{Review} In Kelly's Corner by Roxie Rivera

Title: In Kelly's Corner
Author: Roxie Rivera
Release Date: September 27, 2013
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary Romance, Sports Romance, Romantic Suspense

After a stalker breaks into her home, internet entrepreneur Bee Langston decides Kelly Connolly is the only man who can help her—but seeking help from the former Marine isn’t easy, especially after she made a spectacular fool of herself trying to kiss the sinfully sexy bodyguard.

When Kelly spots Bee weaving her way through the Houston nightspot where he’s working security, all those feelings he’s desperately tried to deny for his best friend’s sister come flooding to the surface. He’ll do anything to keep her safe, even if means getting up close and personal with the one woman he simply can’t have.

Soon, Bee’s stalker isn’t his only problem. His gambling addict father is tangled in a mess of debts to two of Houston’s toughest loan sharks. With the family gym on the line, there’s only one way for Kelly to make everything right. He agrees to fight for the Albanian mob in an underground bare-knuckle fighting tournament.

But winning the tournament and saving his family’s legacy comes at a high price—one that just might cost Bee her life.

Review

Bree Langston is an internet genius, making her way to making millions toward a promising and secure career and future. Everything is nearly set. That is until she found herself a stalker who plays dirty, determined to take her in a downward spiral before she reaches the top. Not only is her business at stake, but so is her life. Bree seeks out protection from the threats of her stalker in form of Kelly Connolly--the one she pined for for years and the only one she truly trusts. Kelly was Bree's brothers best friend, they both fought alongside each other in the marines (before her brother was killed in the war), and he is now working at a security firm, so Bree knows he's the man for the job to protect her.

Kelly, unbeknownst to Bree, has been in love with his best friend's sister and had shared a kiss that tied their connection even more, so when Bree comes to him shaking in fear and in need of his protection, he's rocked to his core with the feelings that he thought were long gone and his fierce need to keep her safe. All those years he's had feelings for Bree, he fought against for the sake of not wanting to betray his best friend (even after his untimely death) by pursuing a relationship with her, so he rejected her then. No matter how many times she had been rejected and years spent apart, it never severed their feelings for each other. It's still there and burning as ever.

They've had history before the story began, and we get to see it (and them) grow more since they reunite (although through some distressful circumstances). Since they've already had feelings before the book started, the romance between them may seem a little fast-paced. And the sexual chemistry is hard-hitting and intensely all-consuming. Kelly protects as fiercely as he loves. But with so much passion as these two have, there will be strain and tension as well. There's back and forth due to their internal battles of what they feel is wrong, and what they feel is right and true. But it was nice and quite frustrating at times to see them break down their walls and go with their feelings. But that doesn't come easy, or course, and with the situations they find themselves in, comes the question whether or not certain characters even make it out alive. And if they do, where will they stand at the end?

We meet the rest of the Connolly boys, Kelly's brothers Jack and Finn that become essential and take on big roles in the story as well as Kelly and Bree's lives. I cannot wait to read their stories (which are out now)!

There are subplots present throughout the story to shake up their already tangled up lives. The stalker is unrelenting and unforgiving and is getting more and more sinister in his vendetta, Kelly's father soon ropes them into bad and dangerous situations, a pay off in form of getting into a ring, family battles, and dealing with an Albanian mob. They've stirred up quite a myriad of unfortunate events in a short amount of time. Good thing the Connolley's and Bree have an alpha-male of a man Kelly on their side to gain their safety back.

There is a plethora of elements that make up this romantic suspense -- sabotage, intrigue, twists and turns, angst, action, mobs, debts, family battles, tension, suspense, angles, trepidation, lies, unhealthy addictions, hot sex, passion, broken trust, and fighting in the ring, safety and heart all wrapped into an enthralling package, so readers are hardly have time to be idle or bored.

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{Review} Fighting For Love by L.P. Dover

Title: Fighting For Love
Author: L.P. Dover
Release Date: March 9, 2014
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary Romance, Sports Romance

Fighting for someone’s heart is more challenging than fighting for a title.

For a time, many years ago, love had grown, love was made, and in the end … love was lost. The decision to leave had been the worst mistake Shelby Dawson could have ever made. However, at the time—ten years ago—she felt her secret needed to stay hidden, even if it broke her heart and the heart of the man she loved. Back then, he was all hers and she was all his, but now things have changed and he isn’t the same guy she knew.

He happens to be the well-known MMA Heavyweight champion and famous bad boy, Matt ‘The Destroyer’ Reynolds, who once before struggled to help his family pay the bills. Now, he has money flowing with each undefeated win and an insurmountable number of women filling his bed. Everything is perfect for the illustrious fighter, until one day it all changes. In walks the girl from his past, the same girl who promised to stick by him but left and never looked back.

Their second chance to make things right will not come easy, for when one mistake is made an unwelcome consequence soon follows. Someone out there wants to rip them apart and they won’t stop until Matt and Shelby pay the ultimate price … their love.

Review

I've only read one of L. P. Dover's books from the Second Chances series, and that was Meant For Me, and I was hooked to her writing ever since. So, of course I jumped at the chance to read Fighting For Love. It doesn't matter which order you read the series, though, because they are all stand alone's with their own characters and their own stories, so you won't miss a beat. We do, however, see a certain character from Meant For Me comes back with a vendetta. Don't worry, I won't spoil it for you, I'll let you figure out who. After all, the unknown and the unexpected is part of the fun.

We know the gist of their past through the blurb, so I'll skip that part. Because of Shelby walking out of Matt's heart and life years ago, their reunion is not pretty. And that is completely understandable. There were reasons, reasons she's kept hidden, that she believes Matt wouldn't understand and deal with that causes her to walk away from her only love. A secret that could possibly make or break a relationship.

I think it sucks that it is what kept them apart and wasting time for a whole decade. Like any person, Matt keeps his guard up. Around her, and around everyone. Even though it's tough, I just wished that Shelby trusted Matt enough to let him in on her secrets. I mean, aren't you supposed to not keep secrets from the one you love? And aren't they supposed to love you without conditions? I know that secret of hers is scary to let them be known to anyone, but how are you supposed to know if you don't trust them with everything if you don't give it a chance to lay it all out there? I guess I can't blame the girl too much, because if I were in her shoes, I'd walk out too. Especially if it'll save lives if not love.

Of course, there is also that pesky something or someone who stops at nothing to tear a couple apart. There are secrets, intrigue, lies, betrayal, questions looming over their heads and behind their backs. The past rears its ugly head and derails plans of winning them back. This will put their love to the ultimate test. You're left questioning if they can ever come out of this and if their love and withstand anything in their way. Second chances come with a price, and Shelby and Matt learns just how much it'll cost them. It's a long journey of trusting, forgiveness and communication to get their second chance at love and happiness with a promising future together.

What was refreshing is that it's the girl who was the one who walked out and the one to fight for another chance this time, and not the guy. There was plenty of twists and revelations that I did not see coming, and that made it a much more of an enticing and intriguing read. Shelby and Matt's love is honestly undeniable and very passionate. Together they are moving and intense because their love (and lust) runs deep even after all they've been through. And the sexual tension and sex itself is oh so hot and full of steam, and its presence will let it be known whether you're prepared for it or not.

L. P. does not disappoint and her writing does not waver in Fighting For Love. Other than the writing that drew me in, I'm also a sucker for fighting stories, in the ring and for a heart. The passion just flows, and the sparks fly off the wall -- whether they are necking on it or not. Wink, wink. They never stopped loving each other, and in the end it's clear that they really do fit together like no other. It just took some a lot of courage and fighting to get there.

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