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Bannon's Gym #2
Takedown
Home may not be what he remembered, but it might hold what he needs.
An abusive father drove Tom Delaney away from Lincoln Beach. Now that he’s back to settle his family’s affairs, he’s finding that not even the good things he left behind are the same. The old neighborhood is a dangerous slum. Eddie’s diner is on its last legs. Gloria, who looked after him like her own son, is seriously ill.
An abusive father drove Tom Delaney away from Lincoln Beach. Now that he’s back to settle his family’s affairs, he’s finding that not even the good things he left behind are the same. The old neighborhood is a dangerous slum. Eddie’s diner is on its last legs. Gloria, who looked after him like her own son, is seriously ill.
His only refuge is Bannon’s Gym, where Danny Bannon nurtured his talent for mixed martial arts. Bannon’s also harbors Travis, his ex—as in ex-sparring partner, ex one-night stand. The man who, the last time they faced off in the ring, left Tom with a broken jaw and a concussion.
The sparks are still there, in the ring and out of it. But when Travis’s own troubles quite literally explode, their only chance to build something solid on their broken past could go up in flames.
Warning: Hot guys slugging it out. Heaps of sexual tension and cursing. Fighting. Grappling. Kicking. Throwing elbows. All drenched in buckets of manly sweat.
188 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 29, 2014
170 people want to read
About the author
Cat Grant
51 books463 followersIf you're looking for epic sci-fi, fantasy, or historicals, that's not me. Contemporary all the way, baby!
However, if you're looking for down to earth, complicated characters dealing with real-world problems (and the occasional comfort read!), I might just fit the bill. :)
My Books:
Courtland Chronicles (m/m & m/m/f)
By Chance
Strictly Business
Complications
The Arrangement
Triad
Allegro Vivace (m/m)
Sonata Appassionata (m/m)
Icon Men (all m/m)
The First Real Thing (2012 EPIC Award Winner - Erotica)
Appearing Nightly
A Fool for You
Habanera (Originally titled Entangled Trio - 2012 EPIC Award Finalist - Erotica) (m/m/f)
Once a Marine (m/m)
Power Play (with Rachel Haimowitz) (m/m BDSM)
Power Play: Resistance
Power Play: Awakening
Irresistible Attraction (all m/m)
Priceless
Doubtless
Fearless
Flawless (2014 EPIC Award Finalist - Short Fiction)
Forthcoming:
The Only One Who Knows (with LA Witt) - January 2014
The Only One Who Matters (with LA Witt) - March 2014
Black Dog (Bannon's Gym #1) - April 2014
Takedown (Bannon's Gym #2) - July 2014
Guarded (with LA Witt) (work in progress)
However, if you're looking for down to earth, complicated characters dealing with real-world problems (and the occasional comfort read!), I might just fit the bill. :)
My Books:
Courtland Chronicles (m/m & m/m/f)
By Chance
Strictly Business
Complications
The Arrangement
Triad
Allegro Vivace (m/m)
Sonata Appassionata (m/m)
Icon Men (all m/m)
The First Real Thing (2012 EPIC Award Winner - Erotica)
Appearing Nightly
A Fool for You
Habanera (Originally titled Entangled Trio - 2012 EPIC Award Finalist - Erotica) (m/m/f)
Once a Marine (m/m)
Power Play (with Rachel Haimowitz) (m/m BDSM)
Power Play: Resistance
Power Play: Awakening
Irresistible Attraction (all m/m)
Priceless
Doubtless
Fearless
Flawless (2014 EPIC Award Finalist - Short Fiction)
Forthcoming:
The Only One Who Knows (with LA Witt) - January 2014
The Only One Who Matters (with LA Witt) - March 2014
Black Dog (Bannon's Gym #1) - April 2014
Takedown (Bannon's Gym #2) - July 2014
Guarded (with LA Witt) (work in progress)
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
July 7, 2016
22-year old Tom returns to the small town of Lincoln Beach, CA. Having graduated college, he wants to check what his friends have been up to and settling down the matter of his inheritance so that he can, hopefully, attend grad school.
But Fate has other plans for Tom. Two years is a long time and Lincoln Beach is not the same anymore...
This is the kind of book that packs an emotional wallop if you've read Black Dog first. Thankfully, just like the previous book, this was a short yet satisfying read.
What I liked
+ Multiple POVs that were not confusing
This book doesn't have two or even three but four different narrators: Tom (who could be considered the main protag of the entire series), Travis (the one night stand Tom has to compete against), Danny (the owner of the Bannon's Gym), and Eddie (Danny's bf and a retired MMA fighter).
Even with all these different people telling the story, not once was I confused as to whose POV I was reading. They are all well-defined characters with different wants and needs.
+ Realistic Angst
Between Lincoln Beach falling in hard times and older characters' health declining, Tom and co. have a lot of things that they need to face/own up to. This meant that the conflicts weren't easily resolved.
As a result, the plot became even more engaging.
What I didn't like
- Not enough female characters
Other than Gloria (Eddie's mother) and Julie (Travis' sister), there were no other female characters in the entire book. #Notimpressed
TL;DR: A novella about MMA fighters whose issues are fought both in and out of the cage. The book works well as a sequel and a set-up for the final book in the series.
But Fate has other plans for Tom. Two years is a long time and Lincoln Beach is not the same anymore...
This is the kind of book that packs an emotional wallop if you've read Black Dog first. Thankfully, just like the previous book, this was a short yet satisfying read.
What I liked
+ Multiple POVs that were not confusing
This book doesn't have two or even three but four different narrators: Tom (who could be considered the main protag of the entire series), Travis (the one night stand Tom has to compete against), Danny (the owner of the Bannon's Gym), and Eddie (Danny's bf and a retired MMA fighter).
Even with all these different people telling the story, not once was I confused as to whose POV I was reading. They are all well-defined characters with different wants and needs.
+ Realistic Angst
Between Lincoln Beach falling in hard times and older characters' health declining, Tom and co. have a lot of things that they need to face/own up to. This meant that the conflicts weren't easily resolved.
As a result, the plot became even more engaging.
What I didn't like
- Not enough female characters
Other than Gloria (Eddie's mother) and Julie (Travis' sister), there were no other female characters in the entire book. #Notimpressed
TL;DR: A novella about MMA fighters whose issues are fought both in and out of the cage. The book works well as a sequel and a set-up for the final book in the series.
August 24, 2019
This is the second story in the trenches of the Bannon's Gym Series. I loved the relationship between all the characters that are brought together through their love of Mixed Martial Arts. This is a sport that makes friends into this tight knit family, that argue, get angry but cheer and support each other through good times and bad. This was the story about two men who met in the cage in the last book. Tom and Travis had a lot of issues that had to be worked out before they could even begin speaking. The relationship between them was mostly helped by their being in the sport, even though it was Travis's fault Tom gave it up. Even though they are falling more for each other, they still have a long way to go.
I was also happy to see Eddie and Danny, wish it were under better circumstances. I love when you get a past character update.
I love the way there is such character development and depth. I love when the writer takes you in the cage and you can feel the punishment of the fight. This like the last story was very interesting, had a overall nice pace flow. I respect the research or hours of watching this type of fighting you would have to do to be able to describe it so well. This is overall a terrifically written story. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT!!!
I was also happy to see Eddie and Danny, wish it were under better circumstances. I love when you get a past character update.
I love the way there is such character development and depth. I love when the writer takes you in the cage and you can feel the punishment of the fight. This like the last story was very interesting, had a overall nice pace flow. I respect the research or hours of watching this type of fighting you would have to do to be able to describe it so well. This is overall a terrifically written story. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT!!!
December 1, 2017
It truly feels like forever since I've been waiting for this second book in Cat Grant's 'Bannon's Gym' series. I adored the first installment and loved all of the characters, Danny, Eddie, Gloria, and, especially, Tom. Tom was a teenager, homeless and abused, when I first made his acquaintance. Even then, there was something about him that tugged at my heartstrings and made me want to bundle him up and protect him from the world. Luckily for Tom, he had Gloria to be his mom, and instead of protecting and sheltering him, Eddie and Danny taught him how to fight. I couldn't wait to discover what the author had in store for me in 'Takedown'.
Two years ago Tom was in the finals for the MMA bantamweight, fighting against his ex-friend, ex-sparring partner and an ex-one-night stand, Travis. Tom woke up in the hospital with his jaw wired shut and he's never put the gloves back on. Instead, he's gone to college on the East Coast but now he's come home to Lincoln Beach. What he finds is the old neighborhood just about all closed up; Eddie's diner is on its last legs, Gloria has retired and is not doing well, Danny is thinking about relocating the gym, and Travis is working at the gym. What a homecoming. Oh, and Tom's dad died in prison a week before. Welcome home, Tom.
Travis is a physical therapist at the local hospital and he's got plenty of his own bad karma going on. When Tom discovers that the trust fund left to him by his mother is gone, used to help care for his grandmother, Tom has no choice but to get a job at the gym. Tom may have a college degree, but without a master's in his field, his degree isn't worth the paper it's printed on, and since now there's no money left for him to finish his schooling, he's kind of stuck. This, of course, puts Tom and Travis in close contact at the gym. Never a better time to let bygones be bygones. Or, beat on each other in a cage. *snort*
This was, by no means, an easy love story. Tom has so much baggage that it was almost impossible for him and Travis to not have a ton of miscommunication. Combine that with Tom's desire to leave Lincoln Beach and never come back, running away again, and I'm surprised these two made it to a relationship. I, of course, enjoyed the entire struggle. *grins* This was a really good addition to the series and I'm looking forward to the next book.
NOTE: This book was provided by the publisher for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews
Two years ago Tom was in the finals for the MMA bantamweight, fighting against his ex-friend, ex-sparring partner and an ex-one-night stand, Travis. Tom woke up in the hospital with his jaw wired shut and he's never put the gloves back on. Instead, he's gone to college on the East Coast but now he's come home to Lincoln Beach. What he finds is the old neighborhood just about all closed up; Eddie's diner is on its last legs, Gloria has retired and is not doing well, Danny is thinking about relocating the gym, and Travis is working at the gym. What a homecoming. Oh, and Tom's dad died in prison a week before. Welcome home, Tom.
Travis is a physical therapist at the local hospital and he's got plenty of his own bad karma going on. When Tom discovers that the trust fund left to him by his mother is gone, used to help care for his grandmother, Tom has no choice but to get a job at the gym. Tom may have a college degree, but without a master's in his field, his degree isn't worth the paper it's printed on, and since now there's no money left for him to finish his schooling, he's kind of stuck. This, of course, puts Tom and Travis in close contact at the gym. Never a better time to let bygones be bygones. Or, beat on each other in a cage. *snort*
This was, by no means, an easy love story. Tom has so much baggage that it was almost impossible for him and Travis to not have a ton of miscommunication. Combine that with Tom's desire to leave Lincoln Beach and never come back, running away again, and I'm surprised these two made it to a relationship. I, of course, enjoyed the entire struggle. *grins* This was a really good addition to the series and I'm looking forward to the next book.
NOTE: This book was provided by the publisher for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews
August 2, 2014
3.5 star review by The Blogger Girls.
It seems like I’ve been waiting forever for this one! I adored the story of Bannon’s Gym in book 1, where we met Danny and Eddie. They, along with Eddie’s mom, Gloria, had taken young Tom in and made him a part of their family. Poor Tom, and his mother, had been abused by Tom’s father for many years. He had run away and was on the streets when Danny, Eddie and Gloria had taken him in.
Fast forward to this book, and Tom has now returned after graduating from college. Apparently, he had shared a night of passion with Travis, but they ended up fighting one another in a tournament which didn’t end well at all. Tom was injured pretty badly, and ended up taking off for two years until the death of his father prompted his return.
As with the first book, this one doesn’t focus entirely on the main couple. Tom and Travis and their relationship make up a fairly small part actually. Tom is still dealing with a lot of issues from his past where his father is concerned, and some issues that have arisen involving his estate. Gloria is not doing well health-wise, and Danny’s diner is pretty much in shambles, as is the gym. It was sometimes hard to remember Tom was still fairly young at 22, given everything he was having to deal with. He had a lot of guilt throughout believing he was the cause of everyone’s problems. Travis is dealing with a few issues of his own, namely his ex, Aaron, and his drug addiction and all the problems that brings to the table.
I think my biggest issue with this story were the time gaps where I felt like I missed some important details, such as Tom and Travis’ beginning. I had thought Eddie, Danny and Tom had been a little closer, but was missing that connection a bit this time around. Also, with so much going on, I kind of missed there being a more central focus. I actually liked seeing Eddie and Danny again, and loved the fighting action and stuff at the gym. Tom ends up teaching a class to kids that was really cute, and the sparring and tournaments were exciting.
I still enjoyed this installment quite a bit and am really looking forward to the next, Tap Out, to see where things go now that everything seems to have settled a bit at this point.
September 23, 2014
Source: eARC for Honest Review from Samhain Publishing via NetGalley
In the end of Black Dog Tom was knocked out in his championship fight by his ex which has left him with more baggage then he already had, so he tucked in his tail and ran. Now a few years later he comes back after the death of his father. The only thing stable upon his return is the relationship between Eddie and Danny. As he comes back he is faced with more negative shit, however he does reach out to Travis to try and mend the fence to their broken relationship.
Travis is attracted to broken men so it is not a surprise he falls for Tom, but with Tom comes a lot of baggage. As Tom and Travis deal with their own lives they lean on each other when it counts but is it enough. With Tom he starts to realize that there is also good in his life with his new family, Eddie, Danny and Gloria and also Travis. With this revelation he decides to stay instead of always running. Even though we get a bit of HEA we know that there is more drama to come. I will continue with Tap Out to see how everyone ends up. Because this was book 2 in the series we have more depth of the characters which made me get into the story more but I still craved more passion from these men.
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November 16, 2014
In Black Dog readers are introduced to a troubled teen named Tom Delaney. His life is a mess. His thoughts and feelings towards life are an even bigger mess. He has fled his home to get away from an abusive father. He has guilt over abandoning his mother. He has a ton of fight in him though and Eddie the man that gives him shelter from the streets sees that and puts it into training Tom to fight in a cage at Bannon’s Gym.
I enjoy reading a good emotional hot mess in a character. Tom is this character. Add in the fact that he can’t make up his mind about whether he wants to kiss or beat the hell out of Travis and you have an interesting romance. Takedown picks up a few years after Black Dog ends. Tom is still fighting everything, literally and figuratively. Tom simply has more fight in him than he has room for. Meeting Travis in the cage for a championship fight is a little too much for an overly emotional Tom. The consequences of that cage fight send Tom to the other side of the country.
Tom returns to Lincoln Beach two years later with nothing he fled from resolved. The people he considers family are having a rough time and Tom does what he can to help, but things have a way of not ever going the way Tom wants them too. Tom may have grown up some but he still has so much to learn. I’m glad I continued reading this series. Cat Grant has given me a character that I can’t help but want nothing but good things for. Nothing is Tom’s life comes easily or in a petty package. I’m looking forward to where he will go in Tap Out.
I waited until Tap Out was available before I read Takedown. Tom and Travis being the main characters in both made me think cliffhanger. Takedown does not end on a cliffhanger. I do recommend reading Black Dog before Takedown.
I enjoy reading a good emotional hot mess in a character. Tom is this character. Add in the fact that he can’t make up his mind about whether he wants to kiss or beat the hell out of Travis and you have an interesting romance. Takedown picks up a few years after Black Dog ends. Tom is still fighting everything, literally and figuratively. Tom simply has more fight in him than he has room for. Meeting Travis in the cage for a championship fight is a little too much for an overly emotional Tom. The consequences of that cage fight send Tom to the other side of the country.
Tom returns to Lincoln Beach two years later with nothing he fled from resolved. The people he considers family are having a rough time and Tom does what he can to help, but things have a way of not ever going the way Tom wants them too. Tom may have grown up some but he still has so much to learn. I’m glad I continued reading this series. Cat Grant has given me a character that I can’t help but want nothing but good things for. Nothing is Tom’s life comes easily or in a petty package. I’m looking forward to where he will go in Tap Out.
I waited until Tap Out was available before I read Takedown. Tom and Travis being the main characters in both made me think cliffhanger. Takedown does not end on a cliffhanger. I do recommend reading Black Dog before Takedown.
September 30, 2014
Well, this book tapped me out. Holy Cow, this was good, I couldn't put it down all through our cruise this past weekend, made it so enjoyable.
Being involved in the production of, so far, 21 Pro MMA events during the past 3 years, this book really called me and I am so glad I got it.
Travis and Tom are such well executed characters it's amazing and from what I've experienced not an anomaly in this sport.
Travis is very well done as Tom's older half and he draws you in, little by little. His ending relationship with Aaron, a relapsing drug user, is really well done! The unwitting enabling by Travis is fabulously carried out and Aaron's using of Travis really digs into one's heart. Yeah, this one pulls at the heart strings.
Tom is hawt! And as the young half of Travis well carried out - the angst, oh the angst and guilt this boy carries! Wow, you can't help but get drawn into him. I must say, there did seem to be some inconsistency in the timeline of his going to college and then coming back... not sure what to make of it, but it doesn't take away from the enjoyment of the book.
Danny and Eddie are a great addition as the stable, in love, couple and Danny's gym ownership quite believable and well done.
The MMA contest/bout was a well researched piece of amateur MMA and I could really feel I was there and the ending was flawless - it tied it all into one great package.
Well done, Ms. Grant.
Being involved in the production of, so far, 21 Pro MMA events during the past 3 years, this book really called me and I am so glad I got it.
Travis and Tom are such well executed characters it's amazing and from what I've experienced not an anomaly in this sport.
Travis is very well done as Tom's older half and he draws you in, little by little. His ending relationship with Aaron, a relapsing drug user, is really well done! The unwitting enabling by Travis is fabulously carried out and Aaron's using of Travis really digs into one's heart. Yeah, this one pulls at the heart strings.
Tom is hawt! And as the young half of Travis well carried out - the angst, oh the angst and guilt this boy carries! Wow, you can't help but get drawn into him. I must say, there did seem to be some inconsistency in the timeline of his going to college and then coming back... not sure what to make of it, but it doesn't take away from the enjoyment of the book.
Danny and Eddie are a great addition as the stable, in love, couple and Danny's gym ownership quite believable and well done.
The MMA contest/bout was a well researched piece of amateur MMA and I could really feel I was there and the ending was flawless - it tied it all into one great package.
Well done, Ms. Grant.
February 28, 2015
I can see how the rating of this series dipped ever so slightly with this second installment. The issues of change and loss were nearly overwhelming, and it took Grant's deft writing to not lose the thread of relationships woven throughout.
August 9, 2022
Voto: 3.5
RECENSIONE A CURA DI EVELYNE
Venite a leggerla sul nostro blog!
RECENSIONE A CURA DI EVELYNE
Venite a leggerla sul nostro blog!
January 5, 2015
(If you have not read book one of this series, this review may contain spoilers)
Looking back, trying to sum up what this second book in the series is about, there are some big changes for Tom and Eddie in particular. What’s clear, though, is that this is continuing Tom’s journey, his growth through the family issues and all his anger around them as revealed in book one. Eddie and Danny’s established partnership remains as more of a side theme, their continued mentorship of Tom acts as the foundation for his story.
The book starts with Tom’s return after a two year gap during which he left California to finish up college at an ivy league school back east. Degree in hand, he returns home to collect his inheritance. Tom still carries a world of hurt and guilt-- all the scars from living with an alcoholic, abusive father whose reign of terror on the family remain in day-glo pain. Dear old Dad has just passed away and Tom is back in town and back at Bannon’s Gym, looking for closure, looking for a way to mend the hurt.
But things never remain the same back home; except for the support of friends made in book one. Eddie, Danny, and Gloria, Eddie’s mother, welcome him back with open arms. But can they help? Can Tom work through his trust issues?
Entering on the scene is Travis, the love interest. It seems that Tom hooked up with Travis before splitting for college. The two guys are sparring partners at Bannon’s gym and continue to circle around each other in and out of the fight cage, picking back up on the attraction that brought them together two years ago.
Which brings this to my favorite part of the story-- anything that has to do with the MMA training and events. There is still a good helping of cage and gym action which keeps my interest. Really, I could have used even more of that. The rest of it, though… the time gaps around Tom leaving for college, and other gaps built into the present story, left me with a feeling of disconnection. Travis and Tom are thrown together without much background about their initial attraction. Indeed, it seemed that one of the reasons Tom left town was in reaction to a tournament match between the two that didn’t end very well. Can you spar with someone, be matched up to physically punch them out, and maintain a romantic connection? And for Tom, all that other hurt and confusion around family and relationships doesn’t help much either.
So, it’s a mixed bag for me. I like these guys, I like the setting and the difficulties faced in this book. I like how Tom’s MMA training continues to help him work out his anger and frustration (it’s a work in progress; he could still use more of that). I’m just not sold on some of the delivery as mentioned. There are a lot of issues in the story-- including drug abuse and domestic/child abuse-- so the writing seems scattered at times and the frequent POV shifting (also an issue in book one) doesn’t help. Since it looks like the series continues with more of Tom’s journey, I hope for a deeper connection between him and Travis. And for some attention to the writing issues. I will definitely return for more, especially if the fighting action continues to be a integral part of the story.
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June 19, 2014
REVIEWED FOR PRISM BOOK ALLIANCE
When we first met Tom Delaney in Black Dog, book 1 in this series, I thought that book was going to tell his story. We learnt about his abusive father who beat him and his mother regularly which led in the end to his mother committing suicide. When Tom finally gave evidence about the abuse his father was sent to prison.
This book starts with his father dying in prison two years later and finds Tom returning to Lincoln Beach. The small town has changed drastically becoming run down and desolate. Eddie the man who found Tom living on the streets and rescued him still runs the diner but it is barely making a living. Gloria has since retired and is frail and very ill. Danny still owns and works at the gym and Travis, the man who left Tom with a broken jaw in his last fight, is still working there.
Tom is only 22 but has dealt with a lot of hard knocks in his short life and seems to have the weight of the world on his shoulders. His family haven’t really forgiven him for giving evidence against his father, his inheritance has been used up and the place he thought of as home is crumbling to the ground.
He is quickly ensconced into his old life but seems to keeping secrets from everyone. Gloria hasn’t told her family she is ill, Eddie hasn’t told his mother the diner is failing and Travis is the object of both his hate and lust. To top it all off he is left to deal with his fathers ashes, a man he finds he can’t forgive or forget.
Travis is a little older and a little wiser. Having just come out of a disastrous relationship he is wary of getting involved in another one. The last time he saw Tom was when he had put him in hospital after a fighting match and it becomes clear very quickly that Tom has not yet forgiven him. A number of things bring the two men back together but Travis isn’t sure whether he will ever get past Toms walls enough to show him that he loves him.
I felt sorry for Tom for most of the book. It seems that everything he does and every way he turns he feels like he is failing people and causing them pain. He is so lonely and so desperate to be loved but is equally scared to move on and let himself be loved that he has a constant need to keep running. It takes him a long time to realise that everything bad in the world is not his fault and that if he takes a moment to stand still and breathe he may find just what he is looking for, but first he must forgive himself and find closure.
When we first met Tom Delaney in Black Dog, book 1 in this series, I thought that book was going to tell his story. We learnt about his abusive father who beat him and his mother regularly which led in the end to his mother committing suicide. When Tom finally gave evidence about the abuse his father was sent to prison.
This book starts with his father dying in prison two years later and finds Tom returning to Lincoln Beach. The small town has changed drastically becoming run down and desolate. Eddie the man who found Tom living on the streets and rescued him still runs the diner but it is barely making a living. Gloria has since retired and is frail and very ill. Danny still owns and works at the gym and Travis, the man who left Tom with a broken jaw in his last fight, is still working there.
Tom is only 22 but has dealt with a lot of hard knocks in his short life and seems to have the weight of the world on his shoulders. His family haven’t really forgiven him for giving evidence against his father, his inheritance has been used up and the place he thought of as home is crumbling to the ground.
He is quickly ensconced into his old life but seems to keeping secrets from everyone. Gloria hasn’t told her family she is ill, Eddie hasn’t told his mother the diner is failing and Travis is the object of both his hate and lust. To top it all off he is left to deal with his fathers ashes, a man he finds he can’t forgive or forget.
Travis is a little older and a little wiser. Having just come out of a disastrous relationship he is wary of getting involved in another one. The last time he saw Tom was when he had put him in hospital after a fighting match and it becomes clear very quickly that Tom has not yet forgiven him. A number of things bring the two men back together but Travis isn’t sure whether he will ever get past Toms walls enough to show him that he loves him.
I felt sorry for Tom for most of the book. It seems that everything he does and every way he turns he feels like he is failing people and causing them pain. He is so lonely and so desperate to be loved but is equally scared to move on and let himself be loved that he has a constant need to keep running. It takes him a long time to realise that everything bad in the world is not his fault and that if he takes a moment to stand still and breathe he may find just what he is looking for, but first he must forgive himself and find closure.
October 25, 2014
Slick‘s review posted on Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews
4.5 STARS
Review copy provided for an honest review
Cat Grant is one of those authors whose books never disappoint. Takedown is the second book in her Bannon’s Gym series and it is an excellent story. All the characters from the first book are back as Tom Delaney returns to Lincoln Beach following the death of his abusive father. Tom is still unsettled, maybe even more so than in the first book and the family that claimed him tries to see him through yet another tough time in his life. This is a gripping and emotional story; it’s not pretty but it is a tribute to someone who has survived some pretty bad stuff and is trying to come out on the other side.
This is such a complicated story because while Tom has such horrible memories of the town he grew up, it is the place where he met the “family” who took him in and helped him through one of the worst times in his life. It’s also the place where he felt he was betrayed by a friend/lover that sent him running out of state. Back in town he discovers Eddie’s diner is on its last legs, Gloria (the woman he loves like a mom) is extremely ill, and Danny (Eddie’s life partner) still employees Travis the guy he never wanted to see again. To top it off he gets some news from what is left of his real family that sends him reeling.
As Tom begins to realize you can’t go home again he also discovers that the lust he once had for Travis is still there even though he doesn’t want it to be. When he and Travis resume a physical relationship, Travis begins to realize that Tom has more issues than he ever imagined. I enjoyed watching Tom and Travis try and work through their very volatile past. Travis had a very hard time with some of Tom’s hang-ups and on more than one occasion they come to blows over their differences, but thankfully they have some good friends who help them make sense of the things that threaten to pull them apart.
Edgy, emotional, and sexy Takedown by Cat Grant is another exceptional book in her Bannon’s Gym series.
4.5 STARS
Review copy provided for an honest review
Cat Grant is one of those authors whose books never disappoint. Takedown is the second book in her Bannon’s Gym series and it is an excellent story. All the characters from the first book are back as Tom Delaney returns to Lincoln Beach following the death of his abusive father. Tom is still unsettled, maybe even more so than in the first book and the family that claimed him tries to see him through yet another tough time in his life. This is a gripping and emotional story; it’s not pretty but it is a tribute to someone who has survived some pretty bad stuff and is trying to come out on the other side.
This is such a complicated story because while Tom has such horrible memories of the town he grew up, it is the place where he met the “family” who took him in and helped him through one of the worst times in his life. It’s also the place where he felt he was betrayed by a friend/lover that sent him running out of state. Back in town he discovers Eddie’s diner is on its last legs, Gloria (the woman he loves like a mom) is extremely ill, and Danny (Eddie’s life partner) still employees Travis the guy he never wanted to see again. To top it off he gets some news from what is left of his real family that sends him reeling.
As Tom begins to realize you can’t go home again he also discovers that the lust he once had for Travis is still there even though he doesn’t want it to be. When he and Travis resume a physical relationship, Travis begins to realize that Tom has more issues than he ever imagined. I enjoyed watching Tom and Travis try and work through their very volatile past. Travis had a very hard time with some of Tom’s hang-ups and on more than one occasion they come to blows over their differences, but thankfully they have some good friends who help them make sense of the things that threaten to pull them apart.
Edgy, emotional, and sexy Takedown by Cat Grant is another exceptional book in her Bannon’s Gym series.
August 4, 2014
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.25 stars
Oh. I like this book. It’s a slow burn, frustratingly slow at times, but oh-so good. Takedown is Tom’s story. We meet Tom in Black Dog, the first book in the Bannon’s Gym series. Tom is a pretty big part of the first book so it’s pretty important that you read these books in order so as not to miss the important parts of Tom’s life. But make no mistake, book one is not Tom’s story; it’s Danny and Eddie’s, but Tom does play a large role there. I loved Tom when I first read him in Black Dog. He’s one of my favorite parts of the first book so I was ecstatic to read this one. Tom’s a pretty big hot head, which is how he found his way in the gym in the first place. He’s also a spur-of-the-moment kind of guy. And this story is not his healing, per se. There’s no huge enlightenment at the end of his story. Yes, he finds himself and maybe learns what family really is, but in the end he’s basically the same person he was in the beginning. It’s nice because all in all, Tom is a pretty great kid who’s been dealt a crappy hand in life and only wants to find the place he belongs. Which he does.
Read Crissy’s review in its entirety here.
4.25 stars
Oh. I like this book. It’s a slow burn, frustratingly slow at times, but oh-so good. Takedown is Tom’s story. We meet Tom in Black Dog, the first book in the Bannon’s Gym series. Tom is a pretty big part of the first book so it’s pretty important that you read these books in order so as not to miss the important parts of Tom’s life. But make no mistake, book one is not Tom’s story; it’s Danny and Eddie’s, but Tom does play a large role there. I loved Tom when I first read him in Black Dog. He’s one of my favorite parts of the first book so I was ecstatic to read this one. Tom’s a pretty big hot head, which is how he found his way in the gym in the first place. He’s also a spur-of-the-moment kind of guy. And this story is not his healing, per se. There’s no huge enlightenment at the end of his story. Yes, he finds himself and maybe learns what family really is, but in the end he’s basically the same person he was in the beginning. It’s nice because all in all, Tom is a pretty great kid who’s been dealt a crappy hand in life and only wants to find the place he belongs. Which he does.
Read Crissy’s review in its entirety here.
November 24, 2014
I really think that I enjoyed this book more than the first book in the series because there were just so many emotional twists and turns that kept my attention that I didn’t want the story to end! While there was a fair amount of smuttiness in the story, what grabbed my attention the most was the relationships between the characters, all of them. Even if they were just simply friends, you could tell how deeply everyone cared about the other.
I thought that Ms. Grant did a really good job with the relationship between Tom and Travis; it was so easy to connect with the feelings that they had for each other. Both good and bad feelings that is. The relationship between them was so back and forth that on one page, I was hoping they would work things out, and the other I thought that Travis was too good for Tom!
I did like that we were able to get caught up with Eddie and Danny though. Especially with how they had such an important role in Tom’s past, I am really glad that Ms. Grant thought to add more about them, and it wasn’t just an “in passing” addition, we were able to spend time with them.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and series and I hope that there is more of them in the future!
Reviewed by Crystal Marie for Crystal’s Many Reviewers
*Copy provided for review*
I thought that Ms. Grant did a really good job with the relationship between Tom and Travis; it was so easy to connect with the feelings that they had for each other. Both good and bad feelings that is. The relationship between them was so back and forth that on one page, I was hoping they would work things out, and the other I thought that Travis was too good for Tom!
I did like that we were able to get caught up with Eddie and Danny though. Especially with how they had such an important role in Tom’s past, I am really glad that Ms. Grant thought to add more about them, and it wasn’t just an “in passing” addition, we were able to spend time with them.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and series and I hope that there is more of them in the future!
Reviewed by Crystal Marie for Crystal’s Many Reviewers
*Copy provided for review*
July 10, 2014
My Booklist review:
In Grant’s second Bannon’s Gym gay romance, following Black Dog (2014), former mixed-martial-arts fighter Tom Delaney returns home to Lincoln Beach, California, to find his family in shambles and bad memories bubbling up at every step. Although the constants in his life—the café where he worked as a teen and the gym where he trained and competed—are still there, both are run down and lack the vitality he remembers, as do the adults who nurtured him. Only his former friend, lover, and sparring partner Travis, who gave him a concussion and knocked out two teeth during their last bout, still knocks him out romantically. Travis comes with baggage in the form of an ex-lover whose drug habit has put hit men on his trail. When the café is blown up, both Tom and Travis realize living day-to-day isn’t enough. They must plan for the future. Although at times hard to follow without having read the first book, this sequel packs a punch for those who enjoy sports romances.
In Grant’s second Bannon’s Gym gay romance, following Black Dog (2014), former mixed-martial-arts fighter Tom Delaney returns home to Lincoln Beach, California, to find his family in shambles and bad memories bubbling up at every step. Although the constants in his life—the café where he worked as a teen and the gym where he trained and competed—are still there, both are run down and lack the vitality he remembers, as do the adults who nurtured him. Only his former friend, lover, and sparring partner Travis, who gave him a concussion and knocked out two teeth during their last bout, still knocks him out romantically. Travis comes with baggage in the form of an ex-lover whose drug habit has put hit men on his trail. When the café is blown up, both Tom and Travis realize living day-to-day isn’t enough. They must plan for the future. Although at times hard to follow without having read the first book, this sequel packs a punch for those who enjoy sports romances.
July 30, 2014
2.5
I liked the premise of Takedown but found the story didn’t engage me. There were too many conflicts vying for attention, resulting in none of them being explored with any real depth. Grant chooses an interesting approach in this series is written almost like a serial with lots of movement but minimal results. The story only seems to scratch the surface of the emotions we can sense circling within. Certain scenes were introduced then discarded, leaving me wondering the reasons behind their inclusion. The writing is good overall but it switches between 1st person to 3rd person and rapid POV changes adds to the confusion. I think you really need to start from the beginning in order to get the whole story.
I liked the premise of Takedown but found the story didn’t engage me. There were too many conflicts vying for attention, resulting in none of them being explored with any real depth. Grant chooses an interesting approach in this series is written almost like a serial with lots of movement but minimal results. The story only seems to scratch the surface of the emotions we can sense circling within. Certain scenes were introduced then discarded, leaving me wondering the reasons behind their inclusion. The writing is good overall but it switches between 1st person to 3rd person and rapid POV changes adds to the confusion. I think you really need to start from the beginning in order to get the whole story.
May 21, 2016
I'm not sure what to say about this book. It's good...really good, but you really need to read the first one to get the full impact of this story. It's a sad story that just breaks you heart while you're reading it but at the same time you really cheer for all this crap that Tom has had to deal with his whole 22 years has finally came to an end. He gets his HEA or what seems to be a HEA. I hope there's more books in this series cause I'm not ready to let these guys go yet. I want to see glimpses of them in future books and know that they're doing alright. That they still have their shit together.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.
August 7, 2014
This was a solid read. It was more romantic than the first entry in the series, though it still lacked a little bit of "oomph" factor, but now that we are on to book two, it's clear that this is deliberate -- Cat Grant is writing a long-arc about an unconventional family, and while the love stories aren't precisely incidental, neither are they the central point. This is a strong, good story, and it isn't a standalone; you definitely want to read the first entry in the series. If you don't read it, there is a lot that you will miss.
August 14, 2014
~*~My Thoughts~*~
A 5 star rating
I am definitely in love with these characters. Tom, Travis, Eddie, and Danny are all flipping awesome. This book to me was better than the first because i really loved seeing everyone grow. The characters are extremely well developed and complex and I love getting in there heads. All in all this is a great book and series and I can't wait to read the next book.
received a complimentary copy from NetGalley for an honest review.
A 5 star rating
I am definitely in love with these characters. Tom, Travis, Eddie, and Danny are all flipping awesome. This book to me was better than the first because i really loved seeing everyone grow. The characters are extremely well developed and complex and I love getting in there heads. All in all this is a great book and series and I can't wait to read the next book.
received a complimentary copy from NetGalley for an honest review.
October 16, 2014
This book did not disappoint! Read in a few hours because I couldn't put it down.
November 6, 2014
A lot going on but still a solid 4.5 star read.
Read
August 19, 2014This book was reviewed by Love Bytes Reviews!
September 19, 2014
Loved it and can't wait for book #3!
January 21, 2015
I can't get enough of these guys!
December 6, 2015
2014 Rainbow Awards Honorable Mention (5* from at least 1 judge)
April 30, 2019
Segue lo stile del primo libro.
Mi dispiace non poter mettere più di tre stelle, perchè la storia è promettente, ma lo stile narrativo mi ha scombussolata e infastidita. Vengono mescolati i POV e non viene mai annunciato chi è la voce narrante. Non sempre c'è bisogno di farlo, ma quando si hanno fino a quattro protagonisti diversi è difficile distinguerli.
Mi dispiace non poter mettere più di tre stelle, perchè la storia è promettente, ma lo stile narrativo mi ha scombussolata e infastidita. Vengono mescolati i POV e non viene mai annunciato chi è la voce narrante. Non sempre c'è bisogno di farlo, ma quando si hanno fino a quattro protagonisti diversi è difficile distinguerli.
October 7, 2020
Non mi ha convinta per niente, molto superficiale in tutto. C’è una continuazione ma per ora passo
July 29, 2014
Review originally posted at http://fictionvixen.com/review-takedo...
Tom Delaney first appeared in book one of the Bannon’s Gym series, Black Dog. The teenaged Tom readers were first introduced to was a lost boy on the streets, afraid for his and his mother’s safety and very angry. He was taken in, given a home and then a job at the diner by the Eddie Roscoe and his mother Gloria. He also learned to defend himself and was given an outlet for his anger by Eddie’s lover Danny, owner of Bannon’s Gym. Now its several years later and Tom is back in town after learning of his father’s death. But things are definitely not like he left them. The town is run-down, Eddie’s diner is barely making ends meet and Gloria is extremely ill. The only thing that is even remotely still as he remembers it is the gym and his ex-lover, ex-training partner and the man who knocked out his teeth and broke his jaw in the last bout he fought, Travis.
Travis has just as many issues as Tom. He’s caught up in family drama with his sister and nephew and is still haunted by the addiction issues of a former lover. The very last thing he expects when he walks in for his shift at the gym is to be confronted by the still bitter man who he hasn’t seen since right after he kicked his teeth in at a championship bout.
I was hoping at the end of Black Dog things were better with Eddie and Danny. And they are romantically, but it seems everything else has gone to shit. I bring up Eddie and Danny because Takedown isn’t just Tom’s story. Not really. This is a continuation of everyone’s lives: Eddie, Danny, Gloria and Tom. Then it goes and adds Travis to the mix. The POVs shift repeatedly throughout and it took me a little bit to get used to how everyone’s issues all intermingled. As bad as things are at the beginning of this book, they seriously got worse and even darker the longer I read.
Tom is young, only 22, but has already lived a lifetime of emotional and physical pain. He’s lived through an abusive father, the suicide of his mother and then what he feels is the betrayal of a new lover. He’s only back in Lincoln Beach to deal with the death of his father and to hopefully put some of his past to rest. Travis is much older, but he didn’t really seem like it. He makes just as many bad decisions and has just as many insanely crappy problems to deal with. I was so freaking frustrated by every single person in this story. No one communicates, no one talks to each other and every one, including Gloria, keeps secrets and would rather just ignore their problems than deal with them or talk things out. GAHHHHHHHHHHHH.
Tom and Travis are still very attracted to each other, so of course they start up again, but if you are expecting any lovey-dovey, sugar sweet romantic times think again. These two are not like that in any way, shape or form. They duke out their problems and run away from each other every chance they get. They are supposed to be the MCs in this story, but don’t even really get together until about 25%. In fact by the time they even got to declaring themselves to each other I wasn’t sure I believed their feelings. I had a lot of sympathy for each of them at first, but those sympathies soon turned to frustration the longer I read. I felt like I wanted to jump in the book and knock their heads together. Don’t even get me started on the less than exciting love scenes.
Takedown is a dark, morose read and every character has a lot of crap to go through before they finally get to the light at the end of the tunnel aka the epilogue. Which I will admit, was a satisfying one. Thank goodness. This book is definitely not a stand-a-lone. I would recommend picking up Black Dog if you haven’t read it yet before you one-click this one. If you are looking for a light, funny m/m contemporary then stop now, this is not for you. If you want something dark and angsty, then you might want to add this to your TBR list.I wavered back and forth on what rating I wanted to settle on, while I had many (so, so many) frustrations with the storyline, I did read this cover to cover within a few hours and found myself reading faster to find out how everything would wrap up. So I’m settling on a final grade of C.
Favorite Quote:
“
“Christ, every guy I fall for is just like you. Another hot mess.”
Tom Delaney first appeared in book one of the Bannon’s Gym series, Black Dog. The teenaged Tom readers were first introduced to was a lost boy on the streets, afraid for his and his mother’s safety and very angry. He was taken in, given a home and then a job at the diner by the Eddie Roscoe and his mother Gloria. He also learned to defend himself and was given an outlet for his anger by Eddie’s lover Danny, owner of Bannon’s Gym. Now its several years later and Tom is back in town after learning of his father’s death. But things are definitely not like he left them. The town is run-down, Eddie’s diner is barely making ends meet and Gloria is extremely ill. The only thing that is even remotely still as he remembers it is the gym and his ex-lover, ex-training partner and the man who knocked out his teeth and broke his jaw in the last bout he fought, Travis.
Travis has just as many issues as Tom. He’s caught up in family drama with his sister and nephew and is still haunted by the addiction issues of a former lover. The very last thing he expects when he walks in for his shift at the gym is to be confronted by the still bitter man who he hasn’t seen since right after he kicked his teeth in at a championship bout.
I was hoping at the end of Black Dog things were better with Eddie and Danny. And they are romantically, but it seems everything else has gone to shit. I bring up Eddie and Danny because Takedown isn’t just Tom’s story. Not really. This is a continuation of everyone’s lives: Eddie, Danny, Gloria and Tom. Then it goes and adds Travis to the mix. The POVs shift repeatedly throughout and it took me a little bit to get used to how everyone’s issues all intermingled. As bad as things are at the beginning of this book, they seriously got worse and even darker the longer I read.
Tom is young, only 22, but has already lived a lifetime of emotional and physical pain. He’s lived through an abusive father, the suicide of his mother and then what he feels is the betrayal of a new lover. He’s only back in Lincoln Beach to deal with the death of his father and to hopefully put some of his past to rest. Travis is much older, but he didn’t really seem like it. He makes just as many bad decisions and has just as many insanely crappy problems to deal with. I was so freaking frustrated by every single person in this story. No one communicates, no one talks to each other and every one, including Gloria, keeps secrets and would rather just ignore their problems than deal with them or talk things out. GAHHHHHHHHHHHH.
Tom and Travis are still very attracted to each other, so of course they start up again, but if you are expecting any lovey-dovey, sugar sweet romantic times think again. These two are not like that in any way, shape or form. They duke out their problems and run away from each other every chance they get. They are supposed to be the MCs in this story, but don’t even really get together until about 25%. In fact by the time they even got to declaring themselves to each other I wasn’t sure I believed their feelings. I had a lot of sympathy for each of them at first, but those sympathies soon turned to frustration the longer I read. I felt like I wanted to jump in the book and knock their heads together. Don’t even get me started on the less than exciting love scenes.
Takedown is a dark, morose read and every character has a lot of crap to go through before they finally get to the light at the end of the tunnel aka the epilogue. Which I will admit, was a satisfying one. Thank goodness. This book is definitely not a stand-a-lone. I would recommend picking up Black Dog if you haven’t read it yet before you one-click this one. If you are looking for a light, funny m/m contemporary then stop now, this is not for you. If you want something dark and angsty, then you might want to add this to your TBR list.I wavered back and forth on what rating I wanted to settle on, while I had many (so, so many) frustrations with the storyline, I did read this cover to cover within a few hours and found myself reading faster to find out how everything would wrap up. So I’m settling on a final grade of C.
Favorite Quote:
“
“Christ, every guy I fall for is just like you. Another hot mess.”
March 11, 2015
Takedown is book two in Cat Grant's popular Bannon's Gym series. I read and enjoyed book one, Black Dog, and already have the third title lined up on my Kindle. This is a great series for fans of M/M, especially if they like plenty of angst, real life drama and an overdose of testosterone.
This book takes place a couple of years after the events of book one. Tom Delaney is back in Lincoln Beach to settle some family business. Almost immediately, the bad memories begin to haunt him, and he can't wait to get back out of town. But some of his good memories, and the people that helped him make them, encourage him to stick around.
But, as always, life is never simple, and when Tom ends up back in bed with his ex, an already complicated situation becomes much, much worse. Will Tom cut and run, or is he strong enough to overcome his past in order to secure his future?
Packed full of fighting - both in and out of the ring - family feuds, troublesome ex-lovers and lots more, this is another edge-of-your-seat read from Cat Grant. Add in a healthy dollop of super hot sex and you have yourself a real page turner. I'm looking forward to what's next.
This book takes place a couple of years after the events of book one. Tom Delaney is back in Lincoln Beach to settle some family business. Almost immediately, the bad memories begin to haunt him, and he can't wait to get back out of town. But some of his good memories, and the people that helped him make them, encourage him to stick around.
But, as always, life is never simple, and when Tom ends up back in bed with his ex, an already complicated situation becomes much, much worse. Will Tom cut and run, or is he strong enough to overcome his past in order to secure his future?
Packed full of fighting - both in and out of the ring - family feuds, troublesome ex-lovers and lots more, this is another edge-of-your-seat read from Cat Grant. Add in a healthy dollop of super hot sex and you have yourself a real page turner. I'm looking forward to what's next.
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