What do you think?
Rate this book
Boxer #1
In the Ring
The biggest fight of his life isn’t . . . In the Ring.
The bright lights. The roaring crowd. The chance at a championship belt. The not-so-little secret Liam Shaughnessy—the Bonny Bruiser—is fighting to keep tucked far away.
Liam got the pussy pounded out of him on the mean streets of Cin-city—the other Sin City. The oldest in a Catholic clan where his da never pulled any punches, he went from geek boy to the golden boy of the boxing world care of his fists. Liam’s on the fast track to having it all . . . all except the one man he wants.
Michael Fairweather makes pretending to be hetero goddamn difficult for Liam. The man is blond and beautiful and just so happens to be Liam’s trainer. With a penchant for doing shirtless yoga, giving midnight massages to loosen Liam’s muscles, and sometimes even taking it out in the ring with him. To say Liam has porn-style fantasies about Michael is an understatement.
Michael’s out and proud. Liam’s only proud of what he can do in the ring. He can’t risk his career, least of all for someone unavailable. Michael has a lover. Liam has the lies he lives every day. And when his money-grubbing manager gets involved as the title win approaches, Liam doesn’t know what hit him.
Fight to win. Fight with honor. It won’t be easy, but that’s okay. Nothing worth fighting for ever is.
The bright lights. The roaring crowd. The chance at a championship belt. The not-so-little secret Liam Shaughnessy—the Bonny Bruiser—is fighting to keep tucked far away.
Liam got the pussy pounded out of him on the mean streets of Cin-city—the other Sin City. The oldest in a Catholic clan where his da never pulled any punches, he went from geek boy to the golden boy of the boxing world care of his fists. Liam’s on the fast track to having it all . . . all except the one man he wants.
Michael Fairweather makes pretending to be hetero goddamn difficult for Liam. The man is blond and beautiful and just so happens to be Liam’s trainer. With a penchant for doing shirtless yoga, giving midnight massages to loosen Liam’s muscles, and sometimes even taking it out in the ring with him. To say Liam has porn-style fantasies about Michael is an understatement.
Michael’s out and proud. Liam’s only proud of what he can do in the ring. He can’t risk his career, least of all for someone unavailable. Michael has a lover. Liam has the lies he lives every day. And when his money-grubbing manager gets involved as the title win approaches, Liam doesn’t know what hit him.
Fight to win. Fight with honor. It won’t be easy, but that’s okay. Nothing worth fighting for ever is.
280 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 5, 2016
9 people are currently reading
217 people want to read
About the author
Rie Warren
52 books674 followersAll of Rie Warren's self-published series are available to read on Kindle Unlimited, including the instant hit Bad Boys of Retribution MC, Carolina Bad Boys, Bad Boy Ballers, and many more!
Badass, sassafras Rie Warren is an OG Amazon All Star author of Bad Boy books and MC romance. She delivers five star sex, suspense, and the best banter around. Her stories are one hundred percent original, do not contain fluffy plots or virgin brides, and wring every last emotion from readers to leave them with a satisfied smile. Rie’s tough alpha males are never brought to heel, but are instead healed by the feisty femme fatale of their perfect match.
She grew up in Maine, went to college in Iowa (Iowa, what?), lived in Scotland, and married in Englishman. In true roundabout fashion, they came back to the States, settled in South Carolina’s lowcountry, putting down southern roots and pursuing their arty endeavors. Tale spinner and character diviner, Rie is a lover of sleep, wine, and rude memes often involving either Disney characters or Winnie the Pooh. She is raising two teen daughters along with an entire brain full of unruly characters.
Rough-talking alpha men? Rie has that on tap.
Stubborn sassy heroines? You bet.
Smoldering sex scenes that’ll set your Kindle on fire? Check, check, check.
Keep a fan handy, you’ll need it.
Follow the signup link below to her romance newsletter for sneak peeks, new releases, first looks, and her quirky sense of humor.
https://www.subscribepage.com/riewarr...
And, as always, happy sexy reading to you!
Badass, sassafras Rie Warren is an OG Amazon All Star author of Bad Boy books and MC romance. She delivers five star sex, suspense, and the best banter around. Her stories are one hundred percent original, do not contain fluffy plots or virgin brides, and wring every last emotion from readers to leave them with a satisfied smile. Rie’s tough alpha males are never brought to heel, but are instead healed by the feisty femme fatale of their perfect match.
She grew up in Maine, went to college in Iowa (Iowa, what?), lived in Scotland, and married in Englishman. In true roundabout fashion, they came back to the States, settled in South Carolina’s lowcountry, putting down southern roots and pursuing their arty endeavors. Tale spinner and character diviner, Rie is a lover of sleep, wine, and rude memes often involving either Disney characters or Winnie the Pooh. She is raising two teen daughters along with an entire brain full of unruly characters.
Rough-talking alpha men? Rie has that on tap.
Stubborn sassy heroines? You bet.
Smoldering sex scenes that’ll set your Kindle on fire? Check, check, check.
Keep a fan handy, you’ll need it.
Follow the signup link below to her romance newsletter for sneak peeks, new releases, first looks, and her quirky sense of humor.
https://www.subscribepage.com/riewarr...
And, as always, happy sexy reading to you!
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 88 reviews
February 28, 2017
3.5 stars
First half was a struggle for me. But by then I couldn't not finish it. A problem I have. It's that awful book OCD some of us struggle with. But I'm glad I stuck it out because the second half was better. I didn't love the book but I did like it in the end.
The characters are in more of a lust relationship than they are in a loving one. I just didn't feel it dolls. But they had some hot sexy times. ;]
I was really interested in Liam's family dynamic and I wish we would have gotten more of that.
Liam wants to stay in the closet for his career. Plus he's afraid of how it will affect his family. Which really wasn't needed considering his secret wasn't much of a secret since his family seemed to already know.
Career wise he was still convinced that he wouldn't be able to be out and fight in the ring. Michael disagrees and thinks Liam could be a good role model for the young LGBT community. They obviously disagree on this and it strains their relationship since Michael is out and proud. He doesn't want to be back in the closet, not even for Liam. So this is where lies most of their problems.
I loved his coach. I hated his manager.
This was my first time reading a book by this author. I would pick up another one of her books if it caught my interest as this one did. Like I said, I didn't love it but I did like it.
First half was a struggle for me. But by then I couldn't not finish it. A problem I have. It's that awful book OCD some of us struggle with. But I'm glad I stuck it out because the second half was better. I didn't love the book but I did like it in the end.
The characters are in more of a lust relationship than they are in a loving one. I just didn't feel it dolls. But they had some hot sexy times. ;]
I was really interested in Liam's family dynamic and I wish we would have gotten more of that.
Liam wants to stay in the closet for his career. Plus he's afraid of how it will affect his family. Which really wasn't needed considering his secret wasn't much of a secret since his family seemed to already know.
Career wise he was still convinced that he wouldn't be able to be out and fight in the ring. Michael disagrees and thinks Liam could be a good role model for the young LGBT community. They obviously disagree on this and it strains their relationship since Michael is out and proud. He doesn't want to be back in the closet, not even for Liam. So this is where lies most of their problems.
I loved his coach. I hated his manager.
This was my first time reading a book by this author. I would pick up another one of her books if it caught my interest as this one did. Like I said, I didn't love it but I did like it.
March 7, 2018
2.5 STARS rounded up 3
I'm afraid this wasn't a hit for me. There were two major things that had me disliking this book. There was cheating, and the "you have to come out" ultimatum. The cheating wasn't a deal breaker, but forcing someone to come out is never ok. It's different if you enter the relationship not knowing, but when you go into it knowing...that's on you. It's not like years went by. Overall it wasn't for me
I'm afraid this wasn't a hit for me. There were two major things that had me disliking this book. There was cheating, and the "you have to come out" ultimatum. The cheating wasn't a deal breaker, but forcing someone to come out is never ok. It's different if you enter the relationship not knowing, but when you go into it knowing...that's on you. It's not like years went by. Overall it wasn't for me
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 3, 2017
A hot and steamy story about a boxer, Liam and his trainer Michael - two gorgeous man hunks with muscles atop muscles and a slow-burning lust for one another. Holy sexual tension!
In the Ring brings it with numerous smokin' sex scenes. But it also gives us a story about a man trapped by his upbringing, trying to achieve success yet believing he cannot come out. Liam fought his way out of a tough childhood and hid his yen for men until Michael comes on board as his trainer and Liam finds himself struggling with his desire to win the championship and his desire to finally live an authentic life. 4.5 stars!
In the Ring brings it with numerous smokin' sex scenes. But it also gives us a story about a man trapped by his upbringing, trying to achieve success yet believing he cannot come out. Liam fought his way out of a tough childhood and hid his yen for men until Michael comes on board as his trainer and Liam finds himself struggling with his desire to win the championship and his desire to finally live an authentic life. 4.5 stars!
March 12, 2018
3.4 Stars
The whole story just felt like an angry read (with quite a bit of weirdly casual racism & misogyny - which I guess is par for the course in boxing) and given how similar the plot was to other books...well, I've read more emotional versions with more compelling character growth. The sex in this was top-notch, even if half the time I couldn't figure out how they kept getting from one position to the next. *shrug*
I thought Michael's ultimatum was badly timed - even though it worked out for the story, I guess - and, even though he had a point, he lost my respect. He knew the deal going in and a hand-ful of weeks had barely passed when he flipped out. Would Liam have trained and fought as hard with Michael by his side? I don't see why not given he'd spent years doing that already, so maybe it worked a little for the coming out portion. Still. Meh. I was kinda hoping for maybe some tension/stress/drama of training...throw in Wade's petty bullshit...then a kick-ass Title Fight and a kiss in the ring with an "I'm getting married!" (instead of the ubiquitous "going to Disneyland") rather than the manufactured "drama" of being separated.
I did get a laugh at Liam's nerdy addiction to fantasy novels, and sending Peter Dinklage tickets to the Title Fight. Because, hell yeah, that guy is awesome!
The whole story just felt like an angry read (with quite a bit of weirdly casual racism & misogyny - which I guess is par for the course in boxing) and given how similar the plot was to other books...well, I've read more emotional versions with more compelling character growth. The sex in this was top-notch, even if half the time I couldn't figure out how they kept getting from one position to the next. *shrug*
I thought Michael's ultimatum was badly timed - even though it worked out for the story, I guess - and, even though he had a point, he lost my respect. He knew the deal going in and a hand-ful of weeks had barely passed when he flipped out. Would Liam have trained and fought as hard with Michael by his side? I don't see why not given he'd spent years doing that already, so maybe it worked a little for the coming out portion. Still. Meh. I was kinda hoping for maybe some tension/stress/drama of training...throw in Wade's petty bullshit...then a kick-ass Title Fight and a kiss in the ring with an "I'm getting married!" (instead of the ubiquitous "going to Disneyland") rather than the manufactured "drama" of being separated.
I did get a laugh at Liam's nerdy addiction to fantasy novels, and sending Peter Dinklage tickets to the Title Fight. Because, hell yeah, that guy is awesome!
December 3, 2016
I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I decided to read this story because I wanted to see these two strong and tough men find love with each other. It was beautiful to watch (though at times I wanted to smack both of them because it's obvious to everyone around them there are sparks flying between them) and I found the torture each endured as they danced around each other entertaining.
Liam Shaughnessy is a street fighter who has made his way up to professional boxer and we meet him just as he getting his shot at the big time. He's going for the Heavy Weight Champ. Michael Fairweather is Liam's trainer and friend. Michael is also gay and out, with a boyfriend. The two men train together, work together for two years and it's clear that Liam's willpower has been taking hits along with Liam in the ring.
Not only is Michael Liam's trainer, he also gives him massages after fights and whenever he needs them. These massages are torture for Liam because he is seriously attracted to Michael, but of course, Liam is not out. In fact, his manager, Devlin, has made it his job to make Liam appear to be a womanizer, practically having orgies every night. Devlin, who has known Liam for years from the old neighborhood, knows Liam is gay and has told him many times that he cannot come out. It would ruin his career, blah, blah, blah. Liam listens to him, partially because he thinks it's true. However, now that Michael is proving to be a hard man to resist, Liam's resistance to coming out has waned.
Liam and Michael have several sexual innuendo filled talks, and you are given the impression they are doing it on purpose, fully knowing the other man is interested, and yet they seemed shocked and surprised when they have a hot and sexy encounter in the gym shower. Sadly, this isn't the HEA moment Liam was hoping for.
The rest of the book follows Liam on his training journey to become the Champ, his to and fro relationship with Michael, and Liam's worries about his family (mom, and younger siblings - the dad is a drunk). There are some really heavy moments in the story, but there are some light hearted cuddles mixed in. These men put up one hell of a fight to find their forever love, and I am happy to say, they do get it in the end.
I did have some problems with the story. Michael does not know Liam is gay for the first two years of their working relationship. When he learns the truth, and they begin their dance of a personal relationship, Liam makes it clear he cannot come out - yet. Liam wants more than anything to be in a solid relationship, to be able to claim Michael as is own ("husband" was said), and at first (for a few minutes) Michael frowned at their relationship being a secret. However, Liam explained that he just wasn't ready to come out. He wanted to get the Championship fight done and over before he came out. The fight is a few months away. Michael says he understands and is ready to keep their relationship private - for now.
But then, THEN, Michael is invaded by Pod People because he does an about face and is upset with Liam for keeping them in hiding. I have a real problem with this; it's really a pet peeve of mine. I understand the need for drama, what I don't understand is how the about face can be so abrupt. It's not as if a year has past. At most it's been a few weeks, and Michael KNEW when the Championship fight would be - how many months away that was. If he didn't want to be in the closet with Liam, he never should have said ok. Liam didn't lie to Michael, he flat out TOLD him he wasn't ready until after the fight.
Also, Michael should realize that Liam needs to focus on his training if he is going to win. Why in the world would Michael want Liam's focus to be pulled away from training? If Liam were to come out, all hell would break lose. I thought Michael was a total jerk to do that to Liam. Yes, everything works out in the end, but I can never forgive a character who goes back on their word. It wasn't fair to Liam.
Whew, that turned kinda ranty, didn't it? Done now. :D
This was a sold 4 stars for me. FYI, the boxing and training do play a big part of the story. I will admit to skimming some of the boxing scenes as that's not my thing.
I decided to read this story because I wanted to see these two strong and tough men find love with each other. It was beautiful to watch (though at times I wanted to smack both of them because it's obvious to everyone around them there are sparks flying between them) and I found the torture each endured as they danced around each other entertaining.
Liam Shaughnessy is a street fighter who has made his way up to professional boxer and we meet him just as he getting his shot at the big time. He's going for the Heavy Weight Champ. Michael Fairweather is Liam's trainer and friend. Michael is also gay and out, with a boyfriend. The two men train together, work together for two years and it's clear that Liam's willpower has been taking hits along with Liam in the ring.
Not only is Michael Liam's trainer, he also gives him massages after fights and whenever he needs them. These massages are torture for Liam because he is seriously attracted to Michael, but of course, Liam is not out. In fact, his manager, Devlin, has made it his job to make Liam appear to be a womanizer, practically having orgies every night. Devlin, who has known Liam for years from the old neighborhood, knows Liam is gay and has told him many times that he cannot come out. It would ruin his career, blah, blah, blah. Liam listens to him, partially because he thinks it's true. However, now that Michael is proving to be a hard man to resist, Liam's resistance to coming out has waned.
Liam and Michael have several sexual innuendo filled talks, and you are given the impression they are doing it on purpose, fully knowing the other man is interested, and yet they seemed shocked and surprised when they have a hot and sexy encounter in the gym shower. Sadly, this isn't the HEA moment Liam was hoping for.
The rest of the book follows Liam on his training journey to become the Champ, his to and fro relationship with Michael, and Liam's worries about his family (mom, and younger siblings - the dad is a drunk). There are some really heavy moments in the story, but there are some light hearted cuddles mixed in. These men put up one hell of a fight to find their forever love, and I am happy to say, they do get it in the end.
I did have some problems with the story. Michael does not know Liam is gay for the first two years of their working relationship. When he learns the truth, and they begin their dance of a personal relationship, Liam makes it clear he cannot come out - yet. Liam wants more than anything to be in a solid relationship, to be able to claim Michael as is own ("husband" was said), and at first (for a few minutes) Michael frowned at their relationship being a secret. However, Liam explained that he just wasn't ready to come out. He wanted to get the Championship fight done and over before he came out. The fight is a few months away. Michael says he understands and is ready to keep their relationship private - for now.
But then, THEN, Michael is invaded by Pod People because he does an about face and is upset with Liam for keeping them in hiding. I have a real problem with this; it's really a pet peeve of mine. I understand the need for drama, what I don't understand is how the about face can be so abrupt. It's not as if a year has past. At most it's been a few weeks, and Michael KNEW when the Championship fight would be - how many months away that was. If he didn't want to be in the closet with Liam, he never should have said ok. Liam didn't lie to Michael, he flat out TOLD him he wasn't ready until after the fight.
Also, Michael should realize that Liam needs to focus on his training if he is going to win. Why in the world would Michael want Liam's focus to be pulled away from training? If Liam were to come out, all hell would break lose. I thought Michael was a total jerk to do that to Liam. Yes, everything works out in the end, but I can never forgive a character who goes back on their word. It wasn't fair to Liam.
Whew, that turned kinda ranty, didn't it? Done now. :D
This was a sold 4 stars for me. FYI, the boxing and training do play a big part of the story. I will admit to skimming some of the boxing scenes as that's not my thing.
February 10, 2017
Oh, Rie Warren, once again you have GRABBED hold of my heart and didn’t once let up on your grip until I read the last word of In the Ring. Raw. Gritty. Powerful. Sexy. These are just a few words to describe this book. I was sucked into the world of Liam and Michael very quickly.
Liam Shaughnessy’s fast paced, hard hitting lifestyle is mimicked in his personal life—except he’s hiding from the world who he really is. His career inside the ring has overshadowed his own wants, desires and needs. Especially where it comes to Michael.
Michael Fairweather is Liam’s longtime trainer. He’s also the man Liam has secretly coveted since the first day they met. Michael’s out and proud and has a long-term lover, Wade. Liam’s living a lie.
Can two men who’ve been hiding their feelings fight for each other when it really matters?
You’re the bravest man I’ve ever known…
Liam’s fear and anguish reverberated in my heart and soul, and I kept wanting to dive into his world to just give him a hug and encourage him to live his life freely. Just tell him “everything is going to be okay.” I loved his gruff personality and wit. His nicknames for Wade were the BEST. (My personal favorite—Wade the Wank Face.) I loved how fiercely he loved too—be it his mother and siblings or his friends and Michael, even in hiding.
And Michael. Dear God. I’d like to sign up for his daily rubdowns. Just sayin’.
I’m fully behind a Sean book. And I’m championing for one for Anya too. She’s quite the character on her own and I think she’d be a KICK ASS heroine for Ms. Warren to share her story. ~ Missy, 5 stars
Liam Shaughnessy’s fast paced, hard hitting lifestyle is mimicked in his personal life—except he’s hiding from the world who he really is. His career inside the ring has overshadowed his own wants, desires and needs. Especially where it comes to Michael.
Michael Fairweather is Liam’s longtime trainer. He’s also the man Liam has secretly coveted since the first day they met. Michael’s out and proud and has a long-term lover, Wade. Liam’s living a lie.
Can two men who’ve been hiding their feelings fight for each other when it really matters?
You’re the bravest man I’ve ever known…
Liam’s fear and anguish reverberated in my heart and soul, and I kept wanting to dive into his world to just give him a hug and encourage him to live his life freely. Just tell him “everything is going to be okay.” I loved his gruff personality and wit. His nicknames for Wade were the BEST. (My personal favorite—Wade the Wank Face.) I loved how fiercely he loved too—be it his mother and siblings or his friends and Michael, even in hiding.
And Michael. Dear God. I’d like to sign up for his daily rubdowns. Just sayin’.
I’m fully behind a Sean book. And I’m championing for one for Anya too. She’s quite the character on her own and I think she’d be a KICK ASS heroine for Ms. Warren to share her story. ~ Missy, 5 stars
November 28, 2016
3.5 stars
Rie Warren is known for her unfiltered, dirty-talking, no-nonsense male point of view books with humor and heat. This story is told by fighter Liam Shaunessy. He is brash, bold, built, and intense. He is also gay, but in the closet. He fought his way from the streets to the big time, but is still afraid coming out would interfere with his career. And his manager is determined to cultivate an image as a ladies' man to keep his secret from getting out. Liam is sexy, horny, but also just really longs to be free, out, loved, and to settle down with a real partner.
He's got it bad for his trainer Michael Fairweather. Michael is equally as built, tough, charismatic, and is also gay. But he is out, proud, and his a boyfriend. The fact that Michael already has a boyfriend could be trigger for some people. Michael puts Liam through torture during his work outs, but not just because of the physical activity...just his physical presence is exciting to Liam.
These men have raw sexual tension and spend a lot of time together in stimulating situations. They try to keep their thoughts and feelings hidden. Michael does not even know Liam is gay. Liam has no clue if Michael is attracted to him. There is friction, push and pull, jealousy, and misunderstandings until finally they come clean about what really is going on with them.
But there are plenty of challenges to face. Liam's social media and fan issue can't be solved easily. Michael does not want to be a hidden secret and still has issues of his own to deal with. There is external pressure from various sources and internal pressures placed on themselves. And through all the emotional chaos, Liam is supposed to be focusing on the heavyweight title fight that he has been working towards.
This was told exclusively in Liam's point of view. Michael was a bit of an enigma especially earlier on. I liked Liam even though it was frustrating to see him feeling so stuck and so very sexually frustrated in the beginning. I liked Michael for the most part. I enjoyed their manly brawling and fun rapport. They did have hot chemistry and were a good match. But Michael could be somewhat self focused, whiny, and was good at running. I felt like he could have let Liam have a bit more time to handle some situations. Maybe if we had his point of view, I would have been able to relate better to some of his choices.
I started out enjoying the story in the beginning and it was a slow burn with hidden feelings. But then it seemed to shift to a lot of sexy times and the drama began to get a bit boring and repetitive. Some of the plot issues seemed to take a bit long to resolve, while others seemed to resolve a bit too easily. There were some things that could have had more depth.
This is a story about friendship, love, acceptance, and living life. It is centered around the boxing world and importance of public image. It is humorous, steamy, intense, and romantic at times. Rie's writing style is straightforward and unique and the characters are truly outspoken. She created two guys who appeared to care about long term love and romance just as much as they did about sex(even if Michael's history did not illustrate that).
There were a couple of antagonists I really wanted to throttle as they perpetuated drama. But some of the other side characters were fun or intriguing. I am not sure who she will make the next main character in this series.
I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Rie Warren is known for her unfiltered, dirty-talking, no-nonsense male point of view books with humor and heat. This story is told by fighter Liam Shaunessy. He is brash, bold, built, and intense. He is also gay, but in the closet. He fought his way from the streets to the big time, but is still afraid coming out would interfere with his career. And his manager is determined to cultivate an image as a ladies' man to keep his secret from getting out. Liam is sexy, horny, but also just really longs to be free, out, loved, and to settle down with a real partner.
He's got it bad for his trainer Michael Fairweather. Michael is equally as built, tough, charismatic, and is also gay. But he is out, proud, and his a boyfriend. The fact that Michael already has a boyfriend could be trigger for some people. Michael puts Liam through torture during his work outs, but not just because of the physical activity...just his physical presence is exciting to Liam.
These men have raw sexual tension and spend a lot of time together in stimulating situations. They try to keep their thoughts and feelings hidden. Michael does not even know Liam is gay. Liam has no clue if Michael is attracted to him. There is friction, push and pull, jealousy, and misunderstandings until finally they come clean about what really is going on with them.
But there are plenty of challenges to face. Liam's social media and fan issue can't be solved easily. Michael does not want to be a hidden secret and still has issues of his own to deal with. There is external pressure from various sources and internal pressures placed on themselves. And through all the emotional chaos, Liam is supposed to be focusing on the heavyweight title fight that he has been working towards.
This was told exclusively in Liam's point of view. Michael was a bit of an enigma especially earlier on. I liked Liam even though it was frustrating to see him feeling so stuck and so very sexually frustrated in the beginning. I liked Michael for the most part. I enjoyed their manly brawling and fun rapport. They did have hot chemistry and were a good match. But Michael could be somewhat self focused, whiny, and was good at running. I felt like he could have let Liam have a bit more time to handle some situations. Maybe if we had his point of view, I would have been able to relate better to some of his choices.
I started out enjoying the story in the beginning and it was a slow burn with hidden feelings. But then it seemed to shift to a lot of sexy times and the drama began to get a bit boring and repetitive. Some of the plot issues seemed to take a bit long to resolve, while others seemed to resolve a bit too easily. There were some things that could have had more depth.
This is a story about friendship, love, acceptance, and living life. It is centered around the boxing world and importance of public image. It is humorous, steamy, intense, and romantic at times. Rie's writing style is straightforward and unique and the characters are truly outspoken. She created two guys who appeared to care about long term love and romance just as much as they did about sex(even if Michael's history did not illustrate that).
There were a couple of antagonists I really wanted to throttle as they perpetuated drama. But some of the other side characters were fun or intriguing. I am not sure who she will make the next main character in this series.
I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review.
December 12, 2016
Likes:
Without the other relationship aspect, it’s really a sweet story. But there was so much that bothered me that I had a hard time making it to the halfway point, which is where my first two struggles were finally resolved. After that point, I was interested in how they would handle the relationship and the stressors of Liam’s public spotlight.
Struggles:
Liam’s constant thoughts of sex whenever Michael was in his presence, and often when he wasn’t.
Michael’s relationship with Wade. A long term committed relationship he has continued even as he has held hidden feelings for Liam? Doesn’t scream commitment or healthy that Michael drops Wade as soon as Liam looks his direction.
The characters felt like caricatures of themselves. Overly stereotyped and flat.
I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review.
The secret that wasn’t really a surprise to anyone except the one holding it.
Without the other relationship aspect, it’s really a sweet story. But there was so much that bothered me that I had a hard time making it to the halfway point, which is where my first two struggles were finally resolved. After that point, I was interested in how they would handle the relationship and the stressors of Liam’s public spotlight.
Struggles:
Liam’s constant thoughts of sex whenever Michael was in his presence, and often when he wasn’t.
Michael’s relationship with Wade. A long term committed relationship he has continued even as he has held hidden feelings for Liam? Doesn’t scream commitment or healthy that Michael drops Wade as soon as Liam looks his direction.
The characters felt like caricatures of themselves. Overly stereotyped and flat.
I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review.
The secret that wasn’t really a surprise to anyone except the one holding it.
January 27, 2022
I skimmed some parts but that's only because I'm in a reading slump, but overall it was good!
dnf
November 28, 2016DNF at 46% -- Blurb needs a trigger warning that this is "homewrecker romance." Sorry, there's no way I can have any respect/trust for a main character who breaks up with his partner of four years because he finds out his long-time attraction and feelings for the other main character are reciprocated. All I can imagine is that four years after the end of this book, he'll do it again with some other guy.
#NotARomance
I received a complimentary copy of this book, and I believe in the "fair and honest review" principle. So I still thank the author for allowing me to read it, but if I had known this in advance, I would have declined.
#NotARomance
I received a complimentary copy of this book, and I believe in the "fair and honest review" principle. So I still thank the author for allowing me to read it, but if I had known this in advance, I would have declined.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 7, 2017
Gorgeous cover, promising steamy blurb, sexy MMA fighter, oh my! Sign me up! I am a sucker for these stories, and I always love when they stray from the typically expected storyline. Here, Liam is a guy from a crappy childhood who learned to fight on the streets and was able to make a living out of it. Unfortunately, that means hiding his sexuality.
Liam’s father was/is a drunk, his mother works two jobs and Liam was left to look after his 3 siblings. He left as soon as he could but still did his best to provide for his mom, brothers and sisters. When we meet him, he is as yet undefeated and working his way up to be eligible for a shot at a belt. He has a team of people who take care of him, from the sleezy manager to the sexy trainer, Michael, whom Liam is secretly crushing.
There were some typical themes here, but that is to be expected. Liam’s basically been told all along that he can’t be a gay fighter. From his loser homophobic alcoholic father, to his manager who goes out of his way to keep up appearances that Liam is straight and getting lots of female attention. Thankfully, Liam’s main beard is Anya, who understands and supports Liam. She also happens to be a closeted lesbian, which makes things easier for both of them as they make their appearances and put on a good show.
On the Michael front – he has a long-time boyfriend, his high-school sweetheart, but he is finding it increasingly impossible to fight his feelings for Liam, who he believes is straight. Michael’s position as Liam’s trainer puts them in frequent close contact, from the training sessions, to the aftercare massages, etc. He is also quite frustrated by all the female attention Liam is seemingly getting, and even after he knows the deal, this aspect causes a lot of frustration and problems on their relationship.
This is a slow burn story. It takes a long time for Michael and Liam to get together, though I really enjoyed the story up to that point. Once they are together, they don’t just jump in and have hot sweaty pent up but finally getting some muscly man sex. No siree, because Liam wants it to be more than sex, wants them to take their time, etc. Not quite what I expected, but quite a nice change if I do say so. There was quite a bit of miscommunication (of course) and the I’m not closeted and won’t go back v. the I’m closeted because I have to be but maybe some day trope definitely causes them problems. But, my heart truly broke for Liam. He was so conflicted with trying to do the right thing for his family, listening to his supposed advisors, and he when he finally takes control of it all, it is a beautiful thing.
I really enjoyed this well-written story. It had just enough fighting to not overload, and it had me turning pages at a steady pace. I believe Ms. Warren generally writes m/f stories, but I would not have known it from reading this one, which was wonderfully edgy and slightly gritty yet still had a tinge of romance and sweetness. I’m excited this is the first book of a series and interested in seeing where the story will go next. I hope it is another m/m, and whether it is a continuation (would love to see more Michael/Liam!) or new characters, I am definitely looking forward to it.
Review written for Love Bytes Reviews.
January 17, 2018
Gritty, edgy, and erotic. Sexy times were plentiful and passionate, but the love story felt slightly uneven. Recommended because I was wholly invested in Liam, Michael, and their fight for their HEA.
I wasn’t familiar with Rie Warren’s work, and I have to say it is a delight to end up enjoying a book that you don’t necessarily anticipate enjoying. I enjoyed the stuffing out of this story about Liam, a closeted boxer contending for the world heavyweight title, and Michael, his NOT closeted trainer. The writing is absorbing and compelling, which is why I ultimately couldn’t put it down despite some unsteadiness. I found that I would like one thing about the book, but it would bug me at the same time. Some examples:
-There is no dual POV. It was good in that I felt extremely connected to Liam. Although he was not perfect, he had an intense amount of pressure placed upon him and I couldn’t help but sympathize. His care and concern for his mother and his siblings, plus their unwavering acceptance of him, made for some especially touching moments. However, Michael’s POV would have really helped on certain issues (more on that later).
-The sex scenes were SCORCHING. This is slow burn then full steam ahead. The initial build-up, all of the teasing and temptation, is delicious, but the tension doesn’t putter out when they finally get together. The second half has A LOT of sex. While I suppose it was to make up for the lack in the first half, it was a tad overwhelming at times.
-Michael’s relationship lasted too long for my liking. I get that it facilitated the sexual and romantic tension because either he or Liam would have made a move way earlier, but I’m not a fan of infidelity storylines. Still, it didn't bother me as much as it ordinarily would have and it allowed them to get all growly jealous over each other.
-Michael, Michael, Michael. Like I said, I wish that we had gotten his perspective because as much as I loved and lusted over him, he also irritated me. My biggest gripe?
-I wondered how Liam
I also read m/f so I may give one of Warren's other titles a shot...but I really want more m/m! I suppose that Gideon had appeal, but I’m not a fan of other potential love interests and I just wanted him to stay away from Liam, lol. I don't know whether we will revisit Liam and Michael, but I would be thrilled if we did!
I wasn’t familiar with Rie Warren’s work, and I have to say it is a delight to end up enjoying a book that you don’t necessarily anticipate enjoying. I enjoyed the stuffing out of this story about Liam, a closeted boxer contending for the world heavyweight title, and Michael, his NOT closeted trainer. The writing is absorbing and compelling, which is why I ultimately couldn’t put it down despite some unsteadiness. I found that I would like one thing about the book, but it would bug me at the same time. Some examples:
-There is no dual POV. It was good in that I felt extremely connected to Liam. Although he was not perfect, he had an intense amount of pressure placed upon him and I couldn’t help but sympathize. His care and concern for his mother and his siblings, plus their unwavering acceptance of him, made for some especially touching moments. However, Michael’s POV would have really helped on certain issues (more on that later).
-The sex scenes were SCORCHING. This is slow burn then full steam ahead. The initial build-up, all of the teasing and temptation, is delicious, but the tension doesn’t putter out when they finally get together. The second half has A LOT of sex. While I suppose it was to make up for the lack in the first half, it was a tad overwhelming at times.
-Michael’s relationship lasted too long for my liking. I get that it facilitated the sexual and romantic tension because either he or Liam would have made a move way earlier, but I’m not a fan of infidelity storylines. Still, it didn't bother me as much as it ordinarily would have and it allowed them to get all growly jealous over each other.
-Michael, Michael, Michael. Like I said, I wish that we had gotten his perspective because as much as I loved and lusted over him, he also irritated me. My biggest gripe?
-I wondered how Liam
I also read m/f so I may give one of Warren's other titles a shot...but I really want more m/m! I suppose that Gideon had appeal, but I’m not a fan of other potential love interests and I just wanted him to stay away from Liam, lol. I don't know whether we will revisit Liam and Michael, but I would be thrilled if we did!
December 5, 2016
I have been a fan of Rie Warren's for a while now so I am always up for reading pretty much anything she writes. Poor Liam is hiding a secret that his very Catholic upbringing and tradiitonal fmaily would so not approve of. Add in the fact that he is in a sport where being gay isn't seen as normal or even an okay thing to be and you can easily see why Liam keeps things under wraps. The problem is he is love with Micheal who is very out and very taken. Micheal really made me angry at times with his hot and cold attitude. It was like he suspected tht Liam was gay and taunted him at times but just when Liam is almost certain of Micheal's feelings he pulls back leaving Liam more confused than ever. I wanted to punch Micheal several times!
I really enjoyed Anya, Liam's for the public girlfriend who is really just a friend, though. She was great and I have tons of respect for anyone who would help their friend that way. Dev was another character I hated with a capital H! He was only in it for the money and even though he knew that Liam was gay he didn't offer any sort of support.
This was an amazing read and honestly left me wondering if there were men in the sport of boxing or any other "male" sport that felt this way. That thought they had to act or be a certain way becasue to be themselves would cost them everything they worked so hard for. I would love to think that we, as a poeple, have evolved beyond all of that but that is sadly, just wishful thinking. I can't wait for the next book to come and find out where Rie Warren will take us next.
I really enjoyed Anya, Liam's for the public girlfriend who is really just a friend, though. She was great and I have tons of respect for anyone who would help their friend that way. Dev was another character I hated with a capital H! He was only in it for the money and even though he knew that Liam was gay he didn't offer any sort of support.
This was an amazing read and honestly left me wondering if there were men in the sport of boxing or any other "male" sport that felt this way. That thought they had to act or be a certain way becasue to be themselves would cost them everything they worked so hard for. I would love to think that we, as a poeple, have evolved beyond all of that but that is sadly, just wishful thinking. I can't wait for the next book to come and find out where Rie Warren will take us next.
This review is the copyrighted property of Blushing Reads. To read the full review, click this link: http://blushingreads.com/in-the-ring-....
A copy of the book was provided in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are 100% my own.
December 10, 2016
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.5 stars
This book opens with an edgy, hard hitting first person narrative that put me right in the groove. We quickly swirl through Liam’s early years and his introduction to cage matches. All he knows is training and fighting at this point. His training sessions have become torture as he longs for Michael’s touch. He knows who he is and he knows the vast divide between him and Michael.
The story here is that while Liam is intensely devoted to his career and hitting the big time, he’s also intensely lonely. He’s not only seeking physical gratification, which hell yes he wants that, preferably with Michael, but he also wants someone to kiss him and hold him and love him. We also are shown that Liam is a good guy as he’s devoted to his siblings and tries to make their lives just a bit better as well.
The book is solely from Liam’s point of view so the story is then consumed by his imposing presence. We are put directly into his thoughts and Warren lays out all of his emotions from his overwhelming feelings for Michael, to his fear of coming out, to his intense training sessions, and she does an exemplary job of having us walk in Liam’s shoes. The chemistry and tension between Liam and Michael is off the charts and even when they get together and challenge themselves to take things slow, these guys are intense and so very dirty while being erotic with a hint of sweet.
Read Michelle's review in its entirety here.
4.5 stars
This book opens with an edgy, hard hitting first person narrative that put me right in the groove. We quickly swirl through Liam’s early years and his introduction to cage matches. All he knows is training and fighting at this point. His training sessions have become torture as he longs for Michael’s touch. He knows who he is and he knows the vast divide between him and Michael.
The story here is that while Liam is intensely devoted to his career and hitting the big time, he’s also intensely lonely. He’s not only seeking physical gratification, which hell yes he wants that, preferably with Michael, but he also wants someone to kiss him and hold him and love him. We also are shown that Liam is a good guy as he’s devoted to his siblings and tries to make their lives just a bit better as well.
The book is solely from Liam’s point of view so the story is then consumed by his imposing presence. We are put directly into his thoughts and Warren lays out all of his emotions from his overwhelming feelings for Michael, to his fear of coming out, to his intense training sessions, and she does an exemplary job of having us walk in Liam’s shoes. The chemistry and tension between Liam and Michael is off the charts and even when they get together and challenge themselves to take things slow, these guys are intense and so very dirty while being erotic with a hint of sweet.
Read Michelle's review in its entirety here.
November 22, 2016
“I win fights for you, I want you to be proud of me. I want you to want me.”
Oh, I want Liam Shaughnessy, alright.
And Michael Fairweather.
For myself, but mostly—I want them together. Because together they are fuck hot, heart-wrenching and… ahh, just kind of fabulous.
In the Ring is not the first Rie Warren book I’ve read (the Carolina Bad Boys, y’all, get on that) but it IS the first M/M romance of hers I’ve read and whoa, it doesn’t disappoint. A soulful, raw look at the relationship between a closeted boxer and his out-and-proud trainer, it hurt to read at times, because, damn it all, I just wanted Mikey and Liam to admit what was happening—to themselves, to each other, to the world.
It was ups and downs and in-betweens, and although it felt a little slow to kick off, it was packed with feels and edge-of-your-seat tension. Both sexual and otherwise. That sexual tension though? *shakes head* It’s an explosion waiting to happen, with these two men sharing looks, blows, blows (*wink wink* if you know what I mean), and so much more.
And, in the end, it’s the more that got to my heart. In the Ring wasn’t always perfect, and there are some things I would have loved to see expanded upon or followed up on, but what it was, was intense. Smart. Gritty. Dirty.
Kind of fabulous.
We moved like one body, one need, one love.
~ 4.5 STARS ~
Oh, I want Liam Shaughnessy, alright.
And Michael Fairweather.
For myself, but mostly—I want them together. Because together they are fuck hot, heart-wrenching and… ahh, just kind of fabulous.
In the Ring is not the first Rie Warren book I’ve read (the Carolina Bad Boys, y’all, get on that) but it IS the first M/M romance of hers I’ve read and whoa, it doesn’t disappoint. A soulful, raw look at the relationship between a closeted boxer and his out-and-proud trainer, it hurt to read at times, because, damn it all, I just wanted Mikey and Liam to admit what was happening—to themselves, to each other, to the world.
It was ups and downs and in-betweens, and although it felt a little slow to kick off, it was packed with feels and edge-of-your-seat tension. Both sexual and otherwise. That sexual tension though? *shakes head* It’s an explosion waiting to happen, with these two men sharing looks, blows, blows (*wink wink* if you know what I mean), and so much more.
And, in the end, it’s the more that got to my heart. In the Ring wasn’t always perfect, and there are some things I would have loved to see expanded upon or followed up on, but what it was, was intense. Smart. Gritty. Dirty.
Kind of fabulous.
We moved like one body, one need, one love.
~ 4.5 STARS ~
December 8, 2016
I was given a copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.
This is my first m/m story by Rie Warren and I loved every word of it. Liam’s voice stayed with me long after I finished his story. The champion boxer represents far too many poor kids with talent for sport. His education is negligible. His words are few. He is his family’s only hope for a better future but to support his mother and siblings he must leave them for long stretches. And when he works and he wins he finds himself managed and controlled by people who are more interested in how he can make them money than they are in caring for him or developing his career.
And then there is Liam’s Mikey, his trainer. The chemistry between these two is explosive. The beautiful scenes of Mikey and Liam training together early in the book might be the most innocent yet completely sensual scenes I’ve read in m/m. This is an incredibly sexy pairing but the harm they do to each other as Liam follows his handlers’ advice and hides his sexuality is brutal.
Aside from the romance, this is also a boxing story. Rie Warren never sacrifices action fro romance and this is no exception. Liam overcomes so many obstacles in his quest to be champion and readers are pulled into the minutiae of his training regimes and the excitement of his matches. I am definitely not a boxing fan but I love an underdog and I thoroughly appreciated Liam’s discipline and tenacity.
This is my first m/m story by Rie Warren and I loved every word of it. Liam’s voice stayed with me long after I finished his story. The champion boxer represents far too many poor kids with talent for sport. His education is negligible. His words are few. He is his family’s only hope for a better future but to support his mother and siblings he must leave them for long stretches. And when he works and he wins he finds himself managed and controlled by people who are more interested in how he can make them money than they are in caring for him or developing his career.
And then there is Liam’s Mikey, his trainer. The chemistry between these two is explosive. The beautiful scenes of Mikey and Liam training together early in the book might be the most innocent yet completely sensual scenes I’ve read in m/m. This is an incredibly sexy pairing but the harm they do to each other as Liam follows his handlers’ advice and hides his sexuality is brutal.
Aside from the romance, this is also a boxing story. Rie Warren never sacrifices action fro romance and this is no exception. Liam overcomes so many obstacles in his quest to be champion and readers are pulled into the minutiae of his training regimes and the excitement of his matches. I am definitely not a boxing fan but I love an underdog and I thoroughly appreciated Liam’s discipline and tenacity.
December 16, 2016
So, I liked this one. It was really enjoyable and engaging and the sex was of course, extremely hot to read.
The only reason I'm giving this four stars is because while I liked it, I didn't love it. It's the kind of enjoyable read that's fun, but not particularly amazing, it's just a nice book. Honestly, I felt the lust between Liam and Michael a lot more than their love, although it was there, it felt like there wasn't much of a balance between the lust AND the romance. So much of before they got together was them obviously being turned on by each other, which of course isn't bad, I loved reading every second of it, but...I didn't get enough of the romance aspect between them to truly love this book. It almost felt like porn with some plot, but not enough at times.
I did feel like the angst and drama that came was believable, I liked that, that it wasn't a ridiculous reason for drama to happen. I enjoyed the characters, although I feel like this would have been even more engaging if we had gotten Michael's POV as well. Sometimes, i feel like some books need a dual POV with the two MC's, otherwise I'm left wanting, a lot, because I wanted to know what Michael was feeling and thinking so badly.
So, overall, an enjoyable, fun read, but nothing that made it stand out or make me love it. So if you're looking for something enjoyable to read, something light and fun and somewhat low on angst, I'd read it, and it's was 99 cents, which was nice :)
The only reason I'm giving this four stars is because while I liked it, I didn't love it. It's the kind of enjoyable read that's fun, but not particularly amazing, it's just a nice book. Honestly, I felt the lust between Liam and Michael a lot more than their love, although it was there, it felt like there wasn't much of a balance between the lust AND the romance. So much of before they got together was them obviously being turned on by each other, which of course isn't bad, I loved reading every second of it, but...I didn't get enough of the romance aspect between them to truly love this book. It almost felt like porn with some plot, but not enough at times.
I did feel like the angst and drama that came was believable, I liked that, that it wasn't a ridiculous reason for drama to happen. I enjoyed the characters, although I feel like this would have been even more engaging if we had gotten Michael's POV as well. Sometimes, i feel like some books need a dual POV with the two MC's, otherwise I'm left wanting, a lot, because I wanted to know what Michael was feeling and thinking so badly.
So, overall, an enjoyable, fun read, but nothing that made it stand out or make me love it. So if you're looking for something enjoyable to read, something light and fun and somewhat low on angst, I'd read it, and it's was 99 cents, which was nice :)
March 5, 2018
I loved this. I think Michael Kage has some serious competition for my favourite MMA fighter.
Liam was such a great character with such a different tone and POV. He pulled me into his story and made me love him. He was sexy, strong, funny, smart, well read and loved Game of Thrones.
With awesome MMA action, sexual tension overload and some A-MA-ZING sex scenes, this was enjoyable right from the start.
My only gripe was
This also ended with a nice HFN but no epilogue. (I haven't checked to see if the series continues with the same characters or not but I'll be reading the next one.)
Liam was such a great character with such a different tone and POV. He pulled me into his story and made me love him. He was sexy, strong, funny, smart, well read and loved Game of Thrones.
With awesome MMA action, sexual tension overload and some A-MA-ZING sex scenes, this was enjoyable right from the start.
My only gripe was
This also ended with a nice HFN but no epilogue. (I haven't checked to see if the series continues with the same characters or not but I'll be reading the next one.)
March 13, 2017
3.5 Stars ~ This book is about authenticity—being your true self even if the world you live in is macho-driven with strong homophobic tendencies. It’s about letting your true self shine, both with those closest to you as well as your professional points of contact.
Liam Shaughnessy, or the “Bonny Bruiser”, is a man formed by his less than stellar home life and the rough neighborhood of West Side Cincinnati he grew up in. Early on, he honed the skill of fighting back, better than the other guy, even if that opponent was his own father. The older he became, the better the fighting skills and the thicker his skin, creating an impenetrable shield around himself so that no one knows the real Liam. Inside he’s a nerd, a bookworm who wears glasses and would do anything for those he cares for—aka his other siblings. But keeping that tough guy persona is paramount for him. No one can know the “real” Liam, the gay one who would rather binge watch the food network than go to a bar. So, most of this book is about Liam keeping that persona intact. He has one goal, to be the Heavyweight Champion of the World. This book is his journey to that title bout. It chronicles each of his pivotal fights with ringside commentary, so if you’re not a boxing fan, be warned. Liam’s flaws are front and center in this book; he’s a great MC and I rooted for his HEA, was almost desperate for the poor man by the end of the book. Liam has had a crush on his trainer, Michael, for two years. It is a testament to the size of the walls Liam has built that no one knows the depth of his feelings for Michael—especially not Michael himself.
Michael Fairweather secretly fell for the sexy boxer almost a year before he went to work for him. He targeted his education and life plan so that he could be the best personal trainer/nutritionist/masseuse that Liam would ever need. He has a boyfriend through a good portion of the book, even after discovering that Liam may have feelings for him. Michael is a tricky character; I didn’t like him as much as Liam. Michael came across as very selfish at times, and just one more thing that Liam had to worry about. Since the story is told exclusively from Liam’s POV, maybe if we could have seen inside Michael’s mind to why he makes some of the decisions he makes, it would have made him more relatable. The story begins with a push/pull dynamic between Michael and Liam that is delicious in its tension. We definitely know that they are attracted to each other and in heavy, unrequited lust. It is actually after they decide to become a couple that things fall apart.
“When you blush, you, this perfect man made up of two hundred plus pounds of pure muscle, because of me? Fuck, Liam, you make me crazy.”
The attraction is there, the sex is raw, gritty and off-the-charts hot. This is a slow burn story; the outside influences on these two are numerous and take up a lot of page time. Unfortunately, this cuts down on space which needed to be used to convince us, as readers, of the plausibility of a HEA with these two men. Since this is supposedly the first in a series, maybe we will get more from Liam and Michael in book two, and they can establish themselves as a forever couple.
There were other antagonist in the story, mainly the fake girlfriend, Liam’s manager and his coach. The coach was the only character I enjoyed. The fake girlfriend was trite and clichéd and frankly, I wanted to stab the manager through the pages of the book. The fake girlfriend could have been more of a support for Liam; instead, she is a ring bunny, hardly speaks English, and later comes out as lesbian?! Uhm, no.
I wish that we could have gotten more from Liam’s siblings and his coach. What we did get was lighthearted and a source of happiness for Liam. His siblings and his coach were the only ones who supported Liam just as he was. I’m going to be honest with you; I liked this book; I didn’t love it I think mostly because I recently read another “fighter/boxer” novel and the two books mimicked each other in storyline, and, frankly, what annoyed me in the first story repeated itself in this one. Overall, it’s a good solid story and well worth reading, if just for the massage scenes between the two MCs. Yes, it has some problems, but Liam is worth the effort of working past them.
This is an emotional and, at times, evocative novel. It is filled with a good portion of erotica, and MCs plagued with a lot of angst.
Reviewed by Carrie for The Novel Approach Reviews
Liam Shaughnessy, or the “Bonny Bruiser”, is a man formed by his less than stellar home life and the rough neighborhood of West Side Cincinnati he grew up in. Early on, he honed the skill of fighting back, better than the other guy, even if that opponent was his own father. The older he became, the better the fighting skills and the thicker his skin, creating an impenetrable shield around himself so that no one knows the real Liam. Inside he’s a nerd, a bookworm who wears glasses and would do anything for those he cares for—aka his other siblings. But keeping that tough guy persona is paramount for him. No one can know the “real” Liam, the gay one who would rather binge watch the food network than go to a bar. So, most of this book is about Liam keeping that persona intact. He has one goal, to be the Heavyweight Champion of the World. This book is his journey to that title bout. It chronicles each of his pivotal fights with ringside commentary, so if you’re not a boxing fan, be warned. Liam’s flaws are front and center in this book; he’s a great MC and I rooted for his HEA, was almost desperate for the poor man by the end of the book. Liam has had a crush on his trainer, Michael, for two years. It is a testament to the size of the walls Liam has built that no one knows the depth of his feelings for Michael—especially not Michael himself.
Michael Fairweather secretly fell for the sexy boxer almost a year before he went to work for him. He targeted his education and life plan so that he could be the best personal trainer/nutritionist/masseuse that Liam would ever need. He has a boyfriend through a good portion of the book, even after discovering that Liam may have feelings for him. Michael is a tricky character; I didn’t like him as much as Liam. Michael came across as very selfish at times, and just one more thing that Liam had to worry about. Since the story is told exclusively from Liam’s POV, maybe if we could have seen inside Michael’s mind to why he makes some of the decisions he makes, it would have made him more relatable. The story begins with a push/pull dynamic between Michael and Liam that is delicious in its tension. We definitely know that they are attracted to each other and in heavy, unrequited lust. It is actually after they decide to become a couple that things fall apart.
“When you blush, you, this perfect man made up of two hundred plus pounds of pure muscle, because of me? Fuck, Liam, you make me crazy.”
The attraction is there, the sex is raw, gritty and off-the-charts hot. This is a slow burn story; the outside influences on these two are numerous and take up a lot of page time. Unfortunately, this cuts down on space which needed to be used to convince us, as readers, of the plausibility of a HEA with these two men. Since this is supposedly the first in a series, maybe we will get more from Liam and Michael in book two, and they can establish themselves as a forever couple.
There were other antagonist in the story, mainly the fake girlfriend, Liam’s manager and his coach. The coach was the only character I enjoyed. The fake girlfriend was trite and clichéd and frankly, I wanted to stab the manager through the pages of the book. The fake girlfriend could have been more of a support for Liam; instead, she is a ring bunny, hardly speaks English, and later comes out as lesbian?! Uhm, no.
I wish that we could have gotten more from Liam’s siblings and his coach. What we did get was lighthearted and a source of happiness for Liam. His siblings and his coach were the only ones who supported Liam just as he was. I’m going to be honest with you; I liked this book; I didn’t love it I think mostly because I recently read another “fighter/boxer” novel and the two books mimicked each other in storyline, and, frankly, what annoyed me in the first story repeated itself in this one. Overall, it’s a good solid story and well worth reading, if just for the massage scenes between the two MCs. Yes, it has some problems, but Liam is worth the effort of working past them.
This is an emotional and, at times, evocative novel. It is filled with a good portion of erotica, and MCs plagued with a lot of angst.
Reviewed by Carrie for The Novel Approach Reviews
July 23, 2017
I liked it. I didn't luuuuv it, but I liked it.
I really liked Liam's family. I wanted more. I was a little disappointed that his father didn't end up out on his ass. But I liked that Liam was still there for his siblings and his mother. That aspect could have been explored more.
I liked the training, and what was shown of the fighting and publicity.
I originally was looking for mma books, because I'm hooked on the Mayweather vs McGregor fight build up. So having the MC be an Irish UFC fighter, going for a championship...I was all in.
Liam is not a McGregor character, but that's okay, he was pretty sweet. How he skyped his sister, and his love of fantasy books. I liked him.
Okay...first off, the sex scenes were hot...but I did get a little mixed up at times. There were a couple of times I was playing twister in my mind. How did he switch position? He was facing away from Michael one moment, then he backed up...but somehow he was facing the other direction. No biggy. It happens. But it did stop my reading a couple of times to figure out how they were positioned.
The big drama with Michael took me off guard. Michael mentioned 1 time, at the beginning of their relationship, that he was out, and didn't want to be closeted. Then NADA. How he decided out of the blue that it was a deal breaker, I don't understand. I could see if it was an ongoing argument between them, but to have 1 argument, and it's over...seemed off to me. I didn't like that. I had no problems with him wanting Liam to come out, but he could have given him more than a couple minutes to consider it.
It was a nice mma story. I'm still on the look out for my Asshole MC MMA fighter....because DAMN!
I really liked Liam's family. I wanted more. I was a little disappointed that his father didn't end up out on his ass. But I liked that Liam was still there for his siblings and his mother. That aspect could have been explored more.
I liked the training, and what was shown of the fighting and publicity.
I originally was looking for mma books, because I'm hooked on the Mayweather vs McGregor fight build up. So having the MC be an Irish UFC fighter, going for a championship...I was all in.
Liam is not a McGregor character, but that's okay, he was pretty sweet. How he skyped his sister, and his love of fantasy books. I liked him.
Okay...first off, the sex scenes were hot...but I did get a little mixed up at times. There were a couple of times I was playing twister in my mind. How did he switch position? He was facing away from Michael one moment, then he backed up...but somehow he was facing the other direction. No biggy. It happens. But it did stop my reading a couple of times to figure out how they were positioned.
The big drama with Michael took me off guard. Michael mentioned 1 time, at the beginning of their relationship, that he was out, and didn't want to be closeted. Then NADA. How he decided out of the blue that it was a deal breaker, I don't understand. I could see if it was an ongoing argument between them, but to have 1 argument, and it's over...seemed off to me. I didn't like that. I had no problems with him wanting Liam to come out, but he could have given him more than a couple minutes to consider it.
It was a nice mma story. I'm still on the look out for my Asshole MC MMA fighter....because DAMN!
Read
February 4, 2017DNF'd at 53%. Life is too short.
December 5, 2016
Okay, this one was a little different read than I’m used to. I totally dig MMA fighters, but this is my first, M/M, MMA fighter book. It…did…not….disappoint.
Okay, so first we have Liam Shaughnessy, future heavy weight champ. He comes from a big family where he was the caregiver so his mom could work all she could to support them and his dad was a mean, ol drunk; taking his fists to his mother and him and his siblings, so he worked his tail off to get out of there, so he could help them more. He did, even though his dad hasn’t changed in way other than being more bigoted and hateful. I felt for his family but they were great people, even his mom; really supportive and I was glad he had her. He’s got a good team at his back, except for his manager who he’s known his whole life. It’s a typical love/hate relationship; as a manager, he only cared about the money and the fame, not about Liam and I was happy to see him go.. It took a while to get there though, I was really hoping for it throughout the whole thing lol
BUT, most important, we have Michael; or Mikey as Liam likes to call him. He’s his trainer and he rides him hard; gets him into shape and keeps him fit and healthy. Catch? They’ve been in love with each other for a long time,…. But, again…. Liam isn’t out, as in… he thinks he can never come out (thanks in large part to the manager that no one likes)… We see a lot of jealousy in the beginning and Michael is also in a relationship, it doesn’t take him long to realize he’d leave the relationship for Liam in a heartbeat, it’s so very noticeable how much these men care for one another. It may seem like all they do is bone lol but, the feelings involved and the way they love each other is so there, you can’t not be pulling for them the whole time.
I loved them together, I hated how they both hurt because of decisions and fear. I felt for Michael because I didn’t want him to feel like a dirty secret but I also felt for Liam because, coming out is a scary thing, a very scary thing and I couldn’t even imagine what it would be like if something as big as a career was on the line for it. Not that I’d let it stop me, but there were deciding factors; being able to continue to support his family, being a big one. I wished Michael could have been a bit more supportive. However, I can’t even really say that, because I know where he was coming from as well….
His ex, blah, I wish we could have seen some karmatic justice in the form of some tears or at least getting the satisfaction that his scheming didn’t work. I would like to have seen him defeated just because he was a jerk.
I also loved Liam’s beard, best friend Anya. She was sweet and supportive and just wanted Liam to be happy. I was really, really glad he had her as well.
Overall, this was a great story and I’m lucky I got a chance at an advanced reading copy by the author, with the promise of giving an honest and unbiased review.
4 stars from me!
Okay, so first we have Liam Shaughnessy, future heavy weight champ. He comes from a big family where he was the caregiver so his mom could work all she could to support them and his dad was a mean, ol drunk; taking his fists to his mother and him and his siblings, so he worked his tail off to get out of there, so he could help them more. He did, even though his dad hasn’t changed in way other than being more bigoted and hateful. I felt for his family but they were great people, even his mom; really supportive and I was glad he had her. He’s got a good team at his back, except for his manager who he’s known his whole life. It’s a typical love/hate relationship; as a manager, he only cared about the money and the fame, not about Liam and I was happy to see him go.. It took a while to get there though, I was really hoping for it throughout the whole thing lol
BUT, most important, we have Michael; or Mikey as Liam likes to call him. He’s his trainer and he rides him hard; gets him into shape and keeps him fit and healthy. Catch? They’ve been in love with each other for a long time,…. But, again…. Liam isn’t out, as in… he thinks he can never come out (thanks in large part to the manager that no one likes)… We see a lot of jealousy in the beginning and Michael is also in a relationship, it doesn’t take him long to realize he’d leave the relationship for Liam in a heartbeat, it’s so very noticeable how much these men care for one another. It may seem like all they do is bone lol but, the feelings involved and the way they love each other is so there, you can’t not be pulling for them the whole time.
I loved them together, I hated how they both hurt because of decisions and fear. I felt for Michael because I didn’t want him to feel like a dirty secret but I also felt for Liam because, coming out is a scary thing, a very scary thing and I couldn’t even imagine what it would be like if something as big as a career was on the line for it. Not that I’d let it stop me, but there were deciding factors; being able to continue to support his family, being a big one. I wished Michael could have been a bit more supportive. However, I can’t even really say that, because I know where he was coming from as well….
His ex, blah, I wish we could have seen some karmatic justice in the form of some tears or at least getting the satisfaction that his scheming didn’t work. I would like to have seen him defeated just because he was a jerk.
I also loved Liam’s beard, best friend Anya. She was sweet and supportive and just wanted Liam to be happy. I was really, really glad he had her as well.
Overall, this was a great story and I’m lucky I got a chance at an advanced reading copy by the author, with the promise of giving an honest and unbiased review.
4 stars from me!
dnf
February 6, 2017DNF @ 79%. In the beginning I was about this book. But it just kept going and going and the way it was going was nothing new. There was no reason for me to keep reading despite this book having things I like … a lot. I was even skipping the sex scenes because they were just … not great and plentiful to the point of monotony. This fell flat. I suspect that if an editor had cut this to ribbons I would've finished it.
December 5, 2016
3.5 Stars
Liam Shaughnessy survived an abusive childhood and the mean streets of Cincinnati. He's fought and trained to rise out of the underground bareknuckle boxing circuit into the heavyweight boxing matches. Having money means he can take care of his mother and three younger siblings. It also means he can afford luxuries like his own training staff and management. It doesn't mean he can afford to come out, however.
Michael Fairweather has fought his way back from a debilitating injury in soccer to become a take-no-nonsense boxing trainer to Liam, on his path to the championship belt. He's also out-and-proud, and exactly the man Liam would date, if he could date a man, that is. Also, Mikey has a long-distance relationship with his high school sweetheart, Wade, and that's pretty complicated.
When Mikey learns that Liam's not straight, that Liam's been pining for Michael for more than a year now, Michael's in a bad position. And Liam's heart is set to be smashed.
This book moves a little fast for me, with periods of prose (especially at the beginning) that felt more like I was being told the story, than that I was engaged in the story. So, it wasn't until maybe halfway through that I got invested. Liam's a decent guy in a tough spot. He wants to win the heavyweight championship so he can financially support his family, though this was a bit of a side plot, really, and he wants to have a loving relationship with Michael. Michael has a lot of passive-aggressive nonsense going on, with odd fits of jealousy whenever Liam's posed with women. This didn't make much sense, considering Michael has a man, and fully believed Liam was straight. I did understand, later, when they were together, how this would rankle, but the early jealousy was mystifying, for me. I had trouble bonding with these characters, because they didn't read as fleshed-out as I'd like, and I got frustrated with Liam's constant obeisance to his homophobic manager. Liam didn't seem willing to stand up for himself, ever, and that was troubling for a man who's all about power and strength in the ring. Further, Michael seems trifling and spoiled, with little concern but his own emotional well-being. As a side issue, the time-frame of the boxing and boxing-related activities seemed too compressed, something the sports fan in me railed against strongly. It made for circumstances that taxed my ability to suspend disbelief, though I doubt many readers follow boxing enough for it to raise concerns for them.
In all, there's some good feels, including desire, elation, joy of having love returned and some more heartbreaking moments, too. Expect sexytimes, big growth of a geek-turned-street-fighter-turned-boxer and an HEA.
Liam Shaughnessy survived an abusive childhood and the mean streets of Cincinnati. He's fought and trained to rise out of the underground bareknuckle boxing circuit into the heavyweight boxing matches. Having money means he can take care of his mother and three younger siblings. It also means he can afford luxuries like his own training staff and management. It doesn't mean he can afford to come out, however.
Michael Fairweather has fought his way back from a debilitating injury in soccer to become a take-no-nonsense boxing trainer to Liam, on his path to the championship belt. He's also out-and-proud, and exactly the man Liam would date, if he could date a man, that is. Also, Mikey has a long-distance relationship with his high school sweetheart, Wade, and that's pretty complicated.
When Mikey learns that Liam's not straight, that Liam's been pining for Michael for more than a year now, Michael's in a bad position. And Liam's heart is set to be smashed.
This book moves a little fast for me, with periods of prose (especially at the beginning) that felt more like I was being told the story, than that I was engaged in the story. So, it wasn't until maybe halfway through that I got invested. Liam's a decent guy in a tough spot. He wants to win the heavyweight championship so he can financially support his family, though this was a bit of a side plot, really, and he wants to have a loving relationship with Michael. Michael has a lot of passive-aggressive nonsense going on, with odd fits of jealousy whenever Liam's posed with women. This didn't make much sense, considering Michael has a man, and fully believed Liam was straight. I did understand, later, when they were together, how this would rankle, but the early jealousy was mystifying, for me. I had trouble bonding with these characters, because they didn't read as fleshed-out as I'd like, and I got frustrated with Liam's constant obeisance to his homophobic manager. Liam didn't seem willing to stand up for himself, ever, and that was troubling for a man who's all about power and strength in the ring. Further, Michael seems trifling and spoiled, with little concern but his own emotional well-being. As a side issue, the time-frame of the boxing and boxing-related activities seemed too compressed, something the sports fan in me railed against strongly. It made for circumstances that taxed my ability to suspend disbelief, though I doubt many readers follow boxing enough for it to raise concerns for them.
In all, there's some good feels, including desire, elation, joy of having love returned and some more heartbreaking moments, too. Expect sexytimes, big growth of a geek-turned-street-fighter-turned-boxer and an HEA.
December 5, 2016
www.bookworm221.tumblr.com
First time reading a book by Rie Warren and I plan on reading more. I thoroughly enjoyed the book, as always when you are reading a new author you never know what you’re going to get, if you’re going to love their writing or if you’re going to connect with the characters but when I started reading In the Ring I realized that I was going to be enjoying the story and Rie’s writing.
The story centers around Liam an MMA fighter who is gay but still deep in the closet, things for Liam start getting difficult when he can’t hide anymore the way he feels for Michael, one of his trainers who also happens to be in a committed relationship with his boyfriend of many years.
I have to admit to being afraid when I read the part about Michael’s relationship because I’m against cheating in books because then it makes it harder for me to connect with the characters ones they get together with the person they are supposed to be with but in this case Rie handled it very well I had no problem with the issue and in fact that scene when they finally get together was one of my favorites.
The book is also off the charts HOT, like way too hot and I found myself blushing a lot while I was reading it but that just means this book gets extra points from me.
There was one part that I would have liked to see more of and that is Liam’s family, I feel like Liam’s family was important to him but we saw them very little and that left me a bit confused.
All in all this is a great book by an author that I definitely plan on reading more from.
Keep Calm and Read On
Instagram and Twitter @bookquotes221
First time reading a book by Rie Warren and I plan on reading more. I thoroughly enjoyed the book, as always when you are reading a new author you never know what you’re going to get, if you’re going to love their writing or if you’re going to connect with the characters but when I started reading In the Ring I realized that I was going to be enjoying the story and Rie’s writing.
The story centers around Liam an MMA fighter who is gay but still deep in the closet, things for Liam start getting difficult when he can’t hide anymore the way he feels for Michael, one of his trainers who also happens to be in a committed relationship with his boyfriend of many years.
I have to admit to being afraid when I read the part about Michael’s relationship because I’m against cheating in books because then it makes it harder for me to connect with the characters ones they get together with the person they are supposed to be with but in this case Rie handled it very well I had no problem with the issue and in fact that scene when they finally get together was one of my favorites.
The book is also off the charts HOT, like way too hot and I found myself blushing a lot while I was reading it but that just means this book gets extra points from me.
There was one part that I would have liked to see more of and that is Liam’s family, I feel like Liam’s family was important to him but we saw them very little and that left me a bit confused.
All in all this is a great book by an author that I definitely plan on reading more from.
Keep Calm and Read On
Instagram and Twitter @bookquotes221
December 5, 2016
In The Ring by Rie Warren is my first book by this new-to-me author and I love, love exploring new authors! This story is told entirely from a one man's (Liam's) POV and I would put it in the category of M/M, athlete, contemporary romance.
Liam is a professional boxer who had rough beginnings as a street fighter and is still deeply closeted gay. His trainer Michael is out and proud. He also has a boyfriend. Liam is head over for Michael but cant come out for fears it will ruin his career. After the two men set their sights on one another, they have a tough journey to their HEA and readers have a front row seat to this.
The story is a slow-burn, slow build up during the first half to about midpoint. Lots of boxing and training talk throughout. Heavy on the drama through the last half. One thing I do wish for in the book was more from Michael. At least a chapter or two from his POV. I never really got any kind of read on him as to what he was seeing or feeling as it was all Liam's words. Michael was mostly a mystery to me. I did love watching the two of them fall in love and thought that a lot of it was very realistic. The push and pull, the angst between them was a lot of how real life works. You go through a lot before you find the middle ground.
If you like M/M romance, especially ones involving sports, you should definitely check out In The Ring by Rie Warren.
Liam is a professional boxer who had rough beginnings as a street fighter and is still deeply closeted gay. His trainer Michael is out and proud. He also has a boyfriend. Liam is head over for Michael but cant come out for fears it will ruin his career. After the two men set their sights on one another, they have a tough journey to their HEA and readers have a front row seat to this.
The story is a slow-burn, slow build up during the first half to about midpoint. Lots of boxing and training talk throughout. Heavy on the drama through the last half. One thing I do wish for in the book was more from Michael. At least a chapter or two from his POV. I never really got any kind of read on him as to what he was seeing or feeling as it was all Liam's words. Michael was mostly a mystery to me. I did love watching the two of them fall in love and thought that a lot of it was very realistic. The push and pull, the angst between them was a lot of how real life works. You go through a lot before you find the middle ground.
If you like M/M romance, especially ones involving sports, you should definitely check out In The Ring by Rie Warren.
March 2, 2017
As an avid M/M reader, I’m always a little worried when I try out a new author who primarily writes M/F and has jumped on the same sex romance train. But Rie Warren’s In the Ring shows that some authors can be diverse in their writing and succeed.
In the ring is the story between Liam and Michael. Liam is an up and coming boxer, who is forced in the closet by his manager who doesn’t believe one can be gay in such a macho sport. This is proven false by Michael who is the quintessential man. Former football player and the boy next door type. He also happens to be Liam’s trainer and openly gay.
This book was very different than most M/M books I have read, simply because this features two very manly men. The testosterone simply drips off the pages and the sexual tension is to die for. There was actually one scene (which I read at work) that was so hot, I was blushing. But in addition to this, the storyline of acceptance of oneself and doing everything possible for love was really well written. In addition to two very different and yet similar main characters, some of the secondary characters were so well developed that I’m hoping ring girl Anya or Gideon and his homo erotic paintings are up next in the series.
I spent a few days hot and bothered by these guys and their sexual antics, which makes this a solid 4 star book.
In the ring is the story between Liam and Michael. Liam is an up and coming boxer, who is forced in the closet by his manager who doesn’t believe one can be gay in such a macho sport. This is proven false by Michael who is the quintessential man. Former football player and the boy next door type. He also happens to be Liam’s trainer and openly gay.
This book was very different than most M/M books I have read, simply because this features two very manly men. The testosterone simply drips off the pages and the sexual tension is to die for. There was actually one scene (which I read at work) that was so hot, I was blushing. But in addition to this, the storyline of acceptance of oneself and doing everything possible for love was really well written. In addition to two very different and yet similar main characters, some of the secondary characters were so well developed that I’m hoping ring girl Anya or Gideon and his homo erotic paintings are up next in the series.
I spent a few days hot and bothered by these guys and their sexual antics, which makes this a solid 4 star book.
November 23, 2016
I have read quite a few M/M romance in my time, and I have loved every one.
With that being said...this, by far, is the absolute hottest M/M book I have ever devoured. Yes, I completely devoured this book and probably went through AT LEAST 4 pair of panties in the process.
I mean, this book. I find it hard to believe it was written by a woman because, without a doubt, she NAILED the love making and sometimes all out fucking between these two incredibly sexy as hell men. I was blushing while reading....in a room....alone. As a matter of fact, I believe on numerous occasions I may have spoke out loud to no one at all, “oh my fucking gawd.”
Now you're probably wondering if it's all sex all the time? The answer is no. While you're trying to learn how to breath right again, and while you hold your device/book in one hand and fan yourself with the other you will fall head over heels in love with Liam and Michael.
Liam Shaughnessy....sigh. That man. If he were straight I will tie him to the bed and stay locked in the room with him for DAYS.
The story line will suck you in and the AMAZING HOT SEX...well...that will leave you utterly speechless. Make sure your laundry is done because you will definitely need some spare undies.
5 STARS
With that being said...this, by far, is the absolute hottest M/M book I have ever devoured. Yes, I completely devoured this book and probably went through AT LEAST 4 pair of panties in the process.
I mean, this book. I find it hard to believe it was written by a woman because, without a doubt, she NAILED the love making and sometimes all out fucking between these two incredibly sexy as hell men. I was blushing while reading....in a room....alone. As a matter of fact, I believe on numerous occasions I may have spoke out loud to no one at all, “oh my fucking gawd.”
Now you're probably wondering if it's all sex all the time? The answer is no. While you're trying to learn how to breath right again, and while you hold your device/book in one hand and fan yourself with the other you will fall head over heels in love with Liam and Michael.
Liam Shaughnessy....sigh. That man. If he were straight I will tie him to the bed and stay locked in the room with him for DAYS.
The story line will suck you in and the AMAZING HOT SEX...well...that will leave you utterly speechless. Make sure your laundry is done because you will definitely need some spare undies.
5 STARS
December 13, 2016
~~I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads ~~
I thought this was a really good book - which played out rather like a boxing match, with periods of fierce fast paced action interspersed with elements of tactic and thought as to how to overcome a particular opponent.
Liam's biggest opponents are in his head, his upbringing and his sport. Much as he desires his trainer Michael, he cannot see a way of being openly gay in his world - and his weasel of a manager reminds him of the need to be closeted all too often. In the Ring, it may hurt, but it is simpler ...
If you like a sports romance, then rest assured there is plenty of action in the training ring, reminders of just how hard these guys work to look as amazing as they do, and what they have to sacrifice along the way. But there is also a seriously good romance, some fierce loving, and some soft, but all scorchingly hot. There are a few side characters who add a lot to the story, with a particular shout out to Anya and Gideon. I hope we meet them again!
I am curious as to where the series will go next, and hope that Ms Warren is busy tapping away on her keyboard so that we can find out very soon.
~~Wicked Reads Review Team~~
I thought this was a really good book - which played out rather like a boxing match, with periods of fierce fast paced action interspersed with elements of tactic and thought as to how to overcome a particular opponent.
Liam's biggest opponents are in his head, his upbringing and his sport. Much as he desires his trainer Michael, he cannot see a way of being openly gay in his world - and his weasel of a manager reminds him of the need to be closeted all too often. In the Ring, it may hurt, but it is simpler ...
If you like a sports romance, then rest assured there is plenty of action in the training ring, reminders of just how hard these guys work to look as amazing as they do, and what they have to sacrifice along the way. But there is also a seriously good romance, some fierce loving, and some soft, but all scorchingly hot. There are a few side characters who add a lot to the story, with a particular shout out to Anya and Gideon. I hope we meet them again!
I am curious as to where the series will go next, and hope that Ms Warren is busy tapping away on her keyboard so that we can find out very soon.
~~Wicked Reads Review Team~~
January 1, 2017
I am a huge fan of Rie Warren's writing. She always seems to hit all the feels in her books. In the Ring was no different. I am beyond happy that this one is set in the m/m genre.
Liam Shaughnessy is on the top of his game. He has fought his way from nothing to one of the hottest up and coming boxers. There is only one problem each and every day he hides who he really is. He is in the closet...deep in the closet. He's afraid coming out will cost him everything he's ever fought for. Liam has lusted over his trainer for years. Liam knows Michael is something completely off limits to him, until he can't fight the attraction any longer.
The build up between Liam and Michael was slow and intense. I definitely think it's part of the reason I loved this read so much. Liam and Michael are explosive and sexy together. In the Ring is a fantastic coming out read!
"Fight to win. Fight with honor. Fight for love."
I reviewed my personal copy of this book for Wicked Reads.
Liam Shaughnessy is on the top of his game. He has fought his way from nothing to one of the hottest up and coming boxers. There is only one problem each and every day he hides who he really is. He is in the closet...deep in the closet. He's afraid coming out will cost him everything he's ever fought for. Liam has lusted over his trainer for years. Liam knows Michael is something completely off limits to him, until he can't fight the attraction any longer.
The build up between Liam and Michael was slow and intense. I definitely think it's part of the reason I loved this read so much. Liam and Michael are explosive and sexy together. In the Ring is a fantastic coming out read!
"Fight to win. Fight with honor. Fight for love."
I reviewed my personal copy of this book for Wicked Reads.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 88 reviews