Thursday, February 14, 2013

Valentines Day review & giveaway

Ryan Moore forged his own path when he defied his wealthy family’s expectations by joining the United States Marine Corps as an enlisted man. After a period of service that’s cut short by an IED explosion, the lingering physical and mental effects of war result in an isolated struggle to exist in the civilian world. He throws himself into competitive MMA fighting – the one thing he’s still able to excel at, even if every match is a risk he can’t afford to take.

His first encounter with amateur female fighter Ally Rivera ignites a spark of desire he hasn’t felt since before a bomb left its marks on his life and his body, but his flirtation with her turns out to be anything but harmless. She’s struggling to hold together a family ravaged by violence – a feat that isn’t easy when her father has been imprisoned, leaving her vulnerable to relatives who run a local gang. Can two unrelenting fighters overcome challenges they couldn’t defeat alone, or do the wounds of war and crime run too deep for even love to heal?
 
Battered not Broken is an adult themed story that follows the rocky relationship between Ryan Moore and Ally Rivera. Warning, this book is NC17, intended for mature audiences due to some intense violence and gritty love scenes.

Ryan Moore is an Iragi War Veteran struggling to make a life for himself in the "real world" after his short stint in the military left him with a brain injury from and IED. Determined not to accept the assistance his wealthy family offers, that comes with strings attached, he throws himself into the violent world of MMA fighting. The only thing he thinks he's any good at.

Ally Rivera has suffered a different kind of violence that lead her to the MMA world as well. Her father is in jail for assaulting the man that assaulted Ally when she was just a teenager, and her brother is kneck deep in gang violence. She works in her mother's salon, works out at the local gym and fights women's MMA on weekends. It's at the local gym she first meets the reserved, sexy new member, Ryan Moore.

Sparks fly immediately and soon these two are an unlikely and unseperable couple in and out of the ring. When Ryan's injury becomes harder for him to deal with, he takes it out on Ally, and pushes her away. He quickly realizes his error in judgement, but Ally's brothers gang affiliation not only adds another kink to the chain, but costs a few people their lives as well. In the end will Ryan and Ally still be standing? And if they are, will they be able to overcome all the obstacles life throws at them in order to be together?

This book is a wonderful tribute to our Military men and women, showcasing the struggle some soldiers have living thier lives in the aftermath of the uglieness that is War. Rose's unbiased account of Ryan's struggles with the lasting effects of injuries sustained from an IED in Afghanistan, and how it spills over into his everyday life was spot on. She definitely did her research into the topic, and poured that knowledge into the character of Ryan.

Rose steams up the pages with her usual sexy as hell style! Her attention to detail is that perfect balance of just enough, but not too much. Ryan is definitely battered; on paper he is a dud, but he loves Ally ultimately and selflessly, prooving he isn't broken. The scars he carries and his rawness just make him even sexier. I give this one 5/5.. but that's just my two cents.
 
 
 
 
Ranae Rose is the 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.
 
 
There is already a sequel in the works so we can continue the journey with Ryan and Ally in Rough Around the Edges.  Rose is giving us an exclusive sneak peak at the cover, the release date will be announced on her web page at the end of the month.
 
Up for grabs is a Battered not Broken swag pack compliments of Ranae Rose!
~ signed xx large postcard, keychain, button and free download for whisky dreams ~
 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

2 comments:

  1. I really want to read this book. I have tossed it around for a while now, read all the reviews I have seen and now, I need to read it.

    cmucha319@yahoo.com

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  2. This book is on my wish list. The cover is hot and I can't wait to read it.

    jkgf27@verizon.net

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