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The Outsider Chronicles #1
Hard Knox
Knox Jagger. The name inspires resent in every male at Sinclair University, want in every female, and contempt in Charlie Chase.
Charlie can be summed up in three words: independent, independent, and independent. To Charlie, Knox epitomizes everything that’s wrong with college males: prolific one-night stands, drunken senseless fights, and a body that hints at prioritizing gym time over study time.
As an up-and-coming writer for Sinclair University’s newspaper, Charlie’s tasked with getting to the bottom of who’s been dropping little white pills into girls’ drinks at parties. In an ocean of All-American boys sporting polo shirts and innocent smiles, Knox is the obvious suspect. As evidence piles up against the bad boy of Sinclair, Charlie becomes more and more certain it isn’t Knox. But when her drink is dosed at a party and she wakes up on Knox’s couch the next morning, Charlie’s left with more questions than answers when it comes to Knox Jagger.
How can Charlie ever hope to uncover the truth behind a guy so closed off he’s become . . .
Hard Knox.
Charlie can be summed up in three words: independent, independent, and independent. To Charlie, Knox epitomizes everything that’s wrong with college males: prolific one-night stands, drunken senseless fights, and a body that hints at prioritizing gym time over study time.
As an up-and-coming writer for Sinclair University’s newspaper, Charlie’s tasked with getting to the bottom of who’s been dropping little white pills into girls’ drinks at parties. In an ocean of All-American boys sporting polo shirts and innocent smiles, Knox is the obvious suspect. As evidence piles up against the bad boy of Sinclair, Charlie becomes more and more certain it isn’t Knox. But when her drink is dosed at a party and she wakes up on Knox’s couch the next morning, Charlie’s left with more questions than answers when it comes to Knox Jagger.
How can Charlie ever hope to uncover the truth behind a guy so closed off he’s become . . .
Hard Knox.
Nook
First published August 12, 2014
51 people are currently reading
3103 people want to read
About the author
Nicole Williams
52 books9,593 followersNicole is a NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY bestselling author who got her humble start dictating books to her parents at the age of three and her big break nearly three decades later when she signed her first publishing deal. She grew up an avid reader and writer who majored in Economics because a Creative Writing degree was lofty and impractical, not to mention a pipe dream. Irony, you wily fiend.
When she isn’t embroiled in a book, she spends her time playing wife and mom to her two favorite people in the world, and referee to their three rescue pets/wildlings. Nicole lives in the Evergreen State on the quieter side, ideal for an admitted recluse who enjoys the diversity of outdoor endeavors the Great Northwest offers.
Nicole loves hearing from her readers. You can connect with her on:
Facebook: Author Nicole Williams
Instagram: author_nicole_williams
Twitter: nwilliamsbooks
When she isn’t embroiled in a book, she spends her time playing wife and mom to her two favorite people in the world, and referee to their three rescue pets/wildlings. Nicole lives in the Evergreen State on the quieter side, ideal for an admitted recluse who enjoys the diversity of outdoor endeavors the Great Northwest offers.
Nicole loves hearing from her readers. You can connect with her on:
Facebook: Author Nicole Williams
Instagram: author_nicole_williams
Twitter: nwilliamsbooks
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 262 reviews
September 3, 2014
3.5-4 Stars
Charlie Chase is not like other college students. She is the star reporter for the Sinclair student paper, and she prides herself on being different. She says what she thinks and doesn’t care who it offends.
Everything changes when Charlie begins working on a piece regarding underage drinking. While at the party someone slips a drug in her drink, and she would have probably ended up another victim of date rape if it wasn’t for Knox Jagger.
Knox has the reputation of Sinclair’s biggest man whore, and he couldn’t care less what people think of him.
When he sees Charlie at a party, he decides he must get to know her better. It doesn’t take long for him to realize something not right with Charlie. He suspects someone has drugged her and leaves to take her to the emergency room.
Once it is confirmed she has been drugged, the investigator in Charlie has her chomping at the bits to take down whoever is drugging students at Sinclair. Knox insist that he helps Charlie in her quest to uncover the crime.
Charlie and Knox together are hysterical, I loved their witty banter and flirting. I loved Knox and how he protected Charlie. Knox’s confidence was sexy as sin, and I completely bought into his bad boy persona.
“A man doesn’t make love like a boy. He knows reciprocity in bed makes for happy customers, and happy customers make for repeat business.”
This is a quick read, a bit predictable, but altogether enjoyable.
“Because I don’t care if you’re the prince or the nemesis, or if I’m the princess or the witch. If you dig me and I dig you, then ever-after is the only part of that story that matters.”
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
Charlie Chase is not like other college students. She is the star reporter for the Sinclair student paper, and she prides herself on being different. She says what she thinks and doesn’t care who it offends.
Everything changes when Charlie begins working on a piece regarding underage drinking. While at the party someone slips a drug in her drink, and she would have probably ended up another victim of date rape if it wasn’t for Knox Jagger.
Knox has the reputation of Sinclair’s biggest man whore, and he couldn’t care less what people think of him.
When he sees Charlie at a party, he decides he must get to know her better. It doesn’t take long for him to realize something not right with Charlie. He suspects someone has drugged her and leaves to take her to the emergency room.
Once it is confirmed she has been drugged, the investigator in Charlie has her chomping at the bits to take down whoever is drugging students at Sinclair. Knox insist that he helps Charlie in her quest to uncover the crime.
Charlie and Knox together are hysterical, I loved their witty banter and flirting. I loved Knox and how he protected Charlie. Knox’s confidence was sexy as sin, and I completely bought into his bad boy persona.
“A man doesn’t make love like a boy. He knows reciprocity in bed makes for happy customers, and happy customers make for repeat business.”
This is a quick read, a bit predictable, but altogether enjoyable.
“Because I don’t care if you’re the prince or the nemesis, or if I’m the princess or the witch. If you dig me and I dig you, then ever-after is the only part of that story that matters.”
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
October 20, 2017
WARNING: LONG, RANTY REVIEW AHEAD. ALSO, THERE BE SPOILERS.
I had four main problems with this book.
1. Charlie Chase
Charlie is the most judgmental, annoying, obnoxious, sexist asshole (to women AND men) I have ever had the displeasure of reading about. She constantly slut-shames other women and sees anyone who partakes in casual sex or parties or dresses provocatively as sub-human. At one point, she compares a couple sorority girls to Nazi's. I'm not even kidding.
Yeah. Because girls who dye their hair a certain color and get plastic surgery and who have the gall to attend college parties and hook up with people are equivalent to a movement who tried to eradicate an entire group of people because of their race, religion and sexual orientation. MAKES SENSE.
I know this is supposed to showcase Charlie's ~sassy sense of humor~ but it's not funny, it's fucking annoying. Actually, she reminds me of myself at fourteen, when I looked down on any girl who dressed "preppy" and wore mini-skirts and had a vendetta against cheerleaders for literally no reason. The difference is, I grew out of it. Charlie's twenty years old. What's her excuse? Also, she has a thing for wearing shirts with "quirky" sayings on them. In the first chapter she wore one that said "No Low Self-Esteem or Daddy Issues Here." She says she does it to keep douchey frat boys from talking to her, but I think she does it because of how fucking arrogant she is and wants to broadcast to the entire world that she is soooo much better than those sluts. She really has a problem with women who like to have sex.
While the idea of someone stuffing their panties into someone's back pocket to incite a hook up is over the top (I'll get to that later), there is nothing wrong for someone choosing to have a one-night-stand. You know what IS setting the entire female gender back? Assholes like you who shame women for daring to take control of their sexuality and express themselves in the way that they choose.
Here's a freaking shocker: a lot of girls don't have casual sex because of self-esteem or daddy issues. They do it because *gasp* THEY LIKE SEX, BECAUSE SEX (so long as it's between consenting adults with proper safety precautions) IS A PERFECTLY NORMAL AND HEALTHY THING TO DO! GEE, WHO'DA THUNK IT?????? I'm not saying she should participate, and I'm not saying every girl on earth should only partake in booty calls, but for god's sake, what does it matter to you who other people decide to hook up with, or how, for that matter. Unless they're your girlfriend and are cheating on you or something, GET OVER IT.
Charlie never sees these women as people, she only sees them as naive idiots, bitches, or sluts.
Well, aren't you just so thoughtful? What an inspiring character you are.
But she's not the only character with internalized misogyny. Her journalism professor, Neve, is just as bad.
Again, why are women immoral to you? Why are we incapable of human decency? Please explain this to me, Neve. Because some girls like to show off a little cleavage (because we have the right to wear whatever the fuck we want)? Because some girls like sex?
Actually, don't answer that. MOVING ON.
2. The love interest.
He is FUCKING RIDICULOUS. Even his NAME is ridiculous. Knox Jagger? Really? Why not just have a nerdy character named Melvin Poindexter? Or better yet, instead of naming the "mean girl" Sydney, why not just go with Slutty McSlutpants? And the villain can be named Badguy Roofiestein. Give him a twirly mustache and everything. Subtlety? What's that?
Apparently he's just so popular with every girl in that college and so desired that the girls actually stuff their panties in his back pocket with their number written on them, and he fucks every single one of them. Just going up to him and saying hi doesn't cut it, apparently. I just...that is the dumbest thing I've ever read. And I've read some pretty dumb shit in my life. And he's so strong that he can get hit with a crowbar that cracks his ribs and collapses his lung, and he won't even fall down. He's so big that he can chug a whole keg and still be fit to drive (his exact words, not mine). The first thing he does every morning is roll out of bed and beat the shit out of a homemade punching bag that consists of a bunch of tires chained together. Without gloves (because safety is for pussies). He makes his living arm wrestling other meatheads (and nobody's beaten him), and despite the fact that he's gotten into multiple fights on campus and destroyed lots of properties, he's never gotten kicked out or expelled. Why? Because the administration is afraid of him. He also eats a bowl of nails for breakfast. Okay, not really, but at this point I wouldn't be surprised.
Knox isn't a real, fleshed-out, relatable character, he's a freaking fantasy. There's nothing wrong with using your book as escapism. Really, it's not. That's why people love to read in the first place. And there are people who totally dig this, and that's totally fine, but it just doesn't work for me. When something is shelved as realistic fiction, I expect just that: REALISM.
But he totally doesn't fit the stereotype, you guys! Because he referenced classic literature at one point and is majoring in forensic science! Even though we never actually SEE him doing anything related to forensic science (he should be up to his eyeballs in homework, but somehow he always has time to go to multiple frat parties with Charlie and box and arm wrestle and whatever else he does with his free time). He explains why he's passionate about it, but that's about it. Oh, and he actually doesn't sleep with all those girls. He doesn't like college girls 'cause they're moody.
oh, and this gem.
Gosh, us women with our emotions and our love of makeup! When will we ever learn?
First of all, as someone with bipolar disorder, fuck you. Second, as a woman, FUCK YOU. You know what? These two idiots deserve each other.
3. KNOX'S INCESSANT EMO BULLSHIT.
I swear to god, this dude was whining about his horrible, tragic past every chance he took, and I just could not take it seriously. On the one hand, I understand why someone would carry as much guilt as he did. I get that he was angry and hating himself. Really, I do. That's a truly shitty situation. And maybe I'm a terrible person for saying this, but he was so. Fucking. Melodramatic. Constantly telling Charlie to hate him, saying that he wasn't worthy of love and angsting over something as trivial as COFFEE, refusing to tell her what happened but then constantly alluding to his past in hyperbolic ways, it was just not subtle, AT ALL. There were so many issues at play here. Drugs, gangs, poverty, neglect, abuse, death, and yet I just don't feel like it was handled very well. It all just seemed very emotionally manipulative to me and used as a tool to make Knox "edgy." That and I just couldn't take it seriously when he said things like this:
please spare me.
And, to put the cherry on top of the shit sundae that makes up Knox, he's fucking creepy. As. Fuck. At one point, he puts a fucking tracker in Charlie's necklace. No, I'm not kidding. She even tells him that she's not okay with it and is uncomfortable about it (as any woman would be). He says that he can justify it because he wanted to know Charlie was safe (since she'd been drugged TWICE) and wasn't watching her every move, he just wanted to know where she was should something ever happen to her when he wasn't by her side 24/7. But that entire little anecdote seemed tacked on by the author just so she could explain how Knox was able to swoop in and save the day. A little context: But you wanna know how this whole thing could've been avoided? BY FUCKING TALKING TO HER. You know that thing adults do in healthy, mature relationships? IT'S CALLED COMMUNICATION. Knox should've pulled up his big boy pants, sucked it the fuck up and told Charlie about his past wayyyy sooner and said, "look, this is what happened to someone I loved. This is what I did when I was a kid and I am not proud of it, but I've changed now. I am truly worried about your safety and don't want this happening to another person I love. So if I can't get to you, will you please tell me where you are so I know that you're safe?"
I understand talking about your past is hard, but in this situation, Charlie would've understood. There is no need to go all Christian Grey on your girlfriend and act like a fucking stalker. It's not romantic, it's fucking creepy. He also threatened to kill a small animal in order to collect evidence against a rape-y fraternity. Knox justifies it by saying that he would do literally ANYTHING to protect Charlie, including KILLING A DEFENSELESS ANIMAL. I don't fucking care what the situation is, I would never, ever, ever, EVER date someone willing to go to that extreme for my safety. Unless said hamster is attacking my face and trying to scratch my eyeballs out, you best keep your hands OFF small, furry animals or I will dump your ass so freaking fast.
And another thing: Jesus Christ, this book is DUMB.
aaaand the fourth and final reason why this book is awful: The ending...actually, no, pretty much the whole entire thing.
When you're going to write a book about something as serious as date rape and sexual assault on college campuses, it is absolutely paramount that you treat the subject with sensitivity and respect. This was something that I was honestly expecting from this book, but I did not get that, at all. Instead of actually putting a little mystery into it and exploring the other victims in this book, it only chooses to focus on Charlie and Knox. Yes, Charlie did deserve some focus as she's drugged twice, but do we get to see it from the point of view of the other victims? No. Are any of these women viewed as people? No. At one point, Charlie does save a couple girls from getting drugged, but does she treat them with a modicum of respect? No. She chastises them for being stupid and naive instead of thinking, "fuck, I hope these girls are okay. I should call the police or tell the dean of students." The authorities are never brought up until the very, very end. I understand that a lot of times, cops are not helpful at all in rape cases, but the fact that so many girls were getting raped and not even the dean of students was brought into it, nor were there any investigation of the frat houses, is just plain unbelievable.
When it comes to rape in our society, there is so much victim-blaming, so many people saying things like, "well, what were you wearing? Why did you accept a drink from someone you barely know? Were you flirting with him?" This book could've used this opportunity to explore the subject of rape culture and really scrutinize these problematic behaviors, but instead it slut-shames every single female character (except for Charlie, Neve, and her friend Harlow), shames them for being sexual, and is rife with misogyny and sexism, which only continues to perpetuate rape culture.
The biggest evidence of this?
That, right there, instantly trivializes the very issue you're trying to bring light to, and quite frankly, it really fucking pisses me off that so many reviews are praising the book and the author for simply writing about a hot-button issue like this. It's just like the people who say, "oh yeah, rape is terrible!" but then continue to make rape jokes. The vast majority of the women I am close to in my life have been victims of sexual assault, including date rape. Books like this do nothing to sympathize with them or shed light on the issue. It's simply used as a cheap ploy with the same boring, cliche, formulaic tropes to sell books.
I am not trying to attack Nicole Williams here. I'm simply saying that there are many, many problematic elements in this book that truly offended me. I'm sure that wasn't her intention at all, and I doubt she'll read this, but if she does, I hope she understands why this isn't okay.
This is the longest review I've ever written, but I've been mulling over this book since I finished it, and I just couldn't not rant about it. I will not be reading any more books by this author.
ps: for the love of all that is holy, please look up the REAL definition of feminism before you mention it in your books.
I had four main problems with this book.
1. Charlie Chase
Charlie is the most judgmental, annoying, obnoxious, sexist asshole (to women AND men) I have ever had the displeasure of reading about. She constantly slut-shames other women and sees anyone who partakes in casual sex or parties or dresses provocatively as sub-human. At one point, she compares a couple sorority girls to Nazi's. I'm not even kidding.
I hadn't made it to the second step before the gestapo marched in, and by gestapo, I mean the bottle-blond, surgically implanted, Alpha Phis. They were high on the list as who Hitler'd come back as.
Yeah. Because girls who dye their hair a certain color and get plastic surgery and who have the gall to attend college parties and hook up with people are equivalent to a movement who tried to eradicate an entire group of people because of their race, religion and sexual orientation. MAKES SENSE.
I know this is supposed to showcase Charlie's ~sassy sense of humor~ but it's not funny, it's fucking annoying. Actually, she reminds me of myself at fourteen, when I looked down on any girl who dressed "preppy" and wore mini-skirts and had a vendetta against cheerleaders for literally no reason. The difference is, I grew out of it. Charlie's twenty years old. What's her excuse? Also, she has a thing for wearing shirts with "quirky" sayings on them. In the first chapter she wore one that said "No Low Self-Esteem or Daddy Issues Here." She says she does it to keep douchey frat boys from talking to her, but I think she does it because of how fucking arrogant she is and wants to broadcast to the entire world that she is soooo much better than those sluts. She really has a problem with women who like to have sex.
I didn't know whose brilliant idea it had been to shimmy out of her panties and stuff them into Knox Jagger's back pocket with her phone number scribbled on them, but whoever it was might be singlehandedly responsible for dragging the entire female gender back into the days pre-suffrage.
While the idea of someone stuffing their panties into someone's back pocket to incite a hook up is over the top (I'll get to that later), there is nothing wrong for someone choosing to have a one-night-stand. You know what IS setting the entire female gender back? Assholes like you who shame women for daring to take control of their sexuality and express themselves in the way that they choose.
Here's a freaking shocker: a lot of girls don't have casual sex because of self-esteem or daddy issues. They do it because *gasp* THEY LIKE SEX, BECAUSE SEX (so long as it's between consenting adults with proper safety precautions) IS A PERFECTLY NORMAL AND HEALTHY THING TO DO! GEE, WHO'DA THUNK IT?????? I'm not saying she should participate, and I'm not saying every girl on earth should only partake in booty calls, but for god's sake, what does it matter to you who other people decide to hook up with, or how, for that matter. Unless they're your girlfriend and are cheating on you or something, GET OVER IT.
Charlie never sees these women as people, she only sees them as naive idiots, bitches, or sluts.
I didn't know her name, so after writing down Levi G, I added "girl with flowery dress and red shoes." I could've used the tags, "giant melons spilling from said flowery dress" or "suggestive lower-lip biter," but she didn't need one more person in the room objectifying her. Surly reporter included.
Well, aren't you just so thoughtful? What an inspiring character you are.
But she's not the only character with internalized misogyny. Her journalism professor, Neve, is just as bad.
Charlie: "Someone kind of stepped in and saved the day. Or night."
Neve: "Who was this woman who is still in possession of morals and all-around human decency?
Again, why are women immoral to you? Why are we incapable of human decency? Please explain this to me, Neve. Because some girls like to show off a little cleavage (because we have the right to wear whatever the fuck we want)? Because some girls like sex?
Actually, don't answer that. MOVING ON.
2. The love interest.
He is FUCKING RIDICULOUS. Even his NAME is ridiculous. Knox Jagger? Really? Why not just have a nerdy character named Melvin Poindexter? Or better yet, instead of naming the "mean girl" Sydney, why not just go with Slutty McSlutpants? And the villain can be named Badguy Roofiestein. Give him a twirly mustache and everything. Subtlety? What's that?
Apparently he's just so popular with every girl in that college and so desired that the girls actually stuff their panties in his back pocket with their number written on them, and he fucks every single one of them. Just going up to him and saying hi doesn't cut it, apparently. I just...that is the dumbest thing I've ever read. And I've read some pretty dumb shit in my life. And he's so strong that he can get hit with a crowbar that cracks his ribs and collapses his lung, and he won't even fall down. He's so big that he can chug a whole keg and still be fit to drive (his exact words, not mine). The first thing he does every morning is roll out of bed and beat the shit out of a homemade punching bag that consists of a bunch of tires chained together. Without gloves (because safety is for pussies). He makes his living arm wrestling other meatheads (and nobody's beaten him), and despite the fact that he's gotten into multiple fights on campus and destroyed lots of properties, he's never gotten kicked out or expelled. Why? Because the administration is afraid of him. He also eats a bowl of nails for breakfast. Okay, not really, but at this point I wouldn't be surprised.
Knox isn't a real, fleshed-out, relatable character, he's a freaking fantasy. There's nothing wrong with using your book as escapism. Really, it's not. That's why people love to read in the first place. And there are people who totally dig this, and that's totally fine, but it just doesn't work for me. When something is shelved as realistic fiction, I expect just that: REALISM.
But he totally doesn't fit the stereotype, you guys! Because he referenced classic literature at one point and is majoring in forensic science! Even though we never actually SEE him doing anything related to forensic science (he should be up to his eyeballs in homework, but somehow he always has time to go to multiple frat parties with Charlie and box and arm wrestle and whatever else he does with his free time). He explains why he's passionate about it, but that's about it. Oh, and he actually doesn't sleep with all those girls. He doesn't like college girls 'cause they're moody.
"To put it simply, college girls are like a bipolar person on crack. One minute they want to be taken care of, the next they want to be independent. In the morning, they love themselves. By nighttime, they hate themselves. Everyone's their friend or no one's their friend. They know what they want; they don't have a fucking clue. They know what they want to do tomorrow but can't seem to get past yesterday."
oh, and this gem.
"But the only epiphany college girls are waiting for is the one that comes from a tube of lipstick--like just the right shade will solve all of their problems."
Gosh, us women with our emotions and our love of makeup! When will we ever learn?
First of all, as someone with bipolar disorder, fuck you. Second, as a woman, FUCK YOU. You know what? These two idiots deserve each other.
3. KNOX'S INCESSANT EMO BULLSHIT.
I swear to god, this dude was whining about his horrible, tragic past every chance he took, and I just could not take it seriously. On the one hand, I understand why someone would carry as much guilt as he did. I get that he was angry and hating himself. Really, I do. That's a truly shitty situation. And maybe I'm a terrible person for saying this, but he was so. Fucking. Melodramatic. Constantly telling Charlie to hate him, saying that he wasn't worthy of love and angsting over something as trivial as COFFEE, refusing to tell her what happened but then constantly alluding to his past in hyperbolic ways, it was just not subtle, AT ALL. There were so many issues at play here. Drugs, gangs, poverty, neglect, abuse, death, and yet I just don't feel like it was handled very well. It all just seemed very emotionally manipulative to me and used as a tool to make Knox "edgy." That and I just couldn't take it seriously when he said things like this:
"So what made you leave the dark side for the light?"
"The utter and total devastation of my whole world."
please spare me.
And, to put the cherry on top of the shit sundae that makes up Knox, he's fucking creepy. As. Fuck. At one point, he puts a fucking tracker in Charlie's necklace. No, I'm not kidding. She even tells him that she's not okay with it and is uncomfortable about it (as any woman would be). He says that he can justify it because he wanted to know Charlie was safe (since she'd been drugged TWICE) and wasn't watching her every move, he just wanted to know where she was should something ever happen to her when he wasn't by her side 24/7. But that entire little anecdote seemed tacked on by the author just so she could explain how Knox was able to swoop in and save the day. A little context: But you wanna know how this whole thing could've been avoided? BY FUCKING TALKING TO HER. You know that thing adults do in healthy, mature relationships? IT'S CALLED COMMUNICATION. Knox should've pulled up his big boy pants, sucked it the fuck up and told Charlie about his past wayyyy sooner and said, "look, this is what happened to someone I loved. This is what I did when I was a kid and I am not proud of it, but I've changed now. I am truly worried about your safety and don't want this happening to another person I love. So if I can't get to you, will you please tell me where you are so I know that you're safe?"
I understand talking about your past is hard, but in this situation, Charlie would've understood. There is no need to go all Christian Grey on your girlfriend and act like a fucking stalker. It's not romantic, it's fucking creepy. He also threatened to kill a small animal in order to collect evidence against a rape-y fraternity. Knox justifies it by saying that he would do literally ANYTHING to protect Charlie, including KILLING A DEFENSELESS ANIMAL. I don't fucking care what the situation is, I would never, ever, ever, EVER date someone willing to go to that extreme for my safety. Unless said hamster is attacking my face and trying to scratch my eyeballs out, you best keep your hands OFF small, furry animals or I will dump your ass so freaking fast.
And another thing: Jesus Christ, this book is DUMB.
aaaand the fourth and final reason why this book is awful: The ending...actually, no, pretty much the whole entire thing.
When you're going to write a book about something as serious as date rape and sexual assault on college campuses, it is absolutely paramount that you treat the subject with sensitivity and respect. This was something that I was honestly expecting from this book, but I did not get that, at all. Instead of actually putting a little mystery into it and exploring the other victims in this book, it only chooses to focus on Charlie and Knox. Yes, Charlie did deserve some focus as she's drugged twice, but do we get to see it from the point of view of the other victims? No. Are any of these women viewed as people? No. At one point, Charlie does save a couple girls from getting drugged, but does she treat them with a modicum of respect? No. She chastises them for being stupid and naive instead of thinking, "fuck, I hope these girls are okay. I should call the police or tell the dean of students." The authorities are never brought up until the very, very end. I understand that a lot of times, cops are not helpful at all in rape cases, but the fact that so many girls were getting raped and not even the dean of students was brought into it, nor were there any investigation of the frat houses, is just plain unbelievable.
When it comes to rape in our society, there is so much victim-blaming, so many people saying things like, "well, what were you wearing? Why did you accept a drink from someone you barely know? Were you flirting with him?" This book could've used this opportunity to explore the subject of rape culture and really scrutinize these problematic behaviors, but instead it slut-shames every single female character (except for Charlie, Neve, and her friend Harlow), shames them for being sexual, and is rife with misogyny and sexism, which only continues to perpetuate rape culture.
The biggest evidence of this?
Charlie: "Sigma Nu chapter is officially suspended, and their house will become the Feminist House next year."
Knox: "Where guys will have to worry about being raped with the business end of a baseball bat."
That, right there, instantly trivializes the very issue you're trying to bring light to, and quite frankly, it really fucking pisses me off that so many reviews are praising the book and the author for simply writing about a hot-button issue like this. It's just like the people who say, "oh yeah, rape is terrible!" but then continue to make rape jokes. The vast majority of the women I am close to in my life have been victims of sexual assault, including date rape. Books like this do nothing to sympathize with them or shed light on the issue. It's simply used as a cheap ploy with the same boring, cliche, formulaic tropes to sell books.
I am not trying to attack Nicole Williams here. I'm simply saying that there are many, many problematic elements in this book that truly offended me. I'm sure that wasn't her intention at all, and I doubt she'll read this, but if she does, I hope she understands why this isn't okay.
This is the longest review I've ever written, but I've been mulling over this book since I finished it, and I just couldn't not rant about it. I will not be reading any more books by this author.
ps: for the love of all that is holy, please look up the REAL definition of feminism before you mention it in your books.
August 19, 2014
Yippeeeee
I've been coming off an "Opposition" high and having a hard time picking something to read. Thank God I cam across this, Nicole never disappoints.
It's what I expected, a very enjoyable read. Nothing to heavy, a very wrapped up read.
I've been coming off an "Opposition" high and having a hard time picking something to read. Thank God I cam across this, Nicole never disappoints.
It's what I expected, a very enjoyable read. Nothing to heavy, a very wrapped up read.
September 11, 2014
Hard Knox is Williams’s first book in the Outsider Chronicles, although each book in the series is supposedly going to stand on its own.
While working on an article for the college newspaper on binge drinking, Charlie Chase finds herself in trouble at a college frat party, and help arrives in the form of a different type of trouble! Knox Jaggers is the campus bad boy – he’s got the phone numbers and lace panties in his back pocket to prove it – and he’s also the prime suspect in her investigation. But you can’t judge a book by its cover – and the same goes for Knox Jaggers.
Nicole Williams has written two very solid and captivating main characters. Their wit and the bantering dialogue zinging between them made for entertaining reading pleasure. Lots of great chemistry in the face-off between these two. I really enjoyed the build-up to the hot stuff between Charlie and Knox. Trust is won slowly and methodically.
I found this NA college campus trope a bit different and quite enjoyable with a mix of romance and suspense. Wishing we could have had an Epilogue with a peek into the future with Charlie and Knox away from the college campus setting!
While working on an article for the college newspaper on binge drinking, Charlie Chase finds herself in trouble at a college frat party, and help arrives in the form of a different type of trouble! Knox Jaggers is the campus bad boy – he’s got the phone numbers and lace panties in his back pocket to prove it – and he’s also the prime suspect in her investigation. But you can’t judge a book by its cover – and the same goes for Knox Jaggers.
Nicole Williams has written two very solid and captivating main characters. Their wit and the bantering dialogue zinging between them made for entertaining reading pleasure. Lots of great chemistry in the face-off between these two. I really enjoyed the build-up to the hot stuff between Charlie and Knox. Trust is won slowly and methodically.
I found this NA college campus trope a bit different and quite enjoyable with a mix of romance and suspense. Wishing we could have had an Epilogue with a peek into the future with Charlie and Knox away from the college campus setting!
February 7, 2017
4.5 stars
What an excellent surprise from a book that has been on my kindle for over two years. Admittedly, Nicole Williams is a favourite author, but Knox literally knocked my socks off. This was not your average college-aged romance. This was a book that brought the heroine, Charlie who was such a strong lead in this story. She was being pursued but she stood her ground. Knox, the bad boy that wasn't, had such depth of character and I enjoyed the slow burn between these two. I am so ready to read the second in this duology. Nicole Williams never disappoints.
What an excellent surprise from a book that has been on my kindle for over two years. Admittedly, Nicole Williams is a favourite author, but Knox literally knocked my socks off. This was not your average college-aged romance. This was a book that brought the heroine, Charlie who was such a strong lead in this story. She was being pursued but she stood her ground. Knox, the bad boy that wasn't, had such depth of character and I enjoyed the slow burn between these two. I am so ready to read the second in this duology. Nicole Williams never disappoints.
February 1, 2015
Mystery; sexual angst; witty, snarky banter; sexy, troubled, smart badboy; chick that knows who she is and isn't afraid to be herself, regardless of whether anyone likes her or not; great laughs; & sorrow all wrapped in one tightly written package.
I'm usually a verbose reviewer, but I don't want to give one moment of this book away. I will say that I don't think I've ever highlighted so many hilarious and thought-provoking character lines in a book. So, just read it!!!!
I'm usually a verbose reviewer, but I don't want to give one moment of this book away. I will say that I don't think I've ever highlighted so many hilarious and thought-provoking character lines in a book. So, just read it!!!!
August 19, 2014
Hard Knox is the latest offering by Nicole Williams. I have enjoyed previous books of hers so was excited to join up to this blog tour. The synopsis grabbed my attention and I jumped into this story as soon as I got it.
Hard Knox is the story of Charlie Chase and Knox Jagger. Charlie is a strong and fiercely independent woman and Knox tends to use, abuse, and leave a trail of discarded females in his wake. So, he's pretty much everything Charlie hates about the world. However, once Charlie's welfare is threatened this unlikely duo join forces to find out who is behind the sinister behavior.
First off, let me just say that this book is a complete rarity. It's not often (in an NA novel at least) that the leading lady is an absolute feminist through and through. It was SO REFRESHING to read Charlies story and not have to put up with all the typical NA doormat tendencies from her. I didn't even roll my eyes once. And what was even better, was that Knox himself was also on-board with her strong personality and actually encouraged it. I LOVED that about this book.
Knox was a complex and interesting character. I would have liked to know more about his back story just because I did find him so interesting and was wanting more, more. more. It was cute to see this duo team up like Batman and Robin (Charlie was totally batman) to bring down the bad guys.
This book deals with some sensitive subject matter but it was done so in a tasteful and educated way. An excellent story and I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
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Hard Knox is the story of Charlie Chase and Knox Jagger. Charlie is a strong and fiercely independent woman and Knox tends to use, abuse, and leave a trail of discarded females in his wake. So, he's pretty much everything Charlie hates about the world. However, once Charlie's welfare is threatened this unlikely duo join forces to find out who is behind the sinister behavior.
First off, let me just say that this book is a complete rarity. It's not often (in an NA novel at least) that the leading lady is an absolute feminist through and through. It was SO REFRESHING to read Charlies story and not have to put up with all the typical NA doormat tendencies from her. I didn't even roll my eyes once. And what was even better, was that Knox himself was also on-board with her strong personality and actually encouraged it. I LOVED that about this book.
Knox was a complex and interesting character. I would have liked to know more about his back story just because I did find him so interesting and was wanting more, more. more. It was cute to see this duo team up like Batman and Robin (Charlie was totally batman) to bring down the bad guys.
This book deals with some sensitive subject matter but it was done so in a tasteful and educated way. An excellent story and I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
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<3 Find us on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/onceuponaboo...
August 13, 2014
**arc kindly received from author in exchange for an honest review and blog tour with T and I at www.twounrulygirls.com **
Full review will be posted for blog tour!! Knox..mmmmmm he was awesome
Full review will be posted for blog tour!! Knox..mmmmmm he was awesome
September 8, 2014
i love love love the sarcasm and all the witty banter that is this book. i feel smarter after reading this book, no joke. i was constantly chuckling from all the banter. it was fucking good.
August 28, 2014
Find This and Other Reviews At Craves The Angst.
Hard Knox is book one in The Outsiders Chronicles series and is a New Adult, Contemporary Romance written by Nicole Williams. I was gifted a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review through AToMR Tours .
4.5 Love Drugged Stars!
There’s A New Bad-Boy Book-Boyfriend In Town, And His Name Is Knox Jagger!
The Review:
Nicole Williams does it again, treating us to another fabulous read with a tough-as-nails, intelligent heroine and a sexy, brooding bad-boy with a beautiful albeit damaged heart.
I loved this read, which had so many quotable paragraphs, I couldn’t just pick a handful of favorites, so I didn't pick any. I’d probably have to quote the whole book! And the dialogue was sharp and witty and plain awesome in every way. The characters were a LOT of fun to read and the story itself was smart and angsty. I am a huge fan of this authors Crush series. In fact, I go around shouting “I heart you Jude Ryder” at random moments during my day to make myself feel better when things get tough. But my boy Jude has some serious competition on the “perfect hero” category. Insert Knox Jagger here!
This was a great read from beginning to end. I loved every moment of it!
Story...
Charlie Chase is a sophomore in college and with her cynical and amusing attitude, which she unleashes on the campus populace with an eye opening column with the campus paper, she’s not the school favorite and since she tries to shy away from anything trendy, popular or even remotely flighty, she’s not a boy magnet either. However, after catching the eye of the most notorious womanizer on campus, things are about to change for Charlie in a big way, especially when suddenly it looks like someone is out to drug her with the date rape drug, Rohypnol, which seems to be sweeping it’s way across campus.
When she goes in search of her next big story, Charlie, who prides herself on being aware of her surroundings, somehow gets drugged. Just when she realizes her life is about to take a very dark turn, she’s saved by the most unlikely of heroes.
Knox Jagger, known to all as Hard Knox, is a mysterious, walking contradiction. With a reputation as a man-whore and a brawler and with his I-Don��t-Give-A-Damn attitude, it’s hard to separate man from myth but once seeing how much trouble Charlie’s in, he starts to open up in unexpected ways.
As they search out who's trying to harm Charlie, they form a friendship that starts with sparks and ends in fireworks. However, both of them are keeping secrets and there’s definitely a dangerous bad-guy on campus not only looking to hurt Charlie but is also finding his way through the female student body. Charlie has to figure out if it’s the devil she knows or some unseen villain wanting to add her V-Card to his notch.
Characters...
Charlie has now become one of my all-time favorite heroines in this genre! I loved her quick witted, no-nonsense, snarky attitude. She didn’t take crap from anyone and she was so clear headed, it was almost unreal. She was fiercely independent, had goals, she wasn’t flighty, she didn’t appreciate fluff and her head was firmly planted in the here and now. I loved everything about her. Her trust and loyalty was refreshing and even when faced with insurmountable odds, she remained calm, trying to process the best way to achieve a better outcome. And even her “innocence” wasn’t eye-roll worthy because there was a real reason she hadn’t completed the deed. She wasn’t saving herself, she wasn’t shy, she wasn’t pained by some traumatic past. She was just Charlie and she wasn’t in a rush to get it out of the way and she wasn’t out to be intimate with just anyone. It just didn’t concern her at that point in her life and I thought that was perfect. She was who she was and she was proud of herself. And in her own way, she was out to help the world be a better place. Charlie was a wonderful, insightful character and I wish I had known myself that well at her age. Oh and I HAVE to mention how AWESOME her quoted t- shirts were!
Knox was oh-so-sexy. Sure he was a self-professed man-whore. Sure he enjoyed the sordid benefits of the panty dropping the local female population generously bestowed upon him. And he helped secure his bad-boy reputation by letting his fists fly whenever he felt confronted but there was so much more lurking behind that amazingly-muscled-defined-exterior than a mindless ape. He had soul. He had heart and he had passion. He also had a traumatic past but that didn’t stop him from trying to make a difference in his own way. His generosity and care of Charlie was swoon-worthy. And I loved that though they connected instantly, it wasn’t a rushed, overnight love that shot open without time. It was a seeded, bloomed, flowered and eventually exploded when they finally came together. Their chemistry was undeniable!!!
The Wrap Up:
Nicole Williams has a beautiful, fluid writing style that creates a wonderful tale of hardships in life and characters who are surviving those trials. This book was refreshing, sweet and gripping. I read it all in one sitting and I simply couldn’t put it down. From the riveting story to the compelling characters, I’m once again in awe of this author. I can’t wait for her next book in this series!
Hard Knox is book one in The Outsiders Chronicles series and is a New Adult, Contemporary Romance written by Nicole Williams. I was gifted a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review through AToMR Tours .
4.5 Love Drugged Stars!
There’s A New Bad-Boy Book-Boyfriend In Town, And His Name Is Knox Jagger!
The Review:
Nicole Williams does it again, treating us to another fabulous read with a tough-as-nails, intelligent heroine and a sexy, brooding bad-boy with a beautiful albeit damaged heart.
I loved this read, which had so many quotable paragraphs, I couldn’t just pick a handful of favorites, so I didn't pick any. I’d probably have to quote the whole book! And the dialogue was sharp and witty and plain awesome in every way. The characters were a LOT of fun to read and the story itself was smart and angsty. I am a huge fan of this authors Crush series. In fact, I go around shouting “I heart you Jude Ryder” at random moments during my day to make myself feel better when things get tough. But my boy Jude has some serious competition on the “perfect hero” category. Insert Knox Jagger here!
This was a great read from beginning to end. I loved every moment of it!
Story...
Charlie Chase is a sophomore in college and with her cynical and amusing attitude, which she unleashes on the campus populace with an eye opening column with the campus paper, she’s not the school favorite and since she tries to shy away from anything trendy, popular or even remotely flighty, she’s not a boy magnet either. However, after catching the eye of the most notorious womanizer on campus, things are about to change for Charlie in a big way, especially when suddenly it looks like someone is out to drug her with the date rape drug, Rohypnol, which seems to be sweeping it’s way across campus.
When she goes in search of her next big story, Charlie, who prides herself on being aware of her surroundings, somehow gets drugged. Just when she realizes her life is about to take a very dark turn, she’s saved by the most unlikely of heroes.
Knox Jagger, known to all as Hard Knox, is a mysterious, walking contradiction. With a reputation as a man-whore and a brawler and with his I-Don��t-Give-A-Damn attitude, it’s hard to separate man from myth but once seeing how much trouble Charlie’s in, he starts to open up in unexpected ways.
As they search out who's trying to harm Charlie, they form a friendship that starts with sparks and ends in fireworks. However, both of them are keeping secrets and there’s definitely a dangerous bad-guy on campus not only looking to hurt Charlie but is also finding his way through the female student body. Charlie has to figure out if it’s the devil she knows or some unseen villain wanting to add her V-Card to his notch.
Characters...
Charlie has now become one of my all-time favorite heroines in this genre! I loved her quick witted, no-nonsense, snarky attitude. She didn’t take crap from anyone and she was so clear headed, it was almost unreal. She was fiercely independent, had goals, she wasn’t flighty, she didn’t appreciate fluff and her head was firmly planted in the here and now. I loved everything about her. Her trust and loyalty was refreshing and even when faced with insurmountable odds, she remained calm, trying to process the best way to achieve a better outcome. And even her “innocence” wasn’t eye-roll worthy because there was a real reason she hadn’t completed the deed. She wasn’t saving herself, she wasn’t shy, she wasn’t pained by some traumatic past. She was just Charlie and she wasn’t in a rush to get it out of the way and she wasn’t out to be intimate with just anyone. It just didn’t concern her at that point in her life and I thought that was perfect. She was who she was and she was proud of herself. And in her own way, she was out to help the world be a better place. Charlie was a wonderful, insightful character and I wish I had known myself that well at her age. Oh and I HAVE to mention how AWESOME her quoted t- shirts were!
Knox was oh-so-sexy. Sure he was a self-professed man-whore. Sure he enjoyed the sordid benefits of the panty dropping the local female population generously bestowed upon him. And he helped secure his bad-boy reputation by letting his fists fly whenever he felt confronted but there was so much more lurking behind that amazingly-muscled-defined-exterior than a mindless ape. He had soul. He had heart and he had passion. He also had a traumatic past but that didn’t stop him from trying to make a difference in his own way. His generosity and care of Charlie was swoon-worthy. And I loved that though they connected instantly, it wasn’t a rushed, overnight love that shot open without time. It was a seeded, bloomed, flowered and eventually exploded when they finally came together. Their chemistry was undeniable!!!
The Wrap Up:
Nicole Williams has a beautiful, fluid writing style that creates a wonderful tale of hardships in life and characters who are surviving those trials. This book was refreshing, sweet and gripping. I read it all in one sitting and I simply couldn’t put it down. From the riveting story to the compelling characters, I’m once again in awe of this author. I can’t wait for her next book in this series!
August 21, 2014
Having loved Nicole Williams, Lost & Found series, I was thrilled to find out that she was writing a new NA contemporary series. My interest piqued further when I realized that Hard Knox would tackle an important issue that is perpetuating on US college campuses, date rape.
I usually have no problem connecting with Nicole Williams' main characters, but the main character in Hard Knox was a little irritating. I had a hard time bonding with her because of her unlikeable personality. She was one of those people who judged others before even having a conversation, just from how she viewed them. She would also be very forthcoming about her judgments and it came across as bitchy instead of honest. Charlie also talked using big words and sentence structures that most people don't talk in and it felt like she was showing people how much smarter and more intelligent she was than them when she was having a conversation. She came across as condescending, obnoxious and a bit of a know-it-all. I'm all for smart main characters, but Charlie was just a little too much for me. I'll admit that she did mature throughout the book, especially as she got to know Knox, learning that having preconceived notions about people from their looks was wrong. Speaking of Knox, he was a character I loved. He had the exterior of a bad boy and he let people believe the rumor that he was a man-whore, when he actually wasn't. I loved getting to know him throughout the book as he proved Charlie wrong. He was a such a sweet-heart and he was also intelligent without being flagrant about it, which made him all the more attractive to me.
While I didn't particularly enjoy Charlie, I did love her slow burn relationship with Knox. They were initially attracted to each other, but their relationship wasn't by any means instant. They slowly got to know each other while the plot developed and it was very sweet. The romance wasn't the focus of the book though. The themes related to date rape drugs were. I'm actually grateful to Nicole Williams for focusing her book on a problem that has relevance on campuses today. She also did it in a realistic way, showing the subtlety that rapists often have in these situations. Additionally, she showed how it's almost always someone you already know who winds up being the rapists and it doesn't matter how careful you are, you're always at risk when roofies are passed around. It was all very educational, according to me. Charlie herself got roofied multiple times during Hard Knox. Thankfully, Knox was almost always around her, so he was there to protect her. The mystery as to who was doing it was actually quite predictable, and I figured it out quite early on, but it didn't really bother me.
I might not have liked Charlie's arrogance in Hard Knox, but I did appreciate the author writing a NA book about a socially relevant subject matter. I reckon if I bonded a bit better with Charlie, I would have rated this a solid 4 stars. I would recommend this book if you're into NA books that actually dig deeper into issues that college students can face.
August 17, 2014
Charlie Chase is a college student, she is majoring in journalism and she is always following a good story. She is assigned an underage drinking piece and she finds herself in a place she hates, a fraternity party. Her roommate Harlow was supposed to be her wingman but in the end she must go in alone. Charlie is not very popular on campus due to prior subjects she has written.
The tedium is broken when sexy bad boy Knox Jagger seeks her company.
“The icon, the man, the legend . . . the guy who was earning a memorial statue in the bad boy hall of fame—Knox Jagger.”
She knows he is the kind of guy she should be avoiding. She pushes him away but by the end of the night after she is drugged, she will find herself in his bed. To her shock there is more to Jagger than what people believed.
“I was born bad, baby.”
Knox Jagger is known as the bad boy on campus ground. He has a short temper, he's a fighter, and his back pockets are full on female underwear at every party.
“For a good time, call Knox, 1-800-BIG-DICK or Add to Bucket List: Get Fucked by Knox Jagger."
He has a bad rep but sometimes bad boys are not what you think they are and when someone is targeting Charlie, he stands in to protect her.
“I’ve already found it.”
“If I’m what you’ve been looking for, I don’t know whether to be sad for you or fucking over the moon for myself.”
My thoughts:
I consumed this book. Both characters felt real to me. Jagger was swoon worthy and he's going into my Book Boyfriend pile. Everyone should meet Knox and fall in love with him.
I love their banter and the way the fall in love. I hate insta love stories and luckily this was not one of them. Discovering their feelings together was wonderful to experience.
“With lust, the attraction is all based on ‘What can you do for me’? But with love, it’s about ‘What can I do for you?’ Selfish versus selfless.”
As for the writing goes, it was smooth and the flow uninterrupted.
I can't wait to read the next one in this series.
“Ever-after promises that no matter what comes or what has been, no matter who I become or who I was, no matter who you become or who you were, nothing can break us apart. Ever-after means forever means no matter what. Ever is the glue that brings two broken pieces together, and after is the bond that keeps them that way.”
Cliffhanger: No
5/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It
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The tedium is broken when sexy bad boy Knox Jagger seeks her company.
“The icon, the man, the legend . . . the guy who was earning a memorial statue in the bad boy hall of fame—Knox Jagger.”
She knows he is the kind of guy she should be avoiding. She pushes him away but by the end of the night after she is drugged, she will find herself in his bed. To her shock there is more to Jagger than what people believed.
“I was born bad, baby.”
Knox Jagger is known as the bad boy on campus ground. He has a short temper, he's a fighter, and his back pockets are full on female underwear at every party.
“For a good time, call Knox, 1-800-BIG-DICK or Add to Bucket List: Get Fucked by Knox Jagger."
He has a bad rep but sometimes bad boys are not what you think they are and when someone is targeting Charlie, he stands in to protect her.
“I’ve already found it.”
“If I’m what you’ve been looking for, I don’t know whether to be sad for you or fucking over the moon for myself.”
My thoughts:
I consumed this book. Both characters felt real to me. Jagger was swoon worthy and he's going into my Book Boyfriend pile. Everyone should meet Knox and fall in love with him.
I love their banter and the way the fall in love. I hate insta love stories and luckily this was not one of them. Discovering their feelings together was wonderful to experience.
“With lust, the attraction is all based on ‘What can you do for me’? But with love, it’s about ‘What can I do for you?’ Selfish versus selfless.”
As for the writing goes, it was smooth and the flow uninterrupted.
I can't wait to read the next one in this series.
“Ever-after promises that no matter what comes or what has been, no matter who I become or who I was, no matter who you become or who you were, nothing can break us apart. Ever-after means forever means no matter what. Ever is the glue that brings two broken pieces together, and after is the bond that keeps them that way.”
Cliffhanger: No
5/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It
August 14, 2014
The Crash series is one of my absolute favorites, so I was so excited for this book. Unfortunately, it did not meet my expectations. Charlie was a judgmental, snarky b@tch. She spends half the book lifting her nose at anyone who has fun in college, especially Greeks. Why would anyone want to hang out with this girl? And, btw, a sorority would never have a party with guys and alcohol at their house, unless they tied up the house mother and wanted to lose their charter. I liked Knox, but couldn't understand why he was suddenly spilling all his secrets and feelings to this girl, and so quickly. I hope the next book has better characters! Bring back Jude!
November 15, 2014
I ended up liking the characters and the story, but I will say that it wasn't my favorite. It makes me sad to say that and I tried hard to get into it, but it is what it is. Now, I did really enjoy the second book, which can be read as a stand alone, so be sure to check it out. And as always, be sure to check out other reviews for this one. I've seen some favorable reviews out there and just because this didn't win me over, it might be your cup of tea.
June 24, 2015
After reading Damaged Goods first and loving it, I had to go back and read Hard Knox. Thank god the books are unrelated and it didn't ruin anything for me. When I started the story I really wasn't sure about it, but as I kept reading it I found it got better and better. Another great read from a great author.
August 25, 2014
* A review copy was provided by the author for the Blog Tour *
Amazon Buy Link--->> Hard Knox: The Outsider Chronicles
~~ 4 "Not What You Think" Stars ~~
I have been a fan of Nicole Williams for awhile now, so I was so excited to hear that she was releasing another new series. This one being about "bad boys", who doesn't love a bad boy??? I know I do. Hard Knox is book one in her Outsider Chronicles Series and I thought it was a great start. This book/series I think is going to be very different from the other books Nicole has written. This is very much a NA type book, in that it is based around two college students, but I thought the storyline was unique and something different then is out there. This book actually touched on a subject that is really becoming a growing concern of many parents and students on college campuses. I loved how Nicole made this story feel true and accurate. I didn't role my eyes or say there is no way that could ever happen, because I believe it can and does really happen. I don't want to ruin this story for anyone, so I am not going to expand on this anymore, you just need to read the story to understand what I am talking about. Just know that what you think might be true in this story isn't always what it seems ;) This book was filled with mystery and suspense. I have to say that I really enjoyed the beginning of the book and the end of the book, but the part in the middle (from around 50%-70%) I thought kind of dragged and could've either been condensed or even cut out. To me it kind of slowed down the pace and main theme of the story and just added filler we didn't really need to fully enjoy the book. Had that been taken out this would've been a 5 star read for me.
I thought the characters in this book were witty, funny, independent and very believable. Both Knox and Charlie were strong characters. I thought Charlie was one of the strongest female leads I have seen in a book. She didn't give a crap what people thought of her, she was so focused on becoming the best journalist she could be. I was glad to see that her strength and bravery never really faltered in this story. With everything she went through in the book, she still ended up just as strong and brave as she started, she just ended up having more supporters with her in the end. Knox was an amazing "Bad Boy". He totally lived up to his name, but he was so much more under the skin then anyone could've guessed. As things are revealed in this story, we get a totally new picture of who Knox really is. And let me tell you I LOVE him even more now!!!! Knox had a horrible childhood and is the way he is because of those surroundings, but something tragic happens to Knox when he was 16 and that one event and then something else that happened a year after, changed who he was and who he wanted to be. I loved that his support of Charlie never wavered….he was willing to stand by her and do anything he could to help her, no questions asked. Knox is definitely one "bad boy" you want to meet.
What I liked about this book was that Nicole didn't overwrought it with extra characters that took away from the story. The secondary characters that we meet are only in the story to serve a specific purpose. She gave us some that I really liked and then gave us some I really really really hated!!!!! Read the book….You be the judge :)
I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a NA book with a new and different storyline. If you like a romance book with mystery and suspense then this is a book to add to your TBR list. I also believe that if you are a fan of Nicole William's other books you won't want to miss this new series!!!!
For more reviews go to Book Bitches Blog
Amazon Buy Link--->> Hard Knox: The Outsider Chronicles
~~ 4 "Not What You Think" Stars ~~
I have been a fan of Nicole Williams for awhile now, so I was so excited to hear that she was releasing another new series. This one being about "bad boys", who doesn't love a bad boy??? I know I do. Hard Knox is book one in her Outsider Chronicles Series and I thought it was a great start. This book/series I think is going to be very different from the other books Nicole has written. This is very much a NA type book, in that it is based around two college students, but I thought the storyline was unique and something different then is out there. This book actually touched on a subject that is really becoming a growing concern of many parents and students on college campuses. I loved how Nicole made this story feel true and accurate. I didn't role my eyes or say there is no way that could ever happen, because I believe it can and does really happen. I don't want to ruin this story for anyone, so I am not going to expand on this anymore, you just need to read the story to understand what I am talking about. Just know that what you think might be true in this story isn't always what it seems ;) This book was filled with mystery and suspense. I have to say that I really enjoyed the beginning of the book and the end of the book, but the part in the middle (from around 50%-70%) I thought kind of dragged and could've either been condensed or even cut out. To me it kind of slowed down the pace and main theme of the story and just added filler we didn't really need to fully enjoy the book. Had that been taken out this would've been a 5 star read for me.
I thought the characters in this book were witty, funny, independent and very believable. Both Knox and Charlie were strong characters. I thought Charlie was one of the strongest female leads I have seen in a book. She didn't give a crap what people thought of her, she was so focused on becoming the best journalist she could be. I was glad to see that her strength and bravery never really faltered in this story. With everything she went through in the book, she still ended up just as strong and brave as she started, she just ended up having more supporters with her in the end. Knox was an amazing "Bad Boy". He totally lived up to his name, but he was so much more under the skin then anyone could've guessed. As things are revealed in this story, we get a totally new picture of who Knox really is. And let me tell you I LOVE him even more now!!!! Knox had a horrible childhood and is the way he is because of those surroundings, but something tragic happens to Knox when he was 16 and that one event and then something else that happened a year after, changed who he was and who he wanted to be. I loved that his support of Charlie never wavered….he was willing to stand by her and do anything he could to help her, no questions asked. Knox is definitely one "bad boy" you want to meet.
What I liked about this book was that Nicole didn't overwrought it with extra characters that took away from the story. The secondary characters that we meet are only in the story to serve a specific purpose. She gave us some that I really liked and then gave us some I really really really hated!!!!! Read the book….You be the judge :)
I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a NA book with a new and different storyline. If you like a romance book with mystery and suspense then this is a book to add to your TBR list. I also believe that if you are a fan of Nicole William's other books you won't want to miss this new series!!!!
For more reviews go to Book Bitches Blog
September 2, 2014
I need an epilogue.
It’s no secret that I love Nicole Williams writing. One of my favorite things is her ability to write the cutest, sweetest bad boys there are (yes I know it’s an oxymoron but it’s true). Knox Jagger is the product of all my fantasy book boyfriends all rolled into one, think Jude Ryder and Lucas Maxfield mixed together *fans self* OH MY ;)
I’m not going to go into details about the plot because it would seriously spoil it for you, lets just say that not everything is as it seems. There are so many things going on below the surface, both with the characters and the nuances of the plot. The clues are there to pick up on, don’t forget that information can be manipulated ;)
Told in first person narrative from Charlie’s point of view. Boy did I love her, she is exactly my sort of female character. Strong, independent, snarky and sarcastic :) She knows who she is and doesn’t make apologies for it; she is a WYSISYG girl. Despite the differences between Knox and Charlie they truly bring out the best in each other. You can’t help but become invested in their relationship as well as them as individuals. With Charlie targeted as a victim of ‘roofies’ and Knox as her unlikely protector the tension is high throughout the book.
As a parent the whole concept of the ‘date rape’ culture was even more frightening, add in the fact that it can be put in anything not just alcohol added to my anxiety. In fact it made me want to ban my girls from ever going to parties :(
I’ve got to be honest and say that there was one aspect of the plot that I didn’t particularity like – in fact it caused me to have an eww moment – not to give to much away but it has to do with Charlie’s resemblance to a person from Knox’s past, for me felt a bit skeevy. However, it was a minor detail and one I can overlook in respect to the story as a whole.
Believe me when I say that I’ve had my fair share of hard knocks in my life but if they were HARD KNOX then I would be a happy woman :) This is the only kind of Hard Knox you want in your life ;)
It’s no secret that I love Nicole Williams writing. One of my favorite things is her ability to write the cutest, sweetest bad boys there are (yes I know it’s an oxymoron but it’s true). Knox Jagger is the product of all my fantasy book boyfriends all rolled into one, think Jude Ryder and Lucas Maxfield mixed together *fans self* OH MY ;)
I’m not going to go into details about the plot because it would seriously spoil it for you, lets just say that not everything is as it seems. There are so many things going on below the surface, both with the characters and the nuances of the plot. The clues are there to pick up on, don’t forget that information can be manipulated ;)
Told in first person narrative from Charlie’s point of view. Boy did I love her, she is exactly my sort of female character. Strong, independent, snarky and sarcastic :) She knows who she is and doesn’t make apologies for it; she is a WYSISYG girl. Despite the differences between Knox and Charlie they truly bring out the best in each other. You can’t help but become invested in their relationship as well as them as individuals. With Charlie targeted as a victim of ‘roofies’ and Knox as her unlikely protector the tension is high throughout the book.
As a parent the whole concept of the ‘date rape’ culture was even more frightening, add in the fact that it can be put in anything not just alcohol added to my anxiety. In fact it made me want to ban my girls from ever going to parties :(
I’ve got to be honest and say that there was one aspect of the plot that I didn’t particularity like – in fact it caused me to have an eww moment – not to give to much away but it has to do with Charlie’s resemblance to a person from Knox’s past, for me felt a bit skeevy. However, it was a minor detail and one I can overlook in respect to the story as a whole.
Believe me when I say that I’ve had my fair share of hard knocks in my life but if they were HARD KNOX then I would be a happy woman :) This is the only kind of Hard Knox you want in your life ;)
August 19, 2017
4 STARS
I loved Crash so much, I like Eternal Eden and lost and found was better but Hard Knox did not dissapoint. I didn't know if I would be disappointed like I was with Eternal Eden or if I would love it as much as Crash and surprisingly it's in the middle for me.
Charlie is a journalist and Knox is Sinclair's bad boy. They are so different yet at a party Knox strikes up a conversation and surprisingly they get along, well kind of.
A bunch of surprising things happen and Knox saves Charlie, Twice. In between the mystery of the white pill dropper a spark begins between them.
Can Charlie thaw out Knox's Hard heart and can Knox protect Charlie from the white pill dropper?
This was a great read but it was also pretty long, not too long but long enough that I couldn't read it in one sitting. I enjoyed this book lots and also the mystery was great!
I loved Crash so much, I like Eternal Eden and lost and found was better but Hard Knox did not dissapoint. I didn't know if I would be disappointed like I was with Eternal Eden or if I would love it as much as Crash and surprisingly it's in the middle for me.
Charlie is a journalist and Knox is Sinclair's bad boy. They are so different yet at a party Knox strikes up a conversation and surprisingly they get along, well kind of.
A bunch of surprising things happen and Knox saves Charlie, Twice. In between the mystery of the white pill dropper a spark begins between them.
Can Charlie thaw out Knox's Hard heart and can Knox protect Charlie from the white pill dropper?
This was a great read but it was also pretty long, not too long but long enough that I couldn't read it in one sitting. I enjoyed this book lots and also the mystery was great!
October 1, 2014
Hard Knox touches on roofies and date rape on a college campus, which is the first time I have come across the topic in this genre. The topic was interesting, but this didn't work for me due to the characters. I couldn't stand Charlie. High and mighty snob- her joking and incessant dialogue was obnoxious. I tried to like Knox but many times his dialogue was unrealistic and rambled like Charlie's. I had to skim parts where Charlie and Knox seemed like the same character talking which was most of the novel. As for the plot, it was clear who was drugging the girls and Charlie not figuring it out seemed out of character given her supposed smarts and talent as a journalist. It just missed the mark for me.
August 15, 2014
5 hard Knox Stars!
“So is Knox Jagger a bad boy or a good man? He’s both. He’s neither. He’s a breed all his own”
Hard Knox was amazing! Another great read by Nicole Williams. I was hooked from the very beginning! Loved Charlie Chase her smart ass sarcastic mouth had me lol on several occasions! And Knox definitely earned his favorite book boyfriend status! So read this one ASAP! You won't be disappointed!
And the blurb to book 2 as me wanting some of Will Goods...damaged and all :)
“So is Knox Jagger a bad boy or a good man? He’s both. He’s neither. He’s a breed all his own”
Hard Knox was amazing! Another great read by Nicole Williams. I was hooked from the very beginning! Loved Charlie Chase her smart ass sarcastic mouth had me lol on several occasions! And Knox definitely earned his favorite book boyfriend status! So read this one ASAP! You won't be disappointed!
And the blurb to book 2 as me wanting some of Will Goods...damaged and all :)
August 31, 2020
enjoyable but the amount of slut shaming and misogyny...
September 1, 2014
I LOVE Nicole Williams books - they are always so well written, the characters draw you into the story and Hard Knox a new series was no different.
This book is an example of why people shouldn't assume and that often times there is more than meets the eye.
The reader meets Charlie, a college student and journalist, who is the Queen of skeptics and stereotypes; someone who is always looking for the next big story at school no matter the consequences. Though I wanted to like Charlie, often times she upset me with her judgement. Most especially being a mother, I wanted to ring her neck with some of her decisions. I know..I am purposely being vague because you need to go in blindly.
When Charlie is tasked to find out who is putting the date rape pills into girls drinks at fraternity parties, Knox Jagger, the resident bad boy hottie is the obvious choice...but I questioned this assumption A LOT!!
You see for me, Knox seemed like a good person, protective and throughout the book, I felt that there were so many layers to his character. There is definitely mystery that surrounds him and I couldn't quite figure out what it was. I questioned everything, was very unsure and I LOVE feeling like this in a book!
Despite her skepticism, I enjoyed their interactions...I loved them together period.
As Charlie opens her heart and the truths are revealed, what will become of these two characters who have such obvious chemistry between them?
You will have to read this book to find out!
What I truly enjoyed about this book:
this is a very real look at something that happens in real life - its relevant, its scary for any parent and its something that girls should be educated about when they get to the age where they are drinking and/or attending parties
that good boys are not a dying breed and that there are still many who are protective, caring of all others and who eventually realize that they are deserving and worthy of love - there are boys who have hearts of gold
it was not insta love - I enjoyed the slow development of this relationship and experiencing the emotions and the feelings as they
evolved was an experience to behold
Most of all I adored Knox! another male lead that Nicole has created that has captured my heart!
I look forward to more in this series!
This book is an example of why people shouldn't assume and that often times there is more than meets the eye.
The reader meets Charlie, a college student and journalist, who is the Queen of skeptics and stereotypes; someone who is always looking for the next big story at school no matter the consequences. Though I wanted to like Charlie, often times she upset me with her judgement. Most especially being a mother, I wanted to ring her neck with some of her decisions. I know..I am purposely being vague because you need to go in blindly.
When Charlie is tasked to find out who is putting the date rape pills into girls drinks at fraternity parties, Knox Jagger, the resident bad boy hottie is the obvious choice...but I questioned this assumption A LOT!!
You see for me, Knox seemed like a good person, protective and throughout the book, I felt that there were so many layers to his character. There is definitely mystery that surrounds him and I couldn't quite figure out what it was. I questioned everything, was very unsure and I LOVE feeling like this in a book!
Despite her skepticism, I enjoyed their interactions...I loved them together period.
As Charlie opens her heart and the truths are revealed, what will become of these two characters who have such obvious chemistry between them?
You will have to read this book to find out!
What I truly enjoyed about this book:
this is a very real look at something that happens in real life - its relevant, its scary for any parent and its something that girls should be educated about when they get to the age where they are drinking and/or attending parties
that good boys are not a dying breed and that there are still many who are protective, caring of all others and who eventually realize that they are deserving and worthy of love - there are boys who have hearts of gold
it was not insta love - I enjoyed the slow development of this relationship and experiencing the emotions and the feelings as they
evolved was an experience to behold
Most of all I adored Knox! another male lead that Nicole has created that has captured my heart!
I look forward to more in this series!
October 24, 2014
Expect the freaking unexpected 4.5
So this is story about a girl named Charlie and a boy named Knox. They study at the same university but they haven't met but each know about the other. Charlie knows about Knox's man-whoring and Knox knows about Charlie's article that has clearly defined her as rare but really strong and smart, when you think about it, girl. You'll know more when you read this story.
So Charlie is amazing. She's smart, quirky and is honest to a fault. She doesn't let anything get in her way. Her smart-alecky come backs made me grin and her inner musing will definitely make you laugh out loud. Now moving on to Knox, he's gorgeous in one word but he's soooo much more that that. He's tall over 6 ft tall, he's got the muscles to go with that and if rumors are to be believed he's gets more actions than all the guys in Sinclair put together.
But with all things in life, nothing is what it seems. This unlikely hero comes to the rescue of our heroine and starts off the beginning of a beautiful relationship. But Knox has a past that is dark and difficult and he doesn't talk about it. He doesn't believe he deserves to be happy either. Yet Charlie manages to get him to trust himself to be with her. And then all hell breaks loose and Charlie's world crashes in front of her. The truth comes out. Finally, I could breath a sigh of relief, not that I had ever doubted you know who. Because there was something that always made me believe. Sigh.
I fell a little in love with every time I turned the book. So to say I totally dig this story would be an understatement. In fact, it was a very fast read for me. I started and seemed I finished it in a jiffy. So for me ladies this one's a solid 4.5.
If you wanna read about a sexy, over-protective, bad boy with a dark past who can't help but rescue a smarty-pants young journalist, yet all is not what it seems, then this is most definitely your book to snuggle up to.
So this is story about a girl named Charlie and a boy named Knox. They study at the same university but they haven't met but each know about the other. Charlie knows about Knox's man-whoring and Knox knows about Charlie's article that has clearly defined her as rare but really strong and smart, when you think about it, girl. You'll know more when you read this story.
So Charlie is amazing. She's smart, quirky and is honest to a fault. She doesn't let anything get in her way. Her smart-alecky come backs made me grin and her inner musing will definitely make you laugh out loud. Now moving on to Knox, he's gorgeous in one word but he's soooo much more that that. He's tall over 6 ft tall, he's got the muscles to go with that and if rumors are to be believed he's gets more actions than all the guys in Sinclair put together.
But with all things in life, nothing is what it seems. This unlikely hero comes to the rescue of our heroine and starts off the beginning of a beautiful relationship. But Knox has a past that is dark and difficult and he doesn't talk about it. He doesn't believe he deserves to be happy either. Yet Charlie manages to get him to trust himself to be with her. And then all hell breaks loose and Charlie's world crashes in front of her. The truth comes out. Finally, I could breath a sigh of relief, not that I had ever doubted you know who. Because there was something that always made me believe. Sigh.
I fell a little in love with every time I turned the book. So to say I totally dig this story would be an understatement. In fact, it was a very fast read for me. I started and seemed I finished it in a jiffy. So for me ladies this one's a solid 4.5.
If you wanna read about a sexy, over-protective, bad boy with a dark past who can't help but rescue a smarty-pants young journalist, yet all is not what it seems, then this is most definitely your book to snuggle up to.
February 3, 2017
I will begin by saying I really enjoy reading Nicole William's books and was thrilled she had a new book. With that said, I will tell you this book(really the heroine) exhausted me. Great subject matter, date rape drugs on a college campus, a strong heroine investigating for her college paper and a super hot conflicted hero. Well the heroine, Charlie, is supposed to be a super strong, independent girl. I found her to be so bitchy, vitriolic and snarky, I skipped some of her dialogue. I will say the girl made me laugh out loud more than a few times but she couldn't thank someone, mostly Knox our hero, to save her life (irony right here). Knox is the best character in this book, IMHO. Don't even get me started on her feminazi professor. Aren't professors supposed to be teaching their students to gather all the facts and check their sources so they aren't sued? Not this hag. Lastly, I'd like to address the sorority/fraternity issue. I know they are popular punching bags in many of these books. Since I didn't live in or join a fraternity, I will just address sororities. Every person in a sorority isn't a blond fembot. I should know, I was in one and an Alpha Phi in particular. Yes, it is a real sorority. As a matter of fact, I am more like Charlie than a fembot, we are not all bad! So yes, I recommend this and look forward to the next in the series, but take Charlie with a grain of salt. Had she not found Knox, sweet wonderful Knox, she would have ended up like her feminazi professor, alone again, naturally.
August 13, 2014
I have been a huge Nicole Williams fan ever since the CRASH series. Jude Ryder stole my heart and became my #1 book boyfriend and Knox Jagger is a pretty close second. Hard Knox was beautifully written and hooks you from the beginning.
I immediately liked Charlie. She is Sassy and Independent. She is a journalism major and while she was at fraternity party on campus trying to get the scoop on her upcoming article, she finds herself in a sticky situation. This is also where Charlie comes face to face with Knox.
"The icon, the man, the legend...the guy who was earning a memorial statue in the bad boy hall of fame--Knox Jagger."
Swoon. Knox is 100% Alpha Male Bad Boy. He is broken from his past and there were so many times I just wanted to hold him in my arms and take his pain away. Knox Jagger is known for being the bad boy on campus. No one wants to mess with him and girls at party's put their panties in his back pocket hoping to be his next lay.
Knox saves her from the situation she gets into and they work together to solve a huge problem at Sinclair University. And I was both shocked and disgusted after the truth came out. I had my suspicions but not enough proof as I was reading. But my Gooodness! I can't even explain how much I loved this and It's taking a lot for not to just babble on and vent about it. I have a huge hangover after reading this one.
I could not read or flip the pages fast enough. I hope that Charlie and Knox get another story! If you liked the Crash series, you will love this!
I immediately liked Charlie. She is Sassy and Independent. She is a journalism major and while she was at fraternity party on campus trying to get the scoop on her upcoming article, she finds herself in a sticky situation. This is also where Charlie comes face to face with Knox.
"The icon, the man, the legend...the guy who was earning a memorial statue in the bad boy hall of fame--Knox Jagger."
Swoon. Knox is 100% Alpha Male Bad Boy. He is broken from his past and there were so many times I just wanted to hold him in my arms and take his pain away. Knox Jagger is known for being the bad boy on campus. No one wants to mess with him and girls at party's put their panties in his back pocket hoping to be his next lay.
Knox saves her from the situation she gets into and they work together to solve a huge problem at Sinclair University. And I was both shocked and disgusted after the truth came out. I had my suspicions but not enough proof as I was reading. But my Gooodness! I can't even explain how much I loved this and It's taking a lot for not to just babble on and vent about it. I have a huge hangover after reading this one.
I could not read or flip the pages fast enough. I hope that Charlie and Knox get another story! If you liked the Crash series, you will love this!
December 11, 2014
Wow, it's been a long time since I was so frustrated by a character. 5 pages into the book and I already disliked the heroine, half into the book I was dreaming about sitting in front of her and telling her some truths to her face. Not that she would mind, after all she is an obnoxious know it all in a higher plane than us mere mortals, but at least it would have given me some peace of mind.
There is a lot of slut-shaming from the heroine to any other woman around. Darling, first of all this is the 21st century if a woman wants to sleep around it's her own decision and let's be fair... yeah, we are all judgmental bitc#Es that have thought that about someone, but the heroine drops into the category any woman interested in a guy (of course she is morally superior being a virgin by her own choice).
Usually I like witty characters, but she is snarky not witty. It's like she is in a crusade against the world. It seems that she only sees women around her as sluts or mean-ho and guys are either puppies deserving to be crushed or bad boys who should be kicked in their asses.
Of course , she doesn't fall for a bad boy at the end of the book our hero comes out as being c alean as white lily deserving enough of our queen majesty. I lost any interest in him by 40% into the book and when everything comes out I only wanted to hit myself for losing so much time in this book (it took me 3 weeks to finish it, a record).
There is a lot of slut-shaming from the heroine to any other woman around. Darling, first of all this is the 21st century if a woman wants to sleep around it's her own decision and let's be fair... yeah, we are all judgmental bitc#Es that have thought that about someone, but the heroine drops into the category any woman interested in a guy (of course she is morally superior being a virgin by her own choice).
Usually I like witty characters, but she is snarky not witty. It's like she is in a crusade against the world. It seems that she only sees women around her as sluts or mean-ho and guys are either puppies deserving to be crushed or bad boys who should be kicked in their asses.
Of course , she doesn't fall for a bad boy at the end of the book our hero comes out as being c alean as white lily deserving enough of our queen majesty. I lost any interest in him by 40% into the book and when everything comes out I only wanted to hit myself for losing so much time in this book (it took me 3 weeks to finish it, a record).
May 14, 2016
4.5!
Been a long time without reading college romance!
I'm glad I chose Hard Knox to begin again!
Charlie is the opposite of a typical college student, she is a very independent, witty and snarky girl, and a very committed reporter, too.
Knox is a walking stereotype of bad boy and womanizer. Therefore, all of what Charly is against and has been criticizing all her life.
When Charlie is victimized during one of her researchers for the school's paper, Knox and Charlie find themselves spending time together in order to find the responsible of what happened to Charlie.
This was hilarious! The snarky comments and Charlie's personality was very entertaining. I really loved her. Knox was just a sweetie! But of course very manly and yummy ;)! And the perfect hero with a painful past.
Thanks Nicole for this charming story!
Been a long time without reading college romance!
I'm glad I chose Hard Knox to begin again!
Charlie is the opposite of a typical college student, she is a very independent, witty and snarky girl, and a very committed reporter, too.
Knox is a walking stereotype of bad boy and womanizer. Therefore, all of what Charly is against and has been criticizing all her life.
When Charlie is victimized during one of her researchers for the school's paper, Knox and Charlie find themselves spending time together in order to find the responsible of what happened to Charlie.
This was hilarious! The snarky comments and Charlie's personality was very entertaining. I really loved her. Knox was just a sweetie! But of course very manly and yummy ;)! And the perfect hero with a painful past.
Thanks Nicole for this charming story!
December 7, 2014
I've enjoyed it. The writing is engaging, the storyline interesting and the banter between Knox and Charlie is intelligent and funny although sometimes a little over the top and it becomes somehow to much. I've miss a stronger connection between the main characters, in a way that sometimes it didn't feel like a romance. Overall good and entertaining.
August 16, 2014
I skimmed through the end. The chapters were just too long and it was just no excitement for me.
February 20, 2016
I have to admit... I saw the plot happening before it did and had it figured out, but I still really liked the book! Full review up soon. :D
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