Fighting Shadows (On the Ropes #2) by Aly Martinez
Fighting Shadows (On The Ropes Book 2)
Synopsis:
I come from a family of fighters. I always thought I’d follow in their shadows, becoming unstoppable in the ring. That changed the day I saved the life of a woman I loved, but could never have.
My brother hailed me as a hero, and my reward was a wheelchair.
Paralyzed, my life became an inescapable nightmare.
Until I met her.
Ash Mabie had a heart-stopping smile and a laugh that numbed the rage and resentment brewing inside of me. She showed me that even the darkest night still had stars, and it didn’t matter one bit that you had to lie in the weeds to see them.
I was a jaded asshole who fell for a girl with a knack for running away. I couldn’t even walk but I would have spent a lifetime chasing her.
Now, I’m on the ropes during the toughest battles of my life.
Fighting the shadows of our past.
Fighting to reclaim my future.
Fighting for her.
Review:
I am so glad I found these Aly Martinez books. I loved Fighting Silence and Fighting Shadows is just as good. At the end of the first book you see Flint take a bullet trying to keep Eliza, his brothers wife, safe. It is left that we don't know if he will be able to walk again. He may, he may not.
At the beginning of this book Flint is not in a good place. He thinks he loves Eliza, and that eats him up inside. He cannot stand that he is so jealous of his brother, of Till who always gave him everything. Of Till who would do anything for him. He can't stand watching Eliza and Till and their new baby. Even though they have done everything they can for him, made their house wheelchair accessible just for him, have the best physical therapists for him, everything, he has to get out of there. He has to get away to try and start new. Which breaks Eliza and Till's hearts. He runs and doesn't tell anyone where he is.
Flint is happy just hiding away drowning in his sorrows. He could probably learn to walk again, but nothing seems very important to him. He is a super grump and just really down on himself. He is not in a good place. When he finds out he has to go pick his brother up from his moms house, that his mom came back and took him from Till, he feels even worse. All of this has happened and he was not around. He feels so terrible he almost does nothing. Thankfully he has some good people to kick him into gear when he needs it and gets him to do what he needs to do.
When he goes to pick up his brother he also finds her. He finds Ash. Ash who starts to open this new world for him. Ash who brings some light into his darkness. Ash was great, but she does seem very young. I kept thinking how young she is compared to Flint. She doesn't care and he doesn't care, well he thinks she is older than she is, but she comes off as not very wise and worldly. She has not had the best of lives, forced to steal for her father so they can keep a roof over their heads. She hates it, but what else can she do? When she meets Flint his grumpiness intrigues her and she is determined to keep making him smile. She was really silly and really great for him no matter her age.
Things get a bit rocky, Ash runs when Flint is a complete jerk to her, and oh it was heartbreaking. Watching Flint crumble, watching Flint realize how much Ash meant to him...oh it was great. Watching these two grow and come together eventually...really amazing. There were so many heartbreaking moments I just...I wanted so much for them to be happy. For them to have found what they both want and need.
The one thing about these books though? They both had such a bittersweet ending. Happy, sweet ending for the main couple, but kind of incredibly sad for some of the other characters. Last time it was Flint in the hospital maybe never able to walk again. This time was even more devastating for me and the characters. I can't wait for the next book to come out to see what happens next. These Page boys sure know how to get to me. I just want them all to get their happily ever after.
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
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