PHENOMENAL X
Michelle A. Valentine
Release Date: April 22, 2014
Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance
Book #1 in the Hard Knocks Series
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.
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.
(Hard Knocks #1)
by Michelle A. Valentine
ARC Review
Release: April 22, 2014
My rating: 4 of 5 ⭐️
After twenty one years of following the rules, Anna Cortez finally finds the courage to defy her father's wishes and flies off to Detroit to stay with her much more liberal aunt and cousin. Scared and excited with the prospect of starting a new life of her own design, she settles into her economy seat. But a slight mishap has the gorgeous man with the pretty eyes in first class offer her the seat next to him. Having lived in a very controlled and protected environment, Anna has no clue she has caught the eye of professional wrestling superstar, Phenomenal X.
It isn't often that Xavier Cold returns to the city he grew up in. He doesn't have very many good memories, although there are some good people in Detroit he likes to visit whenever he is back in town. A week off before he is back on with the wrestling tour and then the drive for the championship. A week he wouldn't mind spending with the gorgeous little brunette he manipulated in the seat next to him, but he knows she is not that kind of girl and he is not about to ruin her.
The attraction is almost instant but their boundaries are clear. Xavier needs an assistant and Anna needs a job, so friendship is as far as this will go. But if the week they spent getting to know each other as 'friends' wasn't enough temptation, finding themselves assigned to one and the same hotelroom due to a booking issue, was sure to push them right over the edge!!
****
Bad news is.... It's a CLIFFY!!! Good news is....There is MORE COMING!!! Yes, this is only the first book and it is open-ended, HOWEVER, it is a semi-happy ending, with a clilff-hanger twist. I know it doesn't make sense now, but if you just go out and read it, you will know exactly what I'm talking about!!
Solid writing by Michelle Valentine with an A+ for the voice of Xavier, who is sexy as sin... and can use me as his ring 'girl' any. day. of. the. week!
There were so many things I loved about Xavier. He was a big bada$$ on the outside, yet determined not to corrupt Anna, and with a soft spot a mile wide for the people who took him in when he was younger. Although he did not believe he had it in him, he showed evidence of his good character all the time. But the restraint only lasts so long, temptation ends up winning after all and once that dam is broken there is no turning back for Xavier.
Naive is a good description for Anna. And considering she hasn't been exposed to much, nor has she been away from the protection of her family, she seems to be taking some pretty careless risks. She must have tremendous faith in her instincts to take up with a notorious womanizer of questionable repute and leave the safety of family behind. Especially after her trust was already broken once. Anna was a little too meek for me, I like a bit more bite, but she is young, she might learn yet.
The heat between these two, once released is pretty intense, and even 'innocent' Anna seems to become unleashed. But there is no lack of romance either, in a very abrupt and alpha way, with occasional bouts of tenderness...... very yummy.
So we wait with baited breath for the next book to come out.....and trust me, I will read it! I have a need to find out if Anna will 'grow some lady nuggets' and I desperately want to know what will happen next. I have a feeling we have not heard the last of Anna's family, or Xavier's enemies yet. A lot more story yet to be told!!
✨A touching, juicy and fiercely intense smackdown!✨
**Copy provided in return for an honest review.***
I need a distraction before I go to the shower to jerk off while thinking about her.
I force my mind to think about my upcoming match, and after a couple of seconds my dick calms down and I’m able to function like a normal human being again.
“I won’t be long. You can take the bed. I’ll make a spot on the floor.”
She shakes her head. “Don’t be ridiculous. You have a match tomorrow, you need your rest. I’ll take the floor.”
“Anna,” I warn. “There’s no way in hell I’ll allow you to sleep on the floor.”
She sighs, knowing I won’t give in on this. “Fine. We’re both adults—we can share the bed.”
I raise my eyebrows. “You’re okay with that?”
“Of course I am, silly. We’re friends, and I trust you.” She tries to play it off as a joke to make it seem like sleeping in the same bed with me isn’t a big deal, but I know her better than that.
I want her to know she can trust me. “You don’t have to—”
“You sure?” I quiz her.
“I trust you. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t.”
“Okay then.”
I’m pretty sure I break the record for the fastest shower known to man. The idea of lying inches away from her all night sends a thrill through me. I roll my eyes at myself as I realize that I’m thinking like a fucking teenage girl excited of the possibility of touching someone I have a crush on. I scrub my hands down my face and attempt to convince myself to chill the fuck out.
I’ve got to get a handle on this thing because if this keeps up, I’m going to scare her off with my psycho obsession.
If she could ever see inside my head, she’d surely run away screaming.
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.
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