Nalini Singh is one of the crowned queens of romance books and my review of this story is completely my own opinion and does not reflect on how amazing Singh is.
I personally, find it uncomfortable and cringy when best friends since childhood start dating. To me, they are "sibling zoned" and thats a line that should not be crossed.

This book even has someone say within the first couple chapters that Danny must be like her brother.

If the summary had said it was a childhood friends to lovers I never would have picked it up.

Thank you Netgalley and publisher for the arc of this book (even though the review is going out after it’s published haha). I haven’t really branched out into Nalini Singh’s contemporary works but love both her Guild Hunter and Psy-changeling series. I rounded up for this book.

This was a pleasant surprise! Danny and Catie are frenemies who grew up together and end up faking a relationship to help both their sports careers. But it turns real!

Their chemistry was off the charts and seeing them slowly realize that these potshots are each other are really flirting was amazing. My absolute favorite part of this book is Catie and how Nalini Singh wrote her disability! Catie is a double leg amputee who is a track star. I loved that she was guarded and we get to see her emotionally deal with her disability mentally and emotionally in a relationship. I also loved the real moments of trying out new prosthetics and the discomfort but joy they can bring.

We get a lot of Danny’s journey as a rugby player and a cooking connoisseur but I do wish we had more of her journey to an Olympian. Overall though I enjoyed this book and will be picking up other contemporary titles.

Great book.

In a word? Superb.
Catie is strong, has two prosthetic legs, is an athlete and takes care of Danny, her frenenmy when he gets slipped a drug at a night club. She isn't keen on Danny, but she loves his family, especially his parents. Danny is a good guy, clean cut and a brand ambassador for a sporting goods company. So, they are faking it for appearances, but underneath, they like each other and have, though they are unaware of just how much.
Good people, good characters, so much to recommend.
Recommend.

I utterly loved reading this book! I love her writing so much, and we got to see Catie and Danny before, as kids, so I knew that their story was going to be epic, and it was, I had such a great time watching them as romance bloomed!

Their contrary relationship was so fun to read! They've been rivals for so long-in the family get togethers-and snarky comments on each others Instagram. So they have a lot of history before they're thrown into this fake dating situation. Eek, the tension and the feels, I loved it!

Danny has issues with having so many successful older brothers, feeling like he doesn't measure up, that he doesn't have this grand thing to offer to the world. And Catie has communication and trust issues stemming from her dad. It was really great to watch them support the other.

One thing that I love about this series is that there really isn't any near-the-climax breakup. There's issues, there's drama, but they work though them together. And I really enjoyed how they worked it out in this book!

Absolutely loved this book, and if there is more in the series (or more likely, world) I'm going to read it!

KISS HARD is the fourth instalment in Nalini Singh’s contemporary, adult HARD PLAY erotic, romance series. This is soon to be twenty-five year old, New Zealand rugby star Daniel Esera, and Paralympian Catie River’s story line. KISS HARD can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary. Catie is Isa Rain’s sister (Cherish Hard 1), and Daniel is Jacob Esera’s brother (Love Hard 3).

Told from dual third person perspectives (Daniel and Catie) KISS HARD follows the frenemies to lovers fake relationship between soon to be twenty-five year old, New Zealand rugby star Daniel Esera, and Paralympian Catie River. A night on the town with friends finds Daniel Esera a victim of a drug assault at the local bar. Noticing something was wrong, Catie River immediately took charge, getting our hero to the hospital just in time. As both Catie and Daniel were fodder for the paparazzi and local sports news, Daniel wanted to keep everything on the down low but the possibility of a major fallout found Daniel and Catie embarking on a ‘fake relationship’ in an effort to keep the media at bay. As Daniel and Catie’s fake relationship begins to take on a life of its’ own, Daniel finds himself at a professional crossroad, a crossroad that is about to pull our hero away from the woman with whom he is falling in love. What ensues is the frenemies to lovers relationship between Daniel and Catie, and the potential fall-out as time apart forces our couple to reconsider the future with or without the person who has stolen their heart.

Catie River never considered her own happily ever after having watched her own parent’s relationship implode. Years earlier, an accident cost our heroine her legs, changing Catie’s life forever. Her relationship with Daniel has always been fraught with antagonism and irritation, anger disguising a palpable sexual attraction. Daniel Esera’s life as a professional rugby player has stagnated, and the recent incident at the local bar could quite possibly threaten our hero’s career. A fake relationship with Paralympian Catie River is the key to possibly redirecting his life but Daniel never expected to fall for our story line heroine. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

We welcome the return of Catie’s sister Isa and her husband Sailor Bishop; Gabriel and Charlotte ; and Daniel’s brother Jacob. We are introduced to Catie’s friend Laveni aka Veni, and fellow rugby player Viliame Vili Serevi; Catie’s mother Jacqueline, and her father Clive and girlfriend Gloria; as well as Daniel’s parents Allison and Joseph.

KISS HARD is a story of family and friendships, relationships and acceptance; struggle and healing, love and understanding. The premise is inviting and captivating; the romance is flirty and energetic; the characters are ambitious and charismatic.



THE READING CAFÉ: http://www.thereadingcafe.com/kiss-hard-hard-play-4-by-nalini-singh-a-review/


GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4650763332


AMAZON COM: https://www.amazon.com/review/RGSL0I7E9BE0H/ref=cm_cr_srp_d_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B09WWYP1PW


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First off, I love Nalini Singh. Like millions of other people. There are some authors that I am predisposed to like, mainly because of connections to Oz or NZ. Nalini Singh is one of those authors. So just putting that out there.

I have enjoyed all of her contemporaries that I have read, including all of the ones in this series. I adore all the characters and even though sports romances aren't normally my favourite, she writes them so well that I even enjoy that part of the story.

This book was heartfelt and squishy and fun and enjoyable. I really loved these two characters, loved their history and how it developed into more. It felt so natural and realistic. I know they bickered a lot and whatnot, but I wouldn't consider this a true enemies to lovers. Doesn't mean it wasn't great, just that they weren't really enemies, which again - fine by me, it worked really well for them.

.I especially loved Catie, such an amazing character, and I really related to her in some of the ways she acted with Daniel.

Overall, I can't recommend this series - any of Nalini's books, really - highly enough.

OOH BOY! I was excited for this book and it did NOT disappoint! Danny's older siblings have lead the way for him and his dreams. But still, he needs to find himself. Catie is strong, independent and has always had to be that way. But they've been in each other's lives for years so they are no strangers. But when an incident occurs, Catie is there for Danny and soon find themselves in uncharted territory. I love a good frenemies to lovers story and the chemistry between these nemeses was off the charts! This story had a great slow burn and really allowed for Danny and Catie to spend time together and get to know one another on a different level. I enjoyed their respect for one another and even though they were learning new things about each other, they were grounded and not everything was new. This book was sweet, endearing and I couldn't put it down and I can't recommend it enough! If you haven't read Cherish Hard, which is the first of this series, then I do highly suggest starting there. This book can be read as a standalone, but too many characters from the previous books are mentioned and I think it would be easier to follow if you've read the other books.

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

I really don’t want this series to be over. Nalini Singh is my absolute favorite author and she really knocks it out of the park with her contemporary stories. We’ve been waiting for Danny’s story since he was introduced in Gabriel’s book and for Danny and Catie since Isla and Sailor’s book. And man oh man, it did not disappoint. The chemistry between these two, the nemesis to lovers as they called it, just hit every mark. And Nalini truly excels at the New Zealand setting in her contemporary books.

Danny and Catie have known each other since childhood and have always had an enemies and pranking relationship with each other. But it’s more of the friendly, joking, nemesis relationship than an actual bullying or hate relationship. And with their families so closely entwined, they spend a lot of time together. (Catie’s sister is married to Danny’s brother.) So when they get stuck into a situation where the way out is a fake relationship, neither are thrilled. Especially when they start looking at each other in a different light and realizing the attraction between them.

I love the appearances of my favorite Nalini Singh characters like Gabriel and Charlotte in this book and the family dynamics are just great. Even for Catie, who has a rough relationship with her dad, everything is just handled with such care. Because of her feelings of abandonment, Catie was slow to move into a real relationship with Danny. But once they decided to make their fake relationship real, there was low outside conflict throughout the rest of the book. Despite that, their support for each other, even before they were together, is my absolute favorite part of the story. Both Danny and Catie are professional athletes and they took that very seriously. Through all of the strain that can put on a relationship, they really stood by each other and made the other stronger.

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. But honestly, I feel like every Nalini Singh book is too short because I just want to live in her words and worlds a little while longer. It seems like this is the end of the Hard Play series but I desperately hope Nalini Singh either continues the series or gives us more contemporary stories!

We return to Nalini Singh’s contemporary romance Hard Play series
With two well known characters, who consider themselves enemies.
But, as it is often said, there is only a thin line between love and hate,
And the passion of the so called rivalry quickly turns into sensual flame.

Of course, at the start it’s quite a surprise for both our hero and heroine,
That their tender feelings for each other are undeniable and genuine.
Fortunately for us, readers, the change never stops their witty banter,
Only the previously known ever scoffing kids became sexy and maturer.

Some twists help the progress of their relationship, for example:
To save their images, they have to pretend they are a couple.
There are also friends and family, many of whom we already know and treasure,
The support they show in this book is once again a pleasure.

The whole story is embedded in the world of sports, no less,
Which is a cherry on top for me, but who feels otherwise: don’t fret.
It’s not an overwhelming part of the action and plot,
But leaving the book out would be a serious loss.


I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.

Kiss Hard is the fourth book in the Hard Play Series by Nalini Singh. I like the direction that this book took. Sure it still had the extremely self-confident male, Daniel Esera but it also has and extremely likeable heroine, Catie River. I loved how Catie is such a strong athlete and personality not allowing her disability to define her. I loved how she is the one to “save” Daniel instead of the other way around.

This fake relationship between them seemed a convenient way for them to be around each other, getting to know the real person who had been a nemesis in the past. Or could it have been just trying to find a way to fight the attraction? You decide.

The series reads well as each book is pretty much a stand-alone story. You will love Catie.

An ARC of the book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

My first from this talented author and I've got to say that I truly enjoyed it! Singh tells the tale of Danny and Catie and their bumpy road from frenemies to oh so much more. Her prose is easy to read and the emotions revealed in both of our couple's parts were thoughtful and real.

In fact, I do believe I want to go back and read earlier books where Catie and Danny are shown as younger people and then be able to truly follow their journey fully.

Overall, this is a wonderful book and I can understand why Singh has such a large fanbase. I am now one of her ardent followers and will happily read more in the future.

Really well done. 5 big stars!!

I was really excited to get a chance to read this book. I'm a fan of Nalini Singh and I absolutely adore her writing. I really enjoyed the Hard Play series and went into this one with high hopes. And I enjoyed it immensely. I couldn't put it down once I started and read it in one sitting. We got to see how Danny and Catie evolved from bickering teenagers in the previous books to two adults who considered themselves as enemies but later turned into good friends and lovers. Their transition was so smooth and seamless and didn't make the story seem rushed or unbelievable. In fact, I felt like that was what made their story so charming.

First and foremost, Nalini Singh, YOU CREATE MAGIC! This book is the EPITOME of what falling in love with someone you have known your entire life feels like. I have always loved Singh's Contemporary Romance books and this one has become one of my all time favorites.

Danny Esera and Catie Bishop have been frenemies since their childhood, but end up in a situation where they need to "fake date" each other to help maintain Danny's reputation and image. The time they spend together starts to blur the lines between their real friendship and fake relationship. When they finally give into the real feelings they have for each other things get a bit complicated.

Something I absolutely loved in this book was the banter between Danny and Catie. It felt so authentic and made you want to keep reading more and more. Although they are childhood frenemies, they would truly go to the ends of the earth for each other. The way they both know EXACTLY what the other needs makes you want to root for their happy ending. Danny is a rugby player who is kind, secretly loves to bake, but struggles with feeling like he is good enough. Catie is a Paralympic athlete who is fierce, independent, but is also fighting her own inner battles. Both of these characters are complex and the problems they face and overcome together makes their story feel relatable. Together Catie and Daniel are electric and HOT! You will not be disappointed! This book contains just the right amount of steam and sweetness.!

This was another 5 star read for me! Nalini Singh NEVER disappoints. I am sad that this is the last book in this series, but I hope we will get more spin=off books in this series. I would love to read more contemporary books by Nalini Singh

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review :)

Kiss Hard is such a wonderful story. I think friends to lovers is one of the hardest tropes to write, but Nalini Singh does it with panache and style, making it look effortless and easy. Daniel and Catie have known each other since they were young teens, and have had their lives intertwined along with their families. Watching them go from annoying each other with pranks and roasts, to realizing they might actually be attracted to one another was so much fun. I especially loved how regardless of being nemesis, they were fairly matched, and stood as one when an outsider said or did something to hurt the other in any way.

Besides seeing Danny and Catie acknowledge their new found feelings for one another, I really love how flawlessly the story flows. It was impossible to put down, but I didn't want it to end either. There's something so wonderful about how subtly yet masterfully sensitive subject matter like mental health and disability is handled in this book. I don't want to say too much more without giving more of the story away. I just felt so contented and happy when I finished the book, but I also wanted more. There's just something in the way Nalini writes that makes you never want to leave the world she's built and the characters you've fallen in love with.

Every time I pick up a Nalini Singh book, I think to myself, "This can't possibly be better than the last book she wrote!" But then it is and I'm thrilled! This book is full of some of my favorite trope, frenemies to lovers, fake dating, sports romance, and Nalini Singh's signature blend of gorgeous writing, incredible wit, and deeply emotional romance. Kiss Hard has my heart!

Sometimes a story is just so satisfying.  Catie and Danny are magnificent. I absolutely loved them.

Danny Esera and Catie River have know each other most of their lives being introduce when they were just kids.  They have spent those years needling each other.  They have each declared the other as their nemesis.  But when Danny is in trouble, Catie doesn't hesitate to step up and protect him.   Unfortunately, this causes a media frenzy that their frenemies is all a front for a hot, romantic relationship between the two of them.   Catie's ready to let the people know just how ridiculous that is but her publicist and agent both warn her that Danny is the public's golden boy and any negative press would land on her.  So Catie and Danny agree to a pretend romance for the next few months so they can quietly break up down the road.  They let their family in on the secret but even they are betting on whether Catie or Danny will break first and walk away before their deadline.

Except all this time in close quarters is creating some odd thoughts like how hot Danny's abs are or how sexy Catie looks in her workout gear.    No one expected their fake relationship would become something real, especially not Danny or Catie but it turns out that no one really knows you better than your former nemeses.

This was such a delightful story.   Of course we knew all along that someday those barbs that they constantly threw at each other would change, but what surprised me most was the fact that neither Danny nor Catie harbored any crushes on the other.  All this time, I thought Danny and Catie poked at each other to hide their more romantic feelings toward each other beginning in those awkward teen years.  I was surprised to learn that while they kind of enjoyed the mental one-upmanship game trying to out snark the other, and while they respected one another, they didn't look at each other with a romantic eye.  It was funny to see them kind of freak out when their inner thoughts turned sexual.  This kind of friends-to-lover story is so enjoyable because we already know their history and they already have such a strong connection so making the jump with them isn't hard.

Catie's father's abandonment taught Catie to be self-sufficient.   Maybe too self-sufficient.  Catie has a hard time asking for help. This is exacerbated by the fact that she doesn't want to be seen as handicapped or lesser because of her legs. She feels she needs to do everything by herself to prove that she is capable of anything.   But what Catie has to work her hardest to accomplish is letting herself trust in Danny to be there for her in a way that neither her father or her mother ever were.    When Danny transfers to another team, it isn't the physical distance tearing them apart, it is Catie's fear of abandonment that keeps getting in the way.

Danny and Catie fit. That's it. They just fit perfectly.  It was such a wonderful story.

When I grabbed this one, I hadn't realized it was the fourth book in a series. While there are a ton of characters mentioned—from other books in the series—it did not affect my enjoyment of this story. So it can absolutely stand on its own and I'm so grateful it could, because I enjoyed every moment of it.

Daniel Esera and Catie River have known each other for years. They are both professional athletes and often travel in similar circles. Add in to the mix super close families that have known each other for years. Ultimately, their lives are so interwoven, they see each other as nemesis who live for snarky comments and banter on social media. Until Catie spots Danny behaving oddly at the bar and realizes someone drugged his drink. With the media frenzy always circling them, their escape was noted and that sparks a fake relationship narrative. But what starts out as fake quickly turns into something very real.

I loved this one. Absolutely, totally loved it. I loved Danny and his easy going nature. I loved Catie and her no-fear attitude. She's a double amputee and embraces that fact as a successful athlete and champions research in prosthetics. Individually, they are wonderful, but together, they are magical. The trust and love they have for each other had me smiling so much throughout the story, I didn't want it to end. And the family connections and their unwavering support was the cherry on top of a wonderful book.

This is an incredible story of an amazing relationship. Definitely a recommended read.

/I received an early edition of this book from NetGalley. This did not affect my opinion of the book or content of my review./

Kiss Hard by Nalini Singh is Danny and Catie's story. It was fantastic. Loved the growth in characters and the plot. Highly recommended.

Ms. Singh writes Squee worthy romances all the time, but this is one series that steals my heart with every book. The Esera's are the poster book family that I want for my own with their deep abiding love for family and the principles they live by that they've instilled into their children and grandchildren.
When Sailor Bishop married Isa Rain, her sister Catie became part of the Bishop-Esera family.  Since Daniel and Catie were contemporaries, Daniel adopted her into the family and treated her as an equal ignoring her disability as though it didn't exist. Now they've grown up into a teasing and taunting relationship with some of their clever witty repartee on social media gaining them quite the following. Can this very public seemingly adversarial relationship turn into romance? Most people would vote no; but .....
Catie comes to Daniel's rescue at a club when she finds him behaving unlike himself. It turns out that someone has slipped Daniel a mickey which could ruin his career as a rising football star for New Zealand. She quickly and quietly rescues him and takes him to her apartment and gets him the help he needs to get ahead of this curve. To explain why Daniel was over night in Catie's apartment they decide a short-lived romance in the public eye will take the spotlight away from the drugging issue.  To their surprise the make-believe romance starts to feel all too real.  Will it have lasting power?
They are both career driven people, Catie is working her way to Paralympic Gold and Daniel having become a football star at a young age is having performance anxiety for which his team sends him to Japan for a year to experience playing with another team. Can they sustain their budding romance across continents? Catie has trust issues stemming from her father who thought nothing of going off in pursuit of his own interests leaving his young daughter on her own resources.
Will Catie be able to commit to Daniel fully? The author does a phenomenal job of exploring Catie's emotional issues along with Daniel's fears. 
This book is definitely a keeper.

Thank you, NetGalley for this ARC.

I love Nalini Singh and I was so happy when I received the ARC of Kiss Hard. I loved Kiss Hard and Danny and Catie are the perfect couple, they were so sweet and loving.
Catie and Danny are frenemies since childhood but they respect each other.
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One night Catie rescues Danny after a stranger roofies his drink and she takes care of him.
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They were forced for a few days to stay together and that change their relationship from frenemies to friends.
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I love both of them, they are incredible and kind. Catie is a double-amputee training for the Paralympics and is hardworking and goal-driven. I feel that the author handles her disability with care and respect. Danny is a successful rugby player and he loves his family they are a big part of his life.

Because Catie and Danny know each other since childhood and their families are friends and Danny’s brother is married to Catie’s sister they had to handle with care their relationship and not let the relationship between them ruin the relationship between their families. It was complicated for them to be together but slowly they come together as a couple and it was so sweet and loving. I loved them as a couple.
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I recommend to everyone this sweet romance. I really loved this book.