Release/Review Tour: Crush: Kim Karr

by - Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Crush (The Tainted Love Duet #2)
Kim Karr
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(also Kindle Unlimited)
Released November 16, 2015


Logan McPherson and Elle Sterling continue to thrill in this powerful conclusion to their tantalizing, provocative, and unexpected sizzling romance that began in Blow. 

The danger isn’t over.

It’s only just begun.

Circumstances brought them together and their undeniable connection won’t let them part. But when the past and the present collide, emotions run high—things are said, lines are crossed, and rules are broken. Both focused on crushing the enemy, the retribution is almost too much to bear. Still, there’s no undoing what has already been done, and every action has a consequence.

He loves her and she loves him, but love isn’t a shield.

Sometimes your only choice is the one you’d rather not make. Pushed to the limit, the tainted love of Logan and Elle is in jeopardy. With outside forces driving a wedge between them, they have to dig deep within their souls to release the ghosts of their pasts, and fight even harder for what neither knew they needed—each other.

Can love really conquer all?



teasers from Author's Facebook page

This is the conclusion of Logan and Elle's story and begins right after the climactic ending in Blow. They are dealing with the multiple possible threats, issues, and are worried about their safety. They are in the midst of the fall out from various situations.  Logan is trying to figure out what is best for Elle and how to most effectively protect her. Elle is dealing with her constantly changing world and worries about those she cares about. It is hard to know who to trust, who the real enemy is, and what they really want. 

There are mysteries, secrets, lies, and threats swirling around them. They are immersed in a dangerous world with many variables in play. Not only do they have to protect themselves, but also her young niece who could get caught in the crossfire.

It's a race for answers and to try to put together all of the puzzle pieces so they can figure out who is behind everything and how it all fits together. And then to try to figure out a way to end the threats and bring down the antagonists.

This book had me guessing trying to put it all together and predict the outcome. But I have to say there were some definite twists and surprises. I was shocked by some events and was wrong about some things. There are so many little connections from the past spilling onto the present as well as multiple parties involved. It was full of tension, danger, and suspense.

But at the core of this story is a couple that are broken as individuals, but together have the potential to make each other whole. They have personal demons to face, have to continue to build trust, and deal with some challenging situations. Two people who used to not believe in attachments find themselves desperate to be together, but are afraid that it might never happen or that the possible repercussions might carry too high a price.

Logan is strong, fiercely protective, and  possessive. But he is also scared his mistakes will hurt Elle, so has feelings of guilt and wonders if she would be better off without him. He is intelligent, successful,  and also street smart. He is alpha on the outside, but a bit broken on the inside. He has a strong need to be in control and unfortunately his life seems to keep spinning farther out of control. He has made mistakes with far reaching consequences. No matter how far he tries to get ahead of it, his past still seems to catch up with him and affect his present. 

Elle is tough, smart, independent and loving. She is not afraid to fight for her happiness, but she is also not immune to doubts and fears. She will do anything to protect her niece no matter the sacrifice to herself. 

I totally adored Logan and thought Elle was a really likable heroine. Their emotional connection was strong, their chemistry was intense, and their passion was undeniable. I was totally invested in their relationship.  They had  a give and take about them that was put to the test as they both dealt with challenging or emotional situations and threats. It was about priorities, faith, hope, and figuring out where they were supposed to be and believing they deserved to have what they wanted. But it was an uphill battle not only with their own personal demons but also with all of the outside influences and hidden threats against them.

I liked the side characters of their friends Declan, Miles, Peyton, and also Logan's father and Grandfather. There were some antagonists and shifty characters that were hard to pin down. And there were a a bunch of potentials for who was threatening them. It was fun trying to put all the pieces together and  figure out the motivations and what was really going on.

Kim Karr managed to weave a complex, exciting, full, romantic suspense story into these two books. It was multi-layered and had many little connections past and present. It was told in dual points of view that I really appreciated. The characters had depth, complex emotions, flaws, and were likable and passionate, The story line was fast moving despite the intricate details and layers. It was a beautiful and steamy love story layered with mysteries and exciting danger and suspense. I really enjoyed this series and this intense journey with Logan and Elle. This tied up everything I needed it to and even had an extended epilogue. 

I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review. 

Logan and Elle have found themselves trapped in the middle of a tangled web of corruption and threats. The second in the Tainted Love duet, this story was full of intrigue, suspense, and tension as secrets of the past come back to haunt a generation that is trying to keep out of the darkness of the past.


Elle and Logan want to be together, but the danger that was building through Blow has only escalated. The peace Logan thought they had found in Blow is shattered and once again he fears his connection to Elle puts her in danger.

But Elle has her own worries even without Logan’s presence in her life. Her past, Lizzy, and Michael are all twisted in something dark and dangerous as well, and could be pulling Elle in with them. Elle’s desires clash with her need to remain close to her niece and the pull of Logan wars with Michael’s requests of her.

There is something fishy going on with Michael that I could never quite put my finger on. The timing of his political aspirations seemed at odds with the disappearance of his wife, while the string of nannies in and out of the house and his demands of Elle regarding Clementine made me suspicious of what exactly was happening inside the house.

Agent Blanchet was also had me scratching my head in wonder. Her willingness to dangle threats over Logan’s head causing him to watch his back and his front made me dislike her from the beginning. I couldn’t help but wonder exactly how far she would go to get him to provide the information she sought.

This felt a little on the long side, but mostly because there is so much story packed into it. I was a constant page turner and had me on the edge of my seat waiting to see how things were going to shake out for Logan and Elle. This part of the series, for me, was less about their relationship and more about the suspense and tension surrounding them. As the threats to Elle escalated and Logan unraveled more and more secrets, I was fully engrossed in the story.

The second half, especially, felt like I was riveted to the book. There were so many twists and spirals that I was constantly on edge. Some of the twists I was able to anticipate, while others completely rocked me with their ties. 

This was a fantastic completion to Logan and Elle’s story. The epilogue did a lovely job of tying up even the ends that didn’t necessarily need tying based on where their relationship was at the end of the last chapter. I loved the direction Kim Karr took this couple, through all their trials -- personal, paired, and in their community.

I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Blow AMAZONBlow (Tainted Love #1)
Add to Goodreads
Buy Amazon (also Kindle Unlimited)
Our 4.
5 to 5 star reviews

2 fatal sides.
1 epic love.
7 days to survive.


They met in the face of danger. They weren’t looking for love. They both knew better. But they couldn’t stay away, and they fell hard.

He is heart-stopping handsome, fearless—and haunted by deadly ties.

She is breathtakingly beautiful, determined—and in harm’s way.

They should have parted. They didn't. They never should have fucked. They did. And now time is running out. One hundred sixty eight hours. That’s all that remains. While Logan McPherson fights to save them, Elle Sterling is forced to make a choice that could change everything.

When torn between right and wrong, tainted love doesn’t have a chance...or does it?
Kim Karr
Kim Karr is a New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal Bestselling author.
She grew up in Rochester, NY and now lives in Florida with her husband and four kids. She's always had a love for reading books and writing. Being an English major in college, she wanted to teach at the college level but that was not to be. She went on to receive an MBA and became a project manager until quitting to raise her family. Kim currently works part-time with her husband and recently decided to embrace one of her biggest passions--writing.

Kim wears a lot of hats! Writer, book-lover, wife, soccer-mom, taxi driver, and the all around go-to person of her family. However, she always finds time to read. One of her favorite family outings was taking her kids when they were little to the bookstore or the library. Today, Kim's oldest child is seventeen and no longer goes with her on these, now rare and infrequent, outings. She finds that she doesn't need to go on them anymore because she has the greatest device ever invented--a Kindle.

Kim likes to believe in soul mates, kindred spirits, true friends, and Happily-Ever-Afters. She loves to drink champagne, listen to music, and hopes to always stay young at heart.

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