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Ultimate #0.5
Hard Knocks
In the stunning prequel novella to her new mixed martial arts series, New York Times bestselling author Lori Foster brings together an elite fighter and the woman he's determined to win.
Power. Brute strength. Unforgettable moves. It’s no wonder Harper Gates hasn’t been able to get her fling with Gage “Savage” Ringer out of her head. Months have passed since she laid eyes—or any other body parts—on him. Months without a word of contact…until, sidelined by injury, he comes back to town.
Staying focused on his training seemed like a smart move to Gage, even if he thought about Harper every day. Seeing her again only makes it clear how much is at stake. He’s got one night to earn back her trust. One night to show her that behind his breathtaking skill and ripped body is a man who’ll give her everything she needs.
Don’t miss No Limits, the first novel in Lori Foster’s Ultimate series.
Power. Brute strength. Unforgettable moves. It’s no wonder Harper Gates hasn’t been able to get her fling with Gage “Savage” Ringer out of her head. Months have passed since she laid eyes—or any other body parts—on him. Months without a word of contact…until, sidelined by injury, he comes back to town.
Staying focused on his training seemed like a smart move to Gage, even if he thought about Harper every day. Seeing her again only makes it clear how much is at stake. He’s got one night to earn back her trust. One night to show her that behind his breathtaking skill and ripped body is a man who’ll give her everything she needs.
Don’t miss No Limits, the first novel in Lori Foster’s Ultimate series.
63 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 1, 2014
214 people are currently reading
2315 people want to read
About the author
Lori Foster
416 books11.7k followersSince first publishing in January 1996, Lori Foster has become a USA Today, Publisher’s Weekly and New York Times bestselling author. Lori has published through a variety of houses, including Kensington, St. Martin’s, Harlequin, Silhouette, Samhain, and Berkley/Jove. She is currently published with HQN.
Lori hosts a very special annual “Reader & Author” event in West Chester, Ohio. Proceeds from the event have benefited many worthy causes, including the Hamilton County YWCA Battered Women’s Shelter, the Animal Adoption Foundation, The Conductive Learning Center for children with spina bifida and cerebral palsy, and The One Way Farm, Children’s Home.
Each year Lori donates all proceeds from one book to charity. You can see the benefit romance books here: http://lorifoster.com/benefit-books/
Career Highlights
•In 2001, Lori received the prestigious Romantic Times “Career Achievement Award” for Series Romantic Fantasy.
•In 2002, Lori’s book Too Much Temptation was the top-selling romance title for Amazon books.
•In 2003, Say No To Joe was the second “Bestselling Original Contemporary” romance title for Waldenbooks.
•In 2004, Lori Foster was a clue in the New York Times crossword puzzle.
•In 2004, The Secret Life of Bryan was the “Bestselling Original Contemporary” romance title for the BGI group.
•In 2005, Lori received the prestigious Romantic Times “Career Achievement Award” for Contemporary Romance.
•In 2006, Jude’s Law was the “Bestselling Romantic Comedy” romance title for the BGI group.
•In 2007, Lori launched a new “urban fantasy” series under the name L.L. Foster. See more on her “dark side” at www.llfoster.com.
•In 2007, Causing Havoc was among Amazon’s Top Ten Editor’s picks in Romance.
•In 2008, Hard to Handle made #2 on The New York Times.
•In 2009, Servant: The Acceptance was Amazon’s #1 Editors’ Pick in Romance.
•In 2010, Lori was a clue in the USA Today Quick Cross puzzle.
Lori hosts a very special annual “Reader & Author” event in West Chester, Ohio. Proceeds from the event have benefited many worthy causes, including the Hamilton County YWCA Battered Women’s Shelter, the Animal Adoption Foundation, The Conductive Learning Center for children with spina bifida and cerebral palsy, and The One Way Farm, Children’s Home.
Each year Lori donates all proceeds from one book to charity. You can see the benefit romance books here: http://lorifoster.com/benefit-books/
Career Highlights
•In 2001, Lori received the prestigious Romantic Times “Career Achievement Award” for Series Romantic Fantasy.
•In 2002, Lori’s book Too Much Temptation was the top-selling romance title for Amazon books.
•In 2003, Say No To Joe was the second “Bestselling Original Contemporary” romance title for Waldenbooks.
•In 2004, Lori Foster was a clue in the New York Times crossword puzzle.
•In 2004, The Secret Life of Bryan was the “Bestselling Original Contemporary” romance title for the BGI group.
•In 2005, Lori received the prestigious Romantic Times “Career Achievement Award” for Contemporary Romance.
•In 2006, Jude’s Law was the “Bestselling Romantic Comedy” romance title for the BGI group.
•In 2007, Lori launched a new “urban fantasy” series under the name L.L. Foster. See more on her “dark side” at www.llfoster.com.
•In 2007, Causing Havoc was among Amazon’s Top Ten Editor’s picks in Romance.
•In 2008, Hard to Handle made #2 on The New York Times.
•In 2009, Servant: The Acceptance was Amazon’s #1 Editors’ Pick in Romance.
•In 2010, Lori was a clue in the USA Today Quick Cross puzzle.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 345 reviews
March 13, 2015
3 stars
They say that everything happens for a reason, and for Gage, his reason is Harper. Hard Knocks is a short novella introducing us to the men who live to fight and love to live. It was fun, it was sexy and is enough to make you want more. This wasn't the case of insta-lust, it was a point in time story, as we understand where they have been and the possibility of their future.
They say that everything happens for a reason, and for Gage, his reason is Harper. Hard Knocks is a short novella introducing us to the men who live to fight and love to live. It was fun, it was sexy and is enough to make you want more. This wasn't the case of insta-lust, it was a point in time story, as we understand where they have been and the possibility of their future.
July 8, 2014
3.5 Short but worth it Stars
Ever since I first discovered Lori Foster with my first SBC fighters,
and then binging and reading the entire series back to back, I have been hoping and HOPING that she will write another MMA series. It only makes sense, right? The author is a huge fan of the sport and she writes some of the best steamy contemporary romances, so the combination is golden.
When I saw the title and author of this book, I jumped at the chance to read it. I didn't even bother to read the book blurb. I had assumed that the novella would be a prequel to the 1st book (with the same couple). Guess I should have read the blurb :)
This novella is more of an introduction to the series and the characters. I found it perfect for that. You get to have a small but juicy bit about all the deliciously sexy fighters that are introduced. Ms Foster gives you just a bit and yet not quite enough to practically make you salivate for their books.
But there is also the addition of a romance; one between Gage "Savage" Ringer and Harper Gates. This was a cute and sexy addition to the story, but to be honest, I was more interested in the rest of the fighters. It's tough to really get invested in the characters in less than a 100 pages. While it was sexy and steamy, I didn't feel like I had enough background story or information on Harper and Gage to truly appreciate their romance.
That being said, it was a great way for the series and the hero of the next book to be introduced and I'm very happy I read it and would definitely recommend fans of the authors start the series with this novella as well.
Now that is all you'll be getting from me, since I plan on diving straight into Cannon's book in
next.
***ARC courtesy of publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest revew***
For more reviews visit
Ever since I first discovered Lori Foster with my first SBC fighters,
and then binging and reading the entire series back to back, I have been hoping and HOPING that she will write another MMA series. It only makes sense, right? The author is a huge fan of the sport and she writes some of the best steamy contemporary romances, so the combination is golden.When I saw the title and author of this book, I jumped at the chance to read it. I didn't even bother to read the book blurb. I had assumed that the novella would be a prequel to the 1st book (with the same couple). Guess I should have read the blurb :)
This novella is more of an introduction to the series and the characters. I found it perfect for that. You get to have a small but juicy bit about all the deliciously sexy fighters that are introduced. Ms Foster gives you just a bit and yet not quite enough to practically make you salivate for their books.
But there is also the addition of a romance; one between Gage "Savage" Ringer and Harper Gates. This was a cute and sexy addition to the story, but to be honest, I was more interested in the rest of the fighters. It's tough to really get invested in the characters in less than a 100 pages. While it was sexy and steamy, I didn't feel like I had enough background story or information on Harper and Gage to truly appreciate their romance.
That being said, it was a great way for the series and the hero of the next book to be introduced and I'm very happy I read it and would definitely recommend fans of the authors start the series with this novella as well.
Now that is all you'll be getting from me, since I plan on diving straight into Cannon's book in
next.***ARC courtesy of publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest revew***
For more reviews visit
October 20, 2014
It was so nice to be back into Lori Foster's world again! Her first MMA series I fell in love with a few years back...and truthfully; she is who got me started being curious about the sport. Her series was just so well done! Now to see that there is a new series being started, with a whole new group of fighters...Well...I am so there! I couldn't tell you why I have let these first few books sit on my TBR pile for so long..but I am glad that I finally picked "Hard Knocks" up!
This one is a novella, and it is a very fast read; too short in my opinion but it was still enjoyable. It gave us a great introduction to all of the new fighters that are being brought to the table. Of course, there are some intriguing stories that will be coming in this series! We have Cannon, Stack, and the interesting Armie! (this dude likes his women to come equipped with a whip!!)This novella was about an injured fighter named Gage..aka..Savage; and a woman named Harper. They have history together; but their relationship never went to an intimate level, and then he was called away to fight far away. Fighting was first priority, so Gage went and left Harper behind. He didn't realize she was in love with him though, but his dedication was to the sport; not to a woman at the time. He becomes injured, and once they are reunited the attraction between the two is still there full force.
As all of the fighters pile in to the "rec centre" (where they also have troubled teens hang out)one night to watch Cannon fight on TV, the attraction between Gage and Harper can no longer be contained. It seems that all of the other fighters are aware of the couple's feelings for one another; but the couple seem to be the last ones to know!!! This is their story, and it is short; but it does have some sizzle. It also wouldn't be a Lori Foster story without the close friendships of the group, and the humorous banter that the guys engage in with one another.
This story has everything in it that made me fall in love with Ms. Foster's work from day one. I am glad that I finally cracked it open, and I can't wait to continue reading what promises to be an explosive series!!!
This one is a novella, and it is a very fast read; too short in my opinion but it was still enjoyable. It gave us a great introduction to all of the new fighters that are being brought to the table. Of course, there are some intriguing stories that will be coming in this series! We have Cannon, Stack, and the interesting Armie! (this dude likes his women to come equipped with a whip!!)This novella was about an injured fighter named Gage..aka..Savage; and a woman named Harper. They have history together; but their relationship never went to an intimate level, and then he was called away to fight far away. Fighting was first priority, so Gage went and left Harper behind. He didn't realize she was in love with him though, but his dedication was to the sport; not to a woman at the time. He becomes injured, and once they are reunited the attraction between the two is still there full force.
As all of the fighters pile in to the "rec centre" (where they also have troubled teens hang out)one night to watch Cannon fight on TV, the attraction between Gage and Harper can no longer be contained. It seems that all of the other fighters are aware of the couple's feelings for one another; but the couple seem to be the last ones to know!!! This is their story, and it is short; but it does have some sizzle. It also wouldn't be a Lori Foster story without the close friendships of the group, and the humorous banter that the guys engage in with one another.
This story has everything in it that made me fall in love with Ms. Foster's work from day one. I am glad that I finally cracked it open, and I can't wait to continue reading what promises to be an explosive series!!!
March 14, 2015
3 Underwhelming Stars
I did skim the last few chapters because it was a bit boring. I hate doing that because I know a lot of hard work goes into writing, but it was either skim it or DNF it.
-The dialogue was impersonal.
-It's in 3rd person and lately I'm more partial to 1st person.
-I could not seem to get emotionally attached to either H/h.
-The little mini plot just didn't work.
-The romance was just not there.
Will I read the rest of this series? Maybe after I finish reading every book on my tbr...and God knows how long that list is!
I did skim the last few chapters because it was a bit boring. I hate doing that because I know a lot of hard work goes into writing, but it was either skim it or DNF it.
-The dialogue was impersonal.
-It's in 3rd person and lately I'm more partial to 1st person.
-I could not seem to get emotionally attached to either H/h.
-The little mini plot just didn't work.
-The romance was just not there.
Will I read the rest of this series? Maybe after I finish reading every book on my tbr...and God knows how long that list is!
June 12, 2020
The story was Meh.
Gage is is hosting a fight watch party at his gym to a fight he was removed from b/c of injury. He and Harper are in love and have been for a while, but they don't know of the others feelings. They also haven't really communicated since Gage left for training and returned ineligible.
I didn't enjoy this because it felt dry. I didn't feel the emotion or authenticity. Was Lori Foster requested to write a prequel and not really interested? We were introduced to quite a few fighters who I assume will be the heros in the subsequent stories. Armie is hilarious. He's also a horndog, but frickin hilarious.
Gage is is hosting a fight watch party at his gym to a fight he was removed from b/c of injury. He and Harper are in love and have been for a while, but they don't know of the others feelings. They also haven't really communicated since Gage left for training and returned ineligible.
I didn't enjoy this because it felt dry. I didn't feel the emotion or authenticity. Was Lori Foster requested to write a prequel and not really interested? We were introduced to quite a few fighters who I assume will be the heros in the subsequent stories. Armie is hilarious. He's also a horndog, but frickin hilarious.
March 15, 2022
No me quede nada contenta con esta lectura. Entiendo que es una historia breve, estilo precuela pero la verdad es que tengo la sensacion de que pase paginas y paginas y nada sucedio en la historia.
Ni siquiera pude encariñarme con la pareja principal, y eso es un punto indispensable para mi.
Como precuela es floja, y si se supone que este tipo de novela es para crear curiosidad por el resto de tomos, Hard Knocks hizo un trabajo muy pobre.
1.5 Estrellas!
February 10, 2017
3 - "Loving you makes sense." Stars!
A quickie introduction to the authors Ultimate series, told around the reconnection of Harper and Gage after he returns from training for a fight that never happened due to picking up an injury.
"It seems like I’ve wanted you forever…"
Quick and sexy, this is a couple that doesn’t waste any time letting each other know exactly what they mean to the other.
Plenty of character introductions, and lots of potential for the following books in the series. I like this authors writing style, and will be looking to read the first full book in the series; No Limits very soon.
A quickie introduction to the authors Ultimate series, told around the reconnection of Harper and Gage after he returns from training for a fight that never happened due to picking up an injury.
"It seems like I’ve wanted you forever…"
Quick and sexy, this is a couple that doesn’t waste any time letting each other know exactly what they mean to the other.
Plenty of character introductions, and lots of potential for the following books in the series. I like this authors writing style, and will be looking to read the first full book in the series; No Limits very soon.
September 6, 2014
In this prequel to LF's new Ultimate series readers are introduced to the characters who'll most likely get their own page time in upcoming installations. This short story gives readers Gage "Savage" Ringer and Harper Gates' journey to happy land. While not bad, I failed to feel a deep connection between this couple mainly due to the shortness of novellas.
That being said, I'm looking forward to reading No Limits, the first full length novel featuring sexy MMA fighter Cannon Colter.
That being said, I'm looking forward to reading No Limits, the first full length novel featuring sexy MMA fighter Cannon Colter.
July 9, 2014
3 Stars
Everyone who knows me knows how much I love Lori Foster so it pains me to give a 3 star rating for this novella. Novella's are a hit or miss, sometimes they work and other times they are unfortunately lacking.
I didn't really feel the powerful connection between Gage "Savage" Ringer and Harper Gates the H&h in this story as I normally do with LF couples. They have a history together which we get a simi back story of their relationship but not enough for me to make a connection to them. I did appreciate the introduction of additional fight characters in this novella which I'm assuming will all have their own "Ultimate" books.
That said, I am very excited and have extremely HIGH hopes for Cannon Colter's book No Limits I LOVED Cannon in Getting Rowdy from LF's "Love Undercover" series where we were introduced to this young badass alpha in training.
*ARC provided by publisher to www.sweptawaybyromance.com in exchange for an honest review
Everyone who knows me knows how much I love Lori Foster so it pains me to give a 3 star rating for this novella. Novella's are a hit or miss, sometimes they work and other times they are unfortunately lacking.
I didn't really feel the powerful connection between Gage "Savage" Ringer and Harper Gates the H&h in this story as I normally do with LF couples. They have a history together which we get a simi back story of their relationship but not enough for me to make a connection to them. I did appreciate the introduction of additional fight characters in this novella which I'm assuming will all have their own "Ultimate" books.
That said, I am very excited and have extremely HIGH hopes for Cannon Colter's book No Limits I LOVED Cannon in Getting Rowdy from LF's "Love Undercover" series where we were introduced to this young badass alpha in training.
*ARC provided by publisher to www.sweptawaybyromance.com in exchange for an honest review
August 22, 2014
It's a new series, a spinoff of Foster's Love Undercover series. One of my favorite secondary characters from the last two books, Cannon Colter, is an SBC mixed martial arts fighter who will be featured in the first book.
In this story, we get a very strong introduction to some of the characters we can expect to see more of in future books. Foster smartly focuses on one of the fighters, Gage "Savage" Ringer, who's been in a semi-platonic relationship for years with Harper Gates. No need for a lot of relationship build up or the plagued "insta-love"...just two people finally expressing their feelings wrapped around a pretty sexy interlude.
I love it when a novella does it's job!
(I received an ARC from NetGalley)
In this story, we get a very strong introduction to some of the characters we can expect to see more of in future books. Foster smartly focuses on one of the fighters, Gage "Savage" Ringer, who's been in a semi-platonic relationship for years with Harper Gates. No need for a lot of relationship build up or the plagued "insta-love"...just two people finally expressing their feelings wrapped around a pretty sexy interlude.
I love it when a novella does it's job!
(I received an ARC from NetGalley)
January 24, 2016
2.5 Stars
It was ok for a short story but probably not essential to the rest of the series.
It was ok for a short story but probably not essential to the rest of the series.
February 19, 2017
3.5 stars
My issue with this story was not the story itself but the fact that it was a novella. Generally I really don't like novellas because they are so short so a lot of the material feels rushed and there's a lack of build up, therefore there's a lack of investment in the characters and story.
I will say with this novella I appreciated that Harper and Gage already had a dating relationship before this story began so there was already a history between them as well as tension because they had yet to make love. So my interest was there, but I just felt that it was too short and rushed. I would have preferred a short novel so there was some more build up between them not only physically but emotionally as well.
I understand with this format that things had to happen quickly, but at the same time I wasn't satisfied by the declarations when they came because they felt very rushed and almost not truthful at least on his side from her I could believe it more. Do I believe he cared? Yes. Do I think it was love? No. From him I just felt lust at that was all. If there were more time and interactions in the book then I probably would have believed it more.
With that being said Lori Foster did a good job with the story despite the fact it was a novella. I enjoyed all the characters and really liked them. It was really a good introduction to the series that I have already read by the way. I was really glad to see how Harper and Gage's relationship started after having seen them make appearances in all four books in this series. Their sexy time scene was pretty hot and I wished they got another one or a longer one, but the scene was satisfying on its own. It was just s nice quick read that I could get through in no time.
I think if this wasn't a novella I think I would have loved it. I would have loved to see more of Harper and Gage's relationship over the coarse of a novel with more development and build up throughout the story. I just wanted more and thought they deserved more than just a quick novella. Maybe if I read this story first before all the other books I would have felt differently and would have been satisfied with their story, but having to come to know them as a couple I just wanted more of a story not a short, rushed one. I wanted more of them. Bottom line I really wished this was a full length book instead of a novella then my opinion would have been very different.
My issue with this story was not the story itself but the fact that it was a novella. Generally I really don't like novellas because they are so short so a lot of the material feels rushed and there's a lack of build up, therefore there's a lack of investment in the characters and story.
I will say with this novella I appreciated that Harper and Gage already had a dating relationship before this story began so there was already a history between them as well as tension because they had yet to make love. So my interest was there, but I just felt that it was too short and rushed. I would have preferred a short novel so there was some more build up between them not only physically but emotionally as well.
I understand with this format that things had to happen quickly, but at the same time I wasn't satisfied by the declarations when they came because they felt very rushed and almost not truthful at least on his side from her I could believe it more. Do I believe he cared? Yes. Do I think it was love? No. From him I just felt lust at that was all. If there were more time and interactions in the book then I probably would have believed it more.
With that being said Lori Foster did a good job with the story despite the fact it was a novella. I enjoyed all the characters and really liked them. It was really a good introduction to the series that I have already read by the way. I was really glad to see how Harper and Gage's relationship started after having seen them make appearances in all four books in this series. Their sexy time scene was pretty hot and I wished they got another one or a longer one, but the scene was satisfying on its own. It was just s nice quick read that I could get through in no time.
I think if this wasn't a novella I think I would have loved it. I would have loved to see more of Harper and Gage's relationship over the coarse of a novel with more development and build up throughout the story. I just wanted more and thought they deserved more than just a quick novella. Maybe if I read this story first before all the other books I would have felt differently and would have been satisfied with their story, but having to come to know them as a couple I just wanted more of a story not a short, rushed one. I wanted more of them. Bottom line I really wished this was a full length book instead of a novella then my opinion would have been very different.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 22, 2014
3.5 stars
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Hard Knocks is a short novella that focuses on Gage and Harper while also introducing a myriad of characters that will make up Lori Foster's new series, Ultimate. Gage is a mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter who through a slight mishap ends up injuring himself enough during practice that he is medically nixed from competing in his next match. Harper has known Gage for most of her life and has harbored a serious crush on him since high school. Before Gage left a couple months ago to step up his training, he and Harper were dating and getting awfully close to having their own little wrestling bout in the bedroom. The story takes place at the rec center (a central hangout and gym for fighters and kids to come to get off the streets) on the night Gage's fight was suppose to take place. As people gather there to watch the fights, Harper decides it's up to her to get Gage out of his funk.
This story is under 100 pages, so it isn't really about character development but rather introducing you and setting up the Ultimate series. There is not much backstory to Harper and Gage so this isn't so much about the building of their relationship but rather a glimpse at the spark that sets their relationship off. The story moves quickly and our leads are cute with enough chemistry together that you'll breeze through this with a smile on your face.
The other MMA fighters introduced are given enough face time to intrigue and make you want to read their books. If you have read Foster's series Love Undercover, you may even recognize the name and character Cannon. Cannon is discussed here and is the star of No Limits; book one in this Ultimate series. I have already read No Limits and trust me, you do not want to miss his story. Hard Knocks may not be a long and involved story but it is a fantastic supplement to the Ultimate series.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Hard Knocks is a short novella that focuses on Gage and Harper while also introducing a myriad of characters that will make up Lori Foster's new series, Ultimate. Gage is a mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter who through a slight mishap ends up injuring himself enough during practice that he is medically nixed from competing in his next match. Harper has known Gage for most of her life and has harbored a serious crush on him since high school. Before Gage left a couple months ago to step up his training, he and Harper were dating and getting awfully close to having their own little wrestling bout in the bedroom. The story takes place at the rec center (a central hangout and gym for fighters and kids to come to get off the streets) on the night Gage's fight was suppose to take place. As people gather there to watch the fights, Harper decides it's up to her to get Gage out of his funk.
This story is under 100 pages, so it isn't really about character development but rather introducing you and setting up the Ultimate series. There is not much backstory to Harper and Gage so this isn't so much about the building of their relationship but rather a glimpse at the spark that sets their relationship off. The story moves quickly and our leads are cute with enough chemistry together that you'll breeze through this with a smile on your face.
The other MMA fighters introduced are given enough face time to intrigue and make you want to read their books. If you have read Foster's series Love Undercover, you may even recognize the name and character Cannon. Cannon is discussed here and is the star of No Limits; book one in this Ultimate series. I have already read No Limits and trust me, you do not want to miss his story. Hard Knocks may not be a long and involved story but it is a fantastic supplement to the Ultimate series.
December 20, 2014
3.5 stars
Hard Knocks is the prequel novella to Lori Foster's Ultimate series and it was definitely enough to make me want to spend more time with this group of characters. The story introduces us to a group of fighters who all train at the same gym, most of them are in different weight ranges so rarely compete against each other and there is a great bond between them all. The fighters are very supportive of each other and I enjoyed the banter between them.
This particular story is about Gage and Harper, the couple have known each other for a long time and they were on the verge of beginning a relationship when Gage moved to America to train for an upcoming fight. Harper spent weeks waiting for him to contact her and was hurt that he was able to forget her so easily. Thanks to an injury Gage is back in the country and now he's not focused on the fight he plans to dedicate himself to Harper so they can finally get their relationship started.
This is a fairly short story (around 100 pages) so there isn't a lot of time to focus on the romance but because there is obviously so much history between Gage and Harper things didn't feel rushed or forced. They have great chemistry and I enjoyed the banter between them both as well as seeing the other fighters teasing them. It seemed like everyone else had seen their relationship coming and the only ones who weren't sure of the other's feelings were the couple in question. I liked what we've seen of the gym and the way the fighters go out of their way to give back to the community by helping troubled teens and I'm definitely looking forward to getting to know each of the guys better. I already have a feeling that Armie is going to be my favourite but I guess I'll have to wait and see if that's right or not.
Hard Knocks is the prequel novella to Lori Foster's Ultimate series and it was definitely enough to make me want to spend more time with this group of characters. The story introduces us to a group of fighters who all train at the same gym, most of them are in different weight ranges so rarely compete against each other and there is a great bond between them all. The fighters are very supportive of each other and I enjoyed the banter between them.
This particular story is about Gage and Harper, the couple have known each other for a long time and they were on the verge of beginning a relationship when Gage moved to America to train for an upcoming fight. Harper spent weeks waiting for him to contact her and was hurt that he was able to forget her so easily. Thanks to an injury Gage is back in the country and now he's not focused on the fight he plans to dedicate himself to Harper so they can finally get their relationship started.
This is a fairly short story (around 100 pages) so there isn't a lot of time to focus on the romance but because there is obviously so much history between Gage and Harper things didn't feel rushed or forced. They have great chemistry and I enjoyed the banter between them both as well as seeing the other fighters teasing them. It seemed like everyone else had seen their relationship coming and the only ones who weren't sure of the other's feelings were the couple in question. I liked what we've seen of the gym and the way the fighters go out of their way to give back to the community by helping troubled teens and I'm definitely looking forward to getting to know each of the guys better. I already have a feeling that Armie is going to be my favourite but I guess I'll have to wait and see if that's right or not.
August 11, 2014
ARC provided by Harlequin via NetGalley in exchange for honest Review
WOW Just WOW!
I know I always say this but Lori Foster knows how to write romance, and she also know how to write fighters and their alphaness. I love them both. Gage and Harper don't have an overly elaborate story cause to be perfectly honest they don't need one. I really like how cool Harper is, she comes in, hangs with the guys, she tries to not be in Gage's way, which is a bit diffferent from most heroines. But when she realizes that he wants to reach out to her, she makes the first move which is just awesome. I also loved that she understood the fact that he was a fighter, and that was important to him. And Gage can't be described by me, so go out and read this book ASAP.
Overall awesome story, very very short but very effective, I loved meeting some of the guys from the series, can't wait for Armie's book, cause if its what I think it is, I really wanna know just how kinky LF is willing to get!
WOW Just WOW!
I know I always say this but Lori Foster knows how to write romance, and she also know how to write fighters and their alphaness. I love them both. Gage and Harper don't have an overly elaborate story cause to be perfectly honest they don't need one. I really like how cool Harper is, she comes in, hangs with the guys, she tries to not be in Gage's way, which is a bit diffferent from most heroines. But when she realizes that he wants to reach out to her, she makes the first move which is just awesome. I also loved that she understood the fact that he was a fighter, and that was important to him. And Gage can't be described by me, so go out and read this book ASAP.
Overall awesome story, very very short but very effective, I loved meeting some of the guys from the series, can't wait for Armie's book, cause if its what I think it is, I really wanna know just how kinky LF is willing to get!
June 1, 2015
I think everyone should just take a moment to appreciate this cover.
Phew.
Okay, now that that's done.
New-to-me author Lori Foster offered about what I expected. A quickie. A nice short-story about Harper and Gage finally getting down to business AND using the "L" word.
What I liked most was that Gage was a "big, strong fighter", but not an alpha asshole. And that he and Harper had an established relationship prior to the book - with growing up as friends which progressed to dating recently but was cut short when Gage was called away for a couple of months to train for a big match.
The entire book is set in rec center on fight night - the very rec center that likely brought all of our future cast of male characters together.
I really enjoyed this introduction and look forward to meeting Cannon in No Limits, (and gazing on that piece of cover candy too).
Phew.
Okay, now that that's done.
New-to-me author Lori Foster offered about what I expected. A quickie. A nice short-story about Harper and Gage finally getting down to business AND using the "L" word.
What I liked most was that Gage was a "big, strong fighter", but not an alpha asshole. And that he and Harper had an established relationship prior to the book - with growing up as friends which progressed to dating recently but was cut short when Gage was called away for a couple of months to train for a big match.
The entire book is set in rec center on fight night - the very rec center that likely brought all of our future cast of male characters together.
I really enjoyed this introduction and look forward to meeting Cannon in No Limits, (and gazing on that piece of cover candy too).
August 22, 2015
This novel was an intriguing look at the live and relationship of a MMA fighter. There are scenes so hot that I swear there was steam rising from the pages. These scenes intermingle with down to earth, real life interactions between the characters. Foster definitely brings the rec centre & the world surrounding it to life.
I love the way that Foster puts Gage’s inner turmoil and struggle to paper, not only does it give you a deeper sense of who he is but it also develops the story in an unmistakable way. I loved this intro into the fighters. She sets them up perfectly for the series.
My biggest disappointment with this one? The fact that it wasn’t a full length novel. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a complete story in and of itself and I absolutely adored it, but I so loved these characters and I didn’t want to let them go. Foster definitely has me hooked on this series!
I love the way that Foster puts Gage’s inner turmoil and struggle to paper, not only does it give you a deeper sense of who he is but it also develops the story in an unmistakable way. I loved this intro into the fighters. She sets them up perfectly for the series.
My biggest disappointment with this one? The fact that it wasn’t a full length novel. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a complete story in and of itself and I absolutely adored it, but I so loved these characters and I didn’t want to let them go. Foster definitely has me hooked on this series!
July 16, 2014
This might actually be more of a 2.5 for me, but I'm feeling generous because it includes one of my favorite romance things: the fighter hero. I don't know what's going on there, really. I don't like boxing. I don't like MMA. I suspect that real-life fighters are more macho, aggressive, and overconfident than I could actually enjoy. But give me a fighting romance hero and I am one happy camper.
The problem with this particular book, I think, is that it's not only a novella, but also a prequel. Novellas are challenging because of the compressed timeline. The author needs to jam an entire relationship into 100-150ish pages, making the whole thing believable. It's not easy to do well, and I've only read a handful of romance novellas that I not only enjoyed but also found memorable. (Now that I think about it, this might be a general issue with all short-form fiction. Jamming meaning into such a small space is challenging and takes a lot of skill. It might also be why I have such a problem with short stories...) Lori Foster manages to sidestep some of the most problematic aspects in a romance novella by giving her couple a history together. This makes it easier to believe that they would leap so quickly into "I Love Yous," but doesn't really help with the conflict resolution - which is where this book fell down for me. The heroine was angry and hurt, but she never really expressed that. I find it hard to believe that months of hurt feelings and uncertainty could just be stuffed out of sight and then just dissipate like that.
I think I might have been able to get past even that, though, if I already had some connection to the characters. If this were a between-the-books novella rather than a prequel, a lot of my problems could be resolved through my understanding of the characters and their relationships in the full novels. As it was, I had to not only get invested in the hero and heroine, but learn about their friendships and work and ...just everything. It's asking a lot of such a short story, and a connection to an existing series could only have strengthened it.
Anyhow. I'm still a fan of fighter romances, and plan on trying out this new series when the first full-length book is released. If it's as fun as Foster's SBC series, I'm sure I'll really enjoy it.
**A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley
Merged review:
This might actually be more of a 2.5 for me, but I'm feeling generous because it includes one of my favorite romance things: the fighter hero. I don't know what's going on there, really. I don't like boxing. I don't like MMA. I suspect that real-life fighters are more macho, aggressive, and overconfident than I could actually enjoy. But give me a fighting romance hero and I am one happy camper.
The problem with this particular book, I think, is that it's not only a novella, but also a prequel. Novellas are challenging because of the compressed timeline. The author needs to jam an entire relationship into 100-150ish pages, making the whole thing believable. It's not easy to do well, and I've only read a handful of romance novellas that I not only enjoyed but also found memorable. (Now that I think about it, this might be a general issue with all short-form fiction. Jamming meaning into such a small space is challenging and takes a lot of skill. It might also be why I have such a problem with short stories...) Lori Foster manages to sidestep some of the most problematic aspects in a romance novella by giving her couple a history together. This makes it easier to believe that they would leap so quickly into "I Love Yous," but doesn't really help with the conflict resolution - which is where this book fell down for me. The heroine was angry and hurt, but she never really expressed that. I find it hard to believe that months of hurt feelings and uncertainty could just be stuffed out of sight and then just dissipate like that.
I think I might have been able to get past even that, though, if I already had some connection to the characters. If this were a between-the-books novella rather than a prequel, a lot of my problems could be resolved through my understanding of the characters and their relationships in the full novels. As it was, I had to not only get invested in the hero and heroine, but learn about their friendships and work and ...just everything. It's asking a lot of such a short story, and a connection to an existing series could only have strengthened it.
Anyhow. I'm still a fan of fighter romances, and plan on trying out this new series when the first full-length book is released. If it's as fun as Foster's SBC series, I'm sure I'll really enjoy it.
**A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley
The problem with this particular book, I think, is that it's not only a novella, but also a prequel. Novellas are challenging because of the compressed timeline. The author needs to jam an entire relationship into 100-150ish pages, making the whole thing believable. It's not easy to do well, and I've only read a handful of romance novellas that I not only enjoyed but also found memorable. (Now that I think about it, this might be a general issue with all short-form fiction. Jamming meaning into such a small space is challenging and takes a lot of skill. It might also be why I have such a problem with short stories...) Lori Foster manages to sidestep some of the most problematic aspects in a romance novella by giving her couple a history together. This makes it easier to believe that they would leap so quickly into "I Love Yous," but doesn't really help with the conflict resolution - which is where this book fell down for me. The heroine was angry and hurt, but she never really expressed that. I find it hard to believe that months of hurt feelings and uncertainty could just be stuffed out of sight and then just dissipate like that.
I think I might have been able to get past even that, though, if I already had some connection to the characters. If this were a between-the-books novella rather than a prequel, a lot of my problems could be resolved through my understanding of the characters and their relationships in the full novels. As it was, I had to not only get invested in the hero and heroine, but learn about their friendships and work and ...just everything. It's asking a lot of such a short story, and a connection to an existing series could only have strengthened it.
Anyhow. I'm still a fan of fighter romances, and plan on trying out this new series when the first full-length book is released. If it's as fun as Foster's SBC series, I'm sure I'll really enjoy it.
**A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley
Merged review:
This might actually be more of a 2.5 for me, but I'm feeling generous because it includes one of my favorite romance things: the fighter hero. I don't know what's going on there, really. I don't like boxing. I don't like MMA. I suspect that real-life fighters are more macho, aggressive, and overconfident than I could actually enjoy. But give me a fighting romance hero and I am one happy camper.
The problem with this particular book, I think, is that it's not only a novella, but also a prequel. Novellas are challenging because of the compressed timeline. The author needs to jam an entire relationship into 100-150ish pages, making the whole thing believable. It's not easy to do well, and I've only read a handful of romance novellas that I not only enjoyed but also found memorable. (Now that I think about it, this might be a general issue with all short-form fiction. Jamming meaning into such a small space is challenging and takes a lot of skill. It might also be why I have such a problem with short stories...) Lori Foster manages to sidestep some of the most problematic aspects in a romance novella by giving her couple a history together. This makes it easier to believe that they would leap so quickly into "I Love Yous," but doesn't really help with the conflict resolution - which is where this book fell down for me. The heroine was angry and hurt, but she never really expressed that. I find it hard to believe that months of hurt feelings and uncertainty could just be stuffed out of sight and then just dissipate like that.
I think I might have been able to get past even that, though, if I already had some connection to the characters. If this were a between-the-books novella rather than a prequel, a lot of my problems could be resolved through my understanding of the characters and their relationships in the full novels. As it was, I had to not only get invested in the hero and heroine, but learn about their friendships and work and ...just everything. It's asking a lot of such a short story, and a connection to an existing series could only have strengthened it.
Anyhow. I'm still a fan of fighter romances, and plan on trying out this new series when the first full-length book is released. If it's as fun as Foster's SBC series, I'm sure I'll really enjoy it.
**A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley
July 6, 2014
Ultimate Fighter Gage has to sit out his first big fight - he hurt himself training and now he's back home at the rec center to watch the nights' fights on tv. Half the town is there with him. Including Harper - she's been in his head for years now. They've always known each other - and she has always been secretly in love with him. But he didn't know that - she's flirting and talking to all the guys at the gym.
Before he left for training camp a few months ago they kind of started dating, nothing serious yet, but lots of going out and spending time together. But now that he's back and has some free time, it's finally time to get serious! ☺
WILL THE TWO OF THEM GET THEIR HEA???
I'm not telling you that of course ☺
_________________________________
JUST PERFECT!
This was the perfect little prelude to an amazing series.
For such a short novella it was really sexy and cute and informing.
We meet all the fighters in the Ohio rec center. All but Cannon - because he's in Japan fighting. But we remember him from the previous books in the Love Undercover Series. And we already fell in love with him back then - now he's all grown up and getting his own book in No Limits (coming 26 August!)
But back to HARD KNOCKS!
It was really short but really great too.
VERY SEXY!
The way Harper and Gage dance around each other for a while until they finally understand that they're not alone with their feelings. Adorable!
We already have a new favorite in Armie - hilarious guy. And then there's Stack & Denver and Cannon of course! And they will all - hopefully - get their own books!
Once you read HARD KNOCKS you will have a hard time waiting for NO LIMITS to come out!
This is gonna be an amazing new fighter series by Lori Foster!!!
HARD KNOCKS was a short, but amazingly sexy & adorable fighter romance!
You'll love it!!!!! And you'll love the whole coming series too!
January 12, 2015
I love a book about a sexy, fit, fighter.
Hard Knocks was a great start to the Ultimate series by Ms Foster. I do love a good book about a MMA fighter.
It is often hard with a novella to get enough information across to the reader, but I did not feel that this was the case with this book.
We learn enough about Gage and Harper's previous kind-of-but-not-really relationship that I did not feel that I was missing anything.
We also learn a little about the rest of the fighters at the rec centre, and I am sure we will learn more about these two as the series continues. With all the steam between them in just this novella, things have gotta heat up for them later on too!
This is a sweet, sexy-hot quick read, and now I can't wait to read the next book (and first full length novel) in the series
Hard Knocks was a great start to the Ultimate series by Ms Foster. I do love a good book about a MMA fighter.
It is often hard with a novella to get enough information across to the reader, but I did not feel that this was the case with this book.
We learn enough about Gage and Harper's previous kind-of-but-not-really relationship that I did not feel that I was missing anything.
We also learn a little about the rest of the fighters at the rec centre, and I am sure we will learn more about these two as the series continues. With all the steam between them in just this novella, things have gotta heat up for them later on too!
This is a sweet, sexy-hot quick read, and now I can't wait to read the next book (and first full length novel) in the series
July 30, 2014
Slick‘s review posted on Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews
4 STARS
Review copy provided for an honest review
Hard Knocks is one of those books that’s hard for me to review because it’s not a typical Lori Foster book, it’s a prequel and because it’s a prequel it’s much shorter than her usual and without her normal fantastic character development. That being said, Hard Knocks is the perfect prequel to introduce readers who might not have read her Love Undercover series to the characters and the premise behind this series. I am so excited Ms. Foster is writing another MMA series, I’m not a fan of MMA but absolutely loved her first MMA series and judging from Hard Knocks I’m going to love the Ultimate series as well.
Harper Gates and Gage “Savage” Ringer have known each other for years and prior to Gage getting a call up for a big fight they had been seeing each other and leading up to so much more. Gage is injured and sent home and he’s trying to figure out why Harper is ignoring him when all he really wants it to pick up right where they left off. I really loved these two together and most of all I loved that Harper figured out exactly how to handle Gage and that Gage, while a little clueless about her intentions, figured out his feelings quite quickly after some not so subtle hints from his fellow fighters.
The community center and fighter training center is a project of Cannon (whom we met in the Love Undercover series) and it’s thrilling to know he’s made it big in the fighting world but also that he continues to give back to the community in which he lives. We meet several other fighters all of whom have very distinct and interesting personalities letting the readers know we are in for some really entertaining books to come.
To me this prequel is a great introduction to what readers can expect from what promises to be another sexy and exciting series from author Lori Foster.
4 STARS
Review copy provided for an honest review
Hard Knocks is one of those books that’s hard for me to review because it’s not a typical Lori Foster book, it’s a prequel and because it’s a prequel it’s much shorter than her usual and without her normal fantastic character development. That being said, Hard Knocks is the perfect prequel to introduce readers who might not have read her Love Undercover series to the characters and the premise behind this series. I am so excited Ms. Foster is writing another MMA series, I’m not a fan of MMA but absolutely loved her first MMA series and judging from Hard Knocks I’m going to love the Ultimate series as well.
Harper Gates and Gage “Savage” Ringer have known each other for years and prior to Gage getting a call up for a big fight they had been seeing each other and leading up to so much more. Gage is injured and sent home and he’s trying to figure out why Harper is ignoring him when all he really wants it to pick up right where they left off. I really loved these two together and most of all I loved that Harper figured out exactly how to handle Gage and that Gage, while a little clueless about her intentions, figured out his feelings quite quickly after some not so subtle hints from his fellow fighters.
The community center and fighter training center is a project of Cannon (whom we met in the Love Undercover series) and it’s thrilling to know he’s made it big in the fighting world but also that he continues to give back to the community in which he lives. We meet several other fighters all of whom have very distinct and interesting personalities letting the readers know we are in for some really entertaining books to come.
To me this prequel is a great introduction to what readers can expect from what promises to be another sexy and exciting series from author Lori Foster.
December 31, 2015
Review posted on Got Fiction?
That was meh.
Lori Foster is one of those authors who is really hit or miss for me. She wrote the Love Undercover series and the connected Men Who Walk the Edge of Honor series, and I loved every book! But the novella that kicks off her Ultimate series (also connected) sort of sucked. Novellas are just not her strong suit. I guess it’s supposed to be sweet, but it came off like a couple of horny teenagers who couldn’t keep their hands off each other. We have very little backstory, but since they have a history together, it would have helped.
The beginning of this very short novella confused me. The heroine Harper is blatantly ignoring the hero, a fighter who she’s been in love with since high school.But then five seconds later, Harper is smiling and patting him on the butt. He’s not the only one who was confused.
Gage is moping since he took a hit that required stitches, and it was too close to his eye to allow him to fight in the big fight. Coming home from training, he realizes Harper is mad at him (because they were dating, he leaped at the chance to train, but never called Harper. His girl. For several months).
Basically this entire novella is the two of them making out at the rec center, and trying to find a dark room to make out more in. Then Gage says I love you, and Harper begs for more sexytimes. Like seriously. Any other author, and I’d be out, but I’m really hoping the full length book that follows this is back to the Romantic Suspense that I like from her.
***ARC courtesy of Harlequin HQN
That was meh.
Lori Foster is one of those authors who is really hit or miss for me. She wrote the Love Undercover series and the connected Men Who Walk the Edge of Honor series, and I loved every book! But the novella that kicks off her Ultimate series (also connected) sort of sucked. Novellas are just not her strong suit. I guess it’s supposed to be sweet, but it came off like a couple of horny teenagers who couldn’t keep their hands off each other. We have very little backstory, but since they have a history together, it would have helped.
The beginning of this very short novella confused me. The heroine Harper is blatantly ignoring the hero, a fighter who she’s been in love with since high school.But then five seconds later, Harper is smiling and patting him on the butt. He’s not the only one who was confused.
Gage is moping since he took a hit that required stitches, and it was too close to his eye to allow him to fight in the big fight. Coming home from training, he realizes Harper is mad at him (because they were dating, he leaped at the chance to train, but never called Harper. His girl. For several months).
Basically this entire novella is the two of them making out at the rec center, and trying to find a dark room to make out more in. Then Gage says I love you, and Harper begs for more sexytimes. Like seriously. Any other author, and I’d be out, but I’m really hoping the full length book that follows this is back to the Romantic Suspense that I like from her.
***ARC courtesy of Harlequin HQN
March 12, 2015
Hard Knocks an Ultimate Novella by Lori Foster is a 2014 HQN publication.
Before Gage left to train for the biggest fight of his career, he and Harper had a good thing going. But once Gage left for training he never contacted Harper, leading her to believe he had moved on to bigger and better things which no longer included her. But, when the doctors KO'd his participation in the fight due to an injury, Gage comes back home feeling very disappointed making him not very good company. But, he forces himself out to the gym for all the activities surrounding the big fight and reconnects with Harper. But, she is sending him mixed signals, aloof one minute, flirtatious the next. What could be holding her back?
This is a super short novella which is a part of the Ultimate Series. Due to it's brevity the character development is a little weak, but I did enjoy the flirty nature of the story and how the couple got their emotions in line before they took the next step.
Short, sexy, sweet and sassy, this story was OK. Since there is a new Ultimate series book due out shortly, my appetite is now whetted and I can't wait to dive into the next installment. 3 stars
Before Gage left to train for the biggest fight of his career, he and Harper had a good thing going. But once Gage left for training he never contacted Harper, leading her to believe he had moved on to bigger and better things which no longer included her. But, when the doctors KO'd his participation in the fight due to an injury, Gage comes back home feeling very disappointed making him not very good company. But, he forces himself out to the gym for all the activities surrounding the big fight and reconnects with Harper. But, she is sending him mixed signals, aloof one minute, flirtatious the next. What could be holding her back?
This is a super short novella which is a part of the Ultimate Series. Due to it's brevity the character development is a little weak, but I did enjoy the flirty nature of the story and how the couple got their emotions in line before they took the next step.
Short, sexy, sweet and sassy, this story was OK. Since there is a new Ultimate series book due out shortly, my appetite is now whetted and I can't wait to dive into the next installment. 3 stars
August 4, 2014
I loved this story! Sexy and highly entertaining from the start. Gage and Harper are great characters, I got a real sense of who they were.
Everything moved along at a nice pace. There was lots of longing, a bit of tension and an excellent amount of heat. I like how everything developed and the outcome. I was grinning like a fool by the end.
I loved meeting all the other MMA fighters. They had great comradery with one another as well as with Harper. I could see snippets of their individual personalities which made me want to know more about them (bring on the series!). Armie was my favorite, he stole the show! I was laughing and smiling because of him, he was great. There was a nice intro for Cannon too so I am very much looking forward to his story in No Limits.
Really nice build to the sexy times - it was super hot! There were some sweet awwww moments too. Loved it all. Solid beginning, middle, and end. Great introduction to the series. Loved it! 5 stars!!!!!
Complimentary copy received for honest review.
Everything moved along at a nice pace. There was lots of longing, a bit of tension and an excellent amount of heat. I like how everything developed and the outcome. I was grinning like a fool by the end.
I loved meeting all the other MMA fighters. They had great comradery with one another as well as with Harper. I could see snippets of their individual personalities which made me want to know more about them (bring on the series!). Armie was my favorite, he stole the show! I was laughing and smiling because of him, he was great. There was a nice intro for Cannon too so I am very much looking forward to his story in No Limits.
Really nice build to the sexy times - it was super hot! There were some sweet awwww moments too. Loved it all. Solid beginning, middle, and end. Great introduction to the series. Loved it! 5 stars!!!!!
Complimentary copy received for honest review.
July 17, 2014
This novella was a bit like just okay sex: nothing bad about it, but not all that satisfying either. I think that is partly because of the format. With the additional factor of being a prequel, I just didn't have the time to feel connected to the characters. That being said, I loved Foster's SBC series, and am looking forward to seeing what this series brings.
March 9, 2015
Nice and quick read that got me interested in reading the following full-length books in the series. There isn't much more one could ask from a free short story, right? ;)
July 14, 2019
Even though it was short, you really get a sense for the characters. This was my first experience reading Lori Foster and I enjoyed her writing.
August 12, 2014
Originally published at Reading Reality
Hard Knocks is a short teaser that shows readers just how Lori Foster is planning to combine two of her series ( Love Undercover and SBC Fighters ) into one sizzling story.
The action takes place at Cannon’s rec center. Cannon was an important side character in
Getting Rowdy
(reviewed here), the third book in
Love Undercover
. Cannon is a mixed martial arts fighter who is training himself to fight in the SBC. While training, he becomes Rowdy’s bartender and bouncer, and helps police the neighborhood and bring down the bad guys.
His reward is a contract with the SBC, but he uses some of his new found wealth and prestige to open a recreation center in the run-down town he started from. It’s a place where fighters can train, and most importantly, a safe place where kids can play, learn and keep off the streets. The disciplined fighters serve as coaches and role models for the kids who might otherwise be sucked into gangs or other dangerous and hopeless behaviors.
While the story takes place at Cannon’s rec center, it isn’t Cannon’s story. That comes next in
No Limits
. But in this story, the neighborhood and all the fighters back at Cannon’s center are watching him fight on TV.
Instead, we have the story of Gage and Harper. While I want to say that Harper is kind of the mascot of Cannon’s rec center, that diminishes both her role and her agency, so it’s not quite right. She is kind of the glue that holds the neighborhood to the center, AND she’s the honorary sister of every one of the fighters who train there.
She’s family.
Gage is the one fighter who doesn’t see her as a little sister. They grew up together, but now that they are both adults, they were heading towards a relationship. Fast.
Until Gage went to another camp to train for an important fight, and wasn’t the least bit clear about his feelings for Harper or his intentions when he came back. Then he got injured in training and had to come home. He expected a warm welcome, and got the cold shoulder.
Let’s just say he was REALLY unclear (read that as silent) about his feelings for Harper or his hopes for furthering their relationship. He was too busy concentrating on the fight.
The sizzling heat of Hard Knocks is created when Gage and Harper try to figure out what they each want, while in the middle of that neighborhood crowd watching the fight. So everyone they know watches them court and spark.
Lots and lots of sparks, enough to set the place on fire.
Escape Rating B: Hard Knocks is way, way too short. It does provide a nice setup for the rest of the series (It feels like all the fighters we meet are going to get their own book!)
Gage and Harper’s story gets shorted just a bit. This isn’t a “falling in love” story, it’s more of a long-term friends into lovers story, but we don’t get quite enough background. Other people report on their feelings and reaction to each other, and we see into both of their heads a bit, but the story is more of one hot encounter than seeing them fall in love and getting invested in their relationship.
I also felt that Harper sold herself short, or gave up too easily about communicating what she needs. On the other hand, the introduction to the guys and the neighborhood was great.
As a tease for the Ultimate series, Hard Knocks certainly set the stage for plenty of hot romance and fighting action to follow.
Hard Knocks is a short teaser that shows readers just how Lori Foster is planning to combine two of her series ( Love Undercover and SBC Fighters ) into one sizzling story.
The action takes place at Cannon’s rec center. Cannon was an important side character in
Getting Rowdy
(reviewed here), the third book in
Love Undercover
. Cannon is a mixed martial arts fighter who is training himself to fight in the SBC. While training, he becomes Rowdy’s bartender and bouncer, and helps police the neighborhood and bring down the bad guys.His reward is a contract with the SBC, but he uses some of his new found wealth and prestige to open a recreation center in the run-down town he started from. It’s a place where fighters can train, and most importantly, a safe place where kids can play, learn and keep off the streets. The disciplined fighters serve as coaches and role models for the kids who might otherwise be sucked into gangs or other dangerous and hopeless behaviors.
While the story takes place at Cannon’s rec center, it isn’t Cannon’s story. That comes next in
No Limits
. But in this story, the neighborhood and all the fighters back at Cannon’s center are watching him fight on TV.Instead, we have the story of Gage and Harper. While I want to say that Harper is kind of the mascot of Cannon’s rec center, that diminishes both her role and her agency, so it’s not quite right. She is kind of the glue that holds the neighborhood to the center, AND she’s the honorary sister of every one of the fighters who train there.
She’s family.
Gage is the one fighter who doesn’t see her as a little sister. They grew up together, but now that they are both adults, they were heading towards a relationship. Fast.
Until Gage went to another camp to train for an important fight, and wasn’t the least bit clear about his feelings for Harper or his intentions when he came back. Then he got injured in training and had to come home. He expected a warm welcome, and got the cold shoulder.
Let’s just say he was REALLY unclear (read that as silent) about his feelings for Harper or his hopes for furthering their relationship. He was too busy concentrating on the fight.
The sizzling heat of Hard Knocks is created when Gage and Harper try to figure out what they each want, while in the middle of that neighborhood crowd watching the fight. So everyone they know watches them court and spark.
Lots and lots of sparks, enough to set the place on fire.
Escape Rating B: Hard Knocks is way, way too short. It does provide a nice setup for the rest of the series (It feels like all the fighters we meet are going to get their own book!)
Gage and Harper’s story gets shorted just a bit. This isn’t a “falling in love” story, it’s more of a long-term friends into lovers story, but we don’t get quite enough background. Other people report on their feelings and reaction to each other, and we see into both of their heads a bit, but the story is more of one hot encounter than seeing them fall in love and getting invested in their relationship.
I also felt that Harper sold herself short, or gave up too easily about communicating what she needs. On the other hand, the introduction to the guys and the neighborhood was great.
As a tease for the Ultimate series, Hard Knocks certainly set the stage for plenty of hot romance and fighting action to follow.
January 23, 2016
Book Info
Kindle Edition
Expected publication: August 4th 2014 by Harlequin HQN
ASIN B00IWTYW2I
edition language English
series Ultimate 0.5
other editions None found
Source:Netgalley EARC
Book Buy Links
Amazon
B&N
In the stunning prequel novella to her new mixed martial arts series, New York Times bestselling author Lori Foster brings together an elite fighter and the woman he’s determined to win.
Power. Brute strength. Unforgettable moves. It’s no wonder Harper Gates hasn’t been able to get her fling with Gage “Savage” Ringer out of her head. Months have passed since she laid eyes—or any other body parts—on him. Months without a word of contact… until, sidelined by injury, he comes back to town.
Staying focused on his training seemed like a smart move to Gage, even if he thought about Harper every day. Seeing her again only makes it clear how much is at stake. He’s got one night to earn back her trust. One night to show her that behind his breathtaking skill and ripped body is a man who’ll give her everything she needs.
Don’t miss No Limits , the first novel in Lori Foster’s Ultimate series.
After her previous series came to a close Author Lori Foster promised fans that this new Ultimate series would bring back Cannon Colter as he started the journey on his new career in the world of MMA competitions.
We start out with this short story about fellow MMA fighter Gage Ringer and the woman he left behind to focus on a training camp, Harper Gates. Months have passed since Gage left and he has made it to the final stages to be one of the team of fighters going to compete, prior to the competition he sustains an injury which knocks him off the list and comes back to try and make things right with Harper.
This is a very short tale encompassing one night where Gage lays his cards on the table finally letting Harper know by action and words just how much she is necessary in his life, not just for a night but forever!
Prequels are always interesting introductions to a new series and even though I expect to be wowed by Cannons story which is the first full length book in this new MMA series I also hope to see more about Gage and Harper as their story was over too quick for me.
Kindle Edition
Expected publication: August 4th 2014 by Harlequin HQN
ASIN B00IWTYW2I
edition language English
series Ultimate 0.5
other editions None found
Source:Netgalley EARC
Book Buy Links
Amazon
B&N
BOOK SYNOPSIS
In the stunning prequel novella to her new mixed martial arts series, New York Times bestselling author Lori Foster brings together an elite fighter and the woman he’s determined to win.
Power. Brute strength. Unforgettable moves. It’s no wonder Harper Gates hasn’t been able to get her fling with Gage “Savage” Ringer out of her head. Months have passed since she laid eyes—or any other body parts—on him. Months without a word of contact… until, sidelined by injury, he comes back to town.
Staying focused on his training seemed like a smart move to Gage, even if he thought about Harper every day. Seeing her again only makes it clear how much is at stake. He’s got one night to earn back her trust. One night to show her that behind his breathtaking skill and ripped body is a man who’ll give her everything she needs.
Don’t miss No Limits , the first novel in Lori Foster’s Ultimate series.
My Thoughts
After her previous series came to a close Author Lori Foster promised fans that this new Ultimate series would bring back Cannon Colter as he started the journey on his new career in the world of MMA competitions.
We start out with this short story about fellow MMA fighter Gage Ringer and the woman he left behind to focus on a training camp, Harper Gates. Months have passed since Gage left and he has made it to the final stages to be one of the team of fighters going to compete, prior to the competition he sustains an injury which knocks him off the list and comes back to try and make things right with Harper.
This is a very short tale encompassing one night where Gage lays his cards on the table finally letting Harper know by action and words just how much she is necessary in his life, not just for a night but forever!
Prequels are always interesting introductions to a new series and even though I expect to be wowed by Cannons story which is the first full length book in this new MMA series I also hope to see more about Gage and Harper as their story was over too quick for me.
February 16, 2020
Tre stelle solo perché troppo corta! Mi sarebbe piaciuto leggere un libro completo su Gage e Harper
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