Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Review of Knockout (Wayward Fighters #1) by J.C. Valentine

Synopsis: From the wrong side of the tracks...
Alyson Blake had learned early on that the only one she could depend on was herself. The only light in her life was a boy whom everyone agreed was destined for prison; but with his first kiss, he had set her soul on fire. Since the day the police dragged him away in handcuffs, she had managed to lead a quiet life, but when she attends an event fraught with mayhem, trouble resurfaces.

The one person she can’t forget...

Jamison Weston is the kind of guy dads load their shotguns for; endowed with a hot temper and a rap sheet as long as both tattooed arms. Known as “The Judge,” Jami’s hot temper, lethal fists, and cocky attitude have earned him respect and admiration both in and out of the ring. But just when he thinks he’s pummeled his past to death, Alyson Blake reenters his life.

Two paths collide…

After years of separation, Alyson is eager to reexplore the man who’s never left her thoughts, but for Jamison, she’s both the distraction he wants, but doesn’t need. As the two embark on a relationship that neither of them expected or bargained for, an outside threat closes in. When Alyson crosses the line of professionalism and takes her work home with her, her life is put in danger, leaving Jamison with no choice but to once again step in and become her protector.

WARNING **Book One in a two part story.** This book contains a mild cliffhanger ending that will be resolved in book two. The release date for book two has been moved up to July 2014. If you do not like cliffhangers, you might consider checking out my Night Calls series instead.


4.5 Stars!

Review: This MMA books was just what I was looking for in this type of book. Jamison, or Jami, has fought his way up from a rough childhood, and he is at that point in his fighting career where he has not quite made it, but he is definitely on the way there. He does not really have time in his life for a distraction, but he gets one, anyways. 

Alyson, or Ally, walks back into Jami's life, straight out of his past. They both grew up in a rough neighborhood and both had a difficult childhood. Jami's parents seemed to ignore and neglect him out of indifference or an dislike of being a parent. Ally's father, however, beat her and her mother, and she has some definite trigger points when it comes to violence. 

The only reason the two run back into one another, as they have not seen each other since Jami disappeared from her life, is because Ally's best friend, Olivia, tricked her into coming to a fight with her. Once she figures out that the fighter is her long lost friend, however, there is no turning back for Ally. The two of them reconnect quickly, and there is definitely attraction on both of their parts, but they do not rush into something physical, no matter how much both of them might want to. I really liked and respected this. Jami really underestimates himself, so he only feels that he can offer Ally something physical. She, on the other hand, knows that he is underestimated himself, and, rather than try to change him, she takes her time to try to figure out if she can accept only what he is offering. 

I'll be honest, the two of them drive me nuts, at times, because they both have a habit of running away from each other when things get tough. They always give each other another chance, however, which is their redeeming quality. Meanwhile, however, Ally, who has become a social worker, due to her own history, has been making some completely unethical decisions in regards to her job, and it also puts her life at risk. Someone is watching Ally, and they will approach her at some point...Will Jami be there to help her?

Jessica

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