This book gets 4 raccoons from me! Why raccoons, Alyson, you ask. Well, I guess you'll have to read the book to find out!

What I love most about the Hard Play books, is that everyone in the Esera clan is so family oriented that they all play a part in each other's books. I loved how Isa and Sailor played such a big role in Kiss Hard, that Jake and Juliet made an appearance, that Gabe and Charlotte were included, that we even got a reference to Molly and Fox's story... It gave me so much nostalgia to think back to each couple's love story and just fall further in love with them and their kids through Catie and Danny's book. This is why I love reading series that follow a family or friend group so much.

Ever since I read Isa and Sailor's book (strongly recommend Cherish Hard!), I was curious about the Isa's little sister with two prosthetic legs who has an unreliable father and is determined to fiercely love those around her. Reading about the woman she's become, a woman who strives to be independent and to give back to her community, to make life for other disabled kids better by being the guinea pig for experimental prosthetics and setting up foundations and camps for them... It made me love her even more for her strength and kind heart.

Ever since I read that beach scene where Catie piggybacked on Danny while both were while jabbing at each other, I was in love with them. Catie and Danny make sarcasm a love language, and I'm here for that!

"Are you calling me a thirst trap?"
"Not even if I was gasping for a drop of water in a godforsaken desert in the middle of nowhere, Daniel."

You wouldn't believe the amount of times I was smirking, snorting and wheezing of laughter because of the on point sarcasm between these two. But what I loved most about them, was the way they showed up for each other during tough times. Both were so in tune with the other's needs and boundaries, and respectful of them. In a bookworld where unhealthy relationships are being idolized, it was refreshing to read about a couple (even when they were still pretending to be each other's nemesis, which I never believed) who have such a healthy way of engaging and treating each other, and through that mending their insecure attachment styles that got build on (adverse) childhood experiences. That's why I loved those last few chapters so much, since we got to see both Daniel and Catie grow as people in their relationship. And that, to me, is the strength of a great relationship. The balance of loving the other while giving them their space to grow, and then loving them even more for it. And let's be honest, Catie and Danny excel at this!

If you think you'd love a sarcastic frenemies to lovers, fake relationship with forced proximity, sports romance between a tattooed professional rugby player and a strong paralympic runner, this book is definitely for you!

Out now, because life got in the way of me finishing the book before it's release date on May 3rd. Thank you to the publisher for granting me an ARC through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

I loved it!

As for each book in this series, I've been waiting for this release and counted the days to it eagerly in the past two years. At one point, I got a bit worried Nalini had decided to stop at Love Hard with her other books taking centre stage over this project - if not even the author needing something different to work on (like her new thriller books Quiet in Her Bones and A Madness of Sunshine).

But Nalini didn't disappoint and here we are.

After three books that, in one way or another, built up to this, I finally got my hands on Catie and Danny's story. I can't in truth say I hadn't put a lot of hope and had big expectations. I was hoping to get the fun and romance Nalini made me addicted to in all of her previous stories with the added bonus of already knowing about these characters and their chemistry. So I was looking forward to seeing how it would develop from their teens to adulthood.

At the same time, I was a bit disappointed by the previous book and I was a bit worried the story wouldn't withstand the pressure of my expectations. I wasn't. This book has all the good stuff of the first and second of the series as well as new meaningful topics I wasn't expecting and that kept me on my toes throughout the read. Another win from Ms Singh in my opinion.

A surprisingly sweet and touching romance with no major drama, just two people falling in love and building a relationship. I loved the fact that despite the heroine Catie being disabled she came across as the stronger half of the couple. She wasn’t defined by her disability and it would’ve been so easy for the author to have the hero ‘rescue’ her so to speak. Instead Daniel, the baby in a family of over achievers, seemed a little weak and insecure perhaps because he feared he couldn’t live up to his family’s expectations. What starts off as a pretend relationship between two frenemies in an attempt to protect their careers soon becomes something much more as they gradually get to know each other and see beneath the facades they present to the world.

I loved this sweet story about two enemies, who are actually friends, getting together. They start a fake relationship after a scene that could have caused a scandal for Daniel and his career as a rugby player. Catie is a professional runner who had an accident as a child and had to get her legs amputated. They are both successful athletes and childhood friends.

I loved Daniel, his family is great and supportive! Catie is also sweet and together, they create a beautiful couple.

Thanks, NetGalley and Nalini Singh for the ARC. These thoughts are my own.

This story kicks off with the heroine rescuing the hero. He's been roofied and, even though they're nemeses, she cares too much to let him take a fall (literal or metaphorical). Then they get snowed in, then they agree to fake date, and suddenly the friendly nemesis dynamic they've had all their lives shifts, and they can't resist each other.

This is a soft, sweet book (not sweet in the no-spice kind of way, because it is also spicy, but sweet in the sheer amount that all of the characters care about each other.

It's the fourth book in a series centered on a family. It can be read as a standalone. Danny is the baby of the family, and a rugby star. Catie's sister is married to Danny's older half brother, so they've known each other for years. Catie is a double amputee track star training for the Paralympics. As a non-disabled person, the representation here seems really strong. Catie is ready to kick the butt of anyone who thinks she's not enough just because she has prosthetic legs, but she never needs to do that butt kicking.

Both MCs have strong emotional journeys. Danny's family has always been there to catch him when he falls, or even gets off balance the tiniest bit, but it means he hasn't had a chance to stretch his wings and become truly independent. Catie's parents were both neglectful in their own ways, and she's erected a very strong wall around her emotions to keep from being hurt again.

And their journey is beautiful.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Catie Rain and Danny Esera have known each other since Danny's brother courted Catie's sister. The whole Bishop-Esera clan subsequently adopted Catie and Isa as their own, and Catie and Danny have spent the entire time since bickering, teasing, and sniping at each other. When an incident during a night out has the whole world thinking they finally hooked up, they decide to run with it - and realise the relationship they never saw coming might be the best thing to ever happen to them!

Danny is your typical star rugby player with high expectations, strict management, and a looming fear of falling off his game. It's great that this is a rugby series because I can actually picture what's going on for once. He's a little bossy and overprotective, but fights himself to let Catie handle herself. Because Catie? She's a double-amputee with Paralympic dreams and I love how Nalini writes her - not an object of pity or stoic inspiration, but a top athlete who wants to be seen for herself rather than for what's missing, who leverages her disability into a career and a way to help others. She's tough, funny, and realistic.

This is officially fourth in the Hard Play series, though the eldest Bishop brother's book (Rock Hard) is actually number 2 in the related Rock Kiss series, and if that is too confusing, this book stands perfectly well on its own. On the other hand, the Bishop-Esera clan are so warm and engaging, you're probably going to want to read the rest sooner rather than later.

Like Nalini's other contemporaries, this is a high-steam, low-angst romance where the characters talk to each other instead of breaking up at the first hurdle. Their relationship definitely has its ups and downs, but I enjoyed knowing that whatever happens, there will be no silly big misunderstanding.

It's sexy, it's heartwarming, and I really hope it's not the last in the series - who's keen to see Danny's teammates get their own happy ever afters?

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book via NetGalley; all opinions are my own

I have several books by this author on my TBR list after seeing her work recommended often but this was my first book by Nalini Singh. It didn't disappoint, giving me an easy read with great characters and a plot that had just the right amount of detail and depth to do the story line justice. This is Book 4 in the Hard Play series, but I didn't feel as though I had to have read any other books in the series to follow this one (which I hadn't, to be clear). While there were references to other couples that I'm sure feature in the previous stories, the main couple in this one stand up just find on their own. Kiss Hard focussed on Danny, a successful and professional New Zealand Rugby player, and Catie, a competitive runner and someone who's a double amputee, hoping to fulfil her Paralympic dreams. While the blurb and the book refer to the two as enemies... frenemies, even... I wouldn't classify this story as the usual enemies to lovers trope. In fact, I categorised it as friends to lovers as they never truly hated or disliked each other, instead having a somewhat playful relationship where the game was to stir the pot and get one up over the other. Having grown up around each other, this has involved practical jokes, taunting and competitiveness but nothing mean-spirited or truly terrible enough to justify the nemesis status.

After Danny's drink is spiked one night, Catie comes to his rescue. With the former being the massive dreamboat and darling of the sports world (and hence the country) that he is, they agree to a mutually beneficial fake relationship that they'll amicably dissolve a few months down the track. If only it was that simple, yeah? Because when they can no longer ignore the chemistry between each other, they have to ask themselves if there's more to their relationship, if it's worth taking the plunge and putting a friendship, not to mention the closeness shared by their families, at risk and putting their hearts on the line to start a relationship for real.

There was a lot to like in this book. The author handled the topics of sports fatigue, drink tampering and physical disability and prosthetics tastefully, being both upfront and realistic. Both characters were written well with their personalities really shining, especially Catie who was a great mix of strength and vulnerability as a result of having two parents who, to be honest, were pretty selfish and mostly absent. It's not often you have the pleasure of experiencing a character who's prickly, insecure and almost a negative Nancy about taking risks with her heart and still like them throughout the book. Danny was an absolute stand out for me and the perfect book boyfriend. A sports god with the world at his feet that remained thoughtful, caring, compassionate, respectful and 100% determined to have Catie in his life, he was pretty much perfect. I loved how Daniel's relationship with his family really transmitted well across the pages and it's made me want to make sure I go back and start this series from the beginning so that I can fully benefit from the solid foundations built by this author. I found some of the themes in the book a little repetitive (e.g. Catie not wanting to risk her closeness with Daniel's family to dive into a relationship with him even though she felt strongly for him, them acknowledging the relationship wasn't forever, etc.), but this was only a minor thing and certainly wasn't ad nauseum.

This won't be the last book I read by this author. I enjoyed her writing style and the delicate balance between lovers and friends that she brought to this novel. I especially loved how she didn't fall for the usual clichés seen in books with this trope, keeping the relationship between the two main characters strong. Living in a sport-mad nation myself, where rugby is one of the top sports, it's not a subject area I'd normally head towards as I see enough of it on television, but for this series I'll definitely make an exception.

I have been itching for this one to come out! This is such a fun series.

I loved Daniel and Catie. Daniel has a big heart and Catie is adorable. They really are perfect for each other. They do have their issues to wade through, but I loved them.

Some drama here, but nothing crazy. Poor Catie was set up to fail. She had two terrible parents and an ex that caused some drama. I'm glad there wasn't an insta-love between these two. Them FINALLY coming together felt natural and perfect for them.

I hope there is another book! I love this world and the characters. I especially LOVE it is set in New Zealand ;)

5 stars from me.

Blodeuedd and I did a joint review of this too!

This was a super fun childhood frenemies-to-lovers sports romance. I had never ventured into Nalini Singh's books before but there was just something about this description (and cover, hello!) that caught my eye. I just love a friends-to-lovers trope and this had a really great vibe from the outset.

This book is part of a series so there is a world and family that is established but you don't feel lost. There is enough exposition and memories that I loved seeing - our MCs as kids, always ribbing and competing with each other - that helped fill in any gaps that may have existed. In fact, I wanted to go back and read the others in the series because I loved this family.

Our MCs - Catie and Danny - are wonderful. Catie is a is a double amputee Paralympian, a bit of a grump to Danny's sunshine. Danny is a rising professional rugby star from a successful family. They are childhood frenemies - always teasing, taunting, and ribbing each other through and into adulthood. Frenemies because even though they were each others "nemeses" they are always their for each other, if needed, and they have an understanding that comes through time and experience. When Danny finds himself in a scary situation, Catie is there to help instantly, without hesitation.

We find ourselves in a dual-POV story of fake-dating turning into real steam and attraction, turning into more. We see them both struggle with their own insecurities and uncertainties. We see Danny respond to Catie's vulnerabilities in the most sweetest and sexiest of ways. I truly related to Catie's need for walls and self-protection and appreciated Danny's patience and the way he loves.

I so appreciated an offering with disability rep, a new-to-me location, exposure to diverse sports and events and the witty, ofttimes acerbic wit from both our grumpy heroine and sunshine-y hero. This was a super fun read and I would recommend it for those who like sports romances, rom-coms, friends to lovers and all that fun stuff.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley and TKA Distribution. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

3.5-4 stars for this super cute, childhood friends to lovers, sports romance. This is my first book by this author, but I would definitely continue to read her books.

Catie and Danny have grown up together. Their families are interwoven in so many ways and they know each other's history. Catie is a double amputee and a Paralympian runner and Danny is a rising rugby star in New Zealand. When Danny's drink gets drugged one evening, Catie figures the only way to get him out of the bar without raising eyebrows would be to spin it that they were leaving together. They spin their fake dating for a while, but when a snowstorm strands them together for a few days they cannot deny the sparks between them.

I liked that the book was written in dual POV, but the third-person narration kept the characters at arm's length. Danny worships Catie and the tenderness with which he treats her is so swoony (while always respecting her ability and never assuming she needs saving). The book is the fourth in a series, but I haven't read the other ones. It works OK as a standalone, but there's clearly a lot of history and other characters I was unfamiliar with.

Content warnings: parental abandonment, gambling

I voluntarily reviewed an early copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

***5 ‘Favorite Nemesis’ Stars***

Ever since first “meeting” Danny and Catie, or I should say, getting to witness Danny and Catie meeting for the first time in Cherish Hard, I had a feeling that one day there was a possibility they could be each other’s HEA. Then came Love Hard and before I was even half way, I knew that the final book in the series would be them, there was no way it couldn’t be…the only question was what would it take to get the staunch “Frenemies” to start to see each other as lovers? Well, I gotta give the author big props on going where she went, because I never would have guessed “that” but it definitely did the job.

Now, for Danny and Catie. I adored both of them. I adored them from the first time I met them and it’s been a lot of fun to see them grow from teens into adults. They both have huge hearts, are witty, snarky and just all around good people. But it was fun, and a little heartbreaking, to go deeper with both of them. See what really makes them tick and watch how they work through the challenges thrown their way.

As for their journey to their HEA. So. Much. Fun. They’ve always had a flow to them, even if it was an antagonistic one, and I loved watching as their relationship with each changed and grew stronger in some ways and yet stayed the same in others. There are a few bumps in the road, but I loved how they worked through them ~ sometimes with a little help from their family and friends ~ and am just all kinds of happy with how everything turned out for them.

To say I’m sad that this is the last Bishop-Esera novel (at least for now because we do have the next generation…) is kind of an understatement. I’ve loved them since meeting them in Rock Hard and the audiobooks for the series are listened to in full a few times a year. The family dynamic just hit home, add in amazing characters all around (I’m crossing my toes that Vili, Veni, Harlow, Leo, Leon…get a book, short some day) and the fact that I am a rugby fan, (especially of the team that is mentioned but not in the books and have speculated over which players were inspirations for the brothers), and this series has just been a joy to read. So, I’m crossing my toes that this isn’t a good-bye to this world and that we’ll get to visit them again at some point down the road.

~ Copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley & voluntarily reviewed ~

When I requested to read and review Kiss Hard, I didn't realize this was Book #4 in a series. Perhaps if I had read books 1-3 I would have enjoyed it more. But that's on me and not this awesome author! As it is, I was definitely able to read it as a stand-alone novel.

The "fake relationship that turns real" or "enemies to lovers" tropes have been done many times before, but Nalini Singh puts a bit more of a twist on it with characters that make you want to stand up and cheer. I loved the banter between Daniel and Catie and the slow burn that sent tingles right through me. I also loved the Bishop-Esera family relationship that warmed my heart. I may go back and read the previous books in this series to find out more about them.

I would have liked more of a plot, but altogether the book was an enjoyable read.

Arc provided by NetGalley and the publishers for an honest review.

This was my first book by Nalini Singh and I really enjoyed it! We follow Daniel Esera, a leading rugby player, and Catie River, an athlete on her way to Paralympic gold. Catie and Danny are amazing together, labelled as each others nemeses but both caring deeply for the other as they've been around each other for years. This book had amazing disability rep as Catie's leg were crushed when she was a child. A really great love story and I can't wait to go back and read the rest of the series!

Dear Nalini Singh,

It’s been a while since the last Hard Play release (Love Hard – I did in fact love it hard) and there have been a lot of books in between, so I’d kind of forgotten who Catie and Danny were and the various relationships in the Bishop-Esera clan. But it all came back to me pretty quickly once I started reading.

Catie River is Isa Rain’s younger sister. Isa, for those who may not remember, is married to Sailor Bishop, one of Danny Esera’s brothers. (Isa and Sailor’s book is Cherish Hard and takes place quite a few years prior to Kiss Hard.) Catie was hit by a car when she was 11 and her legs were crushed. She is a double amputee who uses prosthetic legs almost full time. She’s also a Paralympian runner.

When Isa married Sailor she and her younger sister and stepbrother (Harlow) were “adopted” into the Bishop-Esera family. Danny and Catie grew up together. Their relationship has always been one of snarky banter, practical jokes and competitive pranking. Each refers to the other as their “nemesis” but it’s obvious to anyone with eyes or ears that they care deeply for one another. Their rivalry is never mean, never crosses agreed lines and, when it counts, they’re always there for one another.

Danny and Catie are now in their early 20s. Danny is playing rugby for the Harriers and is also a regular pick for the national team (the All Blacks) where his next-older brother Jake is vice-captain. Catie is a successful runner and has begun to build a charity for amputees to assist them adapt to and use prostheses. She also actively tests various experimental prosthetic legs and is prominent on social media for her disability activism and sporting prowess. Danny and Catie have a robust and teasing rivalry on social media and their adoring public (they are very popular, especially within New Zealand) have been shipping them for years. They’re both beautiful people who have reputations of being kind and generous, so most fans just wants good things for them.

Catie has been in a few relationships but Danny has not, preferring to date casually and hook up every now and then. He’s not a womaniser but he’s not a monk either.

Before the main action begins, we have a prologue that tells readers very important information about Catie. At first it might seem like it’s out of step with the rest of the book but it is important. Catie’s dad, Clive, loves her but is unreliable and untrustworthy. He often doesn’t turn up when he says he’s going to. He is an inveterate gambler. He lets her down all the time. There’s really only been one time in her life when he didn’t – and that was when she was in hospital after the car hit her. Clive was a rock then and it is significantly because of that that Catie cannot and will not give up on him totally. She was very young when she learned he was not to be trusted and she needed to rely on herself. (Protip readers: remember this for later.)

The story itself begins when Danny and Catie happen to be in the same nightclub in Dunedin. Catie is there for a short girls trip and Danny is playing in a charity match. Catie notices Danny looks unwell. He’s not a drinker so she senses straight away that something is wrong. As it happens, his drink has been drugged and he’s not tracking too well. The damage to Danny’s reputation, his place on the Harriers and the national team and to his sponsorship deals could be catastrophic if pictures of him looking drunk and out of control surface. Catie helps Danny get out of the club safely with a friend (Viliame), a fellow rugby player (I do hope we get a Vili book one of these days!) and they take him to the hospital to get checked out. All of Catie’s medical contacts from her time in hospital come in handy here for both access and discretion.

Given they were photographed leaving together and Danny is leaning heavily on Catie, they cook up the idea to be fake dating so that there is no unwanted scrutiny of what actually happened on social media. At first it was going to only be for one night but then Catie is advised that if it ends that quickly her reputation will take a hit (even though Danny’s will not because sexism). So they decide to make the most of it and commit to a 6-month fake relationship and take the opportunity to do some couple sponsorship deals and more promotion for Catie’s charity. They tell all to the family (except for Clive). Charlotte (married to Gabriel – Rock Hard) isn’t buying it though. She’s taking bets it will be very real very soon. Clever Charlotte.

The fake dating excuse is a bit thin; Danny makes a police report and tells his team straight away, complete with medical records but I guess this way he didn’t have to make it public. Still, regardless of the reason, I’m all in for fake dating so I was happy to go with it.

Almost immediately both Danny and Catie start noticing one another in a new way – something Catie describes as getting the “tingles” – in the pants area and elsewhere. Danny notices more about Catie physically than he has before and he likes it. For all that they say they have a contentious relationship, they do not. When something is important, they each respect the other’s boundaries. Danny knows Catie is self-sufficient and doesn’t hover or treat her disability with anything other than matter-of-fact reality. He respects her vulnerabilities and doesn’t seek to exploit them and she’s the same with him. See? Clearly not close to enemies.

Danny, for his part, has struggles of his own. As much as he has a loving and involved family, he feels incredible pressure from the huge successes of his older brothers. He’s always been close to his family but sometimes that closeness has hampered him too and he’s at a crossroads in his life. Danny is also a secret and avid baker (be still my heart!) but he worries that isn’t enough to live up to the family expectations after rugby inevitably ends. Catie encourages Danny to pursue his dreams, whatever they look like but does not minimise his concerns.

There is a gentle, often self-deprecating humour to the book.

Shaking his head, he returned to get himself a glass of milk and his own plate of cookies. Because he knew Catie wouldn’t share hers. Then he sat at the other end of the couch, and they ate cookies and drank milk like any other hot young twentysomethings who were having a flaming affair.

There is also a kind of joy in how well Catie and Danny know one another and how they work things out as they go. The relationship challenges they face are realistic and not played for audience manipulation.

I do not know much about the experience of amputees on a personal level but I found the representation sensitive. I’d be interested to hear from experts in the area too/as well. It seemed to me that the book cleverly acknowledged that Catie’s experience is not universal. There were a number of characters in the book who had different experience of amputation (legs and/or arms) and various mention of some of the challenges amputees face from a health and financial perspective as well as from the emotional.

“She sees it as being herself in all her glory and fuck the creeps, which I agree with—but she also accepts my viewpoint. We’re different people with different thoughts on the whole thing. No one has a right to what we don’t choose to reveal.”

There was a lighter touch in some areas which felt sensitive and appropriate, mostly around the intimacy. When the scene called for it, there was mention of Danny stabilising Catie’s hips because her legs may not hold her up (wall-banging) but there was no up-close-and-personal about some other things which were unnecessary for me to know and would have felt, had they been there, out of place and wrong at worst and didactic and preachy at best. While I’m not an expert in the area it looked to me like the right balance was struck; realism and representation, avoiding prurience and fetishism.

I mentioned above that the fake relationship doesn’t stay fake for long but I’m not going to say much more about the plot from there. Catie and Danny spend a lot of time together, face their fears and face tests of their relationship to get to their HEA. It’s not an angsty book though. I found the tension level just right.

The sex is hot, the connection between the protagonists compelling and catching up with the rest of the family was entertaining in any number of ways.

It was only right at the end that I realised some of the things conveniently dropped into the epilogue had been missed in the story. I didn’t notice them at the time but I was grateful they weren’t forgotten because I would have wondered what happened with them afterwards. Still, there were some things which were a little light on detail and seemed to point to plot necessity rather than anything else.

I expect that Kiss Hard can be enjoyed quite well as a stand alone. But I’d also recommend at least reading Cherish Hard first because Isa and Sailor are significant to Danny and Catie both, and important context about Catie’s earlier years and Catie’s parents and even her “rivalry” with Danny are contained in it.

Grade: B+


Regards,
Kaetrin

Daniel and Catie might not be the stereotypical couple that we have come across in most books but that's one of the reasons to love them more. Cookie cutter gets boring on so many levels some time, so this was definitely a breath of fresh air that I wasn't aware I was looking for. This is a beautiful story beyond love and acceptance that makes you realize the difference  between what you have and what you need in your own life.
I received an advanced copy of this book from Netgalley for my honest opinion.

✨Thank you to Net Galley for the ARC of this book!✨

I have been a Nalini Singh fan girl for YEARS and am so excited for another new release. I will pretty much read anything Nalini writes. Phone book? IKEA furniture instructions? I am THERE!

This story was about Danny Esera and Catie River, who we met in the previous books in this series.

I loved the playful banter and frenemies vibe between Danny and Catie. They were very funny and I loved that they never really lost that, even when they eventually fell in love. ♥️

Seeing the other members of the Bishop-Esera family and how they’ve grown was also really sweet and fun. I loved seeing them be able to sort of guide Danny and Catie. The relationship between Catie and her sister Isa (heroine of the first book in the series) is also very special.

I thought the pace that Danny and Carie’s relationship built was very believable and kept the tension just right. They had already known each other for years, so it didn’t feel rushed at all!

Also, I love that miscommunication was NOT the conflict. They both trusted and believed in each other, even if their pasts made trust difficult. It would have been so easy to have a third act breakup over miscommunication in this story, and I was SO GLAD that it didn’t happen!

This was exactly the fun, sweet contemporary I expected from Nalini. I’m very happy to have had a chance to read it. ♥️

Catie and Danny have been nemeses for as long as they can remember. Their families are intertwined through the marriage of Catie’s sister, Ísa, and Danny’s brother Sailor (Book 1, Cherish Hard). Although they poke fun and play jokes, the two have always been close and supported each other. When social media reports how the two famous athletes leave a bar together, they decide to create a fake relationship to protect Catie’s image.

Kiss Hard features both the fake relationship and force proximity tropes and brings you friends to lovers. What an amazing combination! Although Catie and Danny like to think they aren’t friends, the truth is they have been extremely close for much of their lives. Each cares deeply for the other, but would never admit it. It isn’t until they are snowed in together while pretending to be dating, that each starts to examine what their relationship has been and what it could be.

Kiss Hard is an easy story… Catie and Danny both love big and already care about the other. Their shared values and tight-knit family group ensure that they are open and honest with one another. The biggest conflict is that they both believe their relationship will crash and burn because they are so hung up on believing they aren’t compatible (because they are nemeses) and that something so hot can’t last. Both characters follow a path of self-growth while falling in love. Their journey is sparked because of the fake relationship and forced proximity, but grows because of their foundation.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading Kiss Hard. I liked watching the pair have fun and grow individually while seeing their romance blossom. I’m glad their relationship is grounded in openness rather than allowing silly misunderstandings pull them apart. They joke about being nemeses with one another, but it was always in a bond of friendship and caring. Kiss hard is an easy, hopeful, and happy story.

My Rating: B+ Liked It A Lot

TW: character drugged by date rape drug in beginning of the book

This book is really about growth. Danny and Catie are only in their early twenties and they both grow a lot over the book. Danny, especially, truly finds himself over the course of this story. He’s been stuck in this role as sport star and country golden child and the pressure of that is getting to him. He’s makes the difficult decision, especially as his relationship with Catie is growing, to go play rugby internationally and to learn more about himself. Catie too has a lot of growth throughout this book. Her family relationships, with the exception of her sister, are tough, and she learned to close herself off a lot. In addition to that is her relationship with her prosthetic legs. She realizes through the course of the book that Danny just sees her as Catie and she is able to overcome some of her relationship fears around that. I’ll admit that my knowledge of prosthetics are limited but I feel that Nalini handles this topic with grace and in a way that doesn’t define Catie.

I did feel the ending of the book was rushed a bit. I wanted more time to see them grow in their relationship.

Well, this was a delightful surprise from one of my very favorite authors, an unexpected contemporary romance announced less than a month prior to its release. Fun fact: I actually discovered Nalini through her contemporaries first! Back when I was under the misguided impression that PNR wasn’t really my jam, I started reading her contemporaries and immediately fell in love with her voice. It’s been quite a few years since we last had a Nalini contemporary and reading this book was wonderful in so many ways, not least of which is that it allowed me to catch up with some old friends from previous books.

Set in New Zealand, we are back in the heart of the Bishop-Esera clan, who have featured in 3 of Nalini’s previous contemporaries. Kiss Hard is a charming best friend (er, I mean nemesis or is it frenemies?) to lovers story between the 4th and youngest of the Bishop-Esera brothers, Daniel Esera, a young hotshot professional rugby player and Catie River, a Paralympic sprinter and sister to the wife of Daniel’s older brother, Sailor. Sailor and Ísa were featured in their own book to kickstart the Hard Play series in Cherish Hard which is also where we first met Danny and Catie.

Since Danny’s brother and Catie’s sister married, Danny and Catie have been in each other’s orbits for many years, having practically grown up together. They’ve always had an interesting relationship, one in which they are constantly bickering much the way siblings would, teasing and fighting and pranking each other. As they grow older, that bickering makes its way into social media where the two of them are constantly teasing each other to the delight of their many followers. I do like that none of it is mean spirited and it’s evident from the opening scene of the book, when Catie happens upon Danny at a bar and realizes he’s been drugged without his knowledge, that these two deeply care for each other no matter how much they may act like they’re really enemies.

Due to certain stipulations in Danny’s new contract, the 2 decide to pretend they’re actually dating in order to avoid Danny getting in any kind of professional trouble. To that end, they start spending lots of time together, some of it just the 2 of them alone in a cozy apartment for a weekend and some of it out and about, all lovey dovey in public. And obviously, when these two, with their shared histories over the course of many years, start pretending to be a couple, they slowly start to realize that the line between frenemies and lovers is very, very thin.

I loved both of these characters a lot. Danny has a lot to live up to, what with being the baby of the family with 3 older brothers who are all highly accomplished, and a tight knit family who really love each other and support each other at every turn. I have to say the Bishop-Esera clan is one of my favorite fictional families and I’m kind of sad that there are no more brothers left in this family.

Catie, meanwhile, has had a much different upbringing. Her mother is a workaholic CEO and her father is an unreliable gambler who has left Catie hanging a lot in her life. In fact, it’s her half-sister Ísa who has been the major consistent adult figure in her life, up until the Bishop-Esera family entered her world. She is so unused to having people be there for her, she is always waiting for someone to leave her, and thus, when their feelings turn from fake-dating to a very real relationship, it’s Danny who is all in while Catie is the one more reluctant to let herself trust in the burgeoning relationship.

I really adore the way that Danny picks up on Catie’s emotional fears and the quiet way he nurtures her and protects her without ever coddling her or ever making her feel like she’s incapable of taking care of herself. Catie, who is a double lower-limb amputee and wears prostheses is equally protective of Danny – as I mentioned above, the opening scene is one where Danny is the one in a very precarious and vulnerable situation and it’s Catie coming to his rescue.

I also loved catching up with the rest of the Bishop-Esera brothers. I’ve read and loved each of the 3 previous books featuring Danny’s older brothers, Gabe, Jake, and Sailor. And catching up with the brothers and their respective wives and children was such a fun treat, almost like an extended epilogue into their relationships. And as much as I loved how Danny’s family had his back, I also loved how much they adored Catie. Given Catie’s complicated relationship with her own family, it’s really the Bishop-Esera family and especially Sailor, her brother-in-law, who have been there for her in her parents’ absence.

Truly this was such a feel good, wonderfully warm, and sweet book. And the slowly developing relationship between Catie and Danny was so tender and romantic, full of heart and hope. I love this entire series a lot and even though Danny is the last of the Bishop-Esera brothers to find true love, I hope Nalini can find a way to extend this series a bit more. I’d love the opportunity to catch up with these characters as often as I can.

To absolutely no one’s surprise, I loved this book and highly recommend it but with the caveat that this book would be far more enjoyable if you read the series in order. Nalini has 2 contemporary series – Rock Kiss is her first series and the spin-off series is Hard Play. While I recommend both series in their entirety, if you want to read about the Bishop-Esera brothers specifically, I definitely suggest you start with Rock Hard which features Gabriel Bishop and is the 2nd book in the Rock Kiss series. You can then jump to Cherish Hard which is the 1st book in the Hard Play series and features Sailor Bishop, followed by Love Hard which features Jacob Esera and is the 3rd book in the series. (But really, trust me and read both series in their entirety – they are fantastic).

This was such a fantastic love story! I loved everything about this. Danny and Catie have known each other for years and have always had a good hearted competitive banter between them, teasing each other and always playing jokes on each other. Their families have been incredibly close ever since Catie's older sister became involved with Danny's older brother. One night when they happen to be out in the same club together, Catie comes to Danny's rescue which then sparks the need to start a "fake relationship" for a period of time. However, quickly it becomes apparent the sparks between them are anything but fake and it begins to turn into something more real. The only hitch is how close their families are and the fear of what happens when things don't work out, and Catie's examples of love from her mom and dad both have left her with huge trust issues.

I was actually nervous when I started this, because enemies to lovers can be tricky to do, but Nalini Singh hit it perfectly. I loved every aspect of this story, from the slow burn, steamy romance to all the details around Catie being a double amputee. Their banter was funny and we got to see how their relationship grows and develops. This was such a rich, wonderful, heartfelt and emotional story.