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Redemption #1
Against the Ropes
He scared me. He thrilled me. And after one touch, all I could think about was getting more…
Makayla never thought she’d set foot in an underground mixed-martial arts club. But if anyone needs a medic on hand, it’s these guys. Trouble is, at her first sight of the club’s owner she’s the one feeling breathless.
All sleek muscle and restrained power, the man they call Torment plays to win at any cost. Whether it’s in the ring or in the bedroom, he knows exactly when to use a soft touch and when to launch a full-on assault. He always knows just how far he can push. And he’s about to tempt Makayla in ways she never imagined…
Makayla never thought she’d set foot in an underground mixed-martial arts club. But if anyone needs a medic on hand, it’s these guys. Trouble is, at her first sight of the club’s owner she’s the one feeling breathless.
All sleek muscle and restrained power, the man they call Torment plays to win at any cost. Whether it’s in the ring or in the bedroom, he knows exactly when to use a soft touch and when to launch a full-on assault. He always knows just how far he can push. And he’s about to tempt Makayla in ways she never imagined…
351 pages, Paperback
First published September 3, 2013
599 people are currently reading
8278 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Castille
29 books3,355 followersNew York Times and USA Today Bestselling author, Sarah Castille, writes contemporary erotic romance and romantic suspense featuring blazingly hot alpha heroes and the women who tame them. A recovering lawyer and caffeine addict, she worked and traveled abroad before trading her briefcase and stilettos for a handful of magic beans and a home near the Canadian Rockies.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,111 reviews
September 19, 2013
4 FCUK ME STARS!!!! (Nope. I didn’t misspell that.)
There was a lot of this:
And a lot of this:
And a whole lot of this:
And plenty of this:
And I pretty much did this the whole time:
And there was some of this:
And this is me loving this book:
My Torment/Max: everything you could ever dream!!!!
My Makayla: Laugh out Loud heroine - She’s such a dork – snorts when she laughs….fakes German accents….quirky sense of humor. I kinda had Jess, from New Girl, in my head.
Don’t be distracted by those low ratings! I really liked this book, you guys!!
Do I recommend this book? Absolutely!
It was unpredictable, and I love that!
I will definitely be reading more of this author!
Favorite quotes:
If I can’t talk my way out of this mess, I’ll just wiggle.
If I had a tail, I would thump it.
He is caviar and I am instant noodles.
An orgasm for my tongue.
We are all fighters. It is basic human nature. We strive to get somewhere in life or we fight for survival.
No soft bed. No gentle touching. No slight quiver and a tiny burst of pleasure. This was wild. Uncontrolled. There were ropes and metal and cold and fear.
He sucks. I wiggle. He bites. I writhe.
“How do I look?
Beautiful.
Flattery will get you in my pants.
You’re not wearing pants.
That’s right. You tore them off.
Max likes torn off pants.
Makayla has no pants left for you to tear off.
Good. Easy access.
Behave.
You’re mine. I don’t have to behave.
Bad Max. Keep your hands to yourself.
I’m not using my hands.”
ARC provided by NetGalley for an honest review.
There was a lot of this:
And a lot of this:
And a whole lot of this:
And plenty of this:
And I pretty much did this the whole time:
And there was some of this:
And this is me loving this book:
My Torment/Max: everything you could ever dream!!!!
My Makayla: Laugh out Loud heroine - She’s such a dork – snorts when she laughs….fakes German accents….quirky sense of humor. I kinda had Jess, from New Girl, in my head.
Don’t be distracted by those low ratings! I really liked this book, you guys!!
Do I recommend this book? Absolutely!
It was unpredictable, and I love that!
I will definitely be reading more of this author!
Favorite quotes:
If I can’t talk my way out of this mess, I’ll just wiggle.
If I had a tail, I would thump it.
He is caviar and I am instant noodles.
An orgasm for my tongue.
We are all fighters. It is basic human nature. We strive to get somewhere in life or we fight for survival.
No soft bed. No gentle touching. No slight quiver and a tiny burst of pleasure. This was wild. Uncontrolled. There were ropes and metal and cold and fear.
He sucks. I wiggle. He bites. I writhe.
“How do I look?
Beautiful.
Flattery will get you in my pants.
You’re not wearing pants.
That’s right. You tore them off.
Max likes torn off pants.
Makayla has no pants left for you to tear off.
Good. Easy access.
Behave.
You’re mine. I don’t have to behave.
Bad Max. Keep your hands to yourself.
I’m not using my hands.”
ARC provided by NetGalley for an honest review.
September 22, 2013
*1,5 star*
*Spoiler free review*
*Buddy reading with Ali & Nikki*
The first half wasn't that bad. The writing was clumsy, but to be honest I found it quite funny.
The heroine's name is Makayla and the hero's nickname is Torment. <-- Ring a bell, anyone? Also, in her first appearance she's wearing a T-shirt with FCUCK written on it. I may be the only one in that case, but the name Makayla Delaney + the T-shirt and I couldn't help but think of the Fever series and MacKayla Lane and her Juicy Couture tee "I'm a Juicy girl". Also FCUCK reminded me of K'Vruck (also from the Fever series). There are other parallels but let's just leave it at that. Same for Torment and Tohrment from the BDB.
So, given the heroes names, the way the POV was written, the hero as well as the secondary characters behavior (the heroine's supervisor, Drake, Sergio (the debt collector who was acting like an hysterical series B mafioso), the best friend (who reminded me of Samantha from Sex & the City) and pretty much everyone else) as well as the heroes situations (heroine so poor she can't even afford a room —her bedroom is a hallway that everyone enter to access the bathroom (If I remember well, she has 4 roommates each with companions)— and filthy rich hero, I actually thought that the book was some kind of a parody gathering all the clichés in every romance genres.
The heroine is an EMT working in the admission service of an hospital. But she can't bear blood and violence. I'm not American, I just knew that the EMT was some kind of paramedic but the blood and violence issues puzzled me so I checked and it appears that the "EMTs are trained to respond quickly to emergency situations regarding medical issues, trauma injuries and accident scenes. [...]" (quote from Wikipedia).
The hero is a MMA fighter with lots of yummy tats, he owns an unsanctioned club where he trains, teaches and fights. He also appears to be some kind of biker dude. But heavily tattooed MMA fighter + biker dude wasn't enough, so the author decided to also makes him .
Do you understand why I first thought it was a parody?
I never understood how these two ended up together but still, somehow the first half of the book was quite entertaining and so far I was giving it 2,5/3 stars.
But then these things happened:
--> 1/ As if the hero's profile wasn't versatile enough, the author felt the need to add " wanna be Dom" to his pedigree. At that point no way was I rounding up my 2,5 stars to 3.
The first scene was so bad it spoiled all the other sex scenes of the book.
I'm no prude. When the fancy takes me I love to read some good BDSM books. I can even read some BDSM series back to back. When that happens it's because I chose to read that genre, and I choose BDSM books written by authors that actually know what they are talking about. "Choose" being the operative word.
I absolutely don't understand why nowadays so many contemporary romances authors feel the need to add BDSM elements in their books. It's usually really badly done and totally kills the hero appeal.
--> 2/ Misuse of French. A lot of authors enjoy using touches of French language in their books. Which is awesome. Unfortunately very few feel the need to edit it. Which isn't awesome.
In the book the heroine goes to a French spa. Its name is "La Sanctuaire". The gender of the word "sanctuaire" is male so it's "Le Sanctuaire" not "la".
-> The French esthetician refers to the heroine's pubis hair as "une épaisse tignasse". A "tignasse" is a word used in reference to head's hair, usually unruly. For the pubis —or any body— hair she should have used "toison" or even "touffe".
-> le BDSM, not "la BDSM".
-> le sexe, not "la sex".
The French mistakes are made worst because spoken by a supposedly French speaking native.
--> 3/ Blatant lack of documentation.
"Giselle returns with Amanda's aesthetician, Lulu, and two pots of what I assume to be boiling wax. She takes a seat beside me and puts the boiling wax within spilling distance. [...]
Giselle raises an eyebrow as she paints hot wax over my mound "Sounds like your man likes la BDSM."
I hiss in a breath at the initial burn, but it quickly fades to a tingling warmth. I manage to unclench my teeth to answer, [...]"
Who the hell is waxing using boiling wax? Unless you want to badly burn yourself? What is called hot wax is actually lukewarm wax and it shouldn't burn when applied on the skin. The removal of the wax + hair is what hurts not the wax application.
Also, what the hell is that: "Giselle interjects. "It reminds me of my first wax when I was ten years old."?
No. 10 years old little French girls don't wax down there. Or like a friend of mine would say nor did I know 10 years old little girl that would be hairy enough to need a wax.
This and the French mistakes totally killed a potentially funny scene.
--> 4/ Some sentences didn't make sense at all. Here's an example: talking about the unpleasant receptionist this is what she says "Her smile is as cold as my heart." What the hell does that mean?
--> 5/ The OTT second part of the book where more often than not the heroine acted like the dumbest moron on earth.
--> 6/ The over dramatic and so sweet it hurts my teeth as well as over the top (also) end.
I left the 0,5 star for the fun I had in the first half.
April 12, 2015
4 Sexy Stars.
Makayla is a med student trying to make it through life. On night she meets Torment in a underground fight club and they are immediately take with each other. When things starts to heat between them she finds out that not only Torment has a hidden identity, he’s also a famous and billionaire CEO trying to expurgate his sins. Makayla has a bad past who makes her hate any kind of violence. Torment uses fights to help fight his demons. Can will ever find a middle ground?
This was a steamy and romantic reading, and for my first time reading a Sarah Castille’s book I have to stay I was very impressed.
There was some aspects that I didn’t quite understand the purpose, like… why had the dude also to be freaking millionaire? It wasn’t being a sexy fighter enough?
However, this was a well written, engaging and steamy book and if you're into sexy fighters, you should probably give it a try.
Rating: 4 Stars.
Characters Development: I liked Max. He was sexy, and caring and thoughtful. Not to mention he had a bad boy side that it was pretty difficult to resist. Makayla got on my nerves, I get that she was past traumas, but her insecurity and her back and forth didn’t sit well with me. I’m really curious about Amanda and Jase’s story, their book is definitely going to be one of my next readings.
Steam: HOT.
Sensible Subjects:
Love Triangle:
Cheating:
HEA:
Makayla is a med student trying to make it through life. On night she meets Torment in a underground fight club and they are immediately take with each other. When things starts to heat between them she finds out that not only Torment has a hidden identity, he’s also a famous and billionaire CEO trying to expurgate his sins. Makayla has a bad past who makes her hate any kind of violence. Torment uses fights to help fight his demons. Can will ever find a middle ground?
This was a steamy and romantic reading, and for my first time reading a Sarah Castille’s book I have to stay I was very impressed.
There was some aspects that I didn’t quite understand the purpose, like… why had the dude also to be freaking millionaire? It wasn’t being a sexy fighter enough?
However, this was a well written, engaging and steamy book and if you're into sexy fighters, you should probably give it a try.
Rating: 4 Stars.
Characters Development: I liked Max. He was sexy, and caring and thoughtful. Not to mention he had a bad boy side that it was pretty difficult to resist. Makayla got on my nerves, I get that she was past traumas, but her insecurity and her back and forth didn’t sit well with me. I’m really curious about Amanda and Jase’s story, their book is definitely going to be one of my next readings.
Steam: HOT.
Sensible Subjects:
Love Triangle:
Cheating:
HEA:
September 4, 2013
So I really liked the first 20% or so of this book. I like the basic premise of the book. Sexy underground MMA fighter meets quirky slightly bohemian recent grad EMT girl. Yum. The writing is a bit shaky, but I really enjoyed Castille’s sense of humor so I settled in to enjoy the read. This book could have been interesting if it had stuck with the whole Mac working at the fight club as a medic in order to pay back her student loans while Max/Torment helps her get over her aversion to violence that is the result of the abuse suffered by her father when she was a child. Instead, the plot gets more and more inane as the book goes on and our sexy MMA fighter turns out to be rich and kind of a prick. And then, as was probably inevitable, he turned into Christian Gray. A better written version of Christian Gray than the original I will give you, but Christian Gray nonetheless. Sigh. Or should I say **sigh**.
The thing that bothered me the most about this book isn’t even the ripping off of Fifty Shades of Terrible, it was the scenes with the student loan officer guy. The fact that Makalya (Mac) has a debilitating amount of student loan debt was a nice plot point for the book and true to life to a lot of new adults, however, it is clear that the author does not have student loans or she would know just how absurd these passages sound. First, what the hell is the Education Commission? That’s not even a thing. Second, everything is done electronically these days. There is no losing paperwork. Third, deferments are almost always granted and there are a number of repayment plans including those that are structured around income. Fourth, with the amount of communication you get from lenders, there is no way that Mackayla would not have known that her loan had defaulted until after it had done so. Fifth, the Federal Trade Commission has nothing to do with student loans. I could go on with the list of things that are wrong with these scenes, but I’m just making myself angry again so I’ll stop here.
This book is completely schizophrenic. Mac doesn’t want to date a rich guy because she doesn’t feel like she could relate to that lifestyle, then she is gushing about attending society events and riding in private planes. Mac is mad that Max didn’t tell her who he really was, and then two seconds later is over it. Mac claims to get physically ill around violence, yet has worked as an EMT a job which by its very nature involves exposure to a certain amount of violence. Mac says that she like it when Max is controlling in bed but not out of it, but then she likes it when he is controlling out of bed but not in it. MAKE UP YOUR MIND!
This brings us to the BDSM elements. It’s hard to classify most fifty shade fails, because they’re not really depicting BDSM relationships. The Fifty Shades Trilogy doesn’t even depict an accurate representation of the lifestyle.* I think authors feel like, or get told by editors, they have to write a BDSM book so they use what they think is correct language a few times and leave it at that (Jennifer Probst, I’m looking at you). There’s spankings, maybe some bondage, the hero gets off on telling the heroine what to do, and scene. In a lot of ways this is irresponsible. If you are going to have your characters engage in activities where they feel like there might be a need for a safe word you should also include them having a discussion about limits, aka activities that they are not comfortable in engaging in, like say being bound naked in a public place and abandoned.
I think that it’s natural that Mac is conflicted about how she feels about her sexual experiences with Max, particularly given how young and inexperienced she is. Max, however, should be talking to her about her fears rather than insisting that she trust him when she clearly does not and getting mad at her for not behaving the way he wants. There is an exchange wherein Mac specifically asks Max if he is into BDSM and he explains that while he enjoys element he is not into the lifestyle. I appreciate that the author makes that distinction, but I think Max knows better than to not be having frank discussions with Mac about his expectations and her feelings about them. I am all for expanding boundaries, but there should be prior consent.
I’m not even going to get into my thoughts on Max’s fighting name being “Torment” or that he fights people name “Iron Fist” and “Misery” and that some of the fights take place at the Geek Club, an underground fight club where men fight with buckets on their heads using vacuum hoses and computer parts as weapons. Yeah, you read that right. I’m also not going to get into how annoying the texting scenes are. Mac texts the way I imagine a sixteen year old girl texts but maybe I’m just old. I do briefly want to touch on the stupid parties Mac has with Max’s fighting buddies. I sincerely hope that no girl anywhere, ever thinks that it is a good idea to play drunk strip poker alone with a group of men you barely know. That is not cute and funny, it is extremely dangerous. Max was right to get pissed off over this one.
See the rest of my review at:
http://www.sexybooktimes.com/?p=441
The thing that bothered me the most about this book isn’t even the ripping off of Fifty Shades of Terrible, it was the scenes with the student loan officer guy. The fact that Makalya (Mac) has a debilitating amount of student loan debt was a nice plot point for the book and true to life to a lot of new adults, however, it is clear that the author does not have student loans or she would know just how absurd these passages sound. First, what the hell is the Education Commission? That’s not even a thing. Second, everything is done electronically these days. There is no losing paperwork. Third, deferments are almost always granted and there are a number of repayment plans including those that are structured around income. Fourth, with the amount of communication you get from lenders, there is no way that Mackayla would not have known that her loan had defaulted until after it had done so. Fifth, the Federal Trade Commission has nothing to do with student loans. I could go on with the list of things that are wrong with these scenes, but I’m just making myself angry again so I’ll stop here.
This book is completely schizophrenic. Mac doesn’t want to date a rich guy because she doesn’t feel like she could relate to that lifestyle, then she is gushing about attending society events and riding in private planes. Mac is mad that Max didn’t tell her who he really was, and then two seconds later is over it. Mac claims to get physically ill around violence, yet has worked as an EMT a job which by its very nature involves exposure to a certain amount of violence. Mac says that she like it when Max is controlling in bed but not out of it, but then she likes it when he is controlling out of bed but not in it. MAKE UP YOUR MIND!
This brings us to the BDSM elements. It’s hard to classify most fifty shade fails, because they’re not really depicting BDSM relationships. The Fifty Shades Trilogy doesn’t even depict an accurate representation of the lifestyle.* I think authors feel like, or get told by editors, they have to write a BDSM book so they use what they think is correct language a few times and leave it at that (Jennifer Probst, I’m looking at you). There’s spankings, maybe some bondage, the hero gets off on telling the heroine what to do, and scene. In a lot of ways this is irresponsible. If you are going to have your characters engage in activities where they feel like there might be a need for a safe word you should also include them having a discussion about limits, aka activities that they are not comfortable in engaging in, like say being bound naked in a public place and abandoned.
I think that it’s natural that Mac is conflicted about how she feels about her sexual experiences with Max, particularly given how young and inexperienced she is. Max, however, should be talking to her about her fears rather than insisting that she trust him when she clearly does not and getting mad at her for not behaving the way he wants. There is an exchange wherein Mac specifically asks Max if he is into BDSM and he explains that while he enjoys element he is not into the lifestyle. I appreciate that the author makes that distinction, but I think Max knows better than to not be having frank discussions with Mac about his expectations and her feelings about them. I am all for expanding boundaries, but there should be prior consent.
I’m not even going to get into my thoughts on Max’s fighting name being “Torment” or that he fights people name “Iron Fist” and “Misery” and that some of the fights take place at the Geek Club, an underground fight club where men fight with buckets on their heads using vacuum hoses and computer parts as weapons. Yeah, you read that right. I’m also not going to get into how annoying the texting scenes are. Mac texts the way I imagine a sixteen year old girl texts but maybe I’m just old. I do briefly want to touch on the stupid parties Mac has with Max’s fighting buddies. I sincerely hope that no girl anywhere, ever thinks that it is a good idea to play drunk strip poker alone with a group of men you barely know. That is not cute and funny, it is extremely dangerous. Max was right to get pissed off over this one.
See the rest of my review at:
http://www.sexybooktimes.com/?p=441
June 21, 2013
OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
*SSSSSSSSQQQQQQQQQUUUUUUUUUEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAALLLLLLL*
This book was 50 Shades of AWESOME AND THEN SOME!!!! LOL!!!! LOVED the HECK outta it!!!
A heap of MMA, a dash of BDSM and a WHOLE LOTTA HUNKA-HUNKA BURNING HOTTIES... I've died and gone to heaven, I tell 'ya!
Torment aka Max was just a hot, tattooed, MMA fighting, ALPHA BAD ASS *SWOON*... I loved EVERYTHING about him!!!
I HOPE that you write MORE books about these fighters Ms. Castille!!! They are BEYOND DROOLWORTHY!!!
*ARC courtesy of Netgalley and Sourcebooks*
*SSSSSSSSQQQQQQQQQUUUUUUUUUEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAALLLLLLL*
This book was 50 Shades of AWESOME AND THEN SOME!!!! LOL!!!! LOVED the HECK outta it!!!
A heap of MMA, a dash of BDSM and a WHOLE LOTTA HUNKA-HUNKA BURNING HOTTIES... I've died and gone to heaven, I tell 'ya!
Torment aka Max was just a hot, tattooed, MMA fighting, ALPHA BAD ASS *SWOON*... I loved EVERYTHING about him!!!
I HOPE that you write MORE books about these fighters Ms. Castille!!! They are BEYOND DROOLWORTHY!!!
*ARC courtesy of Netgalley and Sourcebooks*
Read
July 20, 2014
NO rating.... DNF at 25%
Am EMT that cannot stand the sight of blood/ violence... actually gets physically ill witnessing it....
A very popular bad boy underground unsanctioned MMA fighter that owns a gym and runs underground fights..and he ALSO is apparently a billionaire by day and is also as famous in his billionaire life as he is in his nighttime fight persona.. and apparently these paths don't cross each other....
He lands eyes on her once and immediately NEEDS her there with him when he fights.. has to see her in the crowd.. even if she is going to hurl at the sight of blood.. but hey, she's a trained EMT so she can fix them up..
NO MORE please...
Am EMT that cannot stand the sight of blood/ violence... actually gets physically ill witnessing it....
A very popular bad boy underground unsanctioned MMA fighter that owns a gym and runs underground fights..and he ALSO is apparently a billionaire by day and is also as famous in his billionaire life as he is in his nighttime fight persona.. and apparently these paths don't cross each other....
He lands eyes on her once and immediately NEEDS her there with him when he fights.. has to see her in the crowd.. even if she is going to hurl at the sight of blood.. but hey, she's a trained EMT so she can fix them up..
NO MORE please...
November 21, 2016
I gotta say this was the most unoriginal book I've ever read. I had two major problems with this book. 1 Mac's charater was really unoriginal like extremely. She was the typical I get nauseous while watching violence. Violence is bad. The typical give the guy a hard time when he try's to buy you a expensive present. Next was the I can't understand male love interests charater. And finally the don't pay my debt I'd rather run myself and family into the ground. I didn't like her as you can tell. The male love interest Max was overly controlling and he didn't real feel the Alpha male type to me. More like the I need to be in control male type. What bothered me most about his charater was that he didn't treat his staff well. My mother always told me how people treat there staff is a reflection of them. There were also more unoriginal components in this book. Example: Slutty best friend. One more thing I need to address Mac called Max "Bad Max" in this book a few times. I don't know about you but that makes me think of a dog. I'm rating this book 1.75 stars.
SPOILER ALERT
The ending was also the unoriginal I'm dumping you even though I love you because your rich and I'm not. And then the get back together.
SPOILER ALERT
The ending was also the unoriginal I'm dumping you even though I love you because your rich and I'm not. And then the get back together.
July 5, 2021
god, I can't stand this book. I barely remember the plot, let alone the characters, but I vividly remember my frustration while reading "Against The Ropes".
→Mac was an annoying, spineless doormat.
I'm sorry, but I just don't understand her character at all. she can't stand the sight of blood, violence, or any gory scene. I get that, but why is she an EMT and voluntarily hangs out by an MMA ringside? is that because her "girl parts" quivered at the scene of Max fighting, so any mention of her being physically ill at the sigh of gore is forgotten? *frustrated sigh* I just don't understand. she was so compliant whenever it came to what Max wanted that she'd ignore any of her limitations, so I was pretty annoyed with her for most of the novel.
I was also annoyed with her because she'd ignore so many flaws in Max's character. even if she did notice them, she'd suddenly disregard them because oh no, he's hOt. I have some quotes that support this point, but let me give some context: Max and Mac are about to go somewhere, but Max takes Mac's shirt because it's "provocative" (I'm not even going to dissect that comment). and when Mac goes to take it back, the scene is supposed to be steamy and romantic (even though it's not).
→Max was an "alpha-male" wannabe that instead came off as possessive and irrational.
out of all the characters in this novel, I can confidently say I hate Max the most. he's supposed to be this millionaire "alpha-male" who is also an MMA fighter, and is just oh-so attractive. but all I saw him as was an over-obsessive and irrational dude who just so happens to have some money in his bank account and is an MMA fighter.
→there wasn't any plot, and if there was one, I either couldn't find it or didn't deem it important.
when I rack my brain trying to figure out the plot of this novel, I can't find it. I looked high and low, went searching from the East Coast to the West Coast and found nothing substantial. I think all the events in this book that could hypothetically produce a plot can be summarized here:
Mac, the annoying EMT who becomes physically ill at the sight of blood, meets Max, the possessive MMA who happens to be a millionaire (?) and they fall in love (or, if we're being honest, lust). and on the left sidelines, we have a Drake wannabe (Dr. Donald Drake) trying to get with Mac even after she denies his advances. and on the right sidelines, Amanda is breaking Jake's heart left and right, but becomes surprised when he dumps her.
if I'm being honest, that's all that happens in this book. I think Mac and Max have issues going on as well, but it doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things because they're not important to the plot anyway.
→why is there a doctor named "Dr. Donald Drake"?
obviously this point has nothing to do with the structure of this novel, but I just wanted to talk about this. I don't know if Drake is a popular last name or what, but it hurts me to see the name Drake in this dumpster fire of a novel. the character Dr. Drake was just weird and couldn't take a hint. he was always hitting on Mac when it was obvious that she wasn't interested in him romantically. and to add onto that, Dr. Drake didn't know how to keep his opinions to himself.
to conclude, I just want to say that I truly regret reading "Against The Ropes". I want it erased from my memory because I'm slightly concerned that my IQ dropped from reading this. the only redeemable character was Jake, but I already know that in the following book he'll probably go back to Amanda, and I'll lose any respect I may have had for him. I see no benefit in continuing this series, therefore, I will not be doing so. I personally wouldn't recommend this to anyone, but if you want to read this, then good luck 👍🏽
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→Mac was an annoying, spineless doormat.
I'm sorry, but I just don't understand her character at all. she can't stand the sight of blood, violence, or any gory scene. I get that, but why is she an EMT and voluntarily hangs out by an MMA ringside? is that because her "girl parts" quivered at the scene of Max fighting, so any mention of her being physically ill at the sigh of gore is forgotten? *frustrated sigh* I just don't understand. she was so compliant whenever it came to what Max wanted that she'd ignore any of her limitations, so I was pretty annoyed with her for most of the novel.
I was also annoyed with her because she'd ignore so many flaws in Max's character. even if she did notice them, she'd suddenly disregard them because oh no, he's hOt. I have some quotes that support this point, but let me give some context: Max and Mac are about to go somewhere, but Max takes Mac's shirt because it's "provocative" (I'm not even going to dissect that comment). and when Mac goes to take it back, the scene is supposed to be steamy and romantic (even though it's not).
""Give me my shirt....please." I'm not sure what kind of game he is playing, if it is a game, but dammed if I am leaving here without that shirt on.I truly don't understand how you can ignore someone's deep flaws because they're attractive. Mac is always reminding the reader that yes, her love interest, Max, is as hot as the sun because God forbid we forget that crucial fact. and speaking of Max...
"Come here and get it," he rasps.
He draws me to him with the intensity of his gaze and the dangerous rumble of his deep, dark voice.
God, he's hot.
By the time I am close enough to feel the heat from his body, my heart is racing at double speed. His eyes lock on mine, and I grasp the edge of my shirt."
→Max was an "alpha-male" wannabe that instead came off as possessive and irrational.
out of all the characters in this novel, I can confidently say I hate Max the most. he's supposed to be this millionaire "alpha-male" who is also an MMA fighter, and is just oh-so attractive. but all I saw him as was an over-obsessive and irrational dude who just so happens to have some money in his bank account and is an MMA fighter.
"Torment growls━━a deep, barely audible, entirely thrilling sound. He leans across the desk, grabs Dr. Drake's hand, and rips it off my shoulder.that was a tame example of how Max acts when he's being possessive of Mac. it always annoyed me when he acted like that because it was usually unnecessary in the situation, and made him look like an over-obsessive bear. whenever a big event occurred that would cause conflict, Max would act irrational and make drastic decisions that made everything worse.
"She's coming with me. Now." He whips off his jacket, tossing it on the chair behind his pack, and folds his arms over his chest, his biceps tensed like he is about to punch someone.
→there wasn't any plot, and if there was one, I either couldn't find it or didn't deem it important.
when I rack my brain trying to figure out the plot of this novel, I can't find it. I looked high and low, went searching from the East Coast to the West Coast and found nothing substantial. I think all the events in this book that could hypothetically produce a plot can be summarized here:
Mac, the annoying EMT who becomes physically ill at the sight of blood, meets Max, the possessive MMA who happens to be a millionaire (?) and they fall in love (or, if we're being honest, lust). and on the left sidelines, we have a Drake wannabe (Dr. Donald Drake) trying to get with Mac even after she denies his advances. and on the right sidelines, Amanda is breaking Jake's heart left and right, but becomes surprised when he dumps her.
if I'm being honest, that's all that happens in this book. I think Mac and Max have issues going on as well, but it doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things because they're not important to the plot anyway.
→why is there a doctor named "Dr. Donald Drake"?
obviously this point has nothing to do with the structure of this novel, but I just wanted to talk about this. I don't know if Drake is a popular last name or what, but it hurts me to see the name Drake in this dumpster fire of a novel. the character Dr. Drake was just weird and couldn't take a hint. he was always hitting on Mac when it was obvious that she wasn't interested in him romantically. and to add onto that, Dr. Drake didn't know how to keep his opinions to himself.
"A sweet girl like you shouldn't be associating with these rough, fight types," Dr. Drake says in the gentle tone usually reserved for wayward children and small animals. "They are violent men who think nothing of flaunting the law or exposing innocent girls to the more uncivilized elements of our society."I don't know who the fuck asked this Drake wannabe what he thought of Max, but whoever asked him to do that will need to have a little chat with me. Dr. Donald Drake was always saying out-of-pocket shit like that, and it got on my fucking nerves. now I'm really wishing that Castille didn't name him "Dr. Donald Drake" because Aubrey "Drake" Graham deserves so much more than that.
to conclude, I just want to say that I truly regret reading "Against The Ropes". I want it erased from my memory because I'm slightly concerned that my IQ dropped from reading this. the only redeemable character was Jake, but I already know that in the following book he'll probably go back to Amanda, and I'll lose any respect I may have had for him. I see no benefit in continuing this series, therefore, I will not be doing so. I personally wouldn't recommend this to anyone, but if you want to read this, then good luck 👍🏽
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February 10, 2017
5 Amazing Sizzling Scorching Burning Pages !!!!!
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Thank you NETGALLEY for granting me this ARC & making my day!!!
I loved ever single sizzling page I read and wanted to read it over and over just to stay in Torment "Max" Huffington's sexy dominant head. Makayla is a funny witty girl with a wall up protecting her heart from letting her get hurt. A childhood that she has blocked out has helped her erect this wall and Max is determined to take it down one brick at a tie. When he decided she belonged to him...he wouldn't give up.
Along with freeing Makayla from her fears of her own sexuality .
From the moment these two meet there is sizzling chemistry coming off the page in waves. Max is so protective and cares so deeply. If he could wrap up Makayla and keep her safely tucked in his pocket he would. I wouldn't mine being in his pocket that is for sure!! Makalya's head is a funny as heck place to be. She finds humor in everything and seems so freaking real. I loved her. I got so frustrated at times with her fears and how she pushed Max away when I wanted to pull him down and lick him from head to toe. There were some scorching scenes in this book .
WARNING...you might need to put on protective gear for this...it's sizzling hot!!
I have never felt like I was in a buffet surrounded by different types of Alpha Males until this book. Sarah Castille just did the unheard of art of creating the perfect Alpha hero.
Alpha Checklist.
1. MMA Fighter
Torment’s abs flex as he twists and stretches. He has changed into a pair of red fight shorts with stylized dragons down each leg, and the deep cuts of his hip bones are clearly visible above his waistband. The fabric clings to every curve of his tight, muscular ass. At least I know where to look if I can’t watch them spar.
2. Sexy Bike Rider
He exudes pure raw sensuality
“You were so sexy lying across my bike,” he murmurs in my ear.
making love on motorcycle
3. CEO Millionaire
Max had so many layers to his personality and Makayla need to see through all of them to the man beneath.
No matter which face he wore..his dom side always came through.
“Modest, aren’t we?” He pulls his chair right up to the desk. “Do you know how hot you look? You have such a pretty pussy.” He slicks a finger through my folds and spreads my wetness along my inner thigh. “Your body is on board.
4. Dom in the bedroom
I like to be in control in the bedroom and take it right to the edge. Just like in the ring.”
Yep you read that right. He is the most possessive, jealous, uber dom , sexy HERO ever!
“Do you want to be spanked, baby?” He brings the duster down harder and the tickle turns into an itch. Arrrgh. It makes me almost want to say yes.
5. Sweet sexy Lover
But my favorite part I saved for last. He has the biggest heart and loved Makayla like he needed her to breathe.
His voice drops to a husky whisper. “I love you, Makayla. I couldn’t bear to lose you. I want to protect you and keep you safe, but you need to let me in.” He cups my face in his hands and gently tilts my head back. Tears spill over my cheeks. His eyes are filled with pain, and tenderness. He slants his mouth over mine and our lips brush in a gentle, soft kiss. He loves me.
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This is one of those books where you can't stop reading right along with not wanting it to ever end. I know there are way too many series out there right now but this is one that I wish I could see more into this couple and where their love takes them.
A MUST READ FOR EVERY ALPHA LOVING ROMANTIC OUT THERE!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 16, 2014
Enjoyed every minute of it.
I appreciate that sometimes how you're feeling can affect how much you enjoy a certain book so maybe it was that, I'm not sure but I loved every minute of this book, I literally could not get enough I loved the characters not just Torment and Makayla but everyone, from Amanda and Jake to the guys at Redemption to Charlie, let's just say everyone, I loved the story and it made me laugh, frequently.
Makayla can't do with violence in any form but desperate for money she ends up selling tickets at an underground fighting club where she comes to the attention of Torment the owner and also it's top fighter. Still desperate for money she takes the additional job of medic at the club on fight nights. The attraction between Makayla and Torment is unbelievable but they're both keeping secrets and it's only a matter of time before their pasts catch up with them.
Wonderful book and I'm off to read 'In Your Corner' now.
I appreciate that sometimes how you're feeling can affect how much you enjoy a certain book so maybe it was that, I'm not sure but I loved every minute of this book, I literally could not get enough I loved the characters not just Torment and Makayla but everyone, from Amanda and Jake to the guys at Redemption to Charlie, let's just say everyone, I loved the story and it made me laugh, frequently.
Makayla can't do with violence in any form but desperate for money she ends up selling tickets at an underground fighting club where she comes to the attention of Torment the owner and also it's top fighter. Still desperate for money she takes the additional job of medic at the club on fight nights. The attraction between Makayla and Torment is unbelievable but they're both keeping secrets and it's only a matter of time before their pasts catch up with them.
Wonderful book and I'm off to read 'In Your Corner' now.
June 14, 2013
The premise is what caught my eye but overall this was a DOA book for me. I'm not sure if it was the author's intention to make the heroine over the top silly and loopy. She's a big ditz even with her so-called education and skill as an EMT. Also the love interest Max is a big confusion. Is he some bad ass MMA fighter or some mega millionaire who gets off on fighting, or some alpha male who is also into BDSM? I rolled my eyes when he ties up the heroine on his motorcycle and all of a sudden wants her to have a safe word, as if he's this skilled Dom when there is no indication he has any real knowledge of the BDSM culture and how one should act. It came out of nowhere and made me scratch my head. I didn't find it titillating or sexy in anyway. But then again, by then I was bored by everything going on. I think I actually yawned at one point, which I rarely do when I read.
Max's personality is all over the place and I couldn't get a handle on him. He's very one-dimensional and not at all sexy or appealing. The romance here didn't work at all and the entire plot came across as slap stick, which made for awkward reading.
The situations were not realistic at all and the characters grated on my nerves. At times this came across as a zany Chick Lit type book and failed in it's delivery.
A pass.
Max's personality is all over the place and I couldn't get a handle on him. He's very one-dimensional and not at all sexy or appealing. The romance here didn't work at all and the entire plot came across as slap stick, which made for awkward reading.
The situations were not realistic at all and the characters grated on my nerves. At times this came across as a zany Chick Lit type book and failed in it's delivery.
A pass.
Want to read
May 21, 2019🎁 FREE on Amazon today (5/21/2019)! 🎁
June 24, 2013
BOILING HOT!
I mean seriously. Sometimes you see a hot cover like this and wonder if it will match up. . .and it does.
Now this wasn't a perfect book. Let's make that clear right now!!
Things that put me on edge:
**The heroine wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed....if you get my drift.
She wasn't SOOKIE stupid. (that's a whole 'nother level of stupidity).
But there were times when I was like, come on dude. . .
**The hero was TOO OBSESSIVE at times, verging on me yelling at the book, "Girl! You better get your butt out of there. That man is Cray Cray!!!"
**ALSO, the debt collectors for her student loans were emotionally and mentally abusive. WTF? I'm paying student loans and I have not had these experiences. Who did she get a student loan from, the mafia?
H*O*W*E*V*E*R
For me, none of that matters when I'm
1) unable to go to sleep because I HAVE to finish the dang book!
2) waking up my husband at 4am to play out some of the scenes in the dang book!
I mean seriously. Sometimes you see a hot cover like this and wonder if it will match up. . .and it does.
Now this wasn't a perfect book. Let's make that clear right now!!
Things that put me on edge:
**The heroine wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed....if you get my drift.
She wasn't SOOKIE stupid. (that's a whole 'nother level of stupidity).
But there were times when I was like, come on dude. . .
**The hero was TOO OBSESSIVE at times, verging on me yelling at the book, "Girl! You better get your butt out of there. That man is Cray Cray!!!"
**ALSO, the debt collectors for her student loans were emotionally and mentally abusive. WTF? I'm paying student loans and I have not had these experiences. Who did she get a student loan from, the mafia?
H*O*W*E*V*E*R
For me, none of that matters when I'm
1) unable to go to sleep because I HAVE to finish the dang book!
2) waking up my husband at 4am to play out some of the scenes in the dang book!
April 21, 2017
This was a frustrating read, what I did read of it. The heroine is an EMT yet she can't stand the sight of violence (to the point of getting physically ill), which to me seems very strange. Having worked as a public servant, you're going to see the aftermath of violent events, and I just thought that plot made no sense. It's also a book with BDSM which is not mentioned at all in the blurb, or I would not have picked it up. Huge negative in my opinion to not let the reader be aware.
It's written in first person. And third person. Sometimes in the same paragraph. It was very distracting and if the author meant for that to happen, I'm not sure why. It didn't work.
DNF at 45%
It's written in first person. And third person. Sometimes in the same paragraph. It was very distracting and if the author meant for that to happen, I'm not sure why. It didn't work.
DNF at 45%
November 5, 2018
Huh, definitely not what I was expecting.......
Max is the billionaire?( I'm assuming) owner of the underground fight club Redemption and he's also a fighter who wants to be #1.
Mac is somewhat of an EMT who works in the admissions Dept of the hospital and is yet to decide what to do with her life career wise, she does however hate violence and cannot be around any situation with it.
I'm not sure of the ages of the mcs but they acted like teenagers.
This book was trope heavy from the kinky billionaire H to the clumsy,quirky h who's struggling to pay of school loans almost every aspect felt like I've read it all before
I did not like Mac, she couldn't be around violence because of a childhood scarred with violence but her issues are never properly addressed.She couldn't give Max the trust he needed so they broke up but all her issues are cleared up when she talks to him when he's unconscious? Yeah that didn't compute.
She was also a runner,something I cannot stand in a fmc,and was quick to jump to conclusions.
Mac stuck to the rich boy/poor girl /we can't be together thing until almost to the very end of the book. Even faced with threatening debt collectors she refused his help. I would think a rational adult would've accepted help rather than face the possibility of her parent's losing their house!
She was insecure and anytime the issue arose she'd.......flee 🤦
side note-Why was the good doctor featured so much in this book? He wasn't the H but by 50% I'd probably read more about him than Max.
side note 2-slutty best friend gets a book?ewwwwww
And then there was Max,..........
Max the fighter who fought underground because he wasn't sure he'd be good enough for legitimate fights
Max who was very controlling
Max who introduced elements of BDSM without any prior discussions or agreements with his woman
Max who would disappear for a day or two without calls leading to the very insecure Mac thinking they'd broken up
Max who twice had his ex rubbing up on him without booting her out
Max who I could've liked but who just irked me especially as I did not have him pov to know what he was thinking.
There were some OTT moments,some funny moments,some cute moments but honestly if this had been my first read by this author?........it would've also been my last! But I have read and enjoyed other books by her so I'm continuing on hoping for the best.
Max is the billionaire?( I'm assuming) owner of the underground fight club Redemption and he's also a fighter who wants to be #1.
Mac is somewhat of an EMT who works in the admissions Dept of the hospital and is yet to decide what to do with her life career wise, she does however hate violence and cannot be around any situation with it.
I'm not sure of the ages of the mcs but they acted like teenagers.
This book was trope heavy from the kinky billionaire H to the clumsy,quirky h who's struggling to pay of school loans almost every aspect felt like I've read it all before
I did not like Mac, she couldn't be around violence because of a childhood scarred with violence but her issues are never properly addressed.She couldn't give Max the trust he needed so they broke up but all her issues are cleared up when she talks to him when he's unconscious? Yeah that didn't compute.
She was also a runner,something I cannot stand in a fmc,and was quick to jump to conclusions.
Mac stuck to the rich boy/poor girl /we can't be together thing until almost to the very end of the book. Even faced with threatening debt collectors she refused his help. I would think a rational adult would've accepted help rather than face the possibility of her parent's losing their house!
She was insecure and anytime the issue arose she'd.......flee 🤦
side note-Why was the good doctor featured so much in this book? He wasn't the H but by 50% I'd probably read more about him than Max.
side note 2-slutty best friend gets a book?ewwwwww
And then there was Max,..........
Max the fighter who fought underground because he wasn't sure he'd be good enough for legitimate fights
Max who was very controlling
Max who introduced elements of BDSM without any prior discussions or agreements with his woman
Max who would disappear for a day or two without calls leading to the very insecure Mac thinking they'd broken up
Max who twice had his ex rubbing up on him without booting her out
Max who I could've liked but who just irked me especially as I did not have him pov to know what he was thinking.
There were some OTT moments,some funny moments,some cute moments but honestly if this had been my first read by this author?........it would've also been my last! But I have read and enjoyed other books by her so I'm continuing on hoping for the best.
June 13, 2014
This was good...didn't try to be all to badass, which was nice. I guess I expected a wannabe Real or something, but this was much more grown up feeling. LOTS and lots of laughs. Makayla is hilarious, and so are all the other MMA guys. Torment is good for some sexy times and I love that he and Makayla have this whole push/pull thing going on. On the other hand, the sexy times were just okay. It could be just me, but they didn't do a whole lot for my libido.
I did think that Torment got a bit high handed at times. As if he had to make every decision for Makayla, regardless of how important. And for goodness sake, he has a hell of a temper.
I think one of my problems with this book was how I couldn't decide whether or not it was supposed to be funny or realistic. Some of the things that happen...like when Max loses his temper and kicks one of the other fighter's asses for an apparent slight against Makayla...end up feeling very real, but everyone seems to laugh them off. I wish that the humor would have stayed in it's own corner sometimes.
Still, there's not much that beats a super protective alpha male, but especially a rich, good looking, sexed up protective alpha male.
Taking the humor as my favorite part of this book, here are a few favorite lines:
♦ "I bite my lip and hold my breath. Max is focused on his space-age communicator, no doubt sending secret messages to galactic emperors with thin and sophisticated daughters."
♦ "Would you like some?"
"I don't eat ice cream. It's full of chemicals and unnecessary fats." The soft, velvety texture of his voice is almost a match for the smooth, creamy ice cream on my tongue. What a combination: Torment, ice cream, unnecessary fats, and me..."
♦ "Max attacks Misery with the kind of vigor only reserved for really dirty ovens..."
I did think that Torment got a bit high handed at times. As if he had to make every decision for Makayla, regardless of how important. And for goodness sake, he has a hell of a temper.
I think one of my problems with this book was how I couldn't decide whether or not it was supposed to be funny or realistic. Some of the things that happen...like when Max loses his temper and kicks one of the other fighter's asses for an apparent slight against Makayla...end up feeling very real, but everyone seems to laugh them off. I wish that the humor would have stayed in it's own corner sometimes.
Still, there's not much that beats a super protective alpha male, but especially a rich, good looking, sexed up protective alpha male.
Taking the humor as my favorite part of this book, here are a few favorite lines:
♦ "I bite my lip and hold my breath. Max is focused on his space-age communicator, no doubt sending secret messages to galactic emperors with thin and sophisticated daughters."
♦ "Would you like some?"
"I don't eat ice cream. It's full of chemicals and unnecessary fats." The soft, velvety texture of his voice is almost a match for the smooth, creamy ice cream on my tongue. What a combination: Torment, ice cream, unnecessary fats, and me..."
♦ "Max attacks Misery with the kind of vigor only reserved for really dirty ovens..."
September 21, 2013
Holy Mother Alpha..This book was just what I needed.Torment/Max was hot and bossy and everything in between..I love when the guy is overprotective to the point of obsessed. Thats right this girl waves her freak flag proud.To me an Alpha male is alpha in the bedroom and out and Sarah Castille nailed it head fucking on.
Max is running an underground fight club when Mckayla happens to stumble over the line and into his ring.I loved Max the minute he opened that damn bossy mouth and let me tell ya he can burn the pages up with his seduction techniques.
Mckayla was cracking my ass up at the beginning, I found she was very likable and when she said Manhandling bad.Forceful bad. I was right there with her wondering why the hell its such a turn on.
I loved the banter between Max and Mckayla and how even when she was being a twat, he was always right there for her.Did I mention how hot Max was? Hot as in make you do a damn vagina check hot..
"I have to fight,but I want you with me,Mckayla.And when I want something, I don't let go"
AGUSTA
Max is running an underground fight club when Mckayla happens to stumble over the line and into his ring.I loved Max the minute he opened that damn bossy mouth and let me tell ya he can burn the pages up with his seduction techniques.
Mckayla was cracking my ass up at the beginning, I found she was very likable and when she said Manhandling bad.Forceful bad. I was right there with her wondering why the hell its such a turn on.
I loved the banter between Max and Mckayla and how even when she was being a twat, he was always right there for her.Did I mention how hot Max was? Hot as in make you do a damn vagina check hot..
"I have to fight,but I want you with me,Mckayla.And when I want something, I don't let go"
AGUSTA
March 6, 2016
Gahhhhh!!!! I think my IQ dropped with this one!!!
April 18, 2018
First, a lot of people LOVE this book, so I am not discouraging anyone from reading it. I get that there are definitely things that didn't work for me, that are just my own things that I don't care for that will probably work very well for others.
I am just going to go and say everything now so I'm going to put it in spoiler tags, don't read if you haven't read the book or want to know...everything.
so yeah, this was just not my jam, but I know there are a lot of tropes in here that work for a lot of people, so this just wasn't for me, but if you like mma, alpha males, men with money-that kind of cinderella thing, I would recommend it
I am just going to go and say everything now so I'm going to put it in spoiler tags, don't read if you haven't read the book or want to know...everything.
so yeah, this was just not my jam, but I know there are a lot of tropes in here that work for a lot of people, so this just wasn't for me, but if you like mma, alpha males, men with money-that kind of cinderella thing, I would recommend it
June 21, 2013
MMA themed books are becoming one of my favorite genre. I like the whole build up of their relationship, Torment was so hot and Makayla sweet but at the same time badass. Couldn't put the book down and hope to get a book about Jake/Amanda.
I received an ARC from Netgalley.
I received an ARC from Netgalley.
November 8, 2013
I love the fighters.
The bad boys.
The sexy ones.
This was a fun read!
The bad boys.
The sexy ones.
This was a fun read!
April 24, 2014
5 STARS, BEST I’VE READ IN A WHILE! LOVED IT!
Max Huntington is all fighter in that ring,
But all lover once he steps out of it.
He knows what he wants,
And he knows how to attract it with his smothering good looks.
He has a pleasuring hot temper and a kinky fetish,
He has tattoos and he’s ripped to the core.
But he has a brokenness to him...
A need to belong, and only Makayla can fulfill this desire.
I loved this book so much. Like, I can actually relate to this shit. It has so many monologues that just come across to the reader as something that, yes, could happen in real life. It was filled with trials and tribulations (like in real life!), and I was extremely pleased with the fact that the trust and love between them grew gradually. That he was the first to utter the word “love”, instead of portraying her like a weak ass woman who had to cling to him for dear life. Like no, Makayla ain't that type of girl!
I loveeeed that Makayla wasn't the typical obedient woman, and she wasn't predictable at all. Granted, it did annoy me that she participated in strip poker with his Redemption crew, because, well… do you not have any shame, pride, integrity, or even an ounce of loyalty to this hot ass man you’re having the pleasure of devouring every now and then?
Besides those petty little facts, I loved that the writer didn't take it too far with all the “freaky” kinky sex stuff.
Also, isn't a bad boy that’s bad to everyone else, but really, really good to you the fucking fantasy of every damn woman?
Max Huntington is all fighter in that ring,
But all lover once he steps out of it.
He knows what he wants,
And he knows how to attract it with his smothering good looks.
He has a pleasuring hot temper and a kinky fetish,
He has tattoos and he’s ripped to the core.
But he has a brokenness to him...
A need to belong, and only Makayla can fulfill this desire.
I loved this book so much. Like, I can actually relate to this shit. It has so many monologues that just come across to the reader as something that, yes, could happen in real life. It was filled with trials and tribulations (like in real life!), and I was extremely pleased with the fact that the trust and love between them grew gradually. That he was the first to utter the word “love”, instead of portraying her like a weak ass woman who had to cling to him for dear life. Like no, Makayla ain't that type of girl!
I loveeeed that Makayla wasn't the typical obedient woman, and she wasn't predictable at all. Granted, it did annoy me that she participated in strip poker with his Redemption crew, because, well… do you not have any shame, pride, integrity, or even an ounce of loyalty to this hot ass man you’re having the pleasure of devouring every now and then?
Besides those petty little facts, I loved that the writer didn't take it too far with all the “freaky” kinky sex stuff.
Also, isn't a bad boy that’s bad to everyone else, but really, really good to you the fucking fantasy of every damn woman?
April 13, 2014
I really disliked this book, which was unexpected. I’d heard good things from a few friends on Goodreads, and I read the blurb and it sounded like my kind of book. Sadly, it just fell apart. This novel is way, WAY, too unrealistic for me to enjoy. I understand its fiction and I need to take a lot of the content with a grain of salt, but it was one unrealistic event after another until it became too much.
First of all, the characters were just off to me. The heroine is an almost EMT (not quite) who has a “healing gift” but can’t stand violence. I just couldn’t believe her phobia about violence. The hero was an underground MMA fighter/billionaire. At first the author portrays a certain type of character, and then he changes. He’s this rough and tumble bad boy, and then all of a sudden he has a butler and chauffer and lives in high society? I wondered the whole time why she didn’t just stick with one or the other.
And it wasn’t just the main character. It was like every character acted opposite of what you’d expect. The collection agent who called her frequently was the last in a long list that put me over the edge. No collection agent would ever say the things he said to her. He threatened her to the point he’d be sued in real life. Then he complimented her on her lame jokes and gave her extensions. Then he went against his promise of extensions and called her back demanding even more money. Then he’d brag about getting bonuses for expensive cars if he could get her to pay. It was so so so farfetched all I could do when I read those scenes was roll my eyes—and don’t even get me started on what happens in the end with him, that would take me a whole other review.
The last thing that was really weird to me, and maybe it’s just me, but the fights with weapons. They are underground MMA fights and the weapons used are so ridiculous. The author has these characters fighting in a ring and swinging computer printers, keyboards, and faxes at each other. At one point, one of the fighters has a garbage pail over his head. It was unique, I’ll give her that, but it was stupid too. Overall, I would actually go so far as to say I hated this book.
January 8, 2020
Very quick read! I liked it! I do see where people’s comments come from there is a discord at times & it seems other times facts are glossed over! If one suspends reality at times & go with the angst driven storyline this is a fun little romp of a novel! Will check out next in series!
June 18, 2017
For this review and more visit my blog
Against the ropes sounded great and I was really excited to read it but it turned out to be completely different to what I thought it would be and I really didn’t like it at all. I don’t really know where to start with this review as I feel like there is so much I want to say but I really hate to write purely negative reviews.
Makayla is struggling financially. She has a full time job but her student loan repayments are breaking her. Despite not wanting to (due to an aversion to violence) she agrees to work as a first aider at an underground MMA gym run by Torment aka Max. Despite reservations they start seeing each other.
From this point of this review will contain spoilers, it is not something I normally like to do but in order to fully explain why I disliked this book so much I have no other choice.
My main issues with this book were the characters, especially Max and the unrealisticness of the plot. Makayla’s situation is frankly ridiculous; it was so unbelievable that I just couldn’t take this book seriously at all. Makayla is essentially living in a hallway because she can’t afford anything else. Her job at the hospital sucks because her female superior is horrible all the time and keeps putting warnings in her file. Her best dude friend whom she works with and her other boss who is also male both has the hots for her, as does Torment and practically every single man she comes across in the whole book despite the fact that she is a girl next door with a muffin top, a fact that Makayla mentions often.
Then out of the blue she gets this phone call from a guy called Sergio (at least I think that was his name) who works for a company to get people to pay back their student loans. Sergio could have just as well been a Russia Mafioso from a bad B movie in the seventies, he was ridiculously unprofessional and unbelievable. He told Makayla that she was a liar, he threatened her, he flaunted the fact that he had lots of money and she didn’t whilst trying to charm her with little stories and funny jokes, because surprise, surprise Makayla is not like the people he normally talks to, she is special and sweet and I think he also had the hots for her.
There were other moments of sheer oddness like an utterly bizzare trip to a restaurant, an equally odd practise MMA session and a trip to a ‘hospital’ themed club. Some of the situations bordered on slap-stick farce which may have been the intention but it didn’t work for me.
The over the top unbelievable part of this book is not what made me dislike it the most, it was the characters that get that honour.
Essentially Makayla is just one massive Mary Sue. She is portrayed as a normal girl but in fact she is just quirkily perfect at everything she does and all men appear to adore her. I found her quite wishy washy and useless. She floats through life making no real decisions, making no real move to look after herself and then wonders how it all went wrong. She lets people walk all over her especially Max. I found very little to like about her at all.
Max was even worse. I actually hated him. He was a pushy and aggressive jerk who head-butted his way into Makayla’s life and takes control. He follows all her movements, dictates who she should see and not see and is just generally ridiculously possessive. It is yet another one of those bored and troubled millionaire seeks controllable and vulnerable female stories that I cannot stand. (The blurb didn’t mention anything that would make me think it was one of those types of story otherwise I would have stayed away.) It is as though being rich gives him the right to be a total prat. Here are some quotes and examples of his prattyness.
“Makayla: We all need our privacy.
Max: Not you. Not from me.”
“Sometimes in the heat of the moment stop means go” (referring to sex)
He ties her up naked to a motorcycle in the middle of nowhere then walks off and leaves her all alone for five minutes because she didn’t follow his rules which made her angry, aroused (I can’t fathom this) and worse of all humiliated.
A right charmer isn’t he?
For me this is just another example of an unhealthy/borderline abusive relationship and judging by the popularity of those lately I am sure this will be very successful but it is not for me at all. I cannot as a book blogger and woman recommend this book.
The publisher provided me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
Against the ropes sounded great and I was really excited to read it but it turned out to be completely different to what I thought it would be and I really didn’t like it at all. I don’t really know where to start with this review as I feel like there is so much I want to say but I really hate to write purely negative reviews.
Makayla is struggling financially. She has a full time job but her student loan repayments are breaking her. Despite not wanting to (due to an aversion to violence) she agrees to work as a first aider at an underground MMA gym run by Torment aka Max. Despite reservations they start seeing each other.
From this point of this review will contain spoilers, it is not something I normally like to do but in order to fully explain why I disliked this book so much I have no other choice.
My main issues with this book were the characters, especially Max and the unrealisticness of the plot. Makayla’s situation is frankly ridiculous; it was so unbelievable that I just couldn’t take this book seriously at all. Makayla is essentially living in a hallway because she can’t afford anything else. Her job at the hospital sucks because her female superior is horrible all the time and keeps putting warnings in her file. Her best dude friend whom she works with and her other boss who is also male both has the hots for her, as does Torment and practically every single man she comes across in the whole book despite the fact that she is a girl next door with a muffin top, a fact that Makayla mentions often.
Then out of the blue she gets this phone call from a guy called Sergio (at least I think that was his name) who works for a company to get people to pay back their student loans. Sergio could have just as well been a Russia Mafioso from a bad B movie in the seventies, he was ridiculously unprofessional and unbelievable. He told Makayla that she was a liar, he threatened her, he flaunted the fact that he had lots of money and she didn’t whilst trying to charm her with little stories and funny jokes, because surprise, surprise Makayla is not like the people he normally talks to, she is special and sweet and I think he also had the hots for her.
There were other moments of sheer oddness like an utterly bizzare trip to a restaurant, an equally odd practise MMA session and a trip to a ‘hospital’ themed club. Some of the situations bordered on slap-stick farce which may have been the intention but it didn’t work for me.
The over the top unbelievable part of this book is not what made me dislike it the most, it was the characters that get that honour.
Essentially Makayla is just one massive Mary Sue. She is portrayed as a normal girl but in fact she is just quirkily perfect at everything she does and all men appear to adore her. I found her quite wishy washy and useless. She floats through life making no real decisions, making no real move to look after herself and then wonders how it all went wrong. She lets people walk all over her especially Max. I found very little to like about her at all.
Max was even worse. I actually hated him. He was a pushy and aggressive jerk who head-butted his way into Makayla’s life and takes control. He follows all her movements, dictates who she should see and not see and is just generally ridiculously possessive. It is yet another one of those bored and troubled millionaire seeks controllable and vulnerable female stories that I cannot stand. (The blurb didn’t mention anything that would make me think it was one of those types of story otherwise I would have stayed away.) It is as though being rich gives him the right to be a total prat. Here are some quotes and examples of his prattyness.
“Makayla: We all need our privacy.
Max: Not you. Not from me.”
“Sometimes in the heat of the moment stop means go” (referring to sex)
He ties her up naked to a motorcycle in the middle of nowhere then walks off and leaves her all alone for five minutes because she didn’t follow his rules which made her angry, aroused (I can’t fathom this) and worse of all humiliated.
A right charmer isn’t he?
For me this is just another example of an unhealthy/borderline abusive relationship and judging by the popularity of those lately I am sure this will be very successful but it is not for me at all. I cannot as a book blogger and woman recommend this book.
The publisher provided me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
December 2, 2014
DNF at 63%. I am a huge fan of romance novels with a fighter hero but this book left me seething with frustration. I just couldn't bring myself to read any more further with the whole "ice cream" thing. The first few chapters of the book got me hooked. But when I nearly reached the second half, I got fed up and it didn't work for me anymore. The hero was a complete asshole for Who would do such thing? Yeah, assholes. And the heroine was annoying and irritating as hell. Also, there were lots of unrealistic scenes and too much cheesy mushy lines were thrown between the two. But I still look forward to reading Jake and Amanda's story. I just hope their's would be a whole lot better and less disappointing than this one.
Read
May 20, 2020Against the Ropes is the first book in the Redemption series by Sarah Castille. It is the story of Max (Torment) and Makayla. I have a lot to say about this book...so the synopsis is going to be very short! Max is a billionaire MMA fighter...Makayla has a ton of student loans and is a little lost about where she wants to go in her life (oh and she has an aversion to blood/violence).
My thoughts:
Sorry if this review is going to read like mouth vomit...because I’m going to spew! Castille writes some of the best alpha males I have read...I was loving this book!!!!!...and then it just went stupid!
First off it annoyed me that Makayla was thinking about med school/ becoming a paramedic, but she had a weak stomach at the sight of blood. This was never even questioned. The reasons she hadn’t gone to medical school were money, and the years of school required. Umm HELLO!!! Is no one concerned someone that wants to be a paramedic or doctor gets sick/faints @ the sight of blood??
Then I get the fighter thing...no problem, but I hated the underground club that allowed weapons. Im sure this does go on, but it was ignorant. People were beating people with keyboards, a printer (im sorry multiple use machine...printer, copier, and fax in one). The main character is in a fight where he is brandishing a bat and his opponent a lead pipe? Stupid! At that point, who cares what fighting skills you have….I could win a fight to with a god damn pipe!
My last point of contention with this book...and it is a big one!!...is Torment’s fight with “The Pulverizer”!!!! Ok...I don’t care what the rules of conduct are and the not tapping out crap….I don’t believe the other men @ Redemption would just stand around and watch Torment be (literally) beat to death because he didn’t “tap out”. Thems the rules kid...bullsh**!!! EVEN MORE UNBELIVEABLE is that this group of men...some of the most alpha/protective males I have ever read about would allow….one... Makayla to get into the ring to stop a man physically...a man referred to as a goliath no less (not that that really matters)…..and then the man throws her not once but twice, and still Torments friends STILL do nothing to help??!!! Again, I call BS, BS, BS, and yes more BS!!!!
Aww….god do I feel better!!!!!!!!!!!
After all that...im still conflicted...because I can’t stress enough w/o these absurdities I mentioned...this author writes some of the best contemporary romances with alpha men I have ever read!! Oh...I have one more thing!! I did read...and I don’t think I will be writing a review on the 3rd book in this series....Fighting Attraction...it was the same way....I LOVED it and then BAM...she took it to a place I HATED!!!! It is not even worth me reviewing. Please do not go into this one blind!!!!....It has extreme violence and the main guy...is a sadist...seriously ya’ll....it was a lot to stomach!! Everybody has the right to their opinion, and the freedom to express it....and that is mine!!!! I’m sure there are people who loved it!!! And I say good for them...im glad they enjoyed it....BUT IT WAS NOT FOR ME!!!!!!!!!!
I don’t know if I would recommend….just consider all of these above mentioned things...and if they are not a deal breaker...then you SHOULD TOTALLY check out this series!
My thoughts:
Sorry if this review is going to read like mouth vomit...because I’m going to spew! Castille writes some of the best alpha males I have read...I was loving this book!!!!!...and then it just went stupid!
First off it annoyed me that Makayla was thinking about med school/ becoming a paramedic, but she had a weak stomach at the sight of blood. This was never even questioned. The reasons she hadn’t gone to medical school were money, and the years of school required. Umm HELLO!!! Is no one concerned someone that wants to be a paramedic or doctor gets sick/faints @ the sight of blood??
Then I get the fighter thing...no problem, but I hated the underground club that allowed weapons. Im sure this does go on, but it was ignorant. People were beating people with keyboards, a printer (im sorry multiple use machine...printer, copier, and fax in one). The main character is in a fight where he is brandishing a bat and his opponent a lead pipe? Stupid! At that point, who cares what fighting skills you have….I could win a fight to with a god damn pipe!
My last point of contention with this book...and it is a big one!!...is Torment’s fight with “The Pulverizer”!!!! Ok...I don’t care what the rules of conduct are and the not tapping out crap….I don’t believe the other men @ Redemption would just stand around and watch Torment be (literally) beat to death because he didn’t “tap out”. Thems the rules kid...bullsh**!!! EVEN MORE UNBELIVEABLE is that this group of men...some of the most alpha/protective males I have ever read about would allow….one... Makayla to get into the ring to stop a man physically...a man referred to as a goliath no less (not that that really matters)…..and then the man throws her not once but twice, and still Torments friends STILL do nothing to help??!!! Again, I call BS, BS, BS, and yes more BS!!!!
Aww….god do I feel better!!!!!!!!!!!
After all that...im still conflicted...because I can’t stress enough w/o these absurdities I mentioned...this author writes some of the best contemporary romances with alpha men I have ever read!! Oh...I have one more thing!! I did read...and I don’t think I will be writing a review on the 3rd book in this series....Fighting Attraction...it was the same way....I LOVED it and then BAM...she took it to a place I HATED!!!! It is not even worth me reviewing. Please do not go into this one blind!!!!....It has extreme violence and the main guy...is a sadist...seriously ya’ll....it was a lot to stomach!! Everybody has the right to their opinion, and the freedom to express it....and that is mine!!!! I’m sure there are people who loved it!!! And I say good for them...im glad they enjoyed it....BUT IT WAS NOT FOR ME!!!!!!!!!!
I don’t know if I would recommend….just consider all of these above mentioned things...and if they are not a deal breaker...then you SHOULD TOTALLY check out this series!
September 16, 2013
3.75-4 Stars
Fight terms skitter through my brain. Naked. Back. Rear. Mount. Submission. Dominant. Pound.
If you didn’t know why I love reading MMA books, just read the above quote and you’ll automatically know the reason. Nice right? Reading those words, you know that anyone with a perverted mind, like me, would automatically think dirty things.
I was browsing through my Kindle when I came across this impromptu purchase I made a bit ago. I figured, meh! Why not give it a go? I love MMA Heroes! So here I am, and I wasn’t disappointed.
My pulse pound so hard I can barely hear them over the rush of blood through my veins. This is sports. It has nothing to do with sex. Sports. Sports. Sports.
Torment puts his hand on my shoulder. “Lie on your back, hands over your head, legs apart.”
Sex.
Makayla (Mac) is at a crossroads in her life. She doesn’t really know what direction her life is taking, especially in the career department. She’s behind in her student loan and she needs money stat. That’s the reason why we first find her at a seedy fight club selling tickets to an underground fight, though she does have a strong aversion to violence. This is where her life changes. This is where she meets the club’s owner, Torment.
“Everything you do overwhelms me. You’re big. You’re strong. You’re covered in incredible tattoos. You ride a monster motorcycle. You have a tendency to glare and shout and stomp around when things don’t go your way. You’re bossy and controlling. You take overprotectiveness to the extreme. But even with all that, I think I can handle you.”
Max, aka Torment, is intrigued when he first meets Mac. She’s a bit of a whirlwind to be honest. He wants to find out more about her. When he finds out she was once a medical school student with an EMT background, it presents the perfect opportunity for him to see more of Mac. So he offers her a part time job as the club’s medic.
Mac is bombarded with a lot of emotions when she’s around Max. It’s no secret the man is sex on a stick, but the more she finds out about him, the more her feelings are conflicted. Max lives in a world of violence. With the type of past she has, she definitely doesn’t need a guy like him. Unfortunately her heart and her libido makes it hard for her to stay away. But will Max’s overprotectiveness and controlling ways be too much to handle?
“He upset you. He’s lucky to be standing. No one will hurt you when I’m around…in any way.”
This was a very fast and enjoyable read. You guys know I’m a sucker for strong Alpha males, and Max fit the bill perfectly. I really liked Max and Mac’s characters. Mac was very likeable and as for Max, well he’s just plain ole sexy. Their chemistry is pretty hot and you guys know I love steam. As an extra bonus, the setting of the book took place in the Bay Area, so I really enjoyed that aspect as well. I definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a fast, steamy MMA-themed book.
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Blog: www.sweetspotbookblog.com
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Twitter:@thessamari
Fight terms skitter through my brain. Naked. Back. Rear. Mount. Submission. Dominant. Pound.
If you didn’t know why I love reading MMA books, just read the above quote and you’ll automatically know the reason. Nice right? Reading those words, you know that anyone with a perverted mind, like me, would automatically think dirty things.
I was browsing through my Kindle when I came across this impromptu purchase I made a bit ago. I figured, meh! Why not give it a go? I love MMA Heroes! So here I am, and I wasn’t disappointed.
My pulse pound so hard I can barely hear them over the rush of blood through my veins. This is sports. It has nothing to do with sex. Sports. Sports. Sports.
Torment puts his hand on my shoulder. “Lie on your back, hands over your head, legs apart.”
Sex.
Makayla (Mac) is at a crossroads in her life. She doesn’t really know what direction her life is taking, especially in the career department. She’s behind in her student loan and she needs money stat. That’s the reason why we first find her at a seedy fight club selling tickets to an underground fight, though she does have a strong aversion to violence. This is where her life changes. This is where she meets the club’s owner, Torment.
“Everything you do overwhelms me. You’re big. You’re strong. You’re covered in incredible tattoos. You ride a monster motorcycle. You have a tendency to glare and shout and stomp around when things don’t go your way. You’re bossy and controlling. You take overprotectiveness to the extreme. But even with all that, I think I can handle you.”
Max, aka Torment, is intrigued when he first meets Mac. She’s a bit of a whirlwind to be honest. He wants to find out more about her. When he finds out she was once a medical school student with an EMT background, it presents the perfect opportunity for him to see more of Mac. So he offers her a part time job as the club’s medic.
Mac is bombarded with a lot of emotions when she’s around Max. It’s no secret the man is sex on a stick, but the more she finds out about him, the more her feelings are conflicted. Max lives in a world of violence. With the type of past she has, she definitely doesn’t need a guy like him. Unfortunately her heart and her libido makes it hard for her to stay away. But will Max’s overprotectiveness and controlling ways be too much to handle?
“He upset you. He’s lucky to be standing. No one will hurt you when I’m around…in any way.”
This was a very fast and enjoyable read. You guys know I’m a sucker for strong Alpha males, and Max fit the bill perfectly. I really liked Max and Mac’s characters. Mac was very likeable and as for Max, well he’s just plain ole sexy. Their chemistry is pretty hot and you guys know I love steam. As an extra bonus, the setting of the book took place in the Bay Area, so I really enjoyed that aspect as well. I definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a fast, steamy MMA-themed book.
-----
♥♥♥ FOLLOW ME ♥♥♥
Blog: www.sweetspotbookblog.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/SweetSpotBookBlog
Twitter:@thessamari
August 10, 2016
Starting with the cover… it’s hot and definitely will attract readers to this book. I stewed about this review, because if not for the need to review it, I wouldn’t have finished it.
I thought the premise was good, but that the book lacked originality. It seems to be a combination of a lot of popular books out right now, but done as a parody. Unfortunately I felt no connection to the characters, and I had issues with the connection between the characters as well. The story could have been strengthened with a dual POV, because it would have rounded out the characters better for the author. Instead this is done from only Mac’s POV, and I’m afraid she was not only terribly annoying, but that the author struggled with consistency in her character. I hate to say it, but the plot has some major issues. I couldn’t imagine an EMT that was pre-med having an issue with blood or with someone being hurt. Then we have the cliché moments such as the millionaire dressing her up for dinner or the symphony night when she is told how she doesn’t fit in his world. The forced conflict in the story with the debit collector was what pushed this into the absolutely ridiculous category for me. It was completely unbelievable that a debit collector for an education loan would act like that, and made it seem more like the mob was after her. I’m sorry but that aspect needed better research, because I have student loans and no collector has ever behaved like that. This book definitely pushed into the slap-stick farce territory, which I don’t think was the author’s intent. The over the top scenes like at the restaurant for their third date where they played dress up, the uncomfortable lunch with Dr. Drake, and the weird themed hospital club that just happened to be around the corner from the hospital she worked were all evidence of this. In fairness, the sex scenes were really good, but I think the BDSM elements should have been removed. This was another area where it seemed forced, and not very well researched.
Overall, I think that the author struggled with her writing mechanics, but that she does have a good voice with the potential to make this story much better with some heavy editing.
*I received a review copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review*
I thought the premise was good, but that the book lacked originality. It seems to be a combination of a lot of popular books out right now, but done as a parody. Unfortunately I felt no connection to the characters, and I had issues with the connection between the characters as well. The story could have been strengthened with a dual POV, because it would have rounded out the characters better for the author. Instead this is done from only Mac’s POV, and I’m afraid she was not only terribly annoying, but that the author struggled with consistency in her character. I hate to say it, but the plot has some major issues. I couldn’t imagine an EMT that was pre-med having an issue with blood or with someone being hurt. Then we have the cliché moments such as the millionaire dressing her up for dinner or the symphony night when she is told how she doesn’t fit in his world. The forced conflict in the story with the debit collector was what pushed this into the absolutely ridiculous category for me. It was completely unbelievable that a debit collector for an education loan would act like that, and made it seem more like the mob was after her. I’m sorry but that aspect needed better research, because I have student loans and no collector has ever behaved like that. This book definitely pushed into the slap-stick farce territory, which I don’t think was the author’s intent. The over the top scenes like at the restaurant for their third date where they played dress up, the uncomfortable lunch with Dr. Drake, and the weird themed hospital club that just happened to be around the corner from the hospital she worked were all evidence of this. In fairness, the sex scenes were really good, but I think the BDSM elements should have been removed. This was another area where it seemed forced, and not very well researched.
Overall, I think that the author struggled with her writing mechanics, but that she does have a good voice with the potential to make this story much better with some heavy editing.
*I received a review copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review*
January 18, 2016
Spoiler Ahead This was a really good book that I would have given 5 stars if the sex scenes would have started sooner than chapter 15. Makayla Delaney "Mak" as her friends called her went to an underground MMA fighting gym called Redemption with her best friend Amanda so she can hook up with Jake a member and fighter at the gym when she runs into Max "Torment" Huntington who is the owner of the gym. Torment is a rich playboy who doesn't tell her who he is at first. I really liked the main character's in this book although Mak acts like a scared cat. I also liked the secondary character's like Amanda and Rampage, Homicide Hank, Blade Saw, and Obsidian. The gym needs a medical person and since Mak is volunteers EMT she agrees to help. Mak has some money problems debt collectors are calling her threating her so she agrees to work at the gym she has a supervisor from hell and a boss who is trying to get into her pants and she is too proud to ask for help. After Max visits her at home and sees the house she is living in she gets an upgrade and her own apartment paying the same rent. As she and Max date she gets to see a different side of him and when she finds out who is really is she is hurt and unsure that she fits into his world. Each one of them have childhood issues that cause problems for them both Mak is not sure she can trust Max not to hurt her and he needs her to trust him to not hurt her Max just wants to keep her safe although she doesn't listen to him. The sex scenes were good although he ties her to his motorcycle she freaks out about. I just wished that it would have started before chapter 15. This was a really book that I listened to on audio the narrator was very good. This was my first time reading or listening to this author and this is a new series to me and I am looking forward to listening to the next book.
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