Kat MacGregor has forty-eight hours to make good on the debt her ex-boyfriend owes a crime boss. Unfortunately, the measly tips she makes waitressing are barely enough for her to live on, much less cover the twenty-thousand needed to keep her breathing. With time running out, Kat ‘s forced to accept help from the only man who’s ever made her feel fire rather than fear.
When he learns a friend’s sister is in trouble, former Boston MMA fighter Aiden “Irish” O’Brien heads to Louisiana to offer himself up as collateral to keep her safe. But to satisfy the debt, he has to do the one thing he swore he’d never do again: fight. With more than just money on the line, will Irish have what it takes to not only reclaim the man he once was, but become the man he needs to be for the woman he can’t live without?
You with me, Kitten?
Whoa. Gina L. Maxwell just continues to prove one thing; the woman can write. I went into this expecting a typical Brazen read. You know what I’m talking about. It’s a whole lot of steamy, a little fluffy, entertaining read with some dirty talk thrown into the mix. Is that what I got with this book? Not even close. Don’t get me wrong, it was still steamy and entertaining with some delicious dirty talk thrown into the mix. But it was certainly not fluffy. Not even a little bit. This was an emotional and gritty book about two broken souls learning to move past the shadows of their pasts and helping each other heal.
If you’ve read the rest of the books in this series and are familiar with Gina’s writing, don’t be surprised when you find this much different then the rest of the books. I struggled a bit with my rating, since it was not exactly what I was expecting…and I wasn’t quite ready for the caliber of emotions and the heavy subject matter it covers. But truthfully, after giving it much thought, I simply couldn’t rate anything less than the 5 stars this book most definitely deserves.
While this book can be read as a standalone, I would highly recommend reading Rules of Entanglement before this; and not only because it was an amazing book. Kat is the younger sister of Vanessa, the heroine from RoE. There are some things mentioned that I think will have understand Kat more from the beginning.
Kat MacGreggor is on the run. When her ex-boyfriend lands in jail, Kat realize that his debt to a major crime boss has now become her own. It only takes one beating within an inch of her life to realize that they mean business. So she changes her name and tries to make a living in a different town as a waitress. But before long her trouble catches up with her, and she realizes that there just may not be an escape.
Aiden “Irish” O’Brien knows that he owes his friend Jax a big debt. So when he hears that Jax’s fiance has a sister that’s in trouble, he doesn’t take long to think before he leaves Boston for Tenesse in order to keep her safe. But Kat isn’t quite what he expected and he’s not prepared when being around her bring the demons from his past back up.
Kat has her own demons. And when the alluring “Irish” offers to help her with her problems, it’s almost too good to be true. There just has to be a catch. She doesn’t exactly have the best history when it comes to men.
Reading about everything that she’s been through was not an easy feat. It was devastating. Even though I had a pretty good idea based on hints from the previous book, as well as the few things that are hinted at in this one, I wasn’t prepared for the full disclosure of it. My heart broke for her.
But even with everything that’s she’s been through, she was a very strong and endearing heroine. She struggles with her past, but she’s trying not to let it taint her future.
Now Aiden. My darling Aiden. He just made the book for him.
It’s really no secret that I’m easy. Now don’t be judgy here, I don’t mean like that. What I mean is, I read motorcycle riding, tatted, and pierced and I WAS SOLD. I ask you, what else could a girl want? Now make him understanding, protective, sweet, and a dirty talker…and I am on cloud 9. Irish was pure tatted perfection. I think my heart just about melted every single time he called Kat kitten. And then when he would always ask her, “Are you with me, kitten?”
The first half of this book was an exercise in patience and a major case of blue ovaries. The sexual tension just kept mounting and mounting until it was almost unbearable. But don’t fret, because the wait is certainly worth it.
I adored the way that Irish was with Kat; the way he helps deal with her demons and fears was beautiful to read.
He was equal parts sweet and a little dirty. Just the way I like them. This book had everything; great MCs, action, suspense, steam, and a beautiful love story about two people learning to heal the wounds of their past together. I loved it.
The one thing I was afraid of was the revelation of Aiden’s secret. He harbors so much guilt from an event from his past that it effects every relationship he has, even the one with Kat. I can’t tell you how many books I’ve read that have all this build to this big dark secret, only to come to a very anti-climatic and simple revelations. I was very worried that this might be the case here. I’m so glad to say that it wasn’t. When the full event was disclosed I could definitely understand why Aiden felt the guilt that he did. It just made me fall for him even more.
The second half of the book was much quicker paced and filled with a lot of action. After the 80% mark I simply couldn’t set it down, I just had to know what happens.
And the ending? PERFECTION
If you enjoy steamy books with two broken but extremely endearing MCs, action, suspense, and a great romance to top it off, then this is a must read. A fantastic addition to the Fighting For Love series, and I for one can’t wait for the next book. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for Xander, the sexy womanizing Brit.
He sprang up like a healthy branch and I wrapped my hand around his thickness.
Wes knows the brazen Rubi isn’t his type. But after spending time with her, he discovers she’s everything he’s ever wanted in a woman. To win her wild rebel heart, he’ll have to prove he sees behind her smokescreen to all the goodness she tries to hide. Then it’s just a matter of crushing her fears, shattering her barriers, and convincing her that loving him is everything she’s been missing in her life, too. 
