Sweet Victory (Fighting For Love #4) by Gina L Maxwell-Review, Book Tour & Giveaway

SWEET VICTORY (Fighting for Love #4) by Gina L Maxwell-Review, Book Tour & Giveaway

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SWEET VICTORY
Fighting for Love #4
by Gina L. Maxwell
Release Date: February 27, 2017
Genre: adult, contemporary, erotic, romance, MMA

Sweet Victory

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date February 27, 2017

Confident but distrustful Sophie Caldwell needs help if she’s going to save her family business. Her grandma left one rule for Sophie to maintain ownership from her uncle before she’s thirty: get married. But how does she get her uncle off her ass when she’s only twenty-seven and hasn’t had a boyfriend in years?

Lean, cut, British-born MMA fighter Xander James has never lost a fight, and he’s not about to start now. On the brink of a comeback to be a UFC champion, his landlord wants to take away his last chance by shutting down his gym. No. Hell no. Fortunately, his landlord’s niece has a problem of her own. Time for a proposal she can’t refuse.

••••••••

REVIEW: SWEET VICTORY is the fourth installment in Gina L Maxwell’s contemporary, adult FIGHTING FOR LOVE erotic, romance series focusing on the men of the MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) and the women they love. This is British-born MMA fighter and gym owner Xander James, and bakery owner Sophie Caldwell’s story line. SWEET VICTORY can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story line is revealed where necessary.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Xander and Sophie) SWEET VICTORY follows the building relationship and marriage of convenience between MMA fighter Alexander ‘Xander’ James, and baker Sophie Caldwell. When Sophie’s uncle, a real estate developer makes plans to tear down and rebuild the city block upon which Sophie’s bakery sits, our heroine realizes that her life long dream is about to implode. Taking over her grandmother’s bakery has always been her desire but she doesn’t gain total control until she turns thirty or marries in the meantime. Enter MMA fighter Xander James whose own business is threatened by the real estate mogul, and the man who offers Sophie deal of a lifetime. What ensues is the marriage of convenience between Sophie and Xander, and the growing love between two people who have 180 days to make things work.

The relationship between Xander and Sophie is of mutual benefit between acquaintances who have lusted after one another for a number of years. Sophie’s uncle suspects their marriage is nothing more than a business arrangement and is bent on destroying his niece in the process. Xander is a former MMA fighter who is resolved to make a come back following a career ending injury; Sophie is a woman determined to protect the business her grandmother had always loved. The $ex scenes are intimate, seductive and compelling without the use of over the top graphic, sexual text and language.

We are introduced to Sophie’s grandmother, her uncle Richard Caldwell, and her co-worker Kristin, as well as the cameo appearances of several of the MMA fighters previously introduced in Gina’s FIGHTING FOR LOVE series.

The world building continues to look at the MMA fighters and their struggle to win. Sophie and Xander are determined to protect their businesses any way they can, and a marriage of convenience seems like the perfect solution-as long as no one falls in love.

SWEET VICTORY is a sweet, sexy and spicy story line where family is everything including the family of your heart. The premise is heartwarming; the romance is intoxicating and fated; the characters are passionate and fun. SWEET VICTORY’s release comes a number of years after the last installment so if you are a fan of Gina’s Fighting For Love series, you may have to do a re-read to catch up on your favorite MMA fighters.

Copy supplied by the publisher through Netgalley.

Reviewed by Sandy

about the author

Website / Goodreads / Facebook /Twitter / Instagram

Gina MaxwellGina L. Maxwell is a full-time writer, wife, and mother living in the upper Midwest, despite her scathing hatred of snow and cold weather. An avid romance novel addict, she began writing as an alternate way of enjoying the romance stories she loves to read. Her debut novel, Seducing Cinderella, hit both the USA Today and New York Times bestseller lists in less than four weeks, and she’s been living her newfound dream ever since.

When she’s not reading or writing steamy romance novels, she spends her time losing at Scrabble (and every other game) to her high school sweetheart, doing her best to hang out with their teenagers before they fly the coop, and dreaming about her move to sunny Florida once they do.

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Becoming a Legend (Kavanagh Brothers #3) by Sarah Robinson-a review

BECOMING A LEGEND (Kavanagh Legends #3) by Sarah Robinson-a review

Becoming a Legend

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date December 13, 2016

Kane Kavanagh has always had one goal: being the best mixed martial arts fighter alive. With the MMA National Championships in Las Vegas fast approaching, the man they call “Killer” has no intention of letting anyone or anything get in his way. Somehow, though, a feisty opponent has slipped beneath his guard—and stolen his heart. Fiery and passionate, Nora Hannigan is harder to pin down than any rival Kane has faced in the ring. And she isn’t afraid to tell Kane that she wants nothing to do with him.

With her best friend about to marry into the Kavanagh family, Nora has been resisting Kane’s shameless attempts at flirting for months. But after their undeniable chemistry finally takes over, leading to the hottest night of Nora’s life, she’s running scared. There’s a lot about her life Kane doesn’t know, and she won’t be responsible for ending his career. Now Kane’s out to prove that he’s ready for commitment by winning her heart—and he’s never lost a fight.

••••••••••••

REVIEW: BECOMING A LEGEND is the third installment in Sarah Robinson’s contemporary, adult KAVANAGH LEGENDS MMA erotic romance series focusing on the Kavanagh family of MMA fame. This is Kane ‘Killer’ Kavanagh, and psychology student Nora Hannigan’s story line. BECOMING A LEGEND can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Kane and Nora) BECOMING A LEGEND focuses on Kane’s upcoming championship MMA fight, and his building relationship with Nora Hannigan- a love/hate relationship that finds Kane offering a friends with benefits proposition that Nora readily accepts. But all does not go according to plan when Nora begins to have feelings for the man who finds his relationship with Nora a distraction from his ultimate goal. When Nora’s past threatens to destroy her hard-fought foray into higher education, Kane and his family immerse themselves into Nora’s life. What ensues is the building love between two people who continue to push at one another’s boundaries, and Kane’s decision that could destroy a career that he has fought for long and hard.

The relationship between Kane and Nora begins acrimoniously. There back and forth banter is fraught with tension, sexual energy, and a passionate foreplay of give and take that hides a palpable attraction between our leading couple. The $ex scenes are intimate, erotic and hot.

All of the previous story line couples, and the Kavanagh family play secondary and supporting roles including Rory and Clare, and Kane’s twin brother Kieran whose wedding to Fiona Doherty is high on the list of priorities for the Kavanagh family.
The world building continues to focus on the sport of mixed-martial arts: the family involvement, the upcoming championship fight, and some of the behind the scenes irregularities and threats from an outside source.

BECOMING A LEGEND is a sexy and sometime heartbreaking story about one woman’s struggle to keep one step ahead of the past; and one man’s battle between the woman he loves, and a championship he has worked towards his entire life. The premise is dramatic and intense; the characters are passionate and inspiring; the romance is intimate and provocative. BECOMING A LEGEND will intoxicate your senses, and leave you breathless for more.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
Breaking a Legend
Saving a Legend
Becoming a Legend

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

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Knocked Out by Love (Love to the Extreme 5) by Abby Niles-a review

KNOCKED OUT BY LOVE (Love to the Extreme #5) by Abby Niles-a review

Knocked Out by Love

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date August 15, 2016

Brody Minton has loved Scarlett Harris for years. But she’s his best friend’s wife, so he’s worked hard to keep his distance. Hearing the marriage is over shouldn’t change anything. Only an ass would make a move on a friend’s ex… Except Scarlett wants help getting back in the dating game, and Brody’s torn. If he helps her out, he can keep an eye on her and guard her vulnerable heart. But having the woman he’s longed for for years in arms’ reach is hell on a man’s restraint, no matter how iron strong his will.

But loving Scarlett is only half the fight.

All Scarlett Harris wants is to get away for a while and rethink her life after filing for divorce from her lying, cheating bastard of a husband. The gorgeous Bahamas sounds like the perfect escape, except she’s booked in very resort Brody “The Iron” Minton is staying at for his sister’s wedding. Now her ex’s best friend is dogging her every move, and is a witness to her first pathetic attempts at flirting in years. If Brody isn’t going to leave her alone, then she’ll just recruit him to help get her reacquainted with her single self.

•••••••••

REVIEW: KNOCKED OUT BY LOVE is the fifth installment in Abby Niles’s contemporary, adult LOVE TO THE EXTREME erotic, romance, MMA story line. This is MMA fighter Brody Minton, and elementary school teacher Scarlett Harris’s story line. KNOCKED OUT BY LOVE can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Brody and Scarlett) KNOCKED OUT BY LOVE looks at the forbidden romance/ unrequited love between an MMA fighter and his best friend’s soon to be ex-wife. While in the Bahamas for his sister’s ‘almost’ wedding, Brody Minton’s spies his best friend’s wife attempting to flirt and pick up a man who isn’t her husband. When Brody confronts Scarlett about her actions, our heroine pushes Brody away without revealing the truth about that her husband had been having an affair and they were currently in the process of seeking a divorce. What ensues is the building relationship between a woman whose self-esteem has been destroyed by the man she once thought she loved, and a man who has been in love with his best friend’s wife for as long as he can remember.

KNOCKED OUT BY LOVE is a story line that looks at four different relationships all either at the beginning or near the end but the focus of the story looks at Brody’s love for a woman whose husband wasn’t faithful, and the emotional back and forth about one man’s duty to friendship or seeking out the woman he loves. To complicate matters, our heroine isn’t willing to put her heart on the line and offers up a ‘friends with benefits’ relationship that Brody hopes will turn into something more. The $ex scenes are intimate and seductive.

The world building focuses on romance, relationships, friendships and love. The MMA action is limited although Brody is in for the fight of his career. As to the family and friends, there are a number of questionable circumstances where meddling becomes heartbreaking and painful when Scarlett’s self-esteem takes another hit for the final knock down. There is plenty of personal drama for all concerned but the maturity level of some of the actions are questionable and disconcerting-Scarlett’s naivete is hampered by her inability to let go. Scarlett’s best friend Delaney, and Brody’s cousin Blake are about to face an unexpected future.

KNOCKED OUT BY LOVE is a passionate story. The premise is engaging; the characters are energetic; the romance is fated. The melodrama and conflict made for some uneasy moments especially when one’s future happiness is determined by a mindset not so easily bent.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
Extreme Love
Fighting Love
Winning Love
Healing Love
Knocked Out by Love

Copy supplied by the publisher through Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

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Saving a Legend (Kavanagh Legends #2) by Sarah Robinson

SAVING A LEGEND (Kavanagh Legends #2) by Sarah Robinson-a review

Saving a Legend

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date June 14, 2016

His family’s gym has produced a roster of mixed martial arts legends, but so far Kieran Kavanagh hasn’t followed in their footsteps. After a brawl lands him in jail, Kieran is assigned to work at a center for at-risk youth. Though given a second chance, Kieran’s simply going through the motions—until he meets one very special kid, Shea Doherty, and falls hard for her very beautiful, very grown-up big sister, Fiona. The trouble is, Kieran’s best opening moves are getting him nowhere fast.

Fiona Doherty has too many responsibilities to fool around, especially now that she has custody of Shea. Sure, she’d love to find a devoted partner. But she won’t jeopardize her sister’s happiness—or risk revealing her tortured past—on a love-’em-and-leave-’em type of guy like Kieran . . . so it’s up to him to prove her wrong. As Fiona spends more time with Kieran, she starts to see a softer side of the reckless warrior. Now she must admit that when it comes to the possibility of real love, well . . . there’s a fighting chance.

•••••••••••

REVIEW: SAVING A LEGEND is the second installment in Sarah Robinson’s contemporary, adult KAVANAGH LEGENDS erotic romance series focusing on the Kavanagh siblings. This is former MMA fighter Kieran Kavanagh, and florist shop owner Fiona Doherty’s story line. SAVING A LEGEND can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. All of the previous story line characters play secondary and supporting roles.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Kieran and Fiona) SAVING A LEGEND focuses on Kieran Kavanagh, his release from prison, and his building relationship with Fiona Doherty. Two years earlier Kieran was sentenced to prison for the near beating death of an opponent during an illegal underground MMA match. Fast forward to present day wherein Kieran is assigned community service at the local center for special needs children where he will meet Shea Doherty-the sister of the woman with whom he will fall in love.

Fiona Doherty has custody of her sister Shea-a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder-but a child who will bring together two families, and many lives. What ensues is the building relationship between Fiona and Kieran that will suffer from secrets and lies from the past. Fiona fights her feelings for Kieran, and by extension his close knit family, knowing that once the truth is revealed, her life may never be the same. Our heroine is a bit of a hypocrite, and with it comes a judgmental attitude that should never have been.

The relationship between Fiona and Kieran is slow to build as Fiona is reluctant to make plans for the future. As she struggles to raise her younger sister, as well as working full time and the owner of the local florist shop, Fiona does not have the time or energy for something more but Kieran’s mother makes Fiona an offer she cannot refuse when everything does not go according to plans. The $ex scenes are intimate.

The world building continues to focus on the family business-LEGENDS-the gym owned by the Kavanagh family where ‘legends’ are made and history is written in the Bronx borough of Woodlawn, New York. As Kane (Kieran’s twin) amps up his training for a championship match, the siblings work together towards the ultimate goal. The Kavanagh’s are a close Irish family who are supportive, loving and willing to help those in need. Kane’s story is next.

SAVING A LEGEND is a story about family and love; trust and understanding; secrets and lies. Kieran is a chivalrous hero willing to accept responsibility for someone else’s sins; Fiona is willing to sacrifice her own happiness for the sake of everyone else. The premise is entertaining; the characters are real but flawed; the romance is a slow build to a happily ever after.

Click HERE for Sandy’s review of BREAKING A LEGEND (Book 1)

Copy supplied by the publisher through Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

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Stacked Up (Worth The Fight 6) by Sidney Halston-a review

STACKED UP (Worth the Fight #6) by Sidney Halston-a review

Stacked Up

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About the book-RELEASE DATE: May 31, 2016

Working two jobs to support her infant daughter is harder than anything Penny Richards has ever done, but it sure beats living under the rules of her stepfather, a television preacher who demands a picture-perfect family. And if Penny hadn’t struck out on her own, she never would have met Travis Calhoun. The intensely physical heavyweight brawler has a way of drawing out her wild side. But Travis lives fast, with no responsibilities—and that just isn’t for Penny.

Most of the women in Travis’s circle wear tight clothes, high heels, and tons of makeup—not pearls or plaid headbands. But once he works past Penny’s inhibitions, Travis discovers a kindred spirit who longs to trust someone with her body, and her secrets. Still, Travis can’t help but wonder if this rich girl is just slumming it before she returns to her privileged life. Now it’s up to Penny to prove that she wants her hard-edged, hard-loving fighter just the way he is.

•••••••

REVIEW: STACKED UP is the sixth and final installment in Sidney Halston’s contemporary, adult WORTH THE FIGHT MMA romance series. This is bar tender /single mother Penny Richards, and MMA fighter Travis ‘Texas’ Calhoun’s story. STACKED UP can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from previous story lines is revealed where necessary. Travis is JL’s sister (Fighting Dirty #5).

Told from dual third person perspectives (Penny and Travis) STACKED UP follows the building relationship between Penny and Travis, and Travis’s preparations for a championship fight. Penny is a struggling, single mother and currently in hiding from her wealthy televangelist step father, and the father of her child who have made it clear she is an embarrassment to the family and the family business.

Travis Calhoun is in training for a championship fight. For one year Travis has found himself at the local bar where Penny is employed, but has not been able to cross the invisible line into something more. When Penny finally agrees to one date, pictures of the couple kissing begin to flood the internet, and Penny’s whereabouts are finally found by her past.. What ensues is the struggle to stay one step ahead of her family, and to not lose her heart to a man who wants nothing to do with children or anything long term.

The relationship between Penny and Travis is a slow build-one year of acquaintance and friendship-that evolves into lovers and more. Penny claims to like it a little rough in the bedroom, although her lack of experience would say something else. Herein lies a bit of a problem because the ‘rough’ aspect of the story line is so vanilla that a couple of slaps against the behind is barely a scratch towards the erotic, and yet it is oft mention by the hero that the heroine likes it rough. The $ex scenes are intimate, seductive and hot.

STACKED UP has a large ensemble cast of secondary and supporting characters including most of the previous story lines couples as we say goodbye in championship style. We are introduced to Penny’s step father-a television preacher more concerned about appearances than his daughter, and her ex boyfriend Lawrence –both of whom have plans for Penny and her child.

STACKED UP continues to focus on the MMA fighting-their training, their diets, their lives and their loves. Sidney Halston grants the reader a behind the scenes look at the making of a champion. The premise is entertaining and inviting; the characters are passionate and intense; the romance is a slow build towards a happily ever after.

Copy supplied by the publisher through Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

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Fighting Dirty (Ultimate #4) by Lori Foster-a review

FIGHTING DIRTY (Ultimate #4) by Lori Foster-a review

Fighting Dirty

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About the book: Release Date February 23, 2016

He’s the hottest MMA fighter in the game, but one woman is ready to try out a few steamy moves of her own in an unforgettable new novel from New York Times bestselling author Lori Foster…

With the life he’s led and the muscles he’s gained, Armie Jacobson isn’t afraid of anything. Except maybe Merissa Colter’s effect on him. It’s not just that she’s his best friend’s little sister. Fact is, she deserves better. Women pursue him for one night of pleasure, and that’s all he wants to offer. Until rescuing Merissa from a robbery leads to the most erotic encounter of his life.

Good girl meets bad boy. It’s a story that rarely ends well. But Merissa is taking matters into her own hands. No matter how he views himself, the Armie she knows is brave, honorable and completely loyal. And as past demons and present-day danger collide, they’re both about to learn what’s truly worth fighting for…

•••••••••••••

REVIEW: FIGHTING DIRTY is the fourth installment in Lori Foster’s contemporary, adult ULTIMATE MMA, erotic romance series. This is MMA fighter Armie (Quick) Jacobson, and bank manager Merissa Colter’s storyline. FIGHTING DIRTY can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Several of the previous storyline couples and characters play secondary and supporting roles.

Told from several third person perspectives FIGHTING DIRTY follows the building relationship between Armie and Merissa. Merissa is Cannon’s younger sister-Cannon is technically Armie’s boss and best friend-and Merissa is considered off limits by Armie. When Merissa’s bank is robbed, and Merissa is assaulted by one of the robbers, Armie goes into alpha protective mode but fears Merissa’s presence in his home will destroy what little hold he has over his need for the woman he has loved most of his life.

FIGHTING DIRTY focuses on a series of ‘accidents’ in Merissa’s life that Armie blames on himself. If not for his dark and hidden past, Armie believes Merissa would be safe from harm. But Merissa’s past has decided to reclaim what he believes belongs to him, and Merissa becomes a target in a game of ‘winner take all’.

The relationship between Merissa and Armie is a forbidden romance, friends to lovers trope. Merissa and Armie have been dancing around one another for much of the series but Armie conintues to push Merissa away flaunting his bevy of women every chance he can get. As Cannon’s younger sister, Merissa is active with the other wives and girlfriends, and has followed Armie’s career since the very start. The assault during the robbery is the perfect opportunity for Merissa to push her way into Armie’s life. The $ex scenes are erotic, intense, provocative and fun.

The world building continues to focus on the fighters of the MMA: their lives, their loves, their need to protect and their introduction into the world of professional mixed marshal arts. We are witness to the training regimens, the underground gossip, and the matches that prove who is the ultimate fighting machine.

FIGHTING DIRTY has a little bit of everything: humor, fun, romance, love, sex, fighting and conflict. There are some heartbreaking moments when Armie’s past resurfaces, and the parallel lifestyle of a young boy whose own family life is about to implode.

Lori Foster takes the reader into the ring, behind the scenes, and onto the playing field of the fighters of the Ultimate MMA.

Copy supplied by the publisher through Netgalley.

reviewed by Sandy

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Healing Love (Love to the Extreme #4) by Abby Niles-a review

HEALING LOVE (Love to the Extreme #4) by Abby Niles-a review

Healing Love

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date February 15, 2016

Doctor Ella Watts wants her old life back. Desperately. But the past has returned for its rematch, and going back home—even telling anyone her real name—isn’t an option until she’s confident in her MMA abilities. Personal trainer Lance Black is the man to help her reach her goals. Not only is he toned, muscular, and gorgeous, he’s patient, a great teacher, and willing to treat her like a worthy opponent. Except his size makes her freeze whenever he gets too close. If Ella can’t learn how to overcome her fear of being attacked, she’ll never be able to move on with her life.

Underground fighter Lance Black knows there’s more to the mysterious blonde ninja than a beautiful woman determined to improve her fighting skills. She can best anyone close to her size – man or woman – but insists on working out with him, even though he’s got a good 70 pounds and several inches on her. Despite her reticence, he’s determined to get her to open up so he can help her get over her mental block. And if that means he can get to know her outside the gym, all the better.

As long as she never learns his secrets.

••••••

REVIEW: HEALING LOVE is the fourth installment in Abby Niles’s contemporary, adult LOVE TO THE EXTREME romance series focusing on the men and women of the MMA. This is underground MMA fighter Lance Black, and Dr. Ella (Kelsey) Watts’s story line. HEALING LOVE can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Ella and Lance) HEALING LOVE focuses on secrets, revenge, and taking back control. Ella is on the run and is hoping to remain hidden in plain sight. She is a strong woman who is hoping for some training time to improve her skills in the event that her past come looking for revenge. Enter Lance Black, a personal trainer and underground MMA fighter who takes on our heroine in the fight of their lives. What ensues is a building relationship between two people based upon a series of lies, omissions, and dark and dangerous pasts. Lance is a man caught between right and wrong; Ella is a woman caught in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The relationship between Lance and Ella begins accidentally when Ella steps in to save a man she knows nothing about. Three against one found Lance in trouble but rescued by a woman-a total stranger-did nothing to improve his attitude about everything that had gone wrong. Lance found himself spiraling out of control, and now Ella had been caught in the whirlwind of destruction. The $ex scenes are erotic, intimate and hot.

HEALING LOVE is a story about impulsive actions; impassioned need; and startling awareness about heartbreak and need. Our hero is a man whose past sins have caught up with his present; our heroine is a woman trying to survive one day at a time. The premise is encouraging but oft-times tragic; the characters are dynamic but it would have been nice to learn a little more detail about our leading hero; the romance is a struggle to a happily ever after-no one comes away unscathed or unharmed.

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

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Legend (Real #6) by Katy Evans-Review and Book Tour

Legend (Real #6) by Katy Evans-Review and Book Tour

Legend Banner

LEGEND
(Real #6)
by Katy Evans
Genre: new adult, contemporary, MMA, romance
Release Date: February 9, 2016

Legend

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date February 9, 2016

Maverick “the Avenger” Cage wants to rise to the top and become a legend in the ring. Though he keeps his identity well guarded, he’s known on the fighting circuit as the new kid with a chip on his shoulder and a tattoo on his back that marks him as trouble. He’s got a personal score to settle with the Underground’s one and only Remington “Riptide” Tate.

As Mav trains, he meets a young girl—the only other new person in the town–and sparks fly. When things get heated between them, he finds out she’s none other than Reese Dumas, the cousin of Remington Tate’s wife. A girl who’s supposed to root against him and a girl he’s supposed to stay away from.

But Maverick fights for the woman in his heart, and the monsters in his blood. The world’s eyes are on them and the victor will go down in history as the ultimate fighting champion; the ultimate LEGEND.

•••••

REVIEW: LEGEND is the sixth and final installment in Katy Evans’s contemporary, new adult REAL romance series. This is MMA fighter Maverick Cage, and Reese Dumas’s storyline. Reese Dumas is the cousin to Brooke Tate-wife MMA champion Remington ‘Riptide’ Tate. LEGEND can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from previous story lines is revealed where necessary.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Maverick and Reese) LEGEND follows Maverick ‘The Avenger’ Cage’s rise to stardom, and his building relationship with a woman with close connections to Maverick’s ultimate challenge.

Maverick Cage fights to prove he is the best; that the past is unable to hold him back; that the sins of the father no longer fall on the shoulders of the son. Maverick is a man looking for a trainer; hoping to be the best; and the best will come at the hands of Remington ‘Riptide’ Tate but there is one potential problem standing in the way. Maverick has fallen in love with Reese Dumas, and Reese’s cousin is Remington’s wife Brooke. Reese has been hired by the Tate’s as their nanny and she has quickly fallen for the man whose past is almost as vulnerable as hers. Maverick knows that Reese is the only woman who can capture his heart but is she able to choose a side when the final challenge comes to blows?

The relationship between Maverick and Reese begins at the gym where Reese discovers that the hardened wannabe MMA fighter is not the man everyone believes him to be. Maverick’s family reputation precedes his introduction to the Underground world of the MMA, and Reese knows that to be accepted Maverick may have to take some advice from the man he believes destroyed his life. The $ex scenes are intimate and intense.

Remington and Brooke (and their son Racer) play secondary and supporting characters as the building story line focuses on the championship match between Remy and Mav. Remington is hoping to pass on the crown to an opponent worthy of the title, but Maverick’s private hell may be the one thing holding back our story line hero. The world building focuses on the MMA, the fight to the finish, and people who stand behind the making of a Legend.

LEGEND is a story about a man in conflict: with his past, his present and his future. An entertaining and moving story about two people with broken pasts and broken hearts. LEGEND is a seductive look at a passionate hero who believes he is worthy of so much more than a dying man’s reputation. The premise is inspiring; the characters are heartbreaking and heroic; the romance is a well-deserved path to a happily ever after.

Copy supplied by the tour operator through Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

Legend Teaser

excerpt

It’s midweek already, and I’m halfway through my workout when I get a text from Brooke:
Hey! Huge line at the Underground registration, might pick up lunch on our way back home. Don’t wait for us – lunch home w/Diane
Me: Got it ☺ Will take Racer to park and meet you home ltr
I set my phone aside and scan the gym again. Some otherworldly impulse has me walking past the weights section. I cross the treadmills, bicycles, toward the mats at the end and the boxing bags. I scan the area where Maverick always works out. There are several guys at the bags now. None of them are as big, or mysterious. Or hot.
He’s gone.
Disappointment washes over me. I wait a bit, checking the time. Five minutes to leave for Racer.
Reese, you’re acting stupid.
“You’re looking for your friend? The one you come in with?”
“I . . . ah . . . yeah.”
“He hasn’t come in.”
“Right. Thanks.”
I head to pick up Racer from day care, meet Pete there with the stroller and our snacks, then sit Racer inside and push him to the park. There’s this spot I like under the shadow of a tree. I head there. “How was day care, Racer?”
“Okay.”
He’s scanning the park for dogs, I know.
“This is nice, isn’t it?”
I pull out his fruit bears and open them. He dives in.
“Racer, I ran extra hard today and I’m suddenly hungry. If I tell you an extra story tonight, would you give me one of your fruit bears?”
“Two stowies,” he negotiates.
“Okay, two stories, for two bears?” I shoot back.
He hesitates, then nods and lets me pull out two bears, examining my hand thoroughly. I let him open my palm.
“See? Two?”
He grins a dimpled grin that I could eat up, and then continues eating.
I shove them in my mouth and start to set up my blanket and stop in my tracks when I spot the figure doing pull-ups on the tree.
His T-shirt is riding upward due to the lifted position of his arms, and I can see the concrete-like squares of his abs perfectly.
His extraordinary eyes blaze and glow when he spots me a few feet away, not far from the tree. He drops himself to the ground, lithe as a cat and surprisingly quiet, and as he stretches to his feet from the crouched position he landed in, his eyes are direct and interested and warm. No, not warm. More.
There’s a flip in my stomach when his lips curl a little. He ambles over and I have the oddest sensation that he was waiting for me. But . . . was he?
“Maverick.”
“Mavewick!” Racer repeats, and puts out his fist.
He bumps fists with Racer. “Dude. Cool cap.”
He taps Racer’s Yankees baseball cap. Then his eyes lift to meet mine.
My stomach feels unsettled, but it’s not from hunger, more like from nerves or something like . . . anticipation.
“Didn’t see you at the gym today,” I say.
He shakes his head. “I talked to Oz.”
“You did?”
He gives me this quiet, perfect smile and simply nods.
“That’s great.”
“Yeah.”
We smile for the most delicious few seconds.
“So you’re fighting during the inaugural?” I ask excitedly.
He pulls out a page from his back jeans pocket. “That’s me.”
I take and scan the page. It indicates his accepting the Underground terms and rules of engagement, states his coach’s name, and then his name. A dangerous little chill runs down my spine when I read:
Maverick “the Avenger” Cage
And Maverick “the Avenger” Cage is watching me read this paper, studying my reaction.
My palms are sweaty all of a sudden. “Well . . . wow.”
My stomach is quaking upon seeing his name, I don’t know why. Maverick Cage. His name is a conundrum. Maverick means “rebel,” and cage . . . But it looks like this maverick is coming out of his cage.
He tucks the page back into his jeans. “I had to tell someone.”
“And you came to tell me?” If I sound bewildered, it’s because I am.
He stares into me, a liquid look coming to his eyes. “It wouldn’t be happening if it weren’t for you.”
“That’s totally not true.”
He glances down at the stroller. “I wouldn’t forgive myself if I didn’t tell my buddy here.” He fist-bumps Racer again and Racer giggles at the attention.
“Mom and Dad are busy, so I get to keep him for an extra while,” I tell Maverick.
He stares at me. He has a very stubborn, arrogant face, but when he smiles, pleasure softens his granitelike features. And he’s smiling right now. Dear me. “So he’s not yours,” he says.
“God, no. I wish!”
I can’t think straight when he looks at me. I feel naked. As if he knows that I’ve missed him. As if he knows that just looking at him makes me feel odd. Odd and oddly sensual inside. Responding to him.
I open my blanket and bend over to smooth it on the ground. Then I realize my butt is sticking out, the Himalayas of butts out there for him to see. In tight exercise gear. Fuck.
He kneels on his haunches at the edges of the blanket and opens his hand. “Share the blanket with me?”
His knuckles are still scarred. I can’t decide why I keep looking at them. I get a gut squeeze of empathy every time I see the bruises. His hands are huge. He plants them on the blanket, then shifts to lean back on his arms, stretching out his legs before him. Other couples are nearby on blankets. It feels intimate when I set my stuff down, and I feel myself go hot when I sense him watching me settle down next to it.
He spreads out just a little more and squints up at the tree, then looks at me in silence.
I search the picnic bag. “Want some . . . kid food? Or I’ve got . . .” I pull out my emergency Snickers bar, which I’m proud not to have touched yet, and I hand it over. “Plus one water and a drinking cup with a lid.”
I pass the drinking cup to Racer and hand Maverick the water. He takes it. “I’m good.” He opens the water bottle and hands it to me.
I shake my head. I’m not hungry, really. Or thirsty. My stomach feels full of butterflies again and it makes no sense, since I don’t even know him.
He shifts up higher on his arms, the flex of his torsal muscles visible through the cotton of his shirt.
“I almost thought you’d arrived to the gym and got yourself kicked out,” I try.
“Not yet. There’s still tomorrow.” He smirks.
And there’s a tinge of merriment in his eyes.
“Wee, and the ducks?”
I jerk my attention back to Racer and my pending business with him. “Right. I promised we’d feed the ducks today.” I quickly pack our stuff and then push the stroller toward the lake. He walks beside me.
I feel him watching me as I stop at the dispenser to fill up a cup of duck food.
“Mavewick, get me out,” Racer commands.
Maverick sweeps him up and sets him on his feet.
“Don’t go in the water, Racer, just stay on the edge, and don’t let them bite your finger. Do it like this. . . .” I show him how to cup his hand. “Or throw it in the water and watch them pick at it.”
He nods and starts throwing all over, sending the ducks after the nibbles.
I sit on the ground, the scent of damp grass surrounding us as Maverick sits beside me.
“Hey, I want to do something for you.”
“What?”
I can’t remember how to breathe.
I give him a moment to explain, but he’s not helping me out, only smiling. His face is open, friendly, his smile captivating. But his eyes are guarded, careful. I try to keep my voice indifferent.
“You mean for the gym?” I ask, a puzzled frown on my face.
He nods. “For that. And Oz.”
“Oh.” I shake my head, laughing softly. “It’s nothing, really.”
When he looks at me, he looks curious, and unsatisfied somehow. But a genuinely appreciative smile touches his eyes. “Trust me. It’s not nothing. It’s something, and I appreciate it.”
His open gratitude makes me so warm. He makes me feel impulsive.
“I’m in a healthy-living boot camp this summer. You’re meeting the new Reese,” I hear myself blurt out.
Wow. Did I just spew it out like that?
I’m so desperate for him to share bits of himself that I’m just totally baring myself to him without his even asking. Thank god he takes it in stride with an attractive little dance in his eyes.
“What was the old one like?” he asks easily.
I shrug and shake my head, not really wanting to get into that.
When he does nothing to fill the silence that settles between us, it leaves me with nothing to do but look up at him. I lift my lashes, and he’s staring at me with a look of total intrigue in his eyes. Wisps of hair tease my face, and I push them away, feeling really restless under that stare.
“Help me kick my own ass, and we’ll call it even,” I suddenly suggest.
He shakes his head with playful stubbornness. “We’re not even. I still owe you.” His eyes grow thoughtful, and he reaches into his pocket and extracts something. “Open your palm.”
He looks so intense that I open my palm and watch him drop something in it. “What’s this?”
“My IOU.”
I stare at the penny in my palm, then look up at him in confusion.
His voice sounds a little more harsh and textured all of a sudden. “I don’t have a lot right now, but I got this.”
“For a rainy day?” I ask.
“For any day.”

About The Author

Katy EvansFollow: Website / Facebook / Twitter

Hey! I’m Katy Evans and I love family, books, life, and love. I’m married with two children and three dogs and spend my time baking, walking, writing, reading, and taking care of my family. Thank you for spending your time with me and picking up my story. I hope you had an amazing time with it, like I did. If you’d like to know more about books in progress, look me up on the Internet, I’d love to hear from you!

 

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