Friday, March 24, 2023

Review: Worth the Fight by Denver Shaw


Worth the Fight by Denver Shaw
A QUAIL 5 STAR READ

 Review


Worth the Fight by Denver Shaw centers around the relationship between MMA fighter Caden and social worker Noah, and their journey to overcome their differences and find love. The chemistry between the two main characters is compelling, and their love story is sweet and passionate. Caden's rough exterior hides a soft heart, and Noah's compassion and sincerity shines through.  The characters captured my heart like a hot fudge sundae. But hey, that's just me. 

The concept of an MMA fighter and a social worker falling in love is like a classic romantic comedy, and these two opposites attract each other like magnets. Caden is a fighter, and not just in the ring; he's fighting for his brother's life, while Noah is fighting to make the world a better place.

Despite their differences, they're drawn to each other, and their chemistry is hotter than a jalapeƱo pepper. The plot is compelling with all the MMA fighting, social work, family drama, and past issues. But there's enough romance and sexy time to balance it out, and that added whipped cream to my coffee.

Compared to other books in the sports and contemporary romance genre, Worth the Fight stands out for its focus on the MMA world and Noah's occupation. I loved Denver Shaw's writing style in a story low on angst and highly enjoyable. I thought the story interesting and Shaw provided enough deepening to the characters and the MMA world to make the story compelling. While some secondary characters could have been fleshed out more, Caden and Noah's relationship is the highlight of the book. And rightly so. The push and pull between the two is magnetic, and the slow burn worked for their relationship. 

The secondary characters, Sampson and Pax, are like two peas in a pod, and I wished they could punch some sense into each other. But the main characters, Caden and Noah carried the story and rightly so, and made it worth reading.

The ending for me is like finally solving the Rubik's cube. Satisfying. The HEA was well-deserved and made me smile like a Cheshire cat.  I wanted more Caden and Noah time, like a second cup of coffee. This book is like taking a dip in a warm pool on a sunny day.

A work in the same genre is "Against the Cage" by Sidney Halston, which centers around the relationship between an MMA fighter and a makeup artist. While the gender roles are reversed compared to "Worth the Fight," the book still features a similar theme of a fighter falling in love with someone outside of the fighting world. However, "Against the Cage" centers around the fight and not so much the romance and this is where I must dip my hat to Denver Shaw for exploring a compelling romance.

Another book, "In the Ring" by Rie Warren is another gay MMA romance novel. The book centers around a former Marine who becomes an MMA fighter and the relationship he develops with his coach. The book features plenty of steamy romance and a focus on the intense physical and emotional tolls of MMA fighting. However, there are so many books that develop romantic relationships between fighter and coach, and Denver Shaw breaks that chain quite admirably.

Keep in mind there aren't many gay MMA romance novels as there are heterosexual ones.

Denver Shaw is a new-to-me author, and I'm excited to read more of their work because this one ticked all the boxes for me. 

Length:  56 600 words      

It is a standalone story and does not end on a cliffhanger.

Buy Links

Goodreads
Buy Links - Available in Kindle Unlimited

Amazon US  |  Amazon UK
A bad boy who lives outside the law. A compassionate soul focused on helping others. Sometimes rules are meant to be broken... for love.

Blurb
Caden
Helping my brother was my focus. He got into trouble and I’ve been using my skills in the ring to prevent loan sharks from breaking his kneecaps... or worse.

Until I met Noah.
He’s a good man who makes me want to be better. A man who doesn't lace up his gloves and step into underground rings. But I have one last fight coming. This time the stakes are higher than ever. What I have to do to save my brother could cost me the man I’m falling for.

Noah
I should have walked away and never looked back when I first met the MMA fighter with honey-gold eyes. Yet Caden’s charms are too appealing to ignore. As a social worker it's important for me to keep my nose clean.

And Caden is a red flag in every way. 

Still, he’s hot as sin and I can't seem to stay away. I’m taking a risk by opening myself up to him, but I'm convinced beneath that bad boy exterior beats the heart of a good man who is worth the fight.

I texted Austin that I was here and that he needed to get his skinny butt to the entrance.

I got back what looked like a seat assignment from him, but this place was a maze. There was a man nearby who looked like he knew his way around, or was someone that worked here. Even if he didn’t, he might know where the seats were. But my breath caught in my throat as I surveyed him: black pants, white shirt; tall, muscled; short, blackberry-colored hair and honey-gold eyes. On their own, his features were possessed by dozens, perhaps hundreds of other men, but there was a certain something about this particular man. He exuded an easy confidence, a sex appeal that drew me in. It had been years since I’d been in a serious relationship, months since I’d had sex, and looking at this guy made me seriously think, albeit fleetingly, that maybe I should put myself back out there and at least consider dating again.

I shook myself from the temporary brain paralysis the man had reduced me to. 

“Pardon me, sir,” I said, “I haven’t been here in a long time; I’m trying to figure out where seat F3J is. Do you have any idea?”

He smiled down at me. I felt the caress of his gaze roaming over me, but not lingering too long in one spot, which took him out of the ‘creep’ category and put him into the ‘typical male’ category that he probably couldn’t help being in anyway. Not to put too fine a point on it, but I did have on my burgundy suit, which perfectly molded to my body.

Was he gay, or at least bisexual?

“F3J,” he repeated, smirking about something. “F3J…well, I might be able to help you hunt it down. Are you…here with someone?”

“I am,” I said. “Young guy, skinny, mixed.”

“Anything serious?” the man asked, casually—too casually.

I laughed. “Um…no, he’s my nephew.”

“Oh!” He wiped imaginary sweat off his forehead. “I see. That’s good.”

“Is it, now?”

“Well, see,” he said, “I figured there was no way I was lucky enough to meet a single guy in a place like this. I mean, what are the chances a man like you is unattached?”

Well, he answered my question. He was definitely gay or bisexual.

I pursed my lips and gave him the look I gave the kids that tried to bullshit me at work. “Oh, you’re a little slick. What, just because I’m here without a guy, I must be unattached?”

He shrugged. “Are you?”

“Here without a guy?”

“No, unattached.”

I made him wait a second. “Maybe I am.”

“Here’s the thing,” he said, leaning in a little bit. He smelled like a minty aftershave and sweat, the clean sweat of a man straight after a workout. “I figured any man who was with you wouldn’t stay behind if you left the house looking like that. I know I wouldn’t.”

“What, so he’d own me?” I wanted to be righteously angry, but it was hard. Those eyes…

“No,” the man said. “But he’d never miss a chance to be with you. I think you’d probably own him.”

“Oh, okay. Okay.” I nodded slowly, smiling now. “You’re slick and smooth at the same time. Listen, can you help me find my seat or not?”

“Is that an interview question?”

“I’m not taking applications.”

“Give me your phone number, and I’ll take you straight there.” He winked at me.

I almost did. It was fun, and it had been a long, long time since I’d been flirted with by anybody that wasn’t an inappropriately forward client. That happened plenty. This, though, was a bona fide stranger who didn’t know me from Adam, and seemed like he thought I was looking cute.

But, let’s be honest here; the little fantasy I had a few moments ago about putting myself out there was just that, a fantasy. I ate takeout every night for dinner. I ate most of my lunches at the office. I had heard about days off, and I vaguely remembered having them…or maybe I only dreamed about that once. That stack of case files on my desk? It hung around the back of my head like it had astral projected itself to follow me around the world outside my office.

It was a nice thought, but no, sir; the next date I had time to go on would be the one day off I would get between the day my office burned down and the day they relocated me to another one and printed out all my files again—thank God for the cloud.

“It’s not that easy,” I said with my own wink. “But good try. You’ve got real skills. I applaud your smoothness.” I stepped away from him. “I’ve got no time for guys who hit on guys for sport.”

He feigned a wound to the chest, but he was still smiling. “Fair enough,” he said. “I’ll keep that in mind, then. I’ll at least give you a hint, though.” He pointed toward the ring. “F stands for ‘floor’—your seat’s near the ring. Enjoy the fight!”

Yeah, I felt a little bad about being so hard on him, but you’ve got to shut all that down hard if you’re gonna shut it down at all. A man like that, yeah, okay, probably he’d be good for a short-term thing. I could admit that. All that muscle and sweat…

About the Author

Denver Shaw is a girl who enjoys the simple things in life: the first sip of coffee in the morning, the changing colors of sunset, and clothes fresh out of the dryer- although she doesn’t enjoy folding them. When she isn’t reading romance stories, she spends her time plotting and writing them.

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