the Charlie/Jeremy romance would play out. The author did not cut corners with this story, as I have seen other authors do when trying out same-sex romance novels when it is not their norm. The sex scenes were appropriate to the story, not too dirty but still sexy as hell. It was a good, quick read, well written, and a nice addition to the Hard Ink series.