Review Blog Tour: Down for the Count Series by Christa Cervone
On the Ropes (Book 1)
Going the Distance (Book 2)
ON THE ROPES: A murderer’s child…A foster child…A troubled teen…Gabriel ‘The Saint’ Vega has never had an easy life. Being shuffled from one foster home to another after his father murdered his mother, he found himself in and out of trouble with the law. Never giving a damn about himself, let alone anyone else, his life was spiraling out of control; fast. Until one man and one sport changed everything. Frankie Carbone taught Saint how to handle his anger and rejection; by fighting it out in the ring. On his way to stardom, Saint finds himself pushed into the spotlight and into the arms of more women than he can ever imagine; he’s completely content with one night stands and random sex. Then Salem Harris comes walking into his life and changes his game plan. Saint finds himself wanting Salem in all the ways that scare him. She is off limits; taken. But that doesn’t stop Saint from going after what he wants, and he wants her. Frankie showed Saint a new way of life with Boxing, but will Salem give him the one thing he’s never known – love? Will Saint find himself fighting for the one thing he thinks he doesn’t deserve or will Salem end up breaking his heart? Gabriel ‘The Saint’ Vega has had to fight for every good thing he’s gotten in his life.
4 out of 5 stars
As with a lot of fighter books, Saint is an alpha male who thinks the world of women revolves around him. He does one-night stands -- sometimes with two girls -- but never offers more and has never wanted more. The one time he thinks he might want more, the woman has a boyfriend -- and the boyfriends wants to help Saint up his career.
Trouble has followed Saint since early in his life. He has always lived a little on the edge, but boxing has saved him from that life and he is grateful to Frankie for bringing him into the gym and giving him a life he didn't think he deserved. Frankie has felt like a father figure to Saint, than just a trainer.
I felt like Ms Cervone did a wonderful job of developing supporting characters that make us want to the main character to really get what s/he deserves. Frankie and Jimmy are part of the gym culture that has become home to Saint. Frankie is Saint’s trainer and Jimmy is a fellow boxer and one of Saint’s only friends.
Things get crazy in this book and more characters come into play, but these three - and of course, Salem who is Saint’s unattainable love interest.
I liked that Salem and Saint weren’t immediately going at it in the bedroom. I like that Saint had to basically forget about her for awhile and concentrate on boxing. I like that Salem had zero interest in Saint and his boxing (though she called it wrestling more than once). This novel was much more real to me than a lot of fighter books I’ve read.
I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book, Going the Distance due to release very soon. Salem and Saint are two people who could easily hold a forever spot in my heart.
GOING THE DISTANCE:
Boxing saved Gabriel’s life…
From surviving a hellish childhood, to reuniting with his lost brother, only to struggle with helping him battle his drug addiction—a whirlpool of addiction that threatens to drag his brother under.
Life’s been a roller coaster for Gabriel ‘The Saint’ Vega…
Just when his career hits the fast track, he finally finds love with Salem, at least for a short time. But social differences, obligations, and misguided good intentions tore Gabriel and Salem apart before they could ever really get started.
Is Salem capable of breaking away from the ropes that bind her to doing what’s expected rather than what and whom she desires? Can Gabriel convince Salem that their feelings are worth fighting for?
Does their relationship have what it takes to go the distance?
4.5 out of 5 stars
I loved Saint (Gabriel) and Salem in On the Ropes, but they really stole my heart in Going the Distance. I felt like their struggles really made their successes that much sweeter. They came from two very different backgrounds, but they're still finding themselves drawn to each other with such force that they can't stay away.
I hated Blaine in the first book, but in this book I found myself loathing him. He really was such an a-hole that I could hardly stand to read his name. Salem was crazy for being with him and the fact that Frankie and Saint agreed to help him out made me feel like they were selling out.
Jase, Jimmy, Steph, Frankie and Kitten all make significant returns in Going the Distance. Jimmy and Steph has the kind of relationship that I think everyone wishes for their best friends. Jase holds strong for his big brother. He finds a steady relationship with Gabriel that they haven't had since they were young kids because of circumstances beyond their control.
The story arc in this book goes up and down so many times that I found myself without any fingernails by the time I was done. I was constantly biting my nails hoping things were going to go the way I wanted them to.
Some of my favorite quotes from Saint came when he was trying to express his feelings to Salem. Since he doesn't have any previous relationships in his life (not even with any family members), he struggled with opening up to her, but when he would, he would open up 100%.
"I love you, Salem Harris. I love you more than I'e ever loved anything in my lifetime. My heart beats for you, my body aches for you, and my soul would die without you. You are as important to my survival as the next breath I take. You're the one, Salem, you...are...my one."
Saint's love for his brother is so incredibly heartfelt that I find myself withing I had a big brother like Saint. And he has a deep love for Jimmy and Steph that he goes out of his way to make sure they're happy even when he wasn't. The relationship between Frankie and Saint makes my heart ache. They fight like crazy, but it's evident the love runs deep.
Ms. Cervone does a wonderful job of creating characters that I want to learn more about and find their way to happiness. The boxing metaphor chapter headings really made me better understand what she wanted me to get out of the chapter as a reader and I think everyone should really read these books and enjoy them as much as I did.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Born and raised in New England, Christa is a married mother of three. She began writing her first book, Broken, in October 2012, as a love story to her husband, Frank. During the writing process, Christa managed to keep her book a secret from the majority of her family and friends, including her mother. She finally revealed that she had written a book on her personal Facebook page just two weeks before Broken was released.
Broken was released in February 2013, and within twenty-four hours of its release, it was on Amazon's Movers and Shakers list as well as in the Top 20 Erotica. Christa released her second novel, On the Ropes - Book One in the Down for the Count series, in February 2014. On the Ropes has also climbed the charts on Amazon, hitting the Top 10 Sports Fiction and the Top 20 Romance Sports Fiction lists. Book Two, Going the Distance, was released July 2014 and claimed the number 3 spot in the Interracial category as well being in the top 20 in Erotica on Amazon.
Limitless Publishing has recently acquired the Down for the Count series and will be re-releasing the series under their publishing label in May 2015.
Along with the Down for the Count series, Christa's new series titled, Can't Stop Lovin' You, will also be released under Limitless Publishing. The series will have at least four books, Dream On, What it Takes, Sweet Emotion and Hole in my Soul. Dream On is slated for 2015 release.
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