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Pierwszy tom piorunującej serii o niepokornych mężczyznach autorstwa bestsellerowej Eve Jagger.

Silny, arogancki i nieznoszący sprzeciwu Ryder to król nocnego życia w Atlancie. Na co dzień jest właścicielem klubu nocnego, po godzinach zarządza potajemnie podziemnym ringiem.

Wkrótce na jego drodze pojawia się Cassie, która po ucieczce z Londynu wraca do rodzinnej Atlanty. Dziewczyna licząc na spokojne życie, nie spodziewa się, że pewnej nocy do jej domu wtargnie wściekły Ryder Cole. Bezwzględny mężczyzna zamierza ukarać brata Cassie za niespłacone długi.

Aby ocalić brata, Cassie wdaje się w niebezpieczny układ z Ryderem i zaczyna angażować się w jego szemrane interesy. Wkrótce obezwładniające pożądanie między nimi jest nie do ukrycia. Niestety nie obejdzie się bez konsekwencji. Ryder nie pozwoli jej tak po prostu odejść, a Cassie nie może ukrywać się w nieskończoność.

288 pages, Paperback

First published April 28, 2015

456 people are currently reading
2497 people want to read

About the author

Eve Jagger

13 books812 followers
Eve Jagger is the USA Today bestselling author of the Sexy Bastards series. A native of Georgia and a true southern girl at heart, she’s a stay at home mom to two kids, and married to a sexy man who doesn't mind being used as research for those naughty scenes.

Eve cut her teeth writing in high school and college, but it wasn't until recently that she got the itch to write a full length novel. She loves complex, emotionally-charged characters and wild, sexy leading men. HARD, CASH, and A NIGHT WITH KNOX are available now.

Eve loves to talk and meet people on social media, so be sure and touch base with her on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/evejaggerbooks or Twitter https://twitter.com/evejwrites.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 352 reviews
Profile Image for Candi~Dirty Laundry Review.
122 reviews250 followers
May 1, 2015
Hard is Eve Jagger’s debut book!! And what a great beginning!! This story is filled with some hot sexy bastards. And a whole lotta holy effen hotness!!

We have Ryder “hell yes I wanna ride that” Cole. Club/bar owner and runs an “illegal” underground fight club. Need I say more.

Then there is Cassie. Who has just ran from England to come back home to Georgia after being gone for 2 years. To only land in the middle of her brother Jaimie’s debts and problems, and one very angry Ryder Cole. She is trying to get her life together. But Cassie also has secrets. Some heartbreaking ones. Many times I wanted to hug and squeeze her. And other times she had me wanting to squeeze and shake her and yell WHAT ARE YOU DOING WOMAN?!?! I guess she had her reasons.

And then there are Ryder’s best friends. Jackson, Cash, and Parker. I really really hope these guys get their own books. This is what I loved about this book. It had great character development among all the supporting characters. Even Cassie’s group of girlfriends. Every single one of them can have their own series of books and I would be happily 1-clicking away. I simply loved this book! The sexy times were SMOKING HOT!! Eve Jagger can write sex!! That’s for damn sure!! I was so worked up so many times and this was before anything actually even happened!!! And then when it did. HOLY HOT! And a particular favorite number of mine type scene….god yes!!! I loved the suspense buildup up too! Had my heart a racing! I can’t wait to see what Eve Jagger does next! I will be impatiently waiting!!
Profile Image for Jx PinkLady Reviews ♡.
737 reviews1,073 followers
May 4, 2015

It's LIVE! * Amazon US * Amazon UK *



Hard is about moving on from the past, fighting to survive and winning. The easy flowing nature of this story captured my attention from the opening chapter. It's engaging prose, beautiful descriptions and realistic dialogue drew me in and made me care about the protagonists..... Their past, their future, their wants and their desires.

Thirty year old ex-fighter Ryder Cole has earned his place as the king of the underground boxing world and successful, legitimate business man. He’s charismatic and sexy with a powerful aura; a ladies' man who enjoys playing the field. When circumstance presents itself he's also capable of looking after his lady in a beautiful and caring manner creating a charming chemistry between the protagonists.



Cassie, the heroine, finds herself in a situation where she's compelled to work for Ryder and shows that she's more than a match for him in terms of her feisty and confident nature. She's someone who isn't afraid to go after what she wants and someone who'll speak her mind, both great qualities in a heroine. As the story develops the reader learns more and more about the heroine's past, where she’s come from and the experiences she’s very recently faced.

There’s a plethora of additional characters all of whom add a layer of interest and pleasure to the story. I love the easy relationship and the loyalty shown between the men. They give the story an extra layer of warmth and feeling and a taste of the charismatic heroes that may take centre stage in future stories.

I LOVE the premise, how the protagonists meet, the dialogue and wonderful banter between Ryder and Cassie. The prose has a lovely descriptive quality to it and an easy flow which easily entertained me throughout. In addition, and most importantly, the erotic quality is absolutely divine! Ryder and Cassie set the page on fire with their attraction and sexual chemistry.



I wish I’d experienced a little more angst from the heroine, especially the elements concerning the serious themes of the story. I wanted to experience how her difficult history manifested itself in her present state of mind and life scenarios and if I’m honest, although her confidence is something I admire, for me I’m not sure if her very recent circumstances would have made her character a little different.

Having said all of that, the angst level of HARD turned up a notch during the last 20% of the story and wonderfully gave me a much sort after epilogue, one that took me full circle on their romantic and sexy journey. Ryder is a swoon worthy hero, I LOVE him. First time author Eve Jagger presented me with a premise that I found engaging and enjoyable and she's a writer I'll most certainly seek more stories from in the future.... I'm excited for the next part in the SEXY BASTARD series.


Complimentary copy received from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Hilary.
187 reviews37 followers
April 29, 2015
Ryder Cole is one swoon-worthy Sexy Bastard! I really need someone to erase this book from my memory so I can have the pleasure of experiencing it for the first time again! I absolutely loved this book and am already itching for a re-read.

The writing style is fantastic! The dialog really pulls you into the book and makes you feel like you are a part of the storyline. Nothing in this book feels forced. The perfect balance of story, plot twists and steam. Everything flows seamlessly and it was torture to have to put the book down, walk away and join reality. The ending is well done; leaving you equally satisfied and wanting more.

I quickly fell in love with these characters! Ryder is a tattooed ex-underground fighter who is more than he appears to be. Cassie is running from something, or better yet someone, all while trying to pick up after a loved one's short comings. The sexual chemistry between these two is nuclear and 100% cold shower inducing.


I CANNOT wait to see what else this new author has in store. With this kind of debut the sky's the limit!

**I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. **
Profile Image for Deanna❤Pink Lady❤️.
820 reviews845 followers
May 1, 2015
4 HOT HOT Stars

Hard is the debut novel of Eve Jagger. I'm always a little nervous about a new author but boy was I pleasantly surprised. This book was very well written and was full of sass, secrets and sex!!

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Ryder Cole is an ex fighter turned successful businessman. He is tall and tatted and dangerous hot!! He and his 3 partners own nightclubs. They are a tight group of sexy bastards. Ryder also runs an underground fight club. He is strong, powerful and gets his way.

Cassie McEntire has returned home after living in London for the past 2 years. Cassie has a secret that no one knows about. She wants to leave her troubles behind her, forget they exist, and wants a new start. She is beautiful, resilient and sassy.



Ryder and Cassie meet unexpectedly. Cassie's brother owes a debt to Ryder and since he is MIA, and Cassie always takes care of him, Cassie goes to work for Ryder to pay off his debt. These two have an instant chemistry. They have a quick and sexy banter and things heat up pretty fast. But keeping secrets can be detrimental. What if you finally feel safe and cared for, only to have those secrets come back to haunt you and ruin everything?

My favorite thing in this book was the quick and sassy banter between Ryder and Cassie. While their connection started out as sexual, it grew and developed. The author captured their flirtation and it made me smile, it made me laugh, it made me blush and it made me hot.

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I will say that I thought the ending felt a little rushed but I really enjoyed the story. It's hard to explain as I don't want to spoil. The book has some twist and turns and they are better left to be uncovered by the reader. There is an epilogue which is always a bonus in my book.

The author has said that all of Ryder's partners will be getting books of their own and I cannot wait for each of them to fall in love. The author has created a great group of sexy men and the women involved in their lives are just as fun and sexy. I hope the books to follow will keep the gang together and give us bits and pieces of how they are doing while we go through the books to follow. This series is one that I know I will follow. I am sure that it will hook you and pull you in just as it did me.

ARC gracious given by author in exchange for an honest review
Profile Image for Beverly.
1,005 reviews788 followers
May 1, 2016
It appears I have found a new author to stalk, Eve Jagger. She definitely has a new fan in me. This is the first book in the Sexy Bastards series. I actually read Knox’s book first and went back to read the rest.

Hard is Ryder and Cassie’s story. Cassie is fresh out of horrible relationship and back from abroad when she finds out her brother is in deep with Ryder. The guy who runs the underground fighting circuit. She offers to work off his debt managing his books at his legit business, a club called Altitude.

"What’s so great about being civilized anyway? When I want her, I want her. Simple as that."


First off, Eve Jagger writes sexy books, so this book is freaking HOT! Naturally that is what develops first between Cassie and Ryder, but after spending so much time together they begin to develop real feelings.

Ryder is sexy as sin and I loved his take-no-prisoners attitude. He was a man who knew what he wanted and wasn’t going to be told no. Cassie is scared and has a lot of baggage, but she has valid reasons for her issues. She did mildly frustrate me at times but nothing over the top and nothing that took away from my enjoyment.

I know I have told a lot of friends already about Eve’s books, but seriously if you are looking for a sexy read jump into these! I can’t wait to read Cash’s story!


Profile Image for Mitch C..
465 reviews46 followers
July 3, 2020

The story of Ryder and Cassie revolves after the pasts they left behind. Ryder is a formerly undefeated street fighter who became a not-so legitimate businessman. Cassie is an accountant who went overseas but came back to escape a possessive ex and relive her life. They both have separate lives but one circumstance led them to one another. And one ‘plausible deniability’ threatened to tear them apart.

For a debut book, this is not bad considering the plot is a common one – a badass fighter, rags-to-riches H, a starting-a-new-life, escaping-an-ex h. Yet the way the author delivered the story was better than some self-published books I’ve read. Good context, fairly-written characters, moderate story pacing. I encountered some typos but still bearable to read. However, some of the scenes seemed irrelevant to the story. Like the drinking binge scene of secondary characters in Ryder’s office while Cassie is filling-in as a waitress. I didn’t find it necessary for plot and character development, unless the author injected that scene in preparation for the second book. Another thing, the title of the series is supposed to describe the Hs, right? But in this particular book, it looks like the h is more of a sexy bastard than the H. I expected a badass alpha, one who doesn’t just talk tough when things got rough. But Ryder is too kind and easily forgiving person to the point women can effortlessly manipulate him, while Cassie is a weak, irrational, lying sack of shiznik – unintentional or not. I mean, if you want to put the past behind, you have to come clean first. Otherwise, it will just haunt and taunt you.

Overall, this is a light read, insta-lust, hot sex (watch out for the ‘69s’ – yes, plural), no too much annoying MCs or secondary characters, and minimal unnecessary and exaggerated dramas. Though, the ending looks like an HFN to me.
Profile Image for TeriLyn.
1,385 reviews441 followers
April 20, 2015

**Hard generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.**

4 "You're in charge" Stars

Eve Jagger wrote an enthralling debut story. Her writing flowed easily telling us the stories in the 1st person POV's of the hero and heroine, Ryder and Cassie.

Ryder Cole, ex-fighter, current businessman of legitimate ventures and one illegitimate venture knocked the wind out of me. He's a simple man, scorned by his past but not enough that he doesn't open himself up to possibility. He's honest, hot, and a damn good dirty talker. His alpha charm melted me. His need for Cassie was hot and vulnerable hitting all the right notes in my hero book.

Cassie McEntire returns home running from a life in England. She returns to chaos thanks to her brother. I loved Cassie's attitude. I loved how she was never scared of Ryder even when she should have been and I loved her loyalty to her family and new friends. There were times I felt Cassie could have been more. I thought Ryder out shined her in this book because of the choices she made. I wanted to her be as forward as she lead me to believe.

These two meet in a stressful situation yet sparks immediately flew. I felt their connection and enjoyed reading the sass they threw each others way. The sex scenes were HOT. Scorching hot. The plot thickens the further we get into it and there was a twist I didn't see coming that was great.

I felt the conflict and ending were a bit rushed. I was getting close to the end of the book and the conflict was still happening then the ending came abruptly. However, I was interested throughout the story which read really fast as I read in one sitting. I adored Ryder's friends and look forward to reading their stories and catching back up with these two. If the next books heroes are anywhere near as hot and dirty as Ryder, this series will definitely become a favorite.
Profile Image for CC.
1,255 reviews730 followers
September 3, 2015
Ryder Cole is an undefeated ex-fighter and successful club owner/businessman. He exudes sex appeal with his sexy suits, broad shoulders, sapphire blue eyes, tattooed arms, and sexy mouth.

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Cassie McEntire is a bookkeeper who just returned home from London after ending an abusive relationship with her boyfriend. With Cassie’s return, she is immediately forced to deal with her brother’s debt owed to Ryder. Since she doesn’t have the cash to pay off the loan, Ryder agrees to hire Cassie as a bookkeeper in his club so she can “work off” the debt. Immediately, there is an attraction between Ryder and Cassie, which allows for a build-up of sexual tension and sassy banter between the two characters.

“The next time you try to suffocate me, you’ll use your thighs instead of a pillow. It’d be much a more pleasant experience for both of us.”

“When it comes to you, Cassie, I’ll take what I can get. He smiles like a hungry man about to feast. Emphasis on the take.”

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“So, I’m pretty lucky, I say, pointing to my dark hair. Because those high heels are gonna look perfect wrapped around my head tonight.”


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In addition, a more serious issue is presented when dealing with Cassie’s abusive ex-boyfriend who comes to the U.S. to basically fetch her like a Neanderthal. Cassie must face her insecurities and fears and be honest with Ryder. With Ryder’s past, he cannot tolerate any lies in relationships. When danger knocks on Cassie’s door, Ryder is able to take a chance with his heart to protect “his tiger.”

Lastly, the secondary characters are well developed and add dimension to the plot line.

This is an outstanding debut novel by Eve Jagger and I look forward to reading more books by this author.
342 reviews170 followers
May 1, 2015
Totally impressed with Eve Jaggers debut novel! I loved Ryder and his dirty, bossy mouth. Cassie was spunky and gave as good as she got. The suspense in Hard was unexpected and totally gave the book a big screen feel. Can't wait to see what Eve does next!
Profile Image for Jen.
1,655 reviews1,162 followers
September 22, 2015
This one was just ok for me, although I did love some of the humor in it. For the first half of the book I was extremely distracted; I'm not sure if it was the story or just me?? Then I did start to get into it a bit more right up until the heroine decided to do something so frustrating, I almost through my Kindle. She irked me so darn bad and I'm still not over it. I am being a drama queen, I am sure of it; but her actions just rubbed me the wrong way, and that really knocked my enjoyment of the story down. I have to think a bit more on my review; but wanted to jot down a few of my immediate thoughts for now!! I will continue on with the series though, as the sex is hot and I like some of the secondary characters that will be getting future books!
Profile Image for Victoria.
1,188 reviews94 followers
May 5, 2015
3.5+ RATING- went into this book blind with none of my fellow GR friends having read it. Since it was available to borrow thru KU I decided to download a copy and read the first couple chapters to see what I thought. I liked it! I believe this is the authors first book and if so, I'm impressed.

I liked the chemistry between all the characters and am interested in reading more of the series because of that. The story had room to be more developed but worked as written just fine. I did not like the fact that the heroine did not come clean about certain things for so long. She had plenty of opportunities to be honest. I also thought a major issue between the two main characters was resolved too quickly.

As easy read that was enjoyable. Recommended as a guilty pleasure especially when able to get thru KU. I'll definitely be reading more.

Note: At the time this review was posted, this book was available to borrow through Amazon's Kindle Unlimited program.

To see other books available to borrow through Kindle Unlimited or SCRIBD, check out the Subscription Addiction group

https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
Profile Image for AWB.
843 reviews12 followers
May 9, 2015
Nearly everything about this book frustrated me.

Our h, wasn't just a TSTL kinda gal, she would be better classified as 'all-around-fucking-stupid'. Every single time we read from her POV, I got a headache from rolling my eyes. She was incredibly selfish, and her 'secrets' were stupid to hold on to.




The h's brother Jamie, was a complete waste of page space. He was worthless.

The only part of the book I found tolerable was Ryder (although not completely, he has some real asshole moments, so he was only passable). And Cash. Cash's man-whore ways and funny comments kept me reading. That's it.
Profile Image for ♥ WishfulMiss ♥ .
1,433 reviews115 followers
February 13, 2019
I’m a bit bummed about this read. I really liked it up until that HUGE reveal towards the end that robbed me of the good vibes I had going while reading Ryder and Cassie’s story.

Cassie is trying to bail out her irresponsible little brother after he racks up thousands of dollars in debt to the most dangerous man in the city. When he disappears and Ryder comes to collect what’s owed him, he and Cassie instantly click. He decides to let her work his books in exchange for working off her brother’s debt.

This had a smoking hot alpha Hero and some of the best sizzling chemistry between the MCs. It wasn’t insta love and they didn’t immediately jump into bed together. This had a nice build up to their relationship and I loved that they gradually fell in love. For me, the bombshell the h drops did kill some of my warm fuzzies but I think that is just me, personally. Also I had not inkling this was going to happen and I think that’s probably a huge reason it totally shocked me (and not in a good way!) Maybe if I’d been able to see it coming it wouldn’t have been such a deal breaker but I honestly felt like it came out of left field with no warning what so ever!

Favorite Line(s):
“I know you can look after yourself, but you don’t have to do it alone now. I’m her to protect you too.” - Ryder


Would I recommend? A good read. Some might not be bothered at all by the spoilers below. I would recommend to some but not all (especially the safety gang)

* * * ARC provided for an honest review * * *
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.


SAFETY INFO:
Profile Image for Red Cheeks Reads.
2,278 reviews373 followers
May 5, 2015
I love getting excited over a brand spanking new series and that is exactly what I am over Eve Jagger’s Sexy Bastard series and what a feakin’ fantastic title. The first book Hard, sees nightclub and underground fight club entrepreneur Ryder Cole clash with Cassie McEntire over her brothers unsettled debts towards Ryder, a problem that is soon rectified by Cassie offering to work as the accountant for Ryder’s nightclub business but that is also more complicated as the sexual tension and innuendo flares between the two.
The initial surprise meeting between Ryder and Cassie was crafted to perfection, it was downright hilarious and executed to its full potential and what made it such a great comedic element was Eve’s use of snappy dialogue between her characters, the bantering and one-up-manship, trying to verbally trounce the other as well as communicate the simmering heat and attraction between the two sparring leads and this is something that is consistently entertaining the whole way through the book. It makes great use of that old adage that there’s a fine line between love and hate.
‘He approaches, bends toward me, putting his hands on either side of my hips. “Promise me one more thing.” he says. His lips almost brush my ear, the proximity a tease, like a ghost of a kiss. “That the next time you try to suffocate me, you’ll use your thighs instead of a pillow. It’s be a much more pleasant experience for us both.”
Ryder is utterly flawless. Even when he’s being an arse and saying the wrong thing you just know that wasn’t how he intended it to sound and when he admits he’s wrong the man knows how to apologise, there’s no dragging out the misunderstanding for longer than necessary. He’s gorgeous, fairly humble for being so filthy rich and he has a terrific dry sense of humour. I need Ryder off the page and in my life NOW please. Cassie is the type of female protagonist I love to read about, she has a serious amount of sass, sarcasm and spirit in her but has an abundance of compassion and loyalty especially when it comes to family. Eve Jagger managed to take a fantastic flirty and fun story and add an element of danger and realism to it to in the form of domestic abuse, something she accomplishes with sensitivity and aplomb and what makes Cassie an even more heroic figure in my eyes is the fact that she never concedes or admits defeat when threatened, she’s strong and just the type of girl you could be friends with in real life.
Hard is the start of a brilliant new series and I cannot wait to get my hands on the next bachelor! The writing flows with fun and drama in equal measure bringing in side characters to the fold and creating a fantastic group dynamic between the girls and the boys and paving the way for further stories. The only small problem I had was the abrupt ending. I feel like it needed an extra chapter or an epilogue to tie up all the loose ends for Ryder and Cassie’s happily ever after.
~Nicole
Profile Image for Georgana ~ Valentine PR & Literary Managment.
437 reviews13 followers
May 5, 2015
I really loved this book. Ryder is smoking hot with that Alpha male mentality but also comes across with a tender heart. Cassie is sassy and strong and I like how she is extremely loyal to the people who matter most to her.

Great secondary characters in this book. A bit of suspense and angst, a whole lot of sexy hottness going on.

5 Stars!
Profile Image for Nance.
1,602 reviews115 followers
September 17, 2015
A cute little romance with an alpha-male club owner and his fiery petite accountant vixen. She doesn't quite tell the truth and he forgives her a bit too easily as the truth to her current relationship status is avoided. Ryder's most important rule is "no lying". And, Cassie's biggest issue is learning to trust someone. So, they pretty much had problems from the start. Their romance was passionately HOT as they can't get enough of each other intimately. I wasn't too happy with either character, however, as things were tied up rather quickly in the end for me. Eve Jagger does pen some entertaining comical instances with their friends, though. So, I will be revisiting the Sexy Bastard series once again when Cash gets his story told next. One new author to keep an eye out for...

"And I'm trapped under him, or protected or maybe they're the same thing when you trust someone. When he actually cares about you and you care about him. When you don't fear that he'll use his strength for anything other than keeping you happy, keeping you safe. If this is what it's like to be Ryder's captive, feeling the smoothness of his firm abs brushing my belly as he rocks in and out of me, lock me up and throw away the key. I surrender." ~ Cassie (Chap. 26)

Amazing abilicious cover...
Profile Image for Marika.
4,842 reviews100 followers
April 30, 2015
Ryder in a man who loves to win, he wants something he goes after it.
Cassie is too good for her own good and she lands right in Ryder's path.
What started out as pure work related turn in so much more..But Cassie's past is catching up on her.
I am not going to spoil but you seriously need to read it. I couldn't put it down and right until the very last page.
Can't wait to read more from this author.
Profile Image for Heather / Obsessed With Myshelf.
483 reviews85 followers
July 23, 2015
Hard is GREAT. I mean, really fucking great. Five Stars Great – #MUSTREAD GREAT. I was instantly drawn into the world of the sexy bastards and I never want to leave. This is fantastic writing that’s full of banter, innuendo, & delicious alpha men. It’s my favorite combination of all things: I am in book heaven.

Those sexy bastards swept me away with their hard exteriors, tattoos and big hearts. Eve drew me in with her playful and witty writing style that was like that perfect glass of water when you’re dying of thirst. I’m blown away that this is Eve’s debut novel and I’m so excited to see what’s next. Hard is so good (isn’t it always?) but really – the novel is too.

When Ryder goes to collect a debt, he doesn’t mess around. He hasn’t made his money by lying low and being soft, so when Jamie, Cassie’s brother, fails to pay the $10,000 debt that he’s racked up betting at Ryder’s bare knuckle fight nights, Ryder’s going to collect. However, when Cassie’s the one in Jamie’s bed, Ryder’s the one that’s surprised. Cassie knocks him out with her sassy mouth and tight body…and that’s just the beginning.

Cassie’s back from a two year stint in Europe and she’s desperately trying to make a new start in her life. Being woken up in the middle of the night by sexy as fuck Ryder and being caught up in trying to fix her baby brother’s wayward life wasn’t exactly what she envisioned for her homecoming, but you know, life happens. Cassie’s voice was the perfect blend of hard ass, snark and seductress. She’s not only witty, she’s also intellectually smart. Total Package. #Boom. LOVED HER. Of course, she’s also running away from something…someone…but she’s keeping those secrets locked up tight.

HARD is full of surprises, a bit of suspense and a hell of a lot of sex. Ryder is so goddamn perfect – this big, deliciously sexy man who can make a man go to his knees with just a look can’t stop himself from falling to his knees when it comes to Cassie. OH, and he’s on his knees A LOT. (Thanks, Eve). The dirty talk had me slipping right off my chair and I could practically hear Ryder growling in my ear. *swoon*

Give this a go. Now. For fucks’ sake. LOVED.

This review looks prettier on my blog: http://obsessedwithmyshelf.com/2015/0...
Profile Image for Ashleyjo.
826 reviews522 followers
May 16, 2015
Started off strong, especially for a newbie author, but quickly takes a turn on cheese road in Twitville, Bumfuck.

Cassie initially has a smarty pants mouth and spunk that works for a character trying to start life anew and getting dragged into her brother's shitstorm. Likewise, Ryder is supposed to be a badass retired underground fighter that now owns bars and is like the manager/ bookie of an underground fight scene. They meet thanks to Cassie's f'up brother and insta lust occurs. Sounds fine and dandy, right?

Not so fast...

Ryder is like a Disney version of a bookie, underground fight mogul. He's nice. He apologizes. He's been cheated on and dumped and muses over his feelings. He goes camping (there's singing, okay)?! He basically forgot his balls somewhere around chapter 3, & he damn sure is a far cry from a bastard other than the occasionally making Cassie beg for his wiener.

Cassie quickly loses that spunk and becomes a shriveling ball of woe is me monologues and excuses for her constant stupidity, and this chick is f'ing stupid. Not telling Ryder her "big secret." Not thinking someone as nutso as her ex would come for her. Insisting against Ryder's efforts to keep her safe. I mean this chick is such a twit she should be chirping her lines.

Unbelievable to life!! The character actions just aren't believable, particularly Cassie's. Ryder throws her down when he's teaching her to throw a punch. They meet as he's breaking into her house. Her reactions, or rather lack there of, to these types of abuse trigger situations just are not congruent with the description of her life in England.

Predictable plot points. Aside from having no clue who Sebastian was to her, the rest of the book is utterly predictable.

The author has a good writing style. Her dialogues were fair, smooth flow, and some funny banter in the beginning. Unfortunately, the characters just weren't up to par and the story just wasn't believable nor exciting. Author showed potential, but this just wasn't a winner or anything that I could recommend.
Profile Image for Michelle Mulvey.
1,151 reviews13 followers
June 29, 2016
First off, I won this ARC in a giveaway. Eve Jagger is totally new to me.
After reading this ARC, she will be one of the authors that I will keep tabs
On to see when she releases new books.
I absolutely loved this book. Cassie comes back to the states to escape from
Sebastian, while she is home in her bed sleeping Ryder breaks in looking for her
Brother who owes $10,000. She has no idea where her brother is hiding out. Cassie ends up going to Ryder's club and speaking with him about how what's going on with her brother and while she's there, an opportunity comes along and it seems they need a new bookkeeper. Cassie proposes and offer to work as the bookkeeper and instead of paying her, Ryder keeps the money until the 10K is paid off.
The chemistry between Cassie and Ryder is off the charts. However he has been hurt before bigtime and He finds out that Cassie has lied to hi
Not once but twice. Will he be able to forgive her after what she is hiding from him or will this newfound relationship come to an end before it really gets serious!!
Loved this book and cannot wait to read more by this author
Profile Image for 1-Click Addict Support Group.
3,749 reviews490 followers
June 4, 2015
This is a debut novel...and it's a HELL of a debut. Seriously, Hard was unputdownable; I started at midnight and stopped at 2am when I could keep my eyes open any longer, only to pick it back up the minute I was awake and read to the conclusion. I'm exhausted now but I. Regret. Nothing.

Cassie doesn't need a man like Ryder Cole in her life. She's got secrets to run from, and the tattooed ex-fighter is simply too sexy to be anything but a distraction from getting her life back on track.

But Ryder could be the one to help save her, if only her secrets and his illegal business don't tear them apart.

Right, well, I think I made it clear in my opener that I loved this book. Really loved it. In actual fact. FLOVED it. Why? Because Ryder was deliciously hot and Alpha, but not an over-the-top asshole. Because Cassie was sassy and fun, despite being a little frustrating with her secret keeping. And because the story was well-paced, well-formed and well-written. Oh, and sexy-as-fuck. Did I mention that?

The tension, sexual and otherwise, was spot-on in Hard. I was anxious about what (or who...) was coming. I was invested in the story from the start (I thought Cassie and Ryder's meet-cute was excellent), and stayed that way to the rewarding end. And I was hot for these characters; there was something about the tabooness of their relationship that really got me going. Oooh, I so wanted them to get their HEA.

I'm really excited and interested to see what Eve Jagger does next. There are several secondary characters that have serious potential and I'm hoping we'll be reading about them in the none-too-distant future. Until then, I'd better catch up on some sleep... ~ Beth, 5 stars

~~~

Wow, I am not even sure how to start this review, other than YES!!!!! I loved the characters, the story, the struggles, the emotions, and the sex!

Cassie is a no nonsense kind of girl. She gives as good as she takes, and she is real. All qualities that seem to be hard to find in a book these days. Her loyalty to family is above all else, and she will do anything to protect them.

Ryder is HOT. He is dominant and fierce, and did I mention HOT?!?!?! When Cassie refuses to back down, he knows he is done for, but in a great sheets-on-fire kind of way.

The story is one that most won’t be able to empathize with, but it is written in a way that it is still relatable. I loved how well the story flowed and sucked you in. For me, the first two chapters were a little slow and tough to get into, but then after that…. BAM! ~ Devlynn, 4.5 stars

~~~

Sexy. Alpha.Tattooed.Ex-fighter.

Sign. Me. Up.

Ryder Cole is crazy hot. He’s the man in charge, king of the nightclub scene and owner of an illegal fighting operation. When he kicks in a door to collect on a $10,000 debt, he wasn’t expecting a firecracker in the form of Cassie McEntire to turn his world upside down. The spark between these two is hot and they have an easy banter that I really enjoyed.

I felt like the pacing was a little quick on this. Ryder showed his soft underbelly quickly and I would have enjoyed having him fleshed out a little more. He’s wounded, but tough. He quit fighting because of a woman but we never really get the story behind that. I feel like that would have explained why he was the way he was, and given some depth to his character. We get a lot of time devoted to Cassie’s past and issues and we see how her mistakes impact Ryder. Their issues get wrapped up tidily (I love a good happily ever after), but without any real insight into Ryder’s world. He’s a sexy bastard and I want to know what made him that way! More Ryder, please! I’m greedy!

That said, I did really enjoy these two as a couple. Cassie is smart and sassy and Ryder is just hot, hot, hot! Definitely worth checking out if you’re looking for a quick, easy, fighter read. ~ Shelly, 4 stars
Profile Image for MandaLee.
442 reviews1 follower
May 6, 2015
4.5 SEXY BASTARD STARS!

But I'm callin it! This series is gonna be an easy five star worthy overall :))
Debut author. NO whiny h. HOT alpha. And perfectly flowing writing.
Very awesome and seamless set up for the rest of the series.

Can't wait to come back in the next few months and see how well this chick will do! I fully believe she's around for the long haul and will become a force all on her own. LOVE this Indie world <3
Profile Image for NMmomof4.
1,787 reviews5,028 followers
July 30, 2017
I did read this a good while ago, but failed to put a rating on it. I have some memories of it, but not enough to write a full review. It obviously wasn't that memorable...so I put a 3 star rating to be fair since I don't remember hating it either. I just finish led the second in the series, Cash, win 3.5 star rating.
Profile Image for Kasia (kasikowykurz).
2,421 reviews62 followers
July 1, 2025
To jest tak bezdennie głupie, że czuję, jak z każdą kolejną minutą tracę coraz więcej komórek mózgowych. Plus tak, jak mam ogrom cierpliwości do lektorów i praktycznie nic mi nie przeszkadza, tak tutaj dobór lektorki, akcentowanie i jej zapał to po prostu jakiś koszmar.
Profile Image for Jestem na TAK .
159 reviews75 followers
September 5, 2017
OPINIA JUŻ NA KANALE!
https://youtu.be/ipyDa4jVbPU

ta książka była zdecydowanie za krótka 😢 niecałe 300 stron, a można by ją spokojnie rozpisać jeszcze na 100, wtedy byłabym zadowolona.
ciekawa słodko gorzka historia z fajnym finałem, ogromny minus za brak epilogu, ale! będę w stanie to wybaczyć jeżeli w kolejnych tomach więcej pojawi się trochę z życia tej dwójki 😍👍
kolejny tom potrzebny od zaraz!
opinia na yt już wkrótce. 😀
Profile Image for J. Kahele.
Author 15 books438 followers
December 18, 2015
This was a very good story. I like the way the author threw us right into the story. Into the life of Ryder...Ryder yum. A retired fighter turned bar owner, the story starts with Ryder finding out that a man named Jamie, owes him 10,000 dollars after making bets and has not paid yet. Ryder goes to Jamie's house and of course breaks the door down and enters unannounced.

While searching one of the bedroom, he finds a body under covers and when he lift is thinking it's Jamie, he is surprised to find a woman scantily dressed. It is Cassie, Jamies sister.

Cassie just arriving back from England, after leaving her husband, is surprised by Ryder's presence. After a few steamy moment, Ryder tells her that Jamie owes him a lot of money and threatens to take her house. Ryder leaves and Cassie is a little shaken by the news and is determined to help her brother no matter what it takes.

She travels to the bar where Ryder is and asks him if she can work for free to pay off her brothers debt as a bookkeeper. Ryder is in need of a bookkeeper and agrees.

This was a quick read and a page turner. I really enjoyed it enough to read book two. Thank you to my Goodreads friend Mitch, for reviewing this book and capturing my interest.
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