Review: Best. Opening. Scene. EVER.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 05 31, 2014
There’s no way Chrissy Martin’s day can get any worse.  Her boyfriend broke up with her by text, her brother needs to be bailed out of jail, she’s had a broken heel and a flat tire, and now she’s being pulled over for speeding.  Except the cop is her brother’s best friend, the guy she madly crushed on when she was in school, the guy who screwed her best friend and always made her feel like a stupid little kid.  Yes, her day has just gotten worse.Jack Daniels was cursed with a ridiculous name and an overwhelming need to protect Slade’s little sister Chrissy.  She’s been gone for a decade, but she’s back now — and completely different.  Gone is the insecure, nerdy little girl he remembers, and in her place is a stunning, accomplished, confident woman who brings him to his knees — literally.Judging Covers:So the cover isn’t bad, but I think it sells the book short.  Sure, it’s got a hot guy on the cover, and I suppose he could be a cage fighter.  But the story is so much richer and funnier and just plain better than the cover depicts.  If I happened across it on Amazon, I probably wouldn’t buy it — which would be a huge mistake.The Verdict:Best. Opening. Scene. EVER.I actually put off reading this book for a while.  Lately, I’ve read some really fun romances, and I just knew Against the Cage wasn’t going to be as much fun.  Oh, how wrong I was.Chrissy is just awesome.  She’s fiesty and willful without being over-the-top, and she definitely holds her own against lover boy Jack and her brother Slade.  She’s got a few issues, but she doesn’t carry them around in a big bucket of angst, and so often she had me laughing out loud as she stood up to the guys.  I also loved her inner conflict when it came to the whole alpha male thing.  On the one hand, she was a strong, capable woman who couldn’t fathom fighting for sport.  But at the same time, she was all kinds of hot and bothered when Jack played caveman.  Relating to her was instant.And Jack… Oh my, what a man.  He was sexy and witty and sensitive and 100% man.  He doesn’t waver in his protectiveness and attraction when it comes to Chrissy, and from the moment he was about to kiss her until the very end, I was swooning right alongside Chrissy.  He was the ultimate good guy — big brother role, cop — while playing bad boy with his cage fighting hobby.The story itself is entertaining and hilarious, from the “part pit bull” chihuahua to the scene at the diner where every available man for a ten-mile radius was hitting on Chrissy.  The fact that Jack was the one who came to her rescue after every stunt — and the clumsy adventures she managed just made it perfect.  If you’re a fan of intense chemistry, men in uniform, alpha males and strong feminine leads, and laughing your way through a great romance, this book was made for you.