Blog Tour: Fighting Solitude (On the Ropes #3) by Aly Martinez - Review, Excerpt & Giveaway
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Synopsis:
I was born a fighter. Abandoned by my parents, I spent my life forging my own path—one guided by my fists and paved with pain.
Untouchable in the ring, I destroyed everyone who faced me, but that’s where my victories ended. Outside the ropes, I repeatedly failed the few people who loved me. Including my best friend, Liv James—the one person I’d die to protect.
Even though I didn’t deserve her, Liv never stopped believing in me. Never gave up. Never let go. After all, she understood what I’d lost, because she’d lost it too.
Liv was everything to me, but she was never truly mine.
That was going to change.
I lost my first love, but I refused to lose my soulmate.
Now, I’m on the ropes during the toughest battles of my life.
Fighting to be the man she deserves.
Fighting the solitude of our pasts.
Fighting for her.
Review:
Man these Page boys are something else. They just get to me like no other. I love them all and was so happy to read this book, Quarry's story. Ah. Fighting Solitude was amazing. Such a fantastic read. I remember reading Fighting Silence, my first book by this author, and loving ever minute of it. I wasn't sure anyone would surpass Till in my mind, but Quarry...he just might. Really I just love all the brothers and the ladies they keep in their lives.
I remember reading when Quarry and Liv first met in a prior book. I remember thinking okay, these two are going to be together forever. Obviously they are meant for each other. But then Mia was there in the last book and I was just like wait a minute. What happened to Liv? Mia and Quarry? Yeah okay, but Liv and Quarry!! Man in some ways I am sad that this is the last Page brother story I will get. In some ways I want more bothers so I have more stories to read. But in some ways I am glad this is the last one. I am glad I didn't get another heartbreaking ending to a story. All three of these books could be read as stand alone books, but really you should read the other two regardless of when you read them. Probably before this just for the ending of this one. If you have all of the backstory then the ending...oh it will get to you. Not necessary, but I am glad I read the others first. But each of them has a happy ending for the main couple of the story, but something heartbreaking that happens to someone else. So I am glad I didn't have to tear up because my heart was breaking at the end of this story, but more because I just love these brothers and am so happy for them.
So Quarry and Liv. I loved both of these characters so much. I am so glad the author went back and showed us their lives from the moment they met until present day. I just kept reading and waiting to see what in the world could have possibly happened to let Quarry and Mia happen. Because these two obviously love each other, but they are just stupid kids at the same time. Stuff happens and they don't always deal with life the way they should. It is expected, but oh. Poor Liv especially. My heart went out to her so much.
I am always a bit nervous to read a story where the one main character loses someone they love and then this is the story of them falling in love again. Especially when the new love was friends/family of the person who was lost. A lot of times I feel like the authors don't do a very good job with it. The people move on way too quickly and it is like the first person wasn't even there. Luckily Aly Martinez is amazing and handled everything post Mia wonderfully. I loved that Quarry and Liv needed time to mourn the loss of Mia before anything could really happen. I loved that Liv still has a hard time with everything because she was such good friends with her. It felt real. It felt like these two people who have had so many roadblocks were just trying to figure out how to get over this last hurdle and be together. Oh it was great to watch.
Liv has always loved Quarry. Even when he was with Mia. I mean really how could she not? Quarry is an amazing guy, even if he thinks he only fails those he loves. When he cares about you he would do anything for you. He cares deeply and once he decides he wants something he gets it. And once he realizes that he likes Liv as more than friends, oh it was cute. He doesn't really know how to go about making the transition, but he doesn't let her just put a stop to them before they even have a chance to start. He knows she is hesitant, but he won't let her go once he realizes he needs her in his life as more.
I loved every moment of this book. One of the best books I have read so far this year. Throughout this story we get to see the rest of the Page clan. Flint and Ash, Till and Eliza, everyone you have met in prior books. And the ending? Yes, I may have teared up when I got to the tiny Till point of view section. I just...he just gets to me. Knowing everything that they all have been through, how hard all of them have worked to be where they are now? Amazing. Simply amazing.
*Note: I recieved a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★1/2
Excerpt:
Prologue
“Mia!” I shouted.
It was worthless. She’d been deaf since the day I met her.
She’d never once heard my voice.
She’d never once heard my voice.
She’d never heard the deep rumble of my laugh when she was excited, signing so fast I could barely keep up.
She’d never heard my content sigh when she barged into the locker room after a fight—just her presence soothed the lingering madness brewing within me.
She’d never heard me whispering my deepest fears into her ear as she fell asleep on top of me.
She’d never heard me whispering my deepest fears into her ear as she fell asleep on top of me.
She’d never heard the reverence in which I cried her name each and every time
I took her body.
And she’d never once heard the ease in which the words I love you tumbled from my lips as I stared into her deep, jade green eyes.
But as I screamed her name while watching her petite body seizing in the passenger seat beside me, I’d never needed her to hear me more.
“Mia. Oh God. I’ve got you, baby.”
She was still thrashing violently as I made my way around to her door, yanking it open while pleading with whatever god was willing to help.
When she stilled, a whole new level of silence filled the air around us. It wasn’t the absence of sound.
It was the absence of life. “Mia, breathe!” I roared as her chest remained agonizingly still. “Help me!” I screamed at the closed emergency room doors, but no medical savior rushed out with the miracle I so desperately needed.
My hands shook wildly as I released her lifeless body from the seatbelt.
I took her body.
And she’d never once heard the ease in which the words I love you tumbled from my lips as I stared into her deep, jade green eyes.
But as I screamed her name while watching her petite body seizing in the passenger seat beside me, I’d never needed her to hear me more.
“Mia. Oh God. I’ve got you, baby.”
She was still thrashing violently as I made my way around to her door, yanking it open while pleading with whatever god was willing to help.
When she stilled, a whole new level of silence filled the air around us. It wasn’t the absence of sound.
It was the absence of life. “Mia, breathe!” I roared as her chest remained agonizingly still. “Help me!” I screamed at the closed emergency room doors, but no medical savior rushed out with the miracle I so desperately needed.
My hands shook wildly as I released her lifeless body from the seatbelt.
“I’ve got you, just hang on. Please just hang on, Mia,” I whispered lifting her into my arms and sprinting through the sliding doors. “I need a doctor! She’s not breathing!”
Nurses rushed towards me in slow motion as the seconds without air in her lungs passed at a terrifying speed.
Nurses rushed towards me in slow motion as the seconds without air in her lungs passed at a terrifying speed.
Breathe.
A doctor appeared with a gurney and quickly took her from my arms.
The immediate loss was staggering.
Hope became my only solace.
She needed help that I wasn’t capable of giving her, but that didn’t stop me from following close behind as they rolled her away. I was on the verge of self-destructing; letting her out of my sight wasn’t an option.
A doctor appeared with a gurney and quickly took her from my arms.
The immediate loss was staggering.
Hope became my only solace.
She needed help that I wasn’t capable of giving her, but that didn’t stop me from following close behind as they rolled her away. I was on the verge of self-destructing; letting her out of my sight wasn’t an option.
I stood motionless in the doorway while doctors and nurses swarmed around her. Their mouths moved frantically, but without my hearing aids I was worthless to make out the words their faint voices carried.
I never wore my hearing aids when I was with Mia. There was no point. She rarely spoke with her voice.
We’d spent four years building a relationship with our hands.
Those hands had told me animated stories that made me laugh until my face hurt from smiling.
They’d fought with me relentlessly, but always ended the night raking down my back in silent ecstasy.
I never wore my hearing aids when I was with Mia. There was no point. She rarely spoke with her voice.
We’d spent four years building a relationship with our hands.
Those hands had told me animated stories that made me laugh until my face hurt from smiling.
They’d fought with me relentlessly, but always ended the night raking down my back in silent ecstasy.
Her fingers had fluidly signed I love you more times than I could ever count—or forget.
But as I felt the nurse attempting to physically remove me from the room, my eyes became fixated on her limp hand dangling off the side of the bed. It was the only sight more frightening than watching her flail midseizure.
It ripped the heart straight from my chest.
That hand was supposed to be full of life.
It was the very essence of Mia.
White.
Oh God.
Sucking in a deep breath, I held it until the room began to spin.
It provided me no relief even as it forced me to my knees.
There would be no distraction from this.
I was going to lose her.
Yet another woman I couldn’t save.
But as I felt the nurse attempting to physically remove me from the room, my eyes became fixated on her limp hand dangling off the side of the bed. It was the only sight more frightening than watching her flail midseizure.
It ripped the heart straight from my chest.
That hand was supposed to be full of life.
It was the very essence of Mia.
White.
Oh God.
Sucking in a deep breath, I held it until the room began to spin.
It provided me no relief even as it forced me to my knees.
There would be no distraction from this.
I was going to lose her.
Yet another woman I couldn’t save.
Prior books in the series (can be read as stand alone books):
Fighting Shadows Available on
About the Author:
Born and raised in Savannah, Georgia, Aly Martinez is a stay-at-home mom to four crazy kids under the age of five, including a set of twins. Currently living in South Carolina, she passes what little free time she has reading anything and everything she can get her hands on, preferably with a glass of wine at her side.
After some encouragement from her friends, Aly decided to add “Author” to her ever-growing list of job titles. Five books later, she shows no signs of slowing. So grab a glass of Chardonnay, or a bottle if you’re hanging out with Aly, and join her aboard the crazy train she calls life.
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