BOOK TOUR: Hard Knox – Nicole Williams

Synopsis

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.

4 out of 5 stars

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My Review

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

I’ve loved Nicole Williams since reading Crash. Jude Ryder is my first book boyfriend from her and know I can Knox Jagger to that list as well.

I knew I had to be on the tour for Hard Knox once I had read the synopsis. It was and is definitely a book to read. It has mystery and suspense and hella laugh out loud parts. You will be infuriated with characters, love them and be a part of their story all the way to the end.

It took me a little while to get into the story, mainly because I found Charlie a little hard to like. She’s passionate and feisty and independent and will put herself in dangerous situations, not caring about her safety, just wanting to get the story. She also doesnt care who hates or likes her. Yeah, she’s really not got many, if any friends, apart from her roommate. I found her to be a bit too much at times. I was angry at her for being an idiot, angry at her for putting herself in situations she needn’t be in and of course, she made me want to pull my hair out with her idiocy in parts of the book which definitely put her life in the risk zone. On her own she was infuriating but I liked her with Knox. I liked the back and forth of them and I did enjoy seeing her break free, at times, from being so GAH at times. She let loose and I liked that about her. I liked that she stripped back and she still didn’t give a rats arse, and that was okay, because she was showing us, her. Showing us that she isn’t just some annoying journalism student who keeps people away from her. She can let them in. Like she let Knox.

Now Knox. I love a bad boy in books and at the beginning I thought he was obnoxious, a little up himself. He’s known around the university as a playboy, especially when girls come up to him at parties and put their knickers in the back of his pocket with their numbers on. He has an air of mystery around him that you just want to find out, and the more you do, the more you see the layers to him. He isn’t this bad boy, and the things he does is because of his past. He’s trying to make a difference and I loved finding that out about him. I loved finding out the secret and why he does what he does. Okay, very vague, but it will become SO clear when you get to the end and it all comes out. You will think back and be like ‘Holy crap’. He is so protective of Charlie and I loved seeing this side of him. He was also a little vulnerable in the fact he was so protective, but as I mentioned, you will see why. I loved loved loved seeing him slowly fall for Charlie but trying to stay away. He and Charlie felt very real. They went from strangers to living together and becoming friends. Their chemistry was obvious, their banter and fights were passionate and you can see the fire in both of them. Their feelings for each other. And when it comes to blows, dear God, does it come to blows 😉

I have to mention the date-rape part. I felt that although this book is about it, it was handled with care and consideration. I was freaking out at one part and I had guessed from the beginning who the culprit was – I love it when I can do that haha. Despite the fact that I felt that the date-rape storyline kind of took a back story in some parts, it all came together in the end and really did ficus on Charlie and Knox finding out who is doing this to the female college students.

If you love Nicole Williams’ books, then Hard Knox is another book to read. It’s a great read and Knox will definitely end up on your BBF list!

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About the author

I’m the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of the CRASH series (HarperTeen, S&S UK), LOST & FOUND series, UP IN FLAMES (S&S UK), The EDEN TRILOGY, and a handful of others. I write stories about everyday kinds of people who find themselves in extraordinary kinds of situations. I tell love stories with happy endings because I believe in making the world a better place, and that’s one tiny way I can make it so. I’m one of those people who still believe in true love and soul mates, and would rather keep my head in the clouds any day over having my feet firmly on the ground.