Revive Me

by Nikki Castle

An injury that changed everything.
A man who’s angry at the world.
A woman who won't let him give up.

Once, Roman was a professional MMA fighter on the brink of becoming the best in the world. But when an injury to his spinal cord alters the trajectory of his life, he not only has to learn how to walk again, he also needs to rediscover who he is with the disability that shattered his dreams. And he has to do it with the help of the first person to make him hope again—and the one woman he can’t have.

When Roman enters the physical therapy clinic, defeated and unmotivated, it's clear to Liliana that a tough love approach is going to be the only way to help him heal, both physically and emotionally. But it doesn't take long until that desire to help extends beyond her professional responsibility and grows into something much deeper.

While Roman struggles to balance his feelings with navigating his new reality, Liliana has to decide how much she's willing to risk in aiding his journey.

Will Roman and Liliana continue to prioritize Roman’s recovery? Or will their feelings for each other become yet another obstacle?

Genres: Sports Romance, Romance, Sports, Slow Burn, Second Chance, Contemporary Romance, Forbidden Romance

356 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 16, 2025

About the author

Nikki Castle is a wife and dog mom from Philadelphia who writes spicy love stories about alpha MMA fighters and the women that melt their badass, playboy hearts. She's a full-time romance author during the day and spends her evenings running a Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) gym with her husband, who is also a retired fighter.

Nikki has been writing in one way or another since she was a teenager. She pursued an English and Philosophy degree in college, and finally decided to sit down and fulfill her longtime dream of writing a novel when quarantine began in 2020. “5 Rounds” was her first book—and it was supposed to be her only book. Now, she’s a full-time author who can’t imagine a life in which she’s not crafting love stories.

Reviews

[Mira · Rating 4 out of 5]

The MMC is an MMA fighter who ends up in a wheelchair after a traumatic injury. You could say the entire book focuses on his rehabilitation, but it was so compelling—I read it in one sitting. I especially appreciated how realistically and honestly the intimate side of life was portrayed!

[Tori - Novel Life · Rating 5 out of 5]

The way this book made me so seen. I want everyone to read it.
Every day is a struggle with a disability and Nikki Castle brings the real and rawness of that struggle to the forefront of this romance. Not only did I love the disability rep but the way these two are perfect for each other made me sob.

[Christi (christireadsalot) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Revive Me is a slow burn, grumpy x sunshine, forbidden, sports romance (MMA), between an injured athlete x physical therapist, with disability rep. And I loved this book to pieces. Nikki Castle’s writing is always amazing and this book is a new favorite of mine from her!

“You gave me hope, Liliana. You…revived me.”

Roman and Liliana first meet at a bar, he’s out celebrating his recent MMA win with his friends and teammates, she’s out celebrating with friends because she’s now officially a licensed physical therapist. They immediately hit it off and share a kiss, but end the night going their separate ways. 4 months later Roman’s life gets turned upside down when he’s injured during a fight with an incomplete spinal cord injury. We cut to 2 years later and Lily meets her new physical therapy client, Roman.

This book is heavy and emotional and definitely a slow burn, but with the topics it’s handling it completely makes sense for these characters and their story. Roman uses a wheelchair when he sees Lily again and she quickly realizes during their first meeting that he has not been taking care of or prioritizing his health. She very much wants to get him on the recovery journey and I loved her determination and care. I just loved these two characters so much, the grumpy banter, their convos about horror movies and thriller books (so many personal favs of my own were watched/mentioned so their convos around those were so fun), the “pretend kiss”, remembering all the small things she said 2 years prior, his best friend Mikey, surprising her with her favorite dessert after a bad day, the clinic banter, Garfield, his weekly dinner with his Mom, how much her job means to her, the hard days, the text convos, and just the absolute support. Roman and Lily are just perfect together, it’s apparent in everything they say and do for one another. I cannot wait to have a physical copy of this book in my hands.

I received an ARC from the author, all thoughts in this review are my own.

CW: references to depression, anxiety, substance addiction, thoughts of self-harm, thoughts of suicide, and death of a parent (mentioned)

[Megan Coggins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nikki Castle lured me to her with the Fight Game series and straight body slam KO’d me with this book.

Roman & Liliana 🥊

Injured athlete(MMA) x physical therapist
This was done so well. I mean the amount of work and research that had to go into this book to bring it to the level this written. Speechless.

Grumpy x sunshine
I wanted to give the a hole a hug so many times
And Liliana was just that pure sunshine vibes

Slow burn perfection

It had that forbidden aspect

This was not no cheery happy book, it delved into deep sh*t.
Now it had solid banter tho and I loved the way these two interacted.

It was just a wow book. A good wow.

Arc review ✨

[Isabella · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book was f*cking EVERYTHING. you had the angst, the tension, the YEARNING. the emotional depth from both characters had me blushing and tearing up and i loved them with every bit of me. this was beautiful and a slow burn that had me by the throat the entire time. 6 stars if i could. (i will read anything by nikki and i mean that)

[Mackenzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easiest 5 stars I’ll ever give. If you’re looking for something super angsty, emotional, & heartwarming but also has good banter & a little spice… this book is perfect.

[Olga 🌺 · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️

There are books that just touch you deep and make a permanent place in your heart and mind.

This is one of them.

It's the story of hardship, health struggles, life up-ended, hitting rock bottom, hope lost and then found in unexpected places and persons. A slow paced love story that starts with a promise continues with determination and ends in the sweetest Happily Ever After.

Not much to say about Roman and Lily, just keeping this short and summarised in this quote 👇

Something catches her eye, and she pushes up to
her forearms again with a pinched brow. Then she
places her hand on my shoulder.

"Is this a new tattoo?" she asks.

Realizing what caught her eye, I only nod in answer.

Her touch moves over my skin. "Is it...a phoenix?"

Another nod.

Biting her lip, she asks curiously, "But aren't they
supposed to rise from the ashes?"

Placing my hand over hers, I guide it along the lines
of the tattoo. Over the beautifully intricate fire color bird, to its tail, down to the white lily blooming open on my chest. Her eyes meet mine, glassy
with realization.

"They are. But mine rose from a lily."

P.S.: I took away half a star because I didn't appreciate the way Lily ended things in the third act breakup. And because I didn't see why Roman was the only one who needed to apologise when they were "ethically" both in the wrong.

[Jenn (The Book Refuge)]

Patreon Exclusive Read November 2025

[Sarah | sarah.onemorechapter · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was like nothing I’ve ever read and I couldn’t put it down. I swear I had a smile on my face and hearts in my eyes for like 80% of this book.

This covered some seriously difficult topics that broke my heart but the dynamic between Roman and Lily was incredible. The relationship between them is built on a mutual trust and understanding. Their friendship blossomed into something so deep and genuine.

Roman was an MMA fighter that was injured during a fight. He has been in physical therapy since his injury but hasn’t been able to make progress. He is not an easy patient to treat.

Lily is a young physical therapist that gets assigned his case. She meets Roman at the clinic but it wasn’t for the first time. They have met before and she’s never gotten him out of her head. Now she’s tasked with treating him and getting him back on his feet.

The banter and tough love between these two was both funny and heartwarming. Roman was difficult but Lily saw through the tough exterior to the broken man underneath. She brought out the best in him and he made her feel cherished. I cannot get over how much I love them.

This is a slow burn but please don’t let that be a deterrent. The pacing was perfect for the type of relationship they were developing. The chemistry between them was immediate but their physical relationship came at the perfect moment.

This story made me feel so many emotions. I cried, and laughed and I was truly sad when it ended. I’m rating it 5 stars because I will never forget this book and these characters. Such a beautiful and powerful story.

5 ⭐️ | 1.5 🌶️
•injured mma fighter x physical therapist
•grumpy x sunshine
•banter
•slow burn

[Em (semi-hiatus) · Rating 1 out of 5]

Bland romance with cardboard characters and a hero who thinks “bitch” is a punchline. Be serious.

[Sara ➽ Ink Is My Sword · Rating 4 out of 5]

rumor says this book is pretty good, i am hopeful to find a new favourite emotional romance. 💞🤞🏼

rumor was correct.💞💞

[faye ✮ · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 ★

it’s official that nikki castle is my go-to author for mma romance and she did NOT disappoint with this book. i really enjoyed it and i appreciate how well researched the injured athlete and physical therapist parts were. the romance was more of a slow burn with a lot of tension but that actually made it feel more realistic.

[Leticia (jerseygirlsbookshelf) · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I’m not kissing her to feel something—I’m kissing her because she’s everything."
I feel like I needed this book. I needed the feelings, but mostly, I needed the hope it brings. It made me cry, it left my chest heavy, and it was so worth it.

Is it different from Nikki’s usual books? Yes. And I welcomed it 100%.

"How badly does the physical therapist in you want to study my body to find out?"
Roman, a UFC MMA fighter with a shot at the title, meets Liliana at a bar as she’s celebrating passing her National Physical Therapy Exam. There’s something instantly there between them, and they end up bonding over a mocktail of all things. But when things get steamier, they get interrupted.
So they go their separate ways.

Funnily enough, they never forgot that one night and all the things that didn’t happen.

"The last person who needs to see me attempting a rehabilitation that’s never going to work is the person I was trying to impress in another life."
However, things don’t go the way Roman expected. Instead of the title, he’s left with an injury that changes his entire life, as well as most of his personality. Gone is the cocky athlete who lived for working out and MMA, and in its place is a grumpy, lonely, jaded person.
It was heartbreaking.

"I know you don’t want to let yourself hope for it, and that’s okay. I’ll carry the hope for a little while."
He comes to Lily’s clinic, and she’s not like his usual PTs. She doesn’t take his attitude or BS. She gives him the tough love he needs to pick himself off the floor and she tries to show him there’s more to him than fighting, than the UFC, than a sport.

Because Roman is so much more than that. If only he could see himself through her eyes…

"Touching you isn’t exactly exhausting."
Their PT sessions felt extremely realistic, and I think it shows how much research and care went into this book. Lily is not only a PT—she’s there to listen too, not that he opens up that much. But we have an insight into his thoughts, and I wanted to reach into the book. I wanted to tell him that some days are horrible but that it does get better.
Safe to say, it got to me. Bad.

"Can we—just for a minute… pretend it’s the night we met and redo the ending?"
They develop a friendship, and as they discuss horror movies and possible futures, they both wonder what if. It’s a slow burn with a careful progression that matches who they are and their circumstances. That matches who life made them too.
And even though it’s wrong and she shouldn’t, yes, Liliana crosses the professional line.

Their scenes together were not steamy, but they were real and raw and intimate, packed full of feeling and, more importantly, trust.

"I think I’m ready to carry that hope now."
Roman’s path is not an easy one. It’s not simply having to walk again; there are so many things he has to learn, to come to terms with—and that includes his own worth, because this man is absolutely incredible.
It’s a physical healing as much as a psychological one. And Lily may have helped, but there was a big chunk of it that needed to come from him.

"She’s the sunshine I needed to illuminate the dark parts of my life, to show me just how not-scary they were. "
To me, this is a book about strength. Sometimes it takes more strength to let go than to hang on—to the past, to who you used to be, to the priorities you used to have. And sometimes people push you to it, and they lend you their strength.
I call it a second chance—at love, at happiness, and at being whole again, in so many ways.

[Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

♾️/10 ⭐️

THIS WAS AN ABSOLUTE MASTERPIECE
NIKKI BLEW IT OUT OF THE PARK

she said this would be different from her previous works and boy it was but it was so good

i don’t know if i can put into words how this book made me feel
there was so much banter and tension and kicking my legs, giggling but also sad moments

[The Love Librarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved everything about Roman and Liliana’s journey in Revive Me!

Roman was a former MMA fighter who met Liliana at a bar with him celebrating a recent win and her excited to officially be a licensed PT. They have a moment, but go their separate ways. Not soon after, Roman was injured in an MMA fight, leaving him with a partial spinal cord injury that will need intensive therapy for him to walk again. The next two years of his life pass by in a blur of Roman spiraling as he has to find his will to live, heal, and rediscover who he is outside the world of MMA. This journey leads him right to Liliana’s PT center. Whereas other PTs have given up on Roman when he’s pushed him away, Liliana is with him for the long haul, and that made all the difference.

I loved the slow burn between these two. It’s obvious they still had the sexual chemistry years later, but seeing them become friends and bond over shared interests warmed my heart. It was those little things that not only bonded them but allowed Roman to trust Liliana enough to be vulnerable about his injury and his fears about rehab. The author did a great job of not shying away from the hard parts of living with a disability, and it was clear she did her research on SCIs, and how they affects both the person and their loved ones.

Most importantly - while Liliana “revived” Roman enough to make great strides in his rehab/mental growth, she was never going to be the one to “save” Roman, and I loved that. Love does not always heal all, and Roman had to face some hard discoveries when he essentially realized that while Liliana passed him the baton, it was up to him to carry it over the finish line. That made the ending of this so satisfying because they were a great match, and they both made sure they did what needed to be done for them to have a healthy, supportive relationship moving forward!

TWs: depression, grief, anxiety, substance addiction, thoughts of self-harm/suicide, death of a parent (mentioned on page)

[Jess | The HEA Bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️

I really enjoyed this one! I loved the set up and meet cute. The way Roman’s injury is handled is perfection and honestly, Nikki does the broken boy trope so so well. He’s kind of a jerk but you understand why. Lily was the perfect foil for his grump and knew exactly how to handle him. This is a slow ass burn yall 😆 but it has to be so it makes sense that although this is explicit and open door, it’s def not as spicy. The focus here is on the relationship building and their connection. Ultimately I really enjoyed this although Lily lowkey pissed me off at the end…but I forgave her. Lol

WHAT YOU’LL FIND:
-PT x patient
-emotional and angtsy
-slow burn

Thank you to Nikki for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Witchling · Rating 3 out of 5]

Plot: 3/5
Spice: 1/5

Well shit. I had such high hopes for this one you guys and it just didn’t hit for me. I figured because Nikki had said that with the MMC being paralyzed and how she had to write this differently, that it would mean there was a really decent plot and deeper character arcs with more emotion and feeling…that was not the case. This was like macaroni and cheese without the damn noodles - because it was just cheesy AF. Like fucking CHEESY. Which you’d think would mean that it still had some flavour, but it was like bland cheese lol. The characters were bland, the plot was bland, the spice was bland and the romance was bland. Just, nothing.

She gets a solid 3 for her efforts but at the same time, there definitely could’ve been more effort put in. I didn’t feel a lot of the connection between the characters and the constant inner monologuing was just too much. When the spice finally did happen, it was really weird timing and felt super rushed. And there was literally zero plot aside from his rehab, like ZERO. Plus there were some weird as fuck lines about how the MMC is “walking on cloud nine,” and how he steps towards her a couple times…but he’s in a wheelchair…sooo…yeaaaa, you might wanna re-word those lol. Plus the amount of typos and continuity errors became annoying and honestly I skimmed the last 30% of it pretty heavily.

This book had so much potential and while it’s still readable, and would maybe scratch a certain itch at a certain time, I personally wouldn’t tell you to expect an amazing read. It’s mid for sure, not fantastic but not the worst.

Don’t hate me lol.

Xo
- J

[Jeeves Reads Romance · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s been a few days since I’ve read this tender, forbidden romance, and my heart still aches every time I think about the hero. Sometimes, a few days is all it takes for a book to get cloudy in my mind, but this one feels even more vibrant with a little time and distance. I loved watching the hero’s transformation, as he slowly got out of the fog that had become his life and reluctantly allowed some hope to break through the cracks. After a career-ending injury, he’s in a bad place - both mentally and physically - convinced that he’ll never get his life back. The romance that slowly develops between the hero and his very off-limits physical therapist is built on an emotional connection that sparks into more. The slow burn was burning with this one, requiring some patience, but making it worth it in the end. The story gets lighter and more hopeful as it progresses, with spice that is both intimate and powerful. Another stellar read from Castle, who is so talented at writing flawed heroes and the kind of sexual tension that leaps off the page. I loved it!

The story follows Liliana, a physical therapist who has been assigned a high profile new client, one with a reputation for frustrating his PTs quickly. While the former MMA fighter was paralyzed after an injury in the ring, it’s been two years since the event, and his doctors agree that he could’ve been back on his feet by now… if only he’d focus on his physical therapy. Liliana met Roman shortly before his injury, and what she remembers from their one chemistry-filled evening together is a determined athlete. But the man who shows up for PT is temperamental, depressed, and self-sabotaging. As Liliana works to break down Roman’s walls, they slowly connect in a way neither anticipated.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this when I dove in, but I adored 1 Last Shot, so I was excited to check out a standalone from the author. It immediately hooked me in, and got better and better as the story progressed. I loved that we got to see a little bit of who Roman was before his injury, which was a stark contrast to the person we see in much of the book. That’s what makes Liliana so determined to push him, which is exactly what he needs. Roman is in a vulnerable place, and my heart broke for him. It takes a while for the romance to catch fire, but the wait is worth it. Roman is a better man with Liliana in his life, and I loved seeing him start to fight for himself for a change. I was smiling by the end, and the journey to get there had me hooked the whole way through.

[Anja · Rating 5 out of 5]

♾️⭐️|2🌶️

I knew I was going to love this book, but it still managed to exceed every single expectation. It was pure perfection. The chemistry between Roman and Liliana, the emotional depth, the raw vulnerability…I honestly don’t have the words to express how beautiful this story was.

Roman, a professional MMA fighter, is left paralyzed from the waist down after a devastating fight. The accident doesn’t just change his body, it changes him. He’s angry, withdrawn & completely lost in grief over the life he believes is gone forever. He’s given up on recovery, convinced he has nothing left to fight for.

Liliana, our absolute angel of an FMC is such a fierce, compassionate physical therapist who refuses to let Roman give up on himself. She doesn’t coddle him. She challenges him, pushes him, believes in him when he can’t see a future for himself. Watching their connection grow, watching her light start to break through his darkness… it was EVERYTHING😭

I love these two so much 🥹 I felt them falling in love. I was cheering Roman on so much, hoping with all my heart he’d find his strength to not just to walk again but to live again. This story will stay with me for a long time.

Thank you so much Nikki Castle for this ARC🤍

[Jamie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did like this, but I did NOT like the third act break up. So she already crossed the line as his therapist, had him transferred, so why did she have to abandon him during his last (and in my opinion, most crucial) four months of his recovery???? She literally just abandoned him in my opinion, and I did not appreciate that.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Big thanks to Chasing Books PR and to the amazing Nikki herself for the ARC! 🩵

What a beautiful and emotional story. From the very first page, I was completely drawn into Roman and Lily’s world. Nikki’s writing is something truly special, raw, immersive, and full of soul. This book didn’t just tell a story, it made me feel every single moment of it.

⏤ "𝙄’𝙢 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙠𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙤 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜—𝙄’𝙢 𝙠𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙨𝙝𝙚’𝙨 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜."

🥊𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀🥊
Roman absolutely stole my heart. He’s one of those complex characters you can’t help but root for, grumpy on the outside, but carrying so much pain and weight on the inside. His emotional walls are high, but they’re not impenetrable. Watching him slowly let Lily in, little by little, was such a powerful part of this journey. His growth throughout the book felt so real, from guarded and angry to open, honest, and deeply protective. His vulnerability was heartbreaking and beautiful all at once. And Lily… what a breath of fresh air. She’s strong, warm, and knows exactly when to give space and when to push. Her "tough love" approach was exactly what Roman needed, and I loved how deeply she saw him, not just the pain, but the man behind it. She brought balance to his chaos, light to his darkness, and strength when he needed it most. The chemistry between them was undeniable, filled with tension, softness, and that slow-burning connection that made every moment count. Their bond developed in such an organic and genuine way, and it felt incredibly real. I loved how they built a foundation of friendship first, even when the feelings were clearly growing between them.

⏤ “𝙄 𝙩𝙤𝙡𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙤𝙠𝙖𝙮 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙝𝙤𝙥𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙞𝙩. 𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙄 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙝𝙤𝙥𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪.” 𝙃𝙚𝙧 𝙫𝙤𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝙙��𝙤𝙥𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙖 𝙣𝙚𝙖𝙧-𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙧. “𝙄’𝙢 𝙜𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙮 𝙞𝙩 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖 𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙩𝙡𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙚 𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧, 𝙤𝙠𝙖𝙮? 𝙄 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙢𝙚.”

🥊𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀🥊
I loved the slow burn, the banter, the stolen moments, but more than anything, I loved how real it all felt. This wasn’t just another love story. It was a journey, through pain, hope, vulnerability, and connection. This book is proof that when an author writes with heart and purpose, it makes all the difference. Nikki absolutely nailed it.

Rating: 4.50⭐️

[Kate Laycoax · Rating 5 out of 5]

Revive Me by Nikki Castle absolutely wrecked me, in the best way. As someone living with a disability, I felt so incredibly seen by this book. Nikki Castle didn’t just write a love story; she wrote a raw, honest, and deeply respectful portrayal of what it’s like to navigate life after a life changing injury. The emotional depth in Roman’s journey is something I don’t often get to see done right in romance, but this one? Nailed it.

Roman’s struggle with identity, anger, and grief after his spinal cord injury felt real and nuanced. He’s not magically “better” because of love because he’s still healing, learning, growing, and that’s what made his connection with Liliana so compelling. She’s not there to save him, but to walk beside him through the hardest parts, with tough love and quiet strength. Their dynamic is beautifully written.

And honestly? I loved that this book dialed back the spice. It gave space for the emotional journey to shine. The slow burn, the forced proximity, the mutual respect was perfect. The focus on healing and emotional intimacy was everything I didn’t know I needed from a sports romance.

This isn’t just a second chance romance. It’s a story about rebuilding from the ashes, about finding love in your darkest moments, and about discovering who you are when life forces you to rewrite the ending.

This book is personal. It’s powerful. And it’s exactly the kind of story the world needs more of.

[Hayley 〰 Hayley's Next Page · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 4.25/5

- paralysed former MMA fighter
- physical therapist FMC
- forbidden romance
- disability rep
- slow burn
- 🌶️🌶️/5
- dual pov

When Roman is at the very top of his game, he shares one unforgettable kiss with a woman named Liliana. Then everything comes crashing down. A career-ending spinal cord injury leaves him paralysed, and the life he knew is gone. Two years later, fate steps in when Liliana reappears as his new physical therapist.

Roman is a very different man when they reunite, guarded and lost, unsure who he is without fighting. Lily, though, is all determination and tough love, exactly what he needs to finally push himself further. Inside the clinic, she challenges him physically, determined to get him walking again. Outside of it, they build a tentative friendship where the lines start to blur in ways that feel inevitable.

This is a slow-burning, forbidden romance done right. Simmering tension, banter and just the right touch of spice are perfectly interwoven with emotional, angsty moments that tug at your heartstrings. Roman’s identity crisis adds so much depth, and watching Lily encourage him to imagine a new future, one that is just as meaningful, is incredibly moving. The ending is perfect for them 🖤.

[Jamie Engel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nikki can do no wrong. She really blew me away with this one. It was raw and emotional, I loved every second of this book. I was immediately hooked from the beginning. I felt for Roman so much. His story was heartbreaking but I am so glad he got his HEA with Liliana. I will be forever thinking of this one.

Overall: 5
Spice: 1

Tropes:
Injured Athlete
Forbidden
Grumpy x Sunshine
Slow Burn
MMA Fighter

[Laurel Eggleston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lily and Roman are ✨ CHEFS KISS ✨

I 100% recommend this book! The banter alone should be studied and copied into every single romance book cause I was 🤭 the entireee time!! The way Nikki Castle writes is so real and raw - romance isn’t just attraction, it’s emotional connection & you can literally FEEL that between Roman and Lily.

Safe to say this book is now on the reread list

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once I started this book I totally devoured it! Nikki Castle writes broken boy MMCs so well, you can’t help but root for them even when they are jerks 😂

Lily was the perfect foil Roman, her take no shit attitude & banter really got Roman to finally work thru his demons for himself, and not just because of his love for Lily. It was beautifully written!

I can’t say much more without giving away spoilers, but if you love hurt/comfort but with a hint of tough love then this story is perfect for you!

*I received an arc copy of this book, all opinions are my own*

[Ashley]

DNF @ 50%

I hate to do this, but I reached the point where this book is no longer holding my attention. I would say up until about 30%, I was enjoying it and eager to see where the story would go. Unfortunately, it got stagnant and I found myself not wanting to pick it up anymore. Between about 30-50%, it felt so repetitive and I needed the plot to progress more. I love a good slow burn romance, but this just felt slow altogether.

I really thought Roman and Lily's initial meeting was cute and could feel their chemistry, but it got lost to me the longer the story progressed. It's clear that the author did research on disability and rehab, but it took up so much page space that the romance became boring.

[nicole 🧚🏼🎀 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is the definition of “if it’s meant to be, it will be” — because in every life, past, present, and future, Lily and Roman find their way back to each other.

This story follows Roman, an MMA fighter whose career was cut short by a spinal cord injury, and Lily, a newly graduated PT who meets Roman at the start of her career. Years later, fate brings them back together when Lily becomes one of Roman’s physical therapists. The way their connection slowly builds is so powerful — Lily believed in Roman when he didn’t believe in himself, and gave him someone worth fighting for in this life.

This story is emotional, angsty, a little forbidden, and had me hooked. I genuinely need a novella for these two because I wasn’t ready to let them go.

I always love Miss Nikki Castle’s books because her stories are so unique. She writes in a lane of her own, and her storytelling is just chef’s kiss.

Thank you so much for the ARC 🖤 jeje
4.5 stars

[Shelby · Rating 5 out of 5]

i’ve never read a book with this dynamic before and i ate it up.

it was emotional, it had tension… i just.. wow.

i need more like this.

[Camii · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Ella es el sol que necesitaba para iluminar las partes oscuras de mi vida, para mostrarme cuán poco aterradoras eran"

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Este libro esta lleno de superación por parte de los protagonistas y en su camino a lo largo de la historia ambos tendrán que superar muchos obstáculos para poder estar juntos... En especial Roman que necesita aprender a vivir de nuevo para ser feliz.

El primer encuentro entre Roman y Liliana fue años antes del accidente que termino con la carrera de el y los capítulos que hablaban de su carrera como luchador dejaron ver muchas veces que el MMA era su vida y que no veía más allá de eso.

Años después se reencuentran y esta vez el esta en silla de ruedas y atrás quedo el hombre seguro y presumido que Liliana conoció esa noche en su lugar encuentra a un hombre derrotado y sin metas en la vida. Liliana es un amor y realmente fue lo que Roman necesitaba para mejorar, al principio acordaron dejar el pasado atrás pero con los días la conexión que tenían resurgió casi sin darse cuenta y sus vidas se entrelazaron mucho, porque compartieron cosas muy lindas de sus vidas y sin saberlo se terminaron enamorando y cruzando mil lineas.

Ellos tenían mucha química y los días en los que ella lo ayudaba a rehabilitarse los unieron más porque ademas de su fisioterapeuta ella fue un oído, una consejera y amiga sin contar que lo ayudó a sanar no solo físicamente también mentalmente 🤍🫂

Las inseguridades y sentimentos de Roman acerca de su discapacidad estuvieron muy bien logradas porque uno podía imaginarse en su lugar y la verdad es que fue un golpe muy duro para su carrera y vida, el siempre dijo que no quería atar a Liliana a una vida con el ignorando el echo de que la persona que lo amara lo haría sin importar la discapacidad y aprenderían ambos a adaptarse porque de eso se trata el amor.

Admito que la decisión de Liliana dolió pero porque en el fondo sabía que estaba mal lo que estaban haciendo y mi miedo mas grande era la reacción de Roman y lamentablemente tenía razón pero al final mi chico abrió los ojos y el cambio que tuvo fue hermoso y lo ame 😭♥️