Sharing a beachside cottage with my brother’s friend might be the worst idea ever, but bad never looked so good…
When I go on vacation to Cape Cod, it’s supposed to be my opportunity to finish the romance novel I’ve been writing for years. I never expect MMA-fighting playboy Tony Romano to turn up on my doorstep.
Tony needs a place to lie low while he recovers from an injury. He’s moody and vulnerable—a stark contrast to his usual fun, light-hearted self. I’m determined to help—and maybe find my own happily ever after—but commitment-phobic Tony isn’t used to letting people in.
With every lingering touch and late-night confession, I break down more of his walls. But when it’s time to return home, can our relationship survive in the real world?
Authors note: This is a short romance / novella with a complete standalone romance story of approximately 27,000 words
A. Rivers writes steamy romance books with take-charge heroes and strong heroines who aren't afraid to fight the odds for love. On the rare occasions when she ventures out of the writing cave, you can probably find her face down in a book, cuddling her pets, or planning her next overseas adventure with her husband.
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My heart is breaking because I didn't love this one like I did all the others novellas. Don't get me wrong - it was a quick and enjoyable read but I was missing the fire between the main characters. The story is fast paced so maybe that's the problem with the chemistry I wanted them to have on page.
I liked that she wasn't to harsh on him whne his fears got to him. She understood and wanted him to see that love sometimes needs a bit of time and meeting the right person at the right time.
As said I liked it but didn't love it. But I love this author and I'll definitely be back for more of her work!
I hate to give this a low rating, but there was no chemistry at all between the main characters. I love MMA romances but this didn't read like a romance.
safety: no virgins no cheating/sharing no OM/OW safe HEA & epilogue ♡
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Tony Romero is a MMA fighter. He is injured and has to take a couple of months off. A friend offers a beach house so he can get away from his hovering family. He doesn’t believe in a forever relationship.
I’ve never craved anyone’s approval before, but being thrust into this situation with Lucia, where we’re sharing a house and spending most of our time together, seems to have messed with my priorities.
Lucia is already staying in the house trying to get her creative juices flowing. They decide to enjoy there time together by getting to know each other.
I’m not going to make any promises because I’m new at this, but I’m falling for you, Luce, and I want to see where it goes.”
This was a sweet and sexy short story. There were times I wanted to smack Tony but Lucia didn’t take crap from him at all. These books are always so great. I enjoy every single one of them.
Tony is an MMA fighter getting ready for a big fight when his mom drops a bomb shell on him, that she's getting married. Shocked and this all he's thinking about instead of the fight. While distracted his opponent get him in an arm lock and Tony has excruciating pain shoot through his arm. He knows he can't continue he taps out. Later he gets the news no fighter wants to hear. His injury a torn rotator cuff and he can't train or fight. While home he has his mom and sisters waiting on him and when his friend calls to offer his beach house he considers it to get away and clear his head. Lucia is at the beach house working on her bok, which she has been stuck. Then she hears a noise coming from inside the house. Grabbing something so she can defend herself. Upon pin inside she sees him, Tony. She's had a secret crush on him. Tony's shocked to see her. Tony has also liked Lucia. Tony is really not in any mood for company, so he goes to his room. Lucia makes dinner for both, Tony comes out of his room and visits with her. He makes small talk but she knows hes hiding something. They walk the beach but he over does it with his shoulder pain and then snaps at her. Later he apolgies to her. She suggests that he talk to his mom in regards to her quick engagement. He does and feels better. Tony asks Lucia to go to his mothers engagement party. She is a little nervous around large crowds. He promises to be by her side but when they get there is mom is upset and Tony gets all freaked out and leaves Lucia on her own. After he leaves Lucia goes in and talks to his mom where she brought up some good points which his mom liked. Later his one sister found him sulking about how all marriages fail. She explained if you love someone they can with stand anything. He realizes he made a huge mistake. He went to find Lucia and apoligies again and to tell her he loves her. She accepts his apoligy again. After going back home, he is cleared to start training but he asks Lucia a very big question about mmoving in with him and starting their lives together. She happliy agrees.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Another wonderful novella in the Crown MMA/The Outsiders series.
Tony has been a lovable side character in previous books, with his charm and sexy good looks catching the attention of ladies everywhere. In this quick read we learn what has motivated him to move from woman to woman and to avoid relationships.
Lucia Caruso quickly became one of my favorite characters in Tempe and Mercy’s story. She cared so much for her brother and dropped everything to help take care of his baby mama when her pregnancy became high risk.
Tony and Lucia unexpectedly sharing their friends’ cottage. She’s attracted to Tony, but is wary of his playboy ways and doesn’t want to risk getting her heart broken. Tony thinks she’s the perfect woman, but knows she’s off limits as the sister of a friend and someone who wants the picket fence.
I enjoyed seeing these two slowly develop a closer relationship and then admit they each wanted the other and agree to try. Tony arranges a fun first date that impresses Lucia, but she’s still wary of getting her heart broken.
For a short story, the characters develop and grow in their relationship. The majority of the story is just the two of them with alternating POVs.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Thank you Alexa Rivers 😊 I loved Antonio (aka Tony) and Lucia’s (aka Luce) story…an MMA Fighter who is injured and a Romance Writer who has writer’s block. They both happen to end up at the same beach cottage owned by mutual friends. For Tony it is to get away from Family/friends and to just recuperate and get back to fighting fitness and doing what he loves, and Lucia thought the beach may help her finish writing her first romance story and wasn’t leaving until she wrote ‘The End’.
I am so saddened that we have come to the end of another MMA series 😢 I loved the world you created and I’m secretly hoping you will revisit and we will get to see how all their lives ended up.
As a reader when an author strikes Gold with the story it is so hard to read a short story or novella, as I always want more - and this is one of those occasions, A. Rivers definitely struck Gold!!
I definitely recommend both the MMA series (8 books in total) and I would read them in order even though each book is a standalone, the main and secondary characters from the first book do appear in each book thereafter so you don’t want any spoilers! Don’t wait grab them now.
I received an ARC and I’m leaving my honest and voluntary review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
This is book four in The Crown MMA Romance: The Outsiders Series and it is Tony and Lucia's story. While Tony is getting ready for his big MMA Right he gets a shock when his mom tells him that she is getting married and that distracts him during his fight and he ends up injured so when his friend offers him the beach house so that he can get away and think while healing he takes him up on his offer. Lucia is at the beach house trying to finish her book that she is writing but stuck trying to finish it she hears a noise and goes to investigate only to find Tony there. Lucia and Tony start to spend time together and they have many ups and downs but Lucia is a true romantic and I loved watching her believe and try to convince Tony that there is such a thing as true love it only be would take time to believe in it but will it work or will be just stay a cynic when it comes to love. This was a really beautifully written book and I couldn't put it down and I can't wait to read more book's by this author in the future.
Tony Romano and Lucia Caruso end up sharing a beachside cottage. She is there to finish writing a romance novel. He is there to recover from an MMA fight injury. They are both attracted to each other, but have their reasons for avoiding any kind of relationship. Lucia knows he is a known player and doesn’t want to put her heart on the line to be hurt by him. Tony thinks she is wonderful, but being his friend’s sister and knowing she wants more of a forever kind of relationship, he holds back.
Unfortunately, being together like they are, feelings start to deepen. They finally agree to give the romance a try. Will it work for them? Will they find their HEA together? Despite the shortness of the story, the reader can see the growth of both characters as their relationship develops and gets stronger. And when they agree to give it a try, they both put the effort into making it work. I was smiling much of the time! They are wonderful together.
I think that’s my start date 8/24, been busy who hasn’t? I received this page turner with a complex romantic hero and heroine from Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. I would recommend this book to someone who believes in love but needs help with their unbelief. There’s the romantic ideal we embrace till there’s hurt, pain, and disappointment. Love is the good part and hard work is the part that makes it good. The hero accused his girlfriend of being romantic he did realize he was just as mushy he just gave up hope. Tony is fine. He’s a MMA fighter. He’s living a life of a machine: train, fight, flirt no commitment no rewards like fast food. That was Tony before Lucia. Lucia did the cooking while they were on retreat. Lucia’s a hopeless romantic author. She’s got a case of writer’s block. Once she cooks up a forced proximity romance with Antonio she’s unblocked and finished with her book before she knows it. Back in the real world will their recipe for love be one they can share with their family and friends or just a good memory? Read Fighter’s Forever if you want to find out. I enjoyed it, found it easy to read. There’s no cheating, OW/OM, and a HFN. Laters!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is Tony and Lucia's story. Tony is an MMA fighter working up to a big fight. Right before the fight, he is ambushed by his mother telling him that she is getting married. He's distracted and gets hurt by his opponent. When he gets home, his mother and sisters are all in his business so he knows he has to get away. Lucia is a romance author and she is suffering from writer's block. She goes to a friend's cottage to see if she can work through being stuck. She hears a noise and goes to defend herself. Eventually she sees it's Tony and she's intrigued - she's always had a crush on him. Tony is interested too, he's always liked Lucia, but he really just wanted to be alone. Can they peacefully coexist and maybe try for something more, or will they just keep getting in each others (and their own) way?
Tony needed to escape the overwhelming coddling of his mother and sisters, he is injured, but he still needs his space. Luckily for him his friend has a cottage near the sea he can relax at. Only he didn't expect to be sharing it with Lucia, who is kind of off limits to him, but she is so tempting. Will Tony's moodiness scare Lucia off? Or will something develop between them? Can Lucia change Tony's attitude about commitment? I enjoyed this romance between an injured fighter, Lucia is understanding and not willing to let Tony lash out at her (while he is hurting), and Tony is easy to love too.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This book follows Tony who has been injured and needs to get away so he takes up the offer to go to Cape Cod and relax. He never expected Lucia to be there. She took his breathe away when he met her at her brother's wedding. She is off limits but he is drawn to her. Lucia has retreated to the Cape to try and finish her book. She never expected Tony to show up there as well but they agree to stay and work on their own goals. The chemistry is there but it's not as hot and spicy as previous novels but they are cute together. You will enjoy this story just like the others in this series. Happy Reading!!
Tony and Lucia both think they are going to get alone time when they head to their friends cottage, neither know the other is going to there are some good laughs when they find out they have been double booked. I thought Tony and Lucia were great you connect with them so easily and just want them to be together and Tony definitely works on showing Lucia they are good together. I really enjoyed this book and left me with a big smile at the end.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Will Her Lingering Touches Soothe This Grumpy, Injured MMA Fighter?
Great story! If you love MMA romance between a grumpy, injured fighter & a curvy heroine than this is a book to read. Tony & Lucia's relationship journey is not all smooth sailing even with the heated sparks of attraction pulling them together. Is their relationship doomed once the return to reality or do they have a chance of a HEA if Tony will let Lucia in?.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Lucia heads to her family vacation home to work on her romance novel in peace. Her peace is disruppeted when her brother's best friend shows up to recuperate after an injury fighting. They have known each other and she finds him attractive, however he is grumpier than normal. She throws everything at him but to him she is off limits since she is his friends sister. Will she be able to change his mind? The characters work well together. The story keeps your interest.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Tony and Lucia are a great couple. A scheduling mix-up has them spending time alone in a cottage by the ocean. The perfect place to fall in love. But he's wary because everyone close to him has suffered bad relationships. And she's a romance novelist who believes that every couple can get their HEA. Even his mom, whose pending nuptials are a focal point for Tony. A good short story to while away an afternoon.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I loved Fighter's Forever by A. Rivers. Book 4 in the Crown MMA Romance: The Outsiders series, I was quickly drawn into Lucia and Tony's story. Injured during his MMA match, he retreats to his friend's cottage to get a break from his overbearing family. He is surprised to find the empty seaside cottage not so empty. Lucia is struggling with writers block and is looking for peace and quiet so she can finish her book. The attraction between them becomes too strong to resist but can Tony overcome his fear of heartbreak? Great read!
This is the 4th book in this series, and this is Lucia and Tony’s story. Lucia is a writer who needs the peace to complete her novel, never dreaming that she would be sharing a cabin with Tony, who is her brother’s best friend, and an MMA fighter, and playboy, who is injured and needs to recuperate. This is a well written story which is a short romance, with humor, witty banter, family, friendships, and love, which leads to an entertaining page turner. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Tony and Lucia were good characters on their own, but together, they just couldn't make any sense. There wasn't enough chemistry between them, unlike the chemistry we saw in the bonus epilogue of the previous book. I was hoping they'd have an exciting bond, something we could all root for, but it just fell flat. Tony was great in all the other books we've seen him in, but in his own love story, he felt like a complete jerk. He did have some character development by the climax and at the end of the book, but it wasn't enough for me to change my mind.
This was a great story! Tony and Lucia were awesome together. Tony was insecure about relationships because he hadn't ever seen a long-term one be successful. I loved how Lucia loved him and wanted to show him that love can last if you commit yourself to being with the right person. Their relationship was wonderful.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Tony is trying recover from his injury and decides to spend time at a friend's beach house. He is surprised that he has to share the beach house with Lucia. They agree to share and decide to get to know each other. It is a surprise when Tony started to fall for Lucia. Will they make work together? I have enjoyed the chemistry between the characters. The series has been a wonderful read from book one.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
What a short fun story. Lucia and Tony are both headed to a friends cottage for healing, writing, and alone time. When Tony gets to the cottage he finds that Lucia is there. These two were endearing. It was entertaining watching these two develop they relationship. I enjoyed this story very much. First book I've read by this author.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received an ARC from the author and am voluntarily leaving my review. Tony and Lucia are perfect for each other but neither can see it until they end up sharing space at the beach. They both have reasons for avoiding relationships in the past. This one might sneak up on them before they know it. While their connection grows, doubts are hard to overcome.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Tony a MMA fighter gets injured and needs somewhere to recuperate when his best friend recommends a cabin but little does he know that Lucia, a writer is there already to finish off a book. This is passionate, and somewhat romantic especially once he starts letting his walls down. There is drama as they both have issues to get over. This was well written and a pleasure to read. Such a great story!! This was an ARC and this is my honest review.
Short read, but i didn’t like it very much. I dont feel the chemistry between characters and the MMC is a bit rude even though he apologize after being rude i still dont like it They already meet prior to this book I think the MMC still sleeps around after their meeting even though he feels the attraction he decides not to persue heroin because FMC is a happy ever after girl and he only ONS guys The girl is tooo much understanding and she always forgive the guy The ending is okay
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Fighter's Forever Book 4 of Crown MMA Romance: The Outsiders A. Rivers
The story and characters, Tony and Lucia are superb. I really enjoyed the journey and Tony's growth. This was a heartfelt and loving story. Great read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I’ve read each book in the series and enjoyed them all. The romance is good, the sex is good, the storylines are good, and the writing and editing are great! I wish there were more MMA scenes. The books concentrate on the relationships between the main male character and main female character. That’s not to say the stories weren’t great.
I have loved this series. This book continues the series, but can be read as a stand a lone. It was nice to see two people from different worlds with their own issues to overcome, find comfort in each other.
This is book four in this series Crown MMA. The story flows well, will keep you interested to see what will happen next with these two. This is the story of Tony and Lucia and their journey to their happily ever after.