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Synopsis

The Hell Night Series continues with Judge’s story…

Fierce, loyal, controlled. Three things Judge became at a young age.

Enduring unimaginable horrors no child should, he swore no person would dictate his or his brother’s lives again.

Revenge fueled him, setting a path destined from the moment he and his brothers escaped their hell. Nothing would stop him from destroying the ones who’d wronged him, even if that meant giving up the only woman to ever make him feel more than the heat of vengeance.

He let Ellie go, threw her away, never knowing the consequences of his actions.

Twelve years later, she reappears in his life, and she has some hellacious secrets of her own. Ones that knock Judge on his ass and threaten his ironclad control.

His life quickly changes course. Priorities are shifted and sacrifices are made. Judge has a decision to make. Will he give up his incessant need for retribution? Or will he sacrifice something he never dreamed he could have, but desperately wants.

Or is it possible to have both?

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Review

4.5 stars

This is the third book in the Hell Night series, and I have been dying to get my hands on it. Dark, intense, sexy and romantic with a gorgeous second-chance-romance, this book maintains all of the gritty rawness of the first two books of the series, but at the same time feels a bit lighter, and I lost myself in the story, I loved it!

The four main characters of this series are a group of men who consider themselves brothers and who, along with all of the other children in their small Texas town, were the victims of ‘Hell Night’ – a night once a month where they were subjected to unthinkable sexual abuse and assault. It’s incredibly disturbing, and scenes are revisited in flashback on the page so beware this massive potential trigger. The ‘tradition’ ended in a night of destruction and murder, and after making their escape, the boys returned to their home town as adults to turn it into a place of peace and safety – renaming it Malus and meting out their own form of justice to those who inflict abuse on others.

Judge is (funnily enough), the Judge of Malus. He is a man that I have been dying to get to know since he was first introduced – seeming very cold and controlled – but incredibly loyal to his brothers, their families, and with the few who he allows into his life. He has relationships, though they are unconventional, but he is not interested in love, and we’re about to find out why.

Ellie was the great love of Judge’s life. They spent six glorious months together, and they fell hard, but he ended it knowing that he couldn’t place Ellie’s life in danger as he and his brothers set off on their mission of vengeance. It shattered him, but it did worse to Ellie, who suffered more from their breakup than he could ever have imagined. Now, she has tracked him down to ask for his help, and his whole life is about to change.

I won’t go into any more details than that because I don’t want to spoil the book, but just… wow. This book was not what I was expecting, but I love the direction that it took, and I thought it was beautifully handled. I went through the full range of emotions with this one, and was initially worried that I wouldn’t like it, but as the full truth of the past is slowly exposed I came to understand how and why everything happened the way it did. My heart broke for the two of them, for all that they went through and all that they missed together, and I became fully invested in them finding their way back to each other.

Ellie wasn’t the only one emotionally hurt the night I broke things off. It damn near destroyed me. Now that she’s back in my life, there’s not a damn thing that’ll keep me from having her again. And keeping her forever this time.

Judge has always been a strong, solid kind of man who knows his own heart, and that is never more evident in the way that he fights to get Ellie back. Sure, he’s all alpha and controlling about it, but he has always loved her, and though he closed his heart off after he walked away from her, now that she is back, I loved seeing him open himself up to her so beautifully. Who would have known he had such a swoony, romantic soul! And, of course, he’s sexy as all hell, and the steamy time is seriously hot.

“I know you still feel it, Ellie. I know I still make your heart pound and your breath hitch. I bet you have butterflies in your belly and shivers racing down your back. You feel the chemistry between us. The same electric pull that was there all those years ago. The same desire that swept through us anytime we were together. Even when we weren’t, all it took was one thought and it consumed us.” I trail a path of kisses up to her jaw and across her cheek. At the corner of her mouth, her lips parted as she pants, I pull back just far enough so I can see her gorgeous eyes. “I know you still feel it, because I still feel it too. It’s not going anywhere, no matter how much you fight it.”

And Ellie is a wonderful match for him. Her feelings are just as strong, and though she’s been through so much, I love her strength and her open-hearted ability to trust Judge again. I could completely understand her fears and insecurities, especially with the unique situation that they were in – particularly when it came to Judge’s relationships while they have been apart – but it provides him with the perfect opportunity to prove his devotion once again.

“You were more than enough for me. And Layla, Jamie, and Gillian don’t have the one thing you have,” he says softly.
“What?”
“My heart, Ellie. You’re the only person who’s ever had my heart and the only one who will ever have it.”

And then, of course, there’s the big spoiler…

But while they are all loved-up and planning their future together, there is a new threat developing within Malus. People are getting hurt, and Judge and his brothers will go all out to protect their town, while continuing their sworn mission from years ago to take vengeance on those who hurt them so badly. Once again it is violent, raw, and disturbing, but it’s what this series is about, and it works so well to create a really intense mood. But as I said before, this book has a different dynamic to the previous books in the series, which I really appreciated and enjoyed, and I loved the love story so much!

This woman is my life. She’s mine to protect, mine to cherish, and mine to worship. I plan on doing that until I take my last breath.

Judge and Ellie’s story fits in beautifully with the rest of the series, I love that we got to see so much of his brothers and their families, and I love how the story is progressing and changing as the boys all find love. Words cannot express my excitement for Emo’s book which will finish off the series. The seeds have been planted, emotions are already running high and I am so freaking excited to be getting the story that we are.

I loved this book – 4.5 stars!

An Advanced Reader Copy was generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

Hell Night

Author Bio

Alex Grayson is the bestselling author of heart pounding, emotionally gripping contemporary romances including the Jaded Series, the Consumed Series, and three standalone novels. Her passion for books was reignited by a gift from her sister-in-law. After spending several years as a devoted reader and blogger, Alex decided to write and independently publish her first novel in 2014 (an endeavor that took a little longer than expected). The rest, as they say, is history.

Originally a southern girl, Alex now lives in Ohio with her husband, two children, two cats and dog. She loves the color blue, homemade lasagna, casually browsing real estate, and interacting with her readers. Visit her website, www.alexgraysonbooks.com, or find her on social media!

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