Beautiful Lawman (Devil's Rock #4) by Sophie Jordan

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From the wrong side of the tracks and with most of her family in jail or dead, Piper Walsh is used to everyone in town thinking the worst about her. It doesn’t seem to matter that she’s worked hard to build a good life for herself. So she isn’t surprised that when she comes into contact with Sweet Hill’s wildly irresistible, arrogant sheriff, Hale Walters, they’re instant adversaries. Piper has nothing in common with the town golden-boy-turned-lawman—and she refuses to be a notch on his bedpost.

Despite rumors, Hale avoids fooling around with the women of Sweet Hill, many of whom are hoping to get him to the altar. But staying out of Piper’s path is proving near impossible. The infuriating troublemaker clearly has no respect for his badge. As she continues to push his buttons, it becomes clear to Hale that he must either arrest Piper—or claim her as his own. 

Source: advance e-galley provided in exchange for an honest review


I adore stories about couples from vastly different backgrounds coming together. There's a degree of skepticism, assumption and also curiosity that lends itself to the making of some good chemistry, which is what happens in Beautiful Lawman. Piper has had a rough life with non-existent parents meaning she and her older brother, Cruz, were left to care for themselves and their younger sister, Malia. With Cruz serving time, the responsibility has fallen on her shoulders. There are few options where Piper can make some good cash so working as a waitress at a grimy men's club is what she has to do. Hale Walters is the town's sheriff and has a sterling reputation as a disciplined man. He initially sees Piper as a victim of her circumstances who continues to make bad decisions but soon learns that there's more to her. She's not interested in correcting anyone's gossip about her. That's their problem for all she cares and she's certainly not looking for a saviour but for an opportunity like anyone else to make life better for herself and her sister. Piper's attitude challenges all of Hale's preconceived notions about what he thought he understood of her and it's not long before he realizes that she's also the first woman in a long time to ignite something within him.

The Devil's Rock Series has been thoroughly enjoyable and I think Beautiful Lawman is the best one yet. In fact, it's probably my favourite (it's a toss up between this and Fury on Fire. Speaking of that, North and Faith do make an appearance here). I enjoyed the setup that had Piper and Hale getting closer, and then there was that oh-so-sweet delayed gratification when it came to sexy times coming to fruition. The wait is worth it and the two of them are exciting and mischievous together, a combination that I approve of!

Sophie Jordan is one of my favourite authors and this series is an auto-buy for me. Beautiful Lawman is everything I want in a read - sexy, smart, good humour and an equally matched couple that's hard not to love.

~ Bel

Fury on Fire (Devil's Rock #3) by Sophie Jordan

* * * 3/4

When you live next door to the big bad wolf . . .

After years in prison, North Callaghan is finally free. But the demons haunting him still make him feel like a caged beast. He loses himself in work and hard living, coming up for air only to bed any willing woman to cross his path. So when his new neighbor snares his interest, he decides to add another notch to his bedpost. The only problem? Faith Walters is a white picket fence kind of girl.

Prepare to be devoured.

Faith’s new neighbor is the rudest man alive. He’d rather grunt at her than speak and he takes her “welcome-to-the-neighborhood” scones without a thank you. She knows she should run for the hills from the ex-con. If only he weren’t so smoldering sexy…if only the sounds of him with other women didn’t drift through their shared wall and fill her with longing…and if only he didn’t look at her like they were a collision waiting to happen.

*Source: advance e-galley provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review


Faith is a hard-working professional who moves out of her parents' home into her own only to finds that her brand new neighbour is anything but friendly. Not that she wants to be besties but she'd like a bit of consideration, that's all. I liked that Faith is never intimidated by this neighbour she has yet to meet. So far communication has been through curt notes she's left for him that he ignores or quick glimpses out the window. A true-face-to-face doesn't occur until almost the middle of the book. I actually liked that. It's a departure from any insta-lust scenario. Instead Faith and North are left to resort to their imaginations about what the other is like. Neither views the other as potential relationship material though there's plenty of curiosity. When they do finally come face-to-face, all the ire and sexual tension that's been built up is that much sweeter.

As far as the books in series goes for me, Fury on Fire is the best one. I simply liked the setup and the pacing which allowed time for me to get a feel for the characters. I felt Faith lived openly and carried her heart on her sleeve. As a social worker, she has one of the most demanding jobs there is, yet she has so much room for compassion and forgiveness. North, a man of few words who was inside his head most of the time, is so tormented by his past mistakes and failures that he's emotionally stuck. It takes a strong woman with some sense to break through to him. 

Sophie Jordan, doesn't disappoint. She has created a wonderfully, sexy fantasy with the Devil's Rock series, stoking the fires of those bad-boy daydreams we have from time to time. As with all fantasies, this bad boy has a big heart once you dig deep enough to find it.

~ Bel

Hell Breaks Loose (Devil's Rock #2) by Sophie Jordan

* * * 3/4



Hell hath no hunger like a man let out of a cage . . .

Shy and awkward, First Daughter Grace Reeves has always done what she’s told. Tired of taking orders, she escapes her security detail for a rare moment of peace. Except her worst nightmare comes to life when a ruthless gang of criminals abducts her. Her only choice is to place her trust in Reid Allister, an escaped convict whose piercing gaze awakens something deep inside her. Reid is nothing like her other captors.

He’s tougher, smarter…and one blistering look from him makes her hotter than any man ever has.

Reid spent years plotting escape and revenge . . .years without a woman in his bed. For this hardened felon, Grace Reeves isn’t just out of his league—she’s from another planet, but that doesn’t stop him from wanting her. Escaping Devil’s Rock was tough, but resisting this woman could be the end of him. For a man with nothing to lose, protecting her . . . claiming her as his own, becomes more necessary than his next breath.


Source: advance e-galley provided by Avon for an honest review


Sophie Jordan writes fun romances. Her Devil's Rock series featuring alpha males who are all about protecting what's theirs is no different though she always manages to soften them up a bit. Sheer pleasure and escapism is all the reason you need to read this!

Reid planned his escape from prison so that he could seek revenge on the man responsible for putting him there in the first place. He's forced to reassess his plans when he unwittingly gets involved in the kidnapping of the First Daughter. Now instead of just taking care of his business he has to worry about her safety and that of his brother who is one of the kidnappers. Grace wishes that she hadn't outsmarted her security detail because now she's hiding away in god knows where with some morally-challenged folk, frightened for her life. She senses that her kidnappers seem to be afraid of Reid and so she tries to appeal to his good side. Reid wants no part of this but he's ultimately a decent man and can't leave Grace to these thugs. The two of them must lie low while he figures out how to save them both.

I've already mentioned that Reid is a decent man. His humble backstory is sad and explains how he landed behind bars. Grace has lived her entire life in the public eye on the campaign trail with her parents. Constantly under pressure to present herself as a dutiful daughter who's part of a picture-perfect family has become tedious and not to mention a bitter experience. Everything she does is always up for scrutiny and heaven forbid she have a plan for her own life. She also comes off as a bit naive to me only because she hasn't ever had the chance to live normally. Despite the privileges she's had throughout her life, she's not elitist - something I appreciated about her. And though she has been kidnapped, the situation has its silver lining in that she gets to see what she's made of. I liked the connection that she and Reid made however difficult and dangerous it was to get there. The only thing that gave me pause was the ending. Grace and Reid falling in love has its own set of complications. It felt too easy for me but then again, I am reading this for the happily ever after and I expect them to get there some way, somehow. I guess it's up to our imaginations to fill in those blanks.

Hell Breaks Loose is another action-filled romance with some angst that's overall a fun, quick read. A criminal who turns things around. A young woman who unleashes her inner badass. Yeah, you need to spend some time with Reid and Grace!

~ Bel

All Chained Up (Devil's Rocks #1) by Sophie Jordan

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There are bad boys and then there are the men of Devil’s Rock . . .

Some men come with a built-in warning label. Knox Callaghan is one of them. Danger radiates from every lean, muscled inch of him, and his deep blue eyes seem to see right through to Briar Davis’s most secret fantasies. But there’s one major problem: Briar is a nurse volunteering at the local prison, and Knox is an inmate who should be off-limits in every way.

Knox feels it too—a shocking animal magnetism that drives him to risk his own life to protect Briar’s. Paroled at last, he tries to resist her. She’s too innocent, too sweet, and she has no idea what Knox is capable of. But a single touch can lead to a kiss—and a taste . . . until the only crime is denying what feels so right . . .

“When the prison doors are open, the real dragon will fly out.”—Ho Chi Minh

Sophie Jordan has an impressive catalogue of books and I’m always amazed by her ability to jump between genres. Fresh off her recent YA release, Reign of Shadows, she now offers, All Chained Up, an adult contemporary romance that’s first in the Devil’s Rock series.

Nurse Briar Davis has begun volunteering at Devil’s Rock Prison once a week. The very thought of being there among the inmates freaks her out of her mind but she’s doing it to impress her boss and ensure that she has a future at the clinic she works at. On her first day she treats the inmate Knox, an intimidating presence, inside the clinic. She’s unnerved by the fact that they can’t keep their eyes off each other. Despite her wrecked nerves, she manages to make it through the remainder of the day. She doesn’t expect to be back until the following week but plans change and she’s accompanying her boss again the very next day. And this is the day that things go dreadfully wrong and all of Briar’s nightmares about prison come true. Thankfully Knox is her savior. That’s the last they see of each other until a run-in at a convenient store some time later. Neither of them can believe the coincidence. The time since prison has not erased the electricity between them.

The beginning of their relationship is mostly carnal. Briar is the only woman Knox has lusted after in some time. To Briar, Knox is the dangerous man with a secretive past that she can’t resist. Could her physical attraction to him be clouding her better judgment? As for Knox, his life is screwed up enough already that he’s worried about ruining hers just by association. Still they can’t stay away from each other. Aside from the action at the prison in the beginning, not a whole lot happens in between except for Knox and Briar romping through the sheets without much communication. It’s not supposed to get serious – this is only supposed to be a series of hook-ups but that’s not how it ever goes. All this leads to a bit of a mess down the road. 

The story is hot and a bit on the dark side. Knox fits the bill for those seeking a quiet but imposing hero who’s also a fierce protector. Briar starts out as the damsel in distress (though I can’t fault her because I’d certainly be a mess if I had to work in a prison) but grows into a more outspoken person. All Chained Up does include an unexpected subplot that felt oddly of place at first but now I’m curious as to how it’ll play out in the next book. In the meantime, Jordan serves up another delicious romance with plenty of magic time to make your head spin! Also, you may never look at Ben & Jerry’s Cherry Garcia the same again ;)

~ Bel