“Shayla?” For the longest moment Zack’s brain couldn’t process the sight in front of him. Seven years, ten months and twenty-seven days. That was how long it had been since he’d seen her. That was how long it had been since he’d lived a life without regret.Fight promoter Zack Grayson is on the prowl for a rising star. As the top recruiter of a prestigious MMA promotion company, he wants to take … prestigious MMA promotion company, he wants to take someone where he was never able to go: the top of the professional league. He didn’t expect that someone to be the woman he loved…and left.
Top-ranked MMA amateur fighter Shayla “Shilla the Killa” Tyler built walls around her heart when Zack left her seven years ago—and again when her husband turned violent. Now, seeing Zack is nearly enough to send those walls crumbling. But she can’t risk the exposure of the limelight, and she definitely can’t risk another heartbreak.
As Shayla and Zack grow closer, though, business turns personal. And once their passion unleashes, there’s no going back…
Redemption Series:
Against the Ropes (Book 1)
In Your Corner (Book 2)
Full Contact (Book 3)
Fighting Attraction (Book 4)
Strong Hold (Book 5)
What People Are Saying About Sarah Castille’s Redemption series:
“Powerful. Gritty. And sexy beyond belief. Sarah is a true master!”—Opal Carew, New York Times bestselling author of His to Claim
“Emotionally charged, amazingly sexy, and flat out fantastic.” —Fresh Fiction for Full Contact
“Castille continues to introduce characters who are both intense and vulnerable. The females are more than a match for the men in their lives, and these guys are worth their efforts.” —RT Book Reviews, 4 Stars for Full Contact
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The attraction is obvious, the pain is visible, what you don’t see right away is why they broke up the first time they were together. Can Shayla and Zack both get past the pain the break-up caused each of them?
In this fifth book of the Redemption series we are gifted with not only one MMA fighter but two! “Shilla the Killa” and “Slayer”. Shayla, aka Shilla the Killa, was eight when she first met Zack, who was thirteen at the time, and there was just something between them. At first it was friendship that grew to attraction that grew into something more but Shayla’s brother didn’t like Zack in her life and he made it known that what he thought of him. This is the part that gets me, Zack finally leaves Shayla for what he thinks will be a better life, as a dancer at a prestigious ballet company in New York, but her life is anything but that. She gets married to an abusive man that is much older than she is and her brother has one talk with him? And that’s it? Ugghhh, men! Anyway thanks to her ex almost killing her she moves across country and goes to the Redemption gym to start her MMA career because dancing is no longer in the cards for her.
Zack has had his own set of problems and regrets in the seven years since he walked out of Shayla’s life, one being that she married…he has no idea that it wasn’t a good marriage, and two, in his last MMA fight the fighter he was up against died in the ring. This was a life changing event for him because he took the blame of his oppoinents death on his shoulders even though he was told it wasn’t his fault, so now he is a MMA recruiter, which is what brings him to Redemption. Imagine the shock and surprise when he sees Shayla there!
If you enjoy Sports Romances this is a perfect series for you. The book can be read as a standalone but it’s more enjoyable if you read the series in the order which it has been released. Happy Reading!!!
**I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Readers Copy of this book**
I’ve only read the first book in this series when it first came out. I have the second in my tbr pile. This one is #5 and it was pretty good. I enjoyed all the details with the fighting. It definitely makes me want to read the other 3. I didn’t have a hard time following along with the other fighters. Zack and Shayla were pretty hot together. They were making up for lost time in the bedroom, multiple times, and twice on Sunday. Heh, just kidding. I think they only made it to the bedroom once. Overall, I really enjoyed this one.
I have been a HUGE fan of the Redemption series by Sarah Castille and almost jumped for joy when I saw that we were getting Shayla/Shilla “the Killa’s” story. And boy did it deliver!! OMG did I love this story!! It was tumultuous to a T with a high amount of emotional intensity but was also so hot and sexy my kindle practically set off smoke alarms. Without a doubt, Zach and Shayla’s second chance romance was an AMAZING addition to the series. I could not get enough!
When Shayla was abandoned by boyfriend Zach to pursue his MMA dreams, she rose up from the ashes, picked herself up from her heartache and abandonment and turned her life around, despite tragic circumstances following Zach’s departure from her life. But when Zach returns to Redemption and Shayla’s life neither of them would be prepared for their feelings picking up where they left off coupled with major feelings of resentment and blame on both sides.
I absolutely loved this story and seeing the entire Redemption cast from previous stories. It was like seeing friends from the past. I loved Zach and Shayla in particular because this story highlighted the growth they both needed to make in order to be together again. They not only needed to forgive one another but themselves and I seriously was hooked on every page. This story was so sexy, emotional and absolutely amazing. I HOPE we get more from this series in the future!!
I would like to thank NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for an advanced copy of this book for an honest review. Bravo! 4.5 stars! ~Ratula
Teenage loves Zach Grayson and Shayla Tanner thought they would be together forever. Him an MMA fighter and her a famous ballerina. While they both accomplished their professional plans they didn’t do it together. Zach walked away and Shayla went to NY alone. Now almost eight years later they are reunited at Redemption, a top rated MMA training facility. Can they get beyond the past to see how great their future could be?
This was a very well done book with great writing, intriguing characters and a nice pace to the story. It was nice to go back to Redemption again but you can easily read this as a standalone. I highly recommend it.
This second chance was everything I wanted. I love when broken love is repaired and everything is right in the world. I loved the whole »let’s keep it professional« vibe they agreed upon but failed miserably at it. I loved the persistence in Zack. It was felt through every page how much he wanted Shayla back. And i loved his way of looking out for her: “I’m goind to kiss every part of your body, so when you get hit tomorrow, you’ll remeber i was there first.” . Oooo Zack.
I loved how she came back after being left to die, to be a professional MMA fighter. I secretly always wanted to try MMA but never really gathered the courage to do it. I think after reading this I need to find my own Redemption. I’ve got to say that I can’t believe that this is my introduction to the Redemption family. Seriously have I been living under a rock??? I need to change that ASAP!
LOVED the cover (i can’t find to words to describe how much i fricking LOVE it) and the story. Can’t wait to see what happens next 🙂
***Review copy requested and reviewed on behalf of OMGReads Blog***