Justify: A Small Town Romantic Suspense Novel (Vigilante Justice, #3)

Title: Justify
Series: Vigilante Justice
Author: Kristen Harte (Ellis Leigh)
Designation: Book 3 of Series, Full-Length Novel(Approx 230 pages), *Can Be Read As Standalone, NO CLiffhanger
Oh my! I loved, loved, loved Justify, the highly anticipated third release of Kristan Harte’s compelling Vigilante Justice series. And it’s official, I’m still hopelessly hooked! The Vigilante Justice series may be the launch of Harte’s career in the contemporary romantic suspense genre, but this isn’t her first rodeo. For readers who may not be aware, Kristin Harte is the alter ego of USA Today bestselling paranormal romance author Ellis Leigh and half of the contemporary romance dynamic duo known as London Hale. It’s no big secret and neither is the fact that I’m a huge fan and have followed her career for years. I’m a hopeless romance junkie who can’t resist a good tearjerker, and romantic suspense is my all-time favorite contemporary subgenre, but I’m also somewhat of a rom-spense snob, meaning I’m pretty darn selective with the authors I choose to read. If you’ve read any of Harte’s previous work, you may already know that she’s is a gifted storyteller and skilled wordslinger who excels at creating sensual storylines set in vividly depicted worlds populated with larger-than-life characters, and heroes who always walk a very narrow line between right and wrong, and that certainly holds true in both her paranormal and contemporary works. But one thing you may not know is each and every story contains a piece of her heart and soul. It’s not something she claims or takes credit for, but it is something you can feel when you’ve read as many of her books as I have, and I’ve read them all – every single one. Am I biased because I’m a fan? Maybe, but I’m also honest. I purchase her books with my own hard earned money and would never be anything other than truthful in my reviews. Everyone is certainly entitled to their own opinion and this is mine, completely unsolicited. Already being familiar with Harte’s work, both as Ellis Leigh and London Hale, my expectations were high and once again, Harte didn’t disappoint. She not only met them, she surpassed them and delivered it all in Justify. But folks, this ain’t yo mama’s secret stash of romance – it’s waayyy HOTTER with a heaping helping of steam and a whole lot more of the feels! It’s romantic suspense on steroids, but to tone it down and put it simply, Justify is a heartachingly beautiful love story you won’t be able to stop reading until you reach the final page, and most certainly one that will be remembered long after the final word is read. I snickered, snorted, sniffled, snuffled, sighed, sobbed, and screamed in anger through the entire story and LOVED every single second! I was a complete basket case by the time I finished.! lol… But all jokes aside, Kristin Harte totally ripped my heart right out of my chest with this one! This entire series is pure crack for romantic suspense addicts! If you read Payback, the first two books of the Vigilante Justice series and fell in love with Alder and Bishop Kennard, then Bishop’s best friend, Gage Shepherd, will make your little ole heart flutter! And oh my, if you thought Alder and Bishop were silver tongue devils, just wait until you hear Gage! *swoon* But, as usual, I digress when talking about the books and authors I love, so let’s talk details!

Justify is a riveting, edgy, fast-paced, somewhat dark, standalone novel filled to the brim with pulse-pounding danger, edge-of-your-seat adventure, heart-pounding action, spine-tingling suspense, heart-wrenching angst, intense drama, explosive passion, tug-at-your-heartstrings romance, and, of course, steamy dreamy sex. After all, this is a Kristin Harte/Ellis Leigh story and anyone who has read her work in the past already knows Leigh pens some of the dirtiest talking alpha heroes and the dreamiest sex scenes ever! The narrative is beautifully written in the first person with clearly defined his and her perspectives. The dialogue is smart, snappy, gritty, sometimes humorous, exceptionally well executed, and flows effortlessly. Harte/Leigh’s stories move at lightning speeds yet are always comfortable and easy to follow with no unnecessary fluff or filler. But without a doubt, my favorite element of every Harte/Leigh story is the cast of intriguing characters. Don’t get me wrong; I think all the components of a book are important: setting, plot, conflict, resolution, along with overall craftsmanship including title, cover, formatting, execution, and editing, but without engaging, relatable protagonists complemented by a cast of entertaining ensemble players, there is no story. In my humble opinion, Kristin Harte/Ellis Leigh writes the most unapologetically protective, possessive, passionate, and fearless heroes and heroines I’ve ever read. And Gage Shepherd and Katie Baker are no exception! If you were smitten with either of the heroes in the first two books, you will adore Bishop’s best friend and former navy Seal teammate, Gage Shepherd. The premise for the Vigilante Justice Series is based upon the Kennard family, a tightknit group of four brothers, Alder, Bishop, twins Finn and Elijah, and one sister Lainie, from the fictional town of Justice, Colorado, but also includes their friends and members of their tight-knit group of protectors. And let’s not forget about Rex, Gage’s canine partner! Rex may be a mixed breed, but he’s a real sweetheart as well as an extremely intelligent, loyal mutt! My kind of dog! I think Rex has as many admirers as Gage. lol… Who doesn’t love a story with a loyal pet as one of the characters? In Justify, the two protagonists of our story are Gage Shepherd and Katie Baker. Gage is a former Navy Seal and current head machinery mechanic for Kennard Mills who came to Justice to work with his best friend and former Seal teammate, Bishop Kennard. Katie is a trained chef and now the hardworking owner of the new restaurant in town, The Baker’s Cottage. She grew up in Justice and has recently moved back from Denver after her mother’s death. The chemistry between these two characters is hotter than anything Katie cooks up in her kitchen but it’s been a smoldering slow burn – until now. But when Gage and Katie finally succumb to the inevitable, it’s like two stars going supernova. It’s a beautiful thing to witness. I fell in love with Gage and his dog Rex when they were introduced in Payback, the first book of the series. Gage is not your typical hero. He’s not the charming, smooth operator like his friends. He’s a brawny, gruff, rugged, and sometimes savage mountain man with long hair, wild beard, and body covered in tatts, but don’t let his exterior appearance fool you; he’s also intelligent, hardworking, brave, selfless, kind, and loyal to a fault. He’s what my dad used to call a man’s man! Who in the world can resist a hero with all those qualities? Not me! lol… And what do I even say about Katie, or should I say Princess which is Gage’s pet name for our spunky, hardworking, curvaceous heroine? I related to Katie’s character on so many levels and one in particular since I also love to cook for the people I care about. Gage and Katie are both flawed characters with secrets but both have hearts of gold and a passion for the other that’s so combustible, it literally explodes from the pages.

Did I like this story? No, I LOVED it! I was glued to my seat from the first page to the last, completely captivated, white-knuckling my reader with my heart fluttering wildly in my chest as the pages flew as quickly as the time, and adored every single minute! Would I recommend it? You bet, and I am but only for adult readers since it does contain explicit language, violence, and sex. This book can be read as a standalone and does NOT end with a cliffhanger, but there is an underlying interconnected conflict that will be resolved as the series progresses. Will I read this author again? Absolutely! Just as soon as she releases her next book! And finally, was I entertained? Completely! Fabulous entertainment and an awesome read!

Gage Shepherd has had his eye on the lovely, little Katie Baker for months, well, since she moved back to Justice to open her new restaurant, The Baker’s Cottage. He’s wanted her so much it hurt – literally, and he’s willing to do just about anything to have her, including toning down the whole savage mountain man look he has going on, but Katie doesn’t seem to mind him hanging out in her kitchen. Now, if he could only find the courage to tell her how he feels, and isn’t that a real kick in the pants – him, a former Navy Seal who’d killed men with his bare hands yet couldn’t find the courage to piece together a whole sentence in her presence, and he certainly couldn’t tell her what was really on his mind, the things he wanted to do to her curvaceous little body. A guy like him doesn’t deserve a sweet woman like Katie, but that wouldn’t stop him from trying to make her his. He’d just take his time and try not to scare her away, though maybe not three years like it’d taken Alder to close the deal with Shye. But all Gage’s good intentions fly right out the window when the Soul Suckers MC make his little Katie their target. He’ll do anything to keep Katie safe, even fight the devil himself… and he may have to do just that. But what happens if this devil is wearing a badge? Who will live and who will die when the courageous men of Justice once again match brains and brawn against evil? We’ll see!