This fight club has one rule: You must be a veteran…Loving her is the biggest fight of his life…Home from the Marines, Noah Cortez has a secret he doesn’t want his oldest friend, Kristina Moore, to know. It kills him to push her away, especially when he’s noticing just how sexy and confident she’s become in his absence. But, angry and full of fight, he’s not the same man anymore either. … same man anymore either. Which is why Warrior Fight Club sounds so good.
Kristina loves teaching, but she wants more out of life. She wants Noah–the boy she’s crushed on and waited for. Except Noah is all man now–in ways both oh so good and troubling, too. Still, she wants who he’s become–every war-hardened inch. And when they finally stop fighting their attraction, it’s everything Kristina never dared hope for.
But Noah is secretly spiraling, and when he lashes out, it threatens what he and Kristina have found. The brotherhood of the fight club helps him confront his demons, but only Noah can convince the woman he loves that he’s finally ready to fight for everything.
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I like a good romance when I’m in the right mood, and Laura Kaye (a friend of mine, though I found her books before we became friends) is terrific for her snappy banter and her moving, realistically-damaged characters–she writes screwed-up military men with a sure hand, portraying issues like PTSD and survivor’s guilt with deep understanding. Noah deserves his happy ending, and you’re rooting for him to find it.
This story grabbed hold of me and wouldn’t let go. I cheered for Noah, a struggling vet, returning home after being hit by an IED. I found myself celebrating his successes and crying over his missteps.
Noah is struggling with life. He has a TBI (traumatic brain injury), hearing loss and vision impairment. It isn’t just the physical struggles, but the emotional struggles that are wearing Noah down, close to hitting bottom. He needs help before it is too late, before he looses everything and destroys his relationship with Kristina.
Kristina has been his best friend for 20 years. She knows that Noah is struggling but is at a loss to rescue her best friend. That won’t stop her from trying or from loving him.
Open the pages of fighting for Everything. Join the fight to save Noah and gain empathy for those that have lost so much. Learn, along with Noah, that even the damaged can love.
The emotional rollercoaster that is Fighting For Everything was a great ride! This book deals with PTSD issues that a lot of our veterans face and it is dealt with well. I loved the way that Noah ended up finding his peace. It could have gone one way, but instead it went the right way and I thought that was extremely important.
The relationships in this book were great and realistic; Noah and Kristina’s, Noah and his family’s, Kristina and her best friend, and of course Noah and his new found friends.
This book had a sweet romance at its center, but it also had a heartwrenching piece that makes you really feel for both characters and cheer them on throughout the whole book. Also, the sexy times were fantastic!
I could not put it down. I truly feel as though I’ve taken an emotional journey with Noah. The loss and pain, the anger, the emptiness with only flashes of something good, the downward spiral into nothingness. The single spark taking hold until a fire burns within. The support system of a few good warriors who know what rock bottom is. And the bright feeling of hope and the start of inner peace.
There’s something wonderful in this story. Fighting For Everything tells a story so many military men and women face; their loved ones not knowing how to reach them but desperately wanting to.
And my favorite quote (because it’s so very powerful): “IT ALL STARTS WITH YOU”.
I’m not done with this story. I’ll read it again, but for now it’s left me thinking and feeling so much.
3.5 – 4 Stars
I have to say I am torn on my star rating for this book, so I’ve decided to give it a mixed rating and explain why.
Fighting For Everything was an enjoyable and emotional story by Laure Kaye. This is the first book in her newest Warrior Fight Club Series. I think this series is off to a good start. I feel these books are going to be very emotional and angsty.
Now to explain my mixed rating. I thought overall this storyline and characters were great and I really loved them. I liked the friends to lovers theme and I also liked how real she made Noah’s PTSD feel. I thought she gave an accurate portrayal of how someone who has served our country and comes home after service is over and what trauma they might go through. For all this I would rate this book as a 4 star read for me.
The only reason for the 3.5 stars was because I thought the first half of the story got a little long winded. I think I would’ve been happier with less of the push and pull between Noah and Kristina and would’ve liked more of what happens in the second half of the story to happen sooner. I know this is vague but I really don’t want to give much away. I would’ve liked to see Noah and Kristina together for a longer period of time. Maybe showed how they coped together as a couple, which we really don’t get to see.
Now even with that explanation, I would recommend this book to all readers who like a friends to lovers story with an MMA background to it. This book was an emotional rollercoaster as well.
In this book we follow Noah and Kristina’s story. Noah and Kristina have been best friends for over 20 years (since they were kids). Noah was in the Marines and suffered a traumatic brain injury and is sent home. Struggling to adapt back into civilian life Noah pushes everyone away. Kristina is a school teacher and is excited to have Noah home. But what happens when they start seeing each other differently?? What happens when they cross that line?? Can Noah turn to Kristina for support through this struggling time for him?? Will they get their HEA?? Read this book to find out.
As I said earlier, I would recommend this book to all readers who are fans of Laura Kaye and who love a friends to lovers story. I wish the MMA aspect of the storyline would’ve come out sooner and I hope we see more of it in the other books to come, but I still enjoyed this romance novel.
Fighting for Everything was such an emotional and heartfelt ride. I was immediately invested in the characters from the beginning and couldn’t wait for them to get their HEA. Such a wonderful story!
I have been a fan of Laura Kaye’s for a while now, I have always enjoyed the grittiness of her writing, and after three mind-blowing series as Hard Ink, Blasphemy, and Raven Riders, I wasn’t sure where the direction of her work would be going next, and, would it be a series I would actually enjoy? But clearly, I must have been sleep deprived or something because I clearly underestimated the pure talent of this extraordinary author.
In Fighting for Everything we find Noah, who is a marine vet, struggling with civilian life, after coming home from his last deployment, mind, body, and soul. But he’s determined to hide behind a mask of normalcy, but there is one person he could never hide anything from Kristina! But when the girl Noah have been best friends with since they were kids, suddenly changes into someone he desires, how can Noah offer her the world, when he is a shell of a man!
As you read Fighting for Everything, you realize that you are reading more than a simple romance! The book sucks you into the world of PTSD, rage, heartbreak, hitting rock bottom and then rebuilding yourself, and living in your truth. So be warned, this book is not lighthearted fluff, within the first few chapters YOU will be fully invested and will NEED to know the ending.
I will 100% admit I had a hardcore book hangover after finishing Fighting for Everything, but boy it was totally worth it. This book is amazing, it gets inside your soul, and you don’t want to say goodbye when the book comes to an end. Fighting for Everything is an amazing first book for this new series, from the get-go you cannot help but fall in love with all the characters, but I will admit I have a soft spot for Mo, and I hope we see a lot more from him.
I give Fighting for Everything 5 stars!
I received a free copy of this book from the author.
I think it would be very frightening to come back from military service a different person. One that feels less than what you enlisted as. Noah Cortez barely made it back alive and now suffers from brain trauma as well as PTSD. His best friend in the world is Kristina Moore and he’s been avoiding her so she wouldn’t see how bad he truly is.
Since they’ve been friends from childhood it’s a bit strange to both of them they’re feeling attracted to one another. Though they try to talk themselves out of it at every turn. A few steamy kisses and all bets are off! Of course you know it can’t be a smooth ride. There are some major bumps in the road.
I like how the author shared Noah’s frustration with coming to terms with his new normal. Learning how to share that with those that love you is hard. I’m sure it feels invasive even. You want them to remember you as who you were not who you are now. But that can’t be…because you’ll never been who you were again. Thankfully for Noah the Warrior’s Fight Club was introduced. I think if we had something like this for veterans in real life it might actually help a great deal of them acclimate better into society after what they’ve seen and been through!
I definitely recommend you grab this book if only to see how the struggle comes to light. It might even show you how you can help someone you may know.
First in a new series by Laura Kaye, Fighting for Everything was amazing! I really loved the characters of Noah and Kristina. They had off-the charts chemistry. I couldn’t put the book down once I started. And the emotion in this story! Noah’s struggles after returning home injured were heartbreaking. I’m in awe of how well Laura could combine the plight of returning soldiers and the romance with Noah and Kristina into such a well-written story. I cannot wait for the next book! Her prior series of Hard Ink and Raven Riders were wonderful! Warrior Fight Club is an amazing new series and should not be missed!
I Loved this book it’s a new series for Laura Kaye. If you love her Raven Riders or Hard Ink series you will love this one as well. It’s about friends to lovers and fighting to overcome their pasts.
“I will always take care of you.”
Laura Kaye is one of those authors that end up surprising you at every single turn! I have no idea why I’m continually surprised by her stories. I know she’s an amazing writer and I adore all of her characters and all of her books, but when I crack open a new one by her, I’m floored by the emotional impact that is has on me. I think that’s a sign of an amazing author because no matter how much I know her writing and her style, she still has the ability to knock me off my feet! And that’s exactly what she did with Noah and Kristina’s emotional story.
Ms. Kaye always turn out romances that pack quite the emotional punch, leaving us with so much to think about. She brings to the forefront the impact that PTSD and TBI has on soldiers and the people closest to them. Let me tell you, it’s absolutely heartbreaking to me what they go through on a daily basis. It’s enlightening. It’s devastating. It’s real.
Our hero, Noah, is struggling with this. His oldest friend and our heroine, Kristina, wants nothing more but to take his pain away. Meanwhile, they both are experiencing feelings for each other that they didn’t see coming. Through the tragedy, they will find peace and love within each other, and the struggle that once was threatening, becomes a little less than.
FIGHTING FOR EVERYTHING is book one in Laura Kaye’s brand new series, Warrior Fight Club. You get a bit of a preview about what this club is all about in Noah’s journey and you get to meet some pretty incredible characters. I can’t wait to learn more about them and more about Warrior Fight Club in the upcoming books that are planned! I know this series is one to watch and I can’t wait to see what Ms. Kaye brings us next!
Laura Kaye’s new Warrior Fight Club series begins with a bang in Fighting for Everything. At times this book is hard to read; it is totally wrenching. Building on a friends to lovers trope it is really more about figuring out how to love who you are: warts and all. It is only when you accept yourself can you accept someone else. I highly recommend it, but be prepared, the PTSD is strong with this one and cannot be taken lightly.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this novel.
My heart was beating quickly when I began reading “Fighting for Everything.” Laura Kaye is one of my favorite authors and I knew I was in for a treat. The pain and misery that Noah has and is still experiencing is heartbreaking, and I could feel his despair reaching through the pages, tugging at my heart.
Noah is still torn up about the deaths of his buddies in the war and he knows he should be thankful that he came home, even though his injuries have changed his life forever. The nightmares consume his mind and sleep is impossible. He is angry, jealous, confused and depressed. He refuses to be a burden to his family or his best friend, Kristina. He had been avoiding her since he returned home seven months ago because he didn’t want her to see how much he has changed. He is not the man she knew when he left for college and the Marines, and he doesn’t want to disappoint her or have her pity him. When their paths finally crossed, Kristina could feel the coldness coming from Noah and it really disturbed her, but she wouldn’t give up on him. She knows he needs her and she will do everything in her power to help him break free from the darkness.
This book captivated me from the first page and I felt connected to the characters in a way I have never felt before. Noah and Kristina have been friends for a long time and friends will always be there for you, no matter what. Thank you, Laura, for writing such a beautiful and uplifting book, and I am looking forward to the next book in the series, “Fighting For What’s His.”
*A copy of this book was gifted to me from the author and freely give my honest review*
I love this story!
I was so touched by this book and Noah’s challenges, I won’t pretend to know what it’s like to suffer from PTSD but as a person suffering from anxiety and fatigue I can understand Noah’s feelings of being wrecked:
Quote:
“Because the perfection of everthing around me makes me feel so much more wrecked inside that I can barely breathe”
This sentence made me cry a river…… I felt it in to my soul.
Here are some of the other reasons I love this story:
* Very good storyline with progression that is just perfect, not any particular drama but enough complications to make it intriguing.
* No unnecessary descriptions of surroundings and dialogues that made me laugh, cry and reflect on my own life, and when a story manages that it is perfect.
* Love scenes, oh….the love scenes was intense and sweet and oh my goodness hot, hot, hot. The chemistry between Kristina and Noah is sizzling hot from the first interaction.
* Characters are described very good and the emotions is always coming through in the dialogues and actions. This author has a way of including secondary characters that you want to know more about and this story is no exception.
* I love the feeling of a special world being built around Noah and his friends. A world I would like to enter.
If you’re not familiar with this author, I highly recommend you try.
This is a story with backbone and meaning that will make you reflect on life itself……..
5 stars
Fighting For Everything is a great start to a new series. I Love Laura Kaye and this did not disappoint. I loved it.
Fighting for Everything was absolutely everything that I was hoping and more! Laura Kaye always has a way of making you fall in love with her characters and she did not disappoint this time either. We meet and fall in love with Kristina and Noah in this friends to lover’s story full of life, love, and war in every sense of the word. Noah is a soldier who was sent home from war a changed man in many ways and now must find a way to find and accept himself again. Kristina is the girl next door, the best friend, the one who is always there, and the girl who just wants Noah to love her as she does him. War changes a person, a family, and friends and sometimes the real fight doesn’t begin until you get home. To Noah he is a mere shell of a man and Kristina is everything; his past, his present, his constant, everything he wants and needs but doesn’t feel he deserves. Can he fight hard enough not to become just another statistic? And can Kristina fight hard enough for Noah to realize that he is, in fact, her everything as well?
I received an ARC copy here is my honest review:
Holy crap did I love Fighting For Everything! It was everything I have come to expect from a Laura Kaye book, and very few people can do what she does. I was just supposed to read one chapter to start it before I went to bed, and the next thing I knew it was 3am and I was half way done. Noah and Kristina were written so well I couldn’t help but feel all of the ups and downs that they experienced. Noah’s struggles were so realistic, and bring light to what countless Americans go through every single day. Gives me all the feels.
The story was great, the characters were great, I laughed and I cried, can’t ask for much more than that. I can’t wait for the rest of this series!
First in a brand new series by Laura Kaye, this book introduces us to the Warrior Fight Club. A group of men and women, all current or former military, that are looking for alternate ways to deal with their issues re integrating into society. This book is told from alternating points of view, both from Noah and Kristina. This book hits close to home, because I have several former military in my family, and it shines a light on some of the things they might be dealing with on a day to day basis.
Noah is a Marine. After being injured on deployment, he returns home with a host of issues that make him feel like he isn’t whole. He doesn’t seem to understand what is going on, and is determined to deal (or not deal, as the case may be) with them on his own. He pushes everyone away, hiding what he doesn’t want them to see.
Kristina is Noah’s best friend, since she was 5 years old. There has always been feelings, but suddenly those feelings morph into something totally different. She isn’t sure where they came from, or how to deal with them.
This story is amazing! Noah is so confused, and this book really brings out the issues our veterans are dealing with. It hurts to think about how many may be dealing with this on their own. It was heartbreaking, as he was working through the issues that followed him home. As hard as it was to read about his thoughts and issues, this was a spectacular beginning to what is shaping up to be a fabulous new series that I’m totally looking forward to!
Kristina and Noah have been best friends since they were kids. Kristina becomes a teacher and Noah goes into the Marines as a bomb expert. When he is injured with traumatic brain injury, partial blindness and deaf on one side, and other injuries, he is discharged from the Marines and comes home. Noah has changed and Kristina wants to help him but he doesn’t want her to see him as weak. When she realizes her feelings have changed and that she loves him, she tells him. Noah doesn’t think he’s good enough for her so he lies and tells her he does not love her. After taking some art therapy and joining a fight club, he starts to feel like his life is going somewhere but is he too late to win Kristina back?
Excellent start to a new series. You have friends to lovers, sexy service men, and a gorgeous teacher. You might need some tissues for the crying and a cold shower after the sex. New characters you can’t wait to see what happens to them. Mrs. Kaye’s books suck you right in so you feel like you’re right there with them.
* Voluntarily read and reviewed this for the author *