Review: Secrets of an Alpha Male by J.D. Hawkins

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Standalone
Release: October 22, 2016
Length: 255 pages

I'm Connor 'Alpha Male' Anderson. Pound for pound I'm the best MMA fighter in America, and I've got the brains, balls, and brawn to back it up - 230 pounds of pure muscle, infinite charm, and the stamina to last all night long. But with the biggest fight of my career coming up, I've got to keep my pants zipped and get my head in the game.

That's when Frankie Jones comes in. An amazingly hot yoga teacher, she drives me crazy with those booty shorts and sports bras. I'll hold downward dog as long as she wants so I can show her my cobra. She's a total bombshell, feisty, and challenges me every step of the way. She doesn't fall for my alpha game, and that only turns me on more. But how can I get myself into her skin-tight leggings, with the pressure of this title match coming up and my trainer's orders to keep it in my pants?

Before I met Frankie, all I wanted was to win this fight.

But now?

All I want is her.

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My Review

Let me start by saying that I've read pretty much all of J.D. Hawkins books, I stalk him regularly on social media, and I'm a huge fan of his work. This book was a bit different from what I've come to expect from him, but it was enjoyable.

First we meet Connor 'Alpha Male' Anderson, a cocky fighter who has literally been plucked from obscurity and thrust into what is the chance of the lifetime for his career - a chance against the current MMA Champion and to earn the belt. If only his incredible ego would just get out of his way. He meets Frankie, a yoga instructor, and her natural calm goes a long way in teaching Connor some humility, as well as helping him find a balance and to put his life in perspective.

I adored these two characters. Their connection was instantaneous but they both had to put in the work in order to sustain any type of relationship with each other. The biggest sticking point was their pride. Gosh, it was so frustrating. Being able to swallow pride was a huge obstacle for them. However, when they were on, it was so sweet. Connor may have been 'Alpha' but it didn't prevent him from being able to open his heart.

The intimate scenes were hot, as expected. The sparring and fighting played a huge role in the plot and definitely kept me engaged. There was also just enough drama to add some spice and keep things interesting. My only issue was that things needed to be fleshed out more. This was a delightfully light read, but it was vague on some details. I think the drama with Tara was brushed off too easily. And I guess I wanted more from the epilogue as well. I wanted to see more development of Connor and Frankie's relationship. Ah well, that wasn't in the cards. It didn't stop this from being an awesome book by an amazing author!

An ARC was generously provided in exchange for an honest review