Ladies and gentlemen, she's done it again.

There's something about Nalini Singh's contemporary romances that are just so real. No powers, no vampires, no shifters - instead, we have an enemies-to-lovers romance story about the importance of family set in my country and peppered with familiar references.

Jacob is a star first five-eighth (hi DC!) with the (unnamed) New Zealand national rugby team (go All Blacks!) who is also a devoted single dad to his adorable daughter Esme. Juliet is a high-powered exec who was his high school nemesis and the best friend of Jacob's now-deceased girlfriend, Esme's mom Calypso. After years without contact, they are reunited at the wedding of Jacob's older brother Gabriel (whose story can be found in Rock Hard). True to form, sparks fly.

Fair warning - while this reads well as a stand-alone, there are heaps of characters in this. In particular, there are a lot from Cherish Hard (Sailor's story) so I would recommend reading that before this one, not only to understand the relationships here but because it is a beautiful story about realising not only your dreams but someone else's - you can find my review here. The Bishop-Esera clan is getting large, people! It's past time for a family tree.

Things I liked:
- working out where Nalini got her inspiration, especially around the rugby players
- the absolute obliteration of Juliet's nasty ex
- all the banter
- Esme
- the really moving discussion around grief and moving on
- how Jacob got to be vulnerable and emotional
- family, both by blood and by choice

Things I didn't like:
- um
- maybe having too many characters and no character sheet?
- idk this was great

Unquestionably five stars. Touching, funny, and sincere - I loved this book.

Disclaimer: I received an ARC from NetGalley; all opinions are my own

N ormally, single parent stories are my absolute favorite.
Normally.
However, I’m quitting this book at 10%... I just cannot get into it.

I loved this book. Plus it was nice to see old friends again.. Juliet knew Jake in high school when he dated her best friend. She really didn't like him but tried for Callie's sake. Callie got pregnant and then tragedy hit right after the baby was born. Esme was a very sweet 6 year old but boy did she have a temper at times. There were some very hot scenes in this book. Jake is a hottie and I would have loved to be on the set when he was modeling underwear. Woohoo, that must have been hot!. Reading this story makes me want to read the first two books, So, I'm looking them up to start them again. Excellent read

*ARC PROVIDED IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW*

Nalini Singh is my favorite author and she's the only author I can pick a book without reading the blurb or searching for spoilers. Psy-Changeling is my favorite series and I always go crazy for the next book. And it was without hesitation that I read Love Hard. I loved Charlotte and Gabriel's story (it was my fav in the series) and was so intrigued by Jake not only in Gabe's story but also in Sailor's.

Here we have Jake and Juliet who used to go to school together. Juliet was the best friend of Jake's girlfriend but our MCs never got along in the past. Julie was a "bad girl" while Jake was a shy athlete. He ended up being a dad at eighteen and lost his girlfriend after a disease took her away. Juliet, on the other hand, left high school and everyone behind, though not by choice.

I loved Juliet. She was so fierce and independent, she didn't mind telling Jake off even though she was attracted to him. I love her character and how she built herself no matter the situation. She was strong but sweet, cold but not heartless. And I love her relationship with Esme, Jake's daughter.

Jake, on the other hand, wasn't what I expected. In the previous books, we got a sweet and gentle guy. In this one, we got a silent guy who most of the time scowled. It took at least 6 chapters for the Mcs to talk to each other and it was to make barbed comments at each other. Though I did enjoy those moments between them, I didn't particularly enjoy how Jake was acting toward Juliet. But he did make up for it later and I appreciate that.

However, and that the reason I couldn't give more than three starts, what I didn't like was that Jake was supposed to be genuinely in love with his high school sweetheart but instead, he only talked about how Juliet was in high school, all the things he noticed about her. We didn't have a lot of Callie, though I did appreciate that. I don't like when the hero talks about how he loves his ex (even dead). But for some reason, I thought that Juliet and Jake had a thing of each other back in high school because they thought a lot of each other back then.

Nonetheless, I enjoy this book because of those sweet moments between Jake and his daughter or Juliet and Esme. I love kids in books, especially when there's a single parent. And I love brothers' relationship and how strong some are, I crave for them. I can't wait for Danny's book and I hope he's going to end up with Catie.

I found this book a little slower to start than the others in the series. But I really enjoyed it once I got into it. Love all of Nalinis books.

Eine nette Liebesgeschichte war mein erster Eindruck. Erst nach der Hälfte er Geschichte hat sich die Story entwickelt und mich gepackt.. Besonders schön ist es von den Charakteren aus den vorangegangen Büchern zu hören.
Persönlich muss ich aber sage, dass ihre Serien im Bereich der Romantsy leicht gängiger zu lesen sind.

I adored this book. Jake is a rugby star with a 6 year old daughter and a caring family who was there when Calypso, his love and mother of his then-infant daughter, died suddenly. Juliet was Calypso's best friend and a thorn in Jake's side. They find themselves reunited at a wedding and sparks fly.

This book has chapter titles, and they're great and often funny. There's a lot of humor and emotion in this story. The first quarter of the book takes place during a wedding, and the insta-lust is balanced by a long shared history between the MCs. That shared history of loss was really affecting to me.

I'm often not a huge fan of kids in romance, but Esme is essential to the story and a delightful 6 year old to boot. She was well and realistically incorporated.

In short, I laughed, I cried, I sighed with happiness, I fanned myself when things got steamy. What more could I ask for?

I received an ARC for review via NetGalley.

A gorgeously slow burn between the most unlikely and reluctant of lovers. Jake, a professional rugby player and single dad, has his hands full with his young daughter Esme and busy career. Always the serious worrier of the famous Bishop-Esera rugby family, Jake lives a staid life completely different from that of his high school nemesis, Juliet. But what Jake and Juliet have in common is their bond over the loss of Jake's high school sweetheart Calypso and mother of Esme.

Their shared mourning for Calypso spoke volumes about how once Jake and Juliet fell for each other, they fell hard and true. And that meant everything to Juliet who had been abandoned and disappointed by her family and "pinhead" ex-husband.

Jake and Juliet's slow burn through a family wedding, underwear photo shoot (!!), trip to NYC, and fighting off the paparazzi was so romantic and sweet. He definitely proved himself to be a rock for the skittish Juliet.

I know most of Romancelandia are Nalini Singh fans for her paranormal romances, but I discovered her through her contemporary Rock Kiss series. My favorite was Rock Hard, Gabriel and Charlotte's story, and the beginning of my love for the Hard Play series. While Naya and Raj's love story, Rebel Hard, will always be my favorite (he reads Jane Austen for her!), I loved Jake's installment and can't wait for Danny's. The peeks at all of the Bishop-Esera couples were adorable (even cameo from Molly and Fox) and I hope this series never ends.

When nemesis’ teenagers rekindle year after, with their chemistry be stronger than their past bad blood ...

I read Mrs Nalini Singh for her Psi-Changeling then Guild Hunter series, it is only last year that I have read her contemporary romance with Rebel Hard, I loved my journey in the Hindi community, so why not read the following book in this series.
It was so very different, still very emotional.
Like everything with Mrs Nalini Singh, the words flow, the emotions rise and the story finds its mark.

The Esera-Bishop brothers were only side-characters in my previous read, so I was happy to meet them here.
And oh my!
Jake is just awesome, so young but also so responsible, despite the tragic loss he suffered, he rebuilt himself in a confident and impeccable single father. And could never have become this accountable man if not for his kin and their support.
He has a dreamlike family, they never let one of them down, always backing up those they consider their own. How he grew up in this successful in his career man.
His daughter Esme is his sun and light, everything turns around her and he made his life with her at the center.

Juliet has a very different upbringing, she was seen as her parents failure, and reminded of it. Despite all her efforts to draw the attention of her relatives, it never worked as she hoped for. Worse, it cost her her only friend. From there, she built a wall of steel around her heart but it still beats and long for more. Thus the fiasco of her marriage.
With hard work, she raised herself and has every right to be proud of herself, if only she was not so lonely.

When they rekindle, their first instinct is to go back to their usual bickering, but something has changed in their years apart, sparks fly and not only because they were each other nemesis, there is now something new between them, a chemistry that was absent when they were only some lost kids.

I always love how Mrs Nalini Singh gives voice to her characters, they might cower at time but they are not cowards, they think and rethink before acting, analyzing everything before deciding if it is worth the effort and hurt.
Jake is a strategic thinker, a fixer and while he always keeps his daughter in mind, for once he is ready to take some risks and he leaps at Juliet’s side, prepared to stand for her. Juliet is more concerned by the reputation she carries with her name and might taint everyone getting to close.

« I’m the air and the wind to your earth and rock. »

Together they complete each other, so up to Jake to show her she counts and deserves more while Juliet brings a bit of colors and craziness in his well ordained life.

5 stars for this read full of emotions and charms.

« “What if I can be the steady heart of your life and you be my wings, teach me to fly past the walls I like to build? »

I was granted an advance copy by the publisher TKD Distribution and I had proof to it preordered my own. Here is my true and unbiased opinion.

***5 Stars***


#fangirldown #fangirldown

This isn’t even a hangover situation. This is pure, unadulterated book happiness.

I swear my cheeks hurt from all the stupid, dopey grinning I was doing while reading this baby.

I not only got an amazing second chance at love/frenemies to lovers/single parent romance, but got to spend time with a whole bunch of characters I adore and got to meet more that have me crossing my toes that the author has something up her sleeves for them in the future because I simply need more of them all.

I ADORED Jacob and Juliette. ADORED. Jake is, simply put, a really good man. He obliterated my ovaries anytime he was with his adorable daughter, Esme, but it was how protective he was with those he called his own that had me all kinds of twitterpated. Jules is a force to be reckoned with. This woman owns all that she is and isn’t afraid to speak her mind ~ whether it be snarky or sweet ~ she gives as good as she gets, and then some.

I thoroughly enjoyed Jake and Jules journey to their HEA. Their bantering/sniping at each other was a lot of fun and the chemistry between them was HAWT ~ OMG HAWT!. But what I truly enjoyed was watching as they came to terms with their shared past and started to see each other for who they truly were. While they are opposites in quite a few ways, they have the same core of honor, loyalty and compassion that made it so easy to see how they could be so much more.

Ever since meeting the Bishop-Esera clan in Rock Hard I’ve been hooked. The love these people have for each other makes my heart all kinds of happy, and getting to see how they all rally around each other is simple goodness ~ and this book is chock full of that goodness. Esme and Emmeline were absolutely adorable! And I loved catching up with the Bishop-Esera clan and those they call family. There were also some surprise appearances in this one that made my heart all kinds of happy, and a bunch of new characters that I’m crossing my toes will get their own books/novellas/shorts in the newsletter in the future, but I’m all kinds of excited for Danny’s book and cannot wait to see him brought to his knees!

hi my name is kristen and i am a nalini singh addict
i need all the nalini singh in my life
HOW does she do paranormal and contemporary SO WELL??? not to mention the brilliance that was A Madness of Sunshine? like, i'm in awe.

there's just so much i loved about this book - and this series. i adore jake's family. i love the other characters. i wanted to hug juliet. esme was adorable. i loved the story, the pacing was perfect and i love that there wasn't any stupid miscommunication/conflict. it all flowed so well and made all the sense. so much so that i wasn't checking the percentage and was at the end before i knew it.

this was honestly just the sweetest freaking thing. i loved jules and jake together. i loved their banter, their chemistry, how they treated one another, how they balanced one another was perfect... it was sweet, funny, adorable and steamy to boot.

i loved how strong jules was, i so felt all the feelings with her and realising she had her people/tribe even if she didn't have any blood relations. and the way she felt with jake's family welcoming her. i just loved these two together and watching their relationship grow just squeezed my cold, dead heart..

that epilogue was adorable. i really really hope that danny's book is set in a few years so we can see more of juliet and jake further down the line in their lives together.

i saw another review that mentioned this was her first nalini singh contemporary and didn't like the wedding in the beginning... this is why we read series in order friends!! jk, but to me, i adored that, because i got to see all the characters i already knew and loved!

at the end of this book, i just had this... warm, comfortable feeling like i was snug in my bed with all my blankets and cats surrounding me (actually, that's exactly where i was, but the book made me feel that way too) and that, my friends, is exactly why i read romance.

Y'all. There is no way that I can be objective about this book because my love for the Bishop-Esera family is like, basically the equivalent of my love of my own family, whom I love. In a valiant attempt to set that aside, I still think that this book was basically perfect.

Jake is a single father because his high school girlfriend died not long after giving birth. He is also a star rugby player and he couldn't manage all that he has without the help of his family. When he re-meets Juliet because she's a bridesmaid at Gabriel and Charlotte's wedding (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!), it's like he reverts back to his high school self. Juliet was Callie's best friend but she and Jake have always had this antagonistic relationship and they fall back into that while also being incredibly attracted to one another.

This entire book is basically Jake showing how to love hard and to care for and provide for a partner without trying to take over who they are as an independent person. It's also about Juliet recognizing the people she already has in her life and letting down her guard enough to trust in Jake. I love the way Esme is a central character in the book because I think single parent romances where the child isn't involved are incredibly unrealistic. This book is soft and had me tearing up because I was so happy. I mean, it literally starts with one of my favorite couples of all time getting married. How was I supposed to survive without crying?

I do want to warn that there's a few paragraphs where the heteronormativity jumps out while Jake is thinking about Esme and her future partner and keeps mentioning boys. While this doesn't affect my rating I did want to flag that in case it would harm anyone. At the same time, Juliet's beloved boss and his partner do exist as part of the story and so there is some rep in here for non-straight couples/people.

I'm already dying to know more about Danny's story and this one isn't even actually out yet!!

CWs: a really terrible ex (Juliet) (though not physically abusive), talk of death/grief

3.5 stars

My sister begged me to nab an early copy of Nalini Singh's latest romance featuring her cast of rugby stars in New Zeeland, and I found myself pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this family sports romance.

Pacing: ★★★
Romance: ★★★★
Enjoyment: ★★★★

Love Hard comes out on March 10, 2020!

Now, I know I just said my sister begged me to request this and read it on her behalf, but I was also a bit intrigued myself. Nalini Singh is the author of one of my favorite paranormal romance series, Guild Hunter, as well as her first mystery/thriller, A Madness of Sunshine. So I knew I was a fan of her romances, and of her writing in general.

But, let's be honest, this series was less intriguing to me—because it's about sports. And I don't really do sports. At all.

So say "I told you so," sister of mine, because I really enjoyed Love Hard.

Jake has no time for fun or acting his age. He's an all-star rugby player in a family of all-star players, and his commitment to his family and to his young daughter, Esme, is the sole focus of his life. After losing his childhood sweetheart, Callie, shortly after the birth of their daughter, Jake has grown up cautious and overprotective.

Juliet's never had a proper family upbringing. Peddled around from family member to family member as a kid left her with scars, and the only saving grace was her best friend, Callie. When Callie passed away, Juliet forgot about Callie's jock boyfriend, Jake, and started making her way in the world—with a few notable bumps in the road, including a nasty ex-husband.

When these two former acquaintances meet at a wedding, what will they do with these brand new sparks?

I thought Love Hard was cute, to the point, and filled with warm fuzzy feelings (and some other, well, feelings too). Jake and Juliet's banter and chemistry was front and center for the entire story. I really enjoyed listening to their banter, and in particular I thought their semi "enemies to lovers" mixed with second chance vibes worked extremely well in this context. I loved how they were both respectful and honest, and miscommunication was NOT used as a plot device.

However, I did struggle quite a bit with the general pacing. Love Hard didn't take place over multiple months or a long time span, but it felt like it anyway given the copious time spent on paragraphs of explanation of the past, backstory, and internal monologue. In fact, at a few points in the story I forgot that I was still in the same scene as dozens of pages later, we were still there! This might not necessarily be a negative for some readers—the descriptions and backstory added quite a bit of character depth—but for my taste in romance, I prefer dialogue-driven scenes with lots of movement in plot.

Overall, another winner from Nalini Singh—and a steamy one too. (Wink wink!)

Thank you to Independent Publishers Group via NetGalley for an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.

As someone who’s been a fan of the Bishop-Esera clan back from the beginning (with Charlie- mouse and T-Rex) I was super excited to read about Jacob Esera’s story. Having become a dad at an early age after the tragic death of his childhood sweetheart Jacob is super serious, let’s just say almost no fun but his life becomes a whirlwind when he reunited with his childhood nemesis at his brother’s wedding. Juliet has always been misunderstood. Dealing with a rough childhood she learned to put on a brave face and let her wild side free but this little rebel has grown up to be strong and independent. Recently divorced from a famous sports star the last thing she wants is to be involved with another one, especially given Jacob’s strait laced reputation but love has a way of making new plans. As the two learn more about each other the become a great team, helping to balance out each other and bring out their good sides. There’s plenty of heat and humor in this story with lots of tender moments, especially with Jake’s daughter. It was also nice to see many familiar characters. You don’t have to read the previous brothers books or know a lot about rugby, which Jake plays, but those that do will appreciate seeing more detail about the previous characters lives. I love this series and this author. 5 stars must read. I received an arc copy of this book from NetGalley for my honest review.

ARC Provided by Netgalley

I've been thinking a lot recently about why romance is satisfying genre. There are the obvious pieces like the comfort of the happily ever after, the familiar tropes - enemies to lovers but I think something that hasn't been evaluated enough is the growth of a community within a familiar story, which when done well is immensely satisfying. Which is a long winded way of saying that Nalini Singh is one of the best at taking familiar tropes and using them to tell big stories with her world building.

In Love Hard, a continuation of her Hard Play series, readers are reintroduced to Jacob Esera, the brother of the hero in Rock Hard. Jacob is a professional rugby player and single father who is fairly content with his world. He's at the top of his game, loves his family and has plans for his future that excite him. He's been stuck in a bit of rut for a while but he still feels comfortable in his life. But then he has a run in with the best friend of his deceased wife and his world is turned upside down. Juliet Nelisi was a good girl stuck in a bad situation that forced her to act out. As a high school student, a "bad" act too many led her to being exiled away to her grandparents, forcing her to leave her best friend, Jacob's deceased wife. A chance run in between Jacob and Juliet at a wedding leads to deeper conversations and connections between the two of them. Throughout the story they deal with the emotional effects of loss, mean tabloids, and career ambitions to find their happily ever after.

Singh writes really emphatically about lonely women. Not lonely women who are anxious for romantic relationships but lonely women who are looking for emotional connections. Part of the beauty of this story is seeing Juliet, who has been hungering for a connection, find support in newer friendships and ultimately, the love and support of Jacob's family.

Some of Singh's writing hits familiar beats, she has a way of repeating words to emphasize their importance and a cutesy way of naming her chapters that caused me to actively ignore the phrasing but otherwise a solid piece of writing from a truly solid and inventive writer.

For the life of me, I couldn't get into this book. From page one I struggled with it until it because a DNF for me. And that is just my opinion.

This was a great book. I really liked getting to know a character that we didn't have a ton of information about. The back story was wonderful and I loved the relationship that already existed between the characters as well as the one that developed throughout the story, The was a great addition to the series.

Somehow, after being on my radar forever, and knowing about all the great reviews, this is my first book by Nalini Singh. I loved it. I loved Jacob and Juliet, I loved their banter and could really relate to their internal struggles. Her family issues particularly hit home with me. Their common link, his late wife was Juliet's best friend, could have gone wrong in many ways, but was handled just right. I loved the entire world of this book and how all characters, big and small, had well-defined personalities. Now, I have a lot of catching up to do because I want to get my hands on every book by this author! I will start with Gabe and Charlie, because I loved their wedding in this book, but I really, really want to read them all.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Details:
- 18+
- Hard Play series book 3
- Contemporary Romance
- Addictively Good Reading


Nalini Singh's writing makes my heart hurt in such a good way.
Whether it's paranormal romance, a little mystery thriller or contemporary romance, when I finish reading a Nalini Singh book my heart aches just a little and all I want to do is dive back into whatever book I've just finished reading.

It was only a few hours ago that I finished reading Love Hard the third book in the Hard Play series which is a contemporary romance spin-off of Nalini Singh's Rock Kiss series and now that I've finished reading it, I've got such a longing to stay immersed in the world that I'm about to start a re-read of the Rock Kiss series which will probably lead into a series re-read of the Hard Play series.

Love Hard is a steamy, sweet romance with characters whose chemistry sizzle off the pages.
From his first appearance in Rock Hard ( Rock Kiss book 2), Jacob Ezera is a character that I've wanted to know more about and in the first book in the Hard Play series, Cherish Hard readers got to learn a little about his past but in Love Hard readers will get an in depth look into Jacob's character and learn all about the woman he is so powerfully drawn to, Juliet Nelisi.

Honestly, I'd love to write more about the book but...I also really want to get started on my re-read of the Rock Kiss series so I'll write more about it after my next re-read.

For all those people trying to decide whether to read the book, go out and grab yourself a copy and happy reading. Believe me, you won't regret it and prepare to buy every book that Nalini Singh writes because once you read one, you have to read them all.

In conclusion, I want to thank Nalini Singh for writing yet another incredible book that I couldn't put down.

I eagerly waited for this addition to Singh's contemporary romance series and I was not disappointed! I adore the dyndmic of the Esera family, the strength and decency of the characters, the humor and the growth the main characters show. Each new book to Singh's intertwined series' has drawn me further into this world. Although it can be read as a stand-alone story, it is worth going back and following the Rock Kiss and the Hard Play storylines from the beginning.