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    Against the Ropes
    Against the Ropes
    Against the Ropes
    Audiobook11 hours

    Against the Ropes

    Written by Sarah Castille

    Narrated by Lucy Rivers

    3.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    He scared me. He thrilled me. And after one touch, all I could think about was getting more . . .

    Makayla never thought she'd set foot in an elite mixed martial arts club. But if anyone needs a medic on hand, it's these guys. Then again, at her first sight of the club's owner, she's the one feeling breathless.

    The man they call Torment is all sleek muscle and restrained power. Whether it's in the ring or in the bedroom, he knows exactly when a soft touch is required and when to launch a full-on assault. He always knows just how far he can push. And he's about to tempt Makayla in ways she never imagined . . .
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTantor Media, Inc
    Release dateNov 21, 2013
    ISBN9781452688046
    Against the Ropes
    Author

    Sarah Castille

    Sarah Castille is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Redemption Series, Ruin & Revenge Series, Sinner’s Tribe Motorcycle Club series, Naughty Series and Legal Heat series. A recovering lawyer with a fondness for dirty-talking alpha males, she now is a full-time writer, who lives on Vancouver Island. Sarah’s books have been listed as Publishers Weekly's Top Ten Picks and Best Summer Reads, and Amazon’s Best Romance Books of the Year, and have won numerous reader’s choice awards.

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    Reviews for Against the Ropes

    3.5/5

    77 ratings10 reviews

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    • 2/5
      When I saw the book cover and read the blurb, how could I resist a story about a MMA fighter of "sleek muscle and restrained power"? The first few pages had me wiping tears from my eyes. Then Torment was introduced, and I felt the stirrings of what I'm sure hot flashes would feel like. Just as I had adjusted to the quirky humor and dialogue, the story began its downward descent into a dark abyss. I place the blame for that squarely on the heroines shoulders, and on the fact that this was written in the first person POV. When the heroine sounds and acts immature, being in her head all the time became tedious and annoying. I couldn't form any type of connection with her at all, except for her taste in t-shirts.

      Plot-wise, there were several things that didn't work for me, aside from the first person narrative. Mac was an EMT, pre-med, and yet she couldn't stand the sight of blood? Then there was this familiar scenario: Rich guy, poor girl. Going somewhere fancy? Here's a dress and shoes that cost a small fortune. Your phone is a piece of crap? Here's a top of the line smart phone, so now you're reachable (read: on a short leash), and you can feel safe. There was a little confusion about her situation with a debt collector. One moment it sounded like the legal sort, then it sounded like she was involved with loan sharks. Her parents were threatened, yet she was still stubborn enough not to accept Max's offer to pay of her debt. Pride over parents, really? Or how about calling the cops?

      Around the 84% mark, Mac has a moment that is usually referred to as too stupid to live. Her actions not only showed bad judgement, it was also predictable. Sadly, Mac never really had that pivotal moment of awareness about her feelings for Torment/Max. She got that piece of wisdom for the (nice) debt collector.

      This story had potential, but the characters were so mismatched that I didn't feel any chemistry. I have no idea what Max saw in Mac, and reversely, for someone with her past, he was too high-handed. His own history and wanting to help her made Mac appear more like his ticket to redemption or a charity case rather than his love interest. It just didn't work for me.

      Disclaimer: I received an ARC from the publisher for the purpose of an honest review.
    • 3/5
      "I just need to know you’re there.” His rich baritone deepens “I don’t understand it, but you make me feel calm, grounded. I haven’t felt like that since …I was a teenager. I won’t let you run away again. If there is something bothering you, talk to me. I promise I’ll listen.This book was definitely not what I thought it would be. I thought it would concentrate on the MMA fighting but really once Torment reveals a big thing that he had been hiding from Makayla the book turns into something else. Quite honestly this book at times this book could be a real hot mess. Between the overly dramatic characters and the fact that this book tried to throw in almost every contemporary romance cliche it could, my head was spinning at times.As far as the main characters were concerned I didn't really like either Torment or Makayla for most of the book. Torment could be an absolute asshole. He was a complete over the top alpha and his jealousy and anger became irritating. Makayla was annoyingly weak at times. I honestly didn't really like her all that much until the end. I also don't really feel like the whole debt collection thing was all necessary.I just didn't find anything all that unique in this book and I was disappointed by that because I did feel like it had a strong start. It really unraveled towards the middle but did get a bit better at the end.
    • 1/5
      I ended up skimming a lot to get to the end of this. I could not stand Makayla. Even after her explanation about her father, I don't understand why she kept freezing and freaking out after he tied her up, and even snuck out after, then she'd be mad that he wasn't contacting her. She was so afraid to get tied up and for him to control her, but she kept going back, and when he finally opened up to her after she nagged him through the whole book about not being able to see the real him or know anything about him and after he said he loved her, she decided she couldn't say it back. She acted like a wishy-washy bitch through the whole book, and then she was upset when he broke it off, and when his friend came to ask her to come to the gym and talk him out of his death wish, she refused (she did end up going, but for me it was too late). Torment was totally hot, and while he was a control freak, he bugged me a lot less than Mac. Everything about her just rubbed me the wrong way. I constantly wanted to smack her and yell at her.
    • 4/5
      This book is a delight. There are many things I enjoyed from it that you don't often get from other books. First, there is Makayla. Most of the time when I read a book with a guy in the MMA, or just a fighter in general, the girl is a pretty, skinny little thing. That's not so much the case with Makayla. She is in no way fat, but she is not a twig either. She has curves and loves to eat things like Chunky Monkey ice cream.(Uh who doesn't.) So it's nice that Max, the hot rich guy, is attracted to her. That he doesn't try to change the way she eats to get her size down. Even though he himself doesn't indulge in some of the not so healthy things that she eats. No, instead he insists upon her eating the things she would like. It's different, but just something this simple makes me like her and him more.Something else I liked is that these two start things off slow. They don't instantly meet then go to bed together. They take their time. Sure there may be some factors that cause things to have to start off slow, like no exchanged numbers and such, but regardless they still do take their time.Now, as for the characters themselves. Makayla's friends may be few, but they are both hilarious and a bit crazy. In a good way. Max's friends are also funny and quite interesting themselves. Just in a tough, somewhat intimidating sort of way. Makayla with her actions and thoughts comes off as practical. Her first few interactions with Max are unbelievable. She sees this shirtless man in front of her and despite her best efforts to not say or do something stupid, something unexpected still manages to happen. So it's great to see her flounder in front of a hot guy like most normal people would. She also has a great sense of humor, is smart, and very caring of others. She has a troubling past, and her present isn't so great either, but she is still strong for managing to fight her way through both. Max. Max is a bit of a mystery; his overprotectiveness and short fuse might seem like too much, but I see it as proof that he is a very caring person with a big heart. You just have to make it through his heartbreaking story of his past to put all of the pieces about him together. There's always something going on that keeps the book entertaining. And so I can't wait to find out what sort of things will happen in the next book. Especially since those characters are possibly even more interesting than these two.
    • 5/5
      Against the Ropes by Sarah CastilleBook #1: Redemption SeriesSource: PurchaseRating: 5/5 starsMakayla Delaney has really never done anything the easy way. Her childhood was a series of horrors until her mother was finally able to break away from her abusive father, though she graduated at the top of her class she just can’t commit to medical school, she lives in an absolute dump with far too many people and, her financial situation is deteriorating rapidly. Above all else, Makayla can’t stomach violence of any kind and so she just can’t believe it when she finds herself desperate for money and working an extra job at Redemption, an underground MMA club full of hot, hard men who are ready to pound one another senseless. Max Huntington aka Torment is the hottest and the hardest of the men assembled. He is wealthy beyond reason, the owner of Redemption and a lot of other stuff, he has a passion for controlled violence, he has an iron will and, as of the moment he sees her, a desire to possess Makayla Delaney. Though she is so far removed from his usual flavor of high society arm candy, Makayla is intriguing and Max knows instantly that he has found someone special. Here’s the rub: Max is a violent (though by no means cruel) man who loves to fight and be in control at all times. Thanks to her background, Makayla has no stomach for violence and giving up control to anyone, and most especially a man, scares the Hell out of her. Here’s the bigger rub: Makayla is drawn to Max like no other man before and though she is often slightly unnerved by his need for control she wants to be with him. In just a short amount of time Makayla and Max find themselves immersed in one anothers’ lives and while Max is absolutely and without doubt or hesitation ready to commit, Makayla is not nearly so sure. Breaking down her walls and allowing herself to truly experience all that is Max is one of the hardest challenges Makayla has ever faced and she just isn’t sure she is up to the challenge.Given his need to control everything at all times Max often finds himself completely at a loss where Makayla’s behavior is concerned. Sensing his wild girl wants to try and experience more than she ever has before, Max pushes her in every way possible, including in the bedroom. Max is as fearsome in the bedroom as he is in the ring and he is constantly asking Makayla to go above and beyond her comfort zone. Though he sees signs of distress, Makayla assures Max that everything is alright and that she trusts him. Unfortunately, despite Max’s every effort to help Makayla and protect her, she pushes him away and creates a level of heartbreak neither has ever known before. The Bottom Line: Holy Hell is this book HOT!!! Against the Ropes has it all: hot, hard bodied fighters with a soft side, plenty of excellent backstory where Makayla and Max are concerned, enough drama to fill more than one book and, some seriously fine naughty bits. This is truly a story of opposites attract and I was drawn to both characters equally from the very beginning. Though Max enjoys violence he is in no way cruel and is, in fact a very caring man with a heightened need to protect those he loves and, a troubled past of his own. Makayla is so much more than even she realizes and by Max’s side she is able to heal, to grow and, to become comfortable with herself and her (raging!) desires. That is, after she pushes him away a few times. The naughty bits are just the right level of kink for me and plentiful, to say the least. The sex never overshadows the plot or the characters but fits in perfectly and mimics the strong desires of both lead characters. Max and Makayla are a power couple in every sense of the word and a great foundation for the Redemption series. In all, I was absolutely sucked into this book and immensely pleased that the second book is already available :)
    • 5/5
      Holy smokes this was a good book! There was never a dull moment. Torment is pretty tight lipped about himself but he bombards Mac with questions about herself. Mac has a painful past that she doesn't fully remember. Torment brings out these lost memories but its a lot for Mac to handle. Lots of hot sex and some intense moments. Fabulous ending.
    • 3/5
      AGAINST THE ROPES begins with promise. Innocent and sexually naive Makayla collides with Torment: a hot, ripped and tattooed underground fighter and club owner of Redemption. Their mutual attraction is immediate, palpable and powerful.Makayla suffered a dark and violent childhood. She grew up distrusting and avoiding dominant males prone to violence and aggression. So, it’s no wonder that she finds herself uneasy and confused when Torment, an uncivilized, rough and forceful fighter awakens “a bone deep dormant desire” inside her. Try as she might, she can’t stop fantasizing about him. It isn't long before her desperate physical need for Torment's touch trumps any lingering apprehensions or reservations she has about being involved with a man like him. With a tiny leap of faith and a whole lot of blinding lust, Makayla leaps into Torments arms.Torment’s story is equally painful and tragic. Early trauma shaped and influenced the uber alpha-male he is today. Guilt ridden and tortured, Torment keeps his past private and locked away. He’s a devastating powerhouse of strength on the outside, but on the inside he’s troubled and hurting. With Makayla he feels calm and grounded, things he hasn’t felt in a long, long time. Beyond his unparalleled and dizzing attraction to her, Torment sees Makayla's goodness, courage and compassion. She heals those in need. He needs her to heal him too.Torment and Makayla's courtship, though affectionate, is a constant and turbulent battle of will, dominance and mistrust. Torment seeks absolute control and submission. Makayla struggles to maintain her own free will and choice. In the bedroom this push and pull is sexy. Torment is a “demanding, passionate and hungry” lover. He introduces Makayla to exciting and boundary pushing sexual experiences. He urges Makayla to give in and let go. “Your body knows what it wants.” He tells her. “You just need to free your mind.” Makayla swiftly blossoms and delightfully embraces her inner minx. Sex with Torment inspires her to be a “wild, wicked and wanton woman.”Torment's character, as a boyfriend, is harder to love. His inflexible, overbearing and controlling personality can be tedious at times. It’s tough and tireless work loving that man. Scene after scene Makayla must find a way to manage Torment’s anger, drama and commands. I sometimes found myself wanting to skim past the latest conflict hoping to reach hot, make-up sex.This sizzling couple truly shines and smoulders when they are in hot pursuit of an earth shattering orgasam or three. This book drips with sex. They are unbridled,uninhibited and all over each other anywhere and everywhere, literally. From motorcycles to high in the sky their encounters are over-the-top kinky fun.ARC courtesy of Sourcebooks Casablanca via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
    • 4/5
      Against the Ropes is a hot, action packed story. Based in the mixed martial arts world, there is tension in and out of the ring. Unlike many other books, this one had so many aspects that there was no lull and it held my attention, while I held my breath, the whole time. Against the Ropes is told from the vantage point of Makayla, and she has quite witty and hilarious inner thoughts. Her inner musings is how you get the first glimpse of her, she is equal parts spunky and sweet. As her relationship with Max "Torment" Huntington progresses he brings out her insecurities that she has never really shown anyone else. At times I think Max does push her too hard, but also believe his intentions are honorable. He has these intense feelings, that he does not know how to verbalize, and a girl that will not reciprocate because she is afraid, which is frustrating to him and causes him to react unfavorably at times. I love Makayla and Max's chemistry, they cannot get enough of each other and their text conversations are my favorite part! Max wants to keep Makayla safe from her wild best friend, his equally wild friends, and the other deviants of their lives, and she fights him for her Independence the whole way. By the end they both come to realizations about themselves, as well as each other. They understand that their relationship does not have to fit the standard mold, and that if their relationship is going to work there has to be some give and take on both sides.I think this is a fantastic example of two people growing and evolving together. They have their obstacles and personal demons that they learn to overcome together. Max is as alpha as he is sexy, and has a penchant for tying up Makayla. While Makayla gives her fair share of tongue lashings throughout the story. What we end up with is a scarred, strong-willed, magnetic couple surrounded by a cheering crowd. Against the Ropes will be available on September 3, 2013, I highly recommend adding this to your TBR list. I hope Ms. Castille lets some of the secondary characters get their own stories in the future, they were just as captivating as the hero and heroine.*ARC provided by Net Galley in exchange for a honest review*Happy Reading!
    • 5/5
      I absolutely loved this book!! I wasn't too sure about when I first began but it quickly won me over. The book starts out in an underground fight club. Athletic, sweaty men....o.k. you have my attention. The main focus of the book is the relationship between Makayla and Torment. I was very happy with the progress of their relationship. This book lacks many things. First off, it lacks the main characters blindly falling love during their first five minute encounter. It lacks the female character totally disregarding what she wants and succumbing to the overly demanding alpha male. But what it does have is the characters' relationship following a natural order. God forbid, the author actually let them get to know one another. They actually.....date! GASP!!!!! How refreshing!The book's female lead, Makayla, is a wayward medical student trying to find her way. The book's male lead, Torment, runs the underground MMA fight club where they first meet.Makayla is a great female character. She is strong, opinionated, and thinks for herself. She is trying to get a feel for her life and decide what career path she wishes to take.Torment is a great alpha male. He is dominate without being totally domineering and controlling. He pursues Makayla and values her for her strong personality and beliefs. He doesn't threaten, yell, scream, although stalking is somewhat questionable.The book has witty banter. Makayla's inner dialogue often had me laughing out loud. I cannot say enough good things about this book and the writer. I can only say, if you give it a try you will not be disappointed.
    • 5/5
      After reading mixed reviews about this book I decided that I just needed to read it myself. What I decided was that I really liked it which is odd considering there are so many things about the book that I usually find unappealing. For instance, I tend to stay far away from New Adult genre (IMO they all have the same plot...two people who are broken by some tragic secret can only be saved by each other) I hate reading about millionaires/billionaires who are into BDSM and I really dislike moustache-twirling bad guys (here there was a couple...debt collector #2, dudes from Geek Club). But somehow I found myself sucked into this story. I liked Max and just really liked the way he dealt with Makayla. He wanted to protect her so bad that it came out almost controlling but he knew she wouldn't put up with it so he compromised with her....sorta. Makayla definitely had some spunk to her and at times I found her quite comical other times I wanted to shake the stupid out of her but overall I liked her. I'd love to read more about these guys at Redemption, though I'd love to get rid of some of the nicknames.Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.