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Review

5 Badass Commando stars

Three years ago this book was my very first Kristen Ashley. Yes, I popped my KA cherry with Cabe ‘Hawk’ Delgado, and what a fabulous introduction into all the awesomeness that is KA!  I’ve just started a reread of this series and figured it was about time I got a review up to share the love.

Gwen has a Mystery Man.  She’s been sleeping with him for 18 months after spying him in a bar and they spoke not one word to each other until he dropped the immortally badass pickup line “you comin’ or what?”.  Gwen and her “MM” shared one hot night together, and then he left, only to keep coming back – appearing in her bed at night to rock her world, share minimal conversation, and then leave again.  Gwen doesn’t even know his name.  She knows it’s crazy, and she knows it’s slutty, but she just can’t say no to the man.  She wants more from him, but has never pressed the issue.  But when her wayward sister’s troubles land on her doorstep, Hawk comes roaring into her life, and makes it clear that he has no intention of leaving.

And so begins the KA courtship.  It’s OTT, it’s wild and OMG, I absolutely LOVE IT!  He’s bossy, she’s a smartass, and every interaction is GOLD!

“You’re bossy, arrogant, intrusive, annoying…”
His minor grin amplified.
See! Totally unrepentant…
“Do I have anything going for me?”
“… you can be sweet, you’re a cuddler, and you carried me out of a burning building…”
“I’m a cuddler?”
“You spoon.”
His brows went up. “That’s important enough to be on your list?”
“Uh… yeah.”
“Fuckin’ ridiculous what women think is important.”

You can’t go into these books expecting normal behaviour.  These characters are extreme, their behaviour is extreme, and that’s what makes these books so much fun!

“Okay,” I started, “perhaps at this juncture we should discuss our relationship.”
“Clue in again, Gwen, the reason our relationship is the way it is, is so I don’t ever have to waste my fuckin’ time doin’ stupid-ass shit like discussing it.”
Oh boy. Now I was getting really angry.

“Don’t call me baby when you’re pissed, Sweet Pea.”
“Don’t call me Sweet Pea at all, baby”

But underneath the alpha behaviour, the sentences consisting of one word – “Babe” (love it!) – the arguments, the monologuing, and the overly wordiness of it all, is an absolutely beautiful romance full of emotion, passion, playfulness and beautifully sweet and tender moments that took my breath away.

“You’re in deep with me, aren’t you, baby?”
I whispered my question just to confirm.
“Drowning.” he whispered back.”

Hawk is a supreme badass.  He’s alpha all the way.  He takes what he wants, when he wants it, and he doesn’t take any shit from anybody.  But he also has a soft side that he slowly starts to show around Gwen, and it’s absolutely beautiful.  Simply, the man is Made. Of. Awesome!

“I darkened your door, baby, and you lit up my life again so I’m not lettin’ that go.”

Their road to happiness is not an easy one.  They have both have issues from their pasts that continue to haunt them, and after the initial ‘all in’, there is a bit of push and pull as emotions get intense, but it’s handled well, with no game playing and no stupid.  They sort through it all together, and it leads them to a place where they are happy, healed, and very much in love.

Add to that, Gwen’s sister’s trouble, and the fact that Gwen has been dragged into the unfolding drama, and the action is intense!  With firebombs, drive bys, kidnapping and ransom, it’s lucky that she’s surrounded by the best of the best to keep her safe.

Which brings in the remaining element of the story – hot and gruff local biker club President, Tack, and hot and soulful detective, Mitch Lawson both get sucked into the action, and both take an interest in Gwen, and make no secret of that fact.  It’s an added complication for Gwen and Hawk’s budding romance, but it pushes him to stake his claim, and his protective and possessive nature is sensational!  Along with Brock Lucas, another badass introduced in the story, Mitch and Tack are the men that make up the rest of this series, and they are introduced in a way that you can’t WAIT to read more about each of them.

If you’re a Rock Chick fan, you’ll enjoy some cameos from the Hot Bunch, and we’re also introduced to the epicness that is Elvira, who works for Hawk, and who continues to make her presence known throughout the series.  The woman is simply fabulous, pushing herself into Gwen’s life, and making me laugh every time she appears.

“I need to quit,” Elvira announced. “I gotta turn in my resignation. I can’t work with a man knowin’ his capacity to give pleasure.”

This is a fast paced, funny romance with great action, a touch of drama and lots of steamy time.  It’s everything that I love about Kristen Ashley, and is the start of one of my favourites of her series.  I loved it just as much on the reread as I did the first time around.

5 huge stars.

 

The Dream Man series

 

For more KA awesomeness, check out our Kristen Ashley Author Spotlight