After being
wounded in war and discharged from the USMC, Ryan Moore turns
to competitive MMA fighting – the one arena in life where he still knows
how to function and excel – and meets Ally Rivera, an amateur female
fighter who’s struggling to salvage a family torn apart by gang violence.
Battered Not Broken is a full-length novel of approximately 110,000 words.
to competitive MMA fighting – the one arena in life where he still knows
how to function and excel – and meets Ally Rivera, an amateur female
fighter who’s struggling to salvage a family torn apart by gang violence.
Battered Not Broken is a full-length novel of approximately 110,000 words.
Ranae Rose is a best-selling author of over a dozen contemporary, paranormal and historical romances, all of them delightfully steamy. She lives on the US East Coast with her family, dogs and horses and spends most of her time letting her very active imagination run wild, penning her next story. When she's not writing, she can usually be found in the saddle or behind a good book with a cup of tea.
You can find out more about Ranae and her books, including Battered Not Broken, at..
Here is an excerpt from Battered not Broken....
Ally started toward the door, her heart maintaining a rushed tempo. Her pulse had sped
when she’d heard of Melissa’s near miss, and the mention of Ryan Moore’s role as her rescuer
hadn’t done anything to ease it.
Her heart had fallen somewhere into the cavernous pit of guilt her stomach had become.
Ryan would never know that she’d considered that he might harm Melissa, but the knowledge
of just how wrong she’d been during those moments of suspicion stung. She owed him. Not just
because he’d rescued her friend, but because she’d seriously misjudged him.
The night was colder than she remembered it being when she and her mother had walked
to Annalisa’s. She quickly scanned the sidewalk for any sign of a tall male. Her heart slammed
against her ribs when she spotted such a silhouette about two blocks away. Much like earlier that
day at the gym, she simply knew it was him.
She started in his direction at a light jog. “Hey,” she called when she’d halfway caught up to
him.
He turned to face her. Somehow, his eyes were bright despite the fact that the evening light
was dull. “Hey.”
His monosyllabic reply sent a wave of satisfaction through Ally. Tall, fit and graceful body
– check. Blue eyes – check. Voice that set her nerves on edge, in a good way – check. She was
definitely approaching Ryan Moore.
“Melissa told me what happened.” She cut to the chase. “Thank you.” Her words became
mist that hung in a cloud in front of her lips, heating the air as the full force of his gaze sent
unexplainable warmth shimmering over every inch of her skin. “Why don’t you come inside for
dinner?”
His lips quirked in a half-grin. “Are you asking me on a date?”
“No.” She threw the word out there like she might have shot out a hand to parry a blow. “It’s
not like that. I mean, dinner is on the house – it’s the least anyone can do. You might’ve saved
Melissa’s life.” Melissa was tough and might have survived whatever the two strange men had
planned for her, but even then she probably wouldn’t have come away unscathed.
He took half a step toward her, his gaze still locked with hers. The way his blue eyes shone
was crazy – streetlights didn’t flatter anyone like that. Except for him. “Ally Rivera,” he said, all
traces of his recent grin gone from his mouth, “if I sit down and have dinner with you, it’s going
to be a date. So if that’s not what you’re offering, I’m going to have to say no thanks.”
The next breath of air Ally drew seemed too cold – it froze inside her lungs, turning her
tongue into a useless weight in her mouth. She exhaled, but no words came out – only mist that
billowed in the space between her and Ryan, nearly touching his chest, over which he’d zipped a
plain black jacket. Several minutes passed before she regained the ability to speak. “I’m twenty-
three. That’s a little too old to go on a date with a parental chaperone, don’t you think?”
“Ah,” Ryan said, “you’re spending the evening with your mother again?”
“Yeah.”
when she’d heard of Melissa’s near miss, and the mention of Ryan Moore’s role as her rescuer
hadn’t done anything to ease it.
Her heart had fallen somewhere into the cavernous pit of guilt her stomach had become.
Ryan would never know that she’d considered that he might harm Melissa, but the knowledge
of just how wrong she’d been during those moments of suspicion stung. She owed him. Not just
because he’d rescued her friend, but because she’d seriously misjudged him.
The night was colder than she remembered it being when she and her mother had walked
to Annalisa’s. She quickly scanned the sidewalk for any sign of a tall male. Her heart slammed
against her ribs when she spotted such a silhouette about two blocks away. Much like earlier that
day at the gym, she simply knew it was him.
She started in his direction at a light jog. “Hey,” she called when she’d halfway caught up to
him.
He turned to face her. Somehow, his eyes were bright despite the fact that the evening light
was dull. “Hey.”
His monosyllabic reply sent a wave of satisfaction through Ally. Tall, fit and graceful body
– check. Blue eyes – check. Voice that set her nerves on edge, in a good way – check. She was
definitely approaching Ryan Moore.
“Melissa told me what happened.” She cut to the chase. “Thank you.” Her words became
mist that hung in a cloud in front of her lips, heating the air as the full force of his gaze sent
unexplainable warmth shimmering over every inch of her skin. “Why don’t you come inside for
dinner?”
His lips quirked in a half-grin. “Are you asking me on a date?”
“No.” She threw the word out there like she might have shot out a hand to parry a blow. “It’s
not like that. I mean, dinner is on the house – it’s the least anyone can do. You might’ve saved
Melissa’s life.” Melissa was tough and might have survived whatever the two strange men had
planned for her, but even then she probably wouldn’t have come away unscathed.
He took half a step toward her, his gaze still locked with hers. The way his blue eyes shone
was crazy – streetlights didn’t flatter anyone like that. Except for him. “Ally Rivera,” he said, all
traces of his recent grin gone from his mouth, “if I sit down and have dinner with you, it’s going
to be a date. So if that’s not what you’re offering, I’m going to have to say no thanks.”
The next breath of air Ally drew seemed too cold – it froze inside her lungs, turning her
tongue into a useless weight in her mouth. She exhaled, but no words came out – only mist that
billowed in the space between her and Ryan, nearly touching his chest, over which he’d zipped a
plain black jacket. Several minutes passed before she regained the ability to speak. “I’m twenty-
three. That’s a little too old to go on a date with a parental chaperone, don’t you think?”
“Ah,” Ryan said, “you’re spending the evening with your mother again?”
“Yeah.”
“That’s fine. I’d be happy to take a rain check from you. Have any nights coming up this
week that you were planning to spend alone?” The way he said the word ‘alone’ made it sound
like a curse word – one so bad it should be erased from her vocabulary forever.
She nodded. “Pick any night this week and it’s yours.” After all, she owed him. That was
what she kept telling herself as her heart sped at the thought of spending an evening with him.
“Thursday.”
“Okay.”
“Think about what time you want me to pick you up. Then let me know next time you see
me at the gym.”
“Okay. And hey…” A coherent thought actually managed to penetrate the haze he’d reduced
her mind to. “How’d you know my last name?”
“It’s written on your gym bag,” he said, his grin returning.
He bid her goodnight and she stood frozen for several moments, watching him disappear.
He moved with the same grace he harnessed in the ring. Did the same sureness and ease of
movement flow in everything he did with that perfect body? The thought hit Ally like a physical
blow – one that sped past her defenses and crumbled her former resolve not to be swept off her
feet by a stranger, even a gorgeous one. She might not know where he was from, or what his
tattoos said, but by rescuing Melissa, he’d given her a huge reason to trust him. And it had been a
long time since any man had done that.
week that you were planning to spend alone?” The way he said the word ‘alone’ made it sound
like a curse word – one so bad it should be erased from her vocabulary forever.
She nodded. “Pick any night this week and it’s yours.” After all, she owed him. That was
what she kept telling herself as her heart sped at the thought of spending an evening with him.
“Thursday.”
“Okay.”
“Think about what time you want me to pick you up. Then let me know next time you see
me at the gym.”
“Okay. And hey…” A coherent thought actually managed to penetrate the haze he’d reduced
her mind to. “How’d you know my last name?”
“It’s written on your gym bag,” he said, his grin returning.
He bid her goodnight and she stood frozen for several moments, watching him disappear.
He moved with the same grace he harnessed in the ring. Did the same sureness and ease of
movement flow in everything he did with that perfect body? The thought hit Ally like a physical
blow – one that sped past her defenses and crumbled her former resolve not to be swept off her
feet by a stranger, even a gorgeous one. She might not know where he was from, or what his
tattoos said, but by rescuing Melissa, he’d given her a huge reason to trust him. And it had been a
long time since any man had done that.
Congrats on your new release Ranae Rose, I look forward to reading it!
Thanks very much for hosting this excerpt for release day, Tammy. I appreciate it! :)
ReplyDeleteLove the cover the excerpt was amazing!!! this one is going to the top of my tbr list!
ReplyDeletemiriam.whitewolf @ gmail.com