Skin Game (Skin, #1)

Oct 22, 2011 The Holy Terror rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-romance, color-black, color-yellow, borrowed, special-powers, forgot-to-drink-the-kool-aid, hispanic-characters, 2010

This book started out so promising but the predictable ending really killed things for me.

Kyra is on the run from a man she spurned, he's a powerful man in Vegas and has the money to send goons after her. One of those goons is Reyes; a tall, dark, and dangerous man that might just be someone that Kyra can't outsmart. It's a good thing for her that he falls for her, hard.

Kyra has a really neat ability; when she touches someone she steals their best ability and leaves them temporarily handicappe...more This book started out so promising but the predictable ending really killed things for me.

Kyra is on the run from a man she spurned, he's a powerful man in Vegas and has the money to send goons after her. One of those goons is Reyes; a tall, dark, and dangerous man that might just be someone that Kyra can't outsmart. It's a good thing for her that he falls for her, hard.

Kyra has a really neat ability; when she touches someone she steals their best ability and leaves them temporarily handicapped. This comes in handy especially in a fight. I'm not really sure what the point of giving her this ability is if the reasons aren't explained. It's not like there are a bunch of people with supernatural powers running around. For the most part, there's only Kyra and her weird power.

I really liked Kyra though, because she's tough, smart, and very pragmatic. She doesn't go all hysterical or shy away from having to kill people. She's on the run and she does what she has to do.

Reyes is a good character too, although a bit cliched. He's the do-gooder assassin - he only takes the jobs where the bad guys are the ones he's sent to kill. Kind of like a really hot Dexter for hire. He has an interesting background though and his personality is well-developed so it's not like he's just a walking cliched "tall, dark, and handsome" man.

The sexual tension and the actual sex between Kyra and Reyes was ridiculously hot. Their scenes were probably some of the hottest I've read in a really long time. I have to say that this probably saved the story for me too; without it the story would have been mediocre at best. The two of them have a really unique Bonnie and Clyde relationship going on that I enjoyed. I also liked that the two of them do unsavory things but they don't constantly apologize for their actions.

I knew how things were going to end and I wasn't looking forward to it. You know Reyes is hired to kill Kyra after reading the first chapter, and you also know that she has to find out at some point and she's not going to be happy with him. I do have to say that I wasn't as annoyed with how things played out as much as I thought I was going to be. I also liked that a ton of time wasn't spent killing the villain.

There are two reasons I'm not running off to the book store to read the next in this series; this one's ending and the characters that will be focused on. The next book centers on Kyra's friend Mia and I thought she was boring and kind of stupid. I'm curious to find out more about the guy that Mia is paired with, but not enough to spend money on it. I checked this book out from the library and I think I'll just wait until they get Skin Tight in, although I'm not in any rush to read it.(less)

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Jun 18, 2011 Katie(babs) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Kyra Beckwith has screwed over a dangerous man and she did it on purpose as payback. The man in question is casino owner and small time mobster Gerard Serrano who had Kyra’s father killed. She made him fall in love with her. He even wrote her poetry and was going to ask her to marry him. But Kyra got the last laugh and was able to steal a good chunk of his money right under his nose. Now Serrano is out for her blood and hires Reyes, a hit man, to retrieve his money and get rid of Kyra permanentl...more Kyra Beckwith has screwed over a dangerous man and she did it on purpose as payback. The man in question is casino owner and small time mobster Gerard Serrano who had Kyra’s father killed. She made him fall in love with her. He even wrote her poetry and was going to ask her to marry him. But Kyra got the last laugh and was able to steal a good chunk of his money right under his nose. Now Serrano is out for her blood and hires Reyes, a hit man, to retrieve his money and get rid of Kyra permanently.

Reyes may kill men for a profit, but he’s not comfortable killing a woman like Kyra, especially when he sees her in action hustling a pool game. Kyra is a hustler, a con artist who travels from dinky town to dinky town in her Mercury Marquis looking for the next score. Krya lives for the action, much like her father did. But it got her father killed and Kyra is not sure how much longer she can stay in the game. When Reyes comes to her aid, she decides to take him along for the ride. She thinks they will have one hot night together in a squeaky motel room bed and that will be it. What she doesn’t know is that Reyes is a hard man to outwit and he won’t allow Kyra to skip out on him.

When Reyes tracks down Kyra again, she is wary but there is something about him that makes her want to keep him. Not only can she touch him without draining her energy because of a secret, special ability she has that helps her with her cons, but she feels safe around him. She decides to make him her partner until she has had enough of the game and wants to drive off into the sunset. As Reyes gets to know the enigma Kyra is, he wouldn’t mind going off in the sunset with her also. He just has to figure out a way to keep her alive as well as find a way to tell her he was hired to snuff her out.

Talk about a book where you can feel the heat coming off the pavement! Skin Game is a thrilling read with a touch of paranormal, suspense and a steamy romance that will have you panting. The chemistry between Reyes and Kyra is hotter than hot. I knew things were going to be oh so good the moment Kyra asks Reyes what he wants with her and he thinks how great it would be to have her up against a wall.

Because Ava Gray has such a talent writing great character interaction, Skin Game excels in so many ways. The majority of the time the reader is witness to Kyra and Reyes on the road driving, playing their cons or just eating. This may seem boring, but because Ms. Gray is able to expand on these actions, the reader can’t help but stay interested. Ms. Gray brings out such interesting quirks in regards to these two such as Kyra’s love of fast food and Reyes desire to protect Kyra and make sure she finds happiness in such simple things such as him making a homemade meal for her. There is nothing sexier than a man that can cook.

Even though Reyes and Kyra have made such an impression on me, there are other secondary characters to take note of. Serrano is a sad man so obsessed with power that it almost ruins him. He doesn’t realize that he is being played and played well by Addison Foster, the security chief for his casino. Foster is one of the biggest mysteries in Skin Game. He has deep rooted secrets and may or may not have an ability much like Kyra has. His ambiguity will have readers wondering what his reasons are for the things that he does. Foster’s story, Skin Tight will be out next summer, where he battles wits with Kyra’s dearest friend Mia Sauter, who is also introduced in Skin Game and has some interesting interactions with Foster.

For those who don’t know, Ava Gray is also known as Ann Aguirre who writes outstanding science fiction as well as urban fantasy books. Her skills at writing a taut masterful tale have become well known, and as Ava Gray she has definitely done that here with Skin Game. (less)

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Oct 22, 2009 Mandi Schreiner rated it 5 of 5 stars

Sexy.

This is the sexiest book I have read this year. From the first line, "Kyra held the guy's balls in the palm of her hand. Literally." I was hooked. Ava Gray, aka Ann Aguirre, has written a book that blends romance and action into the sexiest thing out there.

Kyra is a con artist that can steal people's best abilities. Take the first quote from above for example. She is at a bar playing pool and not doing well, and that is not a lie, she truly sucks at pool. However, she walks by the man who i...more

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Dec 14, 2009 Kathrynn rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fans of Romantic Suspense

Recommended to Kathrynn by: Shawna Razzaz

Shelves: romance-suspense, theme-hint_of_mystical, own, series-skin_gray, 2009, hot, reviewed, theme-assassin, theme-catch_a_thief, theme-psychic_abilities

Great characters and super plot made Skin Game a pleasure to read. The setting ranged from Las Vegas, Texas, New Mexico, South Dakota and a few other stops (Louisiana). Initially, I felt the author was geographically challenged. It was odd, but I re-read it and from Las Vegas to Louisiana, then to Texas and New Mexico. That would have worked had they come from Atlantic City, so who knows what happened. Other than that, nice writing, fast moving plot--until the end that was bogged down with munda...more

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Aug 31, 2010 Lady Danielle aka The Book Huntress rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fans of dark and edgy romantic suspense

Shelves: assassin, bad-girl-heroine, romantic-suspense, paranormal-romance, owned-copy, fugitive, criminal, favorites, favorite-or-autobuy-author, antihero, noir-romance, heroine-i-loved, hero-to-die-for, road-romance, interracial-romance, latino-hero-or-love-interest, native-american, thief, scary-sexy-cool-dangerous-hero

Ever watch a movie and wonder, 'What if the villain ran off with the femme fatale?' Then you might like this book. I sure did. I love dark romance. Sometimes I ask myself why I enjoy seeing the dark side of this genre, not depravity and kinky deeds, cheating heroes, and bickering, but heroes and heroines who are more like antiheroes and villains, who find love and their happy ever after. I think it's my unassailable belief that love does conquer all. Like Fox Murder, I really want to believe.

Av...more Ever watch a movie and wonder, 'What if the villain ran off with the femme fatale?' Then you might like this book. I sure did. I love dark romance. Sometimes I ask myself why I enjoy seeing the dark side of this genre, not depravity and kinky deeds, cheating heroes, and bickering, but heroes and heroines who are more like antiheroes and villains, who find love and their happy ever after. I think it's my unassailable belief that love does conquer all. Like Fox Murder, I really want to believe.

Ava Gray has written an excellent offering for those of us with a taste for the noir. In this book, we have a heroine who lives for the next con, moving from town to town, and relieving fools of their money, feeling no remorse about it. But, at least she only takes money from those she thinks deserves it. On her tail is a hero who kills people for a living. Yes, an assassin. Like Kyra, he plys his trade on those who he feels deserves killing. Now, to like this story you have to be willing to read about people who are morally flexible, or at least, those have a different view of morality than the norm. I think that Ms. Gray brought these characters to life in such a manner that I could feel enough respect and empathy for them that their dark ways didn't offend me. I admit, I don't like the idea of stealing for a living. But, Kyra managed to be a heroine that I could like, although I didn't always agree with the choices she made. She had her own sense of honor, which endeared her to me.

I freely admit that I am intrigued by the idea of an assassin hero or heroine. Don't ask me why. It's morbid, but there is an appeal to seeing what motivates them to do what they do. Reyes is probably one of my favorite assassin heroes so far. He truly believes that he does a service to the world. The only reason he took Kyra's contract was because he was decieved into believing she was a bad person who needed killing. Fairly soon after he takes up with her as her apprentice in the con game world, he comes to realize that she's not the person he'd been led to believe she was.

Both Kyra and Reyes struck me as intensely lonely and somewhat sad characters. After Kyra's father was murdered, she had no one (other than her friend Mia), and lived a lonely life, seeking only the sexual satisfaction of one night stands as she travels. Although she's suspicious of Reyes at first, she ends up taking him into her solitary world, and falling for him.

Their first intimate encounter is all about lust, but Ms. Gray turns things around, allowing us to see a somewhat slow-building, and in some ways, innocent courtship between these two lonely people. They both start to hope that they have found someone who they can possibly love. However, Reyes knows he's on borrowed time. He has a job to perform. His reputation is built on always completing his kills. He doesn't want to kill Kyra, but he doesn't see a way around it. I found this a little disturbing that even halfway through the book, Reyes was still contemplating killing Kyra. I think that was a brave move on Ms. Gray's part. I held my breath, hoping that Reyes would realize that he couldn't hurt Kyra, because he loved her. Soon, this dangerous man turns his formidable skills to protecting the woman he has been hired to kill.

Skin Game is more suspense than action. I liked the fact that we were able to see the viewpoints of various characters: Kyra and Reyes; the fascinating Addison Foster, who is the security head for the man who wants Kyra dead; Mia, Kyra's friend; and Serrano, the man that Kyra used, humilated, and stole millions of dollars from, who will stop at nothing to see her dead to save his face. It gave a greater depth to this dark story, turning this book into noir romance for the thinking woman.

Skin Game is as gritty as it gets. It has some moments that made me wince a few times, as Kyra and Reyes have to deal with some enemies they make along the way. The love scenes are hot and earthy, and the love between Kyra and Reyes was believable and deep. I truly enjoyed reading this story. I was sucked into this dark tale with a silver lining. I wouldn't want to live the kinds of lives that Kyra and Reyes lead, but I liked the fact that they were able to find each other and hope for the future. They didn't really get the best hands in the poker game of life, but they managed to play a killer game with the ones they are dealt. I like the idea that even in the dark, there are those who do have motivations that show some degree of honor. Skin Game couldn't have been an easy book to write, but Ms. Gray did it very well. This one goes on my keeper shelf.
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Apr 03, 2011 Jan rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: romance, z-2011, paranormal-romance

Ok.
I found this book hard to rate, because there was a lot I really loved about it, but somehow now that I've finished it I still feel hungry for something more.

Ann Agguirre (I'm firmly against authors using pen names when they aren't disguising the fact that they are the same person. And definitely in situations like this, where I can't really see a reason for the need of another name - but I'm derailing), Ann Agguirre writes great characters.

Just like in the Sirantha Jax series, which is a fav...more

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Jul 24, 2010 Alisha rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Anyone looking for a PnR that's a bit light on the paranormal aspect.

Recommended to Alisha by: Mandi (SmexyBooks.com) ...you sold me!

Oh hells yeah. A fantastic, FUN read....

This book had a perfect balance of just about everything...sweet romance, mystery, action, suspense, and of course good ole' hawt lovin! There are about 4 different perspective threads that are followed...the hero and heroine (assassin Reyes, and his intended target Kyra), mysterious dude Foster, and Foster's ruthless employer (and guy-who-wants-Kyra-dead) Gerard Seranno.

Sometimes with books that have multiple plot threads featured by multiple "voices" the...more

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Mar 28, 2011 TheBookVixen rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2009, c-b

Insanely delicious. That is what comes to mind when I think of Skin Game. I couldn't put the book down and when I had to (because life gets in the way sometimes), all I could think about was what was going to happen next with Kyra and Reyes. When I was about 100 pages away from the end, all I thought about the whole entire day was this book! I had left off at a bit of a cliffhanger and when I was finally able to pick up where I left off and finish, I felt complete.

Kyra is a sexy, self sufficient...more Insanely delicious. That is what comes to mind when I think of Skin Game. I couldn't put the book down and when I had to (because life gets in the way sometimes), all I could think about was what was going to happen next with Kyra and Reyes. When I was about 100 pages away from the end, all I thought about the whole entire day was this book! I had left off at a bit of a cliffhanger and when I was finally able to pick up where I left off and finish, I felt complete.

Kyra is a sexy, self sufficient woman. She is a con artist by trade, taught by her father. She's been on her own since her dad was killed. She sought revenge on the man that was responsible and did a kick-ass job of hitting him where it hurts (his pockets and his ego). Now she's on the run knowing he'll send his men after her. She has the ability to "borrow" a person's talent, for an unknown amount of time, by a simple touch. She usually uses the talent against the owner, which comes in handy when she's doing a con. It even works when she gets herself in a pickle and needs to fight her way out. She first meets Reyes after hustling her way through a game of billiards.

Reyes is a rough, hands-on (in more ways than one) type of guy. He was contracted by Kyra's ex-fiance, Gerald Serrano, to capture Kyra, find the money and bring her back to Serrano. He's one of the best and has the track record to prove it. It takes him a while to find Kyra but when he does, it's instant attraction.

It's been a few days since I've finished reading Skin Game and it's still fresh on my mind. I can't stop thinking about the sexual chemistry between Kyra and Reyes. They know how to heat things up under the sheets. A book that I thoroughly enjoyed is one that stays with me. And Skin Game definitely falls into that category.

Skin Game is full of action, adventure and sexual energy right from the start. Ava Gray wastes no time capturing your attention. This book is action-packed from the get-go. Be warned, this book is so hot, it'll leave a burn mark on your shelf!

Next books in the series are: Skin Tight (June 2010), Skin Privilege and Skin Dive.

You can find this review, and many more, on my blog The Book Vixen.(less)

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Oct 24, 2009 Melindeeloo rated it 4 of 5 stars

Original premise and a nice amount of steam, makes for a captivating read in Gray's first foray into paranormal romance

Though Kyra's keeping the scams small now, it's the flashy con Kyra pulled against the Vegas casino owner Gerard Serrano, her ex-'fiancé', as revenge for killing her dad which may get Kyra killed. Having suffered a loss of face, Serrano takes out a hit against the women who stole his money and his heart. It doesn't take assassin Reyes long to find Kyra, but since the Serrano wa...more

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Aug 05, 2010 Cynthia (aka Artemis) rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Anyone

Recommended to Cynthia by: Laurie (Bitten by Paranormal Romance)

Shelves: favorites, paranormal-romance, suspense, own

Wow! This one has it all: Contemporary, paranormal, suspense, and romance. All thrown in together, agitated and laid bare for your enjoyment.

Contemporary: Kyra is a top-notch con artist who travels the back road bars plying her skills.
Paranormal: Kyra's special gift is the power to steal the most prominent ability of any person she touches. (It reminds me of Rogue from the X-Men.) Unfortunately, the acquired ability only lasts for a short time and Kyra never knows how long that will be.
Suspense:...more

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Jan 16, 2011 Mojca rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Mojca by: Shawna

Shelves: ava-gray-ann-aguirre, bodyguard-military-merc-gov-cop-leo, paranormal-romance-fantasy, suspense-mystery-adventure-thriller, part-of-a-series, e-book, cover-hunkiness, romance-101-reading-challenge, rrrc-1st-reading-tournament, hb, own

This book started so slow it was almost a DNF for me, but since I'm a pretty stubborn reader, I stuck with it. Boy am I glad I did, because it turned out pretty great.

I love me some darkness in my books, especially when it comes to the hero. And an assassin as a hero is as dark as it could get. I love the fact Ms. Gray made him a noble assassin, killing only those that deserved it, but he was still an assassin and as far away from the noble hero as possible. And I absolutely loved him for it. Al...more

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Jul 11, 2010 MaggieReadsRom rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites-2009, romantic-suspense, paranormal

4,75 stars

I won this ARC on Ann Aguirre’s (Ava Gray’s alter ego) blog and I think it’s safe to say that it’s the best win of this year, even if we still have 2 months left to go. I can’t imagine another book having the impact on me this one had. Despite having the books by Ava Gray’s alter ego on my shelf this was the first taste of her writing for me and it definitely tastes like more. If I were asked to describe SKIN GAME in one word, it would be: compelling. It’s the first word that came to m...more 4,75 stars

I won this ARC on Ann Aguirre’s (Ava Gray’s alter ego) blog and I think it’s safe to say that it’s the best win of this year, even if we still have 2 months left to go. I can’t imagine another book having the impact on me this one had. Despite having the books by Ava Gray’s alter ego on my shelf this was the first taste of her writing for me and it definitely tastes like more. If I were asked to describe SKIN GAME in one word, it would be: compelling. It’s the first word that came to mind and it describes this book perfectly. SKIN GAME sucked me in, slowly and surely it got under my skin and didn’t want to let me go. Even now a few weeks after finished it and even though I don’t do re-reads, ever, I am certain this book will be re-read and maybe multiple times even.

Ava Gray’s writing really resonates with me, she penned down a mixture of romance and suspense with a sarcastic and raw undertone that worked wonderfully. She’s an admirable storyteller and a most talented writer. The way she builds up the setting and the plot, using a perfect combination of descriptions, dialogues and emotions is astounding. She doesn’t dumb down the language and regularly uses movies references, which I loved and they were never disturbing or annoying but rather fitting the rest of the book. There is never any question to what her meaning or purpose is with the language and references. The writing, the characters, the plot and the pace all conspired to lure me into a story that worked for me on so many levels I am still amazed at it. The reader has information the characters don’t have and knows the basics of the plot but still I was very curious as to where it was going and how certain things were going to pan out.

One of the things I undoubtedly liked about SKIN GAME were the characters, from the main couple, Kyra and Reyes, to secondary characters as Mia and Foster, to the villain Gerard Serrano, they were all exceptionally portrayed and developed. Next to the dialogues, the characters are a major strong point in Gray’s writing. Let’s face it, an author who names her hero Porfirio Ten-Bears Reyes and manages to make me forget that outrageous name and focus on the amazing character he is, deserves to be praised for that.

SKIN GAME swept me away to a world of suspense, intrigue and on top of that I got a story of raw passion between two people so alike that they are perfect for each other. I loved the chemistry between Kyra and Reyes. I loved how Reyes would chase and Kyra would find ways to outwit him. I joined them on a road trip and the further their trip progressed, the more their relationship developed from assassin and target to partners in crime to lovers and soul mates. Kyra doesn’t fit in any mold. She’s a free spirit, both literally and figuratively and this is what attracts Reyes to her. Reyes tries hard to stay in control of his emotions, her and his assignment. It’s hard but he manages to fight the attraction and his feelings. This made him an even stronger character to me.

One thing puzzled me at first about Kyra and Reyes: How come Reyes got immune to Kyra’s talent? I was hoping for an explanation for it by the end of the book and when I didn’t get it, the only thing I could think of was that being in each other’s vicinity so much must have made Reyes resistant to it. I reminded myself that Kyra had always shied away from repeated contact with other people so for me this explanation is the one I’m sticking with until the author tells me otherwise. Though this had me thinking for a while, it didn’t bother me or impede me from enjoying the characters. I definitely appreciated that Kyra stayed cautious and vigilant despite her attraction and growing feelings for Reyes. It was refreshing to see that Gray doesn’t make the mistake some romance authors make of letting the heroine (or hero) spill their guts the moment their heart (or other body parts) come into play. Gray handled this part of the story excellently and it earned her some extra points.

The villain of the book, Gerard Serrano, is a paranoid and ruthless control freak. He reminded me a bit of Shannon McKenna’s villains but with a lessened “icky” factor, which made him more realistic and more believable.
Speaking of villains, let’s talk about Foster. He intrigued me from the very moment he stepped into Serrano’s office and the book. I knew from the start there was so much more to him than met the eye and he was definitely not whom he was making me believe he was. My suspicions were confirmed in a few scenes that were as tantalizing and mesmerizing, as they were confusing. Scenes that raised many questions in me, questions I hope will be answered in his own story, SKIN TIGHT, which is coming out Summer 2010. I have formed my own ideas about him, but will have to wait and see if my speculations are correct. He managed to distract me from Kyra and Reyes and that was quite an achievement as they aren’t characters that can be easily surpassed. I fell for Foster from the start and have no doubt my fan club membership is a lifelong one.

Even though SKIN GAME is labeled and being marketed as paranormal romance (for obvious and understandable reasons), in my opinion, it belongs in the romantic suspense section of the romance genre and takes a special and unique place within it. As some may know I am a big fan of romantic suspense and this was romantic suspense as it’s meant to be: compelling, mind-blowing, excellently set up without the fluffy embellishments of unnecessary action or missions impossible. It’s raw and candid writing that allowed complicated emotions to come through loud and clear. It’s wonderfully written with a perfect pace, excellent character development and an intriguing plot. This is one of those books you don’t want to end and yet you can’t stop reading so you try to drag it out to make it last as long as you can. I really didn’t want to reach the end because I knew I would have to leave this amazing story and the intricate characters Kyra, Reyes and Foster turned out to be, behind. I am more than ready for the next installment in this series and that’s not just because Foster will be the hero of it.

SKIN GAME is very good read for readers who appreciate romantic suspense with paranormal elements and a perfect must-read for those of us craving unembellished writing, raw action and strong characters that you need to peel through their layers to get to their cores.(less)

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Feb 03, 2013 Elayne rated it 4 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this first book in the Skin series. Kyra has a unique talent, if she touches someone she steals their particular skill for a short time, which makes for some exceptional cons. When she makes a fool of Serrano, a very rich owner of a casino, amongst other things, in vegas, she becomes his number one enemy. His unsavoury life puts him in connection with the best contract killers in the business, the best being Reyes. When Reyes catches up with Kyra his plan is to get her to trust him so...more

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Oct 28, 2012 Anja rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I read the summary and immediately thought that I wanna read it, but when I started the book I thought the story would be different. I thought we would read exactly about Kyras coup against Serrano, but we started directly with Reyes getting close to her. To be honest I was skeptical , because I wasn't sure how you could fill so many pages with him getting close to her. Well, it was a bit too slow for me how the story progressed, but it didn't bore me as it usually does when a book appeared to s...more

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Mar 05, 2012 Anna rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance

To have a romance between a con artist and a hitman is a daring choice, but from all the buzz I've been seeing about this book, I'm not the only one this really works for. Kyra and Reyes are delightfully human and wonderfully strong characters, and both of them try to make sure they use their skills according to their morals, only hitting targets who deserve to be taken. Even better, it's a lot of fun to watch them work both with and against each other, since they're pretty evenly matched and ha...more To have a romance between a con artist and a hitman is a daring choice, but from all the buzz I've been seeing about this book, I'm not the only one this really works for. Kyra and Reyes are delightfully human and wonderfully strong characters, and both of them try to make sure they use their skills according to their morals, only hitting targets who deserve to be taken. Even better, it's a lot of fun to watch them work both with and against each other, since they're pretty evenly matched and have this amazing chemistry.

It's also really nice to see Kyra's abilities tempered with disadvantages; for one thing, her talent thefts are only temporary, and she has no idea how long they'll last. For another, she can't touch anyone without stealing their strongest talent, which limits the physical contact she can have with other people. And worst of all, if she touches too many people, takes too many talents in a short period of time, she pays for it with debilitating headaches. I love touches like this, things the keep "superpowered" characters from becoming too powerful, that keep them firmly in the human box with the rest of us. Sure, Kyra can temporarily be an expert on just about anything if she comes across the right person, but it's not always pleasant, and once it's over, that ability is gone as though she'd never had it.

The plot is lovely and layered, the sort of thing where you have to keep reading because you really need to know the answers to questions only hinted at. The story also hints that Kyra is not the only one gifted with special abilities, and since this is the first of a contracted four books, it looks like there'll be plenty of room to explore the possibilities. Which is a good thing, because Kyra herself doesn't seem to know many of the whys and wherefores behind her talent thefts, and the reason for her one-person exception to being able to touch without repercussions is driving me nuts. Being familiar with the author's work, I trust not only that there is a reason, but it will be explored later in the series, but had this been my first venture into her writing, it would have been the type of thing to stick in my craw.

Alright, enough gushing. I think it's pretty clear by now I really enjoyed the book, and am looking forward to the second in the series, Skin Tight, which delves more deeply into some very interesting secondary characters. If you haven't given Ava Gray a chance yet, do it! Do it now!(less)

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Aug 19, 2011 Ainslie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-romance

I found the link to Ann Aguirre's romances under her pseudonym of Ava Gray on Aguirre's website, and thought I'd just take a little look to see what they were like. After reading the somewhat more genre-typical free short story on the Ava Gray site (which I found nonetheless enjoyable--most especially due to the refreshing lack of the ubiquitous simpering virgin), and reading the blurb on this book, I came away with the impression that they would be more along the lines of the standard kind of f...more I found the link to Ann Aguirre's romances under her pseudonym of Ava Gray on Aguirre's website, and thought I'd just take a little look to see what they were like. After reading the somewhat more genre-typical free short story on the Ava Gray site (which I found nonetheless enjoyable--most especially due to the refreshing lack of the ubiquitous simpering virgin), and reading the blurb on this book, I came away with the impression that they would be more along the lines of the standard kind of fluffy bodice-rippers, and didn't expect to particularly enjoy them since I don't tend to read a great many genre romance books. However, I thought I might just give them a try, since I've been so impressed in general by Aguirre's writing which a friend introduced me to just recently. In the main, I tend to prefer it where the romance is an element of the story rather than the main storyline, so my expectations weren't all that high. I also figured the backgrounds of the couple would have little or no bearing on the storyline, serving as more of a "setting" then anything else, as is often the case in the romance genre. Boy, was I WRONG on all counts!

The romance in this book is seemlessly interwoven with a strong plot and isn't merely comprised, as is so often the case, of a series of sex scenes somewhat sketchily linked together by an ill-defined and poorly exectuted storyline. The characters are well drawn, completely off the beaten track, and within the normal confines of fiction, completely believable. While the main characters have less than socially acceptable occupations, they still, fortunately, have principles, and this makes them considerably more acceptable. I think Aguirre achieved a nice balance between realism and the reader's need to empathise.

There isn't a lot of world building (other than the type of detail necessary to establish the lifestyle of hitmen and other assorted unsavoury and unscrupulous characters, such as corrupt businessmen), but I'd have to say that I don't think it's necessary either. That isn't the focus, and the small amount of the paranormal serves here as an interesting extra dimension to the storyline, rather than overpowering it. The action scenes are edgy and gritty, with just enough realism to almost put me off. But not quite...

As far as the romance goes, if you are looking for something completely different, then try this book. While there is a certain amount of instant sexual attraction between the main characters, they don't immediately avow instant love or eternal devotion. Their relationship develops slowly and believably over the course of the book, and while because of the nature of the plot you can see the problems coming, they are an entirely natural progression, and still serve to highten the tension and move the story along. The sex scenes are good in my opinion.

Full marks to Ava Gray/Ann Aguirre. I'm off to read the next one!(less)

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May 29, 2011 Sam rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: everyone who loves a well written book!its tht good!

Recommended to Sam by: frnds:)

Shelves: best-books-ever-read, hot-books-with-alpha-heroes

wow what a fantastic read!!!...i loved the previews and synopsis..dunno y it took me so long to start this. Now i dun give 5 stars lightly and even lesser books make it to my best books ever shelf but kudos to Ms. Gray for delivering such a refreshingly dark and different book with the same assasin hero plotline so many othr books have. The difference hre was the plot with the hint of super natural...the mysterious intriguing and oh so intresting secondary chracters and the Heroine. Fantastic he...more

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May 26, 2011 Kathryn rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-romance, urban-fantasy, erotica

Ann Aguirre is one of my favorite urban fantasy/science fiction authors so I was pleasantly surprised to learn she also writes paranormal romance under the pseudonym Ava Gray. Skin Game is the first book of the Skin series and thankfully there are others already published so I do not need to wait around. I'm already waiting on 2 Aguirre series and when I break down and read Enclave, it will be three series by one author, so I am understandably happy about not having to wait around for the next t...more

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May 17, 2011 Wendy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Hooked me right from the first sentence! Not only is this book hot and steamy, but it's non-stop action. Okay, so the summary definitely doesn't do this book justice...if I hadn't read a first chapter preview from another book, I would have thought it was just another one of those all sex and sucky storyline erotica. Well it's definitely got a great storyline, though it does have a predictable ending.

Kyra has a special ability, which enables her to siphon anyone's best talent/skills with a touc...more

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Mar 04, 2011 Megan rated it 4 of 5 stars

I picked up this book because of the cover. I was looking for some scorching sex scenes with just enough plot that I didn't feel like I was reading a Porno... BUT that was not what I got. Not at all. Don't get me wrong there are some very hot sex scenes in this book, but the best part is the story and the characters. It was like a paranormal romance for those who are done with Vampires, Werewolves, Fae, and Happily Ever After. I really liked the concept of the main character (Kyra) being able to...more

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Sep 26, 2010 Jane Stewart rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contempry-paranorm-romantic-suspens

Wonderful character and relationship development. There was only one paranormal talent in the story, but it was good.

STORY BRIEF:
Kyra has a talent. When she touches someone, she gains their strongest ability, and they lose it (temporarily). She keeps their ability for one or more hours, but she can‘t predict how long she will have it. Examples of the talents she gains are pool player, dart thrower, martial arts fighter, and piano player. If she touches two or more people within the same evening,...more Wonderful character and relationship development. There was only one paranormal talent in the story, but it was good.

STORY BRIEF:
Kyra has a talent. When she touches someone, she gains their strongest ability, and they lose it (temporarily). She keeps their ability for one or more hours, but she can‘t predict how long she will have it. Examples of the talents she gains are pool player, dart thrower, martial arts fighter, and piano player. If she touches two or more people within the same evening, she will get severe headaches – overload. Using her talent, she makes a living hustling people. She has never had a relationship with a man due to the touch problem. She was raised by her father who was a small time con man. They lived on the road. One day, her father tried a con at a casino. The casino owner Gerard had him beaten to death. For revenge, Kyra conned Gerard into falling in love with her. She publicly humiliated him by using the engagement ring he gave her to win $3 million at his gaming tables. She then flaunted in front of a casino camera that she was leaving him. Someone put the video of her taunt on YouTube. Gerard was in a rage and wanted her dead. He had his chief of security Foster hire a hit man to find her, find the money, and then kill her. Foster hired Rey. Rey pretended to be a drifter and helped Kyra in a couple of cons. The first time she touched him, she gained his martial arts abilities. But subsequent touching had no effect. For the first time, she could touch someone without consequences. She offered him a job helping her with cons, and he accepted.

REVIEWER’S OPINION:
I wasn’t chuckling or laughing, but it was good, solid writing. I liked Kyra’s talent. It’s different. I’ve not read anything quite like it before. I enjoyed how she obtained and used the powers. Don’t expect a lot of paranormal in this book. Her talent was the only paranormal element, but that wasn’t a problem for me. It was good. There was wonderful character and relationship development with Kyra and Rey. My only disappointment was that Kyra held a grudge too long and didn’t forgive Rey when I thought she should have. He clearly showed trustworthiness and love, but she wouldn’t buy it. I think the author wanted to prolong their conflict for awhile. I didn’t like it, but the rest of the story was good. Very feel good ending.

Toward the end of the book I found myself fascinated with the character Foster. I wanted to know his back story, why he did what he did, and what he would do next. I was hoping to get some answers before the book was over. I did not get those answers. But I was ok, because I learned the story of Foster and Mia is in the sequel “Skin Tight” (available in June, 2010). A preview of “Skin Tight” is in the back of this book. I hope the sequel goes in depth with Foster and satisfies.

DATA:
Story length: 294 pages. Swearing language: strong, including religious words. Sexual language: strong. Number of sex scenes: 6. Total number of sex scene pages: around 18. Setting: current day mostly various places in the U.S., plus St. Moritz, Switzerland, and Budapest, Hungary. Copyright: 2009. Genre: contemporary paranormal romantic suspense.(less)

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Aug 13, 2010 Has rated it 5 of 5 stars

When a book starts off with the heroine holding a guy’s crown jewels literally in her hands — and not the way that you are all probably thinking – I knew I would be in for a real memorable treat of a read. And throughout my marathon reading session, I certainly wasn’t disappointed.

Kyra Beckwith is a con woman and is on the run after publicly fleecing and conning a dangerous mobster, Gerard Serrano, in Las Vegas. Kyra acted in revenge for her father’s murder, which Serrano was responsible, and fo...more When a book starts off with the heroine holding a guy’s crown jewels literally in her hands — and not the way that you are all probably thinking – I knew I would be in for a real memorable treat of a read. And throughout my marathon reading session, I certainly wasn’t disappointed.

Kyra Beckwith is a con woman and is on the run after publicly fleecing and conning a dangerous mobster, Gerard Serrano, in Las Vegas. Kyra acted in revenge for her father’s murder, which Serrano was responsible, and for the thrill of it. Kyra also has an ability which helps her gain an advantage in her con tricks. Each time she touches someone she gains their leading talent or ability which can be useful to turn against a prospective con victim. But her ability comes with a cost; it leaves her weak, as well as suffering from painful headaches. And if she is touched upon by more than one person, Kyra is overwhelmed and incapacitated. So because of this, she rarely touches anyone or has close relationships due to the painful physical and mental psychic feedback from her touch talent.

However, Serrano does not let Kyra get away with his public humiliation. He hires Reyes, a hitman, to kill her and to retrieve his money. Kyra is hard to trace but when Reyes finally catches up with her, he finds it difficult to fulfil his orders to kill. This becomes more difficult as he starts to discover that there is more to Kyra than he was initially told about. As he gets to know her, he realizes that this contract may not be as clear cut as it seems.

Skin Game is a multi-layered tale of cat and mouse between Kyra and Reyes, who immediately ignite sparks off of each other. Kyra, who is unaware of his true agenda, shares a steamy one night stand with Reyes but manages to slip away unnoticed. Although Kyra slips away, Reyes tracks her down and they both agree to become partners when a con Kyra instigates goes awry, and both of them go on the road to do small time hustles. The battle of wits and wills between Reyes and Kyra was fantastic to see as it really added to to the sexual and emotional tension between them. I loved how disconcerted Reyes became, especially since he was initially cold and detached yet had a charming persona. But his interactions with Kyra cracks his defensive shell and he finds that he is showing her his true self, which affects his mission to kill her.

Kyra is also affected because this is the first time that a man has managed to get close to her and she realises that that she is becoming emotionally as well as physically involved. She realises that her ability doesn’t affect her negatively, and physically while she is with him, and it is the first time she can explore on having a real relationship.
I really loved how both characters, who had strong emotional and psychological defences against the world, and themselves, were able to connect with each other. That definitely added a much needed vulnerable layer to the romance, since both characters do not fit the typical hero/heroine. Kyra initially appeared unlike-able because she is a con-artist, in addition to having a devil-may-care attitude, and Reyes as a hitman, but Ava Gray has created two characters who are multidimensional and very likeable who have issues and experiences that adds to their characterizations. This makes them feel more real and relatable, and I was fully engrossed with their romance. I was especially a little in love with Reyes – who I think is one of the best intriguing heroes I have read in a while and is very reminiscent of a Linda Howard hero: Dangerous memorable and sexy.

Another stand out character was Foster, who is central to the suspense, twists and turns in the plot. He is very mysterious and from the little tidbits that I gleaned from the book has become one of the most unique characters I have come across. If I thought Reyes was dark and dangerous, I have a feeling he has nothing on Foster – who I think will become a very popular character. I cannot wait for his book: Skin Tight, which comes out later next year, to see how his romance with Mia (Kyra’s best friend who is also introduced in this book) pans out.

Like all of Ann Aguirre’s books; this was a very gritty, realistic and fast paced read which is fast becoming her trademark. I loved how she conveyed the extraordinary as real and believable as possible – which is similar in feel to her Corine Soloman series. Skin Game is a clever build up of suspense, and tension with memorable well drawn out characters. And it was one of those books you close with a sigh and a smile (and if my ARC had the cover: Strokable). If you are not a fan of Contemporary suspense, I would highly recommend you pick this up because I really think this book will be a breakout hit this year, and will definitely become a fan favourite.

I give Skin Game 5 out of 5 (I would add more if I could! Loved it!)(less)

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Aug 06, 2010 gert rated it 5 of 5 stars

ok, i LOVED this book. i want this book to reproduce itself and create 1,398 other books just like it. seriously. that said, i recognize that this book is NOT one size fit all.

the hero and heroine are not "good" people. they each have a code of honour, absolutely, but they do bad things without a hint of guilt. so if you are uncomfortable with your heroine being someone who would kill in revenge (which she does) then do not purchase this book.

but, if like me, you enjoy imagining living life on...more

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May 08, 2010 Robin rated it 5 of 5 stars

I'm not sure who recommended this book to me, and that is too bad because I need to get more of their recs!

I'm a sucker for hot assassin, so when I picked up this book I had all kind of expectations. I was hoping it would turn out well, because there is nothing worse than dashed hopes, right? Turns out, I had nothing to worry about. The characters in Skin Game are all well drawn, fleshed out, and interesting. No two dimensional place holders in this book, everyone has a purpose and is given a p...more

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Nov 24, 2009 Kay rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance, 2009

I found it easy to set aside this book. Overall, it was an okay read; it just wasn't for me. I prefer the books by the author's alter ego, Ann Aguirre.

I think Gray did acheive what she set out to do in this book: she created criminal characters who most readers will want to read about and root for. Very Bonnie and Clyde-ish. I just don't like wanting good things for bad people. Kyra, the heroine, is a con artist who is able to steal a person's best talent. She uses this ability to work cons - wi...more

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May 21, 2013 MK rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-f, superpowers

This is the first book in the skin series and features Kyra and Reyes. Kyra, who runs from the mobster who she swindles money from using her powers, and Reyes, the one task to get that money and kill her if necessary. This also introduces Foster, an enigma who has his own agenda, and Mia, Kyra's friend.

The first one that I noticed is that there are no explanation where her powers come from. It's just supposed to be there since she was a teenager. I wish that the author will ponder more on explai...more

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Sep 20, 2012 Anorielt rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Erster Satz: Kyra hatte den Kerl bei den Eiern.

Aus einem bestimmten Punkt komme ich gleich zum Punkt: Gefährliche Berührung ist ein gutes Buch das sicher sehr viele Leser mitreißen wird. Der Schreibstil ist flüssig, das Buch lässt sich schnell lesen und zum Ende hin wird es immer spannender.

Mich konnte es leider nicht mitreißen oder begeistern. Im Gegenteil, ich war froh als ich endlich durch war, was keinesfalls daran liegt das der erste Skin Game Band schlecht wäre. Er war nur einfach nichts...more

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Jan 02, 2012 Michelle (MsRomanticReads) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: a-keeper, worth-re-reading, contemporary, favorites, january-2012, kickass-heroine, romance, suspense, hitman-assassins-mercenaries, hh-on-the-run, 2012

My first book of 2012 and I wasn't disappointed.

Kyra is a con artist, and she loves what she does. She has been groomed for it by her father ever since she was a little girl. One of her greatest assets is her ability to absorb another person's abilities for a short time by mere touch. Her biggest coup was making the powerful and rich casino owner, Gerald Serrano fall in love with her before she relieved him of three million dollars and humiliated him professionally and emotionally. Now he's mad...more
My first book of 2012 and I wasn't disappointed.

Kyra is a con artist, and she loves what she does. She has been groomed for it by her father ever since she was a little girl. One of her greatest assets is her ability to absorb another person's abilities for a short time by mere touch. Her biggest coup was making the powerful and rich casino owner, Gerald Serrano fall in love with her before she relieved him of three million dollars and humiliated him professionally and emotionally. Now he's mad and aims to get even. How does a ruthless thug get even? He hires a hit man to hunt her down and make her disappear, permanently.

Reyes is a tough, dangerous guy with a mysterious past. He makes people disappear for a living, but only those who really deserve it. His latest mark is Kyra. The intel he has received on her paints her as a conniving bitch who not only stole money from her ex-fiance, but also killed her own father. In his eyes, she's just another job. When he finally catches up with her, her persona doesn't quite add up to the information he was given about her.

In a nutshell, this story features a heroine on the run and a hero who was hired to track her down and kill her. Of course lust turns to love before the truth is revealed behind the circumstances of their meeting. I kept wondering in the back of my mind how those two were going to end up together with such a heavy betrayal looming over their heads. I thought the story flowed nicely and believably in regards to the advancement of their relationship. Their chemistry was off the charts, and it left a blazing trail from beginning to end. We find out mostly everything we need to know about Kyra and her past, but not so much where Reyes is concerned, which was a little disappointing (only because I'm curious as hell and want to know everything about a character).

One of the side characters, Foster, is equally as mysterious. We are given little bits of information about him, but we don't find out until the end whether he's really a good guy or a bad guy.

All in all, I give this five stars because of the suspense, the plot, the very likeable H/H and the fact that I couldn't put the book down. This story was gritty, dirty, and oh so good.(less)

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Oct 13, 2011 Melanie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, ava-gray, paranormal-romance, rom-suspense, favorites, hey-look-what-i-can-do, library, genetically-engineered, badass-hero

4.5-5 stars. I really liked this book - it was dark, edgy, and hot. I'm actually surprised by the relatively low GR rating (less than 4?!) - I guess a romance about two criminal types (one a professional con-artist and the other an assassin for hire) just doesn't appeal to everybody... but hey, I figure even bad guys deserve a HEA.
While Kyra and Reyes aren't your typical hero/heroine types, they weren't inherently evil - merely a product of their respective upbringings and what life had thrown a...more

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Jun 14, 2010 Catherine rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, fantasy-paranormal-sci-fi, romance, series, assassin-killer-bounty-hunter, con-artist, read-2010, hot, on-the-run

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. These protagonists were pretty unique. The hero is an assassin and the heroine is a con artist. Both are totally fine with their choices and don't wish to change. That right there is a rare quality. Usually if a character like that is written they secretly hate themselves for what they do or are forced into it and at the first opportunity they'll change their ways. That is not the case with Kyra and Reyes, thank God.

Kyra is on the run. She pissed off a very dangerous man and now he wants her dea...more

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