Book Review: Rock Hard by Nalini Singh

Rock Hard
Author: Nalini Singh
Series: Rock Kiss Book 2
Publication: TKA Distribution (March 10, 2015)

Description: 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.

My Thoughts: The second book in the Rock Kiss series features the romance of Charlotte Baird and Gabriel Bishop. Charlotte is Molly, from Rock Addiction's, best friend. Gabriel Bishop is the former rugby star turned wealthy businessman who was hired to turn the company Charlotte works for around. Charlotte is very timid and is still getting over being assaulted and tortured by a former boyfriend. Gabriel terrifies her, at first, because he is big, hard and pretty domineering.

Gabriel is fascinated by Charlotte's brains and forces her to be his personal assistant. He would like to have a personal relationship with Charlotte but knows he has to take his time with her. Charlotte soon learns to stand up to Gabriel which gives her more confidence in herself. She is, however, still plagued by flashbacks, panic attacks, and claustrophobia which Gabriel helps her work through.

Gabriel has issues too. He is a workaholic in part because his father disappeared on the family when Gabriel was young. He emptied all the bank accounts when he left and left the family destitute. His mother remarried and that is the man that Gabriel calls his father. His birth father has made a reappearance now because he is fighting cancer and wants to try to make it up with his family. Gabriel isn't the forgiving type.

When Charlotte's attacker gets out of prison and begins stalking her again, Charlotte learns how far she has come since she was a battered victim.

This was a great romance with interesting characters and an interesting storyline. I liked its realistic treatment of the difficulty of getting over traumatic experiences.

Favorite Quote:

If having the phone within reach allowed her to function, to step outside into the world, to not live in a cage, then no one had any right to judge her. It had taken Charlotte time, but she'd stopped judging herself for the need, too. In the grand scheme of her screwed-up psyche, her reliance on the safety net of a phone was a blip on the radar.

I bought this one for my Kindle. You can buy your copy here.