Review: Hot MMA romance!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 07 7, 2014
REVIEWED BY LIZIt's been a while since I've read a heroine who I truly liked, so Chrissy's character was really refreshing. I liked her right from the very start. She's having a hell of a day in her hometown and just wants it to be over. I thought that her introduction was fun and silly and it put me firmly in her corner. But she's also had some serious stuff happen in her life, not the least of which was her father dying when she was in college. She also doesn't have a great relationship with her brother, Slade, and it breaks her heart. Occasionally, strained familial relationships can be poison to a story because there's usually so much history behind it and the strain is not easily healed. I thought that might be the case here, since it seemed that Chrissy's brother was her Achilles' heel. She could deny him nothing and would drop everything when he called. I was ready to be angry at her and to hate her brother, but the author really elevated Chrissy's motivations and I didn't have much of a problem with how she handled him. For me, Chrissy ended up being almost a perfect heroine. She's had tough times, but she still retained her sense of humor. She also faces her fears with her head up and her shoulders back. I liked her so much!As much as I liked Chrissy, I liked Jack, the hero, just as much. He's a police officer in his hometown and, just for fun, does the occasional MMA fight. Obviously, he's hot AND he's built! I had a hard time picturing his face but NO problem picturing his body! LOL! I felt like there wasn't as much of Jack's past in the story as was Chrissy's, but it didn't affect my enjoyment of it or of him as a character. When he reconnects with Chrissy, he's astounded by her transformation from awkward teenager to knockout adult. It felt really unusual for a hero - such a manly man hero, too - to be so all consumed by the heroine so quickly. Don't get me wrong, I liked it, but I was surprised that it didn't make him seem less masculine. Sometimes, when a hero is just SO into a heroine and so smitten with her, he can seem weak somehow. Happily, that wasn't the case here. Jack was sexy and hot and super-masculine at ALL times!I loved the chemistry between Chrissy and Jack. They had such a rich history and it really showed in their relationship. Even when Jack was being a butthead, I was really rooting for them.  :) There is also a good amount of Sexy Time and it was super hot! Of course, what else would you expect from a strong heroine and a police officer/MMA fighter for a hero?The other thing I liked was that the MMA scenes weren't super intense. I think readers who are not into MMA in the least would still have fun reading this novel. The MMA is truly a side story and is almost just a device to explain Jack's and Slade's beefed-up physiques, so knowledge and/or appreciation of MMA is absolutely not required. There are a few laughs and plenty of drama too. I really feel like this book had a little bit of everything and I can't imagine any fan of romance not enjoying it!BOTTOM LINE:AGAINST THE CAGE was such a fun book to read! With a touch of humor and a seriously hot hero, this author has made me a fan in a short amount of time. Anyone looking for a light romance with a real, normal heroine and super sexy hero will definitely enjoy this book.RATING: A- (4 stars)NOTE: I received a review copy of this title courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.