Books like 'X: The Hard Knocks Complete Story'
Readers who enjoyed X: The Hard Knocks Complete Story by Michelle A. Valentine also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary romance military, war & conflict sports steamy fighter alpha-mc dark war humor
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Sweet Victory by Alley Ciz
Rated: 4.80 of 5 stars · 10 ratings𝗛𝗼𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗩𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗯𝗶𝗹𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗿𝘂𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴. From her past, her present, her future—𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔. Baking is her only solace. Cookies, cakes, ingredients coming together, they make sense. A professional fighter walking into her kitchen? Not so much. 𝗩𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗹𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲. The next fight. The next win... -
![Takedown by Nikki Ash]()
Takedown by Nikki Ash
Rated: 4.70 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsMila Pregnant and married at the young age of eighteen, I settled into my life not knowing there could ever be more. Until Mason, with his sexy smirk and magnetic baby blue eyes. With a single look and a few words, he made me feel sexy and alive. But as quickly as he came into my life, he was gone, leaving me wanting more... -
![Captain Hotness by Weston Parker]()
Captain Hotness by Weston Parker
Rated: 4.70 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsI don’t just put out fires… I start them. Nothing gets my blood moving like an out of control fire. I’ve spent the last few years trying to have that feeling with each woman that I bring to bed. I control the firehouse with a dominance that is required, and the bedroom is no different. Being a single father is not easy, and my mother loves to remind me of this every time we see each other... -
![Cocky Soldier by Faleena Hopkins]()
Cocky Soldier by Faleena Hopkins
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsCivilian life has proved more challenging than Jeremy expected when his time in the Marines ended. Even though he's moved back to Atlanta he's still a million miles away, and his brothers don't know how to reach him. When a caramel-eyed aspiring chef almost runs Jeremy and his dog over with her hot pink Prius, his life might have found the purpose he's been looking for... -
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![Out of the Ashes by R.C. Boldt]()
Out of the Ashes by R.C. Boldt
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsPhoenix /fēniks/: (in classical mythology) a unique bird inhabiting the Arabian Desert that burned itself on a funeral pyre before rising from the ashes with renewed youth to live through another cycle. This isn’t mythology, it’s war, and Hendy is left in the hands of Hell’s cruelest gatekeepers... -
![Paxton's Promise by L.P. Dover]()
Paxton's Promise by L.P. Dover
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsShe hates him, yet she can’t get him out of her mind. Female Bantamweight fighter, Gabriella Reynolds, has a bad habit of falling for forbidden fighters. Enter Paxton Emerson. He’s tall, tattooed, and the current UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. Everyone wants a piece of him, and he only has eyes for her. Through no choice of her own, she’s fallen in his debt and he’s now demanding payment... -
![Wreaking Havoc by Harley Stone]()
Wreaking Havoc by Harley Stone
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 12 ratings***2nd edition with bonus content, no cheating, HEA, 18+ for language and sexual situations... Fresh out of jail, the Dead Presidents MC Sargent at Arms, Marcus “Havoc” Wilson, is trying to lay low and keep his PTSD-induced temper under control while helping other military veterans rejoin society... -
![The Boxer by Piper Rayne]()
The Boxer by Piper Rayne
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 14 ratings“Who knew a bad boy could mend a broken heart?" What does a girl do after she discovers her fiancé is a cheating bastard? In my case, I performed the ritual implosion of all scorned women. I drowned my sorrows in cases of white wine, wallowed in gallons of ice cream, and ignited a bonfire to burn away every damn remnant of his existence... -
![Hold by Cora Brent]()
Hold by Cora Brent
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsThey all said we were trash and would end up dead or in prison. They were wrong. The three of us brothers endured hell together and somehow climbed out battle-scarred but whole. We are no longer the ferocious boys who punched our way through terrible days and went to bed hungry every night. Now we've got love, we've got hope, and we've got each other... -
![Unbroken by Scott Hildreth]()
Unbroken by Scott Hildreth
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsShane - I’m a professional boxer. My wife is pregnant, my best friend Ripp’s wife is pregnant, and I’m scheduled to fight for the Heavyweight Championship of the World. Even if I lose I’ll make tens of millions. Most people would think life was perfect if they were me. But they don’t know what I know. Life isn’t perfect. They said my son was going to be born with special needs... -
![Road To Ruin by Callie Hart, Jonny James]()
Road To Ruin by Callie Hart, Jonny James
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsMalicious Destruction of Property. Two counts of breaking and entering. Two counts of possession of a controlled dangerous substance. Four counts of assault. Three counts of illegal gambling. Three years served in Orleans Parish Prison. Tommy ‘Havoc’ Kendrick’s rap sheet reads like a recipe for disaster: one part mayhem to three parts chaos... -
![Lucky Kiss by Melanie Shawn]()
Lucky Kiss by Melanie Shawn
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsLucas “Lucky” Dorsey was at the top of his game in the world of MMA, and his nickname…well, let’s just say the ladies couldn’t get enough of the tattooed bad boy. But then…he met her… As the first female firefighter in the Hope Falls Fire Department, Deanna Bishop was focused on making a fresh start in her new town... -
![Use Me: Kid's Story by M.J. Fields, Chelsea Camaron]()
Use Me: Kid's Story by M.J. Fields, Chelsea Camaron
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsNew York Times best selling author, Tatum Longley, is being forced out of her comfort zone. Her publisher needs her to change from hard hitting nonfiction to romance writing. But first she must find a muse. Angelo has no desire to form relationships with anyone around him... -
![Dare to Dance by S.B. Alexander]()
Dare to Dance by S.B. Alexander
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThis story will grab your heart and never let go! Based on true events. Hoping to sign with one of the biggest boxing promoters in the country, Kross Maxwell has to maintain a near perfect record. He can’t afford to lose any more bouts. But his head isn’t in the ring. Instead, he can’t seem to shake his past that’s been beating on his mind... -
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![Repentance: The Story of Kace Haywood by Meghan Quinn]()
Repentance: The Story of Kace Haywood by Meghan Quinn
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsEvery choice you make in life comes with a consequence, which dictates the outcome of your future. I was once on top, I was living the life I dreamt of, I had everything I could possibly hope for. I was happy, satisfied, content…until one night. One off day. One moment in time I wish I could take back. My biggest regret... -
![Black Tie by Lynn Raye Harris]()
Black Tie by Lynn Raye Harris
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAbducted while on a business trip to Europe, Tallie Grant quickly realizes she’s a commodity to be sold—and there’s no way out. Determined not to surrender to the man who buys her, she’ll soon discover he’s not what he seems. Mercenary Brett Wheeler has one task: infiltrate a human trafficking operation and get as much information as possible... -
![Unleashed by Scott Hildreth]()
Unleashed by Scott Hildreth
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsRIPP - I've never backed down from a fight in my life, and I'm not about to start now. My only concern is that this battle is not in the boxing ring. It's in the courtroom. VEE - Ripp may be undefeated in the ring, but he's not in the ring any longer. He killed a man and is facing life in prison... -
![Fighting for Honor by J.B. Salsbury]()
Fighting for Honor by J.B. Salsbury
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsNew York Times and USA Today Bestselling author JB Salsbury brings her Fighting series to Harper Sloan’s Hope Town in Fighting for Honor. UFL fighter Caleb hasn’t been to Hope Town since he was eighteen. His next big fight takes place in Atlanta and the serene lakefront home from his childhood is the perfect place to train without distractions... -
![Uncaged Love #4: MMA New Adult Contemporary Romance by J.J. Knight]()
Uncaged Love #4: MMA New Adult Contemporary Romance by J.J. Knight
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThe Ultimate Betrayal An MMA fighter rescues a girl with powerful raw talent of her own in UNCAGED LOVE, an erotic, romantic suspense series. **Contains mature content, ages 17+** With Colt and Jo working as a team, they are unstoppable. Colt’s manager puts him back in line for the MMA title fight. Jo’s own career takes off as she prepares for her second match... -
![Justice Brothers Box Set by Suzanne Halliday]()
Justice Brothers Box Set by Suzanne Halliday
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThree extraordinary men and the women who love them. How much distance do you need from your past before the dust settles? Broken Justice Cameron Justice was a throwaway kid heading for trouble... -
![Uncaged Love #5: MMA New Adult Contemporary Romance by J.J. Knight]()
Uncaged Love #5: MMA New Adult Contemporary Romance by J.J. Knight
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsWhen happily ever after means the fight of your life The dramatic conclusion to the bestselling erotic suspense series featuring MMA fighters Colt and Jo. Colt’s ability to ever fight MMA again is in jeopardy after suffering injuries in a near-deadly street brawl... -
![Bucking Bear by Izzy Sweet, Sean Moriarty]()
Bucking Bear by Izzy Sweet, Sean Moriarty
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsSometimes, the biggest fights of your life are the ones outside the ring. Grace They call Max "Bear" for a reason. He's enormous and hairy, and not someone you want to mess with -- in the ring or out of it. But he's wonderful with my daughter and he makes me feel like a queen. Things were great until my baby daddy started causing trouble... -
![Tear Asunder: Bonus Edition by Nashoda Rose]()
Tear Asunder: Bonus Edition by Nashoda Rose
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratings"With You" Sculpt is an illegal fighter. He’s also the lead singer of a local rock band. No one knows his real name. And from the moment I met him, he made me forget mine. In order to convince Sculpt to give me self-defense lessons, I had to follow his one rule—no complaining or he’d walk. I didn’t think it would be a problem. I could handle a few bruises... -
![Burn by Allie Juliette Mousseau, Nicole Hewitt]()
Burn by Allie Juliette Mousseau, Nicole Hewitt
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsBurn - Brothers of Ink and Steel Liam Knight, a sexy panty-melting, hard-bodied streetfighter and renowned tattoo artist, is rising up the ranks of the UFC Middleweight Division, but he’s about to get knocked out by his past... -
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![A Muffin Top Christmas by Tabatha Kiss]()
A Muffin Top Christmas by Tabatha Kiss
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsNaughty or nice. Why not both? He’s a bad boy with a bakery. She’s a BBW with a bar. And they just had a baby. ‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the bakery, not a creature was stirring, except a six-month-old boy named Zachary. The condoms were stashed in the bedroom with care, in the hopes that my Evey would soon be there... -
![Caged by Brittany Crowley]()
Caged by Brittany Crowley
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsSavannah I was perfectly content with my life, or at least I thought I was. Then Zander ‘The Hitman’ Cage walked into my bar with those hypnotizing blue eyes and everything I ever thought I wanted flew out the window. Giving him a chance was the easiest decision I ever made. He ripped apart my safe little existence and took me along for the ride of my life... -
![Take Down by Michelle Frost]()
Take Down by Michelle Frost
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsTwo men. Harbor "the Viking" Rourke is known for being a badass inside and outside the cage. His life revolves around working to win the MMA Middleweight championship title, riding his Harley, and making his family proud. He doesn't have time for relationships until one anonymous hook-up has him questioning his choices and making the list of things he cares about a whole lot longer... -
![Fighting for Control by Melynda Price]()
Fighting for Control by Melynda Price
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFor Nikko “the Bull” Del Toro, an ex-marine turned MMA fighter, only two things quiet the demons raging inside him—facing an opponent in the cage…and the memory of his hottest one-night stand. But when his PTSD resurfaces, causing him to lose control at a CFA press party, it’s his career that may be KO’d.Dr... -
![BRAWLER by Scott Hildreth]()
BRAWLER by Scott Hildreth
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsJAZ – My mother died giving birth to me. My father beat me. I spent my childhood in a boxing gym with a man who I looked up to as father. He died when I was 16, and so did my love for boxing. Everyone and everything I tried to love gave up on me. As soon as I turned 18, I packed what little I had into a crappy car and headed for the Gulf Coast... -
![Senn by Lane Hart]()
Senn by Lane Hart
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe woman is pure evil. Tiny, sexy, manipulative evil. I can’t even blame my stupidity on alcohol. There was only half a beer in my bloodstream when I agreed to get into that cab with her. Why didn’t I just drive us? Because when I asked her, “My place or yours?” her answer was, “In the backseat of the cab.” Six words and she had me under her spell... -
![Breaking Beast (Pounding Hearts) by Izzy Sweet, Sean Moriarty]()
Breaking Beast (Pounding Hearts) by Izzy Sweet, Sean Moriarty
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsHe's determined to protect her, even if it breaks him. Alex : Life's been pretty damn good to me. As the reigning middleweight champion, I've got money, power and fame. Not to mention a surplus of women willing to jump into my bed. All in all, I've got few complaints. I'm just living the dream... then Christy falls into my lap. She's young, vulnerable, and innocent... -
![Numb by Xavier Neal]()
Numb by Xavier Neal
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsJust when Logan Kellar was finally ready to make some changes in his life, his entire world was flipped upside down. Now the pain he is used to burying is fighting back. Refusing to let him slip into his old ways, refusing to let him hide from his mistakes, and refusing to let him become numb... -
![Raw Temptation by Eve Carter]()
Raw Temptation by Eve Carter
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThis is Book 2 in the Tempted series. You should start with Book 1 Pure Temptation, on sale for only 99 cents here on Amazon. From New York Times best-selling author, Eve Carter, comes the much-anticipated sequel to Pure Temptation... -
![Dare You Forever by Allie Juliette Mousseau]()
Dare You Forever by Allie Juliette Mousseau
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAlpha-male, dirty-talking, MMA Light-Heavyweight Champion Josh North has only three days until the wedding to prove to single mother and greatest-love-of-his-life Sophie Garner that he is the only man she'll ever need! As the wedding day approaches and Sophie begins to get cold feet, Josh comes up with a romantic scheme to prove his love and devotion--and employs all his brothers as Cupid’s... -
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![The Storm by R.J. Prescott]()
The Storm by R.J. Prescott
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsFrom USA Today best selling author, R.J. Prescott... Marie Kelly is a survivor who doesn’t know when to quit. Against all odds, she’s living a life she never dreamed she could have. It was enough…until a stubborn fighter makes her want more. Irish charmer Kieran Doherty has been a fighter at Driscoll’s Gym for most of his life... -
![Uncaged Love #3: MMA New Adult Contemporary Romance by J.J. Knight]()
Uncaged Love #3: MMA New Adult Contemporary Romance by J.J. Knight
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsSometimes you have to risk everything for love An MMA fighter rescues a girl with powerful raw talent of her own in UNCAGED LOVE, an erotic, romantic suspense series. **Contains mature content, ages 17+** Colt believes another great love has deserted him during his worst hour. Jo is certain Colt is better off without her... -
![Savage Burn by Lisa Renee Jones]()
Savage Burn by Lisa Renee Jones
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsMy name is Rick Savage but they call me Savage for a reason. But savage that I am, there is only one woman who can tame the beast in me, one woman who sees the real man. I loved Candace. I lost Candace. Now my enemies have targeted her. For this, they will not survive. I’m back home to save her and win her back, no matter what the cost... -
![All He Wants - Billy & Maxi by Melanie Shawn]()
All He Wants - Billy & Maxi by Melanie Shawn
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsStand-alone Crossroads romance, complete with HEA--and plenty of heat and heart along the way! Billy "The Big Bad Wolf" Marshall thought he had everything he needed. He'd left the boxing ring with his body intact and he was content with his new job at Elite Security. But the chiseled-to-perfection heartthrob didn't have who he wanted.. -
![Jude by Lane Hart]()
Jude by Lane Hart
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsMMA cage fighter Jude Malone leads a simple life - eat, sleep and train. His older brother Jax is a legend in the octagon, and while Jude's had his fair share of recent losses, he's better than his record. He just needs a chance to prove it. When Jude is suddenly offered the fight of a lifetime by his head coach, there is only one tiny string attached... -
![SLATE by Kelly Gendron]()
SLATE by Kelly Gendron
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratings"Some boys will keep it, some will break it, and some boys, they just won't want it. You gotta be careful who you give your heart to..." Slate Declan First loves, we all got them. Mine is Slate Declan. He was kind, gentle, and caring. Still, he managed to break my heart. So I put miles between us, and eventually, my heart healed... -
![Hard To Handle by Lori Foster]()
Hard To Handle by Lori Foster
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsSometimes Fate delivers a left hook. After Fate deals Supreme Battle Challenge (SBC) fighter Harley Handleman a sucker punch, his uncle secretly hires a pretty lifecoach to get Harley back in the ring of life. Anastasia Kelley has actually known Harley for years, but never as well as she's going to now... -
![In Sly's Eyes by S.M. Donaldson]()
In Sly's Eyes by S.M. Donaldson
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsKara Chambers plays by her own rules, she has since she graduated high school. Knowing from experience that her body wasn’t one that guys wanted to keep around, she’d drop them before they could drop her. One night, that’s all she ever gives. One night and she’d be able to get the sexiness, known as Sly Webb out of her system. No complications, no awkwardness, just one night. Yeah, right... -
![Always with You by R.J. Sable]()
Always with You by R.J. Sable
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAfter an unexpected and unwelcome turn of events, Jamie-Lea Carter and Jason Reed find their lives altered drastically. They don't know who wants to hurt Jamie, or even why, but Jason and the Carter boys aren't about to let it happen. Jamie and Jason's love is strong. They've overcome too many bad things to let this ruin what they have but Jason is terrified of losing the love of his life... -
![Stronger with You by R.J. Sable]()
Stronger with You by R.J. Sable
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsJamie-Lea Carter and Jason Reed have been through the mill. Jason has been there for her in every way he could be. After a tough start to her life at university, Jamie-Lea is only now coming to realise who she really is. She makes a resolution not to let herself get pushed around as much but that's easier said than done as part of the Carter family... -
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![Oceans Collide: Book One, The Oceans Series by M.A. DeOlmos, Andie Lea]()
Oceans Collide: Book One, The Oceans Series by M.A. DeOlmos, Andie Lea
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsFor years, Livie Acosta has lived in a sheltered bubble, avoiding people, along with any aspect of life that requires one to show emotion. Not to mention her decision to stay close to her mother has her leaving the comfort of her own home nearly on a nightly basis to save her mother time and time again... -
![Impact by Kate Sterritt]()
Impact by Kate Sterritt
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratings“Since the moment our lives collided, I knew you were it for me. The impact was a once in a lifetime event.” – Leo Ashlar. Leo might still be an undefeated fight club champion, but his past has brought him to his knees. When the one person he had successfully avoided for five years is thrust back into his life, the broken pieces he’d tried to glue back together shatter in an instant... -
![I Am Lioness by Dee Garcia]()
I Am Lioness by Dee Garcia
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWith pain comes strength. My name is Hazel Perry. You however, can call me Lioness. I live and breathe MMA -24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. That ring is mine. I'm the Queen. Fierce, untouchable, and undefeated. I've been asked how I willingly subject myself to such an intense, brutal career. My answer… Because it feels good... -
![Fighting For Grace by Hope Ford]()
Fighting For Grace by Hope Ford
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsFighting For Grace Evan I’m down on my luck and out of patience. If I can’t fight, who am I? I still go to the gym every day to train and get better. When I get talked into teaching self-defense lessons, I never expected to meet her. She’s sweet, innocent... and in trouble. Injured or not, I’m fighting for Grace... -
![Hers by Becca Jameson]()
Hers by Becca Jameson
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsSubmitting to him is easy… Shaking off her past is not. Kayla Temple is leery about returning to a BDSM lifestyle. Finally free from four horrific years with a man she wishes she could forget, she wants to experience the release of submission again, but can she trust any Dom enough to let herself go? Gage Holland has been watching Kayla for two years... -
![Want by Becca Jameson]()
Want by Becca Jameson
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsSabrina Duluth has a tidy life. She loves her editing job and owns her own home. On weekends she dabbles in BDSM. Nothing could possibly disrupt her perfect world…until she takes a class at the local college. Conner Bascott is a busy man. He teaches British literature by day, fights MMA in the evenings, and attends a local BDSM club on weekends...
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