How long would you wait for the love of your life?The Asher Bailey who comes home to his quirky small town isn’t the same man who put a ring on Grace’s finger. He’s bigger, harder, haunted. Forced to give up Grace and everything else that was good in his life for a prison sentence he barely survived. Now that he’s home, he finds himself aggressively welcomed by his brothers and gleefully gossiped … brothers and gleefully gossiped about by his neighbors. He’d counted on both.
But he never expected to see Grace still wearing his ring.
Grace’s fairy tale didn’t end. It was interrupted. She’s spent the last seven years living her life while waiting for one man. Now that he’s back, she’s got her work cut out for her. He’s scarred and angry, and stubbornly convinced they can’t be together. She’s more than happy to educate him otherwise.
Every beer, every prank, every kiss brings him closer to where he’s always belonged. In her life. In her arms. In her heart.
Asher fears the darkness inside him can’t be contained. But Grace won’t give up on him without a fight.
Author’s note: A brooding, wounded hero and the woman who won’t give up on him. A pack of unruly, prank-loving brothers. A wild neighborhood rumor mill. Spectacular BFF banter. This is a love story about soulmates that delivers the heat and all the feels. The Bailey Brothers series is meant to be read in order and Fighting for Us concludes Grace and Asher’s happily ever after.
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Grace and Asher get their swoony, happily ever after in Claire Kingsley’s Fighting for Us! Book 1 and 2 are an awesome start to her new small town family series, The Bailey Brothers!
“Sometimes when a man goes to war, he has to make himself forget the people he leaves behind. It’s the only way he can become the warrior he needs to be to survive.” – Gram
Fighting for Us is the story of Grace Miles and Asher Bailey. It starts as Asher is unexpectedly granted clemency and released from prison one year sooner than expected.
Coming back home to stay with his Grandmother, Asher struggles with the transition and the fact he did not have time to mentally prepare for his release. He has a lot of pent up anger and many anxieties as he reintegrates back to life outside of the confinement.
Grace has been relentlessly working on remodeling hers and Asher’s “dream” house and awaiting his return back home. What she did not expect, was the rejection she received when they first see each other again. Asher is no longer the man he was when he first proposed to Grace and he did not expect her still wearing his ring.
Throughout this masterfully told tale of adjustments and second chances we get introduced to all Bailey brothers and Grace’s feisty best friend Cara; and we catch up with our favorite characters from the beloved Miles family series.
We have been anxiously waiting for Asher’s and Grace’s story for some time, and Claire Kingsley did not disappoint! She has a gift of extraordinary story telling and paints a vivid picture of the characters that has you feeling the feelings alongside with the protagonists.
Fighting for Us has it all – love, heartbreak, humor, steam and swoon and the story is EVERYTHING!!!!
Fighting for Us picks up seven years after the ending of Protecting You. Both Asher and Grace have changed, how could they not after what they went through. Asher’s transition back to his hometown and his family is not a smooth one. He has a lot of anger and baggage to deal with as he tries to come to terms with his life and his future, one he is prepared to live without Grace. Grace is prepared to fight for what she wants, and that is a lifetime with Asher. These two characters are written so beautifully as they try to repair what is broken – within each of them and within their relationship. I love the moments of humor courtesy of Logan, Levi, and Gavin Bailey, and love the wisdom of their Gram. Let me also say that Grace’s best friend Cara is amazing and if she doesn’t get her own happily ever after, I think this author’s readers will rebel.
Claire Kingsley has written an incredible, beautiful, emotional journey of love, hope, and healing. This story will take you on a roller coaster and have you feeling all the feels. And, in true Claire Kingsley fashion, she leaves you with a last chapter that will have readers anxiously awaiting what’s to come for the next Bailey Brother.
I voluntarily read an advanced reader copy provided to me by the author. All opinions expressed are my own.
“You’ll never have to fight alone again.”
Fighting for Us is an intense, emotionally charged and beautifully written conclusion to Asher and Grace’s love story. As we know from book one of their story, Protecting You, Asher and Grace haven’t had the easiest relationship. It is as if fate drew them together while outside circumstances work to tear them apart. This story is full of angst, hope, sadness, love and laughs. I think I felt every possible emotion while reading this book.
Kingsley does a great job of introducing new characters while also expanding on existing ones. I haven’t read her other series, The Miles Family, but I never felt like I was missing out while reading this. There is a tie-in between The Miles Family and The Bailey Brothers series, but like I said I don’t feel like you have to read one in order to understand the other. As for brand new characters, Cara is the best new character. She is the unfailingly loyal BFF to Grace and the girlfriend that we all need in our lives. Also, I’m just gonna throw it out there right now in the spirit of sending things out into the universe and manifesting them into existence. I need a Cara and Logan book ASAP!
The Bailey Brothers is definitely a series on my watch list and I look forward to many more books in the future!
I went right from reading Protecting You (Bailey Brothers #1) into Fighting For Us and I am so glad I was able to binge read because I could not put this book down! Technically, Fighting For Us is a standalone, but it’s so much better to read with the context of Grace and Asher’s origin story in Protecting You. Plus, you get to meet the wild Bailey brothers in Book #1, so there’s that. Trust me, you want to know these guys!
After seven years in prison, Asher is released from jail — and doesn’t know what to do with himself or his life. He’s had zero contact with his family — not even Grace. It broke his soul, but it was the only way he was able to survive being locked up. And Grace never gave up on their love, even when people thought she was insane for staying faithful to Asher.
Seven years ago, they had a fight… or was it a break-up?
I loved how even though these two came back together, but he was still holding back. Asher was so afraid that his demons (as a result of being in prison) would destroy Grace even worse than when he turned his back on her all those years ago. But her love for him is just so big, her faith in them as a couple is just so strong, it brings Asher through his darkest hour. And dirty-talker Asher is so freaking hot!
Another great aspect of this book was how Claire Kingsley shows how Asher’s prison sentence affected his whole family. It wasn’t just Asher who had to deal with being locked up. His brothers and Grace and even Gram suffered while he was gone. We saw some of what the brothers went through, but there will be more to come as the rest of the Bailey boys get their due. I legit screamed at the end of the epilogue with that tease for the next book to come!
I know how much of her own heart and soul Claire Kingsley put into Asher and Grace’s story, and it shows! This is an epic, tragic, heartfelt, healing love story, and a fantastic start to a new series by one of my favorite authors!
I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.
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I loved this book. It gave me a book boyfriend hangover I’m still sorting through.
Fighting for Us is the continuation of Grace and Asher’s love story. A tale that gave me all the feels: I raged, I laughed and I cried, but I never doubted that Claire Kingsley would give me a story that I would whole-heartedly enjoy.
As I delved back into to this world I was eager to witness Asher’s return to society, his family, and his long awaited reunion with Grace, but it was not as I envisioned for Asher has returned a changed man. In order to survive prison he had to harden his heart and give in to his anger. Now he feels that the promise of their life together is gone and he wants Grace to move on.
Yet Grace refuses to leave Asher. She has spent the last six years waiting for him to return. Her love for him is too strong and she gives him the space he needs but they cannot deny their passion for one another. Together they try to navigate through uncharted territory as Asher’s anger continues to resurface and Grace’s unflappable resolve begins to falter.
Family bonds. Life long friendships. Promises of love. Can love keep them together or will it ultimately pull them apart? Only time will tell.
I can’t tell you how much I loved this story. Getting back to this world was so good. I adored Graces BFF, Asher’s family, his hot brothers and grandmother. they all were the comic relief and heart of this story. This makes me so eager to read the other Bailey brother’s stories. Especially after how this book ended. Gahhhhh!!
Grace and Asher’s book was just what I needed. It was real, raw and filled with the power of what love can do. Read Protecting You first and then dive into Fighting for Us. You will not regret it.
Life is not a one size fits all, neither is love. It is a rubrics cube we are all trying to figure out and put it together as fast as we can. Here’s the thing we get so caught up trying to get it done as fast as possible we miss the enjoyment and frustration of getting all the colors to mesh. We miss the enjoyment of even getting one of the sides to coordinate because we need to reach the end color…perfection. Life and love is hard, messy, complicated and unpredictable and ever changing. Even if your love is destined to be it doesn’t mean it’s a walk in the park. It means you are working towards a common goal. That takes time, even years. It takes honesty, truth, thought, soul searching and not imposing your ideas as the absolute right ones. There are not just two sides to this coin because there’s what lies in between. That’s what makes up what you see on the outside. Without the inside (the guts) there is only a flat surface with two sides. It’s the depth that counts, even if you are meant to be.
This is a story that shows the guts of what true love is. However, this book is not an easy read at times. It’s brutally honest, it will rip you up, take you down, make you smile at times and make you weep. It’s awful and beautiful, it doesn’t get there easily, but isn’t that the point. This is the story of the journey, not the destination, because whether you’re willing to admit it or not life is the journey the destination is always changing.
Asher, the once optimistic boy with a love so deep and his future mapped out with the love of his life, now through the most horrific circumstances is now a man whose whole world and outlook has dramatically changed. He’s trying to do the what he thinks is the right thing by denying himself and making decisions for others all on his own.
Grace, the girl who has always placed everyone else ahead of herself but found solace in the boy next store, her eternal love. She has placed her life on hold for seven years determined to pick up where they left off. However, she’s never fully come to terms with the actual truth.
Two different ideas of love, wanting to do the right thing for the other out of true love but looking at love from their own lens. Will right win out because of right or is there more to this than meets the eye? Does true love, destined to be, always work out on it’s own? Well I’m not going to tell you. You really need to read this book.
Besides, the two main characters there are a plethora of people you meet during this story. Believe me you want to know more about every new individual in this book and we meet up with some of our favorites from past books. There’s even a little mystery to be solved and a good old long time feud. This is a book that brings all the feels, smiles, laughs, and the heat you’re looking for. This is a book that makes you think long after you’re finished. As you can see by my review. I apologize for the length but I had to get it out. If you read the whole thing thanks. In the meantime do yourself a favor an read this beautiful story while I impatiently wait for the next in this wonderful series!
Claire has done it again, she made me fall in love with Asher and Grace in Protecting You and showed me a deeper love for them in Fighting For Us!
I felt so bad for Gracie and Asher, and everything they’ve gone through to get back to each other, but a small part of me wanted to bash them both over the head because they refused to see their circumstances from the other side.
None of the members of the Bailey or Miles families have been immune to the pain caused one dark night when someone tried to destroy the Grace Asher they knew, but I didn’t realize how deep that damage went until Elijah talked to Asher about no one ever staying in his life. Claire always gives us a little more commentary than we can see floating on the surface, but this one runs even deeper to the damage we do our children when we try to keep things from them.
Along side the ugly crying jags were full on belly laughs thanks to Gavin’s pranks, and worry about Evan and wondering who hurt him so badly. Thank you Claire for an amazing 5 star treat, I can’t wait for Evan’s book!!
Oh. My. Goodness. This book was beyond excellent! I can’t wait for the next book!!
This book is Asher and Grace’s story and begins after he gets out of prison. This is written in first person with dual POV. I was immediately captured by the author’s dedication to her husband, David, stating that she would have waited too. (Big sigh, tear in my eye.)
This book is an emotional ride. Grace has fears and anxiety that she has coped with by completely avoiding certain situations following the attack and focusing on Asher in prison and their future while she waited. Asher has spent the last seven years focused on surviving his sentence. When he is released, he comes out a changed man. He is full of anger, paranoia, and the uncertainty created from having the future as he imagined it changed forever.
These two have so much to work through to get to their HEA. Grace’s unwavering love of who Asher is now, in addition to the boy he used to be, offers hope. Asher’s love of Grace is just as strong, but his fear of hurting her overpowers his hope. Theirs is not an easy story, but it is a story that feels honest through its difficulty.
Secondary characters are well developed, as is the setting. I loved seeing glimpses of the MIles family and getting to know the Bailey family. I am so looking forward to the rest of this series. And let me just say that everyone should have someone like Gram in their life. That woman has some serious wisdom and the patience we should all aspire to have. (The chainsaw scene is perfect.) Her love for those around her is what holds this family together as they are fighting falling apart. Underlying the story is the mysterious root of the Bailey-Haven feud. I am sure that the mystery will stretch through the series and I anticipate learning what caused this huge rift in this sweet little town.
Fighting for us was the perfect start into the Bailey Brothers Series.
I adore how Claire is able create these worlds that we all want to get lost in, live in and exist with.
Asher Bailey isn’t your typical romance hero and while he struggles he has Grace to ground him and bring him back into the light.
Grace is quiet, but FIERCE. She’s my new #WCAlways. Her steadfast love and support in a dicey and judgemental situation was effortless elegance.
We finally get the happy ever after for Grace and Asher, but it comes with a few bumps in the road.
It starts with Asher in jail and we get a glimpse at what life is like for him there. (And it is not pretty.) He cuts himself off from everyone in his life, except his Grams. He doesn’t write to anyone and he doesn’t allow anyone to visit him there.
When Asher is released 1 year early, he continues to separate himself from Grace. She waited over 7 years for her love to come back to her. She knew he would be different, but so was she. The way they worked to come back to each other was beautifully written. I loved that Claire Kingsley added the letters that Grace sent to Asher while he was in jail. It gave us a glimpse into Grace’s life while he was gone.
I just fell in love with Asher, Grace and the rest of his brothers. This was a very well written story of how love can survive through heartache. I can’t wait for the rest of the series!
Wow!!! This book gave me all the feels.
Fighting for us is the second book in the Bailey Brothers series and what a wonderful read.
Book one, Protecting you, ended on a cliffhanger that had me on the edge of my seat.
Book two is the aftermath of that night that changed everything.
After 7 years Asher is finally at home. But he’s a changed man.
But then, Grace had changed too. Both were broken, but what had never changed was their love for each other.
Love Asher. I wanted to crawl in the book and hug him so hard. You could feel his turmoil and how broken he was. He went through so much.
And Grace..I LOVE HER!! She’s my new favorite heroine. She was strong and new how to fight for their love.
This book is about Asher’s coping with life after prison and Grace fighting for their love.
This book is very beautifully written. The storyline and the characters are very good and had me reading it in one sitting.
Great secondary characters. Love Gram. What a wise lady that knew how to raise her 5 grandsons.
The Bailey brothers. The banter between them had me smiling a lot. Can’t wait to read more about them.
Now..can we talk about that epilogue?
I WANT TO READ THE NEXT BOOK NOW!!
My Rating: STARS!
After seven years in prison, Asher is finally released early. It was definitely not what he had expected. He was already prepared to spend 8 years in prison. Now he’s anxious, don’t know what to do or be outside of prison.
Grace has spent those years building their dream. When she saw Asher still with his mind made up of them not being together, so many emotions running through. But she is prepared to fight for them again, even with Asher’s anger and baggage to deal with as he tries to come to terms with his life.
Asher and Grace go on such an emotional journey together and this hit me with the feels. These two characters are written so beautifully as they try to fight for what is broken.
Claire Kingsley has written an incredible, beautiful, emotional journey of love, hope, and healing.
Fighting for Us is book 2 in the Bailey Brothers series and boy oh boy will it take you on a ride! This book takes place 7 years after the end of book 1. You have to read Protecting You first to truly appreciate and understand Asher and Grace’s love story so make sure you one click that one first!
This book is intense and definitely had me feeling all the feels. Grace is such a strong character and the fact that she waited for Asher all this time shows what an amazing love that they had. However, Asher isn’t the same man that he was 7 years ago and he struggles to transition back into the real world after prison. Keeping his walls up, he doesn’t want to let anyone get close to him but thankfully Grace isn’t taking no for an answer.
I was dying to get my hands on the conclusion to Grace and Asher’s story and this did not disappoint. Make sure you grab this book ASAP!
By Alisa
Seven years after being put in prison for protecting his Fiancée, Asher is released, but the mental affect, trauma and survival instincts are still there, which means that he needs to keep Grace at a distant.
Grace is waiting for the day Asher is released, it has been a long seven years, and if it wasn’t for her best friend Cara, The Bailey brothers, Gram, and her family, she would not have made it. She has never given up on Asher, and doesn’t intend to start now, but he keeps pulling away until he doesn’t!
Asher still finds it hard but their relationship is blossoming again, until one night when something happens, and he makes the biggest mistake of his life, but he is protecting Grace or is he? They both know they are soul mates, but sometimes that’s not enough! What will it take for them to find their way back to each other? Can Asher and Grace make it? And Can they move forward?
This book has so many feels, the good, the bad and the ugly, but as always Claire has written them all with so much love that you can’t put the book down and just have to keep reading to find out how it all ends.
I love this couple and my heart hurts for them and all they have been through. Shoot, everything they continue to go through. Asher was sent to prison and the family dynamic changed drastically. Now he’s getting out and has to transition back to life on the outside. Easy peasy, right. Wrong! Fighting for a happy ever after is so worth it. Don’t get me wrong, it isn’t an overly angsty read. I don’t do those. There’s a lot of feeling, but there’s also a lot of funny sibling shenanigans. Plenty of hot, sexy times ahead.
Once again, I received an ARC of a book written by Claire Kingsley, and I. Was. Not. Disappointed! From the Always Series to Jetty Beach, and then to the Miles Family Series, this beautiful and amazing writer has created a dynamic catalogue of stories to be immensely proud of.
None of my little “spoilers” will do this time. Readers will just have to crack open that book, or turn on their kindles (whatever the preferable mode of reading is) and dive into the first of the Bailey Brothers Series–see for themselves exactly why I’m anxiously looking forward to more of these brothers. So far, I am loving the Baileys just as much as the Miles, or any other family Ms. Kingsley has brought into our lives.
Gram is amazing with her sage wisdom, delicious pies and fry bread, and wonderful advice, the brothers are strength, sexiness, seriousness, and silliness–purely exemplifying what it means to be a Bailey–and Asher and Grace have absolutely stolen my heart with their love, powerful bond, and vulnerability.
I loved the emotional roller coaster ride that is the story of Grace and Asher’s HEA. This is a sweet, swoony childhood friends to soulmates with a prison term interruption story. Asher and Grace grew up next door to each other and had just started their HEA when Grace is attacked and Asher ends up in prison for manslaughter. This story is the continuation of the HEA once Asher gets out of prison as they try to find a way forward together. This book has a little bit of everything – sweet moments, strong friendships, laughs, messy families, sexy times, real life issues, imperfect characters, and so much love. The story also includes witty dialogue, characters with depth, and an engaging storyline. I love the Bailey family and the interplay of the brothers. I am excited to read about the next Bailey brother.