The Brick Yard

What's His Passion?

by Carol Lynne

For Lucky Gunn, the hardest fight of his life happens outside the cage.

On the south side of Chicago sits an old gym called The Brick Yard.

Ten years ago, on a bitterly cold day, Lucky Gunn wandered into The Brick Yard dressed in a threadbare jacket, looking for refuge. He hadn’t expected the owner, Tony Brick, to welcome him with a job and a place to sleep when Lucky’s abusive and drug addicted mother made it too dangerous to return home.

Dray was a gay man living in a world of straight fighters. When his secret was exposed to the media, he dropped out, giving Lucky a piece of advice, if you want to make it as a MMA fighter, bury the part of yourself that won’t be accepted.

Lucky discovered the cage was the perfect place to keep his demons at bay, but when he learns his trainer and mentor, Brick, is suffering from end-stage cancer, he begins to spiral out of control. After eight years, Dray returns to help Lucky and Brick deal with the devastating news.

With Dray so close, Lucky’s old desires return, and Dray teaches him more than how to fight. Torn between his career and the passion he feels for Dray, Lucky finds that his past demons resurface in full force, threatening his sanity and his budding relationship with Dray.

Despite leaving the cage years earlier, Dray finds himself in the battle of his life with the only man he’s ever loved. Will he stand and fight or walk away like he did years earlier?

Genres: M M Romance, Contemporary, Sports, Romance, Abuse, LGBT, Friends To Lovers

172 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 3, 2014

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

erotic & gay romances

Reviews

[~Mindy Lynn~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

*** ARC provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***

There may be spoilers ahead. Ye have been warned!

4.5*

Lucky is a complicated character with a lot of issues sustaining from the abuse he undertook as a child/preteen. His saving grace of surviving came from a man named, Brick. Brick owns a MMA club called The Brick Yard. He see's the young Lucky looking in his windows often but he never comes in. On a especially cold day he invites the boy in and notices his bruises, how skinny he is, and how tattered his shoes and clothes are. He tells Lucky he is welcomed to come in any time and even offers him a job of cleaning up the gym. Lucky is eager to please and agrees. From here on out the relationship between these two grow into a type of father son relationship. Brick and the gym is Lucky's safe place. When Lucky becomes older Brick starts training him for the MMA. Lucky is scary good. He fights with no emotion and can care less about the fans response to him because it's not about them. For Lucky it's all about the pain and the fight. He needs it. He doesn't win for him, but for Brick.
The abuse he went through with his addict mother and her long string of boyfriends have mentally, physically, and emotionally changed Lucky and how he deals with things. To say how he handles things would be giving too much away so I will just say that it's sad and heartbreaking the things his mother did to him and how Lucky still lets her influence his reactions.
Dray is another young man that Brick brought in and saved. He trained Dray and he became quite the fighter with a bright future ahead of him. But being gay and a fighter was something Dray was struggling with and he unfortunately trusted and fell in love with the wrong man. His boyfriend Vince tries hard to convince Dray to come out. Dray refuses knowing he would lose his fans and his future in the MMA were he had finally made it to. He had worked hard and gave up a lot to get where he was to finally be able to take care of his mother and brother. So there is no way he wants to risk coming out. Unfortunately that choice is taken outta his hands when pictures surface of him and Vince being intimate. Of course he knows right away that Vince is the culprit. Dray is devastated and is correct in his predictions when fans turn on him and people start to pull their support for him. Instead of staying and fighting for his career he runs. Before leaving he tells Lucky to never trust a man and to bury that part of himself.
Years later Lucky is an up and coming fighter and Dray is a tattoo artist living in Kansas. They didn't keep in touch but through Brick Dray has been receiving tapes of Lucky's fights and finds himself being attracted to the younger man. Lucky always had a crush on Dray but let it go when the man ran for Kansas. But soon they are brought back together with the news of their mentor and savior has been diagnosed with cancer and has a short lifespan left.
There are many ups and downs that these two men face during their budding relationship. Dray has many walls to climb over to get to Lucky, but when he gets there is so damn beautiful. Lucky is a hard man to get through to. He's not use to being loved. He ins't used to being held. He isn't use to being cared for. So letting Dray be that person is a fight but one he's willing to lose if just to have him.
The death of Brick is hard on a lot of people. But none more harder than it was on Lucky. It was really heartbreaking reading about it. I totally bawled.
The relationship Lucky and Dray have came off very real. Not many do. But their struggles were real. Their pain bled off the pages as did their love. I liked that Dray was strong enough for Lucky and got him to get help. I loved that they continued Brick's work of helping kids. I really loved what they did with The Brick Yard. What they were able to accomplish was amazing. Truly inspiring.
This wasn't an easy read by far. But it was a rewarding one. I liked that it surprised me and surpassed what I had thought it'd be. I look forward to the next book.
I know this is story about Lucky and Dray. But the star of this book for me was, Brick. Well, he's more the hero. I was in awe of this growly stubborn man. He changed the lives of many. He saved them and gave them a safe place and continued doing it until he gave his last breath. He is the kind of character I find inspiring and love reading about.

Give this a read dolls! xx

Happy reading!

[~Mandi~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fighter
Carol Lynne
5 ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Such an awesome story!!! This was such an emotional read. It wasn't what I was expecting at all. Not your typical MMA fighter book.
This one touched on so many real life issues.

On the South Side of Chicago sits an old gym called The Brick Yard.

Ten years ago, on a bitterly cold day, Lucky Gunn wandered into The Brick Yard dressed in a threadbare jacket, looking for refuge. He hadn't expected the owner, Tony Brick, to welcome him with a job and a place to sleep when Lucky's abusive and drug-addicted mother made it too dangerous to return home.

Dray was a gay man living in a world of straight fighters. When his secret was exposed to the media, he dropped out, giving Lucky a piece of advice-if you want to make it as a MMA fighter, bury the part of yourself that won't be accepted.

Lucky discovered the cage was the perfect place to keep his demons at bay, but when he learns his trainer and mentor, Brick, is suffering from end-stage cancer, he begins to spiral out of control. After eight years, Dray returns to help Lucky and Brick deal with the devastating news.

With Dray so close, Lucky's old desires return, and Dray teaches him more than how to fight. Torn between his career and the passion he feels for Dray, Lucky's past demons resurface in full force, threatening his sanity and his budding relationship with Dray.

Despite leaving the cage years earlier, Dray finds himself in the battle of his life with the only man he's ever loved. Will he stand and fight or walk away like he did years earlier?

This is a m/m romance but has a great storyline everyone over 18 would enjoy.

Thanks NetGalley for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

[Dia · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,25 stars

I plan on writing my feelings towards this book and will be completely honest, so I have to mention my review contains some spoilers.

This is my first book by Carol Lynne.
I think the blurb gives us too much information about the characters and this story. Lucky, Dray, Brick, their roles are revealed from the start and not many things surprised me here, unfortunately.

I really enjoyed the first half of the book. The beginning was heartbreaking though.
Lucky is a frightened boy, searching for food in the garbage because his drug addicted mother didn't bother to feed him. Growing up he was beaten by her and her temporary boyfriends. His only salvation was Brick, who brought Lucky into The Brick Yard - his fighting gym. Lucky got a job and a safe place to sleep. His life changed because of Brick and this warmed my heart.

Dray had a lot of problems of his own and a family to feed. His only goal was to become a successful MMA fighter. But when his personal life was revealed, being gay in a world of fighters ended his career. Or he did that when he chose to run away and broke Lucky's heart, even if they weren't close. Lucky was attracted to Dray, but it seemed to be only a teenager's crush.

After 8 years, Dray comes back to Chicago to help Lucky deal with Brick's devastating news. He has cancer and only a few weeks to live. This broke my heart because I got to love Brick.

BUT my biggest problem with this story would be Dray's attitude towards Lucky. I rolled my eyes A LOT while reading all the sweet talk and well I think it didn't suit this story or the characters. I mean, this story felt real and was really soul wrenching at times, so the sugary sweet talk didn't make sense to me.

I get it, Lucky is still attracted to Dray, after all these years. But Dray falling in love with Lucky by only watching some tapes of him fighting felt unreal. And also, what was that all about wanting to get Lucky's name tattooed over his heart, even before meeting him again and after mentioning how sacred that place was for him?! (He was all covered in ink, but only the place above his heart was untouched because it was special to him)

Unfortunately the last chapters got me a little bored and as much as I usually love epilogues, I didn't really love this one. It felt unnecessary to me.

Overall this story had a lot of action, not too many fighting scenes, enough hot ones and it ended on a positive note. The characters felt real to a point.

Copy kindly provided by the Publisher - The Totally Entwined Group, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

[Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars – When I read the blurb for Carol Lynne’s Fighter, I almost passed it up, not because it sounds angsty (it definitely does, and the book itself certainly is), but because I worried that there were so many sources of angst that I would find it overdone. But the thought of how well such angst might translate into heat and passion between a pair of mixed martial arts (MMA) fighters was too much for me to ignore. Overall, this turned out to be a compelling read, though, perhaps surprisingly, I enjoyed it more for the story than for the pairing.

To say that Lucky Gunn’s childhood in Chicago was rough is an understatement. Home consisted of an abusive, drug-addicted mother and a revolving door of mostly losers and junkies she used and slept with to get money for more. It was a place where Lucky had to be the grown-up from a very young age, or they would have been out on the street. On a frigid winter day, Lucky seeks refuge at a gym called The Brick Yard, a place that becomes a safe haven for him, and the owner, who goes by Brick, quickly becomes a father figure for the boy. Dray Cruz was the most successful fighter to come out of The Brick Yard and had quite a following in the UFC until his closeted homosexuality was revealed to the hypermasculine world of MMA fighting. Stung by the betrayal and the negative reaction by his fans, he quits fighting and leaves Chicago so as not to tarnish The Brick Yard’s reputation further, a fact that left a then-teenaged Lucky scarred over losing his crush and learning the lesson to keep his own sexuality hidden. As Lucky grew up, he discovered fighting helped him deal with his troubled youth and his attraction to men, but when Dray returns nearly a decade later to help Lucky deal with The Brick Yard upon the news of Brick’s terminal illness, all Lucky’s demons come back to haunt him, threatening to destroy more than just himself.

See what I mean? Lots of angst from lots of different places. It needs to be noted first that there are a couple of potential triggers in this book, both of which I’ve hinted at already: if imagery/memories of past child abuse or if you are bothered by the death of a prominent (in this case, secondary) character, you might want to pass on Fighter. With that out of the way, I will say that the story lives up to its potential for emotional drama without being over-the-top. In Lucky’s case, yes, there is a lot of it—almost too much, really—and it keeps piling on, but it all goes toward explaining why he behaves the way he does. Dray, too, has some demons, but they really only manifest themselves in his desire not to be the cause of Lucky being outed while he’s fighting. The big reveals in the book all worked toward keeping me in the story and making me pull for the characters to succeed.

The story contains a plethora of secondary characters that tie back to the gym owner in some way, but it’s more than just a community feel, it’s essentially a family. For fear of spoiling some of the plot, I will refrain from delving into it more deeply, but for the most part, the author is successful in handling this during her storytelling. Unfortunately, there are times where it felt like the author had too many side things going on that while they served to move the plot forward, they weren’t all necessarily very well tied up by the end of the story—both Lucky’s mother and Dray’s family, for example, felt like unfinished stories. It’s possible, I suppose, that these storylines could come back in future books of the series in order to allow the author to bring Lucky and Dray back as secondary characters who actually have a point to the plot, but time will tell. And even if they aren’t, this is just a small complaint on my part.

There is one other big concern I had while reading the book. While I liked both Lucky and Dray as characters, had no trouble understanding why they were attracted to each other, and generally felt the connection between them, the intimate scenes between them were disappointing overall. With all the angst—and especially because they’re fighters!—I was expecting the sex scenes to be a way for them to release some of these heavy emotions, and that they would be hot-as-fuck doing so together. But the potential never translated to the page, in my opinion. The scenes were often short and never set the page on fire. We’re talking hunky, aggressive men in a romance…gotta gimme the goods and make it smutty! Perhaps I’m being a little harsh, but this fact is what kept the novel from being up there among the best I’ve read.

Fighter is my first exposure to Carol Lynne’s writing. In spite of what I felt was the missed potential to make the novel truly sizzle, the plot carried the story enough to keep me reading and enjoying it. The final 15% of the novel really does a great job setting the story up for at least one additional story, and it’s one I look forward to.

The author and/or publisher generously provided me a complimentary copy of Fighter in exchange for this fair and honest review.

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[Debra ~~ seriously slacking on her reviews ~~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I have read by Carol Lynne and it completely took me by surprise. While the romance between Lucky and Dray is often sweet and tender, the book does not sugar coat the harsh realities of Lucky’s life or the gut wrenching loss the men are experiencing with the illness of their friend and mentor Brick. In this story Lucky needs to come to terms with his real motivation behind his fights and the damage done by his abusive, junkie of a mother, as well as opening up the doors on his long hidden sexuality, all while trying to keep himself together for the sake of the man who has been his father figure and savior.

Lucky’s life was saved the day he walked into the Brick Yard training gym as an abused and neglected teenager. There he found shelter, food, a job and the support of its owner, Brick, who became the closest thing to a real parent he’d ever have. At the time, Dray was working his way up the ranks as an MMA fighter and Lucky not only admired him, but also nursed a crush on him. When a vengeful lover throws Dray’s career into chaos, he chooses to leave rather than fight it. His last piece of advice to Lucky, “Sex, no matter who with, isn’t worth giving up your dreams for”, and Lucky’s disdain for the fans who turned their back on Dray, colored his decisions and ability to move up in his sport. Years later, Dray returns to help Lucky care for Brick and despite his intentions to keep a distance between Lucky and himself, he soon finds he can’t resist helping and loving Lucky, who has been more broken by life than Dray could have imagined.

The book is beautifully written and the love between Dray and Lucky flowed naturally. The stories of the boys Brick has taken under his wing over the years was heartbreaking yet inspiring. Lucky faces a number of struggles due to the severe abuse he suffered as a child and it was difficult to read at times, but it was rewarding to see him slowly open up to those that offered him support and saw him as a better man than he believed himself to be. I highly recommend this book.

An ARC of the book was kindly provided by the publisher for an honest review.

[Gigi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another "no" for me. I'll try to review later, but this one wasn't for me. Not enough passion and too much misery.

[JustJen "Miss Conduct" · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 star review by The Blogger Girlst.

This is, by far, my favorite book by this Ms. Lynne to date. I had a good feeling about it from the blurb, and I was not disappointed.

The Brick Yard is a gym run by a man who takes less fortunate young guys under his wing, giving them second chances. He provides them with a place to stay, giving them small jobs to pay them for. He also trains MMA fighters. Dray was one of the earlier guys Brick took in. He had a promising career as one of the top fighters. When Dray was outed at the height of his MMA career, believing he could not be successful in the UFC without the support of his fans and believing there was no way he would have that support as a gay fighter, he quit and left town.

Meanwhile, at this same time, Lucky was a young guy Brick took in who was down on his luck. His mother was a drug addict, now incarcerated, and he didn’t know his father. He suffered a lot of abuse from his mom and her drug dealer boyfriends. To say he was a bit screwed up is putting it lightly. His mom really did a number on him, to the point where he was self-harming to punish himself.

Fast forward a few years and Lucky is the up and coming fighter. Following the advise Dray gave him all those years before, he stays deep in the closet. Dray and Lucky are brought back together when Brick asks Dray to mentor Lucky about his fighting. They learn Brick is suffering from cancer and what ensues is one of the main heartbreaking parts of this story.

This story is chock full of emotions as the guys give in to their feelings and desires. They fight for what the want with what they think is best, both with regards to fighting and with dealing with the inevitable loss of Brick. I loved the struggles these men faced. There were underlying issues concerning Lucky’s self-harming and dealing with the aftermath of his youth, all of which were really well done. Both men have to deal with the different reasons they fight, what losing that means to them and what is really important.

I loved how these guys turned their lives around to make things work and was happy to see them carry on Brick’s legacy of paying it forward to the youth. This was just beautifully written, and I was turning pages very quickly and really didn’t want to see this end. While there are a lot of heartbreaking and emotional issues discussed, getting to the end is well worth it.

[Kim Alan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I was surprised by the scope of this book. I wasn’t expecting it, and I wasn’t expecting the darkness in it. Lucky and Dray and the handful of other boys to come through the doors of Brick’s place were all in need of a savior, none of them more so than Lucky. His was a truly horrific home life that he continually fought, physically, mentally, emotionally. Brick, for all his gruff orneriness, was that savior. He offered a safe haven while giving the boys purpose and a feeling of belonging and acceptance that they hadn’t gotten probably ever before.

Dray was very likely on his way to major success as a MMA fighter when he was outed – betrayed and broken by a man he’d made the mistake of trusting. Running, he left Brick and Lucky to start his own life. And he was doing fine right up until he was reacquainted – albeit from a distance – to a new, grown, very appealing Lucky. Determined to bring no harm, even by association, to Lucky, Dray kept his distance. That worked right up until Brick’s illness called him home.

As an aside – I was both dismayed and pleased with the way the author handled Brick’s illness. Cancer is ugly. It’s extremely ugly, and having experienced the death of someone with this very same cancer, I am so often finding myself disgusted (while secretly relieved) at the smooth glossing over of the disease in books. Carol Lynne didn’t do that. Some (who haven’t experienced it) may read it and think she deliberately made it harsh and scary and ugly, but I can tell you it wasn’t exaggerated. The author has either been there, or she talked to the right people and did her research. And while I respect and appreciate that, it made this a difficult read for me personally that I might have (okay, I would have) avoided had I known beforehand.

But the romance … the romance was rather gorgeous in the face of tragic pasts and painful histories and scary, horrible present days. Lucky was pretty much well and truly messed up, but Dray was not about to give up. He was determined to make Lucky see that he was loved, and that he was good, and that others saw the good in him. That he had value and something to offer others that was needed. Not an easy task, (Lucky was so very damaged) but well worth it in the end. Kind of like the story itself.

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This might be the best book by Carol Lynne that I've read, yet. The entire story pulled me in and kept me going, never looking away, not even once. Lucky broke my heart from all the suffering he survived at the hands of his mom. I fell in love with Brick for the man he was, and all the homeless boys he helped. Dray turned out to be so much more than I thought he'd be.
Watching these two shattered men come together, to love, and to build a life to continue to care for kids the way Brick did, was wonderful. The only problem? I'd love to see more in this world.

“When a great man dies, for years the light he leaves behind him, lies on the paths of men.” ~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

[Jacque · Rating 5 out of 5]

I very stupidly started reading Fighter in the evening thinking I'd get a chapter or two in before going to bed. Oh no! What was I thinking! Had I known I'd be up until 4am sobbing over this book I definitely would have waited until the morning. Instead, I read it all in one sitting and have such the book hangover now. And here is why.

Lucky and Dray. Oh my gosh, where do I begin. let's start with Dray. He is an up and coming MMA fighter who was in the closet. That is until he was betrayed by his (Bleep) of a boyfriend and his secret was revealed. Dray couldn't handle it and ran, away from The Brickyard, from fighting, from his life. Lucky has had it rough from day one. His mom was a crack whore, and who knew who is father was. From a painfully young age, Lucky had been taking care of himself any way he could. Dumpster diving for food and clothing, staying away from his mom's constantly revolving 'boyfriends'. Until one cold Chicago day, while looking through The Brickyard's window, the owner invites him in offers him a job and a place to sleep.

The story pretty much follows along with how Lucky goes from being just this young kid Brick brings in from the street to an adult and now a MMA fighter. It's not a pretty story and it's very harsh and emotional. In all honesty, I was expecting Dray coming back one day, him and Lucky falling in love and BOOM end of story. I mean come on, I skimmed the blurb, knew this was going to be an M/M romance. Lucky's harsh up bring was as worse as it was going to get, right? WRONG!!! Nope, I missed the part in the blurb about Brick. Oh my gosh...BRICK! Brick, Lucky's mentor and savior, is suffering from end-stage cancer. My heart is breaking all over again just thinking about it. Lucky reaches out to Dray to help him deal with it. Dray comes back and has to face the demons of the past so he can deal with the future and Brick's death.

Now at this point, you would think this would be enough pain for the story, right? Wrong again! Because now we get to be in Lucky's head, his pain, and everything he has truly endured and never told anyone. Author Carol Lynne has put such a gut wrench twist to his story that I would never have guessed, would have suspected, had me bawling. Her characters in this story from Lucky, to Brick, to Jax sucked me in, ripped my heart out and left me heartbroken. The ending is less than storybook perfect because, we are dealing with broken people, but yet is so beautiful. This book was well worth staying up all night to read and I would do it again in a heartbeat.


I received this book from the JeepDiva for the express purposes of an honest review. The opinions and rating of this review are solely mine.
Stars - 5, Flames - 3

[Ezi Chinny · Rating 4 out of 5]

★★★½ - ★★★★.
Lucky Gunn was a 17 year old who had been so neglected and abused by his meth addict mother that the gym owner Brick invited Lucky to come and stay in one of the small rooms in the gym. At least he wouldn't be walking around with all those bruises and Brick could make sure Lucky would get a meal.

At the gym, Brick Yard, their prized boxer Drayton Cruz was just outted as a gay man, he was quickly losing sponsors. Brick tried to smooth everything over but eventually Dray went into hiding and the boxing community's treatment of Dray left a huge impression on the young Lucky.

6 years later, Brick was diagnosed with stomach and lung cancer, and he couldn't train Lucky anymore. Brick invited Dray to train Lucky and get him to the heights that Dray once achieved. However Dray and Lucky were attracted to each other and that wouldn't be good for Lucky's career. They knew it would boil down to a choice, boxing or Dray.

This story was full of people who wanted to matter to someone else and have a safe place. While it had a lot of sad parts but a lot of understated kindness. Brick's impact in their community was subtle, and yet so significant. I also like how Mac and the people Brick helped tried to pay it forward. Lucky's mother was a horrible mother and I really think if Brick hadn't rescued Lucky, he would have died. Dray prior to Lucky was naive, but he really grew up after the outing incident.

I really took away the fact that people took responsibility for others even though they weren't related. Family bonds were forged by need and love, not by blood. It was nice to see people from a bad beginning reach for and find a helping hand on the road to peace and safety.

My only issue was the characters were underdeveloped and we could have used more background information on the main and secondary characters.

[Traci · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well I think I have read every Carol Lynne book out there and she is my "go to" or comfort read. I think I have read most of her series at least twice. This book is really not like any other one I have read, except maybe "scarred" in the cattle valley series. The Brick Yard is about "Lucky" an abused kid who is taken in by Brick, owner of a gym specializing in MMA. I would love to say this book is about just "Lucky", but it more about "Brick" who takes in lost boys or abused children off the street and gives them purpose or a chance. You see how "Brick" cranky, old, and barks touches or has touched so many lives. Each character has a tragic story of some sort. Some faults of others and some faults of their own. When Brick becomes ill, everybody's past, present, and future collide, but everyone comes together for Brick. I don't want to give away the story, but there is a "love story" in it, but it is more about the love and connection with Brick that makes this story so beautiful. This story touches on abuse, demons, self-discovery, humility, love, forgiveness, strength, and so much more. It is also about finding safety and security in the right places. This is not a long book, longer than most of her books, but it is a wonderful book. Read it, you will not be disappointed!

[Tamika♥RBF MOOD♥ · Rating 2 out of 5]

I should have went with my first mind and left well alone. The author decided to revise this book and make it a series now. A few years ago I really enjoyed it. Now, is different. It reads kinda slow, and the history between the characters doesn't seem substantial enough for the "Loved you for years trope". It doesn't have the same chemistry and magic when I first read it. I didn't really connect with the characters and felt like the characters weren't a hundred percent as involve together as such. I don't buy the sincerity of the attraction and it feels very disjointed. The story was choppy at times, and the transitions were horrible. I can't remember what I was thinking the first time around, but I did enjoy it. Not this time so much.

[Pinkie · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is the best book I've read from this author in quite awhile.

[Susan65 · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Blogger Girls

This was heartbreaking yet beautiful. Lucky, Dray, Jax, Lucas, and Mac…they all have a story, and they all have one thing in common…Brick…the owner of The Brick Yard, an old school gym. Sounds mundane but it’s anything but. Brick is also an older single man who never married…but he wasn’t lonely because he had his boys. Every one of his boys comes from a tragic beginning and their path to righteousness, hope, and success all starts from the moment Brick invites them inside his gym.

Brick was hard as nails, because he cared. And no one really knew everything the man did for so many until he was near the end of his life. Lucky and Dray were two of his very special boys, boys who grew past their demons, and grew into men that made Brick proud. But, the story, as much as it revolves around Brick, is really about the slow burning love affair between Lucky and Dray.

Lucky and Dray have a small age difference between, but that in no way took away from their relationship, and honestly, except for the very beginning when Lucky was very young, and Dray only saw him as a charity case of Brick’s, it was almost unnoticeable once they finally get together. Lucky, though, was always crushing on Dray. He was everything Lucky wanted to be and everything Lucky wanted in a man. Both were fighters, MMA cage fighters, both have many demons to overcome, and this book walks us through their process of putting those demons to bed, watching them learn to accept and love themselves (and each other), and paying it forward.

Truly, this was an amazing read and I look forward to seeing where the series goes from here. FYI, I made the mistake of reading the first chapter of the next story (I rarely do that as it just makes me want the next book, now!!!), and trust me when I say that story sounds like it’s going to be a thrilling follow up to this one.

[The Novel Approach · Rating 5 out of 5]

Carol Lynne has written so many different books it would seem that she has covered every sub-genre there is in M/M romance. I mean, there have been shifters, cowboys, bikers, poker players, and now MMA fighters. I am not usually a big fan of books with fighters, but it was Carol Lynne, so I decided I had to give this one a chance. Not only was the fighting handled well, but this story turned out to be simply amazing.

This book is filled with some very real, down to earth, gruff men who practice that old school version of tough love. I adored the MCs, Lucky and Dray, but Tony Brick really ends up being the star of this book. In a low income neighborhood in Chicago, Tony opened up a gym. You know the type of gym, where boxers train and fighters are born? Yeah, that’s what Tony has, not some gym full of treadmills and weight machines.

One other thing The Brick Yard provides is a little less known outside of his circle of friends. Tony has this habit of taking in kids who need a helping hand, a break from their abusive homes, or just a safe place to sleep. He had some partners in crime who helped him out also. Flint and Mac helped the kids out in their own way also.

Lucky Gunn was one of those boys who needed a safe place to sleep and a break from an abusive home. He started training with Tony when he was about sixteen years old, and he also put the storage room to good use when he needed a place to sleep. While training at The Brick Yard, Lucky watched Dray train and fight, and that was when he realized that not only was he gay but he was completely infatuated with Dray. When Dray’s sexual orientation is exposed, Dray quits fighting, quits the gym and leaves town. Lucky is devastated, but he holds Dray’s last piece of advice close to his heart for years, and it damn near costs him everything.

Due to the abuse Lucky suffered his entire childhood, he uses the cage as a way to vent his frustrations, and he uses Tony Brick as a surrogate father. When said father admits to having terminal cancer, Lucky reaches out to Dray for help, even though he hasn’t seen or spoken to the man in eight years. Dray loves Brick as much as Lucky does, so there is no way he can stay away if he is needed. He’s just going to have to figure out how to be around Lucky without ruining the man’s chances at a career in MMA the way Dray’s career was tanked when his own secret was revealed.

Dray tries his best to keep distance between himself and Lucky, but that doesn’t last for long. Soon they are involved, and Dray finds himself falling in love with Lucky. Lucky, however, has never had love and doesn’t know how to show it let alone recognize it. The closer Dray and Lucky get, the more Dray finds out about Lucky’s past and the more he realizes Lucky needs help. He knows it’s going to take a lot of work to get Lucky to do the right thing, but he also knows that it is going to be so worth it when Lucky decides to work through his issues.

Carol Lynne worked her magic with words yet again in this story. I found myself drawn in immediately, and I didn’t stop reading until the book was finished. Dray and Lucky were both damaged in their own ways, but they weren’t broken. Their healing came from more than one place, and that made it so much more believable for me. Lucky began to find his path by helping a young man who sought help at The Brick Yard, and Dray found his purpose through Lucky. There was no quick fix, no magical cupcake, or any of the other easy peasy things that we see so much of in books. These two men had to put in some blood, sweat, and tears to get to their happy ending, and it was a journey that I would take with them anytime.

[Aerin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fighter wasn't a bad book, but I certainly didn't love it. I think what bothered me the most is that I never felt like I was part of the story; the narration was cold and unaffected, unable to portray the emotions I felt the author was going for.

Lucky Gunn is a kid who's suffered a lot of abuse in his childhood and the only safe place he found is The Brick Yard, a gym where owner Brick dedicates his time training future UFC champions and giving troubled teens a safe heaven. Brick offers 8 year old Lucky a place to sleep and a job to keep the kid busy and off the streets. At the gym Lucky meets Dray, a talented fighter who's headed for the UFC, and Lucky can't help but admire and later crush hard on the handsome fighter.

Dray's career was destroyed overnight by his selfish boyfriend, who outed Drey to the media. The fan's encouragement and admiration is everything to Drey, and when the fans turn against him and don't accept his homosexuality, Drey gives up and runs away from Brick, the gym and everyone who's ever supported him.

Fast forward a few years and Lucky is all grown up now. He's also become a talented fighter who works hard, but who couldn't care less about pleasing his fans; Lucky loves to fight, whether he wins or not. Lucky is bisexual and he's kept his sexuality a secret for all these years by limiting his sexual experiences to girls only. Lucky still dreams about Drey, still thinks about him, even though they haven't kept in touch.

Drey can't escape his past no matter how much he tries and the tapes Brick's been sending him of Lucky fighting certainly don't help. At Brick's request, Drey and Lucky get in touch again and begin a friendship of sorts; Drey is in Kentucky and doesn't plan on returning to the gym, but when Brick suddenly gets sick, Dray's plans no longer matter and he rushes to help the one person who's always had his back.

So far so good, the book was interesting and somewhat engaging, but after Drey returns to the gym, it took a turn for the worse. Drey and Lucky's sudden chemistry was impossible to believe in, and Dray's sudden confession that he's been wanting Lucky for years was a huge dose of WTF. These two weren't even in touch, where the hell did Dray's pining for Lucky come from? There's no intensity, no sexual tension, nothing to blow my mind. They have sex together, but it might as well have been two strangers who had an itch to scratch with the lack of emotion these two showed for one another.

Brick's suffering and his death were the most emotional parts of this book; the whole inevitability of losing him made this book too dark, with an underlying sense of sadness that permeated every single part of this story.

I liked the idea of this book, I appreciate the direction the author had in mind, but unfortunately it didn't quite work for me.

[Gina Wilkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I've read by Carol Lynne, and what a great introduction for me. I typically don’t read Romance without paranormal, but this book was so touching, so loving that I did not miss it one bit.
I really liked how Carol starts off with a preview into Lucky Gunn’s terrible childhood and what he’s dealing with. Mainly his monster of a mother Alana. Lucky makes his way to The Brick Yard where he meets Brick the owner and Dray, a UFC fighter in his prime. Without spoiling anything, Dray‘s sexuality is pushed out to the public and his fans, prompting Dray to give Lucky a bit of advice for his own future fighting career.
In a somewhat homophobic atmosphere, the compassion and love that these men have for each other and their community is beyond inspiring. Even when Lucky’s mother tries to make her way back into Luck’y life after years of abuse and drug use, Dray, Lucky, Mac and Brick rally around Lucky to give him the support he needs.
The romance is there with Dray and Lucky, and it did not feel forced or insincere as some books can with main characters. It was SO sweet and very, very sexy. Both Dray and Lucky just possess traits that the other is lacking or needs help with, and they just fit together perfectly. It was beautiful.
The Brick Yard made me laugh, cry (yep it really did), and is wonderfully entangled with sexy moments that will make you swoon. I was most impressed with the progression through time The Brick Yard has. It doesn't just leave you stupefied at the end wondering “what happened after” or “where are they now” Carol Lynne gives you that and it is completely satisfying. I happily look forward to reading more by Carol Lynne.

[Joyfully Jay · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Joyfully Jay review.

4.5 stars

This is not the MMA story I was expecting, although the characters demonstrated the appropriate behaviors. These guys are so tough and not allowed to show their tender side, which sets up all of the conflicts between the characters, both main and secondary, and why Lucky continued to hide the truth about himself.

I have to say that the characters in The Brick Yard were extremely well developed and had good depth and they interacted with each other realistically. Lucky with his horrific past, Dray with his humiliation at being outed, and the many individuals that supported the story, such as Brick, truly felt like family — a big messed-up dysfunctional family, but family nonetheless.

There is a nice flow with the dialogue where the traditional “Flint said” is omitted and we are still able to follow the conversations easily and this gave the book a natural, organic feeling. The editing was top-notch and, although the book addressed many heavy topics, the story flowed really well and was easy to read. It was clear that the Brick Yard was a safe haven for young boys and men in need, and Lynne made sure to provide us with hints and information that showed the history of Tony Brick and the Brick Yard without making it seem like a narrative of the history up to the point the story takes place, a technique that worked beautifully and added to the realism of the story.

Read Jason’s review in its entirety here.

[Heller · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5

I wasn’t really feeling the UFC angle here and I guess I’d classify it more a MMA-lite story than anything. Although their world revolves around the fighting there just wasn’t enough details for me to really be invested in that aspect of the story . I also was surprised to see Dray leave that world he loved so desperately when he was outed without any kind of fight. I think length restrictions here impeded a lot of Dray’s history and character as the focus seemed to be more on Lucky.

I liked that the men knew each other when they were younger but the time jump that lead to Dray watching fight videos of Lucky and then crushing him didn’t really feel authentic. Although Lucky’s feelings for Dray when he was younger did translate well as he aged.

The men had some good chemistry but the relationship dynamics were a bit skewed because a kind of virulent jealousy reared its ugly head several times and that made me wonder if they have a strong foundation to build on. I did like the stories that were surrounding the MCs and their romance. A bit gritty and bittersweet but that worked for me. Their desire to help the man who was always there for them was touching. They, in turn, looking for ways to pay it forward within their community touched me as well.

Although it provided a hot and steady chemistry with interesting characters I found the pacing didn’t quite work for me and that combined with a few dropped threads (what happened with Dray’s farmhouse that he was stressing over?) and a shaky relationship foundation resulted in a read that didn’t engage me.

[S.M. Harshell · Rating 5 out of 5]

**I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.**

This is my second read from this author and I have to say she is quickly becoming a go to author.

Lucky is scared and confused. He was being neglected and abused by his drug using mother and her john's. He escapes to the protection of The Brick Yard, where Brick offers him a job and a place to sleep when he needs it. Lucky knew from a young age he was looking at men differently. When he over hears Dray, the top fighter in the gym, having sex in the shower with another man, he knows without a doubt he's gay. Dray's world falls apart soon after when he is outed and the fans turn on him. Dray leaves the gym and the only life he's ever known.

Years later Lucky knows he needs Dray in Chicago. Can Lucky handle the changes happening in his life? Can Dray keep Lucky on his fighting path?

The Brick Yardn is sexy and sweet, emotional and moving. It's the perfect combination sports romance. I originally picked it up for the MMA aspect but I quickly fell into it for the writing. The pain and suffering the characters go through is written wonderfully. It was an easy read but kept me on an emotional roller coaster, knowing what was bound to happen within the story but hating it when it happened. I look forward to more from this author.

[Lynnette Hartwig · Rating 5 out of 5]

First let me say that this story was the most heartwarming story I’ve ever read by Carol Lynne. The story centers around Lucky an “abused kid” (but not abused in the typical way, you’ll have to read the book to find that out) and the Brick Yard. Lucky is taken in by the owner of The Brick Yard (Brick) not in the traditional sense (again you’ll have to read the book) but enough that Lucky had a place to go when his mother was strung out on drugs. Every character has some type of problem and Brick always was there to help. When Brick is diagnosed with cancer everyone rallies around to help Lucky. Dray gives Lucky the one thing he needs most, unconditional love and support, but it took a while for Lucky to realize that he was loved. It was clear during the funeral how many young men Brick helped and thanks to Lucky and Dray he’s still helping. This is a “true love story” in a way that helps everyone in it but especially Lucky. Lucky and the others all find that Brick was the cornerstone of their world and now have to find a way to go on without him. I have to say I enjoyed the ending more than I usually do because not only did Lucky and Dray get their HEA but they found a way to keep giving back. That just gives me warm fuzzies when a story ends that way. I HIGHLY, HIGHLY recommend reading this book!!

[Ang -PNR Book Lover Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arc received by the publishers.

I read this years ago when Carol was first writing it, when it was called the brick yard!

I can't even explain how truly amazing this story is about Lucky and Dray, Brick and the boys.

So many emotions, it truly is one of Carols best books she has ever written, I loved the new little scenes and the tidy up this book went threw.

You will cry, laugh,snot cry, maybe squirm some and mostly of all you will feel. Every. Single.Feeling possible!

This has been one of my fav books for a long time, and I can't wait for everyone to read it.

I can't wait to see where Carol will take us now that its the first book in the brick yard series!

5 solid stars

Ang
PNR Book Lover Reviews

[Lacey Thorn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book. Talk about tugging at the heart strings! Maybe it's because I've seen first hand the devastation cancer can take, but this book got me. Loved Lucky and found it easy to visualize him in my head while I was reading. All the characters were well written.
I've known Carol for a long time but not really read her books as I don't usually read m/m at all. This one was a step out of my comfort zone, and I'm so glad I took it. I'll be grabbing more from her and other m/m authors from now on. So glad I opened myself up to reading m/m and that I started with a Carol Lynne book!

[Tori Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best Carol Lynne book I've read! I've enjoyed the Cattle Valley books, they are just fine, but this one was amazing. Great characters, great story, great writing, great ending. It made me cry a couple of times, I love damaged men, and Lucky is pretty damn damaged. Day was a perfect match for him. Great drama, just a great book!

[Camille · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

[VVivacious · Rating 1 out of 5]

Okay I have really contemplated if I should review this book because I really didn't like this book.

Despite the fact that this book has a pretty interesting premise and two extremely good characters i.e. Brick and Lucky, it didn't manage to convert the premise into a good story.

After much contemplation I have discovered that the root cause of me disliking this book is Drayton Cruz this guy has basically no concrete personality, he basically is a mass of contradictions in denial with himself and an all-round asshole.

Why do I hate "Dray" so much? Well lets just review his character throughout this book...

Exhibit A: “I’m tired of being your secret,” Vince continued. “At least acknowledge me to your friends.”
“I said, fucking drop it,” Dray growled.

Okay so Dray is actually a pretty good MMA fighter and he is scared that if his closeted secret comes out, he will no longer be able to fight. But frankly speaking I really don't think Vince was asking for much and on the other hand even if he didn't want to come out to his friends I still can't fault Vince for not wanting to be a secret any longer.

On top of it all this conversation is taking place between them during sex. So frankly speaking I had the impression that their relationship was just for fun instead of anything serious considering they had their most important conversations during sex. Vince is basically portrayed to be an asshole but basically he didn't come across to me as one. I mean how does his wish, to be known as Dray's boyfriend come across as assholish behavior IDK.

And later on we find out-

Vince. Dray shook his head. Falling in love with Vince had been the biggest mistake he’d ever made. Vince’s betrayal had broken something in him that he doubted could be repaired...

Let me know if you found anything in that previous encounter that in anyway exhibited the great love between Vince and Dray. The worst part is that it was the only encounter between Vince & Dray in the entire story.

Exhibit B: Basically what happens next is that Vince shoves Dray out of the closet very publicly which leads to him quitting fighting

But before leaving he tells Lucky-

“Sex, no matter who with, isn’t worth giving up your dreams for. Remember that,” Dray said before walking out of the room.

- causing Lucky to suppress any remotely homosexual aspect of his sexuality pretty effectively.

And then-

“I’ve done nothing but think since I left you at Brick’s door last night. It’s obvious we’re into each other, so I won’t pretend otherwise, but you need to know, I’m not going to act on that attraction.”
“Why?” Lucky finally asked.
“Because once it starts, we won’t stop until someone finds out and it ruins your career,” Dray stated in a matter-of-fact tone. “I won’t do that to you, even if you beg me.”

He’d tried to do the right thing by pushing Lucky away, but as he watched Lucky fall apart, he saw a man who needed a lifeline. Dray reached out and wrapped his arms around Lucky’s neck before pulling him close. He put his mouth to Lucky’s ear. “I’m here,” he whispered.
“The only one who knows whether or not you have the heart of a champion is you, and don’t you ever let someone try to tell you different,” Dray said, his mouth brushing against Lucky’s ear. He lowered his head and placed a soft kiss on the pale skin of Lucky’s neck.
Lucky dipped his chin. When their mouths met for the first time, Dray sighed. Fuck.

Well, that didn't take long.

Sheesh... Dray is like the epitome of fickle-mindedness. On one hand, he is all not even if you beg me and on the other hand he didn't even have to beg.

And frankly speaking, there are other ways to comfort someone other than sex and how come now the sex can't possibly ruin his career.

And on top of everything apparently even before getting to know Lucky he was thinking along the lines of-

He hadn’t confessed that in the last few years, he’d thought of inking Lucky’s name there. Despite the fact that he and Lucky could never have a public relationship, he knew whom his soul was tied to.

I mean on what basis was this tying of souls occurring you haven't talked to each other in the past eight years and you were so in love with Vince then how I ask are you so in "love" with Lucky?

On top of that, you even told Lucky that being gay was disastrous for his career then why now?

Exhibit C: “Well, this is a date. This is me trying to show you that we’re not just friends with benefits. That every time we’re together whether it’s at a restaurant, bar or just your apartment, it’s a date because being with you means more to me than fucking.”

Eyes closed, Lucky shook his head vehemently and released Dray’s hand. “You can’t care about me like that. I won’t let you.”

Dray bit his tongue for another ten minutes before his anger got the better of him. How dare Lucky work his way into Dray’s heart only to try to push him away. He’d been stupid to set wheels in motion before nailing down the relationship he felt he and Lucky had developed. Fuck! He pulled off the highway without a word to Lucky, stopping at the first fast food joint he spotted.

“What do you want?” he asked as he drove up to the drive-thru speaker.

“What’re we doing?” Lucky asked.

“Well, since you don’t give a fuck, I don’t see a reason to drive all the way to Milwaukee, but I’m fucking starving, so I’m going to get something to eat before heading back. Now, what the hell do you want?” Dray tapped his fingers on the steering wheel as the guy on the other end of the speaker barked at him.

Yeah, that scene just speaks for itself.

I mean by this point we know that Lucky is very damaged and has a ton of issues and I am literally begging to know how someone who gets angry at every obstacle will ever be good for someone as damaged as Lucky.

EXHIBIT D:And the worst part is that someone you described as-

He needed the wins, loved the challenge of the fights, but knowing his victory was another man’s loss bothered him. It was always the same and something that drove Brick crazy. The passion Lucky felt for the sport went beyond the wins, and he was sure the guys he fought—at least some of them—felt the same way.

and as

Like Dray, most fighters fought for the glory, the fan worship and the money that could be made. Lucky didn’t seem to care about any of that. For Lucky, the fight itself was the prize. Pitting his own skills against an opponent was the thrill, and the sweat he earned after a hard-fought bout the reward.

and

One thing he knew for sure, Lucky had what it took to become a champion. There were two kinds of fighters—those who learned and those who were born to the sport. In the cage, Lucky moved with a natural grace and single-mindedness that couldn’t be taught and one way or another, Dray was going to push Lucky into reaching for the stars he deserved to touch.

After all this I was pretty convinced that Lucky loved fighting then pray tell why-

“I don’t agree with all of it. You do have the heart of a champion. I’m just not sure the cage is the best place for you. You’ve suffered a lifetime of abuse. Choosing a career that involves hurting and being hurt isn’t the healthiest thing for you, in my opinion.”

I mean frankly speaking I think the author is also partially to blame for this instead of trying for Lucky to win despite the odds she just reduced the odds that Lucky had to fight.

I mean this story basically inundates Lucky with problems and then eliminates those problems without reaching any conclusion in the end. Towards the end, Lucky is made to give up on everything which just ruined the story.

As for Drayton-

“Dray could’ve easily taken the UFC title, but instead of standing up to the assholes who wanted to bring him down, he tucked his tail between his legs and ran.”
“The fans would’ve never accepted who he was,” Lucky argued.
“We’ll never know, will we? Fact is, he didn’t care enough to try and make them accept him. He gave up. I can’t stomach a quitter,” Mac said, before turning back to the grill.

That pretty much sums him up for me.

The verdict is that I would advise you to steer clear of this book because the effort you put into this book reading is not worth it.

[xxoabbey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first book by this author and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I loved reading how Dray and Lucky met, and finding more about Brick and Mac also. The whole back story for both main characters was emotional and kept me wanting to turn the pages to find out more.

The sex scenes was hot and had alot of chemistry involved which is always fun to read.

I didn't expect the emotions that was gonna be drawn out from when it came to Lucky and Brick, that took me by surprise which i always like in a book.

Good writing, great character development and loved the sneak peak in to the next book. I am on the look out for that..

[Tori Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 heart review for Love Bytes Reviews.

A copy of this book was provided in exchange for an honest review. Please visit www.lovebytesreviews.com to see this and many more reviews, interviews, and giveaways!

Oh the angst…. This is a rough story, about a really fucked up man, but with the help of a good man, he is redeemed.

Lucky’s lucky day, was the day Brick invited him in to The Brick Yard, and offered him a job and a safe place to sleep. Brick, who owns the gym, begins to train Lucky to eventually be an MMA fighter. It’s a long hard road, not only physically, but emotionally and mentally. Lucky has been abused by his drug addict mother and her string of asshole boyfriends, to the point that he needs the pain and the fight. He’s emotionally damaged, and trusts no one, except for Brick. And maybe Mac, the owner of the diner next to The Brick Yard. He was beginning to trust Dray, an fighter several years older than him, who Lucky has a bit of a crush on, but Dray heads to Kansas after being outed by his shithead boyfriend. So Lucky settles in to train with Brick, lets go of his attraction to men, and gets his need for pain in the ring and cage.

Dray is also a mess. He too was saved by Brick, and had a promising career, until he falls in love with the wrong man. He gets outed, and leaves, heading to Kansas to become a tattoo artist. After telling Lucky, a young fighter, to hide his attraction to men. He follows Lucky’s career through the videos that Brick sends him, and sees the pain Lucky is in. But he has vowed to keep away. Until it all goes bad.

Brick begins to show signs of illness, and Lucky pushes him to get help. Unfortunately their worst fears come true. Brick is terminally ill. His last wish is for Dray to come home and run the gym with Lucky.

I’ll stop there! There’s obviously more to it, you’ll have to read it to find out what happens!

So I read this book several years ago, in its original incarnation, The Brick Yard. I loved it. The story of Lucky and Dray, is dark and angsty, but shows that with the right support and love, even fucked up men like Lucky can recover. I’m not a big fan of MMA fighting, or boxing, I don’t care for the violence, and reading about it is hard. But the story of these two men is so incredible, that I got past my dislike of the topic. Now this book has been changed. The ending has been re-written, and it’s been set up for a sequel. I have very mixed feelings about this. I loved the way the story originally ended. It was the ending of the story of Lucky and Dray, all is settled, and you can imagine in your own head how things went for them. There was an epilogue, and a couple of extra stories, but that was it. With this new version, the ending drags on, the extra bits and the end have been rewritten, expanded and included in the story. It very clearly is to set up one of the characters, a man named Jax, who Lucky and Dray helped out, to get his own book. I like Jax just fine, and I have no problem with him getting his own story, but I’m not sure this was the way to do it. The new ending of this book totally diluted the story of Lucky and Dray, and added needless pages to a completed book. Too much time jumps by, and it didn’t work for me.

I was at a strong five hearts for this book, until I read the redone ending. Up until then I loved the story of these two men and their struggle to survive and thrive. I loved Brick, and Flint, and Mac, and Jax…. I hated Lucky’s mom, I hurt for him. I loved how Dray fights for Lucky when he won’t fight for himself. I loved the sex, I loved the connection between the two men. I loved the relationship between Brick and Lucky. And Brick and Dray. Everything about it was excellent. Until the ending. That brought it down for me, I hate to say. It didn’t ruin the story for me, I still think this is Carol Lynne’s best book, and I still love Lucky and Dray. But… I would have prefered the original ending, then add the additional stuff to a new book for Jax. But that’s just my thoughts!

I still very much recommend this book. If you like angst, this is one for you. If you like stories about hard men, with fucked up childhoods, fighting to survive, this one is for you. If you like MMA fighters, this one is for you. Oh, and tattoos. There are tattoos!

[Ky · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went back and forth for a while about reading this book. Then I read a great review and decided to give it a try and I'm so glad that I did!

This is the story of Lucky and Dray getting together and putting their lives in order but it's also a story celebrating the amazing man who saved them both.

Brick was a man who had dedicated his life in helping kids and teens who came from broken homes. He was a diamond in the mud that was the neighborhood they all lived in.

There is so much heartache in this book but there is also hope for a better future. The abuse Lucky suffered had scarred him deeply and it's something he's going to have to work really hard in order to overcome and put in the past. It still affects him, even after years of living under Brick's care and away from him mom. When it was revealed what actually was happening in the house he grew up it was a difficult part to read. His mom had managed to abuse him both physically and emotionally and leave her mark so deep in Lucky's psyche that he couldn't break her hold on him. She had brainwashed him during his entire childhood to the point that even in his mid twenties he was still affected by her words.

Lucky was a strong character with a dark past that he tried to hide from everyone around him. He didn't believe he deserved to be happy and did everything he could to push Dray away in an effort to save and protect him. Dray was also one of the kids that Brick saved, though his home life wasn't even remotely as bad as Lucky's. He gave up on his career when the fans turned on him prefering to run away than stay his ground and fight for his dream.

Despite Dray leaving everyone behind in order to start over his life, he is actually a very loyal person. He came back without a second thought when Lucky and Brick needed him the most and he did everything he could to help and spare Lucky from as many pains as he could.

The truly amazing person in this book was Brick. We don't know much about him until the second half of the book so I'm not going to tell his life's story here because I truly enjoyed reading about it and I don't want to spoil it for anyone who hasn't read the book yet. I'm just going to say that he was a really altruistic person, doing everything he could to help those around him and never broadcasting it to the point that even those closest to him didn't know the true mangitute of his kindness.

There was a little kitten somewhere in the book named Gatzby, but it read more like a prop that a real life pet. It was just there going from lap to lap without complaining about anything. It didn't really have a personality, it didn't have the attitude that all cats are usually associated with.

I liked the story but I though the book could be a bit shorter because it dragged at some points. There is an epilogue that basically is the setup for the next book in the series but I could have done wihout it as everything had already been resolved prior to that. It was nice to see Lucky and Dray together and settled in their life as a couple years after they got together but that was about it. I didn't like the introduction of new characters, that I'm assuming would be in the next book, in the last pages of a story about someone else. The epilogue here could have worked just fine as the first chapter or a prologue for the second book.

As a whole the book was very good, though I have to say that I liked the first half of it better than the second. It's fairly emotional but it's also hopeful. It makes you believe that no matter how screwed up this world is there is always kindness to be found somewhere.

* A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. *