Blog Tour: Against the ropes by Sarah Castille

Author: Sarah Castille
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Date of publication: September 2013

He scared me. He thrilled me. And after one touch, all I could think about was getting more…

Makayla never thought she’d set foot in an underground mixed-martial arts club. But if anyone needs a medic on hand, it’s these guys. Trouble is, at her first sight of the club’s owner she’s the one feeling breathless.

All sleek muscle and restrained power, the man they call Torment plays to win at any cost. Whether it’s in the ring or in the bedroom, he knows exactly when to use a soft touch and when to launch a full-on assault. He always knows just how far he can push. And he’s about to tempt Makayla in ways she never imagined…

Against the Ropes is a new twist on the rich guy/ broke girl genre that seems to be dominating the world of books lately. In this one, the rich guy had an alternate lifestyle as an underground MMA fighter. For the most part, I enjoyed the book.  Makayla and Max/Torment were good for each other.  Both of them definitely have issues stemming from childhood.  Makayla has a real aversion to violence.  She gets physically ill at the sight.  This kind of works against her when she takes a job as an EMT in Max's gym.  Max has the deep need to protect the people he cares about and this causes a lot of control issues between the two.  I liked Makayla, although I thought she did have some TSTL moments.  The situation she gets in with her friend toward the end of the book is proof of that.  I kind of didn't blame Max for walking away.  I was rooting for this couple to make it.  I really felt like they had a shot of working through their issues.

The book takes place in the world of underground MMA fights.  I don't know much about the sport, but I thought the author gave me enough to details to feel comfortable with the subject.  I'm not sure I could watch any of the fights either. I did have to wonder at Makayla's decision to work there as an EMT, since no doctor would risk their license by working in a place that had underground fighting.  If they wouldn't then why would she want to risk her EMT certification to do it?  Anyway, it's a good romance with fun characters.  I hope some of the other fighters have their own stories.  They seem like a great bunch of guys.

About the author:

Recovering lawyer, karate practitioner, and caffeine addict, Sarah Castille worked and traveled abroad before trading her briefcase and stilettos for a handful of magic beans and a home near the Canadian Rockies. Her steamy, contemporary romantic tales feature blazingly hot alpha heroes tormented or tattooed for your reading pleasure.

Website: http://sarahcastille.com
Twitter: sarah_castille