Against the Ropes (Redemption #1) by Sarah Castille
He scared me. He thrilled me. And after one touch, all I could think about was getting more…
Makayla never thought she’d set foot in an underground mixed-martial arts club. But if anyone needs a medic on hand, it’s these guys. Trouble is, at her first sight of the club’s owner she’s the one feeling breathless.
All sleek muscle and restrained power, the man they call Torment plays to win at any cost. Whether it’s in the ring or in the bedroom, he knows exactly when to use a soft touch and when to launch a full-on assault. He always knows just how far he can push. And he’s about to tempt Makayla in ways she never imagined…
3.5 out of 5 stars
I thought this was a great story! I loved both of the main characters. Makayla was sassy, determined, and compassionate, and really stayed true to herself. Torment was sexy, caring and domineering (I love a good alpha-male!). They had a strong connection with one another and great chemistry.
There’s a nice build up to their back stories and they were filled with emotion, I thought the stories unfolded well. I found Makayla’s internal dialogue amusing at times and found it refreshing during the more intense scenes. The really liked the fighters and other characters in the book, they were interesting and entertaining. I liked Jake and Amanda's connection and wonder if there will be a book 2 with them.
There was a lot sexual tension in the first half of the book but I thought it had a nice build. Once the sexy times started they were super steamy with some light BDSM mixed in. I thought they were well written and not overdone.
All and all a really good story. I like how Makayla never gave up, how she always stood up to Torment, and was so much stronger by the end. Finding out Torments true identity kind of through me a bit. I felt like he was trying to mesh his two worlds, in the end I felt like he finally got there and we saw who he truly was. Makayla and Torments both grew a lot, learned to open up and trust… getting there was intense and hot!
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
