Novel Review: Fighting Dirty (Ultimate, #4) by Lori Foster

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5-4

Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Harlequin Books

Release Date: February 2016

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository.

Goodreads Synopsis:

He's the hottest MMA fighter in the game, but one woman is ready to try out a few steamy moves of her own in an unforgettable new novel from New York Times bestselling author Lori Foster...

With the life he's led and the muscles he's gained, Armie Jacobson isn't afraid of anything. Except maybe Merissa Colter's effect on him. It's not just that she's his best friend's little sister. Fact is, she deserves better. Women pursue him for one night of pleasure, and that's all he wants to offer. Until rescuing Merissa from a robbery leads to the most erotic encounter of his life.

Good girl meets bad boy. It's a story that rarely ends well. But Merissa is taking matters into her own hands. No matter how he views himself, the Armie she knows is brave, honorable and completely loyal. And as past demons and present-day danger collide, they're both about to learn what's truly worth fighting for…

The Cover:

Hot. That's what this cover is. And it's very well done. The dark intensity, and the bright green in contrast. I'm a fan.

Review:

It’s been a while since I’ve read any of Foster, since the last couple weren’t very good. I needed a break. But now it seems that she’s gotten back to her high point, and I really enjoyed this one. I missed these books.

I didn’t expect this to be so connected to her earlier SBC series, but I loved getting to see those characters again. That was fun.

Armie has always been best friends with Merissa’s older brother, and she’s had a crush on him for years now. But he’s always thought of her as off limits, and he’s never thought of himself as good enough. Merissa decides that she’s going to go for it, and she doesn’t let him back out easily.

I enjoyed their chemistry, and it was fun seeing them forming a solid relationship. She is relentless, and he wants her, and it’s obvious. She doesn’t let him back off, because she wants him and she knows he’s just denying it to protect her. I liked how understanding but strong she stayed about the whole subject, accepting him and pushing only when it was needed. The smut was good, too. And it was fun seeing that even her brother was happy about it, and how their friends were ready to protect if needed.

The serious plot point was actually quite interesting, and I liked how it turned out and was revealed.

I’m looking forward to reading both Denver’s story and Leese’s story next. I’m excited for more.

Novel Review: Unexpected by Lori Foster

Rating (Out of 5): ~3

Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Kensington

Release Date: 2003

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. Powells.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Eli Conners expected hired mercenary Ray Vereker to be a tank of a guy with forty tattoos--not a gorgeous creature with considerable karate skills. While Eli certainly needs Ray's help, he thinks she could use a little of what he's offering...a down-and-dirty, body-scorching passion of the forever kind. Ray's as good as any man when it comes to storming enemy compounds and loading an AK-47, but Eli's strong sensuality and gentle touch leave her shaken and stirred. And really, who could blame a girl for succumbing to mind-blowing temptation in the steamy jungle? But now it's back to business. If only Ray wasn't feeling hot, bothered, dizzy, and just a little bit, well, queasy. The last thing either of these unlikely lovers expects is to be expecting. Suddenly, Ray's precise, no-nonsense mission is veering wildly off course, derailed by raging hormones, out-of-control desire, and a delirious love that is completely unexpected. 

The Cover:

I do not like the cover above. It gives a very cheesy feel to the book, what with the cheesy spy image
of the girl, which is absolutely nothing like the main character. It also spoils the pregnancy, which I don't think it needed to do.
The cover on the side, though, is better. Much more typical adult romance, and still a little cheesy, but better fitting.

Review:

This was an enjoyable Foster book, if a little average. I’m not sure why, but it didn’t have quite the spark as some of her other ones.

I liked the characters, Eli and Ray worked well together, and I liked his persistence with her. I enjoyed the other characters, as well; Buddy, and Eli’s brother, and Eli’s grandparents were great. The second half, when Ray was pregnant, was very good.

While I enjoyed most of these things, the spark between Eli and Ray was just not as intense, and the writing just didn’t keep me as glued to the pages, as her books usually do.

So, I liked it, but it was a bit average.

Novel Review: Hard to Handle (SBC Fighters, #3) by Lori Foster

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Genre: Adult Contemporary Sports Romance

Publisher: Berkley (Penguin)

Release Date: 2007

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. Powells.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Sometimes Fate delivers a left hook.

After Fate deals Supreme Battle Challenge (SBC) fighter Harley Handleman a sucker punch, his uncle secretly hires a pretty lifecoach to get Harley back in the ring of life. Anastasia Kelley has actually known Harley for years, but never as well as she's going to now. Hot for his fighter's form, she has trouble keeping it professional, especially since Harley doesn't know she was hired. And when Anastasia turns the tables on him, it's as if he's been hit below the belt. But that's also where is uncontrollable lust for her burns.

The Cover:

I don't really like this cover. The colors and the image could be all right. But instead it looks at blurry and weird, and it's giving a very definite boxing image, but not as much of a adult romance one. I just don't think it looks that great, or that it gives the best idea of the book.

Review:

Harley Handleman is trying, again, to win a title belt match, which means not getting hurt before the fight this time. Anastasia is a life coach, but after her last job, she’s thinking of taking a break. Harley rents a place from Anastasia, and they have a run in during a storm, as someone is apparently trying to harm her. But when that’s finished (mostly), Anastasia shows up where Harley is training, wanting to help him.

I liked Anastasia and Harley. He’s fighting Anastasia, as well as his uncle’s influence, but the attraction is definitely there. The chemistry between the two was very good, and I liked how that worked out.

There was a second, sub-couple plot. It was about Barber and Jasmine, who wants to be the singer in his band. They were rather cute together, and I really enjoyed their story. We also got to see the other fighters in the previous books and the next one, and I really enjoyed that. It was nice seeing them all again.

Overall this was a good book; sweet and hot. I enjoyed it, and look forward to reading more of Foster’s books.

Novel Review: Back in Black (SBC Fighters, #5) by Lori Foster

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance, Sport

Publisher: Berkley (Penguin)

Release Date: 2009

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. Powells.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Never before published from the New York Times bestselling author

Gillian is a PR expert hired to smooth out the rough edges on hot- headed sports club president Drew Black. He's rough, raw and ready for any challenge Gillian throws his way. But which one's going to end up on top?

The Cover:

I actually rather like this cover. It's embarrassing, sure, but I also don't like it cause of whether it's hot or not. I just think that the colors and the body work for the title and represent the book and the character (Drew) well. I think it works for this book.

Review:

Drew Black is a crude man, and he’s in charge of the SBC, which is why the higher ups have sent a PR person, Gillian, to work with him and his image.

I liked their relationship, and how they didn’t fight it forever but still tried to deal with his image and how their relationship affected things.

There was also a second couple in this book, who got almost the same amount of focus as the first. Brett is a new and coming fighter, and Audrey is protesting the sport. I liked that Audrey had a past, and how Brett tried to help with it. I also just found them really sweet together. I honestly enjoyed their storyline more than Drew and Gillian’s.

This was the last book in the series, and it ended like it. We got to see a lot of the couples from the other books, and that was nice. It was a very good, very satisfying conclusion. I enjoyed the stories; the characterization and writing were good, and the steamy scenes were very nice. I look forward to starting one of Foster’s later series.

Novel Review: Hot in Here: Uncovered/Tailspin/An Honorable Man (Men of Courage, #3) by Lori Foster

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Harlequin

Release Date: 2013

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. Powells.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Three smoldering classics from New York Times bestselling author Lori Foster

UNCOVERED

Firefighter Harris Black is startled to stumble across nude photos of a woman…and handwritten notes about him. Who is this mystery woman? Harris hires a P.I. to trace her, never suspecting he's already found her….

TAILSPIN

Lumberyard owner Buck Boswell prides himself on his way with women—but his prickly neighbor, Sadie Harte, seems immune to his charms. Is she really as aloof as she acts, or can Buck convince her to take a chance on the guy next door?

AN HONORABLE MAN

Lieutenant colonel Hamilton Wulf's career ambitions cost him the one woman he ever wanted—Liv Avery. Now he's determined to win back her love…even if it means risking his life.

The Cover:

Despite how embarrassing this cover is, I do rather like it, I'm not going to deny that. It works really well for this book, especially since he's a firefighter, and it definitely gives you an idea of what you're getting. And I like it.

Review:

The first story, Uncovered, is about Harris Black, a firefighter, falling for a close friend of his. I really enjoyed this story. It was cute, and I loved the friendship and then growing romance between Harris and Clair was adorable and sweet, and very steamy. I really enjoyed how Harris found naked pictures of a woman and hired Clair’s bosses to find the woman; that brought a lot of entertainment.

I would easily give this story a 4.

The second story, Tailspin, was about Buck Boswell and Sadie, his neighbor who seems very uninterested in being friends. I liked Sadie, and how she took in animals to help them heal. Having the animals definitely added to the fun of this book. Buck was sweet, and I liked how he pushed Sadie and subsequently fell for her. I’d read this story before in an anthology, but it was just as cute the second time. This was a cute and funny story.

I would also give this story a 4.

The last story, An Honorable Man, was weaker for me. It’s about Hamilton, a military man, and Liv, who comes from a military family and doesn’t want a man in it. The ending was cute, but overall I just didn’t connect as well with the characters in this story, so it didn’t work for me.

I’d probably give this one closer to a 3, maybe 2.5. So I rounded the overall rating to a 3.5.