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Against the Ropes (First to Fight #2) by Jeanette Murray-a review

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AGAINST THE ROPES (First to Fight #2) by Jeanette Murray- a review

Against the Ropes

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date October 6, 2015

As a troubled teen, Gregory Higgs channeled his energy into boxing instead of breaking the law. The ring gave him purpose and something to strive for. So did the Marines. Combining the two seemed like a natural fit.

Another natural fit? Reagan Robilard, the sweet athlete liaison who keeps all the fighters out of trouble and manages their PR—a job that gets more challenging when someone digs up the truth about Greg’s not-so-shiny past after equipment is vandalized at the gym.

Even if it wasn’t her job, Reagan can’t let Greg take the fall. Because passion doesn’t pull any punches when it comes to matters of the heart

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REVIEW: AGAINST THE ROPES is the second instalment in Jeanette Murray’s contemporary, adult FIRST TO FIGHT military, romance series focusing on a group of Marine Corps boxers and the women they love. This is Marine/boxer Gregory Higgs, and PR representative Reagan Robilard’s storyline.

Told from several third person points of view AGAINST THE ROPES continues to focus on the destruction, and threats against the Marine boxing team with the attacks becoming more personal and aggressive. As the PR representative for the boxing team, it is Reagan’s job to spin the press but the continued attacks and threats against their own find Reagan falling behind when the attacks become personal and Greg Higgs is a target for both the press and the harassment. Several purposefully planted clues take aim at Greg and his ‘colourful’ past, and Reagan’s job is on the line when she is unable to keep a handle of the negative PR.

The relationship between Greg and Reagan is one of mutual attraction that finds our couple trying to keep secret their liaisons and personal life. While Reagan continues to push Greg for information about his earlier life, Reagan soon discovers that the man with whom she has fallen in love has a secret and dangerous past she knew nothing about. The $ex scenes are intimate and romantic; there are no erotic sexual situations and no graphic sexual language.

AGAINST THE ROPES is an ensemble storyline with several of the previous storyline characters playing supporting and secondary roles. Marianne and Brad (Below the Belt #1) have a strong presence throughout the story, as does Marine Graham who begins to take an interest in Kara-the team’s yoga instructor. The banter and camaraderie between the boxers is friendly; there is a definite support system in place.

The world building continues to focus on the preparation for the upcoming boxing matches, but begins to aggressively turn its’ attention to the investigation into who or what is responsible for the acts of violence and betrayal against the Marine boxing team. I do have an issue with the unreality as it pertains to a lack of security and closed circuit monitors on a Marine base with visible MPs who apparently are not doing their job. The situation is disconcerting under the circumstance and what could very well be terrorist threats at another time seems to be all but ignored by the people in charge-they are quick to blame a PR rep for the trouble and not actively looking into the who, what and why. The situation, as presented, is not believable as it pertains to the investigation and blame.

AGAINST THE ROPES is an entertaining storyline. The premise is engaging with colourful and charismatic characters. The romance is predictable but seductive; the happily ever after has yet to be revealed as the Marine Corps boxing team continues to struggle with threats from an unknown source. There are no active military scenes or sequences; the series focuses on the boxing team and the person(s) responsible for the attacks.

Copy supplied by the publisher through Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy
Series spotlight

Below the BeltBelow The Belt
First To Fight #1
by Jeanette Murray
Release Date: April 7, 2015
Genre: adult, contemporary, military romance

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date April 7, 2015

Click HERE for Sandy’s review of BELOW THE BELT

There’s more than one way to win in the debut of the First to Fight series…

Athletic trainer Marianne Cook is ready to do whatever it takes to turn the men of the Marine Corps boxing team into fighting machines. After all, her ultimate goal is to land a job training professional athletes. But when she notices a certain hard-bodied marine trying to hide an injury, Marianne realizes that she’ll have to use covert tactics to get him talking.

First Lieutenant Brad Costa has waited years for the chance to fight for a spot on the Marine Corps boxing team, knowing he has to push twice as hard to get half as far as his younger counterparts. Brad tries to downplay his injuries to the attractive trainer who has his dreams in her hands, but Marianne isn’t buying it. Maybe it’s time to deploy some targeted flattery.

As Brad and Marianne’s attraction turns red-hot, there’s more than one person having a hard time keeping their eyes on the prize…

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Against the Ropes by Sarah Castille-a review

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Against the Ropes by Sarah Castille- a review

Against the ropes

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date September 3, 2013

He scared me. He thrilled me. And after one touch, all I could think about was getting more…

Makayla never thought she’d set foot in an underground mixed-martial arts club. But if anyone needs a medic on hand, it’s these guys. Trouble is, at her first sight of the club’s owner she’s the one feeling breathless.

All sleek muscle and restrained power, the man they call Torment plays to win at any cost. Whether it’s in the ring or in the bedroom, he knows exactly when to use a soft touch and when to launch a full-on assault. He always knows just how far he can push. And he’s about to tempt Makayla in ways she never imagined…

REVIEW

3 out of 5 for this reader folks!

Against the Ropes by Sarah Castille is a contemporary romance with elements of Erotic/BDSM. Sarah is a new author to me, so I really had no idea what to expect. The premise of this story however, really grabbed me and so I decided to dive right on in!

We meet our heroine Makayla right away. She has taken on an under the table job to sell tickets at an underground fighting event. Sarah works at a hospital full time throughout the day in medical admin, and as a EMT on the side. She is a smart cookie if not a little naive, is quick witted, hates violence and tends to get nauseated at the most inopportune moments. Honestly, she is an average girl trying to make ends meet in the best way she knows how.

While selling tickets, she is conned into a conversation with out hero “Torment” Max. Max happens to be one of the top contenders in this underground fighting ring and happens to own the place that hosts many of these fights. OH .. and he is super rich by day as some kind of business executive. He fights because he truly loves it. He is also seriously attracted to Makayla right away and comes on super strong (actually it was kind of creepy how strong). LOL

Max decides to hire Makayla to provide medical attention ring side to his fighters. Max also wants her close and ensures everyone knows that she belongs to him. Makayla is completely lusting for Max, but thinks his “bully you into loving me” is a little much, so she holds him back at an arms length until she can’t fight her attraction to him anymore.

Through some pretty tough battle of wills, some nasty fighting, misunderstandings, hot nooky, experimental nooky, these two try to find their way to each other. However, Makayla is not sure if she can live in this underground fighting world that Max seems to love. She also isn’t sure if she can live with the fact that he is filthy rich and thinks that gives him reason to take what he wants, forget about anyone else’s feeling.

Okay … I had really high hopes for this book. I mean hot underground fighting, all that testosterone flowing. HELLO, SIGN ME UP! LOL Well unfortunately this read like a very, unbelievable, immature attempt of hot erotic romance with some BDSM elements. This book has potential to be a great book, but the fluency wasn’t there and it came across choppy. I felt somewhat disengaged and apathetic through most of it. If you have read my reviews before, you know I love my smut and tend to gush if I really am smitten with a book. While I want to do so here, I really can’t!

To end a review on a small negative note is not my style, so now I will tell you what I loved. THE HUMOUR! I actually chuckled out loud at some of antics and conversations. These two can text me into stitches as they banter back and forth. It’s rather amusing. The whole premise of underground fighting .. LOVE THAT! The fight scenes were vivid and the kind of fighting used was well researched. Some of the sex scenes were hot, and I love me a hot sex scene!

Overall, not a terrible read but I think there needs to be some growth with this author.

HAPPY READING! 🙂

Reviewed by Rachel T.

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Against The Ropes by Carly Fall-a review

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AGAINST THE ROPES by Carly Fall-a review

Against The Ropes

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date May 29, 2013

Winning the next fight will mean nothing . . . if he can’t win back the heart of the woman he loves. . .

Five years ago Dylan Gomez had it all. He was an up-and-coming boxer with a loving girlfriend, and his sights were set on the big league. Then he let the hype of the fans inflate his ego—he thought he was invincible. That all changed when an alcohol-fueled decision altered the course of his life. He lost his girlfriend and then bit-by-bit his life crumbled around him.

Physical therapist, Regan Holloway, has coasted through life for the last five years. She’s been in the same place all that time and most of her things are still in boxes. Agreeing to a “friendly” date with a co-worker, she ends up ringside and face-to-face with the man she’d fled to forget—Dylan.

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REVIEW: AGAINST THE ROPES is the latest contemporary romance short story from Carly Fall. Approximately 135 pages in length, Against The Ropes is a novel about second chances, forgiveness and saying goodbye.

Five year ago, Dylan Gomez and Regan Holloway were a couple-but fame, a cocky-attitude, alcohol and wrong choices would send Dylan spiraling out of control, losing the woman that he loves and eventually his freedom. But a chance at reconciliation with Regan, will find Dylan a different man. Hoping to prove himself worthy of her love, Dylan tries one more time to be a contender both in and out of the boxing ring.

The sexual relationship between Dylan and Regan has already been established as the couple is well known to each other but a history of betrayal and thoughts of forgiveness will find Regan contemplating whether or not to risk loving a man who has yet to prove he has changed. But over the course of a few weeks, Dylan and Regan will be pushed together by a mutual friend who knows that what Dylan and Regan need is each other.

There are a few secondary characters, especially Dylan’s manager and substitute father Max who keeps Dylan on the straight and narrow, and it is Max who will be the proverbial match-maker when he sees something in Dylan and Regan that both were too stubborn to admit. To love someone means to forgive but forgetting will be a much harder thing to do.

The character development is thorough considering the relatively short length of the novel, but since the characters already knew each other there was none of the push and pull of a new relationship-only the rebuilding of trust and love. The world building was minimal as most of the storyline focused on the characters and their relationship to one another.

Carly Fall has written a romantic, heartwarming and endearing storyline of forgiveness and love. To forgive someone for, not one but two past transgressions, takes a much stronger person than many of us ever hope to be but the storyline scenario demonstrates that not only can we forgive but we can love again. There are a couple of moments of heartbreak and loss, but the HEA is well deserved and one that we can all aspire to in our own lives.

Copy supplied by the author.

Reviewed by Sandy

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