Down for the Count

Dare Me #1

by Christine Bell

Truth or dare...

When Lacey Garrity finds her groom in flagrante delicto in the reception hall closet with her bridesmaid, she's saved by her best friend's older brother--childhood tormentor, crush, and boxing bad boy Galen Thomas. Galen's solution to her problem is both exciting and dangerous. What better way to forget the mess of her life than go on her honeymoon with a hot guy who can't promise anything beyond today?

...or TKO?

Galen had been counting on Lacey's wedding to put her out of reach--and out of his mind--once and for all, but their steamy Puerto Rican escape is testing all his boundaries. Now that Lacey's embracing her inner bad girl, Galen is tempted to throw in the towel and claim her for himself. But with the biggest fight of his career on the line and an important business merger threatening to derail Lacey's resolve, their romance might be down for the count before it even begins.

Other books in the Dare Me series:
Down and Dirty
Down the Aisle
Down on Her Knees

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Erotica, Sports, Adult, Friends To Lovers

190 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 20, 2012

About the author

Christine Bell is a romance author and also writes erotic romance as Chloe Cole. She and her handsome hubby currently reside in Pennsylvania with a four-pack of teenage boys. If she gets time off from her duties as maid, chef, chauffeur, or therapist, she can be found reading just about anything she can get her hands on, from Young Adult novels to books on poker theory. She doesn’t like root beer, clowns or bugs (except ladybugs, on account of their cute outfits), but lurrves chocolate, going to the movies, the New York Giants and playing Texas Hold ‘Em. Writing is her passion, but if she had to pick another occupation, she would be a pirate…or, like, a ninja maybe. She loves writing steamy romance stories, but also hopes to one day publish something her dad can read without wanting to dig his eyes out with a rusty spoon. Christine loves to hear from readers, so please contact her through her website, www.christine-bell.com

Reviews

[Mo · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Every erotic romance reader needs Down for the Count.. I’ve never rooted as hard for a couple to make it as I have for Lacey and Galen.” Tiffany Reisz

Well if Ms. Reisz is rooting for the couple I sure as hell am too. These Brazen books are usually quick reads and they pack quite a punch, excuse the pun.



Lacey finds her groom in the broom cupboard on her wedding day with one of the best friends. Her other best friend, Cat, is there to help her as is Cat’s brother, Galen, whom Lacey has had a crush on forever but is resigned to the fact that he will only ever see her as his little sister’s best friend.




Galen rescues her from the nightmare and she takes off on the back of his bike – yep, it has all the right ingredients – to his lakeside cabin.




They decide to take “her” Honeymoon in Puerto Rico to chill out and relax. And did they chill out? Yes indeed. Nice quick, satisfying read. Galen is a Boxer – yep, another box ticked. Not sure if he had tattoos but who cares.

[KristenReviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 DELIGHTFUL STARS

Down for the Count is a fun, clever, feel-good romance with a splash of emotional angst, some steamy goodness, and a lot of laughs. The endearing characters will put a smile on your face and the ending will leave you feeling happy. What more can you ask?!

[Mirjana **DTR - Down to Read** · Rating 3 out of 5]

***3.5 Stars***

When you come to your senses and you're ready to have the experience of a lifetime? I'm your guy. I'm the one you're going to get wild with.

I'll keep this nice and short.

This was just what I was looking for...a steamy, easy, breezy "I've been secretly crushing on my best friend's big brother" trope.

Lacey and Galen had sizzling chemistry.

I absolutely LOVED Galen. He was confident, sexy, easy-going, fun and HOT AS HELL. Just the kind of guy that can sweep you off your feet with a wink and a flash of a smile.

Lacey was quirky and, in the beginning, endearing but unfortunately that fizzled for me. I just found her too much of a pushover and a bit naive for someone in their mid to late twenties.

I'll definitely be continuing with the series since Cat's book is next. Loved her and her sassiness!

[Catarina · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Runaway Stars!

On the very day of her wedding, Lacey finds her groom hidden in a closet. With her best-friend.
In a very compromising position.
So, like any decent lady she leaves the wedding in the back of her best-friend’s older brother motorcycle. The same one whom she used to have a crush for when she was a teenager.
So, for her to clear her head and decide what to do next they decide on going to her honeymoon trip, to Puerto Rico.
And well, things get all kind of hot under the Puerto Rican sun.
But it’s easy for things to be perfect when hidden in paradise, but how perfect will they be when they get back in the real world?



Rating: 4 Stars.
Storyline: Sweet, romantic and well, predictable. But as always, in this short and fast-paced romances, predictability is a comfort. I mean, it’s the journey that counts! One of those sexy romances for when you need something light with a guaranteed happy ending.
Writing Style: Third person. Dual POV. Engaging and solid writing, with seriously sexy moments.
Character Development: I liked Lacey but she was kind of a doormat in the beginning. I mean, marrying a man not because she wants to be with him forever but for the sake of family business? What year is this?
Galen was pretty good. He was a sexy and sweet alpha male, and although I didn’t quite understand one determined action of him near the end, he was a pretty good hero. Being a fighter is always a welcome plus.
But Cat, she takes the cup! Not only she was awesome, but she also was the very best friend ever created.
Steam: HOOOT!
HEA: Yes.

[Wendy'sThoughts · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Friends to Lovers with Hot Encounters * * * *

Woot Woot- a fun, sexy, long-time friends to lovers tale. Perfect set up with newly married bride discovering her just married groom doing the nasty with her bridesmaid in the cloak closet at her reception! Yup... and the guy tries to make out it isn't what she thinks... The quote from our gal is so good... it is almost worth the price of admission.

Best friend's brother... who always teased her growing up is there .... ready to save her from this cluster fu#k... he has his motorcycle... she sheds her dress and rides off with him in her slip. The outcome of this rescue is a drunken game of I Never...There our fella learns our betrayed bride... never had an orgasm from the douche-bag groom...This is unthinkable... it must be fixed...and he is going to take care of it if he gets the chance. Another game of Truth or Dare and they end up doing his dare... off to enjoy the all expense paid honeymoon in Puerto Rico. Will our gal loosen up and let her secret crush show her what she has been missing.....

This had all the elements of a smexy, fun read. Christine Bell does these stories so well. She gets the tone just right, injecting humor and heart. She gives us a terrific romantic fella who has it all and we enjoy the banter and playing he does with our gal.

The smexy times were delicious... he showed her she had all the makings of a little vixen... and both jelled perfectly. There was an icky Mother and secondary characters to play off of. All in all an enjoyable read.

For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways

[Alba and Her Secrets..♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

♦ 4 "squirt" Stars! ♦



Sweet, sexy and humorous, this was an amazing read! I am reading the whole Dare Me series and cannot wait to read more! I think, in this case, I will write very short reviews because there is not too much to explain!

Still, this explains the story between Galen Thomas (the hottie fighter best-friend-brother) and Lacey Garrity (a sweet newly 'wed' who has just found out his 'husband' cheating on her, on they wedding day!). After finding it out, Galen dares Lacey to go with him to Puerto Rico (in Lacey's 'honeymoon' and obviously, sparks fly between these two! This is the journey of two people taking care of each other, growing together and falling in love. And let me tell you, you will love Galen!! <33

“This is for watching my fights and rooting for me,” he murmured, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. “And this is for being brave and accepting my dare.” He pressed a second kiss on the tip of her nose. “And this is for dumping that dickhead Marty.” The next kiss landed on the corner of her mouth, and she parted her lips on a sigh. His heart hammered so loudly, he wondered if she heard it. “And this one? This one is because I want you so bad, it’s making me question my sanity.”

My rating is 4 STARS, and I recommend this to people who enjoy quite a light read with a smokin' hot fighter and how he falls in love with the lovely Lacey!

CHECK OUT MY BLOG HERE:

[Alyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***

Down for the Count by Christine Bell
Book One of the Dare Me series
Publisher: Brazen
Publication Date: September 20, 2012
Rating: 4 stars
Source: Bought from Amazon

***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers***

Summary (from Goodreads):

Truth or dare…or TKO?

When Lacey Garrity finds her groom in flagrante delicto in the reception hall closet with her bridesmaid, she's saved by her best friend’s older brother—childhood tormentor, crush, and boxing bad boy Galen Thomas. Galen’s solution is both exciting and dangerous. What better way to forget the mess of her life than go on her honeymoon with a hot guy who can’t promise anything beyond today?

Galen had been counting on Lacey's wedding to put her out of reach—and out of his mind—once and for all, but their steamy Puerto Rican escape is testing all his boundaries. Now that Lacey’s embracing her inner bad girl, Galen is tempted to throw in the towel and claim her for himself. But with the biggest fight of his career on the line and an important business merger threatening to derail Lacey’s resolve, their romance might be down for the count before it even begins.

What I Liked:

I read Dirty Trick, one of Christine Bell's books from another Brazen series, and mostly enjoyed it. It was pretty good, and Grace was a character that I could somewhat relate to, but I wanted more from the novel. This book, Down for the Count, was much shorter, but I liked it more.

Lacey just got married - only to find her new husband cheating on her with her bridesmaid/second best friend, Becca. The thing is, Marty and Lacey weren't really in love; they were marrying to solidify a business merger (or something like that). Marty liked Lacey, and Lacey liked Marty, but there was no spark there. Galen, Lacey's friend Cat's brother, helps Lacey escape the wedding and takes her to his cottage. Galen and Lacey have known each other since they were kids, and Lacey always had a crush on him. When Galen convinces Lacey to still go on her honeymoon... with him as company... things get heated.

I totally FEEL for Lacey. It's pretty extreme to marry someone you don't love, or don't feel any lust or passion towards, but I understand her situation. She kind... settled for Marty. Lacey could do so much better, but she totally settled. Good thing she caught Marty before it was too late. Lacey is a total control freak, completely neurotic, reined in, polished exterior. I *get* her, because I'm totally the same way. The thing is, I always say that the boring, "controlled" ones are always the most passionate... and fabulous. Closet wild child.

Anyway. I liked Lacey a lot. I liked Galen a lot as well, though I feel like I didn't get as good a read on him as I wanted. Galen is a boxer, a fighter, so he has a lot of reined control as well. But he's much more wild, in terms of appearance. Lacey's mother doesn't quite like him. The thing is, he's a considerate person. He's not stupid or dense, and he always thinks of Lacey and what she needs (especially in that vulnerable state). While Lacey is a closet wild child, Galen is a closet sweetie.

There are sooo many sizzling scenes of hot chemistry between these two. It builds slowly, but once the wedding is over and Lacey gets over her initial shock... it's actually pretty impressive, how much built-up tension there is between Galen and Lacey. They definitely had some attraction building since childhood.

The chemistry was not lacking, but neither was the romance. I loved watching these two fall for each other completely, despite the short length of the book. The conflict of the book comes full circle, and Lacey must face her fears and her problems. Lacey must also fight for what she wants (Galen?), and she does just that.

Overall, I liked this one a lot. I'll be keeping an eye out for more Bell books (and Brazen titles in general)!

What I Did Not Like:

Hmmm... like I said, I didn't get as good a read on Galen as I would have liked. In most Brazen books, the author alternates perspectives, between the mail and female. I feel like there was more female perspective than male perspective. Maybe they were equal, I don't know, but it feels like Galen's thoughts were less.

Would I Recommend It:

I liked this one a lot, so I would recommend it! Not all of Brazen's books are omg-so-good, but this one is a short and steamy read. For those who love adult contemporary romance novels, you should check out Christine Bell's novels!

Rating:

4 stars. I'm glad I got this one! I really enjoy Brazen novels.

[Gökçe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Her şeyden önce belirtmek istiyorum ki kitabı çıktığından beri okumak istiyordum; sırf kapaktaki ayakkabılar için! Ayakkabı için kitap okuyan garip bir insanım falan ama ayakkabıya bayıldım yani bir şey diyemem yani :D

Yani diyeceğim o ki yayınevleri bazı kitapların kapaklarını Türkiye'de yayınlarken çok güzel iş yapıyorlar. Bu konuda Nemesis kitabevininkileri biraz çocuksu bulmakla beraber beğeniyor olmakla, Aspendos kitabevininkilere bayılıyorum! Hatta geçen gün Baştan Çıkarıcı Atıştırmalıklar kitabının yazarı Türkiye'deki kitaplarının yeni kitap kapaklarını çok beğendiğini yazmıştı. Go! kitap ise inanılmaz özenli olarak Yabancı'nın yazarı Melissa Landers'in Facebook sayfasında bir hayran videosu ile yerini almış :D

Neyse yorumumuza geçelim. Size yeni hiçbir şey vaat etmeyen ancak kısa zamanda okunup biten, eğlenceli bir kitap. Lacey düğününde kocasını nedimesiyle basıyor. (Hadi aldatıyorsun ey pislik, ne diye düğün günü gelin de seni görebilecekken yapıyorsun) Neyse sonra Lacey düğünden kaçıyor ama tek kalmamak için en iyi arkadaşının abisi Galen ile! Tabii Galen'a çocukluğundan beri aşık olduğu için, bir de bu adamla rüya gibi bir yere balayına gidince ateş bacayı sarıyor. Dediğim gibi kitapta "aaa bu konu çok yeni" diyebileceğiniz bir şey yok ama vakit geçirmelik bir kitap :)

Ben kitapta Galen'ın kızkardeşi Cat'in hikayesini merak edip 2. kitaba da başladım ama 2. kitap 100. sayfada olmama rağmen öyle çık ilgili çekmedi, neyse devam edelim bakalım belki işler ilginçleşir :)

--------------

"Hayır. Ben öyle değilim. Ben öyle bir şey istemiyorum. Ben bana dürüst ve sadık olacak ve beni dünyadaki her şeyden çok sevecek birini istiyorum.
"O zaman bir köpek al."

[Sam I AMNreader · Rating 2 out of 5]

One star for having sentences and paragraphs. One star for an amazingly hilarious sex scene.

[Niki · Rating 2 out of 5]

I started this book for two reasons, 1) the cover was hot and 2) the male character was a hot professional boxer (<--seriously, how could I resist?). I finished this book for two reasons, 1) I truly hate to NOT finish a book and 2) I wanted to be able to write an honest review...so here it goes:

I don't get all the 5-star reviews, sorry. This was a short book, 120-something pages but it took me 3 sittings to finish it. Why? I just kept putting it down. ANYTHING else held my interest more than wanting to read the book (which usually doesn't happen). I rolled my eyes a million times and chuckled a time or two about the "silly-ness" of some parts. Nothing was consistent and the characters were WEAK...all of them. Our strongest most likeable character would be Galen, the male boxer. He was okay - definitely NOT the alpha-male I was hoping for with the whole "hot boxer who rescues sister's best friend from failed marriage" thing.

And Lacey...OMG, Lacey. I want to punch her in the nose because she is so incredibly annoying. She annoyed me from the start and didn't ever redeem herself. The story opens with her catching her new husband banging a bridesmaid (her BFF) in a closet AT THE RECEPTION. Her reaction? eh, not much. That opening scene fell WAY short of what it could have been and set the pace for a very slow, boring read. So, she runs off on her honeymoon with Galen, her other BFF's older brother whom she's known since she was a kid. Everything about their past is conflicting. One minute they talk about how he was 'so mean' and 'never liked her'...the next they say how he 'always wanted her' and yadda yadda.

Lacey doubts EVERYTHING...actually everybody doubts everything. A huge portion of the book is spent listening to someone doubt a feeling, moment, reaction -- anything. Nobody is confident, sadly not even our professional boxer...he doubts everything too. Lacey is SO naive. I had to keep reminding myself that she was NOT 16 years old. She is afraid of everything and everyone. She held no reaction while catching her new husband in the act at the reception. She's never worn a bikini before - yet she has a smokin' hot body and she's 20-something years old? C'mon! Nearly everytime she speaks, the author has her "stuttering" - ya know, because she's so 'scared' and 'unsure' all the time *eyeroll*.

The synopsis is enough to tell you what the story is about, so I won't go into anymore detail there. The story-line had potential to be a hot, angsty read...but I assure you, it was not. I'm sad that I wasted much of my weekend attempting to finish this very short novella. Now I have a headache from rolling my eyes so much.
**2.5-STARS, at best.**

[[~Ami~]♥Sexy Dexy♥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Had I known the main character was a fighter I would have read this much sooner.

Lacey catches her groom cheating on her on the wedding day.

Unless, of course, she's lost something inside her vagina and you were gallant enough to fish it out of her. With your penis.

She ends up spending her pre booked honeymoon with her best friends brother, Galen.





This was a quick, sexy and predictable book. If your a hopeless romantic like myself, this book is the perfect escape.

P.S I love fighters xxx

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Down For the Count comes out swinging from page one!

After one hell of a shocking betrayal and discovery in the linen closet on her wedding day, Lacey Garrity is whisked away by her best friend’s older brother, Galen, who Lacey has been drooling over and crushing on her entire life. Combine the oh-so-dangerous Jack Daniels with a round of Truth or Dare and Lacey finds herself on her honeymoon after all….with Galen! In a paradise filled with warm breezes, waves lapping at the shore, sun, and sand--Galen and Lacey’s light, fun banter and friendship begins to crackle and burn with intense pent up desire! With Lacey’s world and heart turned all topsy-turvy, can Galen show her how to relax and go with the flow? Can a label maker queen with a need to make lists for everything allow herself to need, ask, and search for what makes her happy in life? What if what she needs is Galen Thomas?

”She tried not to stare at him but failed miserably. His board shorts hung low, clinging to his lean hips. She helplessly followed the trail of hair leading from his naval downward….”

Shall we jump right to the Galen gossip? Holy hotness! Galen, a professional boxer with a beautiful, sculptured body made me drool, blush and daydream. But it was his passion for life that made my heart beat come to thumping life with every curl of his lips, touch, and gaze. What struck me most about Galen was how real he felt, sounded, and moved on the page. His sexy down & dirty mouth, sense of humor, leave-the-toilet-seat-up relaxed, confident, manly manners and ways were just what Lacey needed to explore everything life has to offer in love, fun, and sex. The fighter in Galen pushed, urged, and inspired Lacey and me. Don’t be afraid. Ask for what you want in life. Add all that with the man’s deliciously dirty mouth (Did I mention his dirty talk yet? Hehe…), you get pure sex on a stick! I want one, I want one!

“I’ve dreamed of you and that hair. Of you taking my cock in your mouth, real slow. Sucking and licking until I felt like I’d explode. And right when I was about to come, I’d wrap my fist in that beautiful hair and use it to work you faster, harder over my cock until I came deep in your throat.”

So much to love here! But I do have one or two disappointments. For one, I REALLY wanted to see Lacey knock her Mom on her ass! A packed on ice cold, cold hearted bitch is one of my favorite villains in fiction and Lacey’s Mom is so fun to hate. She came close to having the best line in the book. Damn the bitch sucker punched me! Haha…My jaw dropped with one line. The only other slight hiccup for me was the….

Spanking. It just felt too soon to add that kind of kink into Lacey’s repertoire. The girl just found her orgasm for goodness sakes! Haha….Still fun, but it did pull me out of the story and ask—really? Already?

Back to the love though! Passion, life, and love rule this quick sexy story. But I can’t go without giving a big shout out to friendship as well. Cat completely restored my faith in female characters and sidekicks everywhere. Girl, we must hang out! Perhaps in the next book? Every girl needs a Cat in life. :)

Christine Bell’s Down For the Count was a stunner for me! A story and romance filled with banter, passion, fun, and inspiration. Lacey and Galen’s story reminded me to just let go and jump in. Life is so short. Do it. Say it. Wear the bikini. Try something new. Kiss the boy. Jump the man. Go for multiple orgasms! And fight for what you want in life with all your heart! Leave it all out there in life and have no regrets.

A highly recommended read that left me smiling and inspired. Can’t wait for more from Ms. Bell.

[• Lisa • · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two words ... GALEN THOMAS!!
This book was put together to perfection - chemistry, love, romance, desire, humour, friendship and plenty of sexy love scenes to keep you more than interested. To say I loved this short story would be an understatement, for me this is the perfect kind of story, and I was addicted from chapter one. More like this for me please.
5 knock out stars and a dreamy smile.

[Sláinte Wanderlust · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cover & Title - 3 out of 5. When i heard the title before i read the blurb or saw the cover i thought it would be a historical romance, i never thought of boxing... weirdly.
Favorite line - “Please tell me you’re not chastising me over my lack of manners right now. Because if I thoght that were true, I just might get one of those stupid shrimp forks your mother insisted we have and jam it into your eye.”
Favorite Character - Lacey Drawers ;)


^That was maybe 60% of the book, with sun, sand & swingers included in the hotel adventure

The rest of the book was a mixture of sweetness & humor. I liked the blurb & the book surpassed my expectations. Right from the start i was laughing & enjoying it. I really liked both leads and i thought they seemed to fit as a couple. I thought there was good sexual tension & chemistry between them. The sex was hot, it included a real hot oral scene on a worktop - yum.

I would recommend this book & I would read more by this author.

Click here for my book review blog

[Saly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wooh, the sexual tension in this book was off the charts. The heroine who just got married a few hours back, catches her hubby in the act with one of her oldest friends and the hero is there to witness her humiliation. What hurts the heroine the most is her friend's betrayal and it makes her realize that she wasn't really in love. She escapes with the hero, who is a boxer and is also the brother of her best friend.

The hero and heroine have never been close, the hero kind of has always tormented her. After a conversation when she is drunk and confesses her lack of sexual experience and sexual satisfaction he dares her to go on what would have been her honeymoon. Now, the heroine has always been a thinker, she comes from a wealthy family and has a mother who is controlling but with the hero she slowly lets go off her inhibitions. And well the marriage gets annulled easily. I found the book pretty darn good, the hero's fear that he was her rebound, her fear that she wouldn't be enough, all well depicted.

The writing was good, characters were great and the sexual sizzle, was worth noticing.

[Merve •Kitaptelvesi• · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tam bir çerezdi. Hiçbir beklentiniz olmadan okursanız gerçekten keyif alırsınız. Ya da benim gibi üst üste sürekli ağır kitaplar okuduktan sonra ufak bir “reset” atmak isterseniz.🤭

[Nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

As I sat down to write this review I looked at the question, 'What did you think?' and all I can respond is I freaking LOVED it!! while wearing a huge dumb grin on my face! I seriously could not put this one down. The story was great, if not a little predictable. The characters were so lovable and I totally fell in love with Galen from the first moment he spoke!

"This is no nightmare squirt. This is the luckiest day of your life."

Galen was perfect. He was a hotshot boxer who rode a Harley, had just enough bad boy and was also a nice guy. Perfection.

"A couple more clumsy but effective seduction moves out of her and she was going to find herself flat on her back, chock full o' cock, and he would end up reneging his promise to blow her mind."

"Geez, what happened to ladies first?" "I save that mentality for the bedroom. Outside the bedroom, it's an even playing field, so man up."

Lacey was also a pretty great leading lady. She spent her life pretty much under her control-freak mother's thumb, her one "rebellion" was befriending Galen's sister, Cat. Harboring a major crush on Galen most of her adolescent, and... ok adult life, she just always assumed his mean and teasing behavior meant he disliked her. I guess she never heard that saying that little boys are mean because they like a girl! ;) So when she discovers her brand spanking new husband and bridesmaid/other bff in a closet, well, spanking it, she turns to Galen to get her the H outa there!

"Yesterday he'd been sweet, and thoughtful, and plain perfect. He'd come to her rescue like...like a knight on a shining Harley."

The get drunk and decide to use her honeymoon in paradise and Lacey begins to let out her inner bad girl.

"Oh my God. I kneed him in the wiener. And oh my frigging God, it was like stone."

Ok, so it took a bit before the inner temptress came out, but still.... ;) So from here we have smoking hot sex, first and subsequently multiple orgasms, an offer to swing with another couple, ( I about died laughing at this part! Galen's reaction killed it! Their hip new friends were swingers, and they wanted to do the old swap-around with Lacey and him. "Well shit." ) But there was also so much more to this story. Lacey has to come to terms with her relationship with her family and her part in their business, she also has to decide if she wants to continue living her dull and mostly mundane life, or if she wants to take the big leap and do something just for her. Is she strong enough to take a chance on true love, or is the possibility that Galen doesn't return her feelings too hard to bare? I loved how we got to take that ride with her and the outcome was fabulous! :D Cat was a serious hoot and quite an awesome bestie and supporting character! I really can't wait to read her book! I really enjoyed this one and the fact that it made me laugh so much was awesome. Sometimes a lighthearted and funny sexy read is just what you need, and this one fit the bill perfectly!

Lacey and Galen at the beach when she has a wardrobe malfunction:

[Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best friends brother who carries you off on a bike!? YES YES YES.
This was a fun read! I thought the characters were really well done. I connected right away.
It was hot and smexy all over the place. Who doesn't love a fighter - I do! I do!

[Ivana★ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Seyma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eh işte...

[Gamze · Rating 3 out of 5]

http://gamzeninkitapdunyasi.blogspot....

Önce içerik :D

Kitabın ikinci veya üçüncü sayfalarıydı, Lacey'in yeni eşini çarşafların bulunduğu depoda nedimelerinden biri ile basması ile başlıyor.

Ardından önce en yakın arkadaşı Cat, hemen sonra da onun abisi Galen duruma şahit oluyor.

Vee Lacey, Galen ile Harley'ine atlayıp oradan toz oluyor :D

Ya hikaye o kadarrr tanıdık ki bir kitapta daha bunu okuduğumu düşünüyorum ancak hatırlayamıyorum bir türlü..

Yazarın ben nedense diğer kitabı Kiralık Eş'e benzettim.

Tam çerezlik dedikleri tür var ya hah işte bu o kitap :D

Öğleden sonra 4 gibi başladım işte akşam 8 yoktu bitirdiğimde.

Beni şaşırtan durumlardan biri kapağı açtığımda karşılaştığım punto boyutu. Vay canına dedim! O kadar büyük ki.. Hiç sevmiyorum böyle büyük puntoları :/

Her neyse.. Karakterlere gelirsem eğer, Lacey'in annesine karşı tuhaf davranışlarını saymazsam eğer sevimliydi üç karakterde.

Sırdan olayları ile karşınıza çıkan, oku kaldır dediğimiz kategoride.

Kafa dağıtmak isteyen arkadaşlara tavsiye ederim ;)

Saçma sapan triplere giren karakterlerden bunaldıysanız bu kitap tam ihtiyacınız olan şey :D

Öyle yani :) Seri 3 kitaptan oluşuyormuş. İkinci kitap Lacey'in dostu Cat hakkında. Üçüncü kitapta Courtney ile ilgili. Sanırım onunla da ikinci kitapta tanışmış oluruz.

[Laura Kaye · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved, loved, loved this book! OMG! Just finished it and I'm almost mad it's over! I adored Galen and Lacey, thought the sexual tension was crazy good, and was rooting so hard for them to be together that, twice when it seemed that something might keep them apart, my stomach got that icky sinking feeling. Galen could NOT be hotter. His dialogue. His profession. The way she incorporated boxing into the story. The progression of his feelings for Lacey. Complete love. Would read this again in a heartbeat. This book was a knock out!

[Maida (Medley of Books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this! After my last book blunder, this was the perfect rebound. Galen and Lacey won me over and their romance was too adorable. This was a good book to end my year with, left me all smiles. :D





Full Review to Come...

[Fiction And Fashion Book Blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

“What it looks like is that you’re having sex with one of my oldest friends in the linen closet of our reception hall. Unless, of course, she’s lost something in her vagina and you were gallant enough to try and fish it out for her. With your penis. If that’s the case, I suggest using a larger lure.” - Lacey

Perfection. My Friday night was truly perfection. After a long, shitty week I wanted nothing more than to curl up with a hot romance book, some wine and silence. Down for the Count was sent to us yesterday morning by the author. I had not heard of it before and was a bit wary since it is a short book, only around 130 pages. Turns out that 130 pages was all that I needed to fall in love with the hot boxer Galen.

The fast pace of this book in no way took away from the characters. I usually go into short reads thinking that I will want more when I am done. More story, more background, etc. The only thing that I want more of from this book is Galen! Author Christine Bell did an amazing job of developing the characters by using stories from their childhood so you can really get to know them and the past that they share.

"Oh, and try to manage my mother, okay? I hate to put you in that spot, but she is going to flip out and I can't handle her brand of crazy right now when I haven't even had a chance to have my own."
"No problem, Leave The Admiral to me." - Lacey and Cat

Not only did Lacey and Galen's relationship have a great story, the relationship between Lacey and her best friend Cat was fantastic. It reminded me so much of me and my besties. The crazy red head always had a great line or comeback and I LOVED the fact that Cat had named Lacey's mom The Admiral!

"You thought he was fine until his little slip. In fact, you were happy to marry him. As for the man’s character, it’s no worse than most. You always were such a little prude about that. Men are lustful beasts, Lacey. Make your home, make your babies, spend his money, enjoy the club and your social life, and turn the other cheek to the rest of it.” The Admiral

That woman needed to get punched in the face...over, and over, and over again! Her brand of crazy is something that I hope to never experience. Yikes, that woman is awful.

She turned to pin Galen with a frank stare, ready to beg if she needed to. But when she faced him fully for the first time, her heart hitched. His dark hair was tousled, and his chin bore the scruff that was ever-present unless he was prepping for a fight.

What is it about fighters? I never understood the women that find boxing/MMA/UFC barbaric. It is HOT, I don't know what it is but there are few things sexier than a fighter. Whalin' Galen is the perfect blend of hard and soft, tough and gentle. Did I mention hard...rock hard?

His swarthy skin gleamed in the sunlight, the dips and valleys of his muscles so cut and defined that they could've been drawn on with a Sharpie.

I absolutely loved everything he said...everything he did. Whether it was the crazy sexual tension, the sarcasm or the down right hilarity that he brought to the story. Lets be honest, this man sweats sex and he rides a Harley, perfection. Like I said, perfection!

I really enjoyed this story, the characters and banter from beginning to end. It had a perfect proportion of love, laughter and little bit of drama. I would definitely recommend this fast, hot read.

Look for our Galen Book Boyfriend Page to come soon!!

[Jane Stewart · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first 87% was good. But the last 13% was unsatisfying and too vague.

I enjoyed the relationship development and conversation during the first 87%. Then the mother entered the picture and said things which they erroneously believed, causing them to break up. That part was not well done. I don’t believe normal people would act that way and not communicate. It seemed illogical. They loved each other.

Some readers are going to be ok with this. They don’t mind things that bother me.

Why the couple separated:
Galen is in love with Lacey, but he doesn’t tell her. He believes Lacey doesn’t know what she wants. That’s what the mother said. So he leaves and does not tell Lacey that he will wait for her. Lacey thinks he doesn’t want her.

The mother tells Lacey one woman will never be enough for Galen. Lacey believes it and doesn’t go after him. She doesn’t want to be hurt in the future. Uhhh, doesn’t do it for me.

DATA:
Narrative mode: 3rd person. Kindle count length: 2,573 (229 KB) 129 pages. Swearing language: strong including religious swear words. Sexual language: strong. Number of sex scenes: 3. Setting: current day mostly Puerto Rico with some Rhode Island. Copyright: 2012. Genre: contemporary romance.

[(✿◠‿◠) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was pleasantly surprised by this hot, short read from an author I'd never read before.

The plot was interesting, the characters were engaging, and the sex was hot.

What kept it from 5 stars: The continued use of the nickname "squirt". If you are fucking her, stop calling her that. She is not your little sister. And a couple other random items (tight channel was used, and at one point, the heroine's hair was written as red instead of the honey it was through the entire book, and the unsatisfactory resolution with her whore of a mother).

All in all, though, this was a good way to spend an afternoon. I'll be checking out more of Ms. Bell's work.

[Jamie *Gypsy Smut-a-teer* · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg, how I love love loved this story. The sexual tension was scorching, the sex was outrageously hot, the characters were awesome, and it was a perfect in between book. I normally am left wanting more with short stories and feeling like they were rushed, but this wasn't rushed at all. It was perfection. The only thing I can say I want is to know more about their lives together. Since it started with a horrible wedding I would have loved to read about Galen and Lacey's perfect wedding. I highly recommend this short story, it's was awesome.

[Raine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was ok. I guess it didn't hold my interest much. The plot was an interesting one where Lacey finds her brand new husband, Marty, boinking one of her best friends, Becca. She decides to go on her honeymoon with her other best friend's brother, Galen, who happens to be a fighter. Lacey and Galen ends up having sex, etc.

it took a while for me to finish this book since it didn't really hold my attention, but I didn't want to put it on my Did Not Finish list.

[❤️ Dorsey aka Wrath Lover Reviews ❤️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick fun read with very likable characters and plenty of steam!!!

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved It. Galen *sigh*