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.
more
I love Laura Kaye’s books and this one was fantastic!
This series starter has everything a romance fan could want–a hot hero, a strong heroine, a friends-to-lovers story line that is scorching hot, and a sigh-worthy HEA. Run, don’t walk. This is a great read!
Fighting for Everything is book one in the Warrior Fight Club by Laura Kaye.
Wow! I’m impressed. I’m never sure if I’m going to like a contemporary romance or not. They are hit or miss for me, but Fighting for Everything really struck a cord. It’s a friends to lovers romance.
The author did a fabulous job with her characters, their struggles, and the friends to lovers romance.
Noah’s got TBI and PTSD. The realism of coming home from war, how hard it can be, the struggles and things that can seam so mundane, but now can cause an issue was heartbreaking. The author did her research and accuracy portrayed what a wounded solder faces when they come home. It was powerful.
Kristen is Noah’s best friend. She stands by him even when he’s pushing her away, well pushing everyone away. She truly sees more then he wants and she does what she can to help him. Their was no pushing him to do something just giving him the tools and little moments he needs to get back on track.
Noah and Kristen have some major sexual tension that is off the charts and when they do give in it’s explosive. Their romance was bumpy. I cried when he didn’t want to fight for more and it looked like their 20-year friendship was over; especially when she gave him everything and tried to fight. The only thing that truly bothered me and made me drop a half point in my rating is them having sex without a condom. I understand she’s on birth control, been tested, and they talk, but we all know that birth control is not 100%, so I got a little bummed in the no sex without condom. The story was going fabulously until that moment, but as I said the sex is explosive, but I prefer safe sex.
The introduction to the Warrior Fight Club was wonderful done. I liked how that was weaved into the story. I also liked how we get into the characters heads and feel what they are feeling. As I said the author did her homework and made this one feel so real. I applaud Ms. Kaye. And, last the secondary characters introduced where great.
Fighting for Everything is profoundly emotional, deep and so real. I had a phenomenal time reading this novel and can’t wait to pick up the next one in the series.
Rated: 4.5 Stars
*Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy provided by Laura Kaye with the sole purpose of an honest review. I also won a copy of this novel. All thoughts, comments and ratings are my own.
It goes without saying that Laura Kaye always provides a great read. I found this one especially moving, though, because of its unflinching view of the hero’s pain. He’s experiencing PTSD, physical ailments, survivor’s guilt and frustration with himself. It felt very real to me. And that allowed him to make some very real, very credible mistakes on his path to an HEA.
I also love the concept of a fight club for vets. It’s a great milieu, and I can’t wait to read more.
A wonderful friends-to-lovers romance with all the feels! Laura Kaye tackles a tough subject (PTSD) with sensitivity and skill. I loved it! Noah and Kristina are tender and touching—and smoking hot too!
Starting a new book by this author is always such a joyful feeling. Whether it’s a book in an already existing series or a first book in a new series like Fighting for Everything is. She has amazing writing skill and always knows how to ‘get to me’ on an emotional level not many authors know how to do to me and she always delivers such great reading experiences. So I definitely had some major expectations for this first book in a new series about army-vets and their story after they return from war and become a part of this Fighter Club.
And let me tell you; Laura Kaye delivered yet again! This book exceeded my expectations! What an emotional, heart-wrenching rollercoaster of a reading experience I just had, my god. This book is so much more than a romance story. This story is important and real and so, so beautiful
—
Let me start by talking some more about Noah – our male protagonist – first, because Noah.. my god, what a phenomenally written character he is. I fell for him hard. He’s this vet guy, who came back from war when he was injured badly and he lost a lot of friends. So aside from having to deal with his physical injuries – he has a TBI, traumatic brain injury – he’s suffering from severe PTSD as well. And in his case, depression plays a huge part of his life now. So when a romance is blooming between him and his life-long best friend Kristina, it’s the best thing happening to him, but his demons are slaying him and causing disaster for the two of them.
Since I’m suffering from depression myself for a couple of years now, it was so easy to put myself in Noah’s position and feel relatable to how Noah felt. Sure, I didn’t experience the exact things he did while he was at war since I’m not a soldier, but his thoughts and feelings regarding himself and how he felt and how he got worse, felt all so real and relatable and made this book a really emotional read to me. It split my heart wide open and I was completely lost in this story right from the beginning.
.Despite agreeing to the best man at his brother’s wedding, Noah was rocking some not-so-healthy feelings about the whole thing. Resentment that his brother’s life seemed to be falling into place so easily. Jealousy that the guy had things Noah wasn’t sure he’d ever find, now. Because what woman would want a man so twisted up inside that on some level he resented his own brother’s happiness?
And Kristina was a really beautiful addition to this story, I think. I love friends-to-lovers-romances and this one was really special. Noah is this amazing, broken, character and Kristina remains hopeful, hoping she can get through to her friend while falling deeper in love with him. She’s funny, she’s loyal, she’s strong. She’s everything Noah needs and I loved reading her pov, loved reading how she thinks and feels regarding everything happening.
This story was such an intense and emotional read to me. Experiencing this beautiful romance developing, when at the same time Noah’s depression/PTSD is getting worse which definitely stirs up trouble for these two main characters. Noah remains in denial about his developing romantic feelings towards Kristina because he doesn’t think he deserves anything good anymore and Kristina tries so hard for herself and Noah to be there for him and help him and be the glue that holds him and their developing relationship together. But depression is a monster, lurking in the shadows to hit you when you’re at your lowest and really; you’re on your own when it comes to that point – Noah is definitely at that point in his life, that he feels like that and It’s so hard to come back from that.. In the end, YOU’re the one who has to DO something about it and it’s so hard seeing this beautiful romance developing and Kristina doing her best but her not 100% ‘reaching’ him. It’s hard reading from Kristina’s pov when all of this happens and there isn’t a thing she can really do for him except loving him while he pushes her away and it’s hard reading from his POV, knowing he’s at this point in his life.
“Depression does that. Makes everything seem worse than what it is. I know that first-hand.” Noah dropped his gaze to the floor again, and he fought against the know suddenly in his throat and the sting at the backs of his eyes for all he was worth. Because his depression had never been this bad, not even right after his injury. And deep down he hated himself for not being stronger, for not just willing himself to get the fuck over it already.
It’s thanks to Laura’s phenomenal writing that this book is yet again such an intense, emotional, heart-wrenching read from the beginning ‘till the end. Her writing about vets and PTSD and them suffering from mental and physical issues has been written down so beautiful and sad at the same time. It’s terrible, knowing how many vets are suffering each day like Noah does and how many don’t get the right help and/or never get to come back from this suffering, work on themselves and end up committing suicide. Every book/story Laura writes feels so palpable and real, but this book hit me the hardest in the best and worst way possible. Maybe because of the depression in this book and how it hits so close to home, but her way of writing about vets and them suffering from PTSD and such, is so incredibly touching and emotional and it hit me right in the feels.
He wasn’t sure he’d ever seen her expression as devastated as it’d been after those words spilled from his lips. Sure, she’d schooled her reaction pretty damn fast, but after nearly twenty years as her best friend, even when she didn’t want him to know what was going on in that pretty head, he could read her like an open book.
It was just that, he was devastated, too. Devastated to realize how much he wanted someone that he had no damn right to want – not when he didn’t have the ability to take care of her the way she deserved.
—
This book was such a beautiful, heart-wrenching, emotional, sad and realistic reading experience and one of the most impressive reads I’ve read so far. It’s a Laura Kaye read like no other I think, but at the same time, it’s everything I’d expected of this author, in the best way possible. This story really got to me and it made me cry, ache, love, laugh and cry some more. My heart was being ripped apart and I couldn’t do anything other than hoping Laura would put it back together again while experiencing it all alongside Noah and Kristina, two amazing characters who stole my heart in the process. I came to care for them SO much and they’ll be in my thoughts long after finishing this read, that’s for sure. The romance is so addictive and perfectly well developed, the sexiness is off the charts hot – as something Laura knows how to write so well. The chemistry between these characters sparks off the pages. The storyline development and most of all the amazing character development are all in perfect balance with one another. There isn’t one remark I could find to talk about, just none.
There’s so much to rant and fangirl about though, so much to love about this book. I can keep on ranting about this book forever, lol. I couldn’t stop reading, even though I was falling apart on several occasions. This book is beautiful and special and the writing is just phenomenal. After this extremely extended review, I still feel like I haven’t nearly expressed enough how amazing the book is. I just can’t put into words how beautiful I think this book is and how huge of an impact it made on me. What a phenomenal first book in a new series and I already can’t wait to read the next books. If they’re anything near as good as this one is, I’m bound to buy a LOT of tissues and armor my heart, lol.
—
To Laura: THANK YOU SO MUCH for Fighting for Everything. With this story, you gave me something to hang on to when I’m experiencing my own darkness. I can’t put into words how much you made me feel thanks to reading Noah and Kristina’s story but I just had to put in a special note for you, thanking you for sharing this beautiful story. – “IT ALL STARTS WITH YOU”
Laura Kaye seems to have the patent for tortured alpha males – ones who have earned their scars fighting for their country but, one way or another, have not gotten the help they so desperately need, which leaves them finding outlets on their own terms, which either heal their wounds or send them spiraling even further.
Kaye’s newest hero, Noah Cortez, valiantly fought for his country, but now he has an even bigger fight on his hands – his own demons, and unless he admits his issues and seeks help for what’s sending him over the edge, he won’t be able to move forward with his life and have the chance to see where these newfound feelings for Kristina could take them both.
Kristina Moore is her own kind of fighter, so the fact that she feels helpless when it comes to her best friend and her inability to heal his emotional wounds, she’s devastated and that fact is compounded by the fact that Noah pushes her away because he feels it’s the only way to protect her from his issues. But Kristina isn’t willing to give up on the man she loves, which means that like it or not, Noah has someone fighting in his corner, willing to risk everything.
Fighting For Everything is an apt name for the battle that Noah and Kristina find themselves in throughout their friends-to-lovers story line; there are a significant amount of obstacles that have the potential to crush them, which means that their journey is an emotional one, full of angst fueled by Noah’s PTSD and brain injury and Kristina’s determination to not allow Noah to shut her out because their feelings for one another are worth the risks that come with fighting what seems to be an ‘unwinnalbe’ situation.
Because Noah and Kristina’s story is the first book in Kaye’s new Warriors Fight Club series, insights into the MMA gym where Noah finds an outlet for his frustrations and potential future heroes is necessary, and it definitely adds to the intrigue of what Laura Kaye has in store for her readers.
Despite the depth of Noah’s issue, Fighting Everything is a hopeful second chance romance story – one that realistically portrays the struggles that wounded heroes go through and what’s at stake if they remain untreated for all that they’ve endured. There were many times throughout the story that Noah’s actions frustrated me, but that was more because I saw what it was doing to Kristina and hated that for both of them, and it’s also because I was so invested in their relationship and quietly cheering for them to figure things out together instead of fighting separately while wanting the same thing.
I can’t wait for more stories in this series; I can’t get enough of Laura Kaye’s wounded heroes and the women who find a way to heal them!
4.5 Poison Apples
For a tough guy, it’s hard to admit weakness. Noah is a far cry from the young boy who believed there was goodness in the world. Darkness is threatening to swallow him whole and taint anything he touches. Kristina is his only hope, his deepest regret and his greatest weakness. Her giving heart is both an asset and a weakness. It makes her quick to love, but vulnerable to deep hurt. Her heart has and will always belong to one man and she will stop at nothing to help him step back into the light to accept the healing powers of love. Fighting for Everything is a gritty, seductive, uplifting story. Noah and Kristina immerse themselves in some ugly moments and emerge beautifully for it. Kaye is a beast when it comes to stories of courageous survivors and Fighting for Everything empowers it’s way right into the heart
4.25 stars–FIGHTING FOR EVERYTHING is the first instalment in Laura Kaye’s contemporary, adult WARRIOR FIGHT CLUB military hero, MMA, erotic romance series. This is twenty-seven year old wounded Marine Noah Cortez, and twenty-five year old primary school teacher Kristina Moore’s story line
Told from dual third person perspectives (Kristina and Noah) FIGHTING FOR EVERTHING follows the friends to lovers romance between wounded Marine Noah Cortez, and primary school teacher Kristina Moore. Noah’s return from active duty came with too many scars both physical and emotional: from PTSD, TBI, and the added benefits of damage to his hearing and his sight, seven months home and Noah continues to struggle with every day life. Keeping his best friend Kristina Moore at a distance, Noah battles between his head and his heart as his attraction to Kristina is hampered by the negative thoughts and inner turmoil of the man he is no longer. What ensues is the building relationship between Noah and Kristina, and the fall-out as Noah continues to push away the woman that he loves.
Noah Cortez fights an ongoing battle with PTSD and traumatic brain injury. Needing an outlet, Noah will be invited to the local Warrior Fight Club (WFC) where he will learn to channel his aggression and need to destroy. Kristina Moore has loved Noah Cortez for most of her life but Noah has changed and Kristina is often the target of both his desires and his pain.
The relationship between Kristina and Noah is a friends to lovers romance that is quick to build once they rekindle their friendship following Noah’s return home. Noah believes he is no good for the woman he loves and Kristina knows that the man that she loves is fighting a battle within. The sex scenes are intimate and seductive without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.
We are introduced to Noah’s fellow Warrior Flight Club members: PI Billy Parrish, Ranger Moses Griffin, MMA coach John ‘Mack’ McPherson, Leo ‘Hawk’ Hawkins, Tara Hunter, Navy man Sean Riddick, Army nurse Daniela ‘Dani’ England and Colby Richmond; Kristina’s best friend Kate Arnold, Noah’s father Elias Cortez and Noah’s brother Josh.
The world building focuses on the struggles of returning veterans; the need for organized involvement, and the support of family, friends and the people they love.
FIGHTING FOR EVERYTHING is a realistic look at one man’s battle with PTSD and the paralyzing effects of traumatic brain injury. Not only does our hero struggle with the mind numbing pain and emotional fall-out but the physical scars and permanent injuries add another dimension to an already fragile return home. The premise is heartbreaking, sensitive and profound; the characters are energetic, flawed and inspiring; the romance is dramatic and intense. Laura Kaye’s impassioned heroes are edgy, strong and determined.
This book was a surprise to me. While I’ve read other stories about veterans, this book addressed the difficulties they face and did it in an emotional and gut-wrenching manner. Friends to lovers becomes Noah’s lifeline as he finally agrees to get help. This may seem like a “dark” story to some, but I found it realistic and would highly recommend it.
Enjoy the books about how with determination and opportunities such as a Fight Club run by vets for vets and how heroes get the help they need to function day to day. Good word building and character development. Good book
Interesting set of stories regarding vets and their problems returning to life after combat. Really like this author.
Laura Kaye’s emotionally tortured hottie males slay me every time! Her characters are just so real! In the first book of the Warrior Fight Club, Noah and Kristina’s story brought me to tears at times, and at others I was giggling at the sarcastic banter. The romance was sexy and panty melting hot! But what I loved the most was the underlying story about the use of alternative therapies to help veterans with PTSD. As a nurse case manager, I have long believed in the holistic approach to a number of conditions, especially if the illness is chronic. I enjoyed how Laura creatively used both art therapy and fight club to bring positive change in Noah and her supporting characters. It was heartwarming story. A great read! Pick it up and enjoy another great novel.
I loved this book as well as the rest of the books in this series. While it was predictable, there was depth to all of the characters and they each brought something to the table
Now that’s how you start a series! Kaye is at her absolute best, and Fighting For Everything is the perfect combination of steamy romance and the struggle of our wounded warriors.
Nobody’s tortured alphas destroy me quite so utterly as Laura Kaye’s. Her heroes face heart-wrenching struggles. They have flaws. Kaye presents all of it with unflinching honesty, and I love them—and her!—all the more for it!
Laura Kaye knows how to write banged up Vets. I’ve read some other her other series, and she always does a great job of showing the issues that veterans go through, while still making the physical and mental difficulties they go through understandable to someone that’s never dealt with anything similar. Noah and Kristina have known each other for most of their lives, but romantic feelings don’t really come up until after he leaves the military. He doesn’t want to be seen as less than his pre-deployment self, so he refuses to tell his family or Kris what all is going on with him. He finds the Warrior Fight Club, and they make ALL the difference!! Finding others that are going through or have been through what he’s dealing with makes it easier to talk about, to work through physically and mentally. And it helps him get to the point that he can tell Kris everything.
As the daughter of an army retiree, and someone with anxiety, depression and PTSD, I really get Noah’s struggles. My dad was serving during two different major conflicts though he did not serve in the actual fighting, but he was in Kuwait for months after Desert Storm, when they began the clean up. He definitely shows a few signs of PTSD himself, but as an old school boomer, he doesn’t discuss it. So I understand that but of Noah also. As for Kris, who hasn’t had unrequited feelings? There’s tons more to it that just that, but that’s a start. Absolutely worth the read, as are all of Ms Kaye’s books!!
Love this book! Can’t wait to read the rest of the series!!
This book was awesome. I actually read the second book first before this and was happy to get the back story on Noah. He was suffering so much and in all that realizing his feeling for his best friend. I felt so bad for him. At the same time you really wanted to hate him for lying to Kristina but you couldn’t because at the heart of it was concern for his best friend. And recognizing that she deserved more than he could offer at the time. Loved that he found himself with help and friends to heal and get everything back in order. Loved them together. They were two halves of a whole.
Another great read from Laura. Goodness, I absolutely love her writing style. It totally resonates with me. And her work has just the right amount of steaminess too! Ultra hot. And I love ultra hot! The chemistry between the characters was fabulous too! Love a good friends to lovers story *sigh* Look forward to my next Laura K read!