WORTH THE FIGHT (MMA Fighter #1) by Vi Keeland-a review

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ABOUT THE BOOK: October 3, 2013

It didn’t matter that the ref called it a clean hit. Nico Hunter would never be the same.

Elle has a good life. A job she loves, a great apartment, and the guy she’s been dating for more than two years is a catch and a half. But it’s boring…and she strives to keep it that way. Too many emotions are dangerous. Her own past is living proof of what can happen when you lose control.

Then Nico walks into Elle’s office and everything changes…for both of them. But what can the tattooed, hard-bodied MMA fighter and the beautiful and always steady attorney have in common? A lot more than they bargained for.

***Author’s note*** THIS IS A STAND-ALONE NOVEL. Due to strong language and sexual content, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18.

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REVIEW: WORTH THE FIGHT is the first storyline in Vi Keeland’s contemporary new adult MMA Fighter series focusing on the men of MMA fighting and the women that they love. This is Nico and Elle’s storyline and one that is heartbreaking and full of guilt for a man who was only doing what he was trained to do. Although this is considered a stand-alone, and everything wraps up in the end, the second storyline involves some of the characters from Worth the Fight and fast forwards the series by several years.

The premise focuses on two people with deep, dark secrets in their past but for one the secret is darker and buried deeper. Nico is a champion MMA fighter who after a fight where everything went horribly wrong has pulled himself from the arena and competition. Trying to get himself out of a sponsorship contract, Nico’s attorney William enlists the aid of Elle, a fellow attorney and his (William’s) current girlfriend to research the intricacies of the contract. What ensues is Nico’s attempt to ‘woo’ Elle through dinners, dates and gentleness.

Worth the Fight is a storyline about two people who are unable to let go of the past. Both Elle and Nico suffer guilt and the ensuing nightmares that prevent either of them from moving forward. Both must learn to forgive themselves before they are able to accept that they are capable of loving and receiving love. Each guilt is based on similar yet different tragedies and until Nico is able to forgive himself, Elle fears she will never be able to reach the man beneath.

The relationship between Nico and Elle is sensual, sexual and erotic. Nico takes his time getting to know Elle: he doesn’t push for a sexual relationship but continues to build a foundation. When the two finally make it to the bedroom, the fireworks are bright and the love making is hot. This is a man who knows how to please a woman but he is also a man who is afraid to push too hard.

The world building takes the reader behind the scenes of MMA fighting, the arena and the gym. We are introduced to Nico’s trainer Preach and a young street kid Vinny whose story will be told in Worth the Chance in 2014.

Vi Keeland pulls the reader into a heartbreaking story where two people must learn to forgive themselves, let go of the part and move forward. Until one is able to forgive, the heart is closed to new adventures, new relationships and a future.

Reviewed by Sandy