Full review to come.

I really liked Phenomenal X and couldn't wait to get my hands on Xavier Cold. I do want to state that I don't remember a lot from the first book because I read it more than a year ago.

This book was a great addition to the series. I loved seeing how both characters grew as individuals and as a couple. They were really cute together. There are some consequences to Xavier's actions (you know what he did if you read Phenomenal X). These consequences were really hard for both X and Anna. Their relationship was really tested in this book. We also get to see were Xavier comes from, I really loved the flashbacks even though some of them were heartbreaking. Anna wants more from Xavier, because he is really closed off. If this relationship is going to work Xavier needs to open up about his past. Of course this isn't easy for X to do. I loved that Anna had closure on a couple of situations as well.

I really loved that X was such an alpha but he did have some anger problems. He is very jealous and sometimes it was a bit too much for me. Also Anna annoyed me as well a couple of times, she could've handled some things differently.

Overall this book was well-written and it had a nice flow. It kept me interested throughout the book. This book was a great conclusion to X and Anna's story.

really wanted to get into this book but it is very lame the wrestling is one thing but the odd constraints that seem so forced to make drama and unnecessary and awkward and weird and it just none of it makes any sense and they cover a lot of typical things and romance books but it's almost like it was done in a checklist style like here's the checklist let's add these things to the book it just lacks any depth and just those are really lamebook especially the ending especially the ending

4 Cherries Popped

    

*2.5*

I was not sure on how to rate this book. The first book was so good and I expected book 2 to be just as good or better. It was not. The love and dedication between X and Anna was still there and that’s what saved the book for me. This book picked up exactly where book 1 left off. The beginning of the book was good. I felt X’s turmoil and felt Anna’s love for him. Then midway through the book it just started to slip. The whole contract thing for Anna was just stupid and made no sense. A few things about this book just didn’t add up and left me somewhat confused. How can Tension force Anna to work with someone who basically harassed both her and X and not be scared of a lawsuit? Speaking of lawsuit, where is X’s lawyer? How much money is X making for him not to have money in the bank? How is it that a dead body in a house for over 28 years not smell? Why didn’t X old crew try to talk to him in book 1? In book 1, he was there for a week and no one looked for him; X and Anna arrives back in Detroit for 2 hours and they come knocking on the door. Made no sense. How did his old boss even get a copy of his taxes? Come on, that was just ridiculous. Everything that could go wrong went wrong and then in 2 pages everything wrapped itself up in a pretty bow. Don’t get me started on how Anna told X she was pregnant – really! The epilogue wasn’t great either. Yes, they get a HEA, but it was just blah. Michelle’s writing is amazing and it sucks that I have to give one of my favs a bad rating on a book that I actually loved – book 1 – but this book just wasn’t working for me.

i was super disappointed in this book. every cliche you've read is in here. it was extremely predictable and the dialog was over the top.

again the cover is the best part.

4 Stars / 3 Steam Fans

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Like Phenomenal X, I really enjoyed Xavier Cold though I found it a bit predictable. I loved seeing emotional growth in Xavier and Anna is just so cool. A satisfying ending for the story duo.

I LOVE THIS SERIES!!!!! X AND ANNA WERE SO GOOD TOGETHER.

ARC received for an honest review

It has been a while since Phenomenal X, so I did have to go back and read the last couple of chapters of it before starting Xavier Cold, just to get my head back in the game. And I am glad I did go back and read that little bit.

Starting right up where X finished, we are given no reprieve from what has happened. We head straight into the aftermath of X losing his cool on stage.

It was hard to see Xavier and Anna go through what they have to. People from their past, people from their present - all trying their best to break our lovelies up, causing nothing but trouble.

Xavier goes to some deep, dark places during the course of this book. It was heartbreaking but beautiful to see him confront his past but come through it a better, more focused man than he was before. It was like watching a boy - a big, brutish looking boy - turn into a man.

Anna has her fair share of crap to deal with, but through it all she is Xavier's strength. She believes in him when he doesn't believe in himself. She forces him to face his vulnerabilities, loving him even when it is killing her inside.

I felt there was a lot of growth in Anna's character since book one, and she really came into herself in Xavier Cold.

I really enjoyed the conclusion to the Hard Knocks series, and though I am sad to see it ending, I am looking forward to what Ms Valentine brings us next.