Knockout

by C.J. Martín

A sexy boxer with a past. A small town girl with charm.
An unlikely love...

Kristen:
From the moment I laid eyes on professional boxer Sean Savarese, I knew my life would never be the same. From his crystal clear blue eyes to his strong muscular arms, to the dark wisps of curls that framed his beautiful face, I knew I was his for the taking. But he had secrets. Secrets that could shatter my world and crush my heart.


Sean:
Kristen. She was everywhere. All around me. At the gym where I trained. In my thoughts. In my dreams. And she was proving to be a distraction. A beautiful, sexy, complicated distraction. Despite my past, despite knowing I wasn't the man for her, despite my inner conscience urging me to let her go, I couldn't walk away. So I didn't. But would she still want me if she uncovered the truth?

Knockout is a standalone sports romance. If you're a fan of boxing romances like Beautiful Disaster, Real, and Consumed, then you'll love this sizzling, down and dirty romance by best-selling author CJ Martin.

Buy Knockout to get into the ring with sexy alpha Sean today!

Genres: Romance, Fighters, Sports, Sports Romance

274 pages, Paperback

First published October 26, 2016

About the author

CJ Martín spends the majority of her days daydreaming, procrastinating, and longing for the day when she can quit her day job and write full time.

She loves all things romance and is a sucker for a happily-ever-after. She also loves traveling, yoga, avocados, and music. She has about a million and one playlists on Spotify that are as random as her personality.

She lives in Pennsylvania with her sweet husband (Literally! He owns an ice cream shoppe!) and twelve year-old Jug dog, Albert, who is more spoiled than most humans.

One day she will move to Paris and eat all of the wine and cheese, but until then...she dreams.


Join her Facebook group, CJ's Circle, sign up for her newsletter, or stalk her online: Facebook ⎸ Twitter ⎸ Instagram ⎸ Pinterest ⎸ BookBub ⎸ Amazon



Book by CJ Martín:
⭐︎ Snowbound (Oct. 2015)
⭐︎ Off Key (Aug. 2016)
⭐︎ Knockout (2016)
⭐︎ Forever Hearts (2017)
⭐︎ Touching Down (2018)

Reviews

[CristiinaReads୨ৎ · Rating 5 out of 5]

“It’s not you, Kitten.” Each word comes out on a puff of breath. A staccato beat in the quiet night air.
I keep my eyes down, say nothing.
His fingertips graze my chin, tip my head up, so that I look at him. “You are perfect.”



SWOONED!!!

[Lynn · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF 60%

I'm confused. I don't know what happened with this book. I went into it so excited, having just come off a 5 star read from this author. But from the first page I just couldn't get into it. I'm having a hard time reconciling in my mind that this was the same author.

I disliked most of what I read here. I found the plot boring. I don't really care much about boxing, but when a book is good it makes you care about what the characters are interested in. Yeah, not so much here.

I also disliked both main characters. The hero was like wayyyyy over the top angry alpha. I like a good alpha male, trust me, but this was too much for me. He was just angry all the time and always growling and punching. And the heroine was boring and annoying and always jumping to conclusions about the hero, getting her panties in a twist about something and storming off without letting him even try to explain. It felt like forced drama. Like, I kept thinking this is not how any normal person would ever behave in this scenario. It was annoying.

Anyways....despite this letdown i will give this author another try. She only has a couple books published so far, so maybe this was just her working some kinks out before finding her groove? Because I'm telling you, Forever Hearts was just on a totally different level for me. On to the next!

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to come..

[Tiera McMillian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok ok! I have to say, this was a pretty short but enjoyable read. The writing was super easy to sink into. The plot premise was simple and easy to follow. I really liked the dramatic entrance to the story it kind of rocked my world a little! I am all for some rakes brought to heel. I love when a domineering male gets bagged and tagged by a “little ole female,” however, I personally am not a huge fan of uncontrollable anger, dominant male hostility, and arrogance bordering on annoying.. Sean our male MC came off that way for most of the book. That sort of temperament throws up red flags for me and doesn’t rev my engines in the slightest. I realize this is a personal thing so I am not knocking the author and her story in any way shape or form, and I have to admit that by the end of the book Sean had improved 100% in my book. I feel like that uncontrollable anger bit marks an immature man, one not in control of his emotions and I more inclined to a man that has his bidness together lol.

Kristen aka Kitten our FMC has been loving her monotonous life, going about her monotonous job at the local gym, maybe even craving some chaos to shake things up. That is until after vacation she stumbles upon man candy, Sean, all up in her ring... Sean, with his troubled past, and hidden rage has brought his pro boxing career to his old buddies gym as a promotional favor. Kristen now has to work with walking orgasm Sean. (Lol I describe it this way because the book basically does as well!). Playboy Sean has no room in his life for relationships, the only constant in his life is his rage and pain from his past. As Sean and Kristen become closer and she decides to take a leap from her boring life all Sean’s secrets come crashing down, but these secrets though they may be pretty big, can’t keep them apart but Sean’s anger and rage just may throw a wrench in everything. Can Sean deal with his past in time to save his career, his new relationship, and maybe even his life?

Really after I got past the hostile male parts I felt the book was a pretty good and fast read! It was just a good simple story. I definitely wouldn’t mind seeing more from this author.

[Martha · Rating 5 out of 5]

NEVER STAY DOWN FOR THE COUNT!!
This book will suck you in from the first page! I love the characters and how anger turns to love!
Sean aka Marc aka Marcelino has just received the worse news a person can endure. They say never give into peer pressure but that is easier said than done. When you get paid a good amount of money to run drugs it doesn’t matter the drug just don’t mess with the leader of the gang. The gang leader should not have messed with what Sean loves! Sean’s anger is out of control and the only way he can express it is in the ring where fighting is legal. He is known as Knockout and he does! There are other things that have happened to Sean because he grew up on the wrong side of the tracks and when he needed legal representation, her couldn’t afford it. But now he is on top of the fighting world and he won’t think about his past let alone talk about it.
Kristen aka Kris aka Kitten works at Fit Plus Gym. Kristen carries a heavy workload for one person but she loves it! Romney the gym owner has installed a boxing ring and now it looks like she will need to organize a schedule for patrons to use it. Kris usually doesn’t pay attention to the men in the ring but today one has certainly gotten her attention. Dark-haired, tall, muscled body with piercing blue eyes has her body stirring in ways she didn’t know possible. She has never seen a body that size move so smoothly and quickly with each jab. She is mesmerized with every movement and notices how sweat starts to dot her brow. When he looks at her the electricity crackles between them. This is where the relationship starts but will Kristen be able to accept and move on from Sean’s past because she grew up in a normal neighborhood with normal parents, or as normal as possible, parents. Can she accept the people still involved in Sean’s life and can she help him heal?
I love this book by CJ Martin! The story is a wonderful story of how love can overcome and hardships in life!! READ this you will be glad you did!

[Elizabeth Sanders · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this for one of my challenges. I have never read a sports romance before. I love them it got me into the sports romances. This is a boxing romance very steamy so if you don’t like steamy you may not like it.

[♡ Jeri's Book Attic ♡ Jeri the Romance Bibiliophile ♡ · Rating 2 out of 5]

[Stacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Knockout is a mma book but it all about the fighting world it's mainly aimed at the gym but it's about two people who one don't want to let her guard down and the other him who has a dark past and deep secrets.
I loved Kristen she works at the gym as a PR she has a great personality and you can't help but fall in love with her. She's quite comfortable in life she works hard and socialize with her bestie Rachael everything is pretty boring for her though nothing exciting happens because even though she do hangout with Rachael she don’t do it very often as she always make excuses but everything changes when she meets Sean. She don't want to like him cause she knows his type sexy alpha fighter manwhore but she just can't seem to stop thinking about him and his sexy abs.
Sean is the sexy sometimes moody mma fighter but there is more to him he has responsibilities when it comes to his grandma and will always be there for her especially as she's the only family he has left. He has a rough time a really dark tragic past and he feels guilty for the events that happened and continues to blame himself that is why he’s so guarded but the bets are all off when he meets Kristen he can't stop thinking about her and he want her as his but even though he desperately wants more with her he don't think she can handle the secrets he’s hiding...
I absolutely loved this book I was hooked from the first page I couldn't put the book down til I'd finished. I would highly recommend this book if your into mma books.

[Kelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sean Savarese a professional boxer. But is that all there is to him? What about his past? Where did he come from?
Kristen Dakow, Gym Manager at Fit Plus Gym. Without her the schedules and everything would be a mess.
Romey the owner of Fit Plus Gym has his friend Sean (Marc) KO Savarese training in the gym and it is up to Kristen to take care of the Public relations stuff. Setting up news confrences and the likes. Romey has warned Kristen to stay away from Sean, but why. What is his reasoning for warning her off?
Everytime Kristen sees Sean her heart flutters and her panties get wet. There is quite a bit of violence and sexual content in this book. Mature audiences highly recommended. Over-all a great read. Keeps you on the edge of your seat. The fight scenes are very graphic and so are the sexual encounters.
CJ Martin did an awesome job of creating the characters and background for them all. The way the story builds and comes to life is fabulous. Well written and very entertaining. I couldnt put it down.

[Dee Ellis · Rating 4 out of 5]

CJ Martin is a new-to-me author but the blurb for Knockout had me sold. There are a ton of fighter tales out there, and much like the popular MC titles, it's how the author crafts the characters, not the sub-genre settings that makes it work or not.

Right away I liked Sean and Kristen and the chemistry between them was like a live wire. They were both frustrating at times, with their back and forth, but it just made them all the more real. Flawed and imperfect. The heat level was scorching but based on the connection the two had that just grew as their story wound up and their lives tangled together more, despite their hesitations.

The plight of the characters felt genuine and when the fallout comes, I felt their heartache. There wasn't too much secondary noise which I appreciated, the sole focus being the progression of Sean and Kristen's stories, and ultimately, their relationship.

Great read that will have me adding CJ Martin to my always TBR list!

[Kayread · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75.
Kirsten works at the gym where Sean is training for an upcoming fight. They are instantly attracted to one another. This is where my stars drop he has a text message exchange with his victoria secret bed buddy and plans a hook up for 7:00. He does go to meet her but does nothing with her even naked straddling his lap. He heads back to the gym where he runs into Kirsten working late. Kirsten begins helping him with his PR and texting between the two begins. They go to a gala hosted by his sponsors. Hotel goof puts them in the presidential suite together instead of separate rooms. He's upset because he's trying not to cross the line with Kirsten so the one bed is tempting. I don't pick often but in my hotel experience a presidential suite usually has a couch or even living area with bedroom attached but this one only had a bed. Not sure how that makes it different from any other old suite. The couple gets their HEA. I'm assuming her boss and maybe her BFF will get a book.

[Monae Doyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book ..... this book was a-ma-zing !!!!! If you are a fan of Real by Katy Evans then you will want to fall into the pages of this book. In this story you meet a guy named Sean Savarese who is a boxer. You also meet a woman named Kristen who works at the gym that he is training at. They meet and there is instant attention between them. There are a lot of steamy moments between these two and plenty of drama as well. These two Sean and Kristen who Sean later nicknames “Kitten”. If you loved Remington Tate and Brooke Dumas in Real you will fall in love with Sean Savarese and his Kitten for sure.

[Mandi Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whew, steamy

A steamy story. Very entertaining. It’s really a story of soul mates. Though, she got on my nerves a bit. She always walked never talked. So frustrating. Cute epilogue.

[Ali Mason Mills · Rating 4 out of 5]

You can read my review on Nerdy Dirty & Flirty here, https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the plot of C. J. Martin's book, Knockout. For my personal taste, however, there were too many "bedroom scenes".

[Lori Greenwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was decent. I feel like the relationship kind of went from nothing to hardcore in a short period of time. It was a good read though. Not the best, but glad I read it.

[Camille · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 27%. I couldn’t do it. I hated the characters, all of them, and the story seemed to be going nowhere.

[Karla · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a sweet story. There were lots of funny moments and both characters where intriguing. The only issue was that there was not much action. The action is mostly focused in the end. Other than that, it is still a beautiful, sweet, and calm story to read.

[Lustful Literature · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shanyn's Review

I’ve been in a bit of a book funk lately. Nothing really capturing my attention, and then “Knockout” showed up on my kindle. Just like a attention seeking, panty melting, book angel! This book solved my book funk issue! I love a good fighter book, and this one did not disappoint. Sean is a hot alpha male boxer, and I couldn’t get enough of him.

“Men like him- men too good looking for their own good- are dangerous and to be avoided at all costs. Yes, I think, as I fan my flushed face, I must stay away from him.”

Kristen is the “girl next door” type, who doesn’t have the time for egotistical fighters, but something about Sean calls to her from the start. So, despite not wanting anything to do with Sean, Kristen works at the gym that he will be training at, until his next big fight. Although she tries to avoid him, it’s hard to avoid chemistry.

“My panties are wet. Wet. That has never happened to me from just looking at a man. Suddenly I feel a twinge of sympathy for men and how they must feel trying to hide their erections.”

Sean comes from a rough background, and Kristen does not. Kristen lives in a world that is boring and repetitive. She needs someone to come and bring excitement into her life, even if she doesn’t realize it. She, of course, fights her feelings for Sean, at first. But, the chemistry and banter, between the two characters during this time was soooooo good!!

“You’re bored with your perfect, routine life. You’re dying for a man to come along and own you.”

“You need a man who will order for you. Put you first. A man who will make you scream so loud when you come that your voice goes hoarse.”

“And I want to fuck your tits, but we can’t always have what we want, now can we?”

When they finally give in to their desire, it is worth the wait!! I haven’t read hot sex scenes like this in a while. The chemistry is jumping off each page! I was pulling for these two characters, and hoping the obstacles in their way wouldn’t win. Sean and Kristen are two people from different worlds. One has a dark secret, and I just kept hoping that once all was revealed, they would make it through.

“I love this man. Every nerve, every cell, every fiber of my being pulses with that truth. And I’m terrified. Terrified to utter those three simple words. Terrified to lose him. Terrified that we are too different and always will be.“

Putting together the chemistry, banter, and fighting world was done perfectly. I found myself ignoring house chores, so I could read instead. Laundry and dishes had to wait until the evening, when I absolutely had to put the book down and be with my family. The only reason I gave this book 4 stars, is for the simple fact that I wanted more……I felt like I needed more of this book. More build up and more fighting would have made this book 5 stars!!

“I’ve always liked the ocean at night. During the day the beach is hot, crowded, and loud, but at night it morphs into a peaceful haven. The waves roll in, pulling and receding; each time they retract they take a small piece of earth with them, only to return it again. A beautiful, never-ending cycle proving that in some way, however small, we are all connected. I’ve always liked that- the idea that everything has a purpose, that everything is connected to a much greater whole.”

[Tracy Wilkin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hang onto your hats, everyone. We are in for one hell of a ride. Knockout kicks off with a bang. I loved this story hard and instantly.


First we meet the hero and heroine. Kristen works at the gym Sean will be training at for the next few months. Kristen is instantly struck dumb by lust, and Sean is just as taken with her. Sean tried not to give into the insatiable hunger that grips him whenever Kristen is near. He believes he is not good enough for her, and she is too sweet and innocent for him. He does not want to destroy her. He is still troubled by his past and cannot really see a way that Kristen will fit into his not so glamorous life.


Kristen doesn’t believe that Sean is trouble, only seeing the the man in front of her and the way he brings out all these unknown emotions in her. She wants to explore this intense and all consuming passion they feel for each other. They can only deny those feelings for so long before they succumb to the irresistible pull that their attraction creates. Never has anyone made Kristen feel the way Sean makes her feel, and Sean has these same feelings for Kristen. They share a connection that is more than sexual. They can talk and really enjoy each other’s company. This is all so new to both of them. Sean is not used to seeing one woman, preferring to casually hook up as his fighting and training takes up so much time. Add to that, the fact that he never was interested in having a relationship with anyone, until Kristen, that is.


The short time they have been together, they learn a lot about each other. Kristen was not prepared for all that she learnt about Sean’s younger years. She wants to run away and never look back. But she just cannot give up when she has only began her journey with Sean. She has never felt more passion, more hunger, more contentment, than when she is with Sean. He makes her feel every emotion. He is infuriating and alpha, but impossible to deny. When they are apart, they yearn for the times they are together. Sean is as addicted to Kristen as she is to him. He is still unsure if she can handle all that he is and all that has happened in his life. She does not fit in his world, and he carries a tonne of baggage, the weight of it almost crushing him. He decides to fight for their love, because he just cannot imagine a life without her in it.


As there love grows, so does the drama. With a fight looming, tensions are at an all time high. Sean is ready to ditch the fight, quite happy to make Kristen his priority. This book has such a good storyline. I could not get enough. The words flowed, the author captured all that made up each character, making them so real and lifelike. The story just effortlessly carried you to a different world. One where you get lost and could quite happily stay lost. It takes particular talent for an author to deliver such a riveting story. CJ Martin did that for me.


Knockout really was a knockout for me. From beginning to end, I lived, felt and breathed Sean and Kristen. CJ Martin just got another avid fan to add to the collection. I cannot wait to read more of this author’s work. A fabulous read for lovers of a gutsy, dirty and delicious fighter romance. A 5 Star read that will leave a beautiful, lasting memory.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had a huge surprise with this book thought it was going to be all about boxing, how wrong I was. Awesome book.
Seven years ago:
Marc was on the way to a party on Long Island with Terrick, when he got a hysterical phone call from his Nona. His younger brother was dead. Yelling at Terrick to turn around they go rushing into Nona’s house to hear the news that Ignazio had been shot dead in a gangland killing.
Present day:
Kristen arrives back at work after a holiday with her best mate Rachael. Taking a couple of deep breathes she walks in the door of Fit Plus Gym where she works with Romey the owner. She decides she is not ready to start work and hunts Romey down and finds him in the ring with someone she hasn’t seen before, but someone she just cannot take her eyes off. She cannot work out why her heart beats are fast considering she does not know this man. Sean himself after spotting her cannot get her off his mind. He wonders what it is about this beautiful lady that has his head spinning. Things start to get going for Sean and Kristen, Romey notices this and tells Sean to stay away from Kristen as she is a good person, in the meantime he tells Kristen to stay away from Sean as he is trouble and will hurt her. But their hearts tell them something else.
Romey tells Sean Nona has had a fall over Snickers the cat, terrifies he leaves the gym and goes to the hospital where she has been taken. That cat has to go Nona says the cat stays. Sean is serious about the cat going and asks Kristen if she wants to cat sit, she replies back with a yes. He doesn’t want Kristen going with him to the old neighbourhood to pick the cat up but nothing is going to stop her from going. There she meets Sam, who is absolutely horrible to her, practically calling Kristen every name under the sun. Sean tells Sam to respect his girlfriend and with that Sam brings up the matter of his past that Kristen knows nothing about. Now he is going to have to tell Kristen he has been in jail before he was ready to. He takes her for a drive to St. Marys Cemetery and stops at the grave of Carmen Mendez.
Kristen asks who is this and he tells her the man that I killed. Kristen and Rachel start investigating this and ask Rachael’s dad for help, turns out while yes they had a fight Sean was not responsible for the death. However, he will not accept this. Sam arrives at Sean’s apartment with news about his upcoming fight. Hector Guardo got pulled from the fight on apparent rape charges. The woman who had him charged was Victoria Mendez, worse to come Carls Sanchez is taking his place. Carlos is Carmen Mendez’s cousin. This fight was going to be nothing but vicious and Sean knows it. Kristen does not want Sean to do this fight but he has no choice.
Seven years later:
Sean loves his new life and knows all he needs is his Kitten.

[Kelli Delp · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Star Review
Knockout by CJ Martin is funny, emotional, and dramatic all rolled into one standalone novel. It’s told from the two main characters POV, but the side characters are very well developed and are actively involved in the story. I loved the writing style and the flow of this book. Knockout is a very easy read and once you open the first page, you won’t want to put it down.

Growing up on the wrong side of the tracks, Sean Savarese, also known as the ‘Knockout’ grew up fighting his way thru life. A tragic event involving a gang turns his life upside down.

Several years later, he finds himself still battling his inner demons and very dark past that he refuses to discuss with anyone. He starts training at Fit plus Gym to prepare for one of the biggest boxing matches of his life. When he meets Kristen, who works at this gym, the chemistry is undeniable and he wants her more than anything. At first, he’s drawn to her beautiful looks and yoga toned body, but he quickly connects with her on a deeper level. Despite the advice of those around him, he decides to claim her as his own.

When, 6 foot Sean comes barreling into her life, Kristen is immediately drawn to his blue eyes, dark hair, and muscled body. She tries to deny the connection that she feels toward Sean, but that can only last for so long. As time goes on she realizes he has a past…a past that she is determined to find out. As she starts to uncover details on her own, she can’t believe this man she’s grown to know would do such things. She confronts Sean because she wants the truth. Will he tell her the things that he refuses to talk about with anyone else? Can she move past the dark past that’s consuming him?

“I love this man. Every nerve, every cell, every fiber of my being pulses with that truth. And I’m terrified. Terrified to utter those three simple words. Terrified to lose him. Terrified that we are too different and always will be.”

Sean feels powerless around her; but, he’s not willing to throw in the towel without a fight when his past comes back. He is fighting for Kristen. He is fighting for his brother. He’s fighting to move forward from his past that won’t stop haunting him.

“For her, I will cut my heart open, reveal my deepest, darkest secrets. For her, I will relive that hell every damn day, if that’s what she needs.”

If you love blue eyed boxers with HEAs, you won’t want to miss this steamy knockout of a book by CJ Martin. I’ll definitely be looking for more books by her in the future!

[Anna D · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was.... speechless!! Hot damn..... I want to marry Sean myself !! I love how they had that spark once they laid eyes on each other. I received this book through a giveaway and thank baby Jesus for winning!! I am in love with this author now and will be reading all her books now!!

[Mom's Guilty Pleasure · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the start of this book I knew there would be chemistry, emotion, heartache, determination, compassion….it was all of that and so much more. I wish I could give this book more than 5 stars. It captured my heart from the start and I didn't want it to end.

Sean “aka” Marc, Marcelino, Knockout ~Seven years earlier…


“I knew what I was doing on my way to the rec center. I knew exactly who I was looking for. Carmen Méndez. The son of a …..who killed Ignazio. And I knew exactly what would happen when I found him.”

Current~
Kristen “aka” Kitten works for a fitness/training gym. She had just returned from a vacation and was checking out the new training area of they gym. She spotted someone she's never seen at the gym before. She can't keep her eyes off of him. He stays in her thoughts and in her dreams.

Every time Sean is training he hopes to run into Kristen at the gym. He knows he shouldn't create distractions for himself during training and needs to stay focused, but something about her draws him in and he can't fight the attraction.

“His eyes narrow. “You think this is a game?” I meet his glare. “I don’t know what to think.” “I can’t stop thinking about you. You’re driving me crazy. I know I should leave you alone. And God knows I’ve tried.” He steps forward, releases a deep breath and whispers, “Kristen…” The way he says my name, voice husky, so full of need, so full of longing, takes my breath away. “Tell me I’m not crazy. Tell me you feel this too.””

Neither Kristen or Sean can fight their attraction. They know it won't end well and they'll end up hurt. They try to stay away and avoid one another.

Sean's Nano is in the hospital and it is going to cause complications with Kristen. He will have to share his past with her. He wishes he had told her from the start. Now it's going to look bad, like he was hiding it. He knows once she finds out things will change between them. If not end.

“A million thoughts flicker through my mind: my doubts about him, about his past, about my heart being shattered into pieces. But my body responds in a completely different way. I lean into his touch, pressing myself closer and closer until no space remains between us.”

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sean Marcelino Savarese has had a rough life. The death of his younger brother changed the outcome of his entire life and years later, Sean is preparing for the fight of his life. Sean has been growing in fame with his boxing career and is finally getting a title fight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas in a few months. As a favor to his friend, Romey, Sean decided to do his training at Romey’s gym in a small town in Pennsylvania where he meets the gym manager, Kristen, and his life changes again. Sean has never really had time for any sort of relationship. Besides keeping close to his Nona who raised him and his childhood friend, Sam who takes care of Nona, Sean doesn’t make time for many people. Boxing is his life and with the title fight coming closer, Sean can’t let Kristen get too close. Kristen feels electricity in her body the first time she sees Sean. No man has ever affected her in such a way and she can’t believe that one look from Sean has her all tied up inside. Kristen knows it isn’t a good idea to get involved with someone she has to work so closely with, but she can’t help the feelings she has for Sean. Sean’s past being the dark and twisted story that it is, he knows he isn’t good for Kristen and should stay away from her. They both know better but can’t deny themselves for long. When Sean’s past comes to rear its ugly head, this couple is in for a rough time. Can they survive the turmoil that comes with Sean’s life? I’m not normally into boxing but this book sure made it sound way more interesting than before! CJ Martin has a way of pulling you into Sean’s world and makes it so hard to put this book down. I lost half my day to this book before I even realized it. Not that I cared since I liked this story so much! Sean and Kristen are such a hot, passion filled couple that it makes this book fly by! They are so different from one another in so many ways, but they seem to fit so perfectly too. I guess opposites really do attract in this case! This was a very well developed story that really drags you in and doesn’t let go! Well worth the half day that just disappeared on me! So, I give “Knockout” five stars!!

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 star review
I absolutely LOVED Knockout by C.J. Martin. It’s one of my favourite reads so far this year. It’s the first book that I have read by this author and it will not be my last. I was hooked from the very beginning and couldn’t put it down. I mean to be fair I was kind of hooked after I saw the front cover of the book!! Then when I read the opening prologue that was it – all household chores were out the window until I had finished this book! I’m a fan of a fighter book so I was really excited when I got this book and it didn’t disappoint at all. I loved the storyline and I loved the characters. There were certainly some panty-melting, swoon worthy moments in this story and I’m pretty sure I’m totally in book love with Sean!
I thought then characters were great in this story and I connected with them instantly. Sean is your typical alpha-male boxer but with a secret that could destroy his budding relationship with Kristen. Kristen is your typical innocent girl next door type who knows someone like Sean is going to be bad for her so she fights her attraction to him hard. There’s clearly chemistry between the two of them and they do have some great interactions with each other. The sex scenes between the two of these were particularly HOT!!! With that in mind this book is definitely for mature readers only! I think I particularly liked Sean’s character because initially I thought I had made my mind up about him but he does go on to show a few different sides to his character and that earned him a spot on my book boyfriend list!
The book is really well written, it has a strong storyline but for me it is the characters that made this for me. They were so well thought out, their background stories explained really well and they continued to develop over the story. The journey that these characters went on was so emotional and powerful and they had this amazing connection that just made you want them to be together.
If you are fan of alpha male fighter stories then you will love this book but I think even if this type of book is not always your go to read I would still give it a chance. It is definitely well worth it.

[Book Maniac Forever · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️ 4.5 STARS ⭐️

It’s only my second read by C.J. Martin, but I can now easily admit that she’s an author who effortlessly brings to life emotions and chemistry that you feel through your body. Knockout has a little bit of everything I love in my stories: two lead characters with a sizzling connection, a hero with a broken past, a sexy courtship and dramas in the background.

The prologue starts out really strong, with a bit of mystery that left me wanting more. While the next first few chapters were a little slow, it didn’t take so long and I was completely grabbed by this hot romance. Throughout my read there was so much I wanted to discover about Sean’s past. All his struggles and what happened on this fateful night his life changed for the worst.

“It’s so much more than a kiss. It’s an exchange of sorrow, passion, caring, understanding.”

His relationship with Kristen is a beautiful one. Loved this couple so much together! He brings the best in her, makes her explore new things than her monotone sheltered life. At first view they seem like complete opposites, but they still understand each other perfectly. Sean is a little cocky and doesn’t take no for an answer while he pursues his little Kitten. What can I say about their relationship? It’s so HOT! They totally combust the pages with a scorching passion.

“I’m decimated. Done. Owned. I’ve not a care in the world. No thought exists but one: I love this girl.”

But while their romance is healing Sean, the past is never far away and keeps coming back to haunt him. New problems put tension in their relationship and they need to really trust each other to overcome these obstacles.

Seriously, this novel was so good! I felt so much the passion between these characters and the heartbreak they lived. C.J. Martin really brought us a wonderful fighting story with enthralling heroes.

***ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review ***

[Amber Sikes · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 out of 5 Stars

Knockout, a standalone novel by CJ Martain, is set in Bear Cove, Pennsylvania and tells the story of professional boxer Sean Marcelino “Marc” Savarese and a beautiful office manager Kristin.
Sean grew up a poor kid, in a rough neighborhood, in Brooklyn. Nothing in life has been easy and after the death of his younger brother several years ago, he's
found boxing is one of the only ways to battle the demons from his past. Now, while preparing for one of the biggest fights of his career at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Sean has decided to return a favor to his old friend, Romey, and train in his small town gym in Pennsylvania. Everything seems to be going great with the gym and his training until Romeys beautiful office assistant walks into the gym and stills Sean’s breath and his focus.
Kristin’s routine life generally means she does everything by the book, but when sexy boxer Sean Savarese makes his interest in her known, she simply can't deny the electricity between them. The closer and more heated their relationship gets, the more Kristen begins to realize that there is more to Sean's past than meets the eye, and she’s determined to get answers. Will Sean finally be able to open up to someone about his troubled past? And if so, can Kristen accept it, and help Sean fight the demons that keep trying to pull him under?
“It’s like you’re part of me. A missing puzzle piece that just fits. I feel like I’ve known you my whole life.”
Let me just say..I loved the intense chemistry between Kristen and Sean throughout the book! I am not a huge fan of sports romance because a lot of times, these type of books seem like the same story with different character names. Knockout is nothing like this! It's a hot, steamy romance read with a great HEA!
This is the first book I've read by author CJ Martain and I'd say it's a great 5 star read and highly recommend it!

[Alecia (The Staircase Reader) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am in awe of C.J. Martin’s writing!

A couple of years ago I became addicted to novels that involve fighters with the help of two authors, you all can probably guess those books, Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire and The Real Series by Katy Evans.

Going into the novel Knockout by C.J. Martin I was expecting to like this novel but given the novels I listed above and my love for them I knew this author had some big shoes to fill. Well C.J. Martin Succeeded in filling those shoes and in the process blew me away. I loved Sean he was everything I was looking for in a male protagonist with a fighting side; Raw, Rugged, and an Alpha Male!

Sean is a professional Boxer with a vendetta and a secret. His only goal is to be the best and will do anything to succeed. That is until he sets eyes on Kristen.

I loved Sean and Kristen’s story and highly recommend Knockout to all that have a love for romance novels with a fighting aspect.

"Men like him-men too good looking for their own good- are dangerous and to be avoided at all costs. Yes, I think, as I fan my flushed face, I must stay away from him."

5 reasons you should read Knockout by C.J. Martin:
~Sean is drop dead Sexy as F*CK
~Who doesn’t love a professional boxer ( I mean come on, ripped muscles, testosterone, ALPHA MALE tendencies.)
~An Epic romance between Sean and Kristen that will leave you wanting more.
~The action and fight scenes will have you on the edge of your seat.
~Overall the story line is amazing. It had me hooked from beginning to end. I loved getting glimpses into Sean's past and seeing the tragedy that made him into the fighter he is.


Thanks everyone for checking out my review. I hope you take the chance and read Knockout! This novel is definitely in my top reads of 2016! Loved it!!

[Lana · Rating 5 out of 5]

KNOCKOUT
CJ MARTIN
5 STARS
Kristen:
From the moment I laid eyes on professional boxer Sean Savarese, I knew my life would never be the same. From his crystal clear blue eyes, to his strong muscular arms, to the dark wisps of curls that framed his beautiful face, I knew I was his for the taking. But he had secrets. Secrets I would later discover could shatter my world and break my heart.
Sean:
Kristen. She was everywhere. All around me. At the gym where I trained. In my thoughts. In my dreams. And she was proving to be a distraction. A beautiful, sexy, complicated distraction. Despite my past, despite knowing I wasn’t good for her, despite my inner conscious urging me to let her go, I couldn’t walk away. So I didn’t. But would she still want me when she learns the truth about who I really am?Kristen is stuck in a rut with her life passing her by all while living in her routines. It's not until a handsome stranger enters her gym to make her wonder what she is missing.
Sean is an prize fighting middleweight boxer who has a painful past that led him to spend time behind bars. Focusing on his title fight coming up, the last thing he needs is any distractions. Which is exactly what he found at his new training gym.
Right away I liked Sean and Kristen and the chemistry between them was like a live wire. They were both frustrating at times, with their back and forth, but it just made them all the more real. Flawed and imperfect. The heat level was scorching but based on the connection the two had that just grew as their story wound up and their lives tangled together more, despite their hesitations.
Author C.J. Martin has written an amazing story that had me laughing, crying and not wanting the story to end.!
This will definitely be one of my all time favorite books
that I will read over and over again!