ARC Review: Hard Rules by Lisa Renee Jones

Book Title: Hard Rules
Author: Lisa Renee Jones
Series: Hard Rules #1
Release Date: August 9th, 2016
Genres: Contemporary Romance, Mystery/Thriller

Wall Street meets the Sons of Anarchy in the smoldering, scorching first novel in the explosively sexy new Dirty Money series from New York Times bestselling author Lisa Renee Jones.

How bad do you want it?

The only man within the Brandon empire with a moral compass, Shane Brandon is ready to take his family's business dealings legitimate. His reckless and ruthless brother, Derek wants to keep Brandon Enterprises cemented in lies, deceit, and corruption. But the harder Shane fights to pull the company back into the light, the darker he has to become. Then he meets Emily Stevens, a woman who not only stirs a voracious sexual need in him, but becomes the only thing anchoring him between good and evil.

Emily is consumed by Shane, pushed sexually in ways she never dreamed of, falling deeper into the all-encompassing passion that is this man. She trusts him. He trusts her, but therein lies the danger. Emily has a secret, the very thing that brought her to him in the first place, and that secret that could that destroy them both.

Firstly can I just say that the cover of this book is all kinds of sexy?! I just love it when I get drawn into a book with an alluring cover and an intriguing blurb to go with it. This book was just screaming to me to be picked up and I'm glad I did!

Taking place in the ruthless corporate world, Shane Brandon is in the midst of saving his family empire from the crutches of the dirty corruption brought upon by his brother, Derek. There's a whole lot of family politics going on and Shane is the only person who could put an end to the downfall of his family company. A chance encounter at a coffee shop brings him to Emily, and their instant connection brings up some sizzling chemistry.

There's a lot of mystery shrouding this read, mostly with Emily as she is determined to keep her past in the past. It remains unclear to what Emily is running from but I got a feeling it has something to do with her brother and a certain connected drug cartel. Shane is determined that their time spent is more than just a one night stand but he's worried about dragging her into his family games (which may turn out to be more deadly).

Overall, a captivating start of a series that will leave readers wanting to know more as Shane and Emily races against time to save the Brandon empire. I'm mostly dying to know what is Emily running away from and how her secrets will unfold later on that could potentially her relationship with Shane.   

Advanced review copy received by St Martin's Press via Netgalley 

in exchange for an honest review.

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Lisa Renee Jones is the author of the highly acclaimed INSIDE OUT SERIES, and is now in development by Suzanne Todd (Alice in Wonderland) for cable TV. In addition, her Tall, Dark and Deadly series and The Secret Life of Amy Bensen series, both spent several months on a combination of the NY Times and USA Today lists.