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Atlanta #1

Keep Her Safe

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Erin never would have expected to fall in love. Never. Not with her past, and not with her fear. She never dated; she didn't even allow herself friendships. She didn't trust her judge-of-character skills enough to allow anyone close...until Marcus.

With him, a deep connection happened in spite of the walls she'd so carefully constructed around herself. His self-confessed rage fueled much of his life, with the exception of her. For Erin, Marcus dares to make the step toward love…one with the potential to heal them both.

This is the first book in the Play for Keeps Series by Kemmie Michaels.

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First published July 12, 2013

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Kemmie Michaels

23 books300 followers

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews
1,254 reviews1 follower
March 10, 2018
1.5 stars
I've said before that shorts shouldn't have too much in them because nothing gets developed enough. I've never realized that the opposite could be true til this book. This book had way too little to be a full length book. I loved the meet cute idea and loved that portion of the book, though I thought the author could've tweaked a couple things to fix the more stalkery aspects of it. But once the couple got together basically nothing of any interest happens. And it wasn't even relationship development they had already hit the I love you stage so it was just like day by day accountings of their lives. By fifty percent I was skimming out of sheer boredom. The sex scenes alternated between over prosey and really awful dirty talk so I mostly skimmed those too. The hero is often praised for his intelligence but it doesn't occur to him to give her self defense lessons til near the end of the book and even then it wasn't entirely his idea. The heroine was a little overly emotional for me. What she went through was awful but she saw a therapist about it...Why did she stop if she was still so upset about it? why did things totally unrelated make her cry...god everything made her cry. Overall the story, writing, and characters felt a little immature for my tastes,a lot of the dialogue sounded more like teenagers in first love than adults who pay bills and have full time jobs.

Tldr: really cute idea but this needed more maturity and either needed to be a short or have something of interest happen.
Profile Image for Dawn.
441 reviews15 followers
October 14, 2013
I received an ARC copy for an honest review.

What an amazing, beautiful story of two people falling in love before they even meet. Erin Connor, 25, is a senior accountant at a mid-sized accounting firm. Five years ago, something happened to Erin while in college that made her apprehensive towards anyone around her. She shut down and became reclusive. She never told anyone what happened, not even her parents. After five years, she was tired of being alone, but didn't know how to go about changing. One day she remembered her therapist telling her that she should write her feelings in a journal, so she did just that. She took it to work with her so she could use it when she needed to. One night she accidentally left it there.

In comes Marcus Walker, 25, who is a MMA fighter during the day but a janitor for Erin's accounting firm at night. He noticed the journal next to Erin's trash can & had to check it to see if it was trash or needed to be put back on the desk. He couldn't help but read it after the first page. He was intrigued by Erin's words & thoughts. Marcus decided to leave her a note inside her journal to coincide with what she was writing. He wanted to make her feel better. As the weeks went on, they both wrote back & forth to each other. They couldn't wait to see what the other wrote. One day Marcus asked if they could meet and Erin kind of freaked out, then taking a few days off of work. By her 3rd day of not being there, Marcus got scared thinking he caused her to fall back into her cautious ways. Eventually they do meet and become even closer friends. He has a rough background that still haunts him. Cage fighting helps him take care of his rage. They are both very good for each other, but they still have problems. Erin is slowly breaking out of her shell, but is still a little leery in some situations. Marcus is still trying to keep his rage in tact, but it's hard at times. After being together for several months, Erin ends up having a set back, which Marcus tries to coax her through. Will she be able to free herself from this turmoil? Will Marcus ever be able to get his rage under control? The start of this story was unlike any others I've read and I quite enjoyed it. Erin thought she'd never be able to have love in her life & Marcus felt like no one would ever be able to love him. It was unique and beautiful. I'm looking forward to reading the next story ("Real Challenge"), to find out if Marcus' twin sister, Cassie find her soul mate.
Profile Image for Karen Weiseman muller.
24 reviews2 followers
January 3, 2014
Oh GOSH! I just don’t know where to begin with this book! I am in love with this book completely. I am pretty sure that I could gush about this book all day long. There is something to be said about getting to know someone without the physical attraction to them. I guess that is why in the world today there are so many people who meet their significant others online. This book however doesn’t involve internet dating, but the fine art of pen to paper writing. These two wonderful characters that are both equally broken find a connection in writing. There are so many times I have felt it easier to get my full thoughts out, if I write it down. Sometimes it is easier to tell someone exactly how you feel when you aren’t looking them face to face.
Two people who normally would never have crossed paths meet over a notebook that finds its way on the floor. This story is such a wonderful mix of hope, strength and love. Everything about this story gives me warm fuzzies even the not so happy parts of the book are made up by something wonderful coming out of it.
I have to give it to Kemmie Michaels, she makes a choice and decided to start writing. She has published 4 books so far, all at the same time and this is one of them, this is a top notch 4 star out of 5 book! Thank you Kemmie for putting yourself out there and writing this amazing book!

Erin -
She is a 25 year old accountant, who has completely shut down from the world around her in attempts to keep herself safe. She will prove to herself and those around her she is stronger than she thinks, when she decided that she is longer keeping herself safe because she is miserable.
Marcus-
A strong protector of everyone he meets, battles his own rage from his past. After fighting his whole life while growing up, he takes that rage to the gym. When he isn’t full of rage at the gym he is watching out for his sister and is truly a great guy.
Cassie –
One word – SPITFIRE, she is Marcus’ sister and she is something else!

My Favorite Quotes
“Every part of him was already hers, and they hadn’t even met.”
“You have no idea how badly I want to hold on to you, too” –Marcus
“You’re safe with me. I’m strong enough to protect you. Will you let me?”
–Marcus
Profile Image for Claudia.
729 reviews24 followers
August 13, 2015
Unlikely Hero gave me the sweet romance and great characters that I have been craving for.

Even though the story was slow, without angst or drama I can say "Finally some maturity!"

What I have been missing these days from most of the authors and their books I have found in Kemmie Michaels story:
- the story was build in time. Both characters had a lot to deal with and learn and their letters were just right.
- there was not rush to start am intimate relationship they just supported each other
- there was no drama in the couple. The few misunderstanding that happened were dealt almost immediately
- the intimate scenes were great
- the physical aspects took a back seat to character build and their insecurities were nicely outlined and dealt with.

Besides, what's not to love in Marcus! He went straight to my favorite male characters.

If you feel in a mood to just read a sweet love story go for it because it is worth your time. If you want drama, angst and immaturity better move to another story because you are not going to find them in this book.
Profile Image for Holly Matejka Matisak.
32 reviews
December 31, 2013
What a great book! I loved the creative way the author (Kemmie Michaels) had Erin and Marcus meet initially thought what turned out to be a shared journal. These two lost souls were able to work through their issues and be a comfort to each other. She gave Erin and Marcus time to establish a friendship that lead to a relationship. It was such a refreshing read to see the relationship progress over a normal realistic timeline than an instant love connection.

Both characters carried such torment and uncertainty within themselves. They each exposed one another to uncomfortable and at times frightening situations, and yet neither one would giving up on the other or their relationship.

Kemmie Michaels has gained a new fan and I am hooked. I look forward to reading the other two books in the Atlanta series.
Profile Image for Patricia Maia (The Bookery Review).
811 reviews47 followers
April 8, 2015
This is a very sweet book where the opposites match.
Its amazing how a diary could bring together two people... I really enjoyed this part!
Marcus is such a sweet man, so strong, dominant, caring, patient, and oh so sexy! Its amazing how the looks can deceive... this is so true, because Marcus is a fighter! A strong ruthless fighter, but inside he is so gentle and so lovable!
I really liked the way he start caring about Erin, a woman he never met, he didn't know anything about her, only that she was broken. Erin really is a great woman, after all she been through she became strong and confident, I like that in the female characters!
I loved the way their relationship grows and how they struggled to outdo their fears!
The end... oh the end makes me want more!!!
Profile Image for Melissa.
58 reviews135 followers
September 16, 2013


5 Stars

This book surprised me! I bypassed downloading it in the past, but I am really glad that I have finally read this. Finally a story that is fresh and new!! The couple "meets" and communicates through a journal, she doesn't know what he looks like, what he does for a living, where he lives - ANYTHING. They actually get to know each other on a deeper level from the beginning and therefore forge a stronger bond. A great read, a great story. I was so enthralled with the story that I didn't even notice errors, which surprises me, because I ALWAYS notice! Nice work Kemmie Michaels!
Profile Image for Heather.S.
1,189 reviews11 followers
November 11, 2013
Very enjoyable read! The whole "Purple notebook" was such a different aspect then a CEO billionaire. The pace was great and loves this. Marcus, swoon! I hated how it felt almost rushed to end but then seeing we will just get a sorta continuation in Cassie's story made me happy! Unlikely hero was an unexpected read, 4.5 stars!!
Profile Image for ~Steph K~.
418 reviews149 followers
October 16, 2013
**ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review by the girls and I at www.sizzlingpages.com **


Synopsis: 

Erin never would have expected to fall in love. Never. Not with her past, and not with her fear. She never dated; she didn't even allow herself friendships. She didn't trust her judge-of-character skills enough to allow anyone close...until Marcus.

With him, a deep connection happened in spite of the walls she'd so carefully constructed around herself. His self-confessed rage fueled much of his life, with the exception of her. For Erin, Marcus dares to make the step toward love…one with the potential to heal them both.



 photo ad3b476c-1cba-4120-800f-ad6df2fa77ee_zpse6c8caf7.jpg My Review:


Trust is an issue Erin has struggled with for over five years - and Marcus has struggled and dealt with his rage for most of his life.  He's healed by using MMA fighting as an outlet - Erin has found journaling as hers.  I absolutely loved the way Erin and Marcus met in this story. It was an amazing way to start a relationship - starting with a little "hope" they find each other, which turns into them giving each other the "strength" they need to face life and actually live it - and then becoming an undeniable "love".



 photo thCAR8AFTS_zpsa55a2fec.jpg This was a beautiful love story about how two very different people meet in a most unusual way - starting as frienship, helping to heal each others past hurts together, making each one stronger and happier in the end - and finding love along the way. You will definitely want to take this journey with Erin and Marcus and experience it with them.





Profile Image for The Nauti Vixen.
68 reviews2 followers
January 3, 2014
Title: Unlikely Hero
Series: Atlanta Series Book #1
Author: Kemmie Michaels
Rating: B
Review: I was excited to read this book - it had made the rounds on Facebook a few times, and between the cover, a few of the excerpts I read, and the fact that it involves MMA, I just had to read it. All in all, it wasn't quite what I was expecting.
Both Erin and Marcus have issues due to certain events that happened in their past. But the really astounding thing about the book is the way they meet. As a way of self-therapy, Erin begins writing a journal...and in the process this journal becomes the friend she has been missing. But due to quirk of fate, Marcus finds this journal and reads it! He then finds himself compelled to write back to her - and thus begins their relationship. It is really quite endearing, and the author really draws you in - and before you know it you are invested in these characters.
This is a great book about relationships, love, and healing.
One of the downsides I envision is that some people might find it a bit of a slow read. There is a reason for this - as I said it is a book about healing, and it is not a just a fast band-aid put on their wounds. It takes time, effort, and patience, and that is definitely seen through the course of the novel. Though, I thought it brought about a closer connection with the characters. One thing that did bother me though was Erin's level of trauma. With the event that happened I feel that her reactions were a bit extreme. Maybe not initially after the fact, but after five years? I could even understand if she had issues with men, but she distanced herself from female friends, acquaintances, and even her own family. For me, it seems a little over the top - but then again different people react different ways to certain events, so who am I to judge? That was just my take on it.
Regardless, it was an extremely well done book - I loved reading the journal entries back and forth between them, and the fact that they really got to know each other before they met face to face. It lended a little something extra to the story. With all these books out there that just dive right into relationships - and even beds! - it was a nice change of pace. And the whole story was just extremely inspiring. Kudos to Kemmie Michaels for such an emotional and heartwarming tale!
http://thenaughtyvixen.wordpress.com/
Profile Image for Jennifer.
55 reviews6 followers
September 12, 2013
Here is the synopsis:

"Erin never would have expected a hot, passionate affair. Never. Not with her past, not with her fear. She never dated; she didn't even allow herself friendships. She didn't trust her judge-of-character skills enough to allow anyone close...until Marcus. With him, hot and passionate happened in spite of the walls she'd so carefully constructed around herself. As for Marcus, his self-confessed rage fueled every part of his life, with the exception of her. Marcus dares to make the connection that leads to a passionate affair which holds the potential to heal them both."

I received this from the author as an ARC for an honest review. The first thing I have to say is that I never felt like I was reading a book about a passionate affair. I was reading a book about two people, who were hurt in two very different ways, find each other, find themselves, and fall in love.

After Erin survived an attack in college she shut down and shut everyone out of her life, including her parents. She's never dated, has no friends, and the emptiness is killing her. Remembering advice from a therapist she saw after the attack, she buys a journal to write her feelings in and start working her way out of the hole she buried herself in.

Marcus Walker survived the severe abuse of his childhood but he didn't escape without scars. Over time he learned to harness all the rage from his past into an unstoppable force as an MMA fighter. He worked nights as a janitor in Erin's building saving every dime he could for his future and to put his twin sister Cassie through school. One night he finds Erin's journal where she accidentally dropped it. He opened it to find who it belongs to but found himself reading her private thoughts instead. Blown away by her, he writes to her and starts a series of correspondences that will change both of their lives.

I found this book so charming. I loved watching Erin evolve from victim to victor. I loved watching Marcus learn to trust himself as Erin opened up to him. I loved everything from their playful banter to the scenes where Marcus was fiercely protective of her. At times I found myself with the biggest grin on my face and even laughing at their playfulness.

My favorite quote: "Then his eyes softened a little and he looked up at her with the sweetest, softest smile. "So, anyway, thanks for proving him wrong."
Profile Image for Athena Freya.
673 reviews157 followers
November 2, 2013
Given by the author for an honest review for her Blog Tour

Unlikely hero is such a sweet wonderful story..
It reminds you of what is important and what is completely meaningless..it displays someone’s strength, even when that person really believes he’s weak..This book is so real..When you see the title, you imagine a flawless handsome man who will rescue the girl..But this books is so much more than that..
>>Erin is the everyday woman, in my opinion. She is driven and smart and knows how to take care of herself, in some aspects more than others…But she still has her insecurities (ok many) . What I did like the most about her was that she is not afraid to be afraid. People usually think that fear is a weakness, when in reality it’s not. It’s ok to be afraid, as long as it doesn’t own you. She may have lived in her safety net for years, but she knows her mistakes and she knows her fears. And then, she just got tired of her coping mechanism so she tried to drop it and rediscover herself. It only needs one action. That first step. Even a purple notebook is enough to start all over again.
>>Marcus is such an injured soul. He has been through so much yet he is one of the strongest characters I ever had the pleasure of reading. He took care of his sister, when he was just a teenager. I cannot imagine what some people suffer from, especially in such a young age. However, despite his strength he still hides from life, just like Erin. Gym-work-sleep doesn’t really sound to me like living your life. More like surviving. He is so different from Erin yet so similar. Their difference is that Marcus is more self-collected and more self-confident. Plus, the fact that he is huge and doesn’t need protecting puts him in another category!!
Erin and Marcus fit like a missing piece fits a puzzle. They are perfect for each other, because and I quote “You get it. You understand me.” That right there is the outmost truth. There isn’t one hero in this book. There are 2 who happened to fall in love with each other…

I couldn’t recommend it any more than I already do..I feel happy and even a stronger person now that I read it..And that is another reason why I absolutely love this book!
Profile Image for F.F..
Author 9 books21 followers
November 9, 2013
Erin is a troubled individual desperate to break out of her rut after so many years of been a recluse, she “Meets” Marcus the most unlikely person who seems to inspire her to become more as he himself has come through a horrific event in his life. Erin is inspired by him; I felt that this book managed to show deep intimacy between the two without the actual intimacy, which is something I have never experienced when reading before. Kemmie has done a wonderful job in building the strength in these characters and bringing them close together without even meeting each other. And when they actually did WOW ….. Hot under the collar would be an understatement …I could literally feel the heat between them because they had already had that intimacy. “She was right there with him, wanting to feel everything, her fingers grasped at the sheets beside her and she opened up her legs at the sensation of his mouth again her pleasure point. She most certainly was not hiding.” Marcus helps her realise how strong she really is.

This book was a story that I could completely relate to whereby the “badass” with a true heart saves you from a life that you didn’t want or deserves and without even realising you do the same. Unlikely hero had light hearted moments where you would smile and laugh to yourself having people on the bus look at you gone out! I was addicted to the book so much I even took my kindle in the bath with me.

Such a wonderful book, that I will continue to remember because it has such strong meaning and is so much more than a book about love and sex but it’s about growing and becoming who you want to be In Erin's case "adorable badass butterfly. A truly inspirational story about a young woman’s journey in to finding her true self and happiness and a young man realising that before her he was only actually surviving himself.

I would like to thank Kemmie for such an amazing story and would recommend this to anyone looking for an Adult Romance with that something special.

Please check out my blog for more reviews, cover reveals, exclusive author interviews and plenty of amazing giveaway's!
http://www.francesscas-romance-review...
Profile Image for The Book Cove.
69 reviews36 followers
December 28, 2013
Unlikely Hero is the first book in the Atlanta Series and as this book was my first introduction to author Kemmie Michaels, I must say I loved it!

What I liked
I'm a sports fan. So anytime a sports themed book can really draw me in - I know it's going to be a good time! I especially love MMA (mixed martial arts) and being very familiar with the sport, I was impressed with the number of details that the author provided for the characters. That tells me that Kemmie either really loves MMA herself, or she's done her research. A big plus for me when reading is when I can tell some hard thought was put into the events of the story. These details really brought out the characters, especially the male protagonist, Marcus.

Another part of Unlikely Hero that I loved was how the relationship between Erin and Marcus developed. I don't want to give too much away, but I will say that I may just try this out in my work office and see if a gorgeous MMA fighter with a "reputation" comes to my rescue ;-).

I really liked how Erin's intracharacter was developed as well. As someone who has a million red flags that go off when she's around people (and with good reason), the progression of her conflict resolution is well done. With many books use dark past experiences to draw conflict, I end up feeling like the characters are rushed through a resolution. It leaves me feeling like the problem never really existed to begin with because the characters seemed to get over it a little too easily as soon as some Adonis or Aphrodite walks in their life.

What I disliked
There really was not anything fundamental about the book that I disliked. On that same note, there really wasn't anything that pushed the book over that 4 rating to a solid 5. I reserve 5 ratings for books that have some kind of extra element to it that really leaves me in deep thought about situations/characters long after the book is finished. While I really enjoyed reading Unlikely Hero and I found the relationship between the characters to be beautifully developed, there wasn't an element that left me in awe in the end.

Find more reviews at www.thebookcove.com
Profile Image for Tbird London.
558 reviews4 followers
November 2, 2013
Kemmie Michaels wrote a fantastic book. I loved how much care she took to describe the characters through the whole story. She made both main characters relatable and full of depth. Reading the book, I felt as if I was watching a movie. Kemmie went to great lengths to make the reader feel completely immersed throughout the story. I was drawn in from the beginning and found myself not wanting to put the book down.
Erin Connor is a 25 yr. old woman who has spent the last five years closing herself off from others. She goes to work, to the gym and home everyday. Erin is lonely and doesn’t think she can ever be strong enough to confront her fear and really live again. One day she decides to start writing in a journal, hoping that it will help. She opens up to her journal as if it is her only friend. After writing in it for a couple of days, she realizes that she has started smiling again. Every night Erin tells her journal about her day. But one night she accidently leaves it at work……and that night her life changed forever.
Marcus Walker is a MMA fighter who works as a janitor in Erin’s office building. Marcus grew up being abused and belittled by his father. When he met Bill, the owner of a gym, Marcus found an outlet for his anger and rage. While cleaning her cubicle, he finds her journal and reads it. Since he lived through a bad childhood, Marcus feels he needs to write her back. And so begins a friendship that is based purely on their feelings about their childhoods, lives and helping one another realize that they are stronger than they know. After months of writing, they meet in person and find out that they truly have deep feelings for one another.
The relationship that Erin and Marcus was built through writing letters back and forth. They formed a bond of respect and trust. That trust and respect was what they both needed and helped them to heal individually and together. This is an amazing love story that will have you enthralled from the very beginning.
Profile Image for Ashley Jasper.
1,849 reviews24 followers
November 16, 2014
I stumbled upon this book when it was mentioned on one of the many blogs I follow. It is the first thing I've read from this author and it won't be the last.

The book follows the story of Erin as she battles her way out of a traumatic experience in her past. At the advice of her therapist, she starts keeping a journal. One night, she forgets her journal at work and it is discovered by Marcus. He is the overnight janitor at the office she works at and he has his own story of triumph over a rough past. He is also a MMA fighter and has the body to prove it.

The two exchange entries in her journal and through this expression of self, they begin to heal. When Marcus asks to meet in person, Erin shuts down and hides. Marcus, being worried about his girl, tracks her down and calms her fears. She realizes from the onset of meeting him that they're connected and she wants more from him. It was so sweet the way he just held her and when she opened up.

As the story progresses, both characters learn to get go of the hurt from the past. They grow both personally and as a couple. They do face their challenges, in the form of a sleazy co-worker, Erin's dad and Marcus' anger. Together, they work through all of their issues. It was great watching Erin's confidence and inner strength come out. When she stood up for herself and her man against her father I cheered for her. I loved that she was also able to develop relationships with others as well. At work, she blossomed and developed and her work also improved. I liked the bond that Erin formed with Marcus' twin, Cassie.

Overall, it was an easy read. While the story touched on some hard subjects, they were treated with the care and delicacy they deserved. I look forward to reading the next installment in this series, Cassie's story.
Profile Image for Books 2 Blog.
1,494 reviews19 followers
May 10, 2016
Unlikely Hero Kemmie Michaels

An unusual book I never expected to read about a couple falling in love via a notebook, and no I don't mean a computer I mean the paper and pen variety. This book was a very sweet and not a typical romance. It's an against all odds novel about overcoming and powering through for love

Erin is a little bit of a hermit shy and hiding away from the world after a bad experience in her past when she finally decides to stop letting the past rule her future. She decides to stop being the drab mouse trying not to draw attention to herself and become a wild flower drawing attention and basking in the sun. However changing the way you think and act is not an easy process, queue the journal keeping an impartial record of her hopes and fears in her change process. Marcus is a fighter rough and tough but he's had to be his past shaped him as a protector and when he stumbles across the newly emerging Erin from her cocoon he can't help but be drawn to her wanting to help her from the darkness into the light, Marcus hasn't had the easiest upbringing which has caused a chip on his shoulder too and a temper that is quick to ignite. When he finds Erin's Journal with her talk of hopes and dreams and what she has overcome he has to write back to her.

An easy to read book with some hard subject matter covered in the plots this is a 4* for me it was a little wordy in places with the story line being drawn out a little but the unusual characters that the author portrayed the hard working MMA fighter with anger issues and the shy accountant falling in love made the book just too good to miss out.

B2B

Heather
Profile Image for Kayla.
359 reviews
September 7, 2013
Synopsis: “Erin never would have expected a hot, passionate affair. Never. Not with her past, not with her fear. She never dated; she didn't even allow herself friendships. She didn't trust her judge-of-character skills enough to allow anyone close...until Marcus. With him, hot and passionate happened in spite of the walls she'd so carefully constructed around herself. As for Marcus, his self-confessed rage fueled every part of his life, with the exception of her. Marcus dares to make the connection that leads to a passionate affair which holds the potential to heal them both.”

Review: I received this book from Sunshine and Mountains book blog for an honest review. I have got to say that I wasn’t expecting to fall in love with this book. Erin was broken and barely living. All she did was work and go to the gym and go home. When she decided to start living again she got a notebook and started writing in it to get her feelings out. One day she left it at work on her desk and the janitor Marcus found it and read her journal. Marcus wrote Erin a note back telling her she was strong. At first she was mad that he had read her thoughts but then she was excited to have someone to talk to. They wrote back and forth for months and then finally they met. This story is so heartwarming and I absolutely loved it. I rate it a A+!
Profile Image for EndlessReading.
519 reviews34 followers
December 22, 2013
This is my first book to read by this author and I loved it!

The pace of the storyline for me was a little slow, but the build up was great.
What Erin went through when she was younger, I wouldn't wish on anyone. The helplessness that you would feel, the constant scaredness that would be engraved into your brain as a constant memory, she'd done well to come out the way she has!

Marcus...He too has an emotional and upsetting story of his up-brining. How can it be that two lost souls go through so much pain and torture but come out victorious the other side?

The connection that forms emotionally at first with these two is beautiful. I loved the fact that they don't know the "real" person that their talking too and when they eventually meet.....such a moving section of the story.

When things started to progress between the two you could literally feel the heat between them because they had already had that intimacy in place and now they were acting on it.

This story was about coming out of their hardened shells and living in the world again, stopping the seclusion that has captured their lives and hearts for the last few years!

Definitely lives up to it's name " Unlikely Hero " from both parties :)
Can't wait to read more, and certainly to read about Quirky Cassie's and Smooth Scott's story.

Profile Image for Kara.
763 reviews30 followers
December 29, 2013
Review posted at: http://bookcrushbookreviews.com/2013/...

Rating: 3.5 stars

In UH we get to deeply know Erin and Marcus. Marcus and Erin have both experienced fear and have coped with it over the years in their own unhealthy ways. Marcus through going into fits of rage and Erin by isolating herself from everyone and everything. I absolutely loved the journal entries between E & M and thought those conversations ran more fluidly than their banter/dialogue when in person with one another. I greatly enjoyed seeing their triumph and overcoming their fears. This story nicely showed that having healthy supports in your corner makes a huge difference. I was hoping for more angst in UH and the dialogue was choppy at times. The sex was steamy hot so that for me was perfect. I know that Erin was overcoming fear, but at times I thought her reactions were too over the top. The supporting characters were great and I'm excited to read their stories as Scott's story is next. Give this a try!
Profile Image for Heather andrews.
9,520 reviews162 followers
May 9, 2014
So I totally had a blonde moment (I have lots of those) but I had read this book before and forgot to post a review, so I re-read it so I can post that review now. Erin I loved that girl she's just so sweet, "I've been pouring my heart out to a fighting janitor," she said, now laughing at the thought. "That's not a sentence you hear every day." I loved how passionate Marcus was outside the bedroom with his MMA and of course Erin and then inside the bedroom with Erin, "Erin, God you're killing me here," he said, rolling her over and settling between her legs again. "I want to take you, baby...you've got me so damn hot. I want inside of you. Now." I have to say my favorite part of the book is when Erin brings Marcus home to meet the family:
Erin's dad looked up immediately with a hard look in his eyes. "You're a cage fighter?"
Marcus met his eyes again in the mirror. "Yes, sir."
"Hmm."
"Bob, stop it. Marcus, how long have you been a fighter?"
I'm really looking forward to Marcus's sister's book, these characters are really entertaining and fun to read.
Profile Image for Alison Chewning.
732 reviews5 followers
March 29, 2015
** ARC provided by the author exchanged for an honest review **

Wow oh wow what a surprise this book was. I was really impressed with Unlikely Hero by Kemmie Michaels. Everyday while looking at books I saw this book was highly recommend to read. I was glad that I got a chance to read this book Unlikely Hero. This book was amazing and a terrific read. I couldn't put it down it was good that I stayed up late reading it. I loved all the characters in it and the story was well written.

I loved how Erin dealt with her difficult situation that she went through. I liked how she was a strong willed person and took things head on. Marcus was a MMA fighter who also had his own issues as well. He was patient and understanding as well as being gentle towards Erin.

I can't wait to read more by Kemmie Michaels and see what is next in the series. Try this book today you won't be disappointed it was amazing story.
Profile Image for Coco.V.
50k reviews132 followers
Want to read
November 9, 2023
💝FREE on iBooks today (5/23/2018)!💝
Profile Image for Rebecca.
Author 26 books22 followers
November 23, 2019
I have read this a couple of times, and I do enjoy the general story line.
Theres a few things I personally wasn't keen on. For instance, the reading of her journal.
A bit naughty. I appreciate why, it was key to the direction of the story and worked well as the story progressed.

I enjoy a bit of smutty reading. The sex scenes in this one, were hot but in a completely different way. It is difficult to explain but I will try my best. When Marcus and Erin had sex, it read more tasteful than others I've read. It was sweet, romantic which in turn made it hot.

There wasn't as much suspense as I normally read, but it wasn't needed. Both characters had enough depth and enough to be dealing with on their own.

The whole story was beautifully written and worth a read.
Profile Image for D Call.
666 reviews29 followers
May 1, 2019
Great story about healing through love

I loved Erin's and Marc's story. Watching them grow from trauma and learn to trust again was beautiful. The dialogue was good, the plot was realistic ( which means not fast paced, and there wasn't a lot of angst), and the characters were very well developed.

Far too many sex scenes. I recognize they're young and in love, but we didn't need to know about all of that.

Stand alone HEA, with hints of further books to come in the epilogue. Cassie's story promises great fun!

Contains sex scenes, swear words, and violence (past attempted rape, past physical and emotional abuse, fights).
58 reviews
May 25, 2020
This is a heartwarming and uplifting story and I would have given it a solid four star rating had it not been for the blasphemy. (The use of Jesus's name vainly and calling on God while being intimate is unacceptable and cannot be justified.) I have to date not encounter a story that the two protagonists meet in the way they do in this book. Marcus is clearly an example that your background do not define your character or who you are. Congratulations to Michaels for choosing a hero such as Marcus. Fighters and "normal" people also deserve to have good and loving relationships.
Profile Image for ElfQueen.
535 reviews
September 4, 2023
What I liked:
-Marcus + Erin's relationship + how it grew.
-The sex, especially the first time was so so good. Marcus was written as attentive, caring + sweet.
-low drama between these two despite the fact that they both had trauma that they needed to deal with as individuals.

What I didn't like:
-something about the writing felt unfinished + unpolished.
-it did need a bit more editing as there were a few typos and sentences that needed work.
-epilogue was just weird to me.

Overall - it is ok, slightly underwhelming but just ok.
Profile Image for Jennifer Dale.
782 reviews15 followers
May 7, 2019
First off.... Overall third person writing; a little of story told with H/H interacting; little of anything happens. Crys alot. skimmed alot of pages and didn't finish.

I was hesitant at first b/c the writing style was NOT for me. I continued to read b/c heck you never know. Unfortunately, the idea was good but there was no quality or depth to the story... Just a bunch of conversations based on the past.
7 reviews
December 22, 2021
surprisingly awesome but not typical

At first glance this book started out as a typical struggling romance but as I got deeper into the story I truly fell in love and in awe of the characters. I couldn’t wait to see it all unfold as both struggled to grow and become their best individually and together. The happy ever after was just that, honest and heart warming. I highly recommend this book and look forward to the next in the series.
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