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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This is a really good start to a brand new Laura Kaye series, The Warrior Fight Club.
You have your wounded and broken vets and an MMA fight club just for them. What could be better?
This was a little slow to start for me. But, once WFC (Warrior Fight Club) came into play at about the half way point, it really picked up for me.
In the first few chapters we did read a few times about Noah’s injuries. So it seemed a little repetitive.
I really liked Noah, I have friends that deal with PTSD like he does. My heart went out to him.
I liked Kristina. I can even understand her feelings and knowing Noah was pushing her away.
She was blind to the reasons though. That bugged me a little. She didn’t listen to what he wasn’t saying.
Overall, this is a good read and I do want to continue to read the next books.
You might need a box of tissues while reading Fighting for Everything, because this story is emotionally charged and deeply affecting. Noah’s struggle to transition back to civilian life after being permanently wounded and while suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder is heartbreaking, but his fight to recover and find hope again is profound and awe-inspiring. He and Kristina’s transition from best friends to lovers is a tender and steamy journey punctuated with both lighthearted and bittersweet moments. Laura Kaye deftly integrates complex, painful veterans’ issues into a sexy, feel-good love story, and her compassionate and vivid storytelling evokes the gamut of emotions.
Recommendation appeared @ USA Today’s Happy Ever After on May 22, 2018
ARC provided, but this review was voluntarily and honestly written.
Lordy, wounded heroes are my weakness! I love to see how they battle their way through to get to their new normal. Battle to beat the demons that haunt them. Battle to figure out that they deserve to be loved, just like everyone else.
Add in a best-friends to lovers part and I’m all in!
And that’s exactly what we have in this first book in the Warrior Fight Club. Noah is the wounded hero and his oldest and best-friend is Kristina. Best friends since they were kids, they’ve loved each other for years, but not “in love” with each other until Noah’s medical discharge.
Man, the fireworks and sparks between Noah and Kristina could light up a small country! They understand each other—know what the other is thinking, well, they USED to know before the injury. And that’s where the problems come in, where the inability to move forward into something more occurs.
I loved Noah and his attempts to recover in silence. His knowing that he wasn’t really getting better, but still trying. The Warrior Fight Club comes into play at just the right time—at the right moment, because Noah was spiraling. And whoa, did he fight to come back to his new normal self. I loved that this fight was not glossed over—that it was dark and difficult and an enormous part of Noah’s recovery.
Fighting for Everything was a terrific start to this new series. I loved the world building and cannot wait for the next one!
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Noah Cortez isn’t handling the changes in his life too well. Kristina Moore is trying to reconnect with her friend. I’m going along watching two friends reconnect after one of them has a life-changing event and then I see how sneaky/creative this author is. Brought me to a stop – “say what?” I don’t know about you but I love when an author can surprise me or send me in a totally different direction (or at least it appears that way). You want an author who will keep you guessing.
After that scene I mentally started wringing my hands – wish I could have been a fly on the wall for that one. To go one better, our author creates a character named Kate that will give you your chuckle(s) of the day. In a way, Noah’s story is hard to read. Unless you’ve been in his shoes, there’s no way any of us can say we understand. But, I can believe that some of you might have been in Kristina’s shoes. Just like the soldier, we thank you for your service. The story shows the slow evolution from the love of friends to the love between a man and a woman. And let’s not forget the heat – good thing it was cool out as I write this review otherwise I might have had to sit in the car and run the air conditioning. I can say that we have a happy ending because these two seem so perfect for each other and you have to hope that everything will work out. Our author also get’s us ready for the next book in the series – can’t wait.
I was not compensated nor was I required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
Laura Kaye has been one of my favorite authors for years. I was so excited to hear she was writing a new series centered around a fighting gym for individuals with PTSD. Starting Fighting for Everything, I was quickly reminded how well Ms. Kaye portrays mental health in her novels. Our hero, Noah Cortez, has limited hearing and sight on one side as well as Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) due to an injury he sustained as a Marine. Working with individuals with disabilities, I know that it is often the people with invisible disabilities who suffer the most because people expect them to be “normal”. Noah experiences all of this. There is no magic “cure” for mental health. Kristina’s love doesn’t “fix” his problems nor do they go away overnight or really at all.
Friends to lovers can be a difficult trope to perfect because often the character’s relationship has developed off “screen”. Kristina and Noah have known each other for years but Ms. Kaye let you in on every inside joke and intimacy. Both characters have changed throughout the years and their romantic love develops believably from their deep friend-love.
As I mentioned, this is the first book in a new series for Ms. Kaye and you can tell what a seasoned author she is. The world was neatly set up but the hero’s journey and the relationship between Noah and Kristina was always front and center. Future books and relationships were very much in the background (as I think they should be).
This book is the perfect balance of sexy, sweet, and angst. I would highly recommend to anyone looking to dip their toe into the contemporary romance genre. Ms. Kaye’s novels are always satisfying and immensely readable.
As a side note, I think Kristina and I are kindred spirits. As a resident of Arlington I just loved seeing a few of my favorite haunts highlighted. The heroine even lives in my specific part of Arlington!
**I received an ARC of this book in order to provide an honest review**
Laura Kaye impresses again with her ability to combine romance with awareness and healing. Home from service as a Marine, Noah is a lost man; it isn’t until a family party triggers his wartime memories that the true depth of Noah’s issues begin to show themselves. He’s broken and stuck in a realm of anger and he can’t seem to find light at the end of the tunnel. Mixed with his own turmoil is his developing feelings for his best friend Kristina. He’s never seen her as the woman she is today but the lust and companionship he finds in her rivals anyone else’s attempts to pull him from the muck in his mind.
Kristina can’t stand seeing her best friend torn apart and lost within his own emotions. Navigating the minefield that is Noah Cortez proves a large endeavor when, after years of lust on her end, Noah caves and deals her a searing kiss. As she begins to accept her own feelings towards Noah, Kristina has to help him realize the risks he takes in not seeking help with his PTSD and anger.
I loved Kaye’s ability to articulate Noah’s pain in such great detail. This is a man who whole struggling with the pain of a physical injury is also fighting an emotional battle inside. And that battle isn’t just the anger he feels and coming home without his team, it shows his struggle as a man as well. The dichotomy of his physical recovery with the Warrior Fight Club and his emotional redemption with art therapy perfectly showcases all the different avenues that our armed forces can seek help. Always one to push important initiatives alongside a sexy and heartfelt romance, I can’t wait for more of Laura Kate’s Warrior Fight Club and all the issue they’ll overcome!
Fighting for Everything is a friends to lovers story with a military twist to it. It’s bound to get angsty for sure.Noah Cortez left the Marines with a TBI and severe PTSD and he’s not coping well. Everything is different except his one constant his bestfriend Kristina. Their relationship has always been close except now they see each other in a different light. Noah’s anger and hurt seemed quite tangible and he needed an outlet to unleash it all.
Noah has trouble with his anxiety and depression along and along with that pushing people away who care like Kristina. Although she grounds him too and she stuck by him throughout. This story focuses on Noah and his journey to recovery of sorts and dealing with his demons. The fight club for veterans is different than what I thought. I can really feel Noah’s pain and emotions, his fight to heal and live. It took rock bottom to want to work on himself.
While it also deals his climb to overcome his issues, his relationship with Kristina a motivation as well as his new fight club at his back. It wasn’t smooth sailing but her loyalty and genuine concern was something that soothe him. Her old feeling resurfaced through all this making it another plot point. I liked the story well enough and really it’s great to see him overcome. If anything I wanted more from ending since it wrapped up so neatly.
This is my first book in while by Laura Kaye and she set up the start of this series well. The depiction was solid and conveyed. It’s touching in many ways. I’m eager for the next books.
A title that’s true to everything that Laura Kate has written. A romance of Noah and Kristina that’s a given. But Noah being home from the marines with a lot of loss and pain. Kristina has waited for his return because no man can compete with him. The only hold back is being best friends and can they get pass just that.
I have a feeling this new series Warrior Fight Club by Laura Kaye is going to break my heart with every book. I don’t know what it is about military books but I am an emotional mess after reading them.
Kristina Moore and Noah Cortez have been best friends for twenty years, but since Noah has been back from the military, he has been distance with Kristina. When you have been friends for that long of a time you get to know the person very well and Kristina knows when Noah is hiding something from her. She just didn’t expect a very passionate kiss. Do they risk their friendship to see where this goes?
This book shows the very real side of what happens to someone who has PTSD and/or some other mental effects from a war. I think the idea of the WFC is brilliant because sometimes talking isn’t always the best way to get your anger out.
Another amazing series I’m looking forward to reading, this group of soldiers will have me buying tissues in bulk.
Laura Kaye has started a new series about military veterans recovering from their service connected disabilities. Fighting for Everything was a fantastic introduction to this new book world. I loved that LK addressed not just the physical wounds, but also the emotional and mental issues that veterans suffer. I grew up a military dependent, am a military spouse, and have seen these issues first hand in my dealings with local veterans’ organizations. I truly appreciate the care that LK took with this story. I especially love that she really shined a light on the resiliency of both Noah and Kristina. It would have been so easy for the characters to just be thrown together with the focus on romance. Instead, LK gave the characters a chance to focus and work on themselves, so that they could come to the relationship in a healthy way. I thought the emphasis on varying forms of therapy (art, talk, WFC) added a lot to the story and I appreciate the attention to detail in each of the circumstances. Definitely a five star friends-to-lovers romance! I can’t wait to see how the rest of this series unfolds!
Perfection & Chemistry… What a way to start a new series! Fantastic! Elizabeth @ White Hot Reads
Noah and Kristina get it started right in this first book in a new series from Laura Kaye! When Noah and Kristina see each other after a few years apart these best friends start to see and feel more than friendliness. Noah doesn’t want to let Kristina get mixed up with his broken life and the shell of a man that he feels that he is. Kristina just want him, and everything that comes with it!
Noah must first put himself on the right path before he can open up to love.
Laura Kaye introduces a whole new cast of charming characters and we are going to fall in love with this series! Xoxo!!!
5+Freaking Stars
Heart crushing, soul shattering emotions, make this the best book that I have read this year!!!
Laura Kaye always brings the best to you in her books, but the amount of work and research that she put into this book will amaze you. Anybody with family in the military knows what they go through on a personal level and that just adds more emotions to this book for me.
Noah, Oh Noah. My heart hurt for you and what you were going through alone. Kristina’s heart was crushed because she had lost her best friend and the man that she just discovered she was in love with. Little does Kristina know, that by her rejecting Noah, she just opened his eyes and saved his life.
This book is at the top of my favorites list for this year and probably longer. Everyone needs to read this book. This is the beginning of a new series and I can’t wait until book two releases.
Book received from author for an honest review.
#warriorfightclub #wfc
This is the first book in what I believe will be a total tissue needing series.
Truly heartgrabbing story.
Two life long friends, best friends to be exact.
Noah heads off to the Marines and is deployed, Kristina stays behind and attends college and takes on teaching.
Noah is back home and things will never be the same for either of them.
Noah is broken in so many ways, Kristina wants to be there for her best friend and the man she has loved for so long. What will it take for these two to find their way back to each other? Did they ruin their friendship by what they did?
Grab the book, some tissues and read this truly amazing story.
Goodness gracious talk about moodiness, passion, friendship and raw sexiness by Laura Kaye will get you going. The Warrior Fight Club series is not just a club for soldiers who think are damaged but a way for a second chance at readjusting their new lifes. I loved that no matter how mean, anti-social Noah can be Laura Kaye made Kristina be the push he needed to live and love again. Loved it and so waiting for the next one.
“I received an eBook copy from the publisher for the purpose of an honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own.”
Noah and Kristina are best friends. Noah was injured in the service, He has a TBI and limited sight and limited hearing on the left side of his head. Their friendship becomes sexual when they are at a party at his parents house, and he hears fireworks which throw him into a panic attack, Kristina tries to help him, but Noah doesn’t really want it. He finds some help when Kristina leaves some pamphlets on outlets for service members with PTSD. He makes friends with other former service members. He joins WFC, Warrior Fight Club, they use MMA, as an outlet, and to help keep in shape. Noah starts slowly spiraling down. They have a small fight, and Kristina admits she loves him. Noah tells her he doesn’t feel the same way, but he is lying to her.
He basically hits rock bottom, but friends from WFC get through to him. Some weeks later, He finishes his plans to get Kristina back. They talk after his brothers wedding. Noah admits he lied about his feelings for her. Kristina accepts his apology and 2 gifts he made with his own two hands. Great kickoff to a new series, can’t wait to read the rest of the books in this series.
I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
An emotional and heartbreaking journey! 5 Stars!
Laura Kaye takes us on an emotional and heartbreaking journey that couldn’t have been more realistically told if it had been coming from the mouth of a Veteran himself. Kaye delved deep into the mind of a warrior trying to survive each day while struggling to find a place in this new world, where he is mentally and physically off balance. Mix that with a new found attraction to his oldest friend, and life really throws him for a loop.
I truly admire Kaye’s ability to write broken military heroes like no other. The mindset was so real, you can almost believe you are in his shoes. The chemistry between Noah and Kristina was EXPLOSIVE! Kaye is the master of deliciously sexy, rip-your-clothes-off sex scenes! I adored the brotherhood and camaraderie between the Warrior Fight Club members. It reminded me of the men from Hark Ink, whom I love so much!
I truly can’t wait for more from this series!
This story is a journey, from war to home and adjusting to civilian life. Noah didn’t come home unscathed and his injuries aren’t visible. An IED took most of his vision and his hearing on his left side, a byproduct of traumatic brain injury. Now those are only the physical part of the problem. He is also suffering from PTSD and the methods he’s been presented with to help, just aren’t working for him.
Kristina is his best friend and she wants to help him, but more than that, for the first time she is seeing him as more than a friend. She’s always known he was hot, but the years he spent in the Marines have taken that to a whole new level. A level that has her thinking of him in a way she didn’t think was possible. Especially after a failed kiss years ago.
This book is very emotional on many levels. From the attraction between Kristina and Noah, the anxiety attacks, the flashbacks and so much more.
I found myself in tears more than once, as Noah falls deeper and starts the slow path back up.
I loved the way Laura brought different PTSD treatments to light, one of which leads Noah to the fight club.
An inspiring, sexy, emotional read that I couldn’t put down. I can’t wait for the next book in this series.
I absolutely adore all of Laura Kaye’s novels. They can be in any type of genre or series and I will read them as I can always expect her to deliver a hot sexy alpha male and the sassy and strong woman who brings him to his knees. So when I heard she was writing a wounded veterans series I could not jump on this fast enough. I loved Noah and Kristina. Their emotional connection was as strong as their physical one and their banter was just as hot. I absolutely loved them!
I love that in this novel the author was not afraid to dig deep and give an honest and painful depiction of the (sometimes) rough consequences veterans face when returning home. I thought Kristina was great. She was open and honest in her love and adoration for Noah where Noah was a broken damaged man. He was dealing with his PTSD after deployment, namely his own demons, survivors guilt, a new life with disabilities and his own insecurities about his lack of self worth. I thought the author wrote it beautifully. The angst and passion was fantastic. I can’t wait for the next one! Bravo! 4 stars! ~Ratula
This was a beautiful read, full of emotion and passion with some heavy issues being dealt with, I was engrossed within the first few pages and couldn’t put it down, a great start to a new series!
Noah and Kristina’s story is an emotional read, best friends to lovers, but not a simple one, they really had to work to make this happen. Noah was injured in the Marines and has some serious issues he has to deal with, feeling worthless with nothing left in him, he feels he is not good enough for Kristina, but doesn’t want anyone else to have her either.
Kristina on the other hand would do anything to help her best friend through his issues and just be there for him, but is struggling with his rejection and tries to move on without him.
This isn’t an easy relationship, not a quick “I’m better” and a HEA, there is a lot to get through which made the story such a brilliant read. Very emotional at times, I was rooting for Noah and Kristina all the way through. Lots of great characters with plenty to work with for a new series. I’m really looking forward to reading more of these – highly recommended reading!
OMG! This book was just everything! The title hits the mark. I loved how real Noah was, and watching the developing relationship with Kristina. Then seeing how Noah was trying to “heal” While I was hooked from the start and didn’t want to put the book down, I managed not to cry until at least half way through. How, I don’t know. You could feel the emotions and the struggles and the rawness right away. There was so much emotion in the beginning that you just knew when it came time for the tears it was going to be an ugly cry. The story and the characters are just so beautifully woven.