Extreme Love

Love to the Extreme #1

by Abby Niles

Dante "Inferno" Jones is used to winning in the ring. But when the MMA fighter meets pretty Caitlyn Moore, he seems to be striking out left and right. The more Cait denies his advances, the more intrigued he becomes by the sharp-tongued beauty. She's a challenge he cannot resist.

Comfortable with the average Joe, Cait doesn't get it when the ultra-masculine Dante walks into her life and expresses an interest in her. Sure, she's shed eighty pounds and her confidence is building, but there's nothing spectacular about her. Certainly not enough to hang onto a ripped babe-magnet like Dante, whose violent profession, catty groupies, and cruel competitors are already making her life a living hell.

Dante's light-hearted pursuit quickly becomes a battle to win her heart as they find themselves thrown together again and again and it's affecting his training. Cait won't let him lose the biggest fight of his career because of her, but when her plan to keep him focused lands her in the dangerous clutches of Dante's vicious opponent, there is more at stake than just the championship belt.

Genres: Romance, Fighters, Sports, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Mixed Martial Arts, Sports Romance

293 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 30, 2013

About the author

Ever since Abby Niles picked up her first Sweet Valley High book in sixth grade and fell in love with Elizabeth and Todd, she’s been hooked on romance. By the time she reached high school, she was devouring meatier romances with pirates, cowboys and knights. She never imagined that those years of reading would one day lead to her becoming a published author.

In her late twenties, after having twins and becoming a stay-at-home mom, she started doodling stories to keep her sanity. Next thing she knew, she was actually submitting to publishing houses. And was immediately rejected. That didn’t stop her though. She found some kickass critique partners, honed her craft, and continued submitting.

And eventually sold.

Today, she juggles work, being a single mom, and writing. It’s not always easy, but hey, who said life was easy?

Abby is the author of the contemporary MMA romance, Extreme Love, the first book in her Love to the Extreme series. Fighting Love is scheduled to release in December of 2013 and Winning Love is scheduled for 2014. She is also the author of the dark paranormal romance series The Awakening: Aidan and the The Awakening: Liam and The Awakening: Britton. Both series are with Entangled Publishing. She also has a geeky romantic comedy, Defying Convention, with Carina Press.

She is represented by Maureen Walters at Curtis Brown, LTD.

Reviews

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to love this book, honestly I did. Dante “Inferno” Jones in all his MMA glory set up what could’ve been a highly entertaining and sexy read. Unfortunately Caitlyn, Dante’s mostly unwilling love interest, ruined any chance I had of loving this book. Yes, I understand she’s insecure after losing 80 lbs and still hasn’t reached the point where she appreciates her new body. Unfortunately her insecurities overwhelmed the story and after a while I kept asking myself why Dante was still chasing her? I don’t know that I’ve ever read a story where the heroine was so hot and cold from minute to minute. She wanted him but didn’t trust he’d stick around so she pushes him away every chance she gets. Poor Dante gave her every reason to believe he wanted to pursue a real relationship and he kept getting shut down for his efforts.

It also bothered me that seemingly every other character, besides Dante and Caitlyn’s best friends, had to make some comment about her weight. She’s an in shape and toned size 12 and from the description the author gave, looking pretty damn good! The “Miss Piggy,” “pity date” and “oink oink” references just didn’t sit well with me and seemed way too over the top.

Just because this particular story didn’t rock my socks doesn’t mean I won’t read the next book in the series. My issues with this book are very specific and have nothing to do with the author’s ability to tell a story. In fact, if the next book is about possible friends to lovers Tommy and Julie I’ll most definitely be reading it.

ARC provided by the publisher via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review

[CristiinaReads୨ৎ · Rating 4 out of 5]

➳MMA is not always about the rush of the violence, but also about finding someone who shares your same passions even if you are from two totally different worlds...



➳I am currently taken a back that I was able to finish this book over night... It was actually good in a way that got me hyped and in search for more fighter romance novels. Being a massive fan of the Real series by Katy Evans, my passion for fighter romance has increased extremely. Yes, this book was written back in 2013 and the style of romance writing has changed throughout the years, but I can definitely say that this novel was not my favorite by far.

➳In regards to the story, Caitlyn and Dante are two fictional individuals with such ferocity and power that I truly did enjoy reading about. The angst for these two is up there in the most "angsty" level. Their attraction is a force to be wrecked with, and having to struggle to get her attention and make her open up for him, Dante finds his pace of going slow and being friends with Cait at first, something that is new for him and also foreign since he does not when he should or shouldn't do certain things. As an MMA fighter, one that holds a reputation as Dante "Inferno" Jones per his way of fighting in the ring, in the cage, Dante doe snot know how to take things slow, but once he sees the lust, the strong chemistry he has with Caitlin he attacks. He is an alpha that for sure takes your breathe away with such ferocity inside the fighting cages and outside of it.

➳Caitlin's wall protects her from her past. Something that not many people know about, except for her two closest friends Amy and Paul. Being an individual with trust issues and commentary issues because of her previous weight, Cait struggles with trying to let Dante in. Her attitude towards becoming someone better for herself, and showing the world and other individuals that have gone or go through the same problems as she did over her weight, is something that she is strong about. Head strong.

➳Overall, as Cait and Dante learn more and more about each other through every step, obstacles, achievement of their ways, they have both become one of my recommended couples. They are not my favorite since the story lacks more of the drama behind every MMA romance, but I guess that's what makes this novel more unique than other MMA love stories. I enjoyed reading this beauty, and hopefully if I have some time on my plate I'll read the other books in the same series...



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[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was given to me by Entangled Publishing LLC via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
I was hooked on this story from the first page. This story has an ironic relationship develop between Caitlyn; who is a woman who has lost 80 pounds and has spent a huge part of her life battling the torment of being over weight, and Dante. He is an MMA fighter that is extremely fit and he doesn't have an ounce of fat on him. I found their relationship fascinating because at first they seemed so different; but as the story goes on, I learned how much alike they actually are. Caitlyn's motto was: "Overweight doesn't mean out of shape." and she was highly motivated and determined to start a class to help others lose weight in an environment where they are understood and accepted. She succeeds in doing this and she impresses Dante greatly at how she is so in control of her class. With Dante, he also is extremely motivated and determined to work his hardest for his upcoming fight to hopefully win the "Welter Weight Championships". The other fighter that he will be fighting is a major jerk and is known for trying to mess with the heads of the men he will be fighting. This way they will lose focus and then he can beat his opponent. He learns mighty fast that the way to get to Dante is through Caitlyn.
Throughout this story we follow Caitlyn on her journey through becoming to accept herself and her new body image. She is super healthy and fit; but she is not a toothpick, and at times she still gets treated as though she is over weight. OF course, a lot of times she perceives herself as fat and is ashamed of herself. Dante is super attracted to her on the inside and outside, and he is determined to show Caitlyn that she is the woman he desires.
I adored Dante, as he has such a kind heart and he is so very protective and loyal. He loves the fact that Caitlyn seems to like him for who is is and not for the money or fame. He sets out to show "his woman" how important she is to him, and he develops feelings for her very quickly.
At times I became extremely frustrated with Caitlyn, as I felt she often pushed Dante away. He was always the one who tried so hard for her, and she was always the one putting up road blocks. There were a few times I wanted to throw my Kindle at the wall because I became so frustrated with her indecision. For the most part that tells me that this is a really good book. When I become so emotionally involved in the story that I become angry, and then have so many other feelings then I feel the author was successful at luring me into the story. Abby Niles impressed me with her knowledge of the MMA sport, and also with her insight into a person who has been over weight most of her life and then lost it and the feelings that go with it. This book had "meat" to it and it wasn't just romantic "fluff." All in all, I do think it is worth the read if you are the type to enjoy depth in their reading material.There is some sex in it, and the sexual chemistry between the couple was scorching hot. They do not just jump into bed right away, there is a lot of sexual tension before the "payoff", had me practically ripping my hair out!
The epilogue at the end, put closure on the story between Dante and Caitlyn quite nicely. Another bonus was there was no cliffhanger, and that is a treat in itself considering how many books out now leave the reader hanging on edge! I leave you with some words of wisdom from Caitlyn:

"We are here to support one another and if we never find our way to skinny, at least we'll find our way to fit."

When I read that, I immediately fell in love with that quote!

[Vikki ~ *squee* lite ~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Rarely does a heroine make a book for me, but she can sure break one. I'm afraid that Caitlyn was one of those "break" heroines. She has recently lost a significant amount if weight. Years of subtle bullying and negative self talk have brought her self confidence so low that even now, when she has the outer appearance that she's been working for, she can't let go of her insecurities.

In the beginning, I liked this aspect of Caitlyn. I think almost all women have something they are self conscience about. That hot button issue, whether it be you looks, job, family, or something in your past. I could easily put myself in her shoes. Her hot button issue is her appearance, and here she is , thrown in with this uber hot guy. I can completely see where this would throw your self doubt into hyperdrive. I liked that the book was going to show her getting over her past and letting go of old hurts, but for me, it just took too long. There were portions of the book where I felt like I was getting a lesson in sensitivity which I found off putting. There was so much hand holding, and so much revolved around her issues and insecurities, that I found it hard to enjoy the relationship that was supposed to be building. SHE wasn't enjoying it, so I couldn't either.

She does finally get past it, but it was just shy of too late for me. There were several times when I wondered why Dante was putting so much effort into it. I mean, how many times does a girl have to push you away before you decided it's not meant to be?

I really really liked Dante. He was my favorite kind of hero. Strong and assertive, without crossing that line into the uber alpha beat my chest cave man. He certainly put in the effort with Caitlyn, and did whatever he could to make things work with her. He was sweet, determined and protective.

I think my favorite character of the book was Caitlyn's friend Paul who was just awesome,and provided some much needed levity.

The story rebounded for me at the end, leaving me with a nice HEA smile, but it won't be on my re read list.

ARC courtesy of Entangled and Netgalley

[Katie(babs) · Rating 1 out of 5]

Read my updates and you'll understand why I've graded this book so low. The cover and blurb caught my eye, and I'm a sucker for this type of story where the heroine wants to improve herself for the better, which she does by losing weight because she was overweight by 80lbs. But this was so poorly written and the non stop fat shaming from hero's nemesis, and from one of his evil skanky (size 2) ex-lovers made my temper rise.

The heroine has lost 80lbs and is proud of her accomplishments at being a size 12. She was a former size 22. She still has doubts about her body, which I can understand because I've been there. Most women have them regardless of their size. So when she meets the uber smoking hot tattooed, fighting hero, it's understandable she would think he isn't interested in her because a guy like him would only want size 2 beauties, or so she thinks over and over. The hero is too good to be true. He thinks the heroine is beautiful, smart, wonderful etc...I was all for that, but every other page the heroine was down on herself, because how could a hot guy be attractive to a size 12 woman with a muffin top and large amount of extra hidden flesh on her body?

The fat shaming here was over the top. Every character who isn't supportive of the hero or heroine uses fat shaming to hurt the heroine and piss off the hero. The hero's one-dimensional nemesis calls the heroine Miss Piggy and oink to get a rise out of the hero. How does cruel nemesis know the heroine has lost so much weight, and why would he think the heroine at a size 12 is ashamed of her body? The heroine, who we're told is proud of her accomplishments, constantly puts herself down, thinking she still isn't good enough for the hero who proves right from the beginning he is attracted to her and thinks she's sexy as hell.

I was once very overweight, at least 100lbs heavier and lost it all through exercise and whatnot. I know the constant self doubts and fear even as you lose all the weight, you wonder, are people whispering about me, thinking I'm still fat because I'm only a size 10, 12, 14 etc... and not a size 2? In order to show how bad the hero's nemesis is, it's obvious he's a jerk because he puts down he heroine's size and the non-stop comments about her being fat to the hero.

Also the love scenes have a been there, done that feel to them. The ending was unrealistic and rushed. There were a few obvious editing errors I found and overall the writing is very green. It's obvious this is the author's first published book.

Maybe my angry reaction is because of my issues with my own weight and the steps I took to in order to improve myself. Again, my reading experience here is subjective and others may think the opposite. If some hot guy, who is obviously a low life jerk calls me Miss Piggy and "oink", I would think they had their own body issues and would pity them and welcome the other guy who wants to worship me.

This book is a big fail and a pass.

[Jill · Rating 3 out of 5]

***Arc provided by Netgalley for my honest review***

Caitlyn Moore is certain that a man like Dante "Inferno" Jones would never look at a girl like her and like what he sees. Therefore when he shows interest is at a complete loss of what to do or how to react. Did I mention that she has just lost 80 pounds?

Never has Dante wanted a woman more, nor has he had work hard just to get a girl to speak to him. Being a professional MMA fighter means he has had woman throw themselves at him. But there is definitely something about Caitlyn and he wants all of her he can get.

Sexy front cover, check.

Exciting and steamy sounding blurb, check.

Did this book live up to my expectations, sadly no.

This book had the promise, it had me excited, everything about it is what would normally have been giving a 5 star rating.

And it would have been if not for Caitlyn. I wanted her to listen, I wanted her to alter her own assumptions on how the world worked, who should be with who.For a person fighting peoples assumptions on overweight people, she was very judgmental of others. She was also very harsh to Dante and I felt he didn't deserve all the negative treatment. The story would have flowed very nicely if not for these things. These two had an awesome chemistry, Dante was a wonderful alpha persona, with a protective heart of gold. I loved how he couldn't put aside pursuing Caitlyn until after his fight, he was a man caught, I really enjoyed his character.

The "villains" in this story, Dante's opponent and his ex girlfriend would have added enough excitement to this book. I guess it is just another case of me personally not understanding the actions and thoughts of a character. At least she grew through out the book I will give her that. No harm, no fowl, I have seen lots of very positive reviews for this book, but because of my personal issues I only liked this one, instead of loving it.

[Annie · Rating 2 out of 5]

There were two reasons why I picked up this book:

The cover – Look at those abs!

I read the blurb and when I saw that the hero, Dante was a MMA fighter, I knew I had to have it!

Unfortunately for me, that’s where my love for the book started and ended.

Caitlyn Moore believes herself to be fat. She doesn’t have a healthy self image and it is very, very prominent in this book. She is so insecure about herself that it’s a downer and instead of making me connect with her, it only infuriated me. All she thinks about is her weight, weight, weight, which in turn causes her to worry, worry, worry.

When Dante Jones, a hot MMA fighter expresses some interests in her, she completely shuts him down. And when he persists, she does it again and again. All her moaning about being not good enough for Dante because of her distorted body image was so persistent that I ended up believing that about Cait. She doesn’t deserve Dante. Dante is a really nice guy and he genuinely wanted to be with her but because of her attitude and her hang ups, Cait doesn’t see that.

As a result, I thought that there was zero chemistry between the hero and heroine. As much as Dante tries – and Lord knows the boy does try very hard – in the end, I felt nothing for the couple. Niles kept saying how there was such great chemistry between them, that one sizzling hot look said it all – but the author never showed it. It’s not enough for me to tell readers that there is chemistry between characters. You have to show it. Make me believe in the couple and then the chemistry comes on its own. I felt nothing.

Another thing that bothered me were the side characters. I found them to be annoying and quite frankly, they were all jerks. As the story went on, I felt less and less inclined to read.

This book didn’t work for me. Apart from Dante, who really is a decent character, the book felt flat. Therefore, I can’t recommend and would pass this up.

*ARC provided by Netgalley

[Nikki · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm having a hard time deciding what to write for this review. On the one hand, I really wanted to like this book. It has a great sounding blurb, a hot cover, and so much promise with he description of the characters. But on the other hand there was something missing. I found myself zoning out every now and then and towards the end I even skimmed a little. Bare with me while I try to put my feelings into words. First let me talk about Dante "Inferno" Jones. He was awesome! A super hot MMA fighter who, while is a total badass, also has a sweet side. He was tired of all the fighter groupies and when he saw Cait there was an immediate attraction. He pursued her even when most normal people would say F-it and give up. He had his work cut out for him with that girl too! I liked his character a lot and I can't really think of anything negative about him. On to Cait. She bugged me but at the same time I felt for her. Going into this I had no idea there would be a deeper meaning hidden with the weight issues. Being a female who has struggled with weight in my adult life, especially after having kids, I connected with her on that level. Fortunately for me I never had to deal with the meanness of others the way she did, but I could empathize. On to the bugging. I get that after all she's been through with her weight loss journey, and her lack of romantic experience, she would have a hard time accepting a man as hot and experienced as Dante would be interested in her. BUT after his insistent persistence, you'd think she'd take a hint. Nope. It took the entire book for her to come to the realization that not all men are jerks and she was worthy of Dante. So there were a few times I wanted to smack her for being ridiculous, but by the end I was happy with the outcome. The supporting characters were pretty great. Paul absolutely stole the show IMO. He was hilarious. I can see myself reading another book from this author, and if this becomes a series I will check out the next book.


*ARC provided by Entangled Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

[Sahara · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dante and Cait were on fire! I loved the chemistry between the two especially since Cait made him work for her attentions and affections. I dislike it when a heroine jumps onto the hero right away.

The conflict between these two is that they have totally different mindsets. Cait believes he will leave right away and Dante is completely immersed into his goal to win the Welterwight Championship but soon little Cait completely rules his world after he starts to chase her more and more.

I won't go into spoilers but I can promise passion, real plot, love, and an obsession for hot bods!

*arc provided by netgalley for an honest opinion*

[Kara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the fighters!
MMA story line is one of my favorites.

I love the plot in this one!
A must read for everyone.

[Michelle [Helen Geek] · Rating 2 out of 5]

04/08/2013 --

Overall Rating = 2 Stars
Book Cover / Book Blurb = 3 / 3 = 3 Stars
Writer’s Voice = 2 Stars
Character Development = 3 Stars
Story Appreciation = 2 Stars
Worth the Chili = 2 Stars [ARC but will probably be about $4.99 on Amazon]

Read like a serial romance. A bit too cheesy for my liking. Too bad for me. I was ready for a nice sports romance...

I wanted to be happy reading this one, but just not meant to be.

**ARC provided by Entangled Publishing, LLC and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.**

[Gitte TotallyBookedBlog · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is very rare that I finish a book and am left in two minds as to what I actually really thought of it. I couldn’t wait to start this one; I mean just check out that absolutely HOT cover! Oh and let’s not forget it’s about a sexy bad arse tattooed MMA fighter called Dante ‘Inferno’ Jones.

Well, I should have loved it but unfortunately I just didn’t, I only liked it. This was mostly due to the heroine Cait who I found very trying and over-written. She annoyed me more than she endeared herself to me.

At first I completely related, we are all self-conscious about how we look in one way or another right? We always want to look our best whether it’d be for ourselves or the opposite or same sex!

Well, yes, this is real and I completely understood and connected. However, when the whole story becomes about just that and it actually makes me want to say to our male character who literally fights and bends over backwards for her attention and love, “listen mate, just give up, I’d do a runner now if I was you” then I know the Author has lost me. I kept reading thinking surely now she will understand and let go of her insecurities, but it came just that little bit too late for me unfortunately.

Right so, Cait doesn’t feel like she belongs anywhere really. She has struggled with her weight and worked really hard to improve her health and her attitude. However, once you have been on the receiving end of bullying for how you look that insecurity and low self-esteem never really leaves. She still hides shyly in dark corners and in clothes that are way too baggy on her as she is completely unable to see herself as others now do.

“The attention was unnerving. Men his type – the type who should never wear a shirt – rarely noticed her…”

I absolutely sympathised with her and she had a lot of strength when she felt comfortable in her convictions. She was kind, brave and so very sweet, yet she only heard what she wanted to hear, she didn’t actually listen to what people had to say to her. Believing her own insecurities and passing judgement on others which annoyed me as that is what she ultimately stood up against. I know the scenarios were different, but at the end of the day the principles were the same.

“They were not suited for each other. He was a cage fighter. And Caitlyn Moore and violence did not mix.” – Cait

“What was it about the man that caused all these festering emotions?..Distaste for his career choice, paralyzing insecurities when he was near, anger at his uniformed opinion, and desire…so much desire” – Cait

The fact that it took a whole book for her to understand and listen, well it was over-written in my opinion. I took a huge breath of relief as the latter part of the book picked up again.

Believe it or not, despite my grievances with Cait, I really did enjoy the story especially the detailed fight scenes which are so vividly written as opposed to other MMA stories that I have read, oh and let’s not forget The Inferno…wow…just wow!!

The sexy MMA fighter Dante ‘Inferno’ Jones was lush. But not only was he a kick arse MMA fighter, he was protective, strong and loved with passion. He had his faults, sure, but he also had a huge heart.

When Dante meets Cait, he is immediately intrigued and wants to know her, yes there is the physical attraction but he actually really likes her and is interested in what lies beneath the façade. He is used to women falling at his feet, so when Cait doesn’t, he knows that if she returns his feelings it is because she is interested in who he really is behind the MMA persona. He understands he hates the whole MMA scene, but he tries so hard to explain what it means to him.

“She’d been shy and standoffish. He liked the difference, the hint of a challenge…” – Dante

“To you it looks brutal and bloody. It’s not for the fighter. What you see as violent, I see as heart. The will to survive. The sport we play challenges a man in the most extreme way.” - Dante

You cannot fault Dante in his efforts and persistence. This man laid it all out there and more, including his heart. Therefore, so many I times I had to yell at Cait to lighten up and get over herself and her issues and actually embrace love, believe and listen to the words without judgement.

I have to say that I loved the secondary characters, especially Paul. I thought he was great.

Overall, this story was well written, it had angst, passion, drama, suspense and romance. It was a good read, it just wasn’t great.

[Ashley Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aww! What a sweet love story! Extreme Love is a bit slow at times, but it is pretty inspiring! I can relate to the heroine and her negative body image, and will to improve it. I like how she was so willing to work with others as well. But I felt that this whole book revolved around her weight/issues. Other than that, the angst was there! The swoon was there! And Dante 'The Inferno' Jones was there!!

Dante to Caitlyn:


My Reaction:


The cover is HOT! I love it. The writing, it was funny and easy to follow. There were some really hot scenes that were bound to get your blood pumping! Dante is super swoonworthy, a little bit Alpha and a little bit Don Juan, and a lot of sexy muscles!

Overall, this was a great read! I would recommend it for all contemporary romance fans!

[Jenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tall, dark and handsome MMA fighter with a sensually sweet side and a hot bang-you-against-the wall side... What's not to love???? Oh yea.... there's a girl there too. And she gets pretty annoying...


The male character was written to perfection! I wanted to lick him off the page!!!! Reading about the training and the fights had me sweatin' beneath my collar!!! Whoot!

Dante "The Inferno" Jones... Hell yes!!!!


But what got me was our girl, Cait. Insecurities I can handle. But it was the run around that irritated me!! She would leave him hanging and he would come after her; she would do it again and he came after her; and again; and again.... In the end I couldn't help but think that she didn't deserve him!!!!


Great book, but the ending really felt like a cop out. A kid napping? Seriously? Pretty lame. That was only made worse by the fact that once she got back to Dante, (after a few hours), she never mentioned that his fighting opponent kidnapped her? What about the cops? Nothing? No? Yeah, well, that was stupid.

[Kari · Rating 3 out of 5]

I spent more than 70% of the book annoyed with the heroine. When I finally started to like her a little, she said something very stupid and then I went back to disliking her. So I basically liked her for maybe 10 pages. I have to say she ruined this book for me. She kept looking for excuses to be unhappy, one thing after another until her excuses just didn't make sense to me and/or sounded repetitive.
I give it 3 stars because: a) the writing was good, I loved the MMA fighting descriptions and the secondary characters, and b) the hero was very sweet even though I still have no clue why he pursued her to begin with when she wasn't very nice to him.
Overall I liked the story but Cait's overwhelming lack of self-confidence made her an unbearable heroine, IMO.

[Debra]

**ARC courtesy of Entangled Publishing, LLC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**

[Yvonne]

No review since I didn't finish.
The characters didn't click with me, unfortunately.

[Tami · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

This was a very good MMA contemporary sports romance. Unfortunately, it needed an edit BADLY. Even though it truly is a good book author, if you don't put forth the effort to get a good editing job for your work of art then I just don't feel the need to put forth the effort of giving it a 5.

[Michelle Pickett · Rating 5 out of 5]

My thoughts after reading Extreme Love by Abby Niles

Nearly every woman, unless she’s a supermodel, can think of a guy she felt completely flustered being around. The guy who she felt was totally out of her league. Who made her hands shake, heart flutter and stomach quiver whenever he was around. Just being in the same room with him was more stressful than a root canal. Well, that’s Dante “Inferno” Jones to Caitlyn Moore. He’s the toned, muscular fighter who oozes sex appeal and can have any woman he wants. She’s the once overweight, insecure girl who’s not used to attention from anyone but the “average Joe.” So when Dante sets his sights on Caitlyn it flusters her—and then some.

Extreme Love follows the relationship of Dante and Cait’s relationship. Dante is exactly what you’d expect him to be, gorgeous, muscled, tanned, self-assured. He could have any woman he wants and they all throw themselves at him.

Cait is the good girl. She’s pretty, but doesn’t see it. She’s always had a weight problem. Although she’s lost weight a considerable amount of weight and is physically fit, she still sees herself as the pudgy girl. She’s not at all self-assured and compares herself to the woman at the fighters’ parties who are dressed in “barely there” outfits. It’s at one of the after fight parties that she goes to with her friend whose boyfriend is a fighter, that she meets Dante. She can’t figure out why he keeps coming around her and it completely throws her off-balance.

Cait’s initial reaction to Dante doesn’t stop him from pursuing her, however. But it turns out there’s a few roadblocks in their blossoming relationship. A big one is that Cait hates what Dante does. She doesn’t like the fights. And he lives for them. Then there’s Dante’s training, his trainer, his opponent, and Cait’s ever present low self-esteem issues. The cards are definitely not falling in their favor.

The writing was done well. Characters came across as real and relatable. They were flawed, just how a character should be, because we are all flawed. Perfect characters aren’t relatable, Ms. Niles did a good job making sure her characters were “human.” Cait did get a little on the whiny side and at times became annoying, but for the most part it was easily over-looked.

I was very impressed by the weight issue and how it was handled in the story. I love that the female character wasn’t a size zero and actually had curves and was (gasp!) a size twelve (Oh, the horror!). And despite that fact, Dante was attracted to her…what? Really? A woman with curves can be attractive? Hell yeah! And thank you Abby Niles for writing two great characters showing us that! And let me just say…the love scene was so freakin awesome! Dante just made me swoon. He was so damn patient helping Cait get past her insecurities, but man, it wasn’t lacking in the heat department. Wow.

Bottom line: I enjoyed Extreme Love. Would I recommend it? Yes. Would I read it again? I just might. I liked the characters. I loved the weight issue that Ms. Niles addressed and how she addressed it. I was disappointed a little by the ending. I think the author was going for shock value and while I understand the intent to ramp up the ending, it kind of fell flat for me. Although, that’s just my opinion and based on the character involved (no spoilers here!) I can see why/how the story leaned that way.

FIVE stars: I loved the premise of the overweight girl losing weight but always feeling like the ugly duckling (been there, done that), based on that I give the book five stars. It was an enjoyable read and had a deeper meaning than most NA books on the market today. Abby Niles did a great job of telling young women that they don’t have to starve themselves to be a size two to be beautiful and wanted by a man. Curves are sexy, ladies. Rock ‘em!

[Sasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

(UPDATE AT BOTTOM)


*********************
I read EXTREME LOVE in one night (352 pages) because it was so good, I just had to know what came next.

Abby Niles is a new-to-me author but if her other books are as good as this one, I’ll be adding them to my auto-read list.

You might have guessed from the cover that EL is about a Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter but there’s so much more to this story than an MMA fighter finding love.

It’s also about a woman on a journey toward a healthier body image whose looking to help others realise their own fitness dreams.

Dante “Inferno” Jones and Caitlyn Moore first meet when she attends an after-party for her best friend’s boyfriend, Dante’s friend and fellow MMA fighter.

These two made me alternately laugh, groan in frustration and go “wow” at their sexual chemistry.

Caitlyn abhors the violence of MMA and figures a hot, ripped, guy like Dante would never be attracted to a curvy, plus-sized woman like her. She’s now a size 12 but used to weigh 80 pounds more, so the reality of her new body has yet to register with Caitlyn herself.

This was one of my favourite aspects of ETERNAL LOVE. Being a curvy woman myself, it was delightfully refreshing to read about someone else with body issues finding love.

Caitlyn and Abby have inspired me to continue on my recently begun journey toward a healthier lifestyle. Thanks ladies!

Dante has no such weight problems and struggles at first to understand why it would be hard for someone to get/stay healthy.

He’s also tired of the groupie scene, many of the women with “sticks” for legs as he puts it, so when a sexy woman with curves enters his life, there’s no way in hell the Inferno is gonna let her get away.

Dante’s instant attraction to Caitlyn, is fanned by her couldn’t-care-less attitude toward his sport and obvious fame.

Caitlyn pushes Dante away because she just doesn’t see what he sees, because she’s never had a real boyfriend and is afraid to be with someone as experienced as he is, and most importantly, because she’s afraid of risking her heart when he’s only in town for two months.

Thus begins the back-and-forth between these two.

Thanks to her two best friends, Caitlyn realises it’s time to embrace the new her and to open her heart to something special. Dante meanwhile, goes from wanting to be with her because she’s the opposite of the women he’s accustomed to, to wanting a real relationship full of love and romance.

No spoilers here, just trust me when I say you will enjoy reading EXTREME LOVE. So go pre-order your copy.

I hope Ms Niles includes Dante and Caitlyn in her future MMA novels. They are one special couple.
************************************

Please note everyone, there was a scene early on in which a drunk guy cornered the heroine and began assaulting her. Hero rescued her and later on taught her self-defense lessons. This came in handy later in the book.

However, it seems other reviewers on Goodreads have issues with how the assault scene was dealt with.
In addition, some felt there was too much fat-shaming, one person who said so had lost weight too, but I disagree.

Yes, heroine didn’t exhibit residual effects of being mauled by drunk guy but that was the only thing I would agree with.

The fat-shaming scene was key to understanding heroine’s own past struggles.
You have been ‘warned’ :)

[Mojo_Mama · Rating 2 out of 5]

John Smith...this name needs to be stricken from every author's mind. Even if it's a minor character...Jesus, creativity people. It's why we pay money for your words.

Honestly, this book became a tirade of the "angry fat girl" vs. the grossly unconfident chick - yet that's everything the heroine detested. This plot did nothing to empower women. I haven't read many in the BBW category, but I've read 2 this month and both portrayed size 12/14 women as uncomfortable in their skin. Afraid to own their sexy in public. Or, can't feel sexy without a man telling them that they are.
Fuck you, Ms. Author. Fuck. You.

Why not have a heroine who is 12/14, knows she can rock it AND gets the hottie...how much more empowering is that???? Why have women too afraid and just hoping the right hunk comes along and "gets her" or has to have someone else ( or multiple others) prove to her she's beautiful before SHE gets it????

Instead, here, the h shrinks away at every turn and fat shames herself...as do other characters.
Seriously.
What in the actual fuck?!?
She's a fucking size 12!!!
Size 12 women can be curvy and sexy as fuck. One doesn't need to be a Zero to accomplish that shit. I think the Kardashian bitches broke that mold for the world...one thing to finally thank them for.

And "fat chicks" don't always have gay male BFF's who take them shopping and teach them how to work it.

Then with the high school shit: my BF says his BBF is, like, totally into you.

Really?
What-the-fuck-ever.

The worst, the obligatory abduction of the h by the villain, cuz the cops wouldn't get involved and arrest his ass at a later point, fucking his career more than losing to the H would...

Clichés killed this puppy. That and the ham-handed club of the h's weight struggle and inadequate feelings of worth...

My no-no's, slut shaming and fat shaming...this novel managed to do both. There's was even a bit of skinny-hot women shaming (aka: Barbie shaming). I'd laugh, but the h called them anorexic hussies and plastic Barbies...but hey, THAT'S ok...they're all soulless bitches anyway.
*eye~roll*

I wanted better for the H.
This TSTL h sucked the big one.

1 star for no OW
1 star for Hero
2 stars total

[Kellie Maddox-Ward · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dante “Inferno” Jones Is my perfect kind of book boyfriend.
MMA Fighter = check
Tattoos = Check
HAWT Body = Check
Swoonworthy = Check
Cockiness = Check
Alphaness = Check
Burns the sheets in the bedroom = Check


And yet this story fell flat for me..

I understand that Caitlyn was self conscious and shy.

Even though she is fictional I do want to give her a round of applause for losing so much weight. I have no idea how much pounds are cos we use kilograms but I assume it was SHITLOADS!

Because that is incredible!
And I like the “program” she started.

I am not a big girl but like every girl I have body issues.
I HATE the gym and all the skinny bitches with their skinny asses and flat stomachs and they don’t need to be there but are hoping to find themselves a muscle bound guy and wear a face full of make up to work out and how they look down on you when your clearly there to try and get fit but enjoy eating more than a salad 24/7! *deep breath*

OK RANT OVER… I’m just saying… Ugh as you can tell the Gym and I are mortal enemies. I would of liked to of joined Cait's class if it was real..

Ok so anyway other than the awesomely awesome Gabe and Caitlyns strength to turn her life around through hard work... It just didn't do it for me...

I felt that Paul stole the show… the Gay best friend… LOVED HIM!

As to the storyline. I liked it…. But didn’t love it. Some things were too predictable.
Some things were just drawn out. I constantly found my skimming through what felt like pages of inner monologues to find a conversation.

It all wrapped up in a nice little HEA which is what we all want.

**ARC courtesy of Entangled Publishing, LLC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dante "Inferno" Jones never met a woman who wasn't interested, that is until he meets Caitlyn Moore. Caitlyn doesn't understand why Dante keeps pursuing her and even with him trying to keep him at a distance, she has to reluctantly admit she is attracted. However she does not grasp why he would want to be a MMA fighter and struggles with being out of her element. Dante knows what he wants though and it is Caitlyn, with a big fight coming up he knows she is a distraction but he needs her in his life.

Exceptional book. I was not sure initially but I loved this couple. I am always a sucker for quirky heroines and Caitlyn is definitely one. I am also a huge fan of makeover books which Caitlyn is. A once heavy woman who is reinventing herself. Excellent read.

[Cat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Extreme Love is a quick, cute read.There is nothing gritty or dark about this novel (which isn't a bad thing). Dante is thoughtful and endearing. He is not a reformed man whore who is battling his demons. This is a story of a man who falls for a woman and does everything in his power to get her to reciprocate his feelings.

My only issue with this book is the constant focus on Caitlyn's weight issues and insecurities. I appreciate a female protagonist with curves and I am definitely sympathetic to the unrealistic physical expectations women are forced to live up to but I felt the message was was laid on thick.

[Belle Aurora · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes you read a book that has you on edge so much when you finally get to the ending, you sigh.
This was that book for me. I loved Abby's writing style. The build up between Dante and Cait was beautiful. Add some drama and hilarious mental dialogue and I was hooked.
Cant wait to read the next in the series. This was an easy, flowing, sweet yet heated romance.
I recommend it highly to anyone who needs an easy, light read.

[Heidi]

I get it, I really do (Cait's struggles and insecurities etc etc). But please get a clue, Dante seriously likes you ....... Moving on people! Maybe I'm a little too impatient.

[SheLove2Read · Rating 1 out of 5]

This pushed every button I have. Cait was flat out one of the stupidest women I have ever read. Her reasoning skills are both nonexistent and childish. Dante deserved better.

[Crystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dante!! Dante!! Dante!! *looks around* Oh so sorry! I was just imagining myself ringside cheering on this hawtie of a man haha! Abby Niles has managed to combine my two favorite things in my dream alpha male. One being tattoos and the other being a hawt MMA fighter. Yes I am into cage fighting and no that is not something that I share with a lot of people LOL! I have my quirks what can I say anywho moving on! The only thing that Dante is missing is a piercing and I can promise you that if he had had just one I would have found a way to jump into the pages of this book and marry this man. I would have totally left my husband! That is amazing Dante is and Abby Niles I bow down to the queen of hawt male characters!

Whew okay with that all out of the way let me tell you about the story and all the other reasons that make Dante awesome. So we have Cait a woman struggling with overcoming her weight issue and Dante the fighter who wants to make her see how beautiful she is inside and out. Their story wasn't an easy one and at times I wanted to scream at Cait for what she was doing, but the things that I wanted to scream at her for never went too far so I forgave her. I do kinda wish that her weight wasn't so much of an issue. Cait was a size 12 and in my book that is not overweight. I know this was the heart of the story, but it started to get to me when everyone that came into contact with Cait treated her like she was huge. I wanted Cait to stand up for herself more, but I can see where it would have been hard for her. I really enjoyed the whole MMA world that was thrown into the book as well. Like I said that whole world fascinates me and I loved seeing it wrapped around this love story. Cait had a hard time with it and I can totally understand why but I do wish that she was a little more open to the idea of him as a fighter. That was his life and she was open to so many other things that I wish she would have accepted it sooner.

I also have to give the author major credit because her ending had my heart pounding! I haven't felt that stressed out while reading in a long time and if I had had a paperback copy I would have cheated and read the last page, but seeing as how I only have the eBook I couldn't do that without totally messing up my page so I had to endure the agonizing will he win or won't he win! STRESSFUL! It felt like I was at the fight!

I really felt for Cait in this story for many reasons. She was determined to help herself which I loved and I really rooted for her. I really loved that the author chose to make Cait not your everyday barbie and make her someone real. I think a lot of women will appreciate Cait and connect with her. Dante was sweet as well, he had the whole alpha thing going for him, but he did turn it down for her knowing that she wasn't used to being pursued. He tried and failed sometimes, but that only made me love him more. He was perfect even with his foot in his mouth lol.

Okay Paul where do I even begin. This man gets his own section of my review because is the friend that every girl needs. He was beyond hilarious and I LMAO every time he walked into the room because I knew he was going to use yet another nickname for Dante. I think my favorite was Thor. He had a habit of never saying Dante's name, he always used a tough fictional character name and it just always worked. He was so much more than just comic relief though, he was there for Cait in a way that no one else was. He kicked her arse when she needed it and knew when to push. Cait had come a long way from where she used to be and she needed to accept this new person she created. Dante may have made her realize how beautiful she was, but Paul was also there and helped her make the first step. And he was hilarious I can't say that enough. I think my favorite line of his was "Is he teeny weeny- or thicky wicky?" LMAO! This man had me in tears so hats off to Paul!

There were two things that I really wanted to see that I didn't get to and I really wish they were in the story. I wanted to see more at the end between Dante and his opponent. I felt like Dante deserved a bit more in regards to what happened at the end. With all the intensity that was spent on amping up the fight and what happened throughout the book with this particular opponent I really wanted Dante to have say. I also wanted Cait to go off on someone for calling her names. She does once but I wanted her to either go off or just grab Dante for a hot as all get out kiss to make a point. After everything she went through she deserved her moment as well.

This was a wonderful book that I enjoyed immensely if you can't tell. Plus that cover is beyond drool worthy!! I am definitely going to keep a watch out for more from this author and I hope she gives us stories from the other characters in this book namely Tommy and Julie!!

[Simply Love Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slick‘s review posted on Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews

Review copy provided for an honest review

4.5 STARS

Have you read Abby Niles yet? I hadn’t but when I saw the cover of Extreme Love it made me do a atruegemawardtriple take, then I read the synopsis and decided to go for it. Although I’m not a big fan of the MMA scene, I’ve read quite a few books that surround that sport and I’ve enjoyed them. I more than enjoyed Extreme Love, I flat out loved it and I was happy to see that a second book is in the works and I’ll be all over it!

Caitlyn is one of those heroines who is easy to identify with. Overweight most of her life she finally found something that worked for her and she’s dropped a ton of weight but Cait is also one of those overweight people that’s physically fit something a lot of people don’t understand. I applaud her for taking control of her life, for her dedication to helping others like herself, and for not being intimidated by people who don’t have a clue what it’s like to be overweight. I swear if she were a real person I would hug the stuffing out of her! I can also understand the trouble she has accepting her new body and learning to be confident about the person she is. This author has written a heroine that well no doubt resonate with a lot of women and perhaps that is one of the reasons I enjoyed this book so much because most women at some point in their life has had the same feeling of inadequacy as Cait.

I’ll admit I didn’t expect to fall so easily in love with Dante ‘Inferno’ Jones but I did. That’s not to say he didn’t have some moments I wanted to knock him over the head but although he started out pursing Cait because she presented a challenge, it became quite clear very quickly that it was more than that and I loved watching him come to that realization. Cait didn’t make it easy on him either, she has a lot of hang ups and he was patient, kind, and understanding. Just the fact that he saw her completely and went after anyone who made derogatory remarks about her had me completely head over heels for this man.

As if these two characters weren’t enough to make this book thoroughly enjoyable, the secondary characters added so much insight, spice, comic relief and substance to an already full story. This truly was an ensemble cast worthy of mention.

I very much enjoyed the story of these two and in addition to Cait’s body issues and Dante’s training for an upcoming match, there were outside forces constantly pulling at them. While I understand some of why Cait chose to do to keep Dante on track, I don’t like games and I was a little disappointed in the one she chose to be a part of. They both were a little hot headed and instead of communicating they’d blow up and walk away which left me feeling frustrated with them, but I reminded myself that they were still in the very early stages of a relationship and it takes time to develop those skills.

Overall, I was charmed by this story and this couple. I was equally enamored with the writing style of author Abby Niles who easily transported me into the world of MMA fighters. Extreme Love is a fantastic story and should not be missed!

[TinaNicole ☠ Le Book Nikita ☠ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was one out of four MMA fighter books I read a few weeks ago and it was one of the better ones, but overall it was just okay.

I might say potential a few times but it's the one word that keeps popping into my head. It wasn't as polished as it could've been in regards to almost everything. The writing, storyline, character development. The whole thing had great potential, unfortunately it just never fulfilled it. Don't get me wrong, its a good book and I enjoyed it. I just think it could've been a lot better.

Caitlyn is now a size 12 after losing something like 80lbs. She's still adjusting to her new self and coming to accept who she is and realizing she's no longer the "fat girl" she always felt herself to be. She's an endearing and likeable character and while there could've been more development, she was realistic in a lot of ways. Her insecurities were believable as were some of the negativity she's had to deal with in her life.

Dante was lovely. He's not the typical arrogant, alpha-male meathead you see so often in these books. He won me over on their first meeting when instead of growling and being a douche he struggles to find things to make conversation about just to keep talking to her.

"He leaned in closer. 'So do you watch MMA?'
She tensed. 'No.'
'Oh. Okay.' Strike one. 'Did you enjoy the fights tonight?'
'No'
Strike two. He breathed deeply. 'What about you, then? Anything you'd like to talk about?'
Her fingers traced the glass. 'Not really.'
And you're out. He glanced heavenward. Throw me a bone, please. He wracked his brain searching for a topic to talk about."

He was still very much a tough guy but there is no insta-love or lust in this book, for which I was incredibly thankful. Sure, he's attracted to her, as she is to him, but his main goal is to get to know her. He's intrigued by her and wants to know who she is. He fights hard for her and he never wavers. She has insecurities and issues with his profession but Dante knows what he wants and goes after it full steam. He doesn't just barrel his way in and take what he wants. In his pursuit of her, he helps her to start seeing herself the way that he and others see her. It was incredibly sweet.

There is one issue that almost dropped this down from 3 to 2 stars, for me. The climax/ending. I don't want to give anything away but it was beyond ridiculous and left me shaking my head at the WTFkery. Unrealistic, overdramatic and there was never any real resolution to it. It was not something that could be ignored or brushed aside, either. We're talking indictable felony offense type stuff here.

Overall, while there is much room for improvement, this was an enjoyable read. Likeable MC's and side characters and steamy sexy times with just enough tension to be satisfying. Even though the plot was predictable and some of the thoughts and feelings were slightly repetitious, its definitely still something I would recommend to most readers. I'll also be more than willing to take a chance on this author in the future.