#DFRAT: Hard Core by Jennifer Lowery + giveaway

hard coreBlurb:

Tag: He takes lives. She saves them.

A supposedly hassle-free job for mercenary Cristian Slade becomes a mission of mercy when he saves a life instead of taking one. Slade’s new mission might be his most dangerous yet, because the danger is to his heart.

Tragedy has sent esteemed surgeon Alana O’Grady to a remote a remote Nicaraguan island where she immerses herself in the lives of a native American tribe, using her talents for goodwill instead of wealth and prestige. But life turns upside down when her work requires she protect a rugged mercenary who commands her attention when she’s awake and dominates her dreams while she sleeps.

Doctoring Cristian puts her entire tribe in danger from the man who’s hunting him. Is it her professional oath or her unprofessional attraction to him keeping her from sending him away to heal on his own? Alana’s fire warms Cristian’s heart, but he’s a hardened assassin and has no business falling for someone like her. Can they fight hard enough to keep what they might have together?

Content Warning: Sexual content.

Excerpt:

“You’re really a doctor?”

Alana bristled. “Technically, yes.”

“Technically?”

She didn’t have time to explain herself with the amount of blood seeping from his gunshot wound. “I went to med school. You can let go of my arm now. I won’t use any needles.”

He looked down and immediately released his grip. She rubbed her wrist to soothe away the ache. “Can I get to work now, or do you want to question me more about my credentials while you bleed to death? I don’t have a blood bank, so you’re screwed if you lose too much.”

Her blunt statement received a curt nod. She normally didn’t talk to her patients like that. Her patients didn’t normally countermand her either.

“Do it,” he said.

“Without anesthetics?”

“I don’t need them. Just get it over with.”

Stubborn, stupid, or both? Insane, yes, but there wasn’t time to argue with him.

“Okay. The offer stands if you change your mind.”

“I won’t.”

She doubted that, but didn’t comment. Instead, wiped her forehead with her forearm, and picked up gauze pads to clean the wound.

“Here goes,” she warned and dabbed his skin.

Her patient didn’t move or even wince as she cleaned the angry wound. Either he had a will of steel or he’d passed out again. Hopefully, the latter. Sweat rolled down her back as she finished cleansing the area around the bullet entry. Red flesh puckered with the first signs of infection. In this environment infection was guaranteed.

With a steady hand that would have made her father proud, she picked up her instruments and took a deep breath.

“You still with me?”

He murmured a response, turning his head slightly so he could see her. The stark beauty of his profile, despite the bruises, struck her again. The lines of his face were chiseled, unforgiving. The kind of man she’d glance at twice if she passed him on the street.

A man associated with a criminal.

“Still here, Doc. What are you waiting for?” Husky with pain, his deep voice brought her out of her thoughts.

She gave herself a mental shake. “Want something to bite down on?”

A small, wry smile touched his lips and his lids closed. “You won’t hear a peep out of me. Just fix me, Doc.”

“I can hit you so you’ll sleep through it,” she muttered.

That drew a low chuckle from him. She didn’t expect him to have a sense of humor. He seemed too…hard. His chuckle turned into a grunt of pain. “You probably hit like a girl.”

Alana grinned. “Yes, I do. Rest assured it won’t feel like it.”

“Appreciate the offer, but, no.” His words slurred together, his muscles tense as he fought his body’s demands.

“You got a name, Superman?”

His head rolled to the side, his chest rose and fell slowly. She thought he was out but he murmured, “Cristian.”

“Nice to meet you, Cristian.”

Then she dug into the wound for the bullet.

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23 Comments

  1. TrishJ

    New author for me, but the excerpt sounds very interesting.

    Reply
    1. Jennifer Lowery

      I hope you enjoy it, Trish 🙂

      Reply
  2. julie

    i love Hard Core, i think i fell in love with Christain from the lst page. hes what you want your heroes to be made of

    Reply
    1. Jennifer Lowery

      Aw, thanks, Julie!! I couldn’t get Cristian to comment here-but he was scowling when he said he wasn’t a hero 😉

      Reply
  3. Melissa Keir

    Looks like another winner. I know I couldn’t do it without anesthesia.

    Reply
    1. Jennifer Lowery

      Me either, Melissa!! And thank you!

      Reply
  4. Margery Scott

    Great excerpt, Jennifer. Gotta love a guy with a sense of humor.

    Reply
    1. Jennifer Lowery

      Thanks, Margery 🙂

      Reply
  5. Daryl Devore

    Read this book – it grabs you and won’t let go until the final page and then you look up and ask for more.
    Tweeted.

    Reply
    1. Jennifer Lowery

      Aw, thanks, Daryl!! I’m so happy you enjoyed it!

      Reply
  6. lizaoconnorl

    I just want to lick the cover….By the time I get to the book, my kindle will have shorted out. But I want to try anyway. 🙂

    Reply
    1. Jennifer Lowery

      LOL! Liza, never lose your sense of humor! Thank you!!

      Reply
  7. Calisa Rhose

    Love that cover, Jennifer. I’m adding it to my tbr!

    Reply
    1. Jennifer Lowery

      Thanks, Calisa! Lyrical did an awesome job on the cover, didn’t they 🙂 And thank you!!

      Reply
  8. andrea

    Great excerpt. I can’t wait to read it.

    Reply
    1. Jennifer Lowery

      Thanks, Andrea!! Hope you enjoy it!!

      Reply
  9. Sharon Cullen

    Excellent excerpt!

    Reply
    1. Jennifer Lowery

      Thanks, Sharon!!

      Reply
  10. hotcha1

    ADDING TO MT LIST!!

    Reply
    1. Jennifer Lowery

      Awesome!! Thanks, hotcha1!!

      Reply
  11. M.Q. Barber

    Joining the chorus of adding to the to-read list. Great antagonistic banter, Jennifer! The won’t-back-down types are fun when they clash. 🙂

    Reply
    1. Jennifer Lowery

      Thanks, M.Q.!! They sure are 🙂 I had so much fun writing Cristian and Alana!

      Reply
  12. Jeananna

    Sounds GREAT!! Cannot wait to read it!

    Reply

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