Fighting With Light: A Morally Grey Sports Romance

by Jessica Myel

Unlikely Lovers and the adventure of a lifetime

Liam Coldwell is a world champion surfer, a record-setting free climber, and a playboy. In the aftermath of family trauma, they are trying to get back to normal life.
Aelia Costa is tough, a wild party girl, the daughter of Marco Costa, and born to be a pawn.
They are connected through blood, violence, and the selfish choices of evil men.
When they run into each other Liam assumes she’s there to finish the job, and he’s next.
But she has no idea who he is.
Duty is a heavy burden to bear, and Liam wears his like a tattoo on his heart. Determined to protect his family at all costs, he plans to seduce Aelia with his charm, and she falls for it… or so he thinks.
When Aelia realizes who he is, she comes up with a new plan to get rid of their fathers for good.
They should be enemies; he’s a Coldwell, and she’s a Costa. But the enemy of my enemy is my friend, and the odds are against them.
Will the playboy and the princess be able to resist the chemistry between them, or will they give in and change the tide of war?

Genres: Sports

428 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 30, 2024

About the author

Jessica was born and raised in the Midwest. After acquiring a bachelor's in Marketing and a Masters in Biblical Studies many years later, she realized her calling was writing.
Her passion for words and finding her voice creates deep and emotional writing in various romantic subgenres. When she's not writing, she's drinking matcha, coffee, or both with her head buried in a book.

Follow me on Instagram and Tik Tok! @jessicamyelauthor

Reviews

[Angie Travers · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first book by Jessica Myel and what an introduction to an amazing author. 

Fighting With Light is the second book, in the authors The Coldwell Brothers series. While the book is a standalone, each book in the series is interconnected and needs to be read in order.
The book centers around Liam, a playboy surfing world champion and Aelia, a party-girl mafia princess.

I enjoyed this book from start to finish. It was an action-packed-adrenalin-filled rollercoaster complete with danger, suspense and intrigue that left me sitting on the edge of my seat, only to have me laughing at the witty banter between the main characters and swooning when the chemistry between Liam and Aelia went next level hot.
Getting to know Liam and Aelia made me fall deeper in love with them.
Liam who would literally do anything to protect his family, no matter the cost. Aelia who is tough and feisty - the public facade she presents to the world, but is so much more when that mask comes off. 
You did an amazing job Jessica and I can't wait for the next book in the series

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the next level sweet and spicy. When people day opposites attract, this couldn't be more untrue with Liam and Aelia they were so much alike it was such a nice change for and enemies to lovers situation. Liam needs to be everyone's boyfriend fake or real because he is just so thoughtful and sweet but also has the dirty talking cocky playboy vibe going on too and it's a great mix. Aelia is not totally the spoilt mafia princess. Does she like to get what she wants? Yes but she is also sweet and caring and no about herself. These too had a vibe from the very beginning and Aelia put her feelings for Liam to the side because she didn't want to break his heart when she knew she would. The problem with fake dating is it doesn't stay fake for long when feelings are involved and yes these too are off the charts with them.
I adored Kai and Cordi in the first book but Liam and Aelia completely blew me away and I absolutely loved them. And I had a feeling I would because he was so amazing in the first book too.
I'm looking forward to reading Emmersons story and seeing what happens with him.

[Paige (paigersturnspages) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Arc review

This book pulled me in from the first chapter, love to see both povs and how they feel about each other! The push, the pull, how he gives her the nickname "princess" like swoon, and Liam can't help but fall for her even harder than she did!

✨️Dual Pov
✨️Hate to Love
✨️Surfer MMC
✨️Rival Families
✨️Reformed Player
✨️who did this to you
✨️Mafia Romance

Go read this series!

[Apoorva Sharma · Rating 4 out of 5]

oo I absolutely enjoyed this book.

The connection between the characters seemed so pure and honest not to mention the constant fun banter as well as spice.

Jessica is an auto-read author for me and I love it.

[Tiffany Fortney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book! Liam might be my all around new favorite now and Aelia is such a bad ass. They are paired so well. Really enjoyed the exotic setting of this one and the descriptions of each place. The last bit of this book had me with my jaw on the floor! Couldn’t get enough of all that action. Can’t wait for the next installment of the series!

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jessica is a new to me author this year and I am so happy to have discovered her and her books. I am loving this series so much and have been excited for this instalment since finishing book one. I was honoured to work with her and beta read this and reading the finalised version of Liam + Aelia’s story made me fall in love with them all over again. These two are assumed enemies, who end up working together toward the same goal and end up falling in love along the way.

It’s a captivating story full of adventure, intense chemistry, action, suspense, banter.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁: sports romance, unlikely lovers, mafia, enemies to lovers with a twist, forced proximity, she falls first but he falls harder, reformed playboy (and man-eater)

Liam is the youngest Coldwell brother and I enjoyed the peeks we got of him previously and I just loved him so much. Then our girl Aelia, while she may be a mafia princess, she’s a complete badass. However beneath the facade she lets everyone see, she’s the perfect mix of strong and soft. I adored her and how open and honest she was with Liam. They were the perfect match and complimented each other so well.

I loved the way these two came together with the same goal in mind, fighting the chemistry between them to bring down those who had a role in the trauma they both carried. They understood one another like others didn’t and ultimately found comfort and a safe place together. I am a sucker for love confessions and the one in this book is one of my favourites I’ve ever read, I practically melted into my couch reading it.

While this is an interconnected standalone and doesn’t end on a cliffhanger, there is a subplot that is simmering away in the background and continues throughout the series. The way Jessica has built this up is incredible and I am completely invested in the storyline and looking forward to Emerson next!

[Candace Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨ 𝚂𝚙𝚘𝚒𝚕𝚎𝚛𝚜 ✨

𝚃𝚒𝚝𝚕𝚎/𝙰𝚞𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚛:

Fighting With Light - Jessica Myel

𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

𝙼𝚊𝚒𝚗 𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚜:

- Liam Coldwell
- Aelia Costa

𝚀𝚞𝚘𝚝𝚎𝚜:

“You are a tease, princess, but I enjoy being teased.”

"My only goal is to bring her home safe, and then I’ll go buy her the biggest diamond ring I can find."

“Promise me you’ll live well beyond your years so I don’t have to survive another day without you.”

𝚂𝚢𝚗𝚘𝚙𝚜𝚒𝚜:

Playboy Liam can flash his smile and get any lady he wants. What happens when he gets a date with the enemy.

𝚃𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜:

My heart felt all the emotions with this one 🥺 Sneaky little Liam tried to be the bad guy but he couldn't do it in the end. Liam fell so freaking hard. He calls her "princess". I'm melting 🫠 So much was happening in this story and it was written so well. I loved the slow building of their relationship. They wanted to trust each other so much. This story had action, banter and spice 🔥 In the end Liam made me feel all the love. He felt with his whole body and would tear down the world for Aelia. The light suspense had me turning the pages so fast. I needed to know what was going on and NOW. Jessica, girl. You've done it again. I can't wait to read more by this author.

𝚃𝚛𝚘𝚙𝚎𝚜:

• Mafia romance
• Reformed playboy
• "Who did this to you?!"
• Sport romance
• Action & adventure
• She falls first/he falls harder

𝚂𝚙𝚒𝚌𝚎:

🌶️🌶️/5

𝚂𝚘𝚗𝚐:

Taste - Ari Abdul

[Beth (bethsbookshelfx) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating : ☆☆☆☆☆

—————

𝘈𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘢 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦. 𝘐 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘥𝘰 𝘪𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘪𝘧 𝘪𝘵 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘥.

—————

𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨 & 𝙄𝙣𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 :

- 𝘿𝙖𝙧𝙠 𝙍𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚
- 𝘿𝙪𝙖𝙡 𝙋𝙊𝙑
- 𝙎𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙨 𝙍𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 : 𝙎𝙪𝙧𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙜
- 𝙉𝙞𝙘𝙠𝙣𝙖𝙢𝙚𝙨 : 𝙋𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙨𝙨 & 𝙏𝙖𝙧𝙯𝙖𝙣
- 𝙁𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙨 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝘽𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙛𝙞𝙩𝙨
- 𝙐𝙣𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚𝙡𝙮 𝙇𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙨
- 𝙍𝙚𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙚𝙙 𝙋𝙡𝙖𝙮𝙗𝙤𝙮
- 𝙈𝙤𝙧𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙂𝙧𝙚𝙮 𝙈𝘾’𝙨
- 𝙁𝙤𝙧𝙘𝙚𝙙 𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙭𝙞𝙢𝙞𝙩𝙮
- 𝙋𝙤𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙈𝙈𝘾
- 𝘽𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙞𝙧𝙚 𝙍𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚

✔️ Available On KU

—————

I really really enjoyed this one. I really love this series so far. It’s so intriguing and engaging. I just love all the characters.

This was my most anticipated one because I adored Liam from the first book. I wanted to get to know him deep in his own book.

I still love Liam and he’s still my favourite but this made me intrigued for Emerson’s book. I can’t choose between these men I swear 🤣

I loved Aelia so much, she is a bad bitchhhhh. The way she went toe to toe with men who couldn’t care less about people was amazing.

Aelia and Liam are MADE for eachother.

Thank you as always Jess for letting me read this early! ILY 🫶🏼

[Destiny · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I ARC read book 1 when it came out and I was so excited to be chosen to read this one as well.!
Book 2 definitely did not disappoint me here!

I fell in love with Liam and Aelia just as much and as fast as I did with our characters in book 1.

Liam is a professional surfer and playboy who puts family above all else, while Aelia is a tough free spirit fierce mafia princess.

The chemistry between these 2 from the very beginning was so amazing that it felt so real and was like you were living it with them!

This book is packed with so much action with all the adrenaline of the surfing scenes and the wildness of the mafia aspect.

Fighting with light will keep you on the edge of your seat and have you swooning all at the same time.

Thank you so much Jessica for making me fall more in love with this story line and this series. I cannot wait for the 3rd book and to see what happens with Emerson!

I definitely recommend this series to anyone who wants action, sports and morally grey characters!!

[Wendy Livingstone · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book in this series, and this is Liam and Aelia’s story.
Liam is a world champion surfer, and playboy, who will protect his family at any cost, while Aelia is a tough, feisty, free spirit, party girl, and mafia princess. Liam needs Aelia for information about her mafia father, but he gains more than he ever expected, and he has certainly met his match with her.
This is a well written story which is action packed, with family dynamics, friendships, emotions, danger, suspense, intrigue, trauma, forced proximity, enemies / lovers, undeniable chemistry, humor, witty banter loyalty, violence, morally grey, and love, which leads to an entertaining, unpredictable, and twisted mafia romance.
I look forward to reading more from this talented author whose work I highly recommend.

[Eve Kingston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Liam & Aelia story, it's so cute surfer & Mafia princess. There book was so special yet amazing at same time. I'm rooting to read book 3 from this series. It was the most precious novel I've ever read. This is my second time reading Jessica Myel second book. Oh goodness she brought me to tears. I love you author. Thank you for writing this gem. Their book is so beautiful, I love how the creativity and flow of words, the gorgeous art of scenes the author wrote in this book.

[Dezireè · Rating 5 out of 5]

YALL THIS BOOK WAS AMAZING! THE FIRST BOOK WAS AMZING AS WELL KIA AND HIS BROTHERS I WAS HOOKED FROM THE FIRST BOOK. NOW LIAM HAS HIS BOOK AND I LOVED THIS BOOK SOOO MUCH ALL THE TRAVELING AND ADVENTURES! THE ENDING THOUGH!!! I WANTED TO GET TO READ ABOUT THE WEDDING LIKE IN KIA’S BOOK!! EITHER WAY YALL NEED TO GRAB THIS BOOK NOW!

🔟🔟
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

[Patka · Rating 5 out of 5]

4,5/5
(English version of review coming soon)

Liam to najmłodszy z braci Coldwell. Aelia to mafijna księżniczka, córka jego wroga. Gdy więc Liam przypadkiem spotyka ją na Bali, gdzie startuje w zawodach surferskich, a ona go nie rozpoznaje, postanawia zaprosić ją na randkę i wybadać, czy jej obecność na Bali faktycznie jest przypadkowa.

Chociaż moje serce w przypadku tej serii nadal mocniej bije dla Kaia (bohatera 1 tomu), to Liam zauroczył mnie swoją osobowością. Jest czarujący, seksowny i zabawny. I totalnie stracił głowę dla córki swojego wroga.

Aelia to jedna z lepszych kobiecych postaci w romansach mafijnych. Jest świadoma tego, w jakim świecie żyje i jak mało ma do powiedzenia, ale gdy nadaża się okazja aby to zmienić, pokazuje się od silnej strony. A oni we dwoje razem? To duet idealny i nieprzewidywalny, niczym z filmu akcji - a są tu i pościgi, i wybuchy 😂

Spędziłam z Fighting with light przyjemne trzy wieczory. Autorka potrafi pięknie ubierać w słowa emocje bohaterów, pokazała to po raz drugi. Mimo że Liam i Aelia mają perfekcyjne połączenie już od samego początku, to ich poważna relacja rozwija się powoli.

Surfing to nietypowy wybór wśród romansów sportowych. Liam do tego kocha wspinaczkę, a w przypadku Kaia był motocross - kocham wybory autorki co do sportów. Nie idzie ślepo za trendami, a za to wybiera coś świeżego i ciekawego.

Sporo miejsca autorka wykorzystała na kolejne kroki braci w obaleniu ojca tyrana. Podobał mi się ten wątek, choć miejscami wydawał mi się zbyt długi i rozciągnięty. Czekam na finał, bo zakończenie było mind blowing 🤯

To była przyjemna lektura, a wydarzenia z końcówki sprawiają, że nie mogę się doczekać książki Emersona, ostatniego z braci. Jeśli szukacie nietypowego romansu sportowego z niezbyt moralnymi bohaterami, ale za to obsesyjnie zakochanymi w bohaterkach, to zwróćcie uwagę na tę serię.

[c. rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't think it's possible that I read one of Jess's book and not love her characters, the story and everything in the book tbh. Once again, visually her books are always so freaking pretty I love how much she cares about these little details.
Now, the book itself and the story... Gosh I loved Liam and Aelia so much. I love how their relationship grows and how it just becomes so clear that they are meant to be no matter what. They are soulmates and I love their love and how Liam falls so hard for her. Also, Liam's french moments : BIG YES TO THAT.
I love how Jessica always dig in the characters lifestory, we get to meet them now but we also are lucky enough to know who they were and how they become the present version of themselves.
This book is an easy 4⭐️ and I am so happy that I've gotten the chance to wait for these characters for so long only to love them that much now 🥺
Can't wait for Emerson and Luciana story!!

[Madeline S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a good read you had action and suspense, surfing rock climbing and spice! These two were just meshed like peanut and jelly. I really liked that Cordelia was a strong FMC she was no stranger to the life and showed strength in her abilities to be on her own and make her own path, she spoke her mind and when it came to Liam all of that got jumbled up. Liam was so fun and flirty I loved the banter between the two of them, I like how all 3 of the Coldwell brothers were trained and dangerous in there own way it made from some great action and good adventure in the storyline. I love all the places Liam and Cordelia got to travel and have fun and be dangerous. Can wait for Emerson book and how it’s all going to come to a close these Coldwell brothers have been a joy to get to know

[Jaidyn Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all, I have to say the e-book cover of this books IS GORGEOUS.

Liam and Aelia’s story was so good. Their story and the relationship they have is beautiful. Who doesn’t love a story of a mafia princess and a rock climbing surfer.

My heart broke for Liam and the loss that he suffered and the way it happened. But Liam saving Aelia?? Liam proposing after ☠️ her father???? Sign me up, I love a red flag man.

I don’t think I could recommend this book to enough people, it is SO good. I can’t wait to see and read what comes next!

[Cathy Brockman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Here is the review
The initial storyline is good. A Mafia princess and a brother ( not hers) trying to settle a score with his father ( corrupt politician) for his family.
They meet in Bali where he surfs and mountain climbs ( professional surfer) and join forces to bring both their fathers down.

There is tons of description in this book that really over shadows the story. It feels like mostly the surfing, climbing. Detail of beautiful settings and all the sex.
Not necessarily a bad thing just seemed to slow down the story. For me.