Series: (Outside the Ropes, #1)
Author: Ashley Claudy
Genre: New Adult
Regan Sommers spent her life fighting. Fighting foster parents, kids in the group home, and classmates. But the night she has to fight for her life changes everything.
Now, she's fighting for money in the ring, and from the first punch she's addicted. Every addiction has a price though, and this one is the gym's star boxer, Gage Lawson. He may come in an enticing tattooed package, but his demands are more than she can handle.
The responding officer from that night, Anthony Fields, comes with no demands. He wants whatever she's willing to give, and Regan can handle that. She can definitely handle him.
But no help comes string free, and Regan's not the only one with a hard past and scars to cover. The life she was trying to escape is nothing compared to the danger she's in the middle of now, and she can't fight her way out.
This book is filled with mature content (yay!) and keeps you gripped at the edge of your seat. It's overflowing with fist-fights, sexy boxers, snappy come-backs, and bad guys. Overall: defiantly a page-turner.
One of my absolute favorite things about this book is the heroine, Regan. She's ballsy. She's brass knuckles and blood, strong-willed like iron. She's everything you wouldn't expect. And hells-to-the-yeah I enjoyed reading her POV.
She's a scared, wounded soul that protects herself from the harsh world with a tough exterior, mean words, and roaming hands. Regan's philosophy of life is that:
“ ...everyone hurts each other. It’s what people do.”But, you know what? All Regan's jaded belief's made her all the more likeable, relatable, and believable, as a character.
Although, I have to say... THE number one thing I loved about the book was how it was able to toy with my emotions, feelings, and thoughts. Like, I have never experienced so much whiplash from a book—ever. (At least, not that I can think of.)
“Well, damn. That’s—” he shook his head and sat in the other chair behind him, the lines of his jaw working. “You’re cold.” His eyes locked with mine. “Ice.”The romance in Outside the Ropes was what it was... through the whole book, I was torn between the sexy, intense chemistry with Gage and the sweet, caring connecting with Anthony.
Gage and Anthony were polar opposites; the former demanded Regan on his terms (which pissed the little fire-ball Regan off like a firecracker) while the latter placated with her terms (which set Regan at ease). Either ither, each of Regan's love interests attracted me like positive and negative magnets until I didn't know which way I was (or should be) pulled.
At the beginning of Outside the Ropes, I clearly liked Anthony more. Buuuuuttt, in the middle of the book—wham, bam, thank you ma'am—I waffled between the two stud muffins. Then near the end, creeping up on me, I realized I loved Gage more. Like, gah! Could you mess with a girls Love-O-Meter anymore, Ashley Claudy?
Annnnnd, why in the heck am I still going on about book #1 when I could be reading book #2?
Yeah, peace out, homie. ;)
PS: I was given an ARC of this book for an honest review. But I do
solemnly swear that I am up to... good on goodreads. ;) So all opinions
in this review are my own honest interpretation of this book. Pinky
promise.
BOOK RATING:
