Fighting Love

Love to the Extreme #2

by Abby Niles

Fighting Love by Abby Niles

Talk about kicking a fighter while he's down.

Former Middleweight champion and confirmed bachelor Tommy "Lightning" Sparks has lost it all: his belt, his career, and now his home. After the devastating fire, he moves in with his drama-free best friend, Julie. One encounter changes everything and Julie is no longer the girl he's spent his life protecting but a desirable woman he wants to take to his bed. Knowing his reputation, he's determined to protect Julie more than ever—from himself.

Veterinarian Julie Rogers has been in love with Tommy since she was ten, but would love to get over the man. She's quiet nights at home and a glass of wine. He's clubbing all night and shots of tequila. As friends they work great. As a couple? No way in hell. She just can't get her heart to agree. When she starts spending time with another fighter, the man who's always treated her like a sister is suddenly not being very brotherly and enflames her body like never before.

Can two childhood friends make a relationship work, or will they lose everything because they stopped FIGHTING LOVE

Genres: Romance, Friends To Lovers, Sports, Contemporary Romance, Fighters, Contemporary, Sports Romance

352 pages, Paperback

First published December 31, 2013

About the author

Ever since Abby Niles picked up her first Sweet Valley High book in sixth grade and fell in love with Elizabeth and Todd, she’s been hooked on romance. By the time she reached high school, she was devouring meatier romances with pirates, cowboys and knights. She never imagined that those years of reading would one day lead to her becoming a published author.

In her late twenties, after having twins and becoming a stay-at-home mom, she started doodling stories to keep her sanity. Next thing she knew, she was actually submitting to publishing houses. And was immediately rejected. That didn’t stop her though. She found some kickass critique partners, honed her craft, and continued submitting.

And eventually sold.

Today, she juggles work, being a single mom, and writing. It’s not always easy, but hey, who said life was easy?

Abby is the author of the contemporary MMA romance, Extreme Love, the first book in her Love to the Extreme series. Fighting Love is scheduled to release in December of 2013 and Winning Love is scheduled for 2014. She is also the author of the dark paranormal romance series The Awakening: Aidan and the The Awakening: Liam and The Awakening: Britton. Both series are with Entangled Publishing. She also has a geeky romantic comedy, Defying Convention, with Carina Press.

She is represented by Maureen Walters at Curtis Brown, LTD.

Reviews

[Lana ❇✾DG Romance❇✾ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

It takes losing everything you have to realize what meant the most.

I'm pretty sure whenever I see the words MMA fighter, my slutty little one-clicker starts moaning like she's at a porn convention and screaming at me

So what's a girl to do? Give in of course!

Like you don't have your own trigger words. Psh! This one just happens to be mine. Nothing I like better than a hot MMA fighter. Throw in the best friends to lovers trope and I am one happy girl.
So did I love this one? Meh...not quite. I did like it. But there were just a few things that kept this from being a 4 star for me.

Tommy “Lightning” Sparks has lost it all; his Middleweight champion title along with his professional MMA career. He has no one to blame but himself, and he knows this. But then his house along with all he owns goes up in flames. Luckily his best friend Julie is there for him and offers a place to live for the time being.

Julie Rogers has been in love with Tommy since she was 10 years old. But she knows that nothing will ever come of those feelings, since all Tommy sees her as is a sister. Their lives are too different, but that doesn't stop her from still having feelings for him.

But when they're living together, all of a sudden Tommy starts to see that he might see Julie as something other than his best friend.

No matter how hard either of them fought this attraction, and even if they succeeded, their relationship had changed forever.
The only question was...would they still be together in the end? Or would they both spend forever apart...and alone?

Now here is where the story got a whole lot frustrating for me. Tommy realizes that he has feelings for Julie, but he fights it. What begins is a lot of 'I want you' but 'I'm not good enough for you'. Followed by a bunch of sexual tension and no follow through. Add in Tommy's penchant of running away from any sort of conversation about this, and I was at my whit's end.

I mean good god! The man frustrated me to no end. He made a whole bunch of assumptions that were pretty much always wrong. I forgot at a point that I was reading a book about 2 characters in their 30s. The way both of them behaved at times made me feel like I was reading a NA book.

That's not to say that I didn't like Julie, because I did. When she was sick of Tommy running from her and his feelings, she did not take it sitting down. The girl was all

And seduced the hell out of him. I liked that while she was down to earth and had a backbone. She was the perfect match to Tommy.

So while I didn't love it, I did enjoy it. The ending was very satisfying and I loved the way that Tommy fought for Julie. His speech in the end almost brought a tear to my eye.

**ARC courtesy of publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**

For more reviews visit

[Geri Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars!!

This book almost didn't make it to a four-star read for me. I'll explain the reason why in few...

What I really I liked...

Julie Rogers. What can I say? She's my kind of gal. She's strong, smart, beautiful and doesn't do drama. I loved that about her. While she did pine for her best friend for a long time, she wasn't a doormat. She knows her mind and she's not afraid to walk away. I also loved that she took the initiative of seducing Tommy when she realized that Tommy is never going to make the first move. I respect that.

I enjoyed the writing, too. The plot, while it has been done before, was well executed and the story was well-paced. Not once did I experience a lull. It just flowed and before I knew it, it's finished. And you know what they say...Time flies when you're having fun. Well, I certainly did have a lot of fun reading Ms. Niles' work.

Now onto what I didn't like so much...

Tommy Sparks. Yes, I did love his back story and Abby Niles did a great job fleshing out his character. I fell for the whole fallen-hero-seeking-redemption aspect of his character. BUT, I'm sorry to say that for most of the book he acted like a wuss. He runs hot and then cold so fast I had whiplash. The constant back and forth almost ruined the whole book for me.BUT AGAIN, the guy redeemed himself in the end. That groveling speech he did was wonderful.

The Verdict?

I'll definitely be reading more from this series and I'll be recommending it as well. I'm keeping my eye on Mac's and Brody's story. Can't wait.

An ARC was provided by Entangled Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Syndi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Its a so so story. I am not a stranger to plot best friend turns to lover. But this book somehow not hitting the right mark. But it was not bad either.

I think the writting can be executed better. Layer of conflict can be add into it to add more drama.
This book has min angst, min drama and very standard plot. Tommy is cute. He is the reason i give this book 3 stars. For a man who has no idea to be a perfect boyfriend, he is natural as a lover.

Julie is rather shallow. Not much interesting about her. She is typical sweet loving heroine character. I wish i can see some darkness or bit sassy from her.

Overal a decent read over a hot humid weekend.

3 stars

[[~Ami~]♥Sexy Dexy♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars




Really enjoyed this best friends to lovers book! Tommy lost everything, his title, his home, the one person who never left his side is Julie.

Tommy was sweet yet protective. His denial of his feelings made me want to kick him and hug him at the same time.

Can I come home to you?

I loved how their relationship changed and was very believable. And would you believe I cried some happy tears, granted it was a bit cheesy but what the heck I love these two.

For a short book it felt like a long time for them to get together but I loved the sexual tension, was missing an epilogue and a few flash backs would have been great. But overall a great read x

ARC provided by the publishers via NetGalley

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars.

Fighting Love is book 2 in the Love To The Extreme Series, and I have to say I really enjoyed it. If I am honest I was a little on the fence when I started it, as I wasn't blown away by Extreme Love (book 1). I liked it, but I found it more of a PG/13 read, a tad too sugary sweet considering the story is set around MMA fighters.

However the one thing that is glaringly apparent in Fighting Love, is the massive development and maturity in Abby's writing. Extreme Love is more of a Low-Sugar, Extra spicy type of read. Tommy's POV feels more "manly" in thought and in the language used, and the emotion from both Julie and Tommy is more adult, both massive improvements from Extreme Love.

Although the books can be read as stand-alone, I liked that I read them one after another, just because it gave me this perspective on the writing. The one thing I will say it that this series is not like the many other MMA series out there, so keep an open mind and you won't be disappointed. Both books are well thought out, the stories solid, and the characters well developed and like-able. I hope we get a couple more books actually as I think Brody and Mac have definitely got their own stories to tell.

The big positive for me in Fighting Love is the fact that Tommy is the one in the main that is suffering from insecurity, 99% of the time it is the female lead that has the issues, whether it be self-esteem, confidence, or inner demons from their past, but not this time, and it was refreshing to read Tommy's struggles with feelings of inadequacy, and lack of emotional involvement. Julie does have a wobble near the end of the book, but in the main is a sassy, ball-busting, go-after-what-she-wants woman.

I have a soft spot for the friends to lovers genre of books, and I actually found some of the inner monologues for both of them hilarious, but alot of them were also really heartfelt, taking that step with someone you have had in your life for so long, with the fear of losing them and the comfort that they offer. This is an even bigger thing for Tommy, as Julie is pretty much his only family (not in a weird way).

The other thing that made this book really enjoyable was the verbal sparring between Brody and Tommy, I was giggling like a nutter at certain points, Abby really portrayed the two of them really well, the one-up-manship in front of Julie, and the acerbic put-downs were hilarious!

There is alot of cat & mouse to the story, they almost get there quite a few times, and my frustration was just starting to bubble, when it finally happened. Abby times the sexual build up to them eventually stepping over the line from friends to full lovers perfectly, and the fact it isn't rushed made it all the more believable.

Valentine's Day was another great part of the book, I loved the Green Knight and Lady J, this part was sugary sweet, but it fitted well and gave us the softer, caring side of Tommy, a side I definitely liked.

I hope this is not the end of the Love To The Extreme Series, Abby's writing and characters are engaging, enjoyable and very easy to read, and as previously mentioned I would love to see Brody & Mac get their own books.

ARC provided via Netgalley, and it was my pleasure to offer the above honest review in exchange.

[✿kawehi.reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this story, I truly did. I've always enjoyed the premises with a hot MMA fighter and the prognosis of best friends becoming more. It not only allows me to salivate over this sexy piece of man meat but it also gives me reason to dream that even the unexpected can become reality.

SO, THE STORY...

For Julie Rogers, life has always settled on two things: work and Tommy Sparks.

For Tommy Sparks, it had all been about his sport, the fame, and the women. And well, his best friend or "sister" Julie.

When Tommy loses his title, gets banned from the cage, and subsequently loses his house in a house fire he then turns to Julie for help. The two become house buddies and as we all can predict, sparks ignite and Tommy now starts seeing Julie in another light.

Only, when another fighter notices Julie romantically as well, how will it all turn out? Will Tommy ever be able to get his head stuck out of his ass to see Julie as a woman and pursue her before it's too late? And will he ever get another shot at the cage to reclaim his title?

A good, decent read but a little draggy at times and a little frustrating with Tommy's constant hot and cold inner turmoil about Julie. It kind of drove me nuts after a while! lol. He's as finicky and contemplative as a girl! ;)

[Simply Love Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Slick‘s review posted on Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews

Review copy provided for an honest review

4.75 STARS

So yeah….Abby Niles has done it again in fact I think she’s done it better. Fighting Love is a friends to lovers story that spans decades. I loved the friendship between Tommy “Lightening” Sparks and Julie Rogers but what I loved more was that they both has a love for each other that exceeded friendship, it just took awhile for them to realize it was something they both wanted. While Julie had no problem admitting her feelings for Tommy went beyond friendship, Tommy’s actions spoke much louder than any words and that’s what I found amazing. This story will remind you that often friends make the best lovers, memories last a lifetime, and that real and true love will endure even the toughest of times.

Tommy Sparks had it all and in one night he lost it all; his career, his friends, and his life as he knows it and now he’s lost his home and his prized possessions in a fire. The one person who has been by his side through it all is his best friend Julie and now he’s got a big problem, he’s feeling things for his best friend and he knows she deserves much better than him.

Ever since she was ten years old, Julie Rogers has loved Tommy and while the love has changed over the years she still remembers the boy who befriended her when she was new and lonely. While Julie isn’t pleased with some of the choices Tommy has made in recent years or the way he tends to forget about her when he was in his fighter persona. While she knows Tommy is mourning the loss of his MMA career, she’s happy to have her “old” Tommy back.

Thrust into living in the same house after Tommy’s goes up in smoke these two are forced to deal with the feelings they have for one another. Julie has denied her feelings for years but when she realizes Tommy finally sees her as a woman, she decides to just go for it. I actually felt a little sorry for Tommy who had no idea how to deal with this new side of Julie. But once he gets his head on straight, whew…their intimate moments are super sexy and powerful. As Tommy begins to re-enter the world of the MMA, old wounds surface threatening to tear apart their new relationship.

Emotionally gripping, characters you can’t help but love, sweet moments of friendship, and hot and steamy moments as lovers makes Fighting For Love another amazing story by author Abby Niles. If you haven’t read this author yet, you are missing out.

[Bethany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tommy “Lightning” Sparks and Julie Rogers have been best friends since the day a 10 year Tommy found Julies missing puppy. Seeing how happy Julie was with her returned puppy, Tommy comes to the conclusion that he will be her Green Knight, he will protect her and make her happy and her his Lady J.

Years later, Tommy and Julie are still best friends. Tommy turns to Julie when he hits the lowest of his lows. He has lost his championship belt, has been kicked out of his gym and banned from any MMA cage and now his house and everything in it has burned to the ground. With nowhere else to go, Tommy moves in with Julie, planning on only being there for a few days. Tommy and Julie haven’t spent the night in the same house since they were kids, they aren’t kids anymore. Tommy is starting to notice that Julie is more than just his best friend but a very beautiful woman. Julie has always stood by Tommy’s side, even if it was during his good times or bad, so having him stay at her house shouldn’t be a big deal. That’s until feelings she has been hiding since they were kids start to become too hard to hide anymore. Tommy, the normal player is now finding all he wants to do is spend any and all time with his best friend but that is becoming harder to do now that he is starting to see her for more than just a friend. Tommy does he best to keep him and Julie “just friends”, but when Julie starts to date another MMA fighter, Tommy becomes extremely jealous. If Tommy wants to give a real relationship with Julie a try he knows he needs to get his life back on track.

I really enjoyed Fighting Love. I didn’t read the first book in the Love to the Extreme series, Love Extreme but I don’t feel like I missed out on anything. Fighting Love’s focus was on Tommy and Julie and pretty much stayed on them. I loved how sweet and caring Tommy could be to Julie even when they were just friends. He always made sure to get something special for her for Valentine’s Day. He might not have always made some of the best choices but you could tell he really cared for her. The steam between these two was HOT! Tommy was a very take charge kind of guy in the best way. Anyone that loves friends to lover’s story will really enjoy Fighting Love.

An ARC was kindly provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Mariℓina · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,25 Stars!
Very good book! I liked all the characters..
Solid writing! Romantic to no end..awwwwww!


AWWW! How good was that one..
Romantic and with nice characters i had a good time reading it and i was very satisfied by the end.


Tommy = serial womanizer/fighter/with a golden heart.
Julie = smart/ gracious/and she goes after what she wants..
Both = they are friends for 32 years/they share a beautiful valentine's day tradition..


I really loved their little cat-mouse games..
They are made for each other and i still don't know how it's possible that they haven't seen it all these years..


Tommy screwed up big time and after a continuously strike of bad luck he starts to right his wrongs.. One by one but
the thing he can not handle is this new crazy attraction he feels for his best friend 'his sister' as he calls her, Julie.
Julie is in love with him since.. well ever and she decides enough is enough or is it?


Abby Niles gives us a good story full on romance, playfullness and sexy momments..




THOUGHTS ABOUT THE BOOK
- Dual POV..
- I love their dogs, they are like their owners..
- The walkie Talkies.. awwwww!
- Their tradition every Valentines day was so sweet..
- I was wondering what was in the box..

- Julie has her rightfull doubts but she takes a leap of faith!
- Brody is so cheeky.. I want his story..
- Tommy had a rough childhood..
- Mac is a good friend..
- The end was so beautiful... Grand gesture and all..
- Grenn Knight to LadyJ!!

ARC provided by the author via Netgalley, thank you so much

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

First read for me by this author (I haven't read the first book in this series) and I like her writing style. She writes the male POV very well.

I liked both Tommy & Julie. We are reminded over and over that Tommy and Julie have been best friends for 23 years. Having known each other since they were 10, I was initially surprised to learn they were in fact in their 30's as I really felt that they came across more like early 20's and some aspects of the storyline felt immature.

However, I did like it. We know Julie has been in love with Tommy all her life but from the beginning it's obvious to the reader that Tommy loves Julie. He just needs to realise that he's also 'in love'.

I'm not always sure about friends to lovers stories and in this instance, a couple that had been friends as long as these two and then become lovers seemed a bit too far fetched but then Tommy didn't have a great childhood or a great role model in his mother. Therefore, he has never really had a relatonship and so when after resisting his new found attraction to Julie he finally gives in (great sex scenes), he still feels like he can't offer her all that she needs.

The thing that let the story down for me just a little was the reason Julie feels she needs to end the relationship. It felt a bit of an immature reason for someone in her 30's. However, I did like this story and recommend it.

Not sure who book three is about yet but I'm hoping it's Brody who features heavily in this story.

ARC provided by Netgalley.

[seton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Setting: Atlanta
Sensuality: PG-13

Grade: A-

Great Best Friends romance with a great Grovel at the end. I even teared up.

[Kara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ending was the best part & gave it the third star.

[*P · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Star Review

My reviews reflect how much I love second chance loves...but I also have a sweet spot for those "you have been my best friend and ooh, btw, I'm in love with you". Well that is what you get in Fighting Love.



I have to say I love Abby Niles use of old school names. Tommy and Julie have been best friends for over 20 years. The story picks up just a short time after Tommy messes up his life getting kicked out from MMA due to poor judgement. Life gets worse for Tommy and he finds himself needing to rely on Julie, his best friend. Julie has been the opposite of Tommy in that she is responsible but a workaholic at her vet clinic.

The problem, Julie has always loved Tommy and has been hurt by his choices in the past when he was in the limelight. She tries to fight her attraction to him and even dates another fighter for a short time. Tommy, always being protective of Julie, starts to realize he may have been pushing other guys away from Julie and going through girls like crazy because he really had feelings for Julie.



My only fault with this book was that it did take a little too long for the two to get on the same page. But when they did, it was HOT!!

Even though I believe this was the second book in the series, it can be read as a stand alone. Bonus is no cliffhanger and you get your HEA!!

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[~Steph K~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

 

 

Tommy and Julie have been
friends since she moved in next door to him and on the first day he was there he found her lost
puppy and decided he would be her “knight” and she would be his “lady”.  For Julie though, she's always secretly loved
Tommy as they grew up and became teenagers and adults, but she always kept
those feelings to herself.

 

Best friends, always there
for each other – honest to the core with each other, never backing down letting
the other know how it really is – that’s the friendship they enjoyed over the
years.  But, when Tommy has to move in
with her because his house burns down – she’s having a hard time ignoring her
feelings.  She's not alone, Tommy is freaking out because he is finally realizing the kind of feelings he really has for Julie, and they aren't "just friend" feelings.  She wants to cross the friendship line – he’s
freaking out, and holding back.

 

 

This was a hot friend’s to lover’s story.  I wondered sometimes if it was ever going to
happen or if it would even work out in the end, because sometimes crossing that
line into a relationship is the worst thing that could ever happen – and then
sometimes it’s the best idea in the world!

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[Irene · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounding up to 4 stars

Fighting Love is a story about two best friends who after 23 years finally come together.

The story begins with Tommy finding himself homeless after a devastating fire and moving in with his best friend - Julie.
Julie knows it's going to be hard having the man who owns her heart so close 24/7 but she can't not offer her best friend and the man she loves a place to stay especially after everything he's been through the last four months.

It's while living together that Tommy starts to see Julie in a different light, how had he not noticed how beautiful and how desirable she was before now?
Tommy has a reputation of being a ladies man and one night stands, after growing up with a mother who never showed him any love Tommy is convinced he isn't the type of man who will ever fall in love and Julie deserves to be loved.
So because of this Tommy fights his growing feelings towards Julie and pushes her into going out and meeting people.

While this hurts Julie's feelings, she decides to take up Tommy's suggestion and she goes out with the hunking and fellow MMA fighter Brody (I have a huge crush on Brody and really hope he gets his own story)Nothing but friendship comes from this date but it does make Tommy sit up and realize that he doesn't want her with any other man.

While I enjoyed reading Fighting Love I did find it a little repetitive having to be reminded that Julie and Tommy have been best friends for 23 years. When I read a story I trust the authors words and find it annoying having something repeated to me time and time again. Another thing that played a part in my 3.5 star score was seeing Julie and Tommy take one step forward then two steps back, this happened a number of times and I was starting to think they were never going to get together lol

The sexy times are hot, Tommy sure knows how to rock Julie's world... numerous times ;)

Overall this was a good read, I was left feeling happy for them and confident in their love for each other.

Thank you Netgalley and Entangled Select for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Julie (Let's Read Good Books)]

I wanted to like Fighting Love better than I did, but the selfish hero marred the read for me. It took far too long for Tommy “Lightning” Sparks to realize how important Julie was, and how empty his life would be without her in it. Every time I thought he had made some progress towards becoming a more caring human being – bzzzzzzz – he turned into a huge jerk again. Even his initial motivation for finally getting together with Julie is based on jealousy and the need to possess her so nobody else could have her. He acted like my dog, Poppy. The only time she wants Bumble’s ball is when he wants to play with it. Then pandemonium ensues as they battle over who controls that stupid orange ball.

See full review here:

http://www.mangamaniaccafe.com/?p=9958

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once I started reading this book I could not put it down!!! I loved it beginning to end. I liked how the characters already were friends for years but loved each other more than friends. This was sweet, steamy and a great story. I did like how Tommy knew he had messed his life up but proved himself to everyone that he could change. The heroine was strong and not weak or whiny. I would recommend this book.

I received this ARC in exchange for a honest review.

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a friends-to-lovers romance, one of my favorite themes. I especially love when the couple has been friends all their lives, like Tommy and Julie were.

Their romance was sweet. It took awhile for Tommy to realize he wanted to fully commit, but once he did it was sweet watching him try to woo Julie.

I enjoyed the sweetness of their romances set against the harsh backdrop of the professional fighting scene.

[Lenor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh God!! An amazing and so easy reading...

I have to say that Tommy just became one of my fav book boyfriends, he is strong protective, full of love and a past that only is full woth Julie's presence, she is everything to him since they where ten to the final moment.

She loves the only man that is capable to understand the good the bad and how to fix it like no one. They belong to each other and they will always be

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review posted: Happily Ever After - Reads
Blog rating: C+

I’ve been on a huge friends-to-lovers reading kick lately and was excited to start Fighting Love. Best friends for 23 years, Julie has loved Tommy since they were 10 but he’s always kept her in the best friend role, even describing her as the dreaded ‘like a sister.’ Tommy’s MMA star was on the rise but he got too caught up in the life and the fame and coupled with a fight he got into outside the cage, he lost his title, his career and now his home caught on fire and he has nowhere to go. He moves in with Julie and it starts to change their relationship completely.

This story ended up frustrating me a little because while I really did enjoy the scenes between Tommy and Julie and seeing them start to go from friends to lovers, individually they were their own worst enemy. First what I liked – the romance has some very sweet moments. I liked seeing Tommy come to realize just how much Julie means to him, that she’s his “home” and he tries his hardest to show her how much he cares. Where Tommy might try to be sweet, Julie wants to be naughty and they balance each other well because it doesn’t take much to get Tommy on board with the naughtiness. I also liked getting details about their childhood and just how tight they’ve been all these years. Getting to relive those moments when they were kids just helps to cement how much they mean to each other and helps deepen their relationship.

What got old (and fast) was how both Tommy and Julie would find reasons to pull back or push the other person away. Whether it was Tommy convinced he’d never be good enough for Julie or Julie believing that Tommy and his playboy ways would never go away especially with him trying to revive his MMA career, they kept getting close to each other and someone would pull away and it just read really frustrating to me. The friendship portion was dragged out too much as well. I kept waiting and waiting for some loving to finally happen, but it’s slow going. Again because of too many moments like they would brush against each other, but Tommy would pull away and distance himself. Then they’d kiss and Julie wouldn’t want to risk her heart so she’d pull away. It was this constant struggle for them both to actually commit and all it did was keep me from committing to them as well. It’s tough because I really did enjoy some moments between this couple, but this push and pull, back and forth stood out too much and I ended up feeling ok about a couple that I would normally be 100% into.

I did enjoy the world that Abby Niles created, we get a few details on some other fighters, friends of Tommy’s and I’m curious enough about them to want more. If you enjoy seeing friends become lovers, this one is worth a read. The romance itself was satisfying, I just wish the leads would have stopped over thinking everything and actually talked to each other about their feelings – but there’s no drama and angst in that I suppose. But I enjoyed Fighting Love enough that I do plan to keep going with the series, there are other sexy fighters I need to know more about.

[Lauren at Live Read and Breathe Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

Source: eARC for Honest Review from Author and NetGalley

I loved Abby's first book in this series Extreme Love so I jumped at the opportunity to read more from this series. We met Tommy and Julie in the first book and see there friendship and Julie's unrequited love.



Tommy is down on his luck and when more shit hits the fan with his house going on fire he turns to the only person he would go to... his best friend Julie for support. During this time Julie struggles with trying to move on because Tommy will never see her the way she sees him. At the same time Tommy is finally starting to see more to Julie then just being his best friend.



This all gets escalated when Julie starts to date another fighter and finally gets Tommy to open up his eyes.

For Tommy everyone sees what is right in front of him expect himself.

"I'm real sorry to heart that. But I'm even sorrier to hear you're still as dumb as a pile of rocks."

Once his eyes are finally open he gives in and falls in love but he is torn between being Tommy "Lightning" Sparks and Tommy the lover and best friend to Julie. Julie has waited long enough and is tired of being on the sidelines so she wants all or nothing with Tommy.




This was a cute story about friends to lovers in the MMA world. I liked it I just didn't love it. However, I will still continue on with this series for sure.

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[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

3.5 stars.

I'm not a fan of the MMA, but I figured, I read books about motorcycle clubs and drug dealers, so I'm pretty sure I can extend my alpha male circle to include MMA athletes, too.

This book had some really great moments. It starts with Tommy returning from a run only to find his house burning to the ground and is forced to stay with his longtime best friend, Julie. I'm a sucker for stories of friends turned to lovers, so this held a lot of promise right from the start. Throughout the story, we are given tender moments from T and J's long friendship. When the stress of living together and fighting their mutual attraction becomes too great, the two of them reconnect over a shared memory and it is in these moments when the story really works.

The story kinda stumbles when the two friends/lovers spend too much time in their heads and fail to communicate with each other. These two have been friends for decades, yet suddenly they can't seem to talk to one another? I'll buy that for a little while, but it went on and on. It was like a song being played on repeat for hours. Even if it's a great song, before long you're wanting to switch the channel. I was more than ready to see these two get past their issues and get together. Though, considering this is a pretty common convention in romance novels, it wasn't as annoying as in some other novels. The tender moments really helped to keep me interested in their story.

I have not read the first in this series (didn't realize it was a series) and even though they attend a wedding (I'm presuming for the couple in book 1), it didn't spoil the story at all to read these out of order.

[Lucie Paris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Frustrating, intense and fun ...

I had a lot of fun reading the adventures of Dante "Inferno" Jones when he wanted to seduce Caitlyn Moore. The fact that she had a weight problem but fully assumed her body had made ​​the story very interesting. So, it was with curiosity that I plunged into Tommy and Julie's story.

A much more frustrating romance because she begins with a childhood friendship that dates way back.
Suddenly, the frustration is that Tommy despite his attachment to Julie never saw what was obvious to everyone.
Frustrating because I feel Julie's pain who is trying to hide her feelings and frustrating because when Tommy opens his eyes, he still manages to make an ass of himself!

And honestly, it is this frustration that makes it a fun, touching romantic story.
The narrative of this unrequited love is talking to all the readers... Who never found himself crushing on someone without it being reciprocated? It's hell!

But this romance is also fun because the two characters are friends who can joke and talk freely with each other. Touching because a friendship that lasts over time, it is not so commun. It's something to treasure.

Touching, as the two heroes go after their dreams. Including Tommy who made ​​mistakes and did not hesitate to apologize and fight for a chance to a better future.

A beautiful romance that I read with a frown and a smile.

Lucie
http://newbooksonmyselves.blogspot.fr...

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a Nutshell: A friends to lovers romance with MMA fighters!

The Set Up: After hitting rock bottom, Tommy is forced to move in with his childhood friend, Julie. Sparks fly and long-held feelings are revealed.

Why I Read this Book: I read Abby Niles’ novel Extreme Love last year. It was also set in her world of MMA fighters. I enjoyed it and thought I’d check out this offering.

What I Liked: Niles’ appreciation of MMA, her solid grasp on MMA culture and her knowledge of what it takes to be a good MMA competitor, means that Fighting for love has great multi-dimensional, genuine characters. I don’t want to read a book with characters that are nothing more than sexy Ken dolls (MMA Ken, firefighter Ken, dashing pirate Ken, etc). I want to characters I can ultimately care about and invest more emotion and time in. Abby Niles does a great job pulling this off.

What I Didn’t Like: This is totally a personal issue, but I found Julie’s character kind of whiney and weak. She’s not bad, and she’s certainly well written, but I wish she had a bit more of a backbone and communicated better. If you don’t like what you’re significant other is doing tell them, don’t runaway and cry. How does that solve anything? Argh!!

Overall Impression: This is a fun, light read. If you like the friends to lovers trope, you’ll enjoy this. Fans of Lori Foster’s MMA series will enjoy reading Abby Niles and Fighting for Love.

[Heather andrews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tommy that sex on two legs of a man, "my dog will not eat that foo-ffo s*** you feed Lucy. He eats manly dog food, isn't that right, buddy?" He does have a weaknesses Julie's a**, "a woman's a** had always been his weakness, but Julie's? Effing hell. He'd never wanted to get his hands on a butt more." Tommy, we all know doesn't have an issue with the ladies, but he's fighting himself not to get involved with Julie even though he has major feelings for her, "he clamped his jaw. What did she want him to say? That he wanted to eff her? Lay her down right there on the floor and pound into her hard?" I mean there is weakness and obsessiveness and well Tommy is obsessed with his woman's a**, "two warm hands kneaded her bottom as a low growl echoed through the room. "Such a perfect a**." Julie she has a temper and when the girl ain't gettin' none you get anger, "I've been effing my vibrator. And guess what? It's pi**ing me off. Why? Because I have a perfectly good real co** right there -" she pointed to the bulge in his pants - "that promises to seriously rock my world, but you won't let me have it. I'd say that's the definition of mean, wouldn't you?" Tommy he tries he really does, "woman, I'm trying to be all sweet and s***, and you're making me hard as a rock." Oh I liked this book and I really want Brody's next!

[*Marsha,Marsha,Marsha* It's always Marsha · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounding up to 4 stars

Fighting Love is a story about two best friends who find each other again after 23 years.Always a nice trope for book readers. Found love after years have passed!

Our story begins with life dishing out some misery and more misery to Tommy Sparks, a 33 year old MMA fighter. He's lost it all and ends up finding a place to live with his best friend, Julie. Julie has always been in love with Tommy but he saw her as nothing more than a kid sister. That however does change once he moves in and sees what a beautiful woman Julie has grown into.
Tommy has his own issues. He's known as a ladies' man and a one night stand type of guy. He doesn't feel he is anywhere good enough for Julie and this part of his personality frustrated me. He fought it way too hard, to the point of my wanting to scream at him!
I felt that an overuse of the constant need to remind us of the 23 yr friendship was annoying. Author's words can express their point without constant repetition.
There are some very steamy scenes and Tommy lives up to his reputation quite nicely.

Overall, I liked this book and felt that for the most part the conclusion was satisfactory and left me with no questions.

ARC kindly provided through Netgalley for an honest review.

[~`*Ella Lee*`~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This is number 2 in the Love to the Extreme series. You do not have to read these in order, however there is a small bit of follow up about our first couple (who's book I loved).
Basically Fighting Love introduces us to two very best friends, Tommy and Julie. Both of whom, since childhood, have loved each other very much. Though, Julie's love is a lot more than friendly for Tommy.
Tommy is in a bad place for himself. He's lost his career as a fighter and, at the start of Fighting Love, loses his home. Thankfully, Julie is there to pick him up, yet again.
Slowly, Tommy starts to see the light with his relationship regarding Julie. This includes a heavy dose of alpha-ness, protective-ness, all but peeing around her in a circle-ness. It also is highly sexy and fun to read about his journey through his change in feelings.
Although, it does get a little annoying with his inner banter back and forth on being enough for Julie (cue title :Fighting Love).
In the end, this book is worth it. Its fun, sexy, and VERY sweet on our hero's side.
Totally recommend not only this book, but the series!

[Annmarie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tommy is an asshole a couple times towards the mid to latter part of the book, but he makes the 'grand gesture' and it's a HEA. I did see a change in him before the offer if his title fight came about. After that, he started back into asshole mode. I hope for Julie's sake he stays a changed man and doesn't go back to being a dickhead.

[Jennifer ♛Jenna♛ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review to come.

[Belle Aurora · Rating 5 out of 5]

Was waiting for this one since I read the first in the series and it did not disappoint.
Loved it!