*I received a free copy of Fighting Dirty from Harlequin HQN via Netgalley. This has in no way influenced my voluntary review, which is honest and unbiased *
Warning: This book includes mature content such as: sexual content, and/or drug and/or alcohol use, and/or violence.
Fighting Dirty by Lori Foster Series: Ultimate #4
Published by Harlequin HQN on 23 February 2016
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Suspense
Pages: 384
Format: eARC
Source: Netgalley
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…
Fighting Dirty is as close to perfection as a story can be! Armie and Rissy *sighs*
Fighting Dirty is among my most anticipated books for 2016, and Lori Foster outdid herself! I have been longing for Armie and Merissa’s story ever since I met them in the first Ultimate book. The tension between the two of them kept increasing and in their own book, it was palpable. I loved getting to now both of them better, especially how they reacted when they were under pressure. Merissa is a very strong heroine, she was truly put through a lot in Fighting Dirty, but she took most of it in stride, and that made her very dear to me.
There is even more suspense in Fighting Dirty than in the prior Ultimate stories, and because Armie thought everything that was going on had to do with him, he did what every alpha male did in his kind of situation… to protect Rissy, he pushed her away, thinking she would be safer if they weren’t together at all. And Rissy, instead of being weepy and pushy just let him do it – mostly to show him that she would never pressure him, but also to lick her wounds in private.
As always, the interactions between the characters show how loyal they are to each other, and the fighters are so protective of each other and the ladies they are all swoon-worthy. There are quite a few very hot scenes, and I loved that Merissa was able to surprise Armie more than once. On top of that, there’s also plenty of funny banters, a little bit of jealousy, and so much tension it would be possible to cut through it with a sword. And on top of all the up close and personal scenes, there are quite a lot of fighting scenes as well, both training sessions and an actual fight.
Written in third person point of view, past tense with a narrator that is practically omniscient, Fighting Dirty was so well done I have already found one of my favorite 2016 reads! It has everything I love in a romance, friends to lovers, suspense, humor, character development and a lot of hotness. This could definitely be read as a stand-alone, but I really think it would be most enjoyable if you already know Merissa and Armie’s back stories, because the build-up for their story has happened over the past three books, slowly, very slowly.
But this insane ogling shit, as if he was a damned sideshow, bugged him big-time.
“Probably lonely, too, poor guy.” Very. Groupies, orgies and random one-night stands could only take a guy so far. He had a rep for sexual excess, and that’s what the ladies wanted from him. That, and nothing more.
“With heels,” Yvette enthused, since Merissa almost always wore flats. “I approve.”
“It’s just that I’m so blasted tall – “
“Like a model.”
“I don’t know.” More often than not, she felt gangly, not model-worthy.
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
About Linda @ (un)Conventional Bookworms
Linda is an English as foreign language teacher and has a Master's degree in English Language and Literature. She's an avid reader, blogger, compulsive one-clicker and a genre omnivore. Ever since she learnt how to read she has been seen with a book or two in her hands everywhere she goes.
I need to read this series. I’ve wanted to read No Limits because Cannon. I liked him in the previous series.
Cannon is amazing, and he’s present in all the books in this series, too, Christy. I really think you’ll enjoy it 🙂
I’m so happy LFoster scored with this one, Lexxie. I know how much you’ve enjoyed this series and Fighting Dirty seems like it might be the best yet?? It certainly has all the elements I love in a romance as well – and I like the fact that you’ve been able to watch Armie and Rissy’s relationship boil and boil until it finally bubbled over. 😉 Some day, I’m going to get started on this series.
**BIG HUGS**
Yeah, we’ve been teased with this couple in all the books, with Armie acting aloof and as if he didn’t care about anyone or anything apart from the fighters and their little group. I’m going to push until you read it, you know, that, right? *BIG HUGS*
Ahh friends to lovers! I love that trope so much! I haven’t read a book by Lori Foster before, but she’s been on my TBR for what feels like forever.
I really need to get to her books ASAP because they sound right up my alley. I love that the boys are so protective and that there’s banter. I can’t wait to read a book by her.
Fantastic review, Lexxie! 🙂
Foster is one of my favorite contemporary romance authors, Nick. She always writes amazing characters, and there’s a lot going on around the romance parts as well.
I haven’t read a Lori Foster book in forever and I haven’t read many fighter books either. I really want to read this one after reading your review. I love a book that has such strong emotions that they are practically leaping off of the page. Great review!
Foster’s MMA stories are hot, Carole! And very well done, too 🙂
I had really been looking forward to this one too! I didn’t love it as much as I was hoping though. I had an issue with what Armie’s big issue was. I was annoyed that that was in the book. But I do still love Lori Foster, and I also loved Armie and Merissa together.
Sorry that didn’t work for you, Quinn! I thought that was exactly something Armie would pay attention to, and be very careful about not letting his feelings get involved because of that. I’m glad you still enjoyed Armie and Marissa together 😀
I’m glad to hear you liked this one so much! The premise sounds great.
It was well done, Majanka, and like I said, we’ve been teased by the possibility of these two together since the first book 😀
Twitter: kbaby81
This is one series I’m looking forward to starting soon. I have the first book as one of my TBR Pile Challenge reads this year.
I hope you’ll enjoy this as much as I did, Lekeisha! I love Foster’s stories, they are quite complex, and the romance is red-hot!
I was right there with you from the very first book (or novella, as it were). I NEEDED their book but Lori kept teasing us with these other fighters! GRRRRRRR! I was so glad when finally saw Armie’s cover at RAGT last summer and knew his book was coming. And Rissy – she ended up being more amazing than I thought she was! You’re right, perfection!!!
I agree, Rissy ended up being truly awesome! And the way Lori kept teasing us with the possibility of Armie and Rissy like she did made me go absolutely crazy! So happy we both loved it, Kristin 🙂
I was really impressed with this story and how she handled Rissy and Armie especially since the whole series leads up to this one. Rissy was such a fabulous heroine to read, I love how strong willed and patient she is.
I agree, the teasing we’ve had of the relationship between Rissy and Armie was a delicious kind of torture, Renee, and I loved how their story unfolded!
Rissy is one of my favorite heroines in the Ultimate series, she definitely knew what she wanted, and how to get about in order to get it.
I can’t wait to read this one. I have a few chapters left in Tough Love then I’m moving on to Fighting Dirty.
I really hope you’ll enjoy it as much as I did, Jennifer!