Looking for a BDSM without a red room or club in sight? Hardpressed by Meredith Wild might just be the one you’re looking for. But be sure to start with book 1.

Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. This post contains affiliate links. That means we receive a small commission at no cost to you from any purchases you make through these links.

Hardpressed by Meredith Wild

Hardpressed by Meredith Wild

Hacker #2
April 7, 2015

Read this if you want:

  • Tech focus
  • Billionaire
  • BDSM

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Meredith Wild continues her Hacker series with Hardpressed.  This is a direct continuation from book one, Hardwired, which focuses on the developing relationship between recent Harvard grad and internet startup hopeful, Erica, and Blake Landon, former hacker turned billionaire investor.  Blake and Erica seem to have finally come to terms with the push and pull of their relationship by book two, balancing Blake’s need for control and Erica’s fierce independence.  He’s the backer behind her social network, but she calls all the shots and plans on keeping it that way.  Erica and Blake have pasts that threaten them both, leading Erica to make a choice that could destroy not only their future together, but their lives as well.

Despite not being a lover of the New Adult trend, I liked the techie focus of this series when I picked it up.  I enjoyed Hardwired as a relationship building novel and found enough unique qualities in both Blake and Erica, that despite how easy it would be for them to fall into genre stereotypes, it never seemed cliche to me.  Blake has a kinky side that’s in no way a direct focus, but it’s there, and not of the slap and tickle variety, as we start to see in Hardpressed.  It’s a bit more intense, which is to my liking.  And it avoids any hint of a BDSM club thus far.  Or a red room.  Hallelujah.  What blew me away in this installment though were the crazy twists and turns!  It’s hard to gush without spoiling anything and you NEED to be shocked like I was when some people are revealed to be anything but what they appeared. Sleep be damned, I wanted to see Erica make things right.  Did she infuriate me? Yes.  Some of her actions bordered on TSTL behavior, but I could believe her hardheadedness in the face of her upbringing and history of self-reliance. 

Blake is relentless in his pursuit, and thank God for that.  I would claim him as mine any day.  For all its torturing angst, it felt like sweet relief to be granted a fair amount of wrap up to certain conflicts by the conclusion.  I’m never opposed to a cliffhanger, but it would have been too cruel here!  I LOVED book 2, and found it to be a nice nail-biting contrast to book 1.  This is a series that appears to be getting more and more interesting as time goes on, with characters that are anything but one dimensional.

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4 Comments

  1. i really liked the premise of this series and where it was going in reference to the story…however, i was very disappointed in the development of their relationship…he became entirely overbearing and she allowed it even going so far as to change the core of who she was to make him happy….

    1. I’m midway in book 3 and I can completely see how some might be turned off by that, Elizabeth. At times in the first 2 books, Erica makes comments about how she finds comfort in being submissive, even outside the bedroom, so I took this as a natural progression of their relationship. She’s more than a sexual submissive, despite how strong she can be in her business environment. Guess it shows what type of men I enjoy lol!! But it’s a good warning for others that he never bends. It’s his way or no way.