Arranged marriages a thing in my culture too. So many times my relatives tried to find me a man with a good profession. I didn't want to do that , arranged marriage. Now I'm still unmarried at 37 years old :D But not so many raj's aroud here you know. Nobody find me a guy like raj , what were they expect , :sigh:
Nalini did her magic again and wrote a perfect love story for us to read . I never wanted to end. It was sexy, funny, full of drama and family antics. I love indian culture. weddings and dresses and peoples are so beautiful and colorful.
Can't wait to read next one. I love nalini's contemporary novels. I hope she expand this world too and writes so many stories for this series too. I love you woman!!

Nalini Singh is truly a master in her chosen field and should always be at the top of any “To Read” list.

Rebel Hard is a great mix of family values, cultural diversity, the delicate balance between modern and traditional values, and true romance to boot! The story is well developed, with believable characters and a fabulous plot, and Ms Singh shows great respect for the Indian culture while describing the difficulties of today’s generation trying to embrace the traditions of old, while living in the modern world.

A wonderful read which I highly recommend to any true blue romance lover.

I loved the diversity in this and how the trope of "arranged marriage" actually was plausible in this case rather than being too tropey. I thought the novel brought up some important issues regarding culture, feminism, and being an independent woman who wants love.

However, I stopped caring about this novel about halfway through. The dialogue was cheesy and even cringey at times.

Overall, I enjoyed the beginning of this novel and the characters, but it lost its direction in the middle and never got it back.

Raj has abs and he read Pride and Prejudice just to woo Nayna so he's now my forever favorite.

Deliciously detailed and gorgeously nuanced, Raj and Nayna's story was one of my absolute favorites of 2018. Their story was full of sexy charm, tender stolen moments, and gorgeous emotional connections. One of my best friends' traditional Indian parents once threatened to push her into a traditional marriage and this felt like it could have been the story of my friend's life (Reader, she married a non-Indian guy and lived happily ever after).

I loved Nayna the moment I met her in Sailor and Isa's story, Cherish Hard. I wanted someone amazing for Isa's feisty friend and Raj, with his muscles and heart and selfies, did not disappoint. Nevertheless, as dazzled as she was by the aforementioned abs, Nayna also fiercely loved her family and her devotion and sense of duty were powerful forces, too. Her Lizzy Bennet-like takedown of Raj's initial overture was a gorgeous moment.

I also loved Nayna and Raj's family ties; no family is perfect and they both had their share of humor and drama. As much as I loved the epilogue, what I really wanted at the end was more news about Nayna's grandma's adventures with her boyfriend. She was a hoot; my favorite moment was when she met a very unsuitable guy matched for Nayna and said, "Nayna, bitia, if you accept this donkey, I’ll have to disown you."

I could swoon and gush about this book for hours, but in short: Nayna is adorable, Raj has abs, there's Pride and Prejudice, and sexting. Good, good stuff.

Note: I voluntarily read and reviewed this eARC generously provided by NetGalley and the publisher.

OMG! I'm just going to fan-girl here for a moment. I loved, loved, loved this book! I cannot fathom a world in which Nalini Singh did not write this book. It is that darn good. OK - fangirling over.

Nayna and Raj were introduced in Cherish Hard , Ísa and Sailor's book, and were instant favorites. Their steamy encounter at the opening party was just the start. But, it wasn't their book. Now they get their stories while Ísa and Sailor are the side characters. And Nayna and Raj has such a wonderful story to tell. While Ísa and Sail were super sweet as a couple, Nayna and Raj are sweet and spicy and savory and just right in every way.

Raj had terrible early childhood years until he was adopted into the Sen family. Family, loyalty, tradition, roots are important to him. He's looking for traditional in a relationship. Nayna is not traditional. Her childhood and young adulthood were spent in a box (partly of her own making) as a result of her sister's (Madhuri's) poor choices. She's looking for freedom and adventure, not another prison. And marriage to traditional Raj would be a prison, wouldn't it?

Would it, though?

This is one of the best slow-burn romances I have ever read. Raj is super sexy and super dedicated to romancing his lady (even though he doesn't call it romance). He's hot, a wonderful family man (son, grandson, and brother), a great friend, and all-around great guy. He loves what he does and does it well. He's determined to have a good life and to have that life with Nayna. He doesn't steamroll her when she struggles; instead he listens and supports her with both their families. He's consummately there for her as a friend first, but also as a lover. He's both modern and traditional. For such a perfect character, Raj could have descended into some horrible cliché. He didn't. He felt spot-on the whole time.

Nayna is a bit more vulnerable. She's been hurt and held back a lot as a result of her sister's elopement. Madhuri's actions later in the book don't help. Madhuri's flighty, self-centered, a flirt and a tease, and generally not the nicest of people, but don't tell Nayna that. Sure, Nayana resents her for her behavior and its consequences but she loves her and idolizes her too. Nayna is a lot like Raj. She's very loyal, very family-oriented, very giving, fiercely loving. But she also craves travel and freedom in a way that Raj does not.

When Raj lays siege to his lady's heart, he does it with profound love and tenderness and he considers her deepest desires when he makes the choices he does. Like Sailor before him, Raj gets to the heart of his love and gives her what she needs, not necessarily what she says she wants. He also listens to her and does her the courtesy of believing what she tells him. This brand of fierce loving is especially powerful. But Nayna too, does her share of fierce loving and wooing. When the Sens suffer a family trauma, she immediately steps up and is there for Raj. Just as he is her rock; she chooses to be his. She uses her wild sweetness to seduce him, but also to bolster him, getting to the heart of his fears and lovingly showing him her love. The Epilogue was especially wonderful and I was simply wowed.

Two things that are worth noting:

1. Choice and choosing was a big theme in Rebel Hard. Raj needed Nayna to choose him. Nayna needed to choose her path in life. She also needed to choose to make her path in life and not be so passive. Raj needed to choose to let go of his fears. He also chose Nayna's wild heart and chose not to clip her wings.

2. This book is about (I think) Fijian-Indian families in New Zealand. I simply loved how steeped in culture this book was. There were plenty of terms Singh explained in the text and a lot that I already knew. Maori, Fijian, Indian, and English New Zealand culture were all shown and I think it just makes the book that much stronger. It made me think of the books/stories and movies I have seen where culture plays a large role.

Final endorsement comes from my hubs: "I haven't seen you this excited about a book in a long time." So yeah, there's that. It's just that darn good!

I don't know how Nalini Singh does it! Her stories are works of art, regardless of the genre she writes in. I know when I pick up a book she's written, the characters will be well developed, lovable, and I'll finish the book yearning for more. Rebel Hard is stunning; a book I yearned for, but had no idea how badly I needed it!

With any other author who writes about characters who have traditional values or those with Indian ancestry, I would've worried about whether they'd be able to handle the fine line that comes with balancing traditional with "modern". It never even crossed my mind for a second, and meeting Nayna and Raj just proved my faith in Nalini to be correct. She never onces goes overboard with either and finds a way to mesh both beautifully. As someone whose family originates from India, I love the way she told a story I could really relate to and feel so proud of.

I don't even know where to begin. I saw so much of myself in Nayna and even Raj. I can't tell you how much I love them as a couple and as individuals. How can you not fall for people who are willing to give up or even change their dreams because they can't see themselves with anyone else?
That sort of love is not just abiding but so unbelievably sexy. Raj and Nayna have this intense chemistry and it is so HOT! I loved seeing them step outside of their comfort zones and do things that would have their family members freaking out, but also doing things at their own pace and not letting anyone hurry them into doing anything else. And the way they champion each other? *Swoons*

I'm a little emotional right now as I write this because this book moved me so much. It's not just about finding romantic love, but it's about the power of finding yourself, taking risks, and also the love of family, culture, and traditions. All of these elements are woven intricately and in a way that seems not just natural, but effortless. It was wonderful to see Isa and Sailor from Cherish Hard and to see how their romance progressed and even moved forward.

I can not wait to see whose story Nalini writes next in the Hard Play series! All I know is that it will be thoughtful, beautifully written, with lots of emotions and passion. Kudos once again to Nalini Singh for giving readers such a fantastic story and magnificent book!

I really enjoyed this book! I loved both characters and their chemistry was great. It was well written and fast paced, just what i like!

4.5

I think I was in the majority of people who were immediately intrigued by Nayna and Raj when they were secondary characters in Cherish Hard, so I was super excited that Nalini Singh did decide to give them their own story. It turned into something much more than what I expected.

When Nayna and Raj first meet at a party, Nayna is looking for a night of uninhibited fun. She's tired of living the "good girl" rule-following life her parents have enforced upon her since her older sister ran off with a man and created scandal for their family. Even though she's reluctantly agreed to follow the traditional Indian ways and have her parents find her a husband, Nayna wants just one night of fun before she has to choose the man she'll be married to for the rest of her life.

Raj, on the other hand, is pretty much in the same boat as Nayna. His parents, too, are arranging a marriage for him, but Raj is on board. He likes the traditional ways and he looks forward to marrying and starting a family.

So when Raj and Nayna's parents happen to set them up for a meet, it should be a dream come true for Nayna. I mean, she's definitely attracted to Raj, and in turn Raj is definitely attracted to her. But Nayna fears the constrictions marriage will place on her dreams. She doesn't want to just marry and have children and cook and clean house. She wants to travel and experience life, see new places. Plus, the demolition of her sister's marriage showed Nayna that happily-ever-afters aren't always achieved after one marries. Nayna and Raj will have to determine between following tradition and dreams, and where that leaves each of their happiness in the end.

I had thought that Rebel Hard would be a pretty straight-forward romance. But it ended up being so much more about the value of tradition versus the modern way of things and whether or not you can have both. And honestly, where better to bring up this contrast than when talking about weddings which are pretty much a universal concept, yet each culture (and even each family) has their own traditions they follow in regards to the wedding ceremony and dating.

It was interesting to see the divide between Nayna and Raj with Raj ready to "settle down" and Nayna wanting to find out who she is and what she wants as an individual without the influence of Raj or her family. It's difficult because when her older sister ran away and shamed the family, it made their parents protect and shelter Nayne all the more. Beyond just wanting to break away and have some experiences, she also sees how her sister's first marriage continues to effect her (not in a good way). Raj, too, sees the potential negative side to marriage in the form of his younger brother and sister-in-law who fight constantly and make the household extremely uncomfortable.

Bracketing these relationships of unhappiness you also have the enduring love of both Nayna and Raj's parents who form a more traditional outlook on relationships yet still manage to be progressive. Then of course there's Nayna's delightful Aji (grandmother) who talks sense into both sides when it seems like their hold-ups are getting the better of them.

Really what it comes down to is: Rebel Hard is a sweet romance with a hero to die for who isn't afraid to say he's ready to settle down yet still listens and understands Nayna's wants and desires (even if they somewhat clash with his own), and a heroine who knows what she wants and is determined not to be defined by her status as a wife, yet understands Raj's desire for a family.

I was surprised at all the development that took place from the beginning to the end. It's not a simple A to Z kind of story, but Nalini Singh keeps the complications from feeling overwhelming or repetitive, instead the story flows nicely and each issue that comes up is valid and something that should be taken into consideration.

This is another good one from an author who can always be counted on to deliver.

Nayna Sharma has always been the good girl in her large, extended Indian family putting her own plans and desires on hold. Her older sister, Madhuri, caused the family much hurt and anguish with rash and selfish behavior. Just once, Nayna wants to break out to do something bold and exciting which is how she ends up meeting Raj at a party dressed to be bad and way out of her normal comfort zone. Nayna loves her traditional family, but finds them stifling because in order to fulfill their dreams, she might have to give up her own to see the world and have adventures. Raj Sen comes from an equally old-style family with the added issues from his early life before being adopted. Raj is the rock of the family, now running their business and taking care of everyone except perhaps himself.

After Nayna pulls her Cinderella act at the party, they find themselves right in the midst of an Indian arranged-marriage mart tableau their parents have cooked up. Nayna is very much attracted to Raj as he is to her; however, after feeling trapped for so many years, Nayna craves the chance to decide what she really wants. Raj has been set on all things traditional including the wife at home taking care of the family. Nayna does not necessarily eschew those things though she has her own well established career. She just wants the chance to make choices and live out some dreams. Rebelling against her family and tradition puts Nayna in a difficult positon as well as Raj. Because he feels Nayna is the woman for him, Raj is willing to put aside preconceived ideas and give her the choice to choose him on her own.

Ms. Singh takes the reader on a journey with two people who are very good together, but have much to overcome including continual “help” and interference from their large extended relations and community. The love and support of big families while wonderful, can also be sometimes stifling and often madding. This love story is a good blend of heart and humor, with an interesting look at a particular pacific island Indian culture described in rich and evocative language. In combining a strong cultural heritage with modern sensibilities, this tale blends old and new to the betterment of both proving that being a rebel can be a very good thing in life and love.

Review can be found on *Milky Way of Books*

Nayna and Raj...what can I say about this couple! They were different than the heroes and heroines I usually read in Nalini Singh's books and it felt very refreshing. For once, I got to read about a different culture and expand my vocabulary, since the only idea I have about Indian culture was through Bollywood (which is wrong).

The need to be perfect in an Indian family is stifling for Nayna who doesn't want to let down her parents. On the other hand, Raj is very traditional to the point of being absolute. But both meet in the middle and their courtship had its moments, which make you swoon all over.

I enjoyed the book, with Isa and Sailor making a cameo appearance too and I can't wait for Kait's story!

So this book was so awesome. I read the whole thing in one sitting because I could not put it down. I will also admit that I was super excited when heard that it would be Nayna and Raj who both appeared in Cherish Hard, because wish granted.

Nayna Sharma is the good daughter. Her beautiful older sister Madi, had an affair, eloped and divorced and has brought shame upon the family. Nayna will do anything to not be a disappointment, include having an arranged marriage. Raj is adopted and wants a traditional bride and home life. He is the responsible brother and has taken over the family business. When he and Nayna randomly encounter each other at a party sparks fly so hard. And then they meet with their parents at a blind marriage arrangement.

I adored Nayna and Raj. They are both the good children and try to make their parents happy and balance their own dreams. The true struggle between old traditions and modern times is real and these two characters took it on beautifully. Feeling free to choose, but also making parents happy was one of Nayna's biggest concerns. She also wants to travel and see everything she hasn't been able to while living up to expectations. The feelings that both Nayna and Raj went through as they came to the conclusion that their future dreams might not match up where so true. I liked that this was a problem and that it didn't get glossed over. Nayna and Raj had to for work for it, talk to each other, and figure things out together.

It was quite the contrast with the deep physical connection that both Nayna and Raj feel for each other. Their internal struggle of physical verses emotional had all the feels. I did love how Nayna acknowledges her attraction towards Raj, and gives him a chance to change her mind without trying to sabotage it.

The cast was mostly of Indian descent and it was AWESOME. I loved the insight into culture, traditions, and family dynamics. I know nothing so I found the whole thing incredibly fascinating, especially the clothes. Also tiny shout out but both main characters were virgins. Which was terrific because it can totally be true.

So it was fantastic. I can't wait to see what some next out of the wonderful Nalini Singh.

FINAL DECISION: Fabulous story of two people who struggle with their expectations and learn to communicate their wants, desires and needs. I absolutely adored Nayna and Raj who are sweet and sexy and have a relationship of mature respect. This is a great addition to a great series.

THE STORY: Nayna Sharma has agreed to an arranged marriage as part of her effort to keep things peaceful and happy in her family. Nanya has kept her own wants and desires suppressed to make her parents happy. One night out with her friend at a party results in her meeting a sexy hunk, Raj Sen. Raj is a man damaged by his childhood. He wants security and a traditional marriage. He meets a woman, however, that calls to him in passionate ways he never expected, but their conflicting dreams seem destined to keep them apart.

OPINION: This is a sweet and yet emotionally fraught story. Nanya and Raj feel a connection from the moment they see one another, but the question quickly arises of whether the two will be together because Nanya capitulates to her family's expectations, whether the two will be at odds because of their different desire for the future or whether they can manage to forge something new together.

I loved this story, loved this couple. Nanya is a woman finding herself for the first time. Indeed, her relationship with Raj gives her the springboard to forge a different life for herself. At the same time that she finds comfort and companionship with Raj, she also must face the possibility that her growth might take her away from Raj.

Raj is a man who wants a traditional marriage and life, but then he meets Nanya and he must confront the reality that he wants this woman above all other things. And yet, the tension remains as to whether giving Nanya the freedom she wants means that he will lose her forever.

This book is subtle and intense and personal. There aren't flashy, overdramatic events. Instead, this is a complex, emotional journey for these characters. Is it possible for Raj and Nanya to change and grow and reconcile their disparate visions of the future?

These characters are grounded in their families. Singh always has a wonderful way to creating community around her characters and this book is no exception. The people around Nanya and Raj matter. They are developed characters with personalities and complexities of their own. We get to see their culture, their personal foibles and strengths. It always seems that any of the secondary characters in Singh's books could be the subject of their own book. They are that interesting and well constructed.

This is a wonderful book about compromise and understanding, about change and the importance of family and tradition. There are no easy cliches in this book. And Nanya and Raj are just adorable together. Loved it.

WORTH MENTIONING: I love the inexperienced hero and heroine combinations.

CONNECTED BOOKS: REBEL HARD is the second book in the Hard Play series. The romance here is self-contained and can be read as a standalone. I think this book is so connected with the prior book in the series (and in fact happens concurrent with that book) that I would recommend reading the books in order.

STAR RATING: I give this book 5 stars.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley in order to help prepare this review. I was not required to write a review or to write a positive review. All opinions contained herein are my own.

(Review will be published on September 18th)

I loved everything about this story. It was so fun, and sweet, and sexy, and it was full of family and love. I adored it. This is book 2 in the series, and I'm so looking forward to more.

Nayna Sharma agreed to an arranged marriage, to try and fix, once and for all, the fractures caused by her beautiful older sister's scandalous young elopement. Even though her sister is now divorced, and back in the family's good graces, Nayna has always stayed the good girl, and tried to maintain the status quo. She's an accountant, and she's great at her job, but it bores her. She is feeling the bars closing in with each horrible meeting she has, with each potential husband. She goes out one night to a client's party, with her best friend Isa (the heroine from book 1), and meets a sexy guy she decides to make out with. She's a 28-year-old virgin, and she just wants to have some fun before she's trapped in a marriage she doesn't want. She says something stupid when she discovers he's more than just a pretty face, and she feels terrible and runs off. She thinks she'll never see him again...

Raj Sen was abandoned as a child and adopted by his fantastic family at age 6. Because of that, he has strong feelings about family ties, obligations, and traditions. So, he agreed to allow his parents to arrange his marriage. After Nayna runs away from him at that party, he can't get her out of his mind. Imagine his surprise when the next meeting he has with a potential bride is with Nayna and her family. Raj runs his family's very successful construction business, but he's still a blue collar guy at heart. He loves working with his hands more than anything. He's surprised at the match, due to Nayna's family's white collar background. But, he's thrilled to see her again, and determined for her to give him a chance.

Nayna and Raj had such a strong connection from the first second they laid eyes on each other, and I loved watching that tie between them grow and strengthen. Nayna was at panic attack levels of anxiety regarding impending marriage, and Raj just wanted her to accept him as he was, and allow them time to really get to know each other. They broke ALL the rules of traditional arranged marriage, and they had a great time doing it, but they both really tried to make a go of their relationship. I loved that both their families allowed them a little space to do things their own way, without weighing too heavily on them.

The side characters here were great, as they always are in this author's stories, and each of the families were amazing in their own ways. I felt all the love, sadness, pain, frustration, and happiness of both Nayna and Raj, and many of their family members as well. I went right along on their journey with them, and I loved every moment of it. Some of the characters made you HATE them, which is also a sign of a great book, in my opinion. My only real complaint at all is a small thing toward the end, involving a secret, and how the reader doesn't get to know the secret! I really wanted to know and I was completely bummed out to not have that fleshed out. It has no real bearing on the rest of the story, either way, but it just irked me a bit.

I really loved this story of two people, and two families, coming together into one. In all their vibrant, difficult, loving, family-drama, glory. I highly recommend this story to everyone. The hero was swoontastic, and very Mr. Darcy-esque. The heroine was strong and smart, and I wanted to be her friend. It really doesn't get any better.

I had not read Cherish Hard (hard Play #1) before I read this book. You didn't have to. Though it references the first book, it isn't necessary. It did make me want to read it now though.
Raj and Nayna met at a party and she had planned to be a bad girl for one night. Her parents were trying to arrange a marriage for her (old style) and she wanted one fling. She couldn't go through with it though. Raj's parents were also trying to arrange a marriaage for him . When he met Nayna at the party he was instantly intrigued. It was a shock to both when they met again at the meeting their parents had arranged. They had an interesting relationship start. His sister-in-law tried to cause trouble, her sister had already caused trouble. Things certainly went back and forth for awhile. Any Nalini story is good and this one is not an exception. I recommend. I got this book through Netgalley for an honest review.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review from Net galley. This is book two of Nalini new contemporary Hard Play series, the first book was Cherish Hard, which is a off shot of the Rock Kiss series Rock Hard story. In Rock Hard we were introduced to the Bishop-Esera clan with Gabriel and Charlotte story, and in this series, we are getting their story. So, Cherish Hard is the story of Sailor and Isa, and as they were already married in Rock Hard it is kind of a prequel for that story. This book run parallel of it with the story of their best-friends, Nayna and Raj whose story was happening at the same time. In fact, in Cherish Hard we got a glimpse of their courtship through the girls (Isa and Nayna) conversations.
Nayna parents are searching for a suitable man for her to marry, and Nayna the girl who always tried to please her parents, particularly after the scandal in her family involving her older sister, is panicking. Somehow when the whole fiasco started, she thought her parents would’ve given up after the first two disaster, but instead they were envigored and giving up was guarantees things in their mind. Nayna staring to suffocate living life for her parents expectation instead of being herself, decided to go in a party with her best friend Isa and let down her hair, so to speak. There she meets Raj, tall dark, and muscled, and fallen in lust. As they were making out quite heavily, Raj started talking and that’s when things fell apart as he wasn’t just some pretty eyes candy, he had a brain, and was interested in more then a one-night stand, this was when Nayna made a pretty mistake. Furious Raj put a halt into the evening action, and as he was facing Nayna took the opportunity to flee. It would have been the end of it, if the next man her parents arranged for her to meet wasn’t Raj himself. Unlike Nayna who was chafing at the tradition of their culture and was contemplating halting the arranged marriage, Raj embraced the whole of it. Adopted by his family after his birth mother had abandoned him, he saw in the tradition the root he didn’t have. After the fiasco of the party, he did contemplate putting a pause on the arranged match, but only till he found her, as since then he thought of no one else. After they meet again it was a series of compromise and confession till they could make it work and their happy ending.

Very entertaining Bollywood-style book about Nayna (best friend of Isa from book 1) and Raj.

Nayna wants to please her Indian parents/family, but she also has dreams of her own. Raj wants a traditional marriage, with a stay-home wife he will provide for. They met in book 1, but meet again when they are introduced as potential marriage candidates. Raj and Nayna are very attracted to each other, but they realize they have different views on their married life. It is explained why they have these wishes and dreams (ah... Raj...).

What I loved about the book was the whole Indian family scene, the traditions etc. I also loved the fact Raj wants Nayna as his wife but also wants her to be happy. Both are honest about their feelings and work together to find the way to make a marriage work. It was refreshing.

We also have the wedding of Isa and Sailor in this book and get some glimpses of them throughout. The timeline is a bit parallel with the first book. I can't wait for the story of Catie. She seems such a wonderful character. But I wouldn't mind a story about Aditi (Raj's sister) either!

I really enjoyed this story! Strong female protagonist, family, with a little drama thrown in. Raj and Nayna were wonderful characters who stayed true to themselves and didn’t compromise just to please the other. There was a bit of back and forth uncertainty between the two and while it was a bit annoying, it just showed how men and women behave when it comes to relationships.

I received a free ARC version of the book from Netgally in exchange for an honest review. All critiques and opinions are my own.

Nayna comes from a traditional Indian family. The family is in the midst of trying to make an arranged marriage to a respectable man from a white collar family. Nayna agrees to this as her parents were heart broken when her older sister broke from tradition (alot) and married then divorced a man not of their choosing.

Nayna is a strong intelligent women however her personality, her opinions (everything) is stiffled trying to please her parents. At the beginning of the story I was frustrated with her while at the same time commiserating. Its hard to stick up for yourself or go against your family. Especially when you feel like making your own choices will hurt them. She's trying so hard to keep her family together that she leaves herself by the wayside. When she meets Raj, it's an act of rebellion albiet one that's made when she's 28 yrs old.

Raj also comes from an Indian family. He is handsome, strong and has a troubled background. As the blurb says, Nayna manages to alienate him fairly quickly. After the couple's initial meeting it took awhile for me to like him, despite me understanding where his... emotional distance (distance works as a description, sort of) toward our girl. It's probably because I often put myself in the women's POV. I often take on the women's feelings toward the other characters. And yes he comes across as an jackass at first. Albiet a hot one.

Overall the book was awesome. Loved loved it. Can't say that enough. In fact this is probably one of the best books Nalini Singh has written and that's saying alot (seriously go read the rest of her work) The characters had so much depth and the storyline was interesting and unique. As the second book in the series, I recommend reading the books in order however it can be read as a standalone. The books also technically a spin off Rock Hard (part of the Rockies Kiss series). If you end up living these books, go read that series if you haven't already done so. They we're the first books I read by Nalini and one of the reasons I love her.

THIS STORY!

OMG You GUYS, I cant gush enough about this story. It was PERFECT!

1. I loved the characters.
2. I loved the story, man did I ever!
3. I loved the romance.
4. It was SEXY + SWEET
5. Perfect everything.

Nayna and Raj were fabulous to read about, I loved that they were each others firsts, I loved that they were so good together in and out of the bedroom.

This is the second book on the Hard Play series, Cherish hard was the first book and it was brilliant, this book Rebel Hard are the best friends from that one.

For such a sweet book, man it was very emotional ride, reading about Nayna trying to figure out what she wants from life and growing into her own person. I loved that this was very culture centred and I really loved that about this one, I found it really interesting and I cant praise this story enough.

5 stars!

3.5 stars- Nalini Singh is one of those authors who can do very little wrong in my eyes. I can always count on her for compelling stories with characters who have plausible internal lives and respond realistically to the situations they find themselves in. I do prefer her PNR/UF books to her contemporaries as a rule, but her contemporary books have still been very high quality, and I often reread her oeuvre as comfort reading. This book in the Naliniverse is no exception- I really enjoyed this take on a modern arranged marriage trope. It's a more successful take on that trope than a lot of ones I've read, and I fell in love with Raj and Nayna. I loved watching them actually working through their differences, and in general, I so appreciate that this is an author who writes characters who are able to talk about their feelings & needs from a relationship like GD adults.
I do think that the authorial voice in this one was a little off of what I expect from Singh, which is why I dinged it down from the full 4 stars- somehow, I felt that we were being kept slightly at arms length from the narrative & characters, which is not something I enjoy in my romances and not something typical of her writing style. Still, I really enjoyed this, though Gabriel & Charlie remain my favs in the series to date. Viva la Singh and I am already excited for another book in this world from her!