Book Review | Melt – Helen Hardt

Melt
By: Helen Hardt

Series or Standalone: Steel Brothers Saga
Book # In Series: 4 of 23
Genre: Dark Romance with Suspense
Trope(s): Angst, Emotional
Publisher: Waterhouse Press LLC.
Publication Date: September 22nd, 2016
My Format: Kindle eBook
My Rating: 3 Stars

Blurb:

Your escape into a world of dark mysteries & spicy romance.

Jonah Steel is intelligent, rich, and hard-working. As the oldest of his siblings, he was charged by his father to protect them.

He failed in the worst way.

Dr. Melanie Carmichael has her own baggage. Although the renowned therapist was able to help Jonah’s brother, she is struggling with feelings of inadequacy. When the oldest Steel walks into her office seeking solace, she can’t turn her back.

As Melanie and Jonah attempt to work through their issues together, desperately trying to ignore the desire brewing between them, ghosts from both their pasts surface…and danger draws near.

My Review

Melt is the fourth book in Helen Hardt’s Steel Brothers Saga. The next three books in the saga are told from Jonah (Talon Steel’s older brother) and his love interest Melanie Carmichael (who also happens to be Talon’s therapist.) Let it be warned, this saga does contain some extremely dark and detailed moments that Talon went through when he was younger. This saga is all about Talon, Jonah, and Ryan Steel finding vengeance and seeking retaliation for the three mystery men who abducted and hurt the middle brother in unspeakable ways. If any form of child abuse is triggering for you, I highly recommend you skip this series. I also want to add, this series is a continuation series. These are not standalones. To understand the story line, you must first read Talon’s story. 

So, with all that being said, I’m going to try to review and try to keep Jonah’s first book as spoiler-free as possible.

I can’t tell a lie, I was a bit underwhelmed with Melt, and that saddens me on a whole new level. When I first picked up this series I saw Jonah as the alpha of the three brothers. I saw him as the leader and the protector. But this man’s personality rarely matched up to what I saw in the first three books. I wanted that rough and rowdy exterior. I wanted this man to bear the strength of his family. He’s the oldest, so in my mind he was supposed to be the strongest. But I guess the saying rings true, even the strongest of men fall sometimes. 

I also felt this novel was a bit redundant to what took place in the first three books, when it comes to the suspense aspect, that is. 

But let’s move on from that aspect and let’s talk about Melanie. I liked Melanie to an extent. I loved her as a therapist, but as a love interest I thought she ranked as a bit awkward and to be honest, I’m sitting here still wondering what’s going on with her. She’s definitely nothing like Jade was. Her strength is in her work where she gives it to others. But in her personal life, her strength is non-existent. 

I can’t tell a lie, the only reason I kept reading this book and not skipping ahead is due to the smoldering sex scenes. Helen Hardt definitely knows how to bring the lust factor into the equation! Now, when Jonah and Melanie were in the throes of passion, I couldn’t put this one down. I loved the connection they shared in these moments. There two really need to get their stuff together outside of the bedroom. I need more of that passion everywhere else! 

I also want to add, the communication between the three brothers needs some tending to. I had trouble grasping the connection between them all through Jonah’s eyes… and maybe, because he’s the brother who is filled with guilt, this was supposed to be the outcome. I’m not sure. All I know is I wanted more between all the relationships in this novel.

I do plan on carrying on with this series, especially given who one of the kidnappers may be! I have a feeling I may have already mapped out this series. Usually my predictions are spot on, but this time, I’m hoping my predictions are far from where they initially landed.  What can I say, I’m a sucker for suspense!

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Amazon US: https://amzn.to/3zdhf79
Amazon World: http://getbook.at/MeltHelenHardt

Peace Love and Happy Reading,

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