Title: Fighting For Love (Second Chances #4)
Author: L.P. Dover
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Synopsis
For a time, many years ago, love had grown, love was made, and in the end … love was lost. The decision to leave had been the worst mistake Shelby Dawson could have ever made. However, at the time—ten years ago—she felt her secret needed to stay hidden, even if it broke her heart and the heart of the man she loved. Back then, he was all hers and she was all his, but now things have changed and he isn’t the same guy she knew.
He happens to be the well-known MMA Heavyweight champion and famous bad boy, Matt ‘The Destroyer’ Reynolds, who once before struggled to help his family pay the bills. Now, he has money flowing with each undefeated win and an insurmountable number of women filling his bed. Everything is perfect for the illustrious fighter, until one day it all changes. In walks the girl from his past, the same girl who promised to stick by him but left and never looked back.
Their second chance to make things right will not come easy, for when one mistake is made an unwelcome consequence soon follows. Someone out there wants to rip them apart and they won’t stop until Matt and Shelby pay the ultimate price … their love.
My Review
Story... Fighting For Love starts 10 years in the past. Shelby has left the love of her life and it seems things just got a whole lot worse for Shelby...
"Was it karma rearing it's ugly head taunting me for making the wrong decisions in life? Could it honestly be that cruel to make me pay with such a high price?" - Shelby
The present... Shelby is now a famous journalist for one of the most popular sports magazines on the market. It's time to do a spread for an athlete, but to Shelby's horror it is none other than Matt Reynolds the love of her life, who Shelby left 10 years ago and has regretted her decision every day since.
Matt... has come along way in his life in the last 10 years. Matt had a hard childhood looking after his mum and sister, it was hard but Matt always knew he was going places and that he would be alright, that was until the love of his life broke his heart and then becoming someone became Matt's life. Matt wanted to show everyone that he could overcome his past and become someone someday. And he did, this season Matt is back to defend his title. Matt finds out that the magazine Physique wants to do a spread on him and he is stocked but he soon realizes that the person writing the spread is the girl who broke his heart 10 years ago. At first Matt is shocked but then he realizes that he is not letting Shelby walk out of his life again.
"Matt," I whispered breathlessly, "I've missed you so much."
"Then tell me the truth, Shelby, " he breathed, his voice a low growl.
"Did you really stop loving me?"
Straightaway Matt tells Shelby that she is not walking away from him again and Shelby doesn't really want to either. She missed Matt every day they were apart and wants more than anything to be with him... but... Shelby has a big secret, and she knows when Matt finds out she will probably lose him again.
Things are looking up for Matt, he's doing what he loves, fighting, and he now has the love of his life back. But just as things are going really well someone is intent on ruining everything for Matt. Kyle is who Matt will be fighting to hold on to his Heavyweight Title and Kyle plays dirty to get what he wants, and what he wants is Matt off his game and preoccupied with his relationship with Shelby than focused on his fighting. Kyle does everything in his power to ruin Matt and Shelby's relationship and everything to turn Matt from calm and collected before his fights to anger ruling his reactions.
"Kyle deserved to get more than just his ass beat; he needed mental help. I mean, who in their right mind gets off on tormenting others like he does? One word came to mind: psychopath." - Shelby
In trying to find out how Kyle knows so much about Shelby and Matt's past and their present relationship, Shelby finds out that one person close to them is also working against them for their own agenda.
Then Matt finds out Shelby's secret, he has no idea what to do and tells Shelby he needs some to time to process it all, but Shelby knows this is probably goodbye.
"My future... my dreams? Dammit, Shelby, you were my future. You were all I ever wanted. If I had to work ninety hours a week I would've done it just to keep you. How could you do this to me, to us?" - Matt
In Fighting For Love, Matt and Shelby go through a range of emotions dealing with Kyle's tricks and lies. Their jealousy, trust and space to forgive each other are tested throughout the book.
The sex was HOT! and there was a lot! No complaints here!
'"Dammit, this feels so good I don't want to stop. I'm going to come so fucking hard in you, angel," he growled.' - Matt
There were parts towards the end of the book that had me sobbing so hard. It was really hard to read about Shelby's past while she was alone. And when Matt finally gets to visit a part of his past I just lost it and had to tell myself to breathe through my tears, because I wasn't about to stop reading.
"Closing my eyes, I leaned over and put my forehead to the soft, green grass below, letting the tears flow freely. I sat there for about an hour, feeling the wind all around me and hearing the tree branches as they swayed back and forth." - Matt
This story does have a HEA. Matt completely won me in this book, he is a beautiful man who had a rough childhood who became a wonderful man and I'm glad he got everything he deserved in the end.
"I'll fight for what's mine, and you, my angel, are mine." - Matt
Why I rated 3.75 stars... I felt their relationship moved very fast, one minute they were alone and each of them living their own lives saying how much their breakup tore them apart and then they see each other and then they are instantly together, after 10 years apart. I would have thought Matt had more questions as to why Shelby left him, but he never really questioned why she left him and why she was so harsh in doing it.
I also found myself VERY FRUSTRATED with the heroine, and because of this I found myself putting the book down often, but the suspense to find out, who and why, was enough to bring me back to their story. I felt that she was babied by her friends and what she did to Matt was (to me) unforgivable, and when Matt found out what she had done and Shelby was hurt, everything turned into poor Shelby again, and Matt actually felt guilty about having to take some time to process what he had found out... GAH! And THEN Shelby still gets to call the shots and tell Matt they need space... well excuse me but if you fuck up that bad you shouldn't get to decide who needs space and time!
Does this mean I didn't like it at all? No, absolutely not, I just needed more balance with the hero and heroine, through the whole story Matt was always being lied to (sometimes for his own good but they were still lies), and treated rudely by Shelby's friends, yet Matt was the sweetest guy and would always take their outbursts and blamed himself when really it was all Shelby's fault, whether it was because she left him or because she lied, she made those decisions and when it came back to bite her it always came back to poor Shelby, and that made my blood boil!
Overall, this book was a sweet, suspenseful story about facing your past, and getting a second chance with the love of your life.
"Was it karma rearing it's ugly head taunting me for making the wrong decisions in life? Could it honestly be that cruel to make me pay with such a high price?" - Shelby
The present... Shelby is now a famous journalist for one of the most popular sports magazines on the market. It's time to do a spread for an athlete, but to Shelby's horror it is none other than Matt Reynolds the love of her life, who Shelby left 10 years ago and has regretted her decision every day since.
Matt... has come along way in his life in the last 10 years. Matt had a hard childhood looking after his mum and sister, it was hard but Matt always knew he was going places and that he would be alright, that was until the love of his life broke his heart and then becoming someone became Matt's life. Matt wanted to show everyone that he could overcome his past and become someone someday. And he did, this season Matt is back to defend his title. Matt finds out that the magazine Physique wants to do a spread on him and he is stocked but he soon realizes that the person writing the spread is the girl who broke his heart 10 years ago. At first Matt is shocked but then he realizes that he is not letting Shelby walk out of his life again.
"Matt," I whispered breathlessly, "I've missed you so much."
"Then tell me the truth, Shelby, " he breathed, his voice a low growl.
"Did you really stop loving me?"
Straightaway Matt tells Shelby that she is not walking away from him again and Shelby doesn't really want to either. She missed Matt every day they were apart and wants more than anything to be with him... but... Shelby has a big secret, and she knows when Matt finds out she will probably lose him again.
Things are looking up for Matt, he's doing what he loves, fighting, and he now has the love of his life back. But just as things are going really well someone is intent on ruining everything for Matt. Kyle is who Matt will be fighting to hold on to his Heavyweight Title and Kyle plays dirty to get what he wants, and what he wants is Matt off his game and preoccupied with his relationship with Shelby than focused on his fighting. Kyle does everything in his power to ruin Matt and Shelby's relationship and everything to turn Matt from calm and collected before his fights to anger ruling his reactions.
"Kyle deserved to get more than just his ass beat; he needed mental help. I mean, who in their right mind gets off on tormenting others like he does? One word came to mind: psychopath." - Shelby
In trying to find out how Kyle knows so much about Shelby and Matt's past and their present relationship, Shelby finds out that one person close to them is also working against them for their own agenda.
Then Matt finds out Shelby's secret, he has no idea what to do and tells Shelby he needs some to time to process it all, but Shelby knows this is probably goodbye.
"My future... my dreams? Dammit, Shelby, you were my future. You were all I ever wanted. If I had to work ninety hours a week I would've done it just to keep you. How could you do this to me, to us?" - Matt
In Fighting For Love, Matt and Shelby go through a range of emotions dealing with Kyle's tricks and lies. Their jealousy, trust and space to forgive each other are tested throughout the book.
The sex was HOT! and there was a lot! No complaints here!
'"Dammit, this feels so good I don't want to stop. I'm going to come so fucking hard in you, angel," he growled.' - Matt
There were parts towards the end of the book that had me sobbing so hard. It was really hard to read about Shelby's past while she was alone. And when Matt finally gets to visit a part of his past I just lost it and had to tell myself to breathe through my tears, because I wasn't about to stop reading.
"Closing my eyes, I leaned over and put my forehead to the soft, green grass below, letting the tears flow freely. I sat there for about an hour, feeling the wind all around me and hearing the tree branches as they swayed back and forth." - Matt
This story does have a HEA. Matt completely won me in this book, he is a beautiful man who had a rough childhood who became a wonderful man and I'm glad he got everything he deserved in the end.
"I'll fight for what's mine, and you, my angel, are mine." - Matt
Why I rated 3.75 stars... I felt their relationship moved very fast, one minute they were alone and each of them living their own lives saying how much their breakup tore them apart and then they see each other and then they are instantly together, after 10 years apart. I would have thought Matt had more questions as to why Shelby left him, but he never really questioned why she left him and why she was so harsh in doing it.
I also found myself VERY FRUSTRATED with the heroine, and because of this I found myself putting the book down often, but the suspense to find out, who and why, was enough to bring me back to their story. I felt that she was babied by her friends and what she did to Matt was (to me) unforgivable, and when Matt found out what she had done and Shelby was hurt, everything turned into poor Shelby again, and Matt actually felt guilty about having to take some time to process what he had found out... GAH! And THEN Shelby still gets to call the shots and tell Matt they need space... well excuse me but if you fuck up that bad you shouldn't get to decide who needs space and time!
Does this mean I didn't like it at all? No, absolutely not, I just needed more balance with the hero and heroine, through the whole story Matt was always being lied to (sometimes for his own good but they were still lies), and treated rudely by Shelby's friends, yet Matt was the sweetest guy and would always take their outbursts and blamed himself when really it was all Shelby's fault, whether it was because she left him or because she lied, she made those decisions and when it came back to bite her it always came back to poor Shelby, and that made my blood boil!
Overall, this book was a sweet, suspenseful story about facing your past, and getting a second chance with the love of your life.
★★☆ 3.75 Stars ☆★★
Reviewed by Jess Mann
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About the Author
USA TODAY Bestselling author, L.P. Dover, is the author of the Forever Fae series, as well as the Second Chances standalone series, and her NA romantic suspense standalone called Love, Lies, and Deception. She lives in the beautiful state of North Carolina with her husband, her two wild girls, and her rambunctious kitten Katrina.
Before she began her career in the literary world, L.P. Dover spent her years going to college and then graduated to cleaning teeth, which she loved doing. At least until the characters in her head called her away. She has never been the same since.
Follow the author at these links
USA TODAY Bestselling author, L.P. Dover, is the author of the Forever Fae series, as well as the Second Chances standalone series, and her NA romantic suspense standalone called Love, Lies, and Deception. She lives in the beautiful state of North Carolina with her husband, her two wild girls, and her rambunctious kitten Katrina.
Before she began her career in the literary world, L.P. Dover spent her years going to college and then graduated to cleaning teeth, which she loved doing. At least until the characters in her head called her away. She has never been the same since.
Follow the author at these links
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