Xavier Cold

Hard Knocks Series #2

By: Michelle A. Valentine

Narrated by: Sean Crisden, Alexandria Wilde

One momentary loss of control has now ruined everything Xavier Cold had going for himself. With his world unraveling fast, he's willing to do anything to save not only his job but his relationship with the only woman he's ever loved.

Anna Cortez, still reeling from shock, tries desperately to save the man who's consumed her heart, body, and soul. She'll have to dig deep and find courage she never knew she possessed to help Xavier fight demons from his past - a past that's even more haunted than she ever imagined.

©2016 Michelle A. Valentine Books, LLC (P)2016 Tantor

Entertaining, enjoyable, predictable listen

This is book two in the Phenomenal X duet --- to be clear I LOVED book 1. Book 2 is a good continued story (although I don't know if it was necessary) that could have been wrapped in book 1.

That being said X and Anna continue on their love journey fighting the same nemesis; his former friend turned enemy Rex and her fundamentalist controlling father. Both are addressed satisfactorily in the book and they get their happily ever after.

I knocked it down one star because I thought the drama of the management of wresters -- forcing Anna into a storyline that she did not want so she could be a part of the X team was not quite believable. I also did not feel the anguish Anna was supposed to be feeling.

Overall I used a credit to purchase and would do so again. The narration performance was very good.

Oh yes great ending to this series.

Hold on to your seat for this book. I enjoyed the narrators and you will love this last part of this series.

Xavier Cold

This is the sequel to Phenomenal X. If you loved Phenomenal X you will love Xavier Cold. I'm not going to give anything away, but I will say this picks up right where the first books leaves off at. You will also learn so much about why Xavier thinks the way he does of himself.

Good conclusion!

I liked the way this audiobook wrapped up the romance and the pace was fast moving. I’m not too fond of the pro wrestling world, but this story was entertaining. Narration was well done. I did think the heroine was a bit dumb not to quit when she had to return by herself, but it made for a more interesting story so I think it balanced out fine.

Very meaty

Despite this being a romance it had great substance. I loved the 2 main characters and the fact that they each had a story as well as their United story. This was my first time with this author but it won’t be my last!

wowza what a story

I have read this book & enjoyed it back then. Now hearing it it was like I was enjoying for the first time all over again. I would highly recommend this to anyone and everyone

Love it!!

I'm still in love with Xavier Cold!! So hot! *fanning self* Anyway, this conclusion of the Hard Knocks series is great. Not gonna get into spoilers but let's just say there is a lot of love, self discovery, learning to love himself and feel worthy. There's a little suspense added in as well. I would definately recommend this series.

THE HOT & EMOTIONAL LOVE STORY CONTINUES

It's been a little while since I listened to book 1 in this awesome Duet so, for me to recap, get the full background and powerful impact of this book I eagerly went back and relistened to Phenomenal X all over again.... which was no hardship at all!! And, after it was over, I was more than ready to hear what life's going to throw at X and Anna next.... so buckle up and hold on coz it's a crazy ride.

Sadly, Xavier (aka X) is still his own worst enemy because he's tormented with constant doubts about himself being worthy of Anna.... which is understandable and deep rooted coming from his tragic, heartbreaking and torturous childhood.... a childhood that still haunts him today. Told in various flashbacks in time and my heart ached for what he went through and witnessed. Then, just when he thinks that he and Anna can finally work things out life throws various vicious curveballs at them which results in Chapters filled with drama, angst, anguish, secrets, heartache and very real danger too because X suddenly comes face-to-face with someone from his past that threatens everything. Then the twists just keep coming and X and Anna's newly found happiness is destroyed by X's need to protect Anna from everything... including himself - which leads to mistrust, secrets, heartbreak and unanswered phone calls. However, there's some unexpected shocking news that finally has X living for the present instead of dwelling in the past.... but the past isn't quite finished with him yet as a long-dead, insane and evil truth is uncovered and revealed.

Great second part to this very enjoyable Duet - there were some unlikely and unbelievable manipulations by the WWF Writers..... but it certainly didn't interfere with my enjoyment of this book one bit. X is a sexy, dirty talking, vulnerable and damaged Hero who you just want to hug (well, maybe more!!) and make his world a better place but alas he doesn't need me, he has Anna for that, and she grew much stronger as time went on and circumstances demanded more from her. There was character growth, heat, sizzling chemistry, passion and hot sex as they both loved each other fiercely, protected each other despite any consequences and they were eventually rewarded with a much deserved HEA together with a happy family reunion. Dual POV's, not a standalone listen and the narrators were absolutely flawless bringing the whole storyline, and its many characters, to life making this a perfect listen.

Worth a credit? Ms Valentine really packed so much into this Duet and she had me emotionally wrung-out but very happy after this phenomenal and very addictive listen that was so worth the credit.

Not my favorite

Is there anything you would change about this book?

I have to admit, I was a bit disappointed with the narration of Xavier Cold. Had I read the story instead of listening to the audio book, I may have enjoyed it more. The narrators will make or break a story; where I liked Alexandria Wilde’s performance, Sean’s threw me off a bit. At times, I didn’t feel like he was invested in the characters, and was just reading a script. The format of switching narrators when the POV changes and having each narrator read all the characters is off putting. I have to get used to two Anna’s and two Xavier’s. I prefer the stories when we have one narrator, or we have the narrators exchange dialog based on the gender of the characters.

The overall story was good; we pick up where Phenomenal X left off, and he just got arrested for nearly killing Rex in his last wrestling match. The sex scenes between Xavier and Anna are downright scorching; however, the story is just so eye rolling dramatic at times, I’m like “oh brother, REALLY!” Again, I’m not sure if I would have picked up on this so much had I been reading it instead of listening to it. I found myself asking my husband if wrestling was fake, so the high drama would go right along with the high drama of wrestling. Yet; at the same time the story is thoroughly entertaining, and I even found myself tearing up a time or two, drama be dammed.

I am giving Xavier Cold: Hard Knocks Series #2, 3 boundless Stars, it was good....Sara

Not what I expected

I was looking forward to this book. However the first chapter turned me off so much that it took me weeks to really get back to it. Then just the whole manipulation the head of the company Xavier works for, it turned me off so much that I just could not get back to it.
Eventually since i spent my money buying both the print and audible version I started it again and the story wasn't as exciting as I hoped.
I wont say much more to spoil it for anyone other than to say the male Narrator Sean 's voice just did nothing for me, just the opposite in fact I just did not like his voice.