Review: Fighting for It by Jennifer Fusco (Ringside #1)


Note: This ARC was provided by Penguin Group (Berkley, NAL/Signet Romance, DAW) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Right after his devastating loss in a boxing match in London, Jack Brady learns of his manager's passing and he spirals into a depression filled with alcohol and women. But while he may not have a care in the world, his late manager's daughter--and the one girl he loved and let go ten years ago--returns to Vegas and Stamina, the family-owned gym, and has one plan: to whip Jack into shape for his next bout, one that he has to win in order to save, not just his career, but the gym that's become his home. He's initially resistant to Daniella Chambers's plans, but he seems unable to resist the draw he's always had to her. Can Jack and Dani overcome their past issues and make Jack into the boxing champion they believe he can be?

Fighting for It is the first book in the Ringside series from author Jennifer Fusco and was a pretty good series starter set in a Las Vegas boxing gym called Stamina. Jack Brady and Dani Chambers have a history, one that didn't end very well, but it appears that they've still got feelings for one another even after a decade apart. Jack continues to box under the management of R.L. Chambers, Dani's father, so both Jack and Dani are able to keep tabs on each other. There's definite tension between them, though I do feel that she gave in faster than I would have expected. Also, I was a bit curious about all the sex they were having before his two bouts because of the whole no-sex thing when it comes to boxers. Oh well, to each his own.

I liked that the book wasn't solely focused on the second chance romance between Jack and Dani, though it was obviously the most prominent aspect. The author devoted needed attention to the stuff to do with boxing, making it feel more authentic than you would have expected in a romance novel. Jack and Dani were a good pair of main characters, and I do find myself curious about the three other Stamina boxers mentioned several times in the story: Mike, Trevor, and Bulldog. I think it's safe to assume that the other books in the series will be about them. This was an ARC so I'm not going to comment about the errors that were in it, hoping they'll have been corrected before the final publication. Fighting for It gets four stars. ♥

Release Date: 15 September 2015

Date Read: 11 September 2015

Learn more about Jennifer Fusco here.

Pre-order Fighting for It on Amazon | B&N | Kobo.

Comments

  1. Jennifer Fusco9/14/2015 11:08:00 PM

    Thank you so much for your review. Book 2 - GOING THIS DISTANCE, features Mike Perez, and will be released in March 2016. I appreciate you giving The Ringside Series a try! Best always ~ Jennifer

    ReplyDelete

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