Tag Archives: Boxer/Fighter

Tyed

By L J Shen

Synopsis

Rock bottom has built way more champions than privilege has.

Blaire, an underachieving college student with zero prospects and a ton of issues (hey, being the less-successful twin of a gorgeous supermodel would totally do that to you) needs something from Ty.

Mixed Martial artist Ty, a soon-to-be Welterweight champion of the Xtreme Warrior League and the hottest guy in the Bay Area, wants something from Blaire.

But Ty has a secret.

And Blaire can barely even handle his truths.

Life is about to throw a few knockout punches at both of them. Can they handle the pain?

Tyed is a standalone novel.

Review

Ty is definitely one dynamic and hot champion and owns the pages who kept me reading this even when I found Blaire for the first half of the book a bit annoying and a bit blah. She came into her own but my god her sister annoyed me no end and I felt frustrated by their relationship as she was a very self centred character. I wanted to throttle Blaire’s parents and I just would have liked the family dynamic explored just a little more as they were thrown in at parts and glossed over in others, especially when Blaire graduates. Blaire had such low self confidence and seeing how her parents and sister walked all over her, well no wonder. The whole scene at Las Vegas with the wedding just felt weird one day all drama then next at the wedding chapel.

I liked the second half of this book more, it does not slow down and works you up to a ending that is simply perfect and gives you your HEA. I loved seeing the characters find their own way back to each other and I did not pick Ty’s secret until all was revealed so that was great writing.

Cameron was a great character to introduce when Blaire needed someone and I must say that Shane also created drama and more questions and I enjoyed him.

This is my second book by this author, I have read Sparrow (two times) still one of my favourites from this year.

Tyed

My Rating:

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Healing Melody

by Ozlo & Priya Grey

Synopsis

His Touch Makes Me Forget My Scars…

Melody
I had everything: looks, money, adoring fans all over the world. In a split-second, everything changed.

Now, I’m a prisoner in my own home, scared to face the world. Then one fateful night I meet him. Kade’s tough, fearless, and knows the meaning of the word loss. He’s also sexy as hell. When our worlds collide, neither one of us will be the same.

Kade
I’m a fighter. I have the scars to prove it, not just from the war, but from inside the ring too. And although we come from two different worlds, Melody’s scars run just as deep. After everything I’ve lost, it’s hard to keep fighting. But then Melody gives me a reason.

My Review

I am torn, whilst Melody has the main stage and is centre of this story so to speak, I really connected with Kade from the beginning more than I did with her.

I have thought on my review for a few days and I think it was probably because Melody ultimately was scarred and had underlying issues and she did struggle with self worth and was quite depressed for half the book so I am thinking that is probably why it took me longer to feel emotion for her. I found myself looking forward to Kade and how he was going to help Melody and I was not disappointed. He was very black and white in his life view and Melody was definitely more shades of grey and yes she was the creative force in the end.

When Melody finally realises there is more to her than what is on the outside and she starts to find her way I was totally with her and I really did enjoy how Kade and her relationship developed over the book.

So fair warning this is not a happy hearts and flowers type of romance, it is sad, painful, quite lonely at times but it is worth taking the journey with these two characters.

This is my first story by these authors and I wonder if they write together or they pick a character each and entwine the story particularly at the start as it definitely felt like two stories entwining into one, perhaps that is how they wanted it to appear before they joined the two characters in a partnership to help heal the other.

I was provided a copy by the authors for an honest review.

Healing Melody

My Rating:

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The Aftermath (The Hurricane # 2)

By R.J. Prescott

Synopsis

Cormac “The Hurricane” O’Connell’s star is on the rise. Billed as the most promising young boxer of his generation, his new career is taking him to places he never dreamed. But O’Connell only needs one thing in life: his wife. In her final year of college, Em cannot follow him around the world but together they make it work. Just when everything they ever wanted is on the horizon, the past resurfaces to haunt them, and O’Connell realizes that justice might not be a part of his happy ever after. He couldn’t protect Em once before, but in the aftermath of the hurricane, he will make sure that never happens again.

Review

THE AFTERMATH is another great read from R.J. Prescott and continues on with Con and Emily’s story from THE HURRICANE. Em’s abuser is awaiting trial, but that doesn’t stop him from taunting her from jail. And with the trial coming up, she’s being forced to recount everything that was done to her and it really takes its toll. But she’s not dealing with it alone anymore; she now has Con by her side and he will do anything to protect her.

It’s rare to find a book where both the male and female leads win me over in equal measure. This is one of those rare books because both Con and Em are amazing. Despite all that she’s endured, Em has the strength to place her trust in not just one person, but several people. She gives Con a real purpose in life and makes him a better man⎯a man he never thought he could be. And Con? He makes her feel safe, protected and cherished, something she hasn’t had for a very long time. She is his heart and he is her safe haven, and they compliment each other perfectly.

Con: “Happy birthday, baby.”
Em: “Best birthday ever.”
Con: “How do you know? You’ve only just woken up.”
Em: “Because it’s the first birthday I’ve ever woken up with you.”

THE AFTERMATH is told in Con’s POV, with the epilogue being told in Em’s. Now that Con and Em have their HEA, the series has been left open for Con’s friends to get their own stories. His friends, Tommy, Kieran and Liam, are great and their camaraderie and wicked banter really help lighten up what could have been a very dark story. The paintball scene? Hilarious. I didn’t want to put this book down and I’m looking forward to reading more from this author in the future.

The Aftermath (The Hurricane # 2)

My Rating:

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The Hurricane Series

Dirty English

by Ilsa Madden-Mills

Synopsis

A scarred fighter.
A girl with rules.
One night of unbridled passion.

There are three things you need to know about Elizabeth Bennett: she’s smart as a whip, always in control, and lives by a set of carefully crafted rules. She’s learned the hard way that people you love the most always hurt you in the end.

But then she meets Declan Blay, the new neighbor at her apartment complex.

A tattooed British street fighter, he’s the campus bad boy she’s supposed to avoid, but when he saves her from a frat party gone bad, all her rules about sex and love fly out the window.

She gives him one night of unbridled passion, but he longs for more.

With only a cardboard-thin wall separating their bedrooms, he dreams of possessing the vulnerable girl next door forever.

One night. Two damaged hearts. The passion of a lifetime.

*a modern love story inspired by Pride and Prejudice*

My Review

Elizabeth Bennett was such a simply intriguing character, to have a name from such a well known romance story and then to come from such a sad and lonely upbringing which was woven in a way that simply had me trapped. The first chapter will have your heart broken and you will want to continue to see Elizabeth overcome this horrific encounter and watch her rise and beat her crippling anxiety and demons.

Declan and Elizabeth can see beyond each others facades, they see beyond the emotional armour and to the real inner person and I really devoured this and their ability to push each others boundaries and to break into their souls. We all make mistakes and wrong decisions as young adults, we trust people and take chances, Elizabeth made one mistake with the wrong person and paid a terrible price.

The sensitive scenes in this story were really well written and compassionate to the characters and I only hated one character, Elizabeth’s mother I simply wanted to throttle her. The story flowed well and I loved how other characters such as Declan’s dad stepped up to the plate at the end of this book to support his son.

Can I say the ending in this story was brilliant and I was fist pumping as I admit I was so scared for I knew we would have to endure some more trauma before a resolution would be given to Elizabeth. She was just such a strong and emotionally layered character as was Declan and their sexual chemistry was off the charts, there are some really hot and heavy moments with sexual frustrations and great sex scenes but with those tender moments we all love too.

Dirty English

My Rating:

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A Fighter’s Desire: Part 2 (Gloves Off # 0.6)

By L.P. Dover

Synopsis

When you’re told to stay away from someone or something it only drives the urge to go after it more. In this case, that was exactly what happened. For years, Gabriella Reynolds–younger sister of MMA’s Heavyweight Champion, Matt Reynolds–was warned by him to stay away from his fighter friends; she deserved better and they would only break her heart.

Did she listen? Yes, for a while, but temptation can only consume you so much until you fall into its trap. There’s a certain fighter she’s interested in, and it just so happens that he’s her brother’s best friend, the only one that is completely off limits to her. However, she’s not the only one fighting temptation. Tyler Rushing can’t deny his attraction to her, but he’s afraid she’ll want more and he can’t give that to her. When he finds out that’s not the case … everything changes.

Secrets can be dangerous, but they can also be thrilling and intense. Gabriella and Tyler have no choice but to keep their time together a secret … and it’s a secret that’ll stay with them forever.

Review

A FIGHTER’S DESIRE: PART 2 is a prequel novella to the Gloves Off series, introducing us to a slew of new characters as well as touching base with a couple from the previous novella. Tyler and Gabriella have been dancing around each other for a while now. Gabriella’s brother, Matt, is Tyler’s best friend, and Matt has warned each of them to stay away from the other. But Gabriella’s a big girl and decides it’s time to make a move on Tyler, and with Ryley’s help, she’s able to get her man, even if it’s just for a weekend.

Tyler is another manwhore, rivalling the likes of Ryley and Camden from PART 1. Other than that, there’s not much you learn about him. Gabriella seemed like a strong and confident woman, going after who and what she wanted, but at the same time she was willing to be used and forego her self-respect just for a chance to have sex with Tyler. Gabriella knows he’s a manwhore and Tyler knows absolutely nothing about her past, but both were willing to have sex without a condom right from the start. Apparently being on the pill is good enough. A lapse in the heat of the moment I could understand, but what they did was not safe or smart and it’s a big pet peeve for me.

So I’ll be honest here, I’m still not sold on this series. After finishing PART 2, I took a good look at the rest of the series to see if it could help me decide whether I should continue on or not. Spoiler Alert: Tyler and Gabriella don’t even end up together; both have their own books with different love interests. My first thought when I realised this was “What’s the point of this book then?”. Gabriella gave up a man who was crazy about her to be with Tyler, and he was willing to risk his friendship with Matt to be with her, so I just don’t get it. Call me old fashioned or just plain silly, but when I read a story about two characters, I expect to see a happy ending for them…together. Despite the amazing reviews this series has received, I feel that it isn’t one for me and I don’t think I’ll be continuing on with it. I’ll stick to her other series that I’ve enjoyed.

A Fighter’s Desire: Part 2 (Gloves Off # 0.6)

My Rating:

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A Fighter’s Desire: Part 1 (Gloves Off # 0.5)

By L.P. Dover

Synopsis

Two is always better than one.

What would you do if you were given the chance to spend the night with not one, but two fighters? Would you do it? Could you open yourself up to the pleasures they offered and do exactly what they said in order to pass on to the next round?

It was common knowledge that Ryley and Camden Jameson, well-known MMA fighters and identical twins, were just as aggressive and passionate in the bed as they were in the ring. The only problem was that if you didn’t pass their test on the first night, then you didn’t proceed to the next round. They loved a good fight, and that’s what they got when they met Ashleigh Warren.

Ashleigh knew what was going to happen when the twins approached her with a proposition, and needless to say, she knew exactly how to handle them … or so she thought. The rules had changed, and in order to get them both she had to first spend one night with each and last until they were done with her. It was a proposition she couldn’t refuse, but she knew it wouldn’t be easy to win. However, it was one that she was going to enjoy.

Review

A FIGHTER’S DESIRE: PART 1 is a prequel novella to book 2 in the Gloves Off series, RYLEY’S REVENGE.

I’m just going to jump right in and say that I found it very hard trying to like Ryley and Camden given that they’re both egotistical manwhores. And what kind of a woman do they want sandwiched between them? They want a woman who has sex like a whore but hasn’t slept with a lot of men. Can you say double standards? Then they meet Ashleigh and they’re suddenly desperate to have her, all because she rejects them and tells them that they would never be able to handle her. Apparently her words are enough to convince the twins that this is the girl they’ve been looking for.

Ashleigh was ok, but she also had an ego and I don’t get where it came from. Bragging to two manwhores that they couldn’t possibly handle her was a little farfetched, and considering that she didn’t do anything spectacular, again, I don’t get where her comments came from. I felt she was all talk and no action. She starts a sexual relationship with Ryley and very quickly feelings develop on both sides. But she’s in love with her good friend, Colin, and has been for years, so when Colin sees that he might lose her to Ryley, he decides to tell her how he feels. Ashleigh makes her choice and this is where I assume RYLEY’S REVENGE comes in.

I have mixed feelings about this novella. I read it a few days ago and I still can’t figure out how I feel about it. I didn’t hate it, but I didn’t love it either. I’ll admit, I was rooting for Ashleigh and Ryley, and they do get their own book in the series, so I’m assuming they will get their HEA at some point.

A Fighter’s Desire: Part 1 (Gloves Off # 0.5)

My Rating:

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No Limit (Armed & Dangerous # 1)

By L.P. Dover

Synopsis

Murder. Lies. Betrayal.

I deal with those things every day. My name is Jason Avery, one of the best undercover agents in the country. I have yet to fail on a mission, which is why I’ve been sent to Vegas. Countless women have been abducted, tortured, only to show up dead in the middle of the night. It’s my job to find out which sick f*** is responsible. Unfortunately, every lead sends me to a dead end; at least, until Aylee McFadden shows up at my door.

Aylee is a stubborn, headstrong FBI agent and also one of the sexiest women I’ve ever seen with a gun. In joining me, it gives us the leverage we need to get on the inside. She fights me at every turn, but soon realizes there’s more to me than tattoos and a dirty mouth. I can’t get enough of her. Now that we’re in the game, we’re one step closer to solving the crime. However, gambling with money isn’t what the big boys want. They want the one thing I’m not willing to give.

It’s a no limit game, and if I back down I lose everything. I will lose her.

Review

I’ll be honest, I wasn’t sure what to expect with NO LIMIT. When I signed up to review and promote this, I did so because I recognised L.P. Dover’s name, but then I realised that this seemed to be a complete 180 from her books I’ve read before in the Forever Fae and Second Chances series. And then when I saw the cover, I got really worried. But I shouldn’t have judged this book by it’s cover, because WOW, I loved it and didn’t want to put it down. The story was good, the case was thrilling, the characters were likeable and the sex was hot.

There’s a killer leaving his mark on Vegas working girls, with all the victims coming from one high-end escort service. The Madam has temporarily shut down her business but her girls are still turning up dead. Jason is called in and goes undercover as a high roller hoping to get inside the group of wealthy suspects. After months of no luck, the FBI send in one of their agents to help him out. Enter Aylee, who plays the part of Jason’s paid companion. Thanks to her assistance and the appearance of an unlikely ally, they’re able to get inside the group and start eliminating the suspects one at a time. I had my suspicions as to who the killer could be, but I was shocked at how it played out. Well done Ms Dover, well done.

I loved Jason and Aylee and I thought they were perfect for each other. Jason’s used to working alone and is therefore not used to having to place his trust in a partner. And trust is something Aylee is reluctant to give after being betrayed by her partner on a previous case that almost got her killed. Jason isn’t a violent man, but he has no problem becoming violent when the situation calls for it. He has a deep sense of doing the right thing, justice and protecting the innocent. With Aylee being FBI and Jason being an undercover cop, you just know that right off the bat they’ll hate each other. But as they work together, they start to respect each other’s skills and qualities, and they realise there’s so much more under the surface. And when feelings of like and love become part of the equation, Jason’s not so keen to use her as bait anymore and will do anything to protect her, even if it means pissing her off.

The story seemed to move very fast at the beginning. By the middle it seemed to have slowed down, so either the pace did in fact slow down, or I got used to the fast pace and didn’t notice it anymore. NO LIMIT is the first book in the Armed & Dangerous series, but it mentions characters that have appeared in her Gloves Off series, at least I assume they’re from that series. After meeting Kyle, I’m thinking I might have to add that series to my TBR list. In fact, I just did.

No Limit (Armed & Dangerous # 1)

My Rating:

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Armed & Dangerous Series

The Hurricane (The Hurricane # 1)

By R.J. Prescott

Synopsis

Emily McCarthy is living in fear of a dark and dangerous past. A gifted mathematician, she is little more than a hollow, broken shell, trying desperately to make ends meet long enough to finish her degree.

Through an unlikely friendship with the aging, cantankerous owner of an old boxing gym, Em is thrown into the path of the most dangerous man that she has ever met.

Cormac “the Hurricane” O’Connell is cut, tattooed and dangerous. He is a lethal weapon with no safety and everyone is waiting for the mis-fire. He’s never been knocked out before, but when he meet Em he falls, HARD. Unlike any other girl he’s ever met, she doesn’t want anything from him. Just being around her makes him want to be a better person.

They are polar opposites who were never meant to find each other, but some things are just worth the fight.

Review

Cormac O’Connell (aka Con) doesn’t have a lot going for him. As a construction worker who boxes on the side, he feels there’s nothing of substance that he can offer a woman, other than a body they would kill for to have warming their beds for a night. One look at Emily and Con is ready to change his ways. He knows he doesn’t deserve her, but he’s so sweet on her that he doesn’t care enough to stay away. When he looks at Emily, he sees his home and a future filled with love, two things he’s never had before that make him determined to win her over.

Emily is a young, broken woman running from a terrible past, trying to remain invisible in the hopes that her past won’t find her. As people start incorporating themselves into her life, she learns to open up and to overcome the mental conditioning she endured over the years. Thanks to her new friends, she found a wonderful group of people that became her family. She would do anything to protect them and they would do anything to protect her.

Through Con, Emily is able to find her inner strength and to let go of the frightened girl she once was. And Emily gives Con a purpose, a reason to become more than his lot in life, more than what he thinks he deserves.

Con: “I will fight to make something better of myself, to be someone better. Someone you can be proud of. If you need time, then I’ll give you time. If you need friendship, then I’ll give you friendship. But you’re mine, and when the time is right, when you’re ready, I’m coming for you.”

I’ll be honest, the cover is what caught my attention to THE HURRICANE. Then I read the synopsis and even though it seemed quite dark (which is not my usual book of choice), it sounded interesting and I haven’t read a boxer/fighter story in a loooong time, so I bought it. And then I couldn’t put it down. Literally. The only two times I stopped reading was for a pesky little thing called sleep and to do the school run in the morning. For a debut novel, I was blown away. I didn’t even realise it was a debut novel until I started preparing for this review.

Without trying to give away any spoilers, what Emily endured throughout this book is horrific. I’d advise taking caution if you’re sensitive to abuse scenes. Apparently there will be a second book on Con and Emily called THE AFTERMATH, but to be honest, I think I’d prefer if their story ended here. They both endured so much in this book and they got their HEA at the end, so why mess with that? I don’t want to read about them experiencing any more heartache and there’s really only one thing that could hurt them: a lack of justice. That being said, I’ve already added THE AFTERMATH to my TBR list for when it comes out at the end of the year. What can I say? I’m curious and need closure. And if it’s as good as book 1, I’ll be clearing my day just to read it.

Con: “Meeting you was like seeing the sun for the first time, after a lifetime of living in the dark.”

The Hurricane (The Hurricane # 1)

My Rating:

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