Cold Hard Truth

by Anne Greenwood Brown

Emmie O'Brien is a former good girl now on the fringe. She spent a crazy year involved with Nick, her mom’s drug dealer; after her arrest she was lucky to go back to her old life. But she’s haunted by the choices she made―first, to be with Nick, and then later, to testify against him. Max Shepherd is a senior varsity hockey player with serious anger issues. His grief over the death of his girlfriend causes him to see injustice wherever he looks. When they meet in community service, Max is drawn to Emmie’s calm energy, but Emmie knows better than to get too close to anyone. When friends of Nick show up seeking revenge, Emmie is forced to come to terms with her past, while Max has to control his protective instincts. They must trust one another, especially when Emmie’s situation takes a dangerous turn.

Genres: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Fiction, Young Adult Romance, Realistic Fiction

304 pages, Hardcover

First published April 3, 2018

About the author

Thanks for stopping by!

I am the author of the following Young Adult novels:

COLD HARD TRUTH (contemporary/romance);
GIRL LAST SEEN (contemporary/suspense);
and the paranormal mermaid trilogy: LIES BENEATH, DEEP BETRAYAL, PROMISE BOUND.

I also write adult romance under the name A.S. Green.

Reviews

[Sentranced Jem · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is my first Anne Greenwood Brown book, and the blurb promises an intense fun read. Sadly for me, I didn't really love the book all that much to be honest.
Don't get me wrong, I read it till the end but it didn't leave a lasting impression on me. I found myself skimming through pages of the book because I honestly wasn't really feeling it or perhaps it was characters? Like I say, we can't always love all the characters we read. But I will say this, Emmie? I enjoyed reading about her. I loved that she's no damsel in distress and she doesn't have that "oh poor me" attitude.
I will say this, there is a plot twist and it is a shocker!
hahahaha I feel like my review is a back and forth of opinions, contradicting myself- that is exactly what this book made me feel... I liked some parts while the others make me almost snooze.



For more ...
www.jemimajamir.com

[Suze · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Emmie moved in with her mother she stopped being a regular high school student. She also got into a lot of trouble. She was arrested and is assigned community service. She's not allowed to live with her mother any longer and is back with her father. Emmie thought living with him was difficult, but after everything she went through it's easy in comparison. Emmie is going to her old school, where she's now a new student. She can't be a regular high school girl though and pretend nothing happened to her. The time with her mother scarred her and she's still picking up the pieces. When she meets Max, Emmie isn't ready to commit to anyone yet, even not when he offers her nothing more than friendship, but Max is persistent. Learning to trust after what happened with Nick, the man she knows so well and fears because she had to testify against him, is difficult, but maybe she'll be able to pull it off?

Max is grieving and doesn't have his anger under control. He messed up and ends up doing community service. There's something about his punishment he doesn't mind, it's a chance to meet Emmie and get closer to her. They go to the same school, but they share more than that. They're both damaged by their pasts and maybe they can find some comfort with each other. Emmie grounds Max, but will she be able to open her heart and let him in? What will Max do when he finds out more about Nick and the problems Emmie has with him? Is it possible for Max and Emmie to have a future together or are they too messed up to even try?

Cold Hard Truth is a beautiful moving story. Emmie made a few wrong choices and before she knew it she was in over her head, being under the thumb of a dangerous man. She didn't come out of the situation unscathed, she was arrested and now has to start over. She might be back at her old school, but she can't live her previous life anymore. She's changed and doesn't easily confide in people. She keeps everyone at a distance. My heart ached for her, she went through so much and feels responsible for everything. I kept hoping she'd be safe and find some happiness. Max is protective of her and they're great together, but he's also not ready to leave part of his awful heartbreak behind. I couldn't turn the pages quickly enough to find out if they'd give each other a reason to heal and look at the future.

Anne Greenwood Brown skillfully combines romance with suspense. Emmie constantly has to look over her shoulder. She testified against a dangerous man and she knows there will be a price to pay. Anne Greenwood Brown carefully divides her tension and balances it with emotions. This works really well, her story is both gripping and poignant at the same time. Cold Hard Truth deals with several difficult topics and she writes about them in an open and honest way. I loved that about the story and think Anne Greenwood Brown has written an amazing book.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cold Hard Truth by Anne Greenwood Brown is the story of Emmie and Max. Emmie just got out of a bad situation, or at least she hopes she got out of it and is looking to get her life back on track. Max is dealing with the loss of his girlfriend and has some anger problems mixed in.

Emmie was a good girl but something happened that made her stray from that path. Something like getting involved with her mom's drug dealer and ending up on the wrong side of the law. Emmie gets in a good bit of trouble and ends up testifying against her mom's dealer. This move gets her out of jail but also puts her on the bad side of people who knew the guy she testified against. Emmie just wants to start over with her dad and move on from the horrible things in her life. She doesn't really want anything to do with guys either, but then Max shows up.

Max is dealing with his own can of worms. His girlfriend is dead and he has one hell of a bad temper. But he is drawn to Emmie. She is calm and makes him feel calm as well, which is something he needs, badly. So when these two are drawn together, it's bound to be good and bad.

I feel like the love in this book was a little bit quick especially for two people who have been through a lot of bad crap. Other than that the book was pretty great. I enjoyed the drama and everything between Emmie and Max. The ending of this book was definitely crazy but I kind of expected it. Emmie testified against a drug deal, bad things were bound to happen. I just hope it's over now.

In the end, I am so glad I requested to read this book. I love these kinds of romance story where there are REAL problems and drama. Not just cheating and worrying about what clothes to wear. There were real issues in this book and I loved it. This book definitely made me think of Katie McGarry so if you are a fan of her then you should definitely check this book out.

Overall, I gave the book 4/5 stars.

[Louisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book! The romance, and the issues they have to face, everything was so great! I just devoured this book!

[Jennifer Lynn Alvarez · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story hooked me from the first page! The main characters, Emmie and Max, are each struggling with serious, real-world experiences that hang over their high-school experience like dark clouds. But they are resilient kids, facing their problems head on to the best of their abilities. While the issues are heavy, the romance between Max and Emmie adds lightness and magic to the tale.

Also, I adored Max's friend group. They are the "popular" kids but, like Lauren Oliver does in her writing, Brown has drawn rich, realistic friendships. These kids aren't stereotypical jocks and party girls--they're real people who deeply care about one another.

A powerful tale with characters who will linger long after the last page!

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oooh what a lovely book this was!
I wasn't sure what I was going to get to from this book as I've not read anything from the author before and it is YA but I really enjoyed it.

I liked her writing and character development especially Max..he was just adorable. In so many books I get abit bored with the arrogant perfect pretty boy type as it seems to be the norm but max was forward and full of energy with such a sweet side. Emmie was cool too but I don't like it when they are rude and a b**ch to nice people for no reason but she soon grew on me.
It was horrible what Emmie went through and was so different.

4⭐️

[CR · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is an older ARC that I happened to find in my stack of books. And I have to say that this wasn't what I was hoping it was going to be. I really didnt care about the characters or the story at all. And well it really just didnt stick with me either.

[Kathryn G. · Rating 1 out of 5]

I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All notes and opinions are my own. Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ahead of its publication date.

DNF @ 64%


Plot
• While the plot initially seemed to promise uniqueness given the circumstances and backgrounds surrounding both main characters, it quickly fell into step with most other YA romances, becoming cliché and predictable at best. Given everything that’s happened to the main characters so far, it is almost certain that readers will see the inevitable, happy ending coming from miles away.

Characters
• The characters started out strong, each having backgrounds that made them stand out in a crowd when we first meet them in the beginning pages of the book. However they, too, quickly fell into step with many YA romances, and not in a good way. All Max seems to care about is convincing Emmie to get in bed with him, whether she wants to or not, all while maintaining the pretense that he’s waiting for her to come to him. Emmie, meanwhile, only resists him at first. The more he insists on hanging out with her, the more she lets him walk over her without a fight, until at the point which I DNF-ed the book, she had convinced herself she was falling for him, too.
• The secondary characters were no better – the best friend who’s trying to find a man for the protagonist to be with, the jealous wannabe girlfriend who sabotages their meetings while maintaining a sweet and innocent façade, and the hockey jocks who only care about the game, not their teammate’s mental health.

Writing Style
• Putting aside for a moment the predictable plot and characters that aren’t worth rooting for, this is one of the worst-written books I’ve read in a long time. The dialogue is so cheesy and cliché, and the internal dialogue is excessive, unnecessary, and only shows how unstable and uncertain the characters are without any promise of leveling out in the future. There are many typos, and some sentences that straight-up don’t make any sense at all. If I’m being brutally honest, I’m not certain how writing like this was deemed good enough to be published. At the very least it needed more editing.

Overall
• I had high hopes for this book going in, but the more I read it, the more disappointed I was by it. It got to the point where I was uncomfortable reading about Max’s sexual advances and Emmie’s allowing him to be so obviously interested in only one thing about her. Because of these reasons and others listed above, I was unable to finish Cold Hard Truth, and I would not recommend it even to my most die-hard romance novel-loving friends.

This review was given to the publisher via NetGalley.


On a more personal note, Max reminded me way too much of my ex-boyfriend, and it made me extremely uncomfortable to watch him pursue so relentlessly with only one thing in mind while Emmie just LET him. I just...I couldn't handle it.

[Laryssa · Rating 1 out of 5]

So many details in the book were overlooked. The author would mention something then three paragraphs later the detail would be different.



Also…Making Dan into a “bad guy” seemed like a cop out. It made no sense and made the store worse

[Portrait of a Book · Rating 3 out of 5]

First reviewed on Portrait of a Book: http://www.portraitofabook.com/2018/0...

Really 3.5 Stars

First Thought After Finishing - I hope there is a companion novel!

I wanted to read this book because it involved a hockey player and I’m a slight (read: huge) hockey fan. And, I admit it, I wanted to live vicariously through the girl dating a player. But this story was even more than just a romance—it was a story of learning to trust you and finding someone who completes you.

Emmie has been dealt a rough hand in life. After a year living with her meth-addict mother, doing anything she could to make sure her mother didn’t suffer from withdrawals, Emmie finds herself in trouble with the law and back living with her father. Only trouble didn’t stay away just because Emmie left. Enter Max, who has some baggage of his own. When they meet on their community service crew, the attraction is undeniable. But is that enough to overcome the truth they’re both trying to hide?

Emmie is a tough, no-nonsense girl who doesn’t want anyone to know that she’s not okay. She’s used to taking care of herself and her mother with a support network that was anything but supportive. As an adult reading this, my heart broke for a teenager who had to live like this. As much as Emmie wants to be free, she also can’t quite shake the guilt she feels from testifying against Nick (her mother’s dealer) and leaving her mom alone. It was hard for Emmie to trust again, but with every new interaction, I only wanted the best for her.

Then there is Max, struggling under guilt of his own and trying to learn how to control his anger. At first, Max was a great example of when a protective guy can go too far. Still, despite what Max had suffered, wanted to care about someone else. He recognized something special in Emmie and wanted to break through her walls, and isn’t that what every girl wants? Once again, he was someone I just wanted to hug.

Max (and later Emmie) has a great group of friends, and I loved watching them interact together. It was really fun to see behind-the-scenes glimpses of a hockey team. (I’d love to be a fly on the wall in my team’s locker room just to know what really happens.) The girls were also accepting of Emmie and Marissa, and that was refreshing to see.

Throughout the book, it wasn’t too difficult to guess at the truths both Emmie and Max were hiding, but I still wanted them to trust each other enough to actually share them. Honestly, I wanted to see so much more emotions from both of them. This book had the potential to be a complete tearjerker, but something kept me from fully giving in to that. The story was missing an element of depth and complexity that would have pushed this book to a new emotional level. Despite that, I sound myself turning pages quickly, as it was not hard to get drawn into the story. I would also love to see companion novels with this group of friends. More hockey books are always a good thing!

Most Memorable Aspect: Emmie’s Story and the fun of the hockey teammates.

[Jordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Emmie O’Brien’s life hasn’t been easy. After a year of living with her mom and getting involved with her drug dealer, Emmie has moved back home with her dad and attempted to return to normal life. But that’s hard to do when she regrets her time spent with Nick. Enter Max Shepherd, a senior varsity hockey player who has some demons of his own. Max is drawn to Emmie and her ability to stay calm, but after Nick, Emmie just wants to keep her distance. But Max makes that hard to do, and when Emmie’s past comes knocking, both she and Max must face their demons, but that takes trust, and Emmie is just about out of that. Can Emmie let go of her past and let Max closer to her? When past acquaintances come seeking revenge, can Emmie trust Max enough to allow him to help her, or will she face the danger alone?

I enjoyed reading this book. I was hooked on it right away. I wanted to know more about Emmie, which kept me reading for more. And the same happened with Max when we met him. Both of their pasts were a mystery, and I wanted to know more about them. I liked how mellow Emmie was most of the time, and I loved her line about how panicking doesn’t do a situation any good. I have learned in life that keeping a level head even during stressful situations can lead to much more efficient decisions.

I liked how we got to know both of them slowly. Many authors try to info dump and give you too much at once, and it can be challenging to slowly introduce things about a character without making it seem like too much at once. It was done in this book slowly enough that I kept reading to find out more, but not so slow that it became boring.

The only big issue I had with this book is the time frame. I feel like Max and Emmie (but mostly Max) fell for each other a little too hard too fast. Emmie at least fought it and resisted a little more, but Max liked her right away. This most comes from me being a skeptic of love at first sight and not loving insta-love stories. There was more development in their relationship than most stories that I would consider insta-love, but I still feel like it would have been better spread over a longer period of time. Again, this more personal preference than anything. It certainly didn’t ruin my enjoyment of the book.

I give it 4/5 stars.

Cold Hard Truth will be released on April 3, 2018.

[Tiana · Rating 3 out of 5]

I may have had a slow start in getting into this story, but that didn’t stop me from not wanting to put it down once stuff really started to get crazy. I did have some minor issues with this book, but I enjoyed it immensely. It was a thrilling read at various parts for sure!

What I Enjoyed:

The action. Towards the end of this novel things get real. The stakes are raised high and I was biting my nails just thinking about what could happen.

The suspense. As far as Emmie’s story goes, her recent past catching up to her and the times where fear is a legitimate feeling made my heart stop more then once. I was always wondering how things were going to get worse for her.

Emmie is tough as nails. So much happens to Emmie and she faces it all with a calm that I don’t know I could ever muster. It helps her handle situations with a greater ease and you can’t help but admire her.

Emmie’s support system. Although she hadn’t been to school for a long time her best friend is still there for her. Once Max comes into her life his protection just by being a strong hockey player with a I always have to act complex was actually cool to see. I liked that his weakness as a person made him the perfect person to be there for Emmie. Also, I love that Emmie’s dad is so protective of her and makes sure that she is always safe.

Emmie’s Truth. I love Emmie’s story and why she did some of the things she did. She was in a situation that sucked and she tried. I didn’t agree with her choices, but she made decisions as she saw was best for her and was forced to live with the consequences.

What I disliked:

Emmie’s and Max’s stories being hidden from each other for so long. I feel like it would have been so much better if they both knew each other’s story a little earlier and by the time the reader knows both of their stories completely you just get frustrated with them for not saying anything. I feel like I understand Emmie taking longer, but Max’s story would at least have been mentioned to her just passing through the hallways in school. It was a little drawn out.

I was simply enjoying the story. I wanted to love this story, but something about it kept me at a distance. I think it could have been much better then it was, but I can’t quite put my finger on what it is I really wanted to change.

Final thoughts:

Cold Hard Truth is a not so light contemporary that will keep you on the edge of your seat. With thrilleresque vibes it will keep you reading until all the questions you have are answered.

[Imeralrs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emmie, caught up with the wrong crowd (consisting of her mother's drug dealer, Nick, and his thugs) is arrested after her involvement in a robbery.To her benefits having a lawyer as a dad, Emmie gets off with community service work, where she meets hockey player Max, who goes to her school, and who is dealing with demons of his own. And while Max encourages Emmie to open up, she still lives in fear of Nick; for, even though he's behind bars, his cronies are still out, trying to get revenge.

Max, he is grieving and have no control of his anger issue . He messed up and ends up doing community service. There's something about his punishment he doesn't mind, it's a chance to meet Emmie and get closer to her. Yeah the went to the same school , but they share more than that. They're both damaged by their pasts and maybe they can find some comfort with each other.

Cold Hard Truth is a beautiful moving story. Emmie made a few wrong choices and before she knew it she was in over her head, being under the thumb of a dangerous man. She might be back at her old school, but she can't live her previous life anymore. My heart ached for her, she went through so much and feels responsible for everything. I kept hoping she'd be safe and find some happiness. Max is protective of her and they're great together, but he's also not ready to leave part of his awful heartbreak behind.

[Autumn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Received as an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Actual rating....3.75 stars.
This was a fun, light read with a bit of heaviness. I really enjoyed this book. I have been reading heavier stuff lately, and this was a welcome change.
What I liked about this: It was lighter read. Sure, it dealt with some heavier stuff, but it was mostly light.
What I didn't like: At times it was overly cheesy.
All in all, I really enjoyed this book. Two broken people learn that sometimes you need a friend to help you through it all. I think the book does a good job of showing that its okay to admit you need help. Sometimes you need therapy, or anger management classes, or just the someone else who understands that life is messy.

[Makala Michon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Me personally I really liked this book. I liked the backstory that Emmie had and the obstacles she had to go through. I liked it because I can relate to her problem with trusting people and doing things on her own. I also liked how Max was very supportive but had his own issues that he had to deal with beforehand. I also liked how there was detail in the hockey scenes and it wasn’t just like “oh they won”. I liked the hockey concept because I grew up around hockey. Other than that I gave this book a 5/5 because I thought it was great and I couldn’t put it down.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

A multilayered story, that braids difficult subject matter with a sweet romance.
Ms. Greenwood Brown's storytelling is fluid, tackling the heavy subject matter in a way that doesn't feel like plot but like real life people and events.
The suspense mixed with a budding relationship made this book hard to put down. And I didn't. I read it in a single evening.
If you are a fan of Colleen Hoover's YA books, you will like Cold Hard Truth.

[Willow · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just had a couple problems with this book. It wasn’t awful, but it also wasn’t something I loved. Max, the main characters love interest, pushes himself on her so much... and i get it being cute to a point, being persistent and working your way into someone’s heart, but that’s not really what happened. He was Too Much all the time.
I also feel like parts of the ending were rushed. Yes, something had to happen with the people Emmie used to know, but it almost felt like they just put them in at the end so it would be solved.

[Sonia · Rating 2 out of 5]

honestly I keep reading books with covers like this and thinking “hey maybe this one will be different and good and not stupid” and then I’m surprised when woooaaHH the book w a boy and girl .5 inches away from each others mouths surrounded by photo booth snowflake effects is a trash book ??? Who coulda guessed
PS I don’t need to hear about this guys morning wood after dreaming about this girl like we get she’s hot and you like her but honestly tmi

[Penny lurkykitty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cold Hard Truth is about two young people, Emmie and Max, who have been through a rough time in totally different ways. The characters seem very real and although they sometimes make poor choices, you come to care about what happens to them. There are themes of grief, sadness, anger and how to overcome what has happened in the past. It was an enjoyable read - definitely not a light and fluffy romance.

[Rachel Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cold Hard Truth is an awesome book! It was a great quick read that allowed you to escape into Emmie's life. Every chapter left me wanting more. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone!


*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Mariah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really great book! The story is beautifully written and the characters are beautifully crafted with flaws that make their characters 3d and not cookie cutter predictable characters that have no depth to them. I love how their flaws are presented and that we get a slow introduction as to why Emmie and Max are the way they are. Highly recommend!

[Bridgette McGlynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enticing until the last page- hard to put this book down! I wanted to learn more about Emmie and Max's stories and see how their story would unfold!

I received an ARC and my review is solely my opinion.

[Katrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a emotional roller coaster that I couldn’t get enough of. It’s very well written and has great character development for being only a little under 300 pages.

[Josie]

The plot felt a bit too busy once I started reading, and I also felt like Emmie was quite a flat character. This was a DNF for me.

[Malavika · Rating 2 out of 5]

Light and cliche, but with relatable characters and decent suspense. not bad!

[Alaina · Rating 1 out of 5]

I expected this to be more psychological analysis and less angsty teen romance since I read it as an e-book from the library and couldn't really see the cover.

[Lety (BooksAndMovies) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was ok. It has a good plot and was entertaining but I think it would have been more interesting for my 14 years old sister than for this 20 years old me.

[Joya · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/5 stars

[Sarah Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was okay, I didn't love it though. Max seemed incapable of holding onto his temper, and Emmie seemed to be in a bad spot, and I wasn't sure how she'd ever get out of it.

[Brenda Theriault · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great quick read