ARC REVIEW: HARD by Cheryl McIntyre

“Nobody can take your misery away, 

that’s yours to keep all your own. 

 Find the person who can make you 

forget you were miserable in the first place.”

~~  POSSIBLE SPOILERS BELOW  ~~

'Hard' to know where to start with this one! 

This seems like a good place though!

The story touched me deeply throughout. 
First the prologue blew me away - it was as if we 
needed to experience Holland's complete abject 
tragedy and everything else that got the ball rolling,
 in order to appreciate how she got to the point
 of literally driving away from her life.

She I barely survived that prologue!! 

Some would have had a breakdown and some would 
have committed suicide - Holland chose to simply drive away. No arguments, no debates, not waiting for apologies or reasons from her husband 
or her best friend, she just went. 

Let's face it, in a fight or flight (non-violent) situation at home most of us would break down and cry, or stand 

there and want to kill their best friend and husband for 

what they'd done (especially following everything else 

that had already happened) and most of us wouldn't 

have the strength to leave with nothing but the clothes 

on our backs, but Holland had nothing left to give, 

nothing left to say and nothing left to live for - so why not?

It really was a stunning prologue - 

At this point I'm thinking it'll calm down now - surely?!!

But no, Cheryl McIntyre took me on one hell of a journey back to happiness - OMG I knew from her brilliant Dirty series that she was an amazing writer and storyteller but this was completely unexpected. Holland doesn't just 

meet a good man and it's all over or a 'normal' man and they settle down... or even a rich

 'sweep me off my feet' kind of a man. 

NO, Holland meets Jensen... 

And he's a whole other ball game!

I'd never heard of Scopophilia, 
 let me tell you, it makes for VERY interesting erotica!! LOL 
Jensen and Holland embark on a no holds barred relationship based on his obsession with her 
and her needing to feel... something, anything 
and ultimately everything. It was just beautiful.

I mean, one wouldn't (on an every day basis) set 
ourselves up for danger, but Holland isn't like the rest 
of us, she truly doesn't care if she lives or dies so

nothing she does with Jensen at this point could hurt her more than she's already hurting - so why not throw

herself head first into it... 

Jesus, it was explosive. It was like she was being followed, fantasied over and fucked by a man that 

could have been a serial killer! But as she didn't care 

if she lived or died, then what difference did it make? 

She thought that it was just one night to forget the  numbness she felt. Holland doesn't expect to find 

a passionate

beautiful 

happily ever after

And this is where dual POV's work REALLY well. 

I absolutely loved the moment by moment flow of them.
Moving between his and her thoughts 
with just a breath between them
 - it created so much passion and excitement.
 God, I held my breath each time the POV changed craving and then devouring each of their thoughts.

 I loved both pov's equally, they were
 fascinating and beautiful.

This entire book is delicate, intricate, scary, profound and yet real. Its sensuality and eroticism is so 'grown up' in its approach. It really has blown me away.
I also love how well it's written. 
It's intense and beautiful... pure eroticism. 

And there's a whole other side to it when Jensen's issue comes to light that left me from 89% to the end in tears... not going to give it away but this gif will give you a hint! 

All in all, a brilliant read - 

I loved it 'HARD'.

Can't wait for more from this amazing author.

~ as part of the Hard Blog Tour - thank you ~