Love Hard by Roe Valentine
Publisher & Release Date: Wild
Rose Press, July 1, 2015
Time
and setting: 1925, Chicago
Genre:
Historical Romance
Heat
Level: 1 Scorching Hot Flame
Rating: 4.5 Gold Crowns
Book
Description:
Ingrid Crawford isn’t the careless flapper
everyone thinks she is. In fact, she’s carrying around a heavy load, thanks to
her loose-fisted father who’s gambled the family fortune away. While
moonlighting at the Tease, she meets a man who might get her out of her financial
troubles for good.
Jovanis Koulis is a Greek immigrant who works as a courier, but he strives for much more. While visiting a burlesque joint, he is hit by Cupid’s arrow in the worst way when he lays eyes on the Veiled Vixen. Though he doesn’t tell the fair lady who he really is, he lets her believe what she wants…until he meets her face-to-face days later and neither are who they thought they were.
Will they be able to live up to each other’s expectations without finding themselves in hot water first?
Jovanis Koulis is a Greek immigrant who works as a courier, but he strives for much more. While visiting a burlesque joint, he is hit by Cupid’s arrow in the worst way when he lays eyes on the Veiled Vixen. Though he doesn’t tell the fair lady who he really is, he lets her believe what she wants…until he meets her face-to-face days later and neither are who they thought they were.
Will they be able to live up to each other’s expectations without finding themselves in hot water first?
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Vikki’s
Musings
This is the second book I have read by Roe Valentine. I also
read the first book in this series, Love Easy and enjoyed it a great
deal, so when I was offered the chance to read and review Love Hard by the
publisher, in exchange for an honest review, I quickly accepted. I’m so glad I
did. I thoroughly enjoyed this intriguing book.
Ingrid Crawford, a fashion reporter for the Chicago Daily
News during the day and a burlesque dance by night, is weighed down with a
terrible burden. Her father’s investment firm has lost a great deal of money.
She is trying to keep her family afloat, but not with much success, since they
continue to spend money on a lifestyle they can no longer afford.
When Jovanis Koulis, a Greek immigrant and a courier, has a
chance for an encounter with the beautiful burlesque dancer, Vixen, he takes
advantage of it, never imagining the one night stand could turn into so much
more.
When fate brings two lovers together, can two such different
individuals manage to bridge the gulf between their two worlds, or will
circumstances and obligations keep them apart forever?
Love Hard is a very fast-paced story with unique characters
and an even stranger story line. I can honestly say this is the first romance
I’ve ever read where the hero becomes a fledgling mobster and the heroine
deadens her life disappointments through cocaine and alcohol. At first glance,
this doesn’t seem like a romantic novel, but I promise it is. There’s a great
love story buried underneath that is well worth reading.
Ms. Velentine’s research of the roaring 20s is excellent and
certainly set the stage for this book. From her vivid descriptions of the
costumes to the sleazy décor of the burlesque club, they bring life to this
astonishing story. She has the lingo of this time completely down and it pulled
me in, giving me a glimpse of what it must have been like for women who have
been given a bit of freedom from the staid life of their parents.
I found Jovanis’ character fascinating. His determination to
win Ingrid’s heart is fierce, and his willingness to go to any lengths for her
took my breath away.
If you’re looking for a read a step apart from the average,
then Love Hard is sure to delight you. I know I certainly enjoyed it from the
first page to the last. A always enjoy a satisfying ending that ties everything
up with a pretty bow, and this one does it exceedingly well. Happy reading!
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