Cross jabbed me right into reading, Pinned me into my seat, and allowed me to fight along and fall in love with this outstanding book. Literally left me grappling on to every single word till the very end. This story had HEART.
★★★★★
FINALLY able to start reading this book, it took me awhile to piece everything together again, who was who, and what had happened last in the previous book of the series. Release dates are SO far apart. I was grateful that this book gave a bit of a reminder on what was currently going on and stuff so that I didn't have to go back to the previous book and re-read anything or search for clues and waste precious time. Once it all came back to me, I shot like a firecracker.
Acclaimed author Katie McGarry returns with the knockout new story of two high school seniors who are about to learn what winning really means.
Champion kickboxer Haley swore she'd never set foot in the ring again after one tragic night. But then the guy she can't stop thinking about accepts a mixed martial arts fight in her honor. Suddenly, Haley has to train West Young. All attitude, West is everything Haley promised herself she'd stay away from. Yet he won't last five seconds in the ring without her help.
West is keeping a big secret from Haley. About who he really is. But helping her-fighting for her-is a shot at redemption. Especially since it's his fault his family is falling apart. He can't change the past, but maybe he can change Haley's future.
Haley and West have agreed to keep their relationship strictly in the ring. But as an unexpected bond forms between them and attraction mocks their best intentions, they'll face their darkest fears and discover love is worth fighting for.
The characters were very distinct, and had their own things to overcome and such. But this particular story revolved around Haley Williams and West Young.
West going through turmoil with the current predicament of his sister, Rachel's accident and the blame being slammed into him with the help of his father. Not to mention that he is already beating himself over ten folds over it. West's father has had enough and decides to leave West to fend for himself.
Meanwhile, our heroine, Haley is going through some pretty tough times, keeping all that she is going through to herself and taking all the weight on her own. Her family is staying with her Uncle and basically living in hell. Her dad was let go from his job and got depressed. She is also keeping to herself what really happened between her and her ex-boyfriend. And in doing so, she believes she is keeping her brother, Kaden, and her cousin, Jax, safe.
Our two heroes met somewhere in the middle of everything going on. They get into some bad circumstances and have no choice in what had to be done, now Haley is training West to fight her ex-boyfriend, Matt. along the way, they both come at a roadblock and get pushed back into the mud, but together, they pull through.
Not only did Haley and West come together and lived happily ever, they shed blood and tears and grief over the things they had to go through and deal with in their lives. And they could never catch a break, a curve ball was always ready to be thrown at them. And they did lose themselves a bit, but they went through hell and back, to attain something better because they deserve better. They could not keep tapping out. Haley and West had something to prove, and something to strive for, as well as something to love and protect. They fought. For themselves and for each other.
I
LOVED the dedication and determination these characters had, even when push comes to shove, they were capable to push and shove back.
They didn't have much going for them, but they each had something they were able to take part of, believe in, and have
heart.
Overall, this story was emotionally beautiful, and prodigiously great. I had an
AMAZING ride with these characters. The story came to life, and was super easy to visualize every fight, every tear, and feel what they felt. Truly, a piece of work.
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Willing Victim by Cara McKenna