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The Fighter's Block #1
The Fighter's Block
Alternate cover edition - ASIN B00A9H95JQ.
(This book contains mature content, including sex and language. For ages 18+)
The entire fourth floor of Donovan Kemp's apartment complex houses only MMA fighters, dubbing it "The Fighter's Block." Growing up in an abusive home put Van on the fast track to nowhere, but a caring fight club owner took him under his wing as a teen and shaped him into a fighter with integrity.
Now in his mid-twenties, his life changes dramatically when he steps in to help a beautiful girl in a scary situation with her boyfriend. Surprising to Van, she ends up going home with him. He's now on the fast track to something else: falling in love. He feels that Danielle is the type of girl men only dream about, but the two quickly fall hard for each other in equal measure.
When the ex boyfriend proves to be nothing but trouble, Van has a tough time deciding between protecting Dani with legal measures or just bashing the guy's face in himself. The harassment escalates, eventually pulling Dani and Van apart, and Van finds himself feeling desperate enough to do something drastic.
If being thrown in jail isn't bad enough for Van, an undercover investigator seems to be getting a little too close to Dani, the fight club he grew up in could be turned upside down with scandal, and the friends that he trusts with his life might not be who they say they are.
So much for finally discovering the little morsel of happiness he'd been deprived of his entire life...
(This book contains mature content, including sex and language. For ages 18+)
The entire fourth floor of Donovan Kemp's apartment complex houses only MMA fighters, dubbing it "The Fighter's Block." Growing up in an abusive home put Van on the fast track to nowhere, but a caring fight club owner took him under his wing as a teen and shaped him into a fighter with integrity.
Now in his mid-twenties, his life changes dramatically when he steps in to help a beautiful girl in a scary situation with her boyfriend. Surprising to Van, she ends up going home with him. He's now on the fast track to something else: falling in love. He feels that Danielle is the type of girl men only dream about, but the two quickly fall hard for each other in equal measure.
When the ex boyfriend proves to be nothing but trouble, Van has a tough time deciding between protecting Dani with legal measures or just bashing the guy's face in himself. The harassment escalates, eventually pulling Dani and Van apart, and Van finds himself feeling desperate enough to do something drastic.
If being thrown in jail isn't bad enough for Van, an undercover investigator seems to be getting a little too close to Dani, the fight club he grew up in could be turned upside down with scandal, and the friends that he trusts with his life might not be who they say they are.
So much for finally discovering the little morsel of happiness he'd been deprived of his entire life...
Kindle Edition
First published November 17, 2012
30 people are currently reading
1710 people want to read
About the author
Hadley Quinn
39 books483 followersBesides books, I love music, dance, sports, and sunshine. I love live music and love going to concerts. Doesn't tell you much, but you'll learn way more about me from social media or my blog site!
My writing: I don't write short stories. I'd rather have one full story instead of turning it into two. I believe in order to build a relationship with a book, it takes time to get to know it. I like my characters to be well-developed. I like the story to show rather than tell. I like my heroes to have integrity and my heroines to be strong. Just as importantly, I like them to have a sense of humor. I believe in adversity because it is a natural part of life, and I like my characters to learn that as well. And I definitely *prefer* happily ever afters!
Thanks for reading!
www.facebook.com/AuthorHadleyQuinn
My writing: I don't write short stories. I'd rather have one full story instead of turning it into two. I believe in order to build a relationship with a book, it takes time to get to know it. I like my characters to be well-developed. I like the story to show rather than tell. I like my heroes to have integrity and my heroines to be strong. Just as importantly, I like them to have a sense of humor. I believe in adversity because it is a natural part of life, and I like my characters to learn that as well. And I definitely *prefer* happily ever afters!
Thanks for reading!
www.facebook.com/AuthorHadleyQuinn
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 158 reviews
August 19, 2015
1 DNF star
No, no, NO! I got to 16% and that was with extreme efforts on my part!
WTF was wrong with these people?
First, we have the heroine. I will forgo the fact of staying at a man's house that she knew for all of 5 seconds and go straight to my deal-breaker. I am far from a prude but who sleeps with a stranger while beaten up only an hour ago? Hell, who even notices a man is hot after being beaten up? Come on!
And then, we have the hero! He all but fell in love with her in the first page! I don't believe in love at first sight. I do believe, however, in lust at first sight! I could work with that! But not when the subject of your lusty thoughts has been beaten to within an inch of her life.
All in all, this book was a huge disappointment and I am glad I only got to 16% to figure it out.
No, no, NO! I got to 16% and that was with extreme efforts on my part!
WTF was wrong with these people?
First, we have the heroine. I will forgo the fact of staying at a man's house that she knew for all of 5 seconds and go straight to my deal-breaker. I am far from a prude but who sleeps with a stranger while beaten up only an hour ago? Hell, who even notices a man is hot after being beaten up? Come on!
And then, we have the hero! He all but fell in love with her in the first page! I don't believe in love at first sight. I do believe, however, in lust at first sight! I could work with that! But not when the subject of your lusty thoughts has been beaten to within an inch of her life.
All in all, this book was a huge disappointment and I am glad I only got to 16% to figure it out.
January 15, 2013
This was pretty good. I really loved Van he as protective and sweet. Van is a firefighter part time and an MMA fighter the rest of the time.He was not filled with angst or whining about his life. It was nice for a change. Dani is a nice character as well. She is from a well off family and at one time was a model.
I have to say that this started off with Van rescuing Dani one night from her abusive ex-boyfriend. He takes her home because she now has no where to go since she broke up with Brian. Van and Dani spend the night together and things swiftly become more. There wasn't any drama with Dani and Van as a couple what brought the drama was Dani's ex. Things with him spiral outta control. There were many twist and turns. POV swiftly changed from one sentence to the next.
Overall I really enjoyed this book. There were some unanswered questions and one time there was a scene change that happened that left me kinds confused. Example.. Dani is in a bad situation and needs help. Next thing you know its Van coming home to an empty apartment and Dani has moved out. She is two hours away with her parents now. Yes you find out what happened, but it was kinda strange. I was beyond surprised when I found out who the killer was though. I was so wrong.
I have to say that this started off with Van rescuing Dani one night from her abusive ex-boyfriend. He takes her home because she now has no where to go since she broke up with Brian. Van and Dani spend the night together and things swiftly become more. There wasn't any drama with Dani and Van as a couple what brought the drama was Dani's ex. Things with him spiral outta control. There were many twist and turns. POV swiftly changed from one sentence to the next.
Overall I really enjoyed this book. There were some unanswered questions and one time there was a scene change that happened that left me kinds confused. Example.. Dani is in a bad situation and needs help. Next thing you know its Van coming home to an empty apartment and Dani has moved out. She is two hours away with her parents now. Yes you find out what happened, but it was kinda strange. I was beyond surprised when I found out who the killer was though. I was so wrong.
February 10, 2013
ROMANTIC THRILLER
When Van rescues Dani late one night in a car park, after her boyfriend whom she had just dumped, had hit her. He didn't realise that this was the start of something big. From then on he and Dani start seeing each other.
But it's not all hearts and flowers, as Dani's ex-boyfriend refuses to accept things are over. His constant attempts to get Dani back become more and more intrusive.
When things descend into the downright dangerous and life threatening. Van and Dani must work together to keep their life together from totally disintegrating.
I believe this is the authors debut novel, and it is very good. I liked Van and Dani they were very well drawn. I thought the story was going to be a straight up romance. But there is so much more to this. Van is a part time firefighter, he is also a cage fighter. Dani has been a model, in the past. There are also a whole cast of characters who flesh out the story very nicely. But for me the best part was how Van and Dani who come from such different backgrounds, but were so well suited to one another. There are plenty of hot love scenes as well. An all round entertaining read.
When Van rescues Dani late one night in a car park, after her boyfriend whom she had just dumped, had hit her. He didn't realise that this was the start of something big. From then on he and Dani start seeing each other.
But it's not all hearts and flowers, as Dani's ex-boyfriend refuses to accept things are over. His constant attempts to get Dani back become more and more intrusive.
When things descend into the downright dangerous and life threatening. Van and Dani must work together to keep their life together from totally disintegrating.
I believe this is the authors debut novel, and it is very good. I liked Van and Dani they were very well drawn. I thought the story was going to be a straight up romance. But there is so much more to this. Van is a part time firefighter, he is also a cage fighter. Dani has been a model, in the past. There are also a whole cast of characters who flesh out the story very nicely. But for me the best part was how Van and Dani who come from such different backgrounds, but were so well suited to one another. There are plenty of hot love scenes as well. An all round entertaining read.
January 16, 2013
This book was great and had me hooked from the start! The romance between Dani and Van is sizzling from the start, they are each trying to overcome their dilemmas and are facing obstacles from their past and present along their journey towards happiness together. The supporting characters are great and easy to love and they each contribute to the storyline!
Also what can I say Van is a MMA fighter as well as a firefighter what more could you ask?! Well written novel by this new author and the ending of the book allows a sequel!
Also what can I say Van is a MMA fighter as well as a firefighter what more could you ask?! Well written novel by this new author and the ending of the book allows a sequel!
February 24, 2013
I really enjoyed this book, but I didn't love it. I thought the storyline was really interesting. I will say this book kept me intrigued throughout the whole thing. The suspense of the story really sucks you in. Donovan (Van) Kemp was AMAZING....he is another one to add to my book boyfriend list. I don't know if there was one thing in specific that I loved about him, but I think he was a total package. The way he loved and protected Dani was wonderful. Dani on the other hand kind of annoyed me. She truly made some really dumb decisions. This book had so many twist and turns it keep the story going. With that said that was probably my biggest complaint about the book. The story just kept on going....I felt this book could've been about half the length. The storyline continued to be dragged out when it should've ended. Plus this author liked to time jump...for some reason there would be chunks of time that were missing and should've been in there bc it held some vital info. The other big issue I had that took me almost the whole book was the multiple POV's. EVERY character got their own POV....to me that is way to many because at times you got lost as to who was saying or thinking what. I would have been happy with just the main characters having their POV written. I would still recommend this book for those people who love a great love story with some sexy spots and a lot of suspense that keeps you turning the page til the very end.
April 23, 2013
SEE FULL REVIEW HERE: http://heabookshelf.blogspot.com/2013...
What a great book!!! Seriously. I was hooked right.off.the.bat!! Literally at just 1%. And something even better?? At just 3% there was a steamy scene!!! 3%!!!!!! I'm telling ya'.. great book.. *wink*
The plot was full of drama, angst, and TWISTS. Oh my God. I swear this book could not have more twists because it just wasn't possible!!! I was freaking out throughout the entire book!!! Talk about a PAGE TURNER! I felt like I could not read fast enough! There was also a lot of romance and passion throughout the whole story line...even some humor.
Donovan Kemp ("Van") and Danielle Martin ("Dani") are just a perfect fit together. They accept each other just as they are.. baggage and everything. Loved them!
"The Fighter's Block" is about SO much more than just the HOT romance between Van and Dani. There's a mystery that develops throughout the book, so you need to pay attention to the details. Though it's safe to say, you'll probably NOT guess "who did what" at the end. Yep.. I was SO SURE I knew and NOOOOOOOPEEEEEEEEE!! Because guess what? Welcome another teeny tiny TWIST! *wink* There were A LOT of characters in this book and since the story was narrated in 3rd person POV, you get the full experience! HUGE PLUS!
This is the type of book that makes your heart beat faster anticipating "what will happen next". *sigh* Aren't those just the BEST type of books??? GREAT debut novel!!! I highly recommend it!!!
What a great book!!! Seriously. I was hooked right.off.the.bat!! Literally at just 1%. And something even better?? At just 3% there was a steamy scene!!! 3%!!!!!! I'm telling ya'.. great book.. *wink*
The plot was full of drama, angst, and TWISTS. Oh my God. I swear this book could not have more twists because it just wasn't possible!!! I was freaking out throughout the entire book!!! Talk about a PAGE TURNER! I felt like I could not read fast enough! There was also a lot of romance and passion throughout the whole story line...even some humor.
"...she flirted with her body, barely brushing his chest with hers.
He smiled. "Do your friends want to play?" He asked, making no effort to look away from her breasts as they taunted him.
She didn't miss a beat. "Do yours?"
He cocked an eyebrow. "Is that even a question?"
She kept eye contact when she replied. "You've got a giant cucumber in your pants."
"Do you want it in yours?"
"I can think of something else that would make me feel even better."
She raised her eyebrows. "Oh?"
With a nod he gave her a wicked smile. "Yeah. It's warm...and it feels really good when I'm in it...and I love how it's always wet for me..."
"You think so, huh?" she smirked.
"Well yeah. A shower is usually wet when I--"
She slugged him in the shoulder and he laughed out loud.
"Van!"
Donovan Kemp ("Van") and Danielle Martin ("Dani") are just a perfect fit together. They accept each other just as they are.. baggage and everything. Loved them!
"I want to protect you because I love you, Dani. I mean... I've fallen in love with you."
"The Fighter's Block" is about SO much more than just the HOT romance between Van and Dani. There's a mystery that develops throughout the book, so you need to pay attention to the details. Though it's safe to say, you'll probably NOT guess "who did what" at the end. Yep.. I was SO SURE I knew and NOOOOOOOPEEEEEEEEE!! Because guess what? Welcome another teeny tiny TWIST! *wink* There were A LOT of characters in this book and since the story was narrated in 3rd person POV, you get the full experience! HUGE PLUS!
This is the type of book that makes your heart beat faster anticipating "what will happen next". *sigh* Aren't those just the BEST type of books??? GREAT debut novel!!! I highly recommend it!!!
"I love you Donovan Kemp. You are my entire world. I wouldn't change any part of you."
February 9, 2014
Let me just say that I'm a big fan of insta-love stories. The Fighter's Block is definitely fueled by insta-love and although I love Van and Dani together... I think it might have been a little too insta for me. I kind of wish there was at least an overnight build up of sexual tension instead of the immediate wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am that night but it's hard to complain when Van and Dani have so much chemistry with one another.
I adore how devoted Van is to Dani. He's such a good guy, hot, affectionate, not overbearing but still alpha protective with a body and looks to die for. Throw in the fact that he wouldn't give up in his pursuit of Dani (even when she pushed him away) and you pretty much get the whole package with Van.
Enjoyed the murder/mystery/drama elements of the story. It kept me guessing. I was definitely surprised with who the bad guy turned out to be.
My biggest pet peeve had to be Dani's running away from Van. Whether she thought she was protecting him or not, that was pretty cold- not answering calls or texts, avoiding him at all costs. I wish she would've had a little more faith in him.
I found the different POVs confusing at times. It would jump back and forth between characters constantly, without clear breaks between paragraphs which cause me to backtrack at times.
A few "Really?" moments for me-
1) Van's case being - Felt like it came out of nowhere. (Happy it did though.)
2) Van's dad- Kinda ended up being a throwaway character for me. Thought there'd be more to him but there wasn't.
3) Brian- Gah! Did that really have to happen?! You were kinda left in the dark until Dani more clearly stated what happened in that apartment complex.
4) Marnie- Oooh, I hated it when she went all b****-ified on Dani. It made me leery of her for the rest of the book (even though that was probably the idea).
5) Quincy- Stupid-a**. Need I say more?
This book is just screaming for a sequel! There are plenty of options to choose from with all of the interesting characters introduced in The Fighter's Block. I think I saw that Cole might be getting the lead role? That would be awesome because I really liked his character and would love for him to get his chance at happiness!
I adore how devoted Van is to Dani. He's such a good guy, hot, affectionate, not overbearing but still alpha protective with a body and looks to die for. Throw in the fact that he wouldn't give up in his pursuit of Dani (even when she pushed him away) and you pretty much get the whole package with Van.
Enjoyed the murder/mystery/drama elements of the story. It kept me guessing. I was definitely surprised with who the bad guy turned out to be.
My biggest pet peeve had to be Dani's running away from Van. Whether she thought she was protecting him or not, that was pretty cold- not answering calls or texts, avoiding him at all costs. I wish she would've had a little more faith in him.
I found the different POVs confusing at times. It would jump back and forth between characters constantly, without clear breaks between paragraphs which cause me to backtrack at times.
A few "Really?" moments for me-
1) Van's case being - Felt like it came out of nowhere. (Happy it did though.)
2) Van's dad- Kinda ended up being a throwaway character for me. Thought there'd be more to him but there wasn't.
3) Brian- Gah! Did that really have to happen?! You were kinda left in the dark until Dani more clearly stated what happened in that apartment complex.
4) Marnie- Oooh, I hated it when she went all b****-ified on Dani. It made me leery of her for the rest of the book (even though that was probably the idea).
5) Quincy- Stupid-a**. Need I say more?
This book is just screaming for a sequel! There are plenty of options to choose from with all of the interesting characters introduced in The Fighter's Block. I think I saw that Cole might be getting the lead role? That would be awesome because I really liked his character and would love for him to get his chance at happiness!
March 3, 2013
4.5 Stars
Would have been a 5 Star read from me, but the 3rd person constant POV changes had me confused a bit. It would change sometimes within a paragraph. I got used to it though. This was also like 2 books in one and I am NOT complaining!
Van is on his way home when he sees a girl sitting down crying. He tries to offer help, when he sees she's been hit. The culprit comes in the parking lot demanding that the girl get in his car, but there's no way that Van will allow that to happen when he knows he's the one that hit her. Van ends up roughing up this guy pretty good and he offers to take the girl somewhere. She has no where to go, so Van says she can stay with him.
They end up getting along and he's so sweet to her, Dani he finally learns. He's a big guy, so kind of intimidating, but Dani knows deep down she can trust him. Well, they end up getting along so well they fall into a relationship. But, with Dani just out of an abusive relationship she's not ready to be dependent on another guy.
Well, the douche bag ex that hit Dani won't leave her alone. Things get pretty hairy and it gets INSANE! Whodunit?
Van is a MMA fighter who lives on "The Block" and they are like a family. A family of fighters. Could you really believe that your family is involved in a scandal? Yeah, neither can Van.
I had my guesses throughout this and I was always wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong.
One thing that was never answered
For me, Van was the total package! He wasn't one to have one night stands, he never strayed, he protected Dani, he was HOT, he wanted to give her the world, he overcame a hairy past, he was PERFECT!
This was a great read for 99c!
Would have been a 5 Star read from me, but the 3rd person constant POV changes had me confused a bit. It would change sometimes within a paragraph. I got used to it though. This was also like 2 books in one and I am NOT complaining!
Van is on his way home when he sees a girl sitting down crying. He tries to offer help, when he sees she's been hit. The culprit comes in the parking lot demanding that the girl get in his car, but there's no way that Van will allow that to happen when he knows he's the one that hit her. Van ends up roughing up this guy pretty good and he offers to take the girl somewhere. She has no where to go, so Van says she can stay with him.
They end up getting along and he's so sweet to her, Dani he finally learns. He's a big guy, so kind of intimidating, but Dani knows deep down she can trust him. Well, they end up getting along so well they fall into a relationship. But, with Dani just out of an abusive relationship she's not ready to be dependent on another guy.
Well, the douche bag ex that hit Dani won't leave her alone. Things get pretty hairy and it gets INSANE! Whodunit?
Van is a MMA fighter who lives on "The Block" and they are like a family. A family of fighters. Could you really believe that your family is involved in a scandal? Yeah, neither can Van.
I had my guesses throughout this and I was always wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong.
One thing that was never answered
For me, Van was the total package! He wasn't one to have one night stands, he never strayed, he protected Dani, he was HOT, he wanted to give her the world, he overcame a hairy past, he was PERFECT!
This was a great read for 99c!
March 30, 2013
I enjoyed this book a lot. The storyline was fantastic. The writing wasn't bad. Engaging characters and cool side characters (Cole was AWESOME!)
THAT being said, it needed editing. The POV switches could be confusing at times. A good beta reader could've pointed her in the direction of cleaning that up. You do get used to it, but when it happens, it's kinda confusing.
There were parts were more information should've been given. Quincy/Brian situation. Brian/Andy situation. Some back story was needed.
Hadley Quinn has a talent and her writing is good. She can get a lot better with the right teacher(s). I'm looking forward to her next book. And I'd like to see maybe Cole get his own story.
I highly recommend this debut novel!
THAT being said, it needed editing. The POV switches could be confusing at times. A good beta reader could've pointed her in the direction of cleaning that up. You do get used to it, but when it happens, it's kinda confusing.
There were parts were more information should've been given. Quincy/Brian situation. Brian/Andy situation. Some back story was needed.
Hadley Quinn has a talent and her writing is good. She can get a lot better with the right teacher(s). I'm looking forward to her next book. And I'd like to see maybe Cole get his own story.
I highly recommend this debut novel!
April 20, 2013
I have this great picture of Van in my head. And he is YUM. Van sees Dani in a parking lot and knows he has to help her. Her boyfriend is abusive and he knows he has to step in. Dani has been giving all of her money to her deadbeat brother so she is in a bind when she wants to move out of said abusive boyfriend's apartment. The answer....move in with hot MMA fighter Van. Makes sense to me. Unfortunately, abusive boyfriend, Brian, is not really in on the whole move out thing. He stalks, vandalized and kidnaps.
Van is protective, sexy, so in love with Dani. Great romantic read.
Van is protective, sexy, so in love with Dani. Great romantic read.
December 10, 2012
Predictable plot BUT I did enjoy the fights, the drama, the pace of the book. They got into it right away ;) No b.s., no frustration... LOVE the heroine and the hero. Both strong, well developed characters. The drama in this book is believable, thank gawd! Enjoyed it very much :0) LOVE Donovan... he's such a great guy.
*le sigh* Another guy who's joining my harem :0)
*le sigh* Another guy who's joining my harem :0)
February 6, 2013
4/5 stars.
Loved it, be careful and look out for this author.
I loved the story.
Big muscled alpha male, fighter, suspense,love a whole mixture of a good book.
I've seen that a lot of my Goodreadfriends don't have this or don't know the author, but i recommend it.
YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.
Loved it, be careful and look out for this author.
I loved the story.
Big muscled alpha male, fighter, suspense,love a whole mixture of a good book.
I've seen that a lot of my Goodreadfriends don't have this or don't know the author, but i recommend it.
YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.
April 7, 2015
Loved this one! Would totally read it again, and am kind of hoping that there will be more books about some of the other characters, especially Cole and Van's Sister:)
First read - 4-22-13
read again 4-5-15
First read - 4-22-13
read again 4-5-15
February 17, 2013
This book had me all over the place!!! Couldn't put it down!!! I had to know what happened!!!
February 23, 2013
Awesome!!!!!!!!!!! Loved it! Goodness I wasn't sure how this was going to go but dang it I didn't see it coming! Love a HEA!!!
January 22, 2013
This book was amazing! It had it all sex, violence, twists, love, and hot alpha men!
June 15, 2013
Enjoyed this one!
February 5, 2013
I saw The Fighter's Block on my Amazon recommendations list this morning and decided that I was going to go out on a limb with a book none of my GR friends had reviewed yet. I'm a sucker for a nice eight-pack so the cover intrigued me. I am pleased to say that this is definitely a book I can recommend for y'all.
The book will keep you engaged the whole time. Between the drama, smexiness, the witty banter (which might be my favorite part... love a good laugh!), a beautiful romance with no shortage of sweet sweet moments, and even a killer mystery that you will be starving to find an explantation for and it will have you unable to accomplish anything else but continue to read until all the truths are revealed in this book! I loved that no matter how hard I tried to figure out what was happening I never could, which is great! Hats of to Hadley Quinn for keeping me guessing until the very end!
I supposed my favorite part of The Fighter's Block was the cast of characters. An unconventional "family" of MMA fighters. It was easy to feel connections to them and they all became very lovable.
I really loved Van. Like loved him, loved him. If he was real person he's exactly who I'd see myself falling for. Good thing for my husband he's just a fictional character! It was easy to feel a connection to the characters because the author does a great job at making them feel real. Normal people (for the most part) just like us. Van isn't a billionaire, he's not perfect and he has a dark past, but he still encompasses all those things we love to read in a male character... He's a badass, he's built like a brick house, he's overprotective and he can defend your honor, he has eyes only for his girl, he is extremely charming and funny... the list could go on and on. Oh! And he's a firefighter on the side too... Yummy, right ladies?! Perfect! *GAAAHHHH* I think I could talk about how in love I fell with Van all day.
I also loved and felt for Dani. First off, of course - Loved her name :) Shoutout to all the Dani/Danielle's - but I also loved that she wasn't a pathetic excuse for a woman. She could hold her own. Even after ending a bad an abusive relationship she manages to stay strong. She never frustrated or infuriated me like some heroines have a tendency of doing, especially in the last few books I've chosen. I loved that Dani was a beauty, model gorgeous, but never took advantage of her looks. And she could be quite the comedian too which I got a kick out off. I especially loved the back and forths between she and Van.
I definitely will be reading more from this author in the future. At 350 pages it's the perfect amount of story so you won't be left needing more. I was satisfied with this HEA... but if I'm being completely honest... I could have read 350 more pages of Van if I had the choice hehe... ♥
The book will keep you engaged the whole time. Between the drama, smexiness, the witty banter (which might be my favorite part... love a good laugh!), a beautiful romance with no shortage of sweet sweet moments, and even a killer mystery that you will be starving to find an explantation for and it will have you unable to accomplish anything else but continue to read until all the truths are revealed in this book! I loved that no matter how hard I tried to figure out what was happening I never could, which is great! Hats of to Hadley Quinn for keeping me guessing until the very end!
I supposed my favorite part of The Fighter's Block was the cast of characters. An unconventional "family" of MMA fighters. It was easy to feel connections to them and they all became very lovable.
I really loved Van. Like loved him, loved him. If he was real person he's exactly who I'd see myself falling for. Good thing for my husband he's just a fictional character! It was easy to feel a connection to the characters because the author does a great job at making them feel real. Normal people (for the most part) just like us. Van isn't a billionaire, he's not perfect and he has a dark past, but he still encompasses all those things we love to read in a male character... He's a badass, he's built like a brick house, he's overprotective and he can defend your honor, he has eyes only for his girl, he is extremely charming and funny... the list could go on and on. Oh! And he's a firefighter on the side too... Yummy, right ladies?! Perfect! *GAAAHHHH* I think I could talk about how in love I fell with Van all day.
I also loved and felt for Dani. First off, of course - Loved her name :) Shoutout to all the Dani/Danielle's - but I also loved that she wasn't a pathetic excuse for a woman. She could hold her own. Even after ending a bad an abusive relationship she manages to stay strong. She never frustrated or infuriated me like some heroines have a tendency of doing, especially in the last few books I've chosen. I loved that Dani was a beauty, model gorgeous, but never took advantage of her looks. And she could be quite the comedian too which I got a kick out off. I especially loved the back and forths between she and Van.
I definitely will be reading more from this author in the future. At 350 pages it's the perfect amount of story so you won't be left needing more. I was satisfied with this HEA... but if I'm being completely honest... I could have read 350 more pages of Van if I had the choice hehe... ♥
November 24, 2013
Six Stars! I can't quite understand it..but i have never read a book that has felt so real - like I was completely living it. I would have read 70-80 this year and this was quite astounding - hard to achieve such power, the author deserves all the praise she receives for this.
It was really better than I expected - I guess for me it helps that I chose to avoid reading the 'blurb' summary as that often gives half the story away!
I also can not remember the last book that grabbed me at the sample... often I will read a sample and see the book could go either way, then I take a bit of a stab in the dark... This book had me from the get go!
I would most certainly add it to my list of recommendations, I will DEFINITELY be checking EVERYTHING out Hadley writes and am very interested in the next side story of one of the other characters (this book is a stand alone story with an ending).
This book would make a great movie :)
Great cover!
Some small details for the author - and I have tried to write in a bit of secret code so anyone who has not read this will not have the story spilled before they get there:
It took me half of the book to click that there were two characters with names beginning with'Co..' - I had them pegged in my head as the same people. Because they only popped up occasionally the slight name difference did not register with me. Also I think there was a Simon and a Steven or something similar - with so many characters it can be hard to recall slight differences. It may just be me though!
Also the scene where the lead male is "relieved from where he had been placed for a length of time" could have had more power - due to the emotions involved... Perhaps a conversation where he is being told by someone and then the relief/excitement.
But really....well done!
WOULD MAKE A GREAT MOVIE!
It was really better than I expected - I guess for me it helps that I chose to avoid reading the 'blurb' summary as that often gives half the story away!
I also can not remember the last book that grabbed me at the sample... often I will read a sample and see the book could go either way, then I take a bit of a stab in the dark... This book had me from the get go!
I would most certainly add it to my list of recommendations, I will DEFINITELY be checking EVERYTHING out Hadley writes and am very interested in the next side story of one of the other characters (this book is a stand alone story with an ending).
This book would make a great movie :)
Great cover!
Some small details for the author - and I have tried to write in a bit of secret code so anyone who has not read this will not have the story spilled before they get there:
It took me half of the book to click that there were two characters with names beginning with'Co..' - I had them pegged in my head as the same people. Because they only popped up occasionally the slight name difference did not register with me. Also I think there was a Simon and a Steven or something similar - with so many characters it can be hard to recall slight differences. It may just be me though!
Also the scene where the lead male is "relieved from where he had been placed for a length of time" could have had more power - due to the emotions involved... Perhaps a conversation where he is being told by someone and then the relief/excitement.
But really....well done!
WOULD MAKE A GREAT MOVIE!
May 4, 2013
I totally fell in love with this book the synopsis is only a glimpse of what this book is about. Van and Dani are such loveable characters. Dani and Van meet at a club o e night after Dani's ex acts like a complete and utter douchebag. Van steps in to help Dani out, she goes against her norm and goes home with Van. Dani has several issues when it comes to men and she is very leery of getting to close to Van too quickly, while Van is all for a full on relationship with her.
As you get more into the story you meet many different characters Dani's ex goes complete stalker and reeks havoc one Dani and Van's lives. You also meet the other fighters everyone has an interesting back story. Dani's parents set a horrific incident in motion and it causes catastrophic repercussions. You are kept constantly guessing in a who done it situation.
There are so many great things to say about this book, but I am not a huge fan of spoilers so I am sorry if this review doesn't give you much but I can promise you that you will not regret reading this book.
As you get more into the story you meet many different characters Dani's ex goes complete stalker and reeks havoc one Dani and Van's lives. You also meet the other fighters everyone has an interesting back story. Dani's parents set a horrific incident in motion and it causes catastrophic repercussions. You are kept constantly guessing in a who done it situation.
There are so many great things to say about this book, but I am not a huge fan of spoilers so I am sorry if this review doesn't give you much but I can promise you that you will not regret reading this book.
May 9, 2013
I didn't expect a lot from this freebie, but I was pleasantly surprised. Van and Dani were the perfect couple. Dani was sweet, thoughtful and caring. She would give her last dollar to help a stranger. Van was hot, loyal and had a kind heart. He was definitely not the stereotypical MMA bad boy. Van's had to live in his father's shadow, which made him have to prove to everyone that he is a good person and not a killer. Dani had to constantly live up to her parent's expectations her entire life and when she finally meets Van, she doesn't have to be someone she's not. There was a lot of mystery and suspense going on in this story, which keeps you on edge, trying to figure out who is out to ruin Van and put him away forever. I did feel at times that there were too many characters in a scene and it got a little confusing, but overall, I would definitely recommend this book. This is one of those books I wish was part of a series, because I really enjoyed the characters.
October 27, 2015
GREAT READ!!
I really enjoy this book there was parts the was going too fast but was still good. Van's and Dani's relationship was one of the best, Van was such a sweet guy.
I usually don't like books that have a lot of different POVs in the books. For me I just like when it's just the Hero and heroine's POV but this book makes sense to have that.
Brian was one of the worse characters I have read he was freaking insane.
The suspense was really good I was surprised who did what.
Awesome book overall.
April 18, 2013
This story was amazing with love lust and devious bastards for friends this was great Dani met Van when she had a fight with her soon to be ex who slapped her for looking at another man who happens to be van he meets her outside the club were she is sitting nursing a swollen face thanks to Brian the manipulated ex so van breaks his hand brilliant thing get heated pretty quick with Dani & Van and they end up falling in love pretty quickly but there is always a storm brewing with Brian who happens to be blackmailing everyone but gets what's coming to him but Van gets framed for by One of his closest friends loved the love lust and suspense of this book it had me gripped from beginning to end loved it will be reading more of Hadley Quinn x
April 23, 2013
This book wasn't that great... it was constantly changing the point of view from character to character, and not even the main ones! You would be reading what random people are thinking and you even get a sexy scene of people that aren't Van or Dani... It was pretty difficult for me to get used to that. It was also a bit slow at times. However, there is a good plot, steamy romance, and likeable characters, as well as a good mystery, yet I think the end was weird... I mean, one of the bad guys was someone you maybe read the name of once or twice and never gave a second thought to, and they all act like its some huge betrayal. I don't know... wasn't my favorite! But it was free on Amazon so I didn't waste any money on it!
April 26, 2013
2.5 stars...
This story had so much potential! The author really drug out some parts of the story while others were rushed or even dropped. I want to know what the fall-out was for Dani's parent's involvement. And why was there such a big deal made out of Van's dad getting out of jail and then nothing? While I did like Van & Dani's relationship and that part of the story I thought the other supporting material in the book was disjointed, sometimes vague, sometimes overly done.
My other pet peeve on this book was the dialog. The author needs to breakup the paragraphs and story a bit when changing a POV. I had to re-read so many paragraphs because it didn't make sense until you figured out that she changed to a different character's POV.
This story had so much potential! The author really drug out some parts of the story while others were rushed or even dropped. I want to know what the fall-out was for Dani's parent's involvement. And why was there such a big deal made out of Van's dad getting out of jail and then nothing? While I did like Van & Dani's relationship and that part of the story I thought the other supporting material in the book was disjointed, sometimes vague, sometimes overly done.
My other pet peeve on this book was the dialog. The author needs to breakup the paragraphs and story a bit when changing a POV. I had to re-read so many paragraphs because it didn't make sense until you figured out that she changed to a different character's POV.
March 9, 2014
3.5 Stars!!
I thought this book was good. In the beginning I started reading it because I was looking for a MMA book. I wasn't expecting for it to be so suspenseful. If you are looking for a MMA/Romance/Murder Mystery then this is the book for you lol
I only had a few problems with the book. It was a little on the long side. There were a ton of details I could have lived without. What bothered me the most was the most was the 3rd person POV. It was very confusing and I found myself reading things over to try and figure out who said them.
Even though there were a few things I didn't like that much I would still probably read this book over. It had a cute couple, some mildly steamy scenes, and a few interesting supporting characters. :)
I thought this book was good. In the beginning I started reading it because I was looking for a MMA book. I wasn't expecting for it to be so suspenseful. If you are looking for a MMA/Romance/Murder Mystery then this is the book for you lol
I only had a few problems with the book. It was a little on the long side. There were a ton of details I could have lived without. What bothered me the most was the most was the 3rd person POV. It was very confusing and I found myself reading things over to try and figure out who said them.
Even though there were a few things I didn't like that much I would still probably read this book over. It had a cute couple, some mildly steamy scenes, and a few interesting supporting characters. :)
Read
January 15, 2013I put this one down at 13%.
It will be a DNF for me.
The narrative ( 3rd person ) was confusing to read. At times, I had no clue "who" is talking.
The insta-love didn't work for me. They met outside a club after the h's boyfriend hit her, the H then beats up b/f and then takes her back to his place and less than 1/2 hr later they are naked. Which... hey... could happen but the author didn't build the story to support it. It felt so... weirdly out of place.
I stuck with it to see if the book and I could move past our rough beginning but sadly for me, the story just got too convoluted for me to stick.
It will be a DNF for me.
The narrative ( 3rd person ) was confusing to read. At times, I had no clue "who" is talking.
The insta-love didn't work for me. They met outside a club after the h's boyfriend hit her, the H then beats up b/f and then takes her back to his place and less than 1/2 hr later they are naked. Which... hey... could happen but the author didn't build the story to support it. It felt so... weirdly out of place.
I stuck with it to see if the book and I could move past our rough beginning but sadly for me, the story just got too convoluted for me to stick.
January 26, 2013
This was a second romance/mystery book I stumbled on in as many weeks. I agree with a few other reviewers on Amazon as it is a gem hiding out there in book-land. It is a well-written love story about Van a MMA fighter and as a bonus, a part-time fire fighter and Dani a graphic artist, who is also a part time model. Van is a tough on the outside, soft on the inside and once he rescues the sexy Dani, he will do anything for her. Dani seems like she is ready to live a "real life" and Van is just the home-grown guy she is looking for. Van is hot, Dani is sexy, so there is the steamy romance part, throw in a psychotic ex and it makes for quite the page turner.
April 19, 2013
I did enjoy this book from start to finish, took me 3 hours to finish it. IT had too many alternative POV's, but it worked for me. I liked what everyone was thinking.
VAN! Oh my . . . hotness! Loved that he was PT firefighter and MMA fighter. Down to earth, everyday man that didn't have to be tatted up! Definitely a man to bring home for parents to meet and marry him. Dani was not made written to be a weak, "needy" woman and I did appreciate that! She stood her on her own! His buddies from the "block" were a great addition to the story line. I ended falling for Cole as well.
Overall a great read!
VAN! Oh my . . . hotness! Loved that he was PT firefighter and MMA fighter. Down to earth, everyday man that didn't have to be tatted up! Definitely a man to bring home for parents to meet and marry him. Dani was not made written to be a weak, "needy" woman and I did appreciate that! She stood her on her own! His buddies from the "block" were a great addition to the story line. I ended falling for Cole as well.
Overall a great read!
April 28, 2013
This is one of those books that I really couldn't decide exactly how I felt about it.
To be honest it switched POV's way to quickly and sometimes mid-paragraph. Not to mention that you got just about every characters POV at least once... so keeping up with who was thinking what was a little difficult at times.
BUT I couldn't put the book down for the life of me. I was dying to know what would happen next. Would Van and Dani get their happily ever after? Would they figure out exactly what happened?
Because I got this one as a freebie I would definitely say no doubt it's one to check out... but even if this one is under $3 I'd still say check it out!
3 - 3.5 Stars
To be honest it switched POV's way to quickly and sometimes mid-paragraph. Not to mention that you got just about every characters POV at least once... so keeping up with who was thinking what was a little difficult at times.
BUT I couldn't put the book down for the life of me. I was dying to know what would happen next. Would Van and Dani get their happily ever after? Would they figure out exactly what happened?
Because I got this one as a freebie I would definitely say no doubt it's one to check out... but even if this one is under $3 I'd still say check it out!
3 - 3.5 Stars
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