REVIEW

4 stars!

Hard Rules by Lisa Renee Jones is the first book in her new Dirty Money series. It is also the first book I have read by LRJ and it will definitely not be my last. Hard Rules is a steamy read full of mystery, deceit, and power struggles that grabs your attention and doesn’t let you go.

Shane Brandon is a successful attorney in New York City and has recently returned to Denver in hopes of taking over the family company, Brandon Enterprises, when his father passes from his failing health. He has his work cut out for him because while he is trying to get the company out of illegal activity, his brother, Derek, wants control of everything and has every intention of continuing the illegal dealings that have been going on for years.

“Blood divides as easily as it unites, especially when money and power are involved.”

The hostility between brothers is not the only turmoil within the family. Mr. Brandon Senior is terrible and enjoys the competion between his sons. Dying has only urged him into forcing the issues between Shane and Derek, and though he says he wants Shane to take over, his actions appear to favor the bad son. Shane has enough on his plate and is not looking for anything else to add to it…until he meets Emily.

Emily Stevens is beautiful, smart, and quick-witted, and she is full of secrets. We hardly know anything about her. She is running from something, but from what we do not know. She is carrying guilt and we can’t understand why she shoulders it. She harbors secrets she refuses to reveal and has a number of lies she has to keep up with.

I want the life I was supposed to have, and it hits me that in the last few months I’ve become a victim, no because of what has happened to me, but rather, how I am dealing with it.

When Emily first meets Shane, she is intrigued by him but knows she shouldn’t get involved. But with his peresistence, she finds she is longing for a night where she can forget who she was and who she is now, and he may just be able to do make that happen.

“Here’s how this is going to play out; Whatever, or whomever, is tormenting you can’t have you tonight. That’s what you need to know. Not tonight. Understood?”
“Yes,” she breathes out. “Please.”
“Yes and Please. Remember those words and my name because I’m going to make you say them over and over again.”

Something draws them to each other and fight it as they may, they have a connection there is no denying. But even if they want each other, it may not be the best thing for them.

She’s a drug I could easily call an addiction when I don’t have addictions, and at the time I’d be nothing but poison to her. That’s the problem for her and me.

In a blink of an eye, what starts out as a one-night stand becomes so much more. He wants to protect her while she wants to help him. They find they are more alike than they thought.

We are one in this moment, two people lost and found in each other, both of us fighting a battle the other understands in ways no one else can.

Neither fully open up to each other and then we are left with a cliffhanger that has us second guessing everything. There is only one truth that matters – there can be no more secrets.

“It’s time for some rules,” I say.
“Rules?” she asks, her voice quavering. “What rules?”
I grab her and turn us both, pressing her against the counter, my hands caging her in. “Hard rules. And hard rule number one is, no more lies.”

I really enjoyed Hard Rules. I liked both Shane and Emily, and I thought the sexual tension was well written and the chemistry was hot, though I could have done without the back and forth of whether they should be together or not.

Emily is a complete mystery. Though she seems fragile at times, Emily is kickass at other times. I love how she handles her boss and stuck up for herself. Shane was sweet and sexy, though he has a quick temper that popped up when he doubted Emily. I still liked him though and loved that he wanted to protect her from the shitstorm that is brewing in the Brandom empire.

I loved the mystery and the suspense especially toward the end. I think the plot is well developed and there are so many questions we are left asking. Who is Emily Stevens? What is she running from? The prologue threw me for a loop in the beginning and I am glad I got a little insight on who it was about but there is so much to learn about everyone that I can not wait to see what happens next.

Overall, Hard Rules is a great start to Lisa Renee Jones’ new series! I loved that it was written in dual POVs and I can not wait to continue with Shane and Emily’s story. I need answers!

*ARC generously provided by author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*