Hard Core

<a href="http://s1071.photobucket.com/albums/u520/MsBaba4/FUN/?action=view&amp;current=yawning-puppy.jpg" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener"> <img src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1379783772i/449890._SX540_.jpg" alt="Photobucket" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"> </a><br><br>Grit your teeth and get to it…I tried and it didn't work. <b>DNF when I hit the<br>50 % mark.</b><br><br><i>Hard Core</i> is another case of <i>“The story and characters did not live up to the really great cover."</i> The story/plot could have been good. However, what was really putting me off is the author’s voice and I had to sustain belief too often. The writing is so stilted, awkward at times and too corny. It feels saccharine to the point where my teeth will start to hurt. And I couldn't bond with the characters either. Where this story most certainly failed for me as well was <b>credibility.</b> Cristian Slade is half death, however, it’s amazing what he is able to do within three days after having been so seriously wounded. Alana is tending to his wounds but he is escaping several times. I mean is that a bad joke?<br><br>Slade has a hard-on and a crush on her while Alana is busy saving his life but she’s thinking about his oh so hot body all the freakin’ time. What about professionalism? That said, it's all about insta’ lust even though he is by far not ready for any such action. Deluded, anyone?? Well, and then he is helping saving a boy’s life and me thinks: <i> <b>“How is that possible? He should be horizontal, preferably in bed. He sure as hell will rip off his stitches again.”</b> </i> And then Magic <s>Mike</s>…er…Cristian is swimming like an Olympian and me thinks: <i> <b>“Impressive. Not. So far-fetched. All this after suffering from a gunshot wound, severe blood loss and a bad infection? That’s Superman at his very best.”</b> </i> *rolls eyes* <br><br>Oh, and the hero should check his temperature. I’m sure the guy has to be <b>hypothermic.</b> I get it that readers (including my humble self) like to read about a detached, closed-off hero but Slade is just too much. He is incredibly stiff (no pun intended) and once he unveiled his chilly personality there was no lost love between him and me anymore. I felt the author <b>overdid</b> it clearly. Further, I so dislike weepy and dramatic heroines. What a pathetic woman.<br><br>To top everything off I had to witness one of the worst pick-up lines that I've read to date when I was halfway through the book. Imagine, it was Alana who did it. Though I'd've expected such a pathetic come on from Slade. What followed suit was an extremely poorly written sex scene that sealed the deal for me. Yeah, game over, guys! The more I read the more critical I become and I have no qualms whatsoever to DNF a book I honestly dislike.<br> <br> <br>Baba’s <i> <b>Sexilicious Coefficient</b> </i> for <i>Hard Core</i><br>I'm talking about a range from 1 (very low) up to 5 (very high). Keep in mind that steam ratings are going to be just as subjective as book ratings. And my rating does not reflect in any way how well written the sex scenes are.<br><br><b>Chemistry 0<br> <br>Sensuality 0<br> <br>Steam 3<br> <br>Eroticism 0</b><br> <br>

? FREE on Amazon today (4/16/2019)! ?<br />

<b>*DNF*</b>

This review can also be found on <a href="http://msromanticreads.wordpress.com/2012/11/12/review-jennifer-lowery-hard-core/" rel="nofollow noopener">my blog</a>.<br /><br /><i>Hard Core</i> is Jennifer's debut novel, and she didn't disappoint. The story begins with a bang, literally. Cristian is badly wounded while he claws his way through the jungle. Enter the good Doctor, Alana. Even though she suspects him to be a henchman of her enemy, Gavin Ross, her stubborn moral compass won't let her leave him to die. Within the first few pages we get a very clear picture of the type of woman she is. She's kind-hearted, gifted, dedicated, a loving daughter, stubborn and a bit naive. Warming up to Cristian took a little longer, at least until he recovered from the delirium brought around by his fever. Going by Slade, he's mysterious, has an air of danger about him, closed off, comes off as emotionless ... in short he's a tough nut to crack.<br /> <br />I liked the chemistry between Alana and Cristian. No matter how often he tells himself he doesn't care, Alana manages to poke holes in his barriers. The irony of their professions made them more interesting. I love the fact that the author chose such a stark contrast. As a reader, before I pick up the book and while I'm reading the book, I'm wondering how these two can possibly become more. Is what Cristian does really all black and white? Can a doctor who has taken the oath ever be put in a situation that would make her renege on her promise? Those are questions that draw me to a book like this.<br /><br />It doesn't take long before we get to the drama portion, and it made quite an impact. The villain really was  a despicable creature, so I was fully on Cristian's side. Team Slade 1, Team Alana 0. I'm not sure I liked Alana in that particular situation. Even now I'm not even sure how I would have answered the question she asked herself in that critical moment. Kudos to the author for choosing a frightening and gritty plot point, and you know that stuff does happen! <br />The highlight for me was the appearance of the rest of Slade's "team". They didn't get much face time, and we don't get to know them except for what Alana observes on the surface. But it was enough to make not only the hero and heroine realize they were surrounded by people who had their backs. I have it on good authority that the other mercenaries will get their stories as well, and I look forward to reading more about each one. <br /><br />Those were the hits, and I'm about to get into the misses. They might be a little spoilerish, so read on at your own risk.<br /><br />I've read some other reviews on Hard Core, and I skipped the good ones and went straight for the not so good. I wanted to see what others have said, and whether or not they had a point or perhaps I missed something. There was one rev that mentioned the fact that there's no way that Cristian could have pulled off some of the stunts he did while badly wounded. So I asked my hubby who underwent SEAL training if it was theoretically possible to run around with a couple of bad bruises and a stab/gunshot wounds. Depending on the training, willpower and how bad of a bad-ass the guy is, it is possible. He said it's amazing what you'll do when you feel cornered or when you have to succeed in your mission no matter the cost. Okay, so perhaps you'll have to suspend your disbelief somewhat, but I didn't bat an eyelash. Slade is supposed to be a bit larger than life. My issue was with Alana. She is an extremely dedicated doctor, almost to a fault. Therefore, I couldn't believe she'd risk him aggravating his multiple injuries further just to have sex with him. That was the only thing that didn't add up for me character wise.<br /><br />The sex scenes didn't have the sizzle factor I had come to anticipate. They were hot but they could have used a little more … oomph. Since this was my first read by this author, I have nothing to compare it to. Perhaps wild monkey sex isn't in the cards, but that's okay. I have read books before where there was no sex and it was still a great read. <br />No protection. A lot of readers have a love or hate relationship with this issue. Me? I don't care. First and foremost, we readers all have a brain and (hopefully) common sense. If anyone out there decides that the risk of pregnancy or contracting STDs is of no concern to them because the (fictional) heroine in a book got away unscathed, then honestly that person deserves the consequences of their irresponsible actions. With that said, Alana addresses her fear of such consequences after her first time with Christian, yet their continual sexual encounters occur without protection. Odd? Or did I miss something?<br /><br />Despite those few oddities, I really enjoyed this book. This was definitely right up my alley and I can't wait to read about the other fellas. I highly recommend it if you love romantic suspense, a brooding, tortured hero, a plucky heroine and danger nipping at their heels at every turn.<br /><br /><i>Disclaimer: I won my copy during the Hard Core Blog Tour contest.</i>

I’m always in the mood for a romantic suspense book that features a hero who is a mercenary stuck in the jungle somewhere ready to kill some bad guys. I love a sweaty, bug-bitten hero. And by all accounts, Cristian is pretty hot and gruff. He has been assigned to kill Gavin Ross on an island somewhere in the Caribbean Ocean, he doesn’t know much about him except he is the target, and that is his job. As he inches up closer and closer, all of a sudden he hears the click of a dozen guns close to his head. Captured by the man he is suppose to kill, Cristian gets dragged in for interrogation and gets roughed up. Gavin, who is in the business of selling organs, wants Cristian to switch sides and come work for him and tries to woo him by throwing him into a bedroom with a beautiful woman. This provides an excellent opportunity for Cristian to escape, and while he does he is shot in the process. Which leads us to the heroine.<br /><br />Alana, a doctor, is on this island because Gavin Ross demanded she be there to help him with his operation. With her father dying from cancer, she makes a deal with him to wait for six months before she joins his team. During this time she resides with her father and the local tribe, giving them care. As she is bathing one night she hears thrashing in the woods only to discover Cristian about ready to pass out from his bullet wound. Although he could be working for Gavin, Alana has the strong urge to save everyone and drags him back to her camp to care for him. He is delirious for days, and as he recovers, she starts to learn who he is, and just how dangerous and what bad deeds Gavin Ross can do.<br /><br />I was disappointed with this book. There are times with some good action scenes and crazy, over the top jungle moments, but overall it just didn’t do it for me. The beginning of the book drags along as Cristian is recovering from his injury and goes back and forth escaping from Alana, and then coming back for different reasons. Action does pick up in the second half, but even then the story feels uneven. We go from jungle action, to back in the US on a ranch with horse injuries. It didn’t feel like a smooth transition. We meet some of Cristian’s fellow mercenaries, but we really don’t get to know them that well. Even more frustrating, Cristian remains a mystery through most of the book. Even at the end, when I think back I don’t know that much about him. His personality is forgettable and his background is never gone into with much detail. We do get a much better grasp on the heroine, and I did enjoy her. While she is tough (I think you have to be living on a pretty much deserted island) she is not stupid and doesn’t try to fight the baddies on her own. <br /><br />Another disappointment I had is with the sex scenes. With a book full of action, and a hero who kills for a living, I think you need the down and dirty sex scenes to match the tone. Unfortunately, we get very rushed, glossed over sex scenes that barely last a page. We needed a lot more detail.<br /><br />The romance develops pretty well, but because I didn’t connect with the hero it was hard to root for them. It almost felt as if this was Alana’s story and Cristian is in the background. Too uneven and a disappointing romance to recommend this one.<br /><br />Rating: C-<br />

Review originally posted at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow" href="http://fictionvixen.com/review-hard-core-by-jennifer-lowery/">http://fictionvixen.com/review-hard-c...</a><br /><br />Blurb:<br /> <br /><br /><blockquote>He takes lives. She saves them.<br /> <br />A supposedly hassle-free job for mercenary Cristian Slade becomes a mission of mercy when he saves a life instead of taking one. Slade’s new mission might be his most dangerous yet, because the danger is to his heart.<br /> <br />Tragedy has sent esteemed surgeon Alana O’Grady to a remote a remote Nicaraguan island where she immerses herself in the lives of a native American tribe, using her talents for goodwill instead of wealth and prestige. But life turns upside down when her work requires she protect a rugged mercenary who commands her attention when she’s awake and dominates her dreams while she sleeps.<br /> <br />Doctoring Christian puts her entire tribe in danger from the man who’s hunting him. Is it her professional oath or her unprofessional attraction to him keeping her from sending him away to heal on his own? Alana’s fire warms Christian���s heart, but he’s a hardened assassin and has no business falling for someone like her. Can they fight hard enough to keep what they might have together?</blockquote><br /> <br />The blurb and cover for Hard Core caught my eye and since I’m always up for a good romantic suspense I thought I would try it out. Unfortunately this one disappointed me.<br /> <br />When the story opens Cristian Slade is moving through the jungle on a mission to kill a man named Gavin Ross. He is ambushed, captured and taken back to Ross where he is “persuaded” to change sides. One of these persuasions is in the form of a beautiful woman, which gives Cristian the chance to escape. During his escape attempt he is shot, although he still manages to get through the jungle until he encounters Alana O’Grady whom is bathing in her favorite watering hole. Alana is a Doctor who is staying in one of the villages on the island with her dying father. I really didn’t understand the deal she made with Ross, but apparently there is a deal that she will become part of his operation if he will give her six months on the island with her father before his death. When Cristian basically crashes into where she is bathing her overwhelming doctor senses take over and she hauls him back to her hut to take care of him. The first 25% of this book is Cristian wavering in and out of consciousness while Alana tries to take care of him, battles with him over whether he is going to let her give him a shot of antibiotics and of course while Alana is deciding that, even though he is a patient in her care, she is hot for him. It took everything I had to get through the first 25%. I had this feeling that I just wanted to move on to something else. Action scenes, sex, good dialogue, bad dialogue.. just something else.<br /> <br />We did eventually move onto something else. Alana is taken from her hut by one of the bad guys working for Ross and we soon learn the job Ross wants her for involves her removing organs from live patients so they can be sold on the black market. This is the part that confused me, at the beginning she talks about this deal she makes with Ross to give her time to spend with her father before she joins his operation, but then when she is taken to the compound and told to perform the illegal surgery she acts shocked. I kept thinking… what did she think she would be doing? Maybe in my haste to finish this one after the boring first part of the book, or because I started skimming , I missed the reasoning. Cristian rescues her and this is where the action picks up and there are a few lukewarm sexy scenes, but I felt that the action was a bit over done and the sexy scenes a bit under cooked. Maybe I’m conditioned to sexy scenes that last more than a page and are a bit more detailed, I don’t know, they just fell flat.<br /> <br />Some of the mercenary friends of Cristian were introduced but, like Cristian himself I felt that they were never really developed. Cristian is cold and indifferent and you never really get to know him at all. I do think I got to know Alana more, but I really didn’t care about her much. Most of the characters in this story were just blah for me. This was a read I finished so I could say I got to the end of the book. I did get to the end of the book, but ended up disappointed.<br /> <br /><br />Rating: D+<br />

I read the first half of this book while in the airport. I was so engrossed I nearly missed my flight call!<br /><br />I am a total sucker for tough-guy heroes who are hurt...who we get to see a vulnerable side of. And the situation that Cristian was in couldn’t have been more so. I LOVED that his injuries/fever lead to him sharing a lot more of himself than we would otherwise have ever seen. (Great way to get backstory in too.) Little things like the fact that he’s afraid of needles and does not want to be called by his given name (for the first half of the book) give us a clear picture of him.<br /><br />I love that the girl gets to be the hero (at least for the first half of the book). And this particular girl (Alana) had a few hang-ups of her own that made her real, such as an over-the-top moral code and a guilt/love relationship with her father. As one who also writes characters in medical or health crisis, and use that to show how it changes the character, I was looking for just a little more character change in her. (Seems Cristian did the lion’s share of changing in this story, and perhaps that’s perfectly fine.)<br /><br />Everyone loves to hate the villain, and this one was downright nasty. I didn’t see his horrifying plan coming, so I got a great OMG moment there. A pleasant surprise was Cristian’s mercenary co-workers/buddies. They didn’t show up until half-way through the book, but I can see plenty of potential for them to have their own stories.<br /><br />At the climax, the reader expects the hero (Cristian) to save the damsel in distress. Which he does...and he doesn’t. I don’t want to say too much here, just that the author put a refreshing twist on this and drew out my reading pleasure. Looking forward to more from Jennifer Lowery!<br />

"No needles."<br /><br />That's not the opening line to Jennifer Lowery's romance, HARD CORE, but it is the sentiment. Mercenary Cristian Slade has been shot and beaten. Racked with pain and fever, he stumbles through an escape and collapses at the feet of Alana O'Grady, a doctor.<br /><br />Desperately trying to save Slade, Alana has to deal with her patient's stubborn refusal to be sedated or be given an injection of penicillin to combat the infection threatening his life. But as strong willed as Slade, Alana refuses to allow him to die.<br /><br />By the end of the first chapter, HARD CORE has a grip on your throat as tight as delirious Slade had on Alana's – only the book doesn't let go.<br /><br />In the stifling heat and humidity of a small Caribbean island, they fight his illness, their enemy and their attraction to each other, which is hotter than the Caribbean jungle.<br /><br />Enter Gavin Ross, a villain so evil the reader plunges through the story waiting to discover the gruesome death Lowery has planned for this hideous man.<br /><br />Simple explanation – I devoured this book. Entrenched in the story, I pretty much read it cover to cover in one sitting and reacted with exasperation when the real world kept trying to interrupt me with mundane things like supper. Jennifer's Lowery's story is fast paced and riveting. Her characters are fleshed out and easy to fall in love with. <br /><br />Snuggle down with a nice cup of tea/hot chocolate/glass of wine, lock out the real world and settle back ready to immerse yourself in a wild passionate ride. I highly recommended you get this book off your TBR list and get onto to your READING IT TONIGHT list.

Reviewed by: Stacey<br />Book provided by: Publisher<br />Review originally posted at Romancing the Book<br /><br />Not all debut novels are created the same. As authors grow and write more books, you can see how they’ve grown and their writing style changes. Jennifer Lowery’s Hard Core does not come off as a debut novel.<br /><br />While I usually don’t go for the mercenary as a leading man, Ms. Lowery had me changing my mind. Injured and at the mercy of a small village surgeon, Christian’s injuries have his defenses down and during this time, we learn that he is not just some hard-hearted killer; he has a human side and it’s nice to see his vulnerabilities. Meanwhile, kind hearted surgeon Alana, who herself has some demons that she’s fighting, finds herself attracted to a man that she should totally avoid.<br /><br />Gotta love the opposites attract when it’s so blazingly clear how opposite they are: killer vs. healer.<br /><br />There was so much action and drama and to see these two having to work together against such a vile enemy had my heart leaping off the page a time or two. And when Christian’s team shows up to help, it added more hero power to a group and had me hoping that Jennifer Lowery would use them in future books!

Jennifer Lowery spins a tale that will keep you up all night. Hard Core was non-stop, guns-blazing, pulling-out-all-the-stops, breathless tailspin of a story right from page one. She picks you up and forces you to face strife, natural disasters, evil, duality of man, and ethical dilemna after ethical dilemna. It's unstoppable, and un-put-down-able and sexy and absolutely delicious. <br />I loved this plot. I loved these characters. I loved these other men that I'm praying she ends up writing their own books for. Cristian is all testosterone and 110% alpha and everytime he grunts I melt. But it wasn't just a sexy hero and an action packed plot that won me over on this book it's the heart of this story. The compassion for others, the friendship, the goodness of man even in the face of all that is dark and sinister. It's the intense lovestory weaved throughout these pages. The way these two characters NEEDED each other was addicting. The whole book was addicting. <br />I absolutely loved it and in my opinion this is a winner. <br />A must read.