Payback

HEART-SEIZING HOTBED OF ROMANCE & SUSPENSE!!!
Title: Payback
Series: Vigilante Justice
Author: Kristan Harte (Ellis Leigh)
Designation: Book 1 of Series, Short Novel (Approx 200 pages), Can Be Read As Standalone, No Cliffhanger, HFN #contemporary #romanticsuspense #militaryromance #sexyalphaheroes #smalltownromance
Reading Platform: Kindle Edition
My Rating: Five Sinfully Sexy Stars*****
Oh my! I loved, loved, loved Payback, the debut release for Kristan Harte and the first book in her compelling new Vigilante Justice Series. And it’s official, I’m hopelessly hooked! Payback 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 already be aware, Kristin Harte is the alter ego of USA Today bestselling paranormal romance author Ellis Leigh and one-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 of this author’s work and have followed her career for years. Harte/Leigh is a gifted storyteller and skilled wordslinger who excels at creating original storylines set in vividly depicted worlds populated with larger-than-life characters. So, when I heard the whispers across Facebook of her move into the contemporary romantic suspense, I was beyond excited but with reservations. I’m a diehard romance junkie and romantic suspense is my all-time favorite subgenre, but I’m also somewhat of a rom-spense snob, meaning I’m pretty darn selective with the authors I choose to read. I’m passionate about quite a few things but two that top my list, only surpassed by family, are good food and great books. When it comes to food, I’m very much a meat and potatoes kind of girl which, surprisingly, also applies to my choice in literature, meaning I enjoy reading something I can really sink my teeth into, the kind of book that satisfies all my cravings – danger, drama, action, adventure, angst, mystery, suspense, humor, passion, and romance but most importantly, it must be well written with creative storyarcs, intriguing conflicts, and engaging characters. Already being familiar with Harte’s work, both as Ellis Leigh and London Hale, my expectations were high but Harte did not disappoint. She not only met them, she surpassed them and delivered it all in Payback! But, as usual, I digress when talking about books and authors I love, so let’s talk details!

Payback is a riveting, edgy, fast-paced, easy-to-follow, 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 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. One of the things I enjoy most about Harte/Leigh’s book is her perfectly proportioned combination of narration and dialogue which is extremely important to the balance and flow of a story. Harte/Leigh’s stories move at lightning speeds yet are always comfortable with no unnecessary fluff or filler. But, without a doubt, my favorite element of every Harte/Leigh story is the cast of well-developed 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. Some stories are born from a single character and written around him or her. And in my humble opinion, Kristin Harte/Ellis Leigh writes the most unapologetically protective, possessive, passionate, and fearless heroes and heroines I’ve ever read. From what I understand about the Vigilante Justice Series, the entire saga will be based upon the Kennard family, a tightknit group of five siblings from the fictional town of Justice, Colorado, along with their friends, love interests, and pets. Yes, there’s a dog named Rex! Rex may be a mixed breed, but he’s an intelligent and loyal mutt! My kind of dog! Who doesn’t love a story with a loyal pet as one of the characters? In Payback, the two protagonists are 36-year-old Alder Kennard and 23-year-old Shye Anderson. I was immediately smitten with Alder Kennard. Alder is handsome, intelligent, hardworking, loyal, brave, selfless, and kind. 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… Alder may be my favorite of all Harte/Leigh’s heroes to date. And what do I even say about Shye? I fell in love with sweet, inexperienced, young Shye Anderson instantly. I related to her character on a very personal level, and my heart literally ached for her. Alder and Shye are such complete opposites, yet they complement each other brilliantly. The interaction between them is nothing short of magical. The passion between these two unlikely lovers literally explodes from the pages. Their story almost ripped my heart right out of my chest. I sniffled, snorted, sobbed and fumed through the entire story but by the end, I was happy, satisfied, and well entertained.

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. Alder Kennard is a silver-tongued devil who knows how to talk dirty to his woman! *swoon* And FYI, this is not erotica but the love scenes could be described as erotic. Harte/Leigh writes some of the most beautifully emotional and heart-seizing sex scenes ever! This book can be read as a standalone and does not end with a cliffhanger, but rather what I call a happy for now. Apparently, each book will feature a different couple finding their happy ending, but there is an underlying interconnected conflict that will be resolved later in the series. The author’s note in the back of the book does tell us that we’ll be hearing more about Alder and Shye in future releases. Will I read this author again? Absolutely! Just as soon as she releases her next book! I’ve already preordered the second book of the series, Retaliate, which releases March 15, 2018. And finally, was I entertained? Completely! Fabulous entertainment and an awesome read! Well done, Kristin Harte! Well done, indeed!

Five years ago, Alder Kennard returned to his hometown of Justice to take over the family’s floundering sawmill and lumber business after spending fourteen years as a Green Beret. Justice, Colorado is a very small community with no money for police or fire departments. Alder, his family, and friends are the police and fire departments. Of the 348 residents, 90% depend on the Kennard Mill for their livelihood. As the oldest Kennard sibling, Alder sees himself as not only responsible for his family and their business, but also the safety and welfare of every single citizen in Justice, and that includes Skye Anderson. Shye is a relative newcomer to the community, having moved to a rundown trailer just outside Justice three years ago when she began working as a waitress at the nearby truck stop. Alder may be thirteen years older than Shye, who at first glance seem to have nothing in common, but we all know age, similarities, or commonalities have nothing to do with the laws of attraction. The heart wants what the heart wants, and Alder Kennard’s heart has wanted beautiful, timid Shye Anderson from the moment he first set eyes on her three years ago. And the one thing Alder has in spades is patience, one of the many things he learned as a Green Beret. Although they’ve never gone on a date and never had any interaction outside the restaurant at the truck stop, Alder is willing to wait as long as it takes for the woman he already sees as his. Shye Anderson may not know it yet, but she already belongs to him. It’s just a matter of time. But sweet little Shye has a dark, troubled past with secrets she’s convinced no man could ever accept. She owes a debt and if not paid, the cost could be her life. She lives in constant fear but is determined to never involve anyone else, especially not handsome Alder Kennard. She never wants to be responsible for the death of another person – not again – and the Soul Suckers MC wouldn’t hesitate to punish her by harming someone she cares about. She may be attracted to Alder, but he can’t help her. Besides, a good man like Alder could never be interested in someone like her, especially if he knew her secrets, right? We’ll see!