Release Date: April 22, 2014
Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance
Book #1 in the Hard Knocks Series
Synopsis
Good Girl. Notorious Bad-Boy. One Phenomenal Love.
From the mean streets of Detroit rises the newest superstar of professional wrestling, Xavier Cold, better known as Phenomenal X. His muscular physique makes men cower before him and woman lose their minds with desire.
Anna Cortez is fresh out of college and naive to the harsh realities of the real world. Tired of living under the thumb of her conservative family, she defies them when she accepts a job as the assistant to wrestling’s most notorious bad-boy. Phenomenal X has an animalistic nature that even good girl Anna finds hard to resist. One night forced to share a bed in a sold-out hotel, lines blur between them and they quickly learn that one lustful night changes everything and neither one of them will ever be the same.
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Review
Michelle Valentine is a gifted romance writer. She takes rockers, athletes, and even demons and couples them with strong heroines who give as good as they get. Add to that strong storylines, a diverse cast of characters, and plenty of angst and steam, and Michelle’s texts keep readers engaged from beginning to end and offer one hell of a ride along the way. Phenomenal X, her latest book, has all of these components and more, which make it a fantastic read!
Xavier Cold had to literally fight his way out of the streets of Detroit into a wrestling ring as Phenomenal X, the professional wrestler who the fans love and every woman wants. In a twist of fate, Anna Cortez, an innocent young woman looking for a fresh start away from her domineering father, ends up in X’s path where their attraction and connection is instantaneous. But as friendship turns into a working relationship and then a romantic liaison, things only get more complicated, and when you put Xavier’s demons, an out of control nemesis, and a lover scorned in the mix, bad things are bound to happen – the only question is will these complications and X’s and Anna’s differences be too much to overcome or will X’s ultimate title bout be winning and keeping Anna’s heart?
Boy is X and Anna’s relationship and personalities complicated! Both of them come from difficult pasts, and while in terms of hardships, Xavier’s is much darker, their journeys have left them scarred. Phenomenal is closed off and stone cold while Anna is a bit too self conscious and timid. But together, they’re better. Anna sees the good in Xavier while all he sees is a monster who will hurt her. She makes it her mission to show him he’s good enough, and he’s worth it, and no matter how hard X fights his attraction to Anna, he can’t deny his feelings for her forever, and ultimately, when he does give in, their lives will never be the same.
The journey that Phenomenal and Anna go on in this book as individuals and as a couple is extremely well written. Readers watch as both characters experience tremendous growth, and even though there are setbacks, they keep pushing forward. The depth of these two characters evolves throughout the text, and it will be interesting to see what Michelle has in store for them with the obstacles they now face at the end of book one.
Phenomenal X is a story about overcoming the past by fighting by whatever means necessary. It’s about the effects of self perception and finding the person who will see you for who you really are inside not for how other people or you yourself see you to be. The text has a great mix of drama, steam, and action. It’s set in the Professional Wrestling realm, but the sport is a backdrop to the storyline. It helps to move it forward and is the cause for quite a few of the complications, but X and Anna’s story moves beyond the ring where the battle is not for a title but for a life together.
I have to warn you – be ready for a cliff hanger at the end of book one, but it will be worth it to witness X and Anna’s journey both individually and as a couple.
A complimentary copy of the text was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
5 poison apples
Excerpt
After a couple quick stretches I get down on the floor and begin hammering out push-ups. Focusing on the burn in my muscles takes my mind off the pain of my emotions. This is one of the reasons I got so big to begin with. Nothing else compares to the way I feel when I work out.
Working out, and fucking women: the two things that completely take my mind off everything. And they’re my two greatest addictions.
Well, if I’m being honest, I suppose that was true once, but not now. Being with Anna takes my mind off my shitty past too. That is, until she tries to bring it up.
I know she means well, but there’s no way she can fathom how fucked up things were for me. Her life with her domineering father is child’s play next to what I dealt with. At least her parents care enough to be involved in her life.
“One hundred and twelve,” I count out loud as I keep pumping in a steady rhythm up and down, and my eyes fixate on the corner of the nightstand as I get lost in the burn.
I was doing just fine with avoiding my past, until lately. Walking away from Anna is the best thing to do. She’s fucking with my head, making me want things I know I can’t have.
I’m not normal. No mind as fucked up as mine could ever have a shot at a normal relationship. It’s not fair to her to drag her into my world.
Maybe if I just fuck her–get it over with—we’d both be able to move on. I’m just afraid if I ever get a taste of that sweetness that I’ll be a fucking goner.
I know me. Once I become addicted I won’t be able to let go, and I’ll drag her down with me. She doesn’t deserve that. She deserves more.
She deserves so much better than me.
The goodness that pours out of her lights my world up like she’s a goddamn angel. She shouldn’t want anything to do with a demon like me because I’ll taint her. What she saw tonight will most definitely cause her to hate me. I should be glad that she no longer wants anything to do with me.
But, I can’t let her go.
Not yet.
Not that easily.
I’m too selfish to do the right thing and leave her alone.
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Author Information
Michelle A. Valentine is a Central Ohio nurse turned New York Times & USA Today bestselling author of erotic and New Adult romance. Her love of hard-rock music, tattoos, and sexy musicians inspired her erotic BLACK FALCON series.
Media Links:
Website: http://www.michelleavalentine.com/
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