Rebel (Dead Man’s Ink # 1) by Callie Hart
Released: February 9, 2015
Dark Erotic Romance Suspense
Self- Published

Reviewed by Sheena

Favorite Quote: “Don’t bother trying to get inside my head, sugar.  It’s a dark and fucking scary place.  Even I don’t want to be here most of the time.  You change your mind about the sex, though, and we can talk.”

Callie Hart is a force of nature and  in this genre I like to call dark erotic suspense, she simply slays.

I’ve read all of the Blood & Roses novels. At least twice. Each.

I’d been nursing a strong fascination with all things Rebel.

I dutifully hated Sophia/Alexis.

I did all the things a good little book blogger does to prepare for a much-anticipated spin-off release.

And.

I. still. Wasn’t. Ready.

Rebel/Book 1 kicked my ass, took my name and I’m pretty sure it’s bigger and badder brother , Dead Man’s Ink # 2  is going to spit me out!

When Alexis Romera is taken and her kidnappers find her fake ID in her purse, she must become Sophia in order to keep her family safe. Revealing her real identity to the man she’s sold to would be easy enough, but can she trust him? Hell bent on revenging the murder of his uncle, Rebel doesn’t seem all that interested in playing things safe.

Getting Sophia to testify is the only way to bring the Los Oscuros cartel down. The beautiful, dark haired, dark eyed woman is belligerent and uncooperative and unlikely to bend to his will, but Rebel has a few tricks up his sleeve to make her compliant–he’ll charm her until she’s bending over backwards to please him.

Of course, falling for her might cause a few hiccups along the way.

Holy sexy witness protection detail Batman!   Le Sigh,  I suppose Rebel “could” be read stand alone, but whats the fun in that!  There is history here folks! Back story and perspective that lends so much umph and foundation that I really suggest you begin with Hart’s Blood & Roses series to meet Sloane and Zeth (Zeth….shivers). But-  If you want to jump right in with both feet and no life vest, then be my guest!

Oh Alexis.  Young woman abducted, traded and sold by a drug cartel.  Her only salvation dances hand in hand with her sure damnation- what is a girl to do.

Survive.

Alexis is a survivor and smart and strong and nothing at all what I presumed in the previous series.  She becomes Sophia and endures her own special brand of humiliation in her own personal hell and still manages to hold her head up and persevere.  Fortitude and spunk in aces this girl.

Rebel is all things bad ass MC President, and so much more.  The shadows that live in his eyes engender sympathy, loyalty and fear.  Abject fear for most.

This could have easily been a lazy tale of beautiful, human trafficked girl, is saved by hot, big dicked biker and they fight, tumble into bed and HEA- but hey- watch out for that cliffhanger (because it is a serial).  Hart did her job with this one.  Sophia does not just succumb to 48 hour Stockholm Syndrome and is giving blow jobs by breakfast.  The author really dug in and created a world where trusting anyone is the fastest way to lose your life and while she grew to acknowledge her attraction to Rebel- it was definitely a believable and realistic battle of emotions.  The chemistry and sexual tension was a running thread but Rebel and Sophia were no flash in the pan sure thing.  And the story did not suffer one bit for their slow burn attraction.

“You’re attracted to me, despite everything, and I’m attracted to you.  We want each other Sophia.  It’s the reason why you’re so terrified right now.  And it’s a part of the reason why I’m letting you go.”  She doesn’t say anything as I go.  She doesn’t deny that what I’m saying is true.”

Rebel stands out for me primarily because of the strong plot and action.  There is absolutely no “filler” to skip through or throw away, forced conflict to keep your eye balls moving until you get to the next sex scene.  Make no mistake, when the time is right, Rebel gets his fingers in Sophia’s lace panties plenty- but this book is onion-like.  Layers. Many layers.  Rebel is alpha male in charge but he is nobodies douche.  And I like a little douche in my hero, makes redeeming him all the more fun, the higher the douche quotient, the more gravel he gets in his knees and the harder he has to work to earn the hand of his lady love.  That works for me! But Rebel is a soul deep- good guy. Sure he is a criminal and will kill a deserving man without qualms.  His childhood, his devil incarnate  father and his journey have shaped him into a worthy male.  Coordinating the effort to rescue Sophia and the other endangered women was brave and as far as I am concerned if he offed a few low life criminals here and there, well…hey….I mean…*shrugs*

Being confronted with who Sophia really was versus who I perceived her to be was eye opening.  No bones about it, she was a selfish effing brat by all accounts (and by all accounts I mean my own judgey opinion of her from the previous book).  Before long, I was won over and championed her cause. I may have also mentally nudged her into Rebel’s, big, strong, capable, experienced….arms. Yes, definitely….arms. Yes.

“I should ask her again if she’s sure she wants to do this, but I don’t because I’m a bastard and I need her.”

Watching them circle one another, neither giving an inch and then both suddenly take a leap and smash into one another was a little epic.  Never quite adversaries but certainly blatantly using one another at one point, they morph into this tandem team, with Rebel at her back, risking neck and limb to keep her safe and Sophia at his front, being the emotional buffer he hadn’t realized he needed.  Rebel Dead Man’s Ink # 1 sets up the series with page turning action and danger that pulses throughout the novel.  You can’t look away and that’s kind of okay because you don’t want to miss a damn thing anyway.  Especially given Hart’s deft talent of smacking you in the face with demons that you long thought exercised.

In general, I do not always love alternative perspective books, they usually feel like, been here, I know that- but Rebel and Sophia have their own dark story to tell and I am all ears!

Grade: A

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