Hard Rules: A Dirty Money Novel

Lisa Renee Jones

Aug 2016 · Dirty Money Book 1 · Sold by St. Martin's Griffin

About this ebook

Wall Street meets the Sons of Anarchy in Hard Rules, the smoldering, scorching first novel in the explosively sexy new Dirty Money series from New York Times bestselling author Lisa Renee Jones.

How bad do you want it?

The only man within the Brandon empire with a moral compass, Shane Brandon is ready to take his family’s business dealings legitimate. His reckless and ruthless brother, Derek wants to keep Brandon Enterprises cemented in lies, deceit, and corruption. But the harder Shane fights to pull the company back into the light, the darker he has to become. Then he meets Emily Stevens, a woman who not only stirs a voracious sexual need in him, but becomes the only thing anchoring him between good and evil.

Emily is consumed by Shane, pushed sexually in ways she never dreamed of, falling deeper into the all-encompassing passion that is this man. She trusts him. He trusts her, but therein lies the danger. Emily has a secret, the very thing that brought her to him in the first place, and that secret could destroy them both.

This is book ONE of FOUR in Shane and Emily's story.


Excerpt from Hard Rules (Dirty Money book #1)


His hand curls around mine and he drags it to his knee, and the way he’s looking at me, like the rest of the room, no, the rest of the world, doesn’t exist, steals my breath. I haven’t allowed anyone to really look at me in a very long time.
“Emily,” he says, doing whatever he does to turn my name into a sin that seduces rather than destroys me.
“Shane,” I manage, but just barely.
“Did you say yes to dinner because you didn’t want to be alone?”
I am not sure where he is going with this, if it’s about reading me or if he needs validation that I am here for him, so I give him both. “I like being alone,” I say, and on some level, it really is true. “I said yes to dinner because you are the one who asked.” My lips curve. “Actually you barely asked. You mostly ordered.”
“I couldn’t let you say no.”
“I’m actually really glad you didn’t.”
“And yet you say you like being alone?”
“It’s simple and without complication.”
“Spoken like someone who’s lived the opposite side of the coin.”
“Haven’t we all?”
“Who burned you, Emily?”
I blanch but recover with a quick, “Who says anyone burned me?”
“I see it in your eyes.”
“Back to my eyes,” I say.
“Yes. Back to your eyes.”
“Stop looking.”
“I can’t.”
Those two words sizzle, matching the heat in his eyes, and my throat goes dry. “Then stop asking so many questions.”
He reaches up, brushing hair behind my ear, his fingers grazing my cheek, and suddenly he is closer, his breath a tease on my cheek, his fingers settling on my jaw. “What if I want to know more about you?”
“What if I don’t want to talk?”
“Are you suggesting I shut up and kiss you?”
Yes, I think. Please. But instead I say, “I don’t know. I haven’t interviewed you as you have me. I know nothing about you. I want to know if you—”
He leans in, and then his lips are on mine, a caress, a tease, that is there and gone, and yet I am rocked to the core, a wave of warmth sliding down my neck and over my breasts. He lingers, his breath fanning my lips, promising another touch I both need and want, as he asks, “You want to know if I what?”
Everything. “Nothing.”

Ratings and reviews

OMG! I am in love with Shane Brandon! This hero is so yummy and perfect you can't help but root for him. Shane was a big shot lawyer working in New York City, and far away from the shady family business and he gets called back home to Denver to help his father and brother, Derek, out of sticky mess. Shane makes the decision to stay in Denver and fight for control of the family business, Brandon Enterprises, along with removing all of the illegal activities that his family has gotten involved in. Shane's dad may be slowly dying from cancer but he is still an S.O.B. Dear old dad is pitting son vs. son to see who will win in taking over the family business. The entire Brandon family is really messed up! While in a little coffee shop across the street from BE, Shane has an unique encounter with a mysterious woman named Emily. Shane cannot seem to get Emily off of his mind and he unexpectedly runs into her again and this begins the dance! I loved the way these two lives were suddenly weaved together. They both are good at keeping secrets from each but at the same time they are slowly starting to trust each other and those secrets are starting to become known. Shane and Emily are both very strong, determined characters and I loved that! And their sexual chemistry together was HOT! I can't wait to see where this story is going and what is the big secret Emily is keeping!

Six pages. Less than one chapter. That's how long it took for me to fall for Shane Brandon, and to be completely in love with this new series from author Lisa Renee Jones. I'm not surprised, really, because there is nothing that Lisa's written that I don't enjoy tremendously, but HARD RULES starts out fast and furious, and just keeps going. Lisa is a mistress of writing the strong alpha man that we just can't say no to, and Shane is true to form. A good man in a nest of vipers, he's doing everything he can to right the wrongs of his father, and save the family empire from the corruption that threatens at every turn. When chance pulls Emily Stevens into Shane's orbit, he's intrigued. Emily is truly an enigma, but one that sparks Shane's interest in a way that he hasn't experienced before. One night leads to another, and soon these two people that don't 'do' relationships are trying to find their way in the midst of secrets and chaos. HARD RULES is a tautly written, engaging read, and I could not put this book down. The characters, the premise, the dark heat, all worked together to draw me in and keep me hooked. Thank goodness this is the first book in a series, because I am a fan, and I cannot wait for DAMAGE CONTROL, Book 2. 5 fast-paced, sexy, secret-filled stars for HARD RULES. Pop this book right to the top of your TBR, because it is a must-read for Lisa's fans. Grab it, read it, thank me later.

I was graciously given an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review, and honestly... this book is phenomenal! Hard Rules is positively sizzling! It's skillfully written, intense, edgy, raw, unpredictable, heartbreaking, and oh so hot. This book is absolutely breath stealing! Lisa Renee Jones weaved a story that once I started reading, I was captivated and couldn't put the damn book down. She has a unique talent of giving her readers exactly what they want and so much more. She has the ability to pull you into the story and keeps you on the edge until the very end.

About the author

Lisa Renee Jones is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than forty books across many romance genres—contemporary, romantic suspense, dark paranormal, and erotic fiction. Her books have been translated all around the world, and her highly acclaimed Inside Out series is now in development for cable television. She loves to hear from readers.