I have a big problem with the trope of the guy with the anger issues and only the girl can calm him down. I can see teenagers really responding to the book, but I'm not entirely certain they should.

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.

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.

I enjoyed the book for a cute read. The characters were great and the themes were heavy. I am glad I got to read this book!

This is an emotional story, but one I really enjoyed. It's a story full of romance and drama, not always in that order. It has some pretty tough struggles, but that gives us time to learn just strong the characters are. I enjoyed the characters in this story, and am interested in reading more by Anne Greenwood Brown.

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.

in the cold hard truth, both emmie and max have faced incredible amounts of emotional trauma for their age. emmie lost pieces of herself as a consequence of her mother's addictions and the psychological hold her manipulative drug dealer had on emmie. narcing on him proved to be an escape, but it also led her back to another kind of prison. her time isn't entirely her own. and she has to be careful who she lets in.

when she runs headlong into max her first day back in school, she dismissed him as a jock. she doesn't realize his story. the more time she spends with him, the more she realizes there are hidden depths. and he finds that being with emmie allows him to keep the anger at bay. it's also grief and guilt, but it manifests itself as anger.

being together keeps some of the demons at bay, gives them a chance to heal. and the way they find their way together is emotional and deep and heavy and sweet. i really enjoyed their story. it was rough at times, they both go through the wringer. but they might just come out of it a-ok.

**cold hard truth will publish on april 3, 2018. i received an advance reader copy courtesy of netgalley/albert whitman & company in exchange for my honest review.

I had my doubts about this book but it turned out to have more depth to it than I thought that it would. I thought that Emmie's past was an interesting focal point to the story. I would have liked for the author to have gone into even more detail about it because it seemed so different from what I have seen before. The lengths that Emmie went to for her mother and that fact that she didn't blame her mother at all was saint like to me....or just naive. It was hard to get a complete read on Emmie for much of the story. I wasn't sure if she was in a relationship with Nick or if he was forced onto her. That aspect of the story was confusing and I wasn't sure if it was meant to be or not. I also had a hard time believing the "dangerous turn" portion of the story because in the real world things would not have gone down that way that I know of. I did think that the rest of the danger involved in the story was believable and therefore served to bring more tension into the book. I thought that Max was an interesting addition to the book because he was a flawed knight. He had anger issues that made him act without thinking but he only wanted to help people. He was also not a typical jock which I found refreshing. I enjoy when a character surprises me and doesn't turn out to be who I think they are at first glance.

Cold Hard Truth is a heavy read, full of drama and action. It drew me in emotionally, and I really enjoyed it. I found it to be very well-written!

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

Anne Greenwood Brown is a new-t0-me author, and after reading Cold Hard Truth I am definitely a fan. There was something about the synopsis that called to me. I was not disappointed. This story had well-rounded characters and an intriguing plot. There was a good balance of sweet, swoony moments and solid story development. I look forward to reading more from Brown in the future.

Emmie Obrien's life has been in a nut shell. Growing up in a home unloved, she got into the wrong crowd, and made poor decisions. Leading up to her getting arrested with robbery. With her dad being a lawyer she got out with doing community service. Thus meeting Max, a varsity hockey player at her school.

They both have demons, but are drawn to one another like a moth to a flame.

Soon Emmie's demons come knocking and they expect payment!

Is being with Max putting him in danger? Will she let him go to keep him safe?
Read to find out.

Cold Hard Truth was a insta-love romance but with more depth to the storyline. Overall a cute romance with all the feels.

Actual rating....3.75 stars.
This was a fun, light read with a bit of heaviness.
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.

Terrific strong heroine with true to life obstacles to overcome make this a great read. I liked that the hero struggled with his own issues and that he didn't like his "bad boy" overreactions. I thouythis was a book with great themes of asking for help, knowing when you are in over your head and trusting others. Well done.