Tuesday, October 11, 2016

GOING HARD (STEELE RIDGE #2)

Slick sports agent Griffin Steele is living the highlife in Los Angeles, far from the shadow of the North Carolina mountains where he grew up. But when his hometown falls on hard times and needs his help, Grif reluctantly agrees to commute between coasts. He never expects the lush scenery, in the form of pretty tomboy Carlie Beth Parrish, to be such a temptation.



After an impetuous one-night stand with Grif Steele fifteen years ago, hardworking blacksmith Carlie Beth has tried to make a living and raise her daughter in the hometown she loves. Then, too-sexy-for-his-Rolex Grif blows back into town like the perfect storm, making Carlie feel less like a thirty-something mom and more like an infatuated teenager.



When a stalker targets Carlie Beth, Grif can’t help but step in to protect her. But once he discovers the fourteen-year-old secret she’s been keeping from him, will he embrace the truth or will he turn his back on Steele Ridge and Carlie Beth forever? 

Release Date: October 11, 2016
Steele Ridge #2
KickSass Creations
Romantic Suspense/Contemporary Romance
Review copy provided by publisher

Liza’s Review:

Going Hard is the first full length book in the Steele Ridge series that features the Steele brothers. While we get to see all 4 of the Steele brothers in Going Hard, it is mainly Griffin's story.

First of all, I absolutely loved Grif. He left his hometown fifteen years ago and basically worked his ass off to make something of himself in Los Angeles. Yes he had told everyone he had a scholarship to college, but he really just hustled jobs until he finally became the slick sports agent he is today. I loved that when his hometown needed help, he didn't hesitate to come home to help out, and even make plans to go between Los Angeles and Steele Ridge. Of course once he sees Carlie Beth again, and discovers they have a fourteen-year-old daughter, nothing will keep him away.

I really loved seeing Grif and Carlie Beth reconnect, and it was fun to watch them find a way to co-parent their daughter Aubrey. I did not love that Carlie Beth had never tried to let Grif or his family know about Aubrey, but loved how hard she worked to make sure she could take care of her daughter and what a great job she had done raising Aubrey so far. I really loved that Grif and Carlie Beth still had some pretty hot chemistry 15 years later and it didn't take them long to pick back up where they left off that night. I also loved watching Grif figure out how to be a dad. His protective instinct kicked in really fast when it came to Carlie Beth and Aubrey.

I love a good romantic suspense story and the stalker issue in Going Hard was very well done. I'll admit I initially thought the stalker was someone unhappy with the Steele family. However, I quickly realized it all tied back to Carlie Beth. Once I figured that out, I figured out who was behind all the trouble, and have to say it was so well done.

Going Hard was a really great story. It had elements of both romantic suspense and contemporary romance and I was hooked from the very first page. I highly recommend this book and can't wait to read the rest of the books in the Steele Ridge series.


Rating: 4.5 Stars (A)

From Kelsey Browning's Facebook Page:

The Steele Ridge Series releases today, and you can get a taste of it with the FREE prequel now! 
Download it here: http://buff.ly/2dGjTJ8
USA Today bestselling authors Kelsey Browning, Tracey Devlyn and Adrienne Giordano have teamed up to create a new series set in Steele Ridge, North Carolina.
Four Determined Brothers ~ One Broken Town ~ A Mountain of Secrets
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