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hookedbythatbook's review
5.0
It’s a can’t-put-down romance that had me smiling until the end.
Kiss Hard takes up the story of the youngest Esera brother. Danny leads a charmed life. He has a wonderful and supportive family, and his career is only getting better. He even has a shot at the England national rugby team. But his sponsors require him to keep his reputation squeaky clean and it’s put to the test when someone slips him a drugged drink one evening. Luckily, his nemesis, Catie, is on hand to divert disaster. And when social media has them in a romantic relationship, they decide to go with it, especially since it could be beneficial to both of their careers.
I love Catie. She’s had so much to overcome between her physical disability, her flaky father, her “dragon” mother, and her unconventional childhood. She is level-headed and mature, except for her interactions with Danny. But the snippy banter between them is a lot of fun. She also knows her body’s limits and how to take care of herself.
Both Catie and Danny are very driven and ambitious athletes and they fit well together. They understand the pressures that come with their careers. I love that Danny never treated Catie any different than he would anybody else.
Their relationship developed slowly out of a mutual loathing. Underneath their animosity, they still had a lot of respect for each other and that was a very good place to start from. What I liked most was that they kept trusting each other, no matter what happened. And don’t you just love that cover?
I’ve enjoyed the entire Hard Play series so far. I can definitely recommend it if you like your romance steamy, with steady, strong characters. It’s not necessary to read them in order.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
molliverr's review
5.0
I am a big fan of Nalini Singh and I love her books. I’ve read all the psy-changeling series (my ultimate fav!). But, this is the first non-fantasy romance from her that I’ve read, so I didn’t know what to expect. Safe to say I LOVED THIS BOOK!
I’m suchhhh a sucker for a sports romance and this certainly exceeded my expectations. I really liked the two main protagonists and their dynamic. Perfect frenemies to lovers and their banter is great (always the part o like the best from this trope). Also, I thought it was really refreshing. Although I’ve read lots of sports romance it isn’t usually rugby and I’ve not read one that featured a Paralympian or an amputee. I thought Singh portrayed this really well and Catie is such a great character in general.
Overall, I highly recommend!!
I’m suchhhh a sucker for a sports romance and this certainly exceeded my expectations. I really liked the two main protagonists and their dynamic. Perfect frenemies to lovers and their banter is great (always the part o like the best from this trope). Also, I thought it was really refreshing. Although I’ve read lots of sports romance it isn’t usually rugby and I’ve not read one that featured a Paralympian or an amputee. I thought Singh portrayed this really well and Catie is such a great character in general.
Overall, I highly recommend!!
justinejustreads's review
4.0
Kiss Hard was a very enjoyable frenemies to lovers story with forced proximity to fan the flames between main characters Daniel and Catie. Both main characters were super likeable and easy to root for while they worked through emotional issues in the book. Catie was inspiring and I thought the author was thoughtful and sensitive with the representation of a disabled person. I really enjoy when a book has the "found family" element as well and Catie already being loved by Daniel's family was very heartwarming. I haven't read the rest of this series, but I know I'm going to because I want to know their siblings' stories now.
4.5/5 stars
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.
4.5/5 stars
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.
dhee_reads's review
5.0
A 5 star read. The friendship. The respect. double amputees rep. Sportsmam/ sportswoman life. The family bonds. These two know each other like second skin. A lifetime of history. This a serve for Singh. I hope this gets so much hype. It's been a joyous read. Love both of our protags. (draft)
yourkindredreader's review
Catie and Danny's story is finally out for us to read!
Kiss Hard is the fourth book of the Hard Play series, and while it's considered a standalone, I highly suggest reading the first book in the series. Cherish Hard first introduced the main characters of the fourth book. Daniel Esera and Catie River have always regarded each other as nemeses growing up. They have a lot of history together - Catie's sister, Isa, is married to Sailor, Danny's brother. Their relationship is complex given how their lives are interlaced and how many family occasions and gatherings they have celebrated together. Both are highly-driven famous athletes, and their snarky attitude to each other is public knowledge. Because of a ruinous incident, the two of them started fake dating, which led to awareness about how much they know each other and how protective they are when one of them is in a precarious situation.
I love this book so much. Maybe there's a bit of bias with my review because I waited for this for a long time. I've been so excited about this book, having read snippets of their banter from previous books. It doesn't disappoint. I love our main characters, and I also love the other characters in the book, and it's so heartwarming to read about the Esera family once more.
Danny and Catie have relatable struggles concerning their professional and personal lives. Both main characters are competitive and driven with hearts of gold. This book also highlights how your upbringing can shape you as you grow up. It also highlights how some people view prostheses and disability in general. Another thing I'm pleased about is the importance of therapy because mental health shouldn't be taken for granted.
The slow burn of the characters' relationship felt natural, bickering along the way as they became close. I also enjoy their conversations, as they talk about their family, privilege, and dreams. It's a lovely book that I see myself re-reading a lot.
A huge thank you to NetGalley and TKA Distribution, for the advance eARC copy.
Kiss Hard is the fourth book of the Hard Play series, and while it's considered a standalone, I highly suggest reading the first book in the series. Cherish Hard first introduced the main characters of the fourth book. Daniel Esera and Catie River have always regarded each other as nemeses growing up. They have a lot of history together - Catie's sister, Isa, is married to Sailor, Danny's brother. Their relationship is complex given how their lives are interlaced and how many family occasions and gatherings they have celebrated together. Both are highly-driven famous athletes, and their snarky attitude to each other is public knowledge. Because of a ruinous incident, the two of them started fake dating, which led to awareness about how much they know each other and how protective they are when one of them is in a precarious situation.
I love this book so much. Maybe there's a bit of bias with my review because I waited for this for a long time. I've been so excited about this book, having read snippets of their banter from previous books. It doesn't disappoint. I love our main characters, and I also love the other characters in the book, and it's so heartwarming to read about the Esera family once more.
Danny and Catie have relatable struggles concerning their professional and personal lives. Both main characters are competitive and driven with hearts of gold. This book also highlights how your upbringing can shape you as you grow up. It also highlights how some people view prostheses and disability in general. Another thing I'm pleased about is the importance of therapy because mental health shouldn't be taken for granted.
The slow burn of the characters' relationship felt natural, bickering along the way as they became close. I also enjoy their conversations, as they talk about their family, privilege, and dreams. It's a lovely book that I see myself re-reading a lot.
A huge thank you to NetGalley and TKA Distribution, for the advance eARC copy.
ailinnr's review
1.0
1 Star
I picked this up literally just because I love this author from the psy-changeling series, and it seemed to be the only book in this series that caught my attention. But... it's just not it.
First of all, the beginning was so confusing, like we were starting in the middle of their relationship development. There was absolutely no buildup and we were thrust right into them spending time together, caring about each other and starting to be attracted to each other. But I knew it might be partially on me because I literally started up a series in book #4, but that's also no excuse, because even if we've seen these characters in previous books, this is supposed to be their standalone, where we get to know them.
Anyway, I'm disappointed that this couple was not only so boring but they were trying to sell themselves as something they weren't. They kept saying they were nemesis when they were clearly two childhood best friends. And by 60% I was like "oh my god if I hear the word 'nemesis' ONE more time-"
But yeah, overall it was just pretty boring. There was no conflict, no climax, no anything. I will probably just stick to the fantasy side of this author's work.
I picked this up literally just because I love this author from the psy-changeling series, and it seemed to be the only book in this series that caught my attention. But... it's just not it.
First of all, the beginning was so confusing, like we were starting in the middle of their relationship development. There was absolutely no buildup and we were thrust right into them spending time together, caring about each other and starting to be attracted to each other. But I knew it might be partially on me because I literally started up a series in book #4, but that's also no excuse, because even if we've seen these characters in previous books, this is supposed to be their standalone, where we get to know them.
Anyway, I'm disappointed that this couple was not only so boring but they were trying to sell themselves as something they weren't. They kept saying they were nemesis when they were clearly two childhood best friends. And by 60% I was like "oh my god if I hear the word 'nemesis' ONE more time-"
But yeah, overall it was just pretty boring. There was no conflict, no climax, no anything. I will probably just stick to the fantasy side of this author's work.
lechepatito's review
4.0
I have a new favorite in this series - I’ve loved the bits of Danny and Cathie that we’ve seen throughout, and it was so satisfying to get their full story! The caretaking/snowed-in bit at the beginning hooked me from the start and I was all in for their fake-relationship-turned-real. Nalini Singh does such a good job with the tension and growth for her characters, and they feel so real and well developed - without the weird drama that a mistimed or unjustified third act breakup that you sometimes get elsewhere.
reading_rainbows's review
4.0
Really nice to see disability representation in the romance genre. Would have been nice to show more of the difficulties that lower limb amputees deal with rather than only insecurity about removing prosthetics with an intimate partner. I was shocked that Catie didn't use a wheelchair regularly while training for the Olympics. That kind of training pushes the body to its limits and bodies need time to rest and heal.
cotes's review
3.0
I love Nalini Singh and her world building. Kiss Hard feels like the last of the series, as all the other Bishop-Esera brothers have had their book. Now it’s Daniel’s turn. The woman in question is Catie, his SIL’s sister and his declared nemesis. She’s training for the Paralympics. He’s a rugby star. She saves him from a sticky situation and they decide to fake date, which turns to actual hookups and real feelings.
The beginning of the book makes you feel like it’s going to be super plot-heavy, but it isn’t, not really. Most of all, the book is about Catie (and Daniel) figuring out how to have a relationship. They definitely have chemistry and it’s good to see the family that I grew attached to in other books, but it never feels epic or heightened like Sailor and Isa’s story did. Instead, it’s a more internal book. I liked it and it was good to see familiar faces, but I didn’t get super emotionally connected to it the way I did earlier books in the series. 3.5 stars.
I received an arc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The beginning of the book makes you feel like it’s going to be super plot-heavy, but it isn’t, not really. Most of all, the book is about Catie (and Daniel) figuring out how to have a relationship. They definitely have chemistry and it’s good to see the family that I grew attached to in other books, but it never feels epic or heightened like Sailor and Isa’s story did. Instead, it’s a more internal book. I liked it and it was good to see familiar faces, but I didn’t get super emotionally connected to it the way I did earlier books in the series. 3.5 stars.
I received an arc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
anjakascak's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0