What happens when a boxer finds chemistry with a geek?
Parker Brown can’t believe she needs to hire a fake boyfriend. When she landed her dream job in renewable energy, she thought she’d be entering a world at the forefront of progressive thinking. But the head boss prefers to promote employees who are “settled.” Thankfully, she’s found the perfect candidate, a fellow intellectual looking for … looking for some quick cash. What Parker gets is his protective big brother—Rhys Morgan. The tall, muscled ex-boxer with a foul mouth shows up just as her boss does, and now she’s stuck with the manipulative jerk.
Responsibility weighs heavily on Rhys. Now permanently out of the ring, he’s trying to hold together his late father’s gym and keep his younger brother, Dean, on the straight and narrow. To save Dean from himself, Rhys takes his place, ready to give this society girl a piece of his mind. Instead, he finds an opportunity. Even though they can hardly stand each other, posing as Parker’s boyfriend is a win-win deal. She gets to keep her job, and he’ll charm her star-struck boss into sponsoring his gym.
Problem is, they can barely keep their hands off each other. And what started as an easy deal isn’t so easy anymore. Because what future can a rough ex-boxer, afraid to open his heart, and a polished society geek, who has sworn off real relationships, possibly have?
They say opposites attract. These opposites are about to combust on impact.
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4.9 Stars
Rhys used to be a professional boxer. But then his best buddy died in a fight and Rhys stopped fighting. Then his dad went and died on him too – leaving him with no money and a gym up to its neck in debt. Plus a smart(assy) little brother he has to somehow get through college and out into the job world!
Little bro Dean is the one who brings Parker into his Rhys’ life.
She hired Dean through an app as her pretend boyfriend to look all in love and engaged in front of her new boss. But instead of pretty boy Dean – she gets Rhys….
LET THE FUN TIMES BEGIN ….
What will happen with Parker & Rhys?
Will there be a Happy End?
READ THE BOOK TO FIND OUT!
Aww – that was adorable!
Such a funny and sweet and beautiful romance with some very serious and heartbreaking parts!
I loved Rhys and Parker! They’re so not from the same worlds. She’s this environmentally very green über-rich genius from New York and he’s the rough ex-boxer from the bad parts of Boston.
But they are soo perfect for each other!
Both have sad things in their past but everything else couldn’t be any more different. Their lives and backgrounds and heights – they’re pretty much complete opposites …. but they just fit!
But of course her hiring him for money and him not fitting into her world might get in the way of a real happily ever after. But I’m sure we’ll get there. And we’ll adore every single moment of that journey!
I loved reading this book! It was funny and sweet and sexy and adorable!
I also wouldn’t mind getting a book about the brother!! GIMMEE!
And if Netflix came knocking? I wouldn’t mind at all!
What I didn’t get at all were all the many references to sand snakes and other dimensions. Never heard of that ever before!
Oh and if you – like me – don’t like boxing all that much … don’t worry – don’t let the pretty cover fool you! Rhys is retired and even though he’s running a gym, there’s almost no fighting in this book – other than the verbal matches between our two darlings.
OUTMATCHED was such a funny & adorable & serious Rom-Com. Run to your nearest amazon for your own Rhys – he’ll be sold out in no time!
When the book news that Kristen Callihan and Samantha Young were writing a novel together hit the book community, I squealed in utter delight! And for good reason as these two magnificent authors make the perfect team. The story felt like it was penned by one writer that’s how in sync the writing was. It flowed, packing the perfect amount of emotion and humor.
Parker Brown is small but mighty–she’s a tiny, sassy, feisty thing that isn’t afraid to stand her ground. She comes from a rich family but she considers herself the disappointment. She tries so hard and wants nothing more than to please them at every turn.
Rhys Morgan is a brooding intense brute. He’s larger than life but tortured by his past. The ex professional boxer lost everything and now he’s fighting to save the gym that is a second home to him.
“breathless, needful, passionate, sexy.”
At first what started as a fake relationship soon turns into passion and need. Two very different people from different paths in life find each other and learn to heal and love. Rhys helps Parker step out of her comfort zone and shows her that she doesn’t have to be so prim and proper all the time. That it’s okay to curse like a sailor if she wants. Parker becomes the calm amongst the storm in Rhys’ world, settling him and always seeing his worth. Both were masters at masking their true feelings for the other. But at last, one cannot deny the heart nor the chemistry and their chemistry was undeniable and explosive!
This book gives you that sudden ache in the heart. The romance was slow burn but it was so sweet and left you wanting more. And don’t even get me started on Rhys and Parker’s back and forth banter! I was hunched over laughing constantly. There was also a wonderful cast of secondary characters which I’m hoping some of them get their own book because this needs to be a series!!
Overall, Outmatched was like a warm piece of apple pie with just the perfect amount of vanilla ice cream! This novel exceeded my expectations!! It’s been awhile that I’ve read a enemies-to-lovers feel good book and Outmatched was executed perfectly!!
When I heard that Samantha Young and Kristen Callihan were teaming up to write a romance together, I immediately wanted this book in my hands. Both of them, in their own right, are two of my absolute favorite authors, so I couldn’t wait to see what they came up with as a writing duo and what that meant for the Outmatched characters they crafted, the perspectives they provided, and the story line that included a number of romance tropes and a hero and heroine who are both headstrong but wildly different when it comes to the lives they live, where they come from, and just what they want to gain from their mutually beneficial dating ruse.
They dynamics between Rhys Morgan and Parker Brown are combustible from their initial interaction, and even if it was more hate than like and definitely nowhere close to resembling love in any of its forms, what was perfectly clear was the fact that their sparing words and their slow-burning desire for each other are not
Fairchild has to be one of the most sexist and misogynistic billionaires alive, but as horrible as he is when it comes to his tactics and antics of getting what he wants, especially after Rhys begins to play his part, Fairchild is also responsible for forcing Parker’s hand to hire an escort, even if Rhys wasn’t the one Parker thought she was meeting or the one who was supposed to be a part of her ruse.
As much as Rhys and Parker allowed their first impressions and subsequent actions to dictate how they viewed one another, once they stopped ‘pretending’ that what was between them was purely business, they let down their walls and learned that neither is what the other expected them to be, and as the story progresses and they spend more time together just as themselves, not worrying about a career or saving his father’s business, that’s when readers witness something that’s been simmering at the surface for quite some time become something undeniable and worthwhile.
Both Rhys and Parker are likable characters who know how to work hard for what they want, but sometimes, they need a little help along the way, and even if it’s something that puts them outside of their comfort zones, it serves as a way for them to go beyond their first impressions, beyond their playacting and see exactly what they could be together, if they went all in and didn’t allow anyone else’s opinions or their own personal fears to prevent them from becoming more.
I really enjoyed Outmatched, and while I felt like the pacing got a bit slow in some areas of the book, the sexual tension between Rhys and Parker resonates from the pages of their story and has readers impatiently waiting for them to figure out what they truly want and perhaps even need from each other, and it was fun to witness what seemed inevitable from the beginning – them being in each other’s corner for so much more than a business deal.
4 Poison Apples
Two of my fave authors teamed up to write a rom com between a boxer and a geek? Sign me the F up!!
Rent-A-Boyfriend didn’t work out how Parker expected. Not only did she not get the original man she hired but she got so much more.
Rhys who is an ex-champion boxer who is trying anything to save his gym.
These two are completely different in every way but in this case, oh boy do opposites attract!
They strike a deal to help eachother out, what could ever go wrong?
The constant banter and verbal sparing these two do just makes you want to keep reading. Not wanting to miss a second of it.
It is near impossible not to fall madly in love with Rhys. He is by far my favorite book boyfriend now. On the outside you have this tall, dark and muscular man. On the inside sweet, romantic, sensitive, and very protective. This man would have your back instantly and protect you with everything in him.
I highly recommend this funny, heart melting, smoking hot book! I just hope these two authors decide in the future to come back together to create another.
Kristen Callihan and Samantha Young co-authoring is a dream come true because I love them individually and some of their books are an all-time favorite of mine. Outmatched also had so many of the tropes I love–hate-to-love, fake dating, opposites attract. With all that said, I had pretty high expectations going in and I’m happy to say I was not disappointed. Outmatched met all my expectations and I had a great time with Parker and Rhys.
As soon as I started reading Outmatched, I knew I was going to like it. Things were happening pretty quickly, and I really enjoyed that because we got to the fake dating portion right away, which is one of my all-time favorite tropes. I really enjoyed Rhys and Parker individually–Rhys is this rough and tough ex-boxer hunk trying to save his late father’s gym and Parker is basically a nerd-girl with a trust fund she refuses to touch, preferring to work for her money. Hence, Parker ends up hiring Rhys to play her fake boyfriend so that she can get a promotion at her job. Parker’s boss is this misogynistic jerk I want to knee in the nuts, but he’s also a Rhys fanboy so Rhys is hoping he can convince him to sponsor his gym. And the story goes off from there…
Like I said, I had very high expectations and they were all met. Outmatched was a super fun, very entertaining read. It had the right amount of swoons and steam, and I am so excited for future books co-written by these two authors.
I do love a good fake relationship book and was eagerly awaiting the release of this one. Alack and alas, OUTMATCHED proved to be a mismatch between the story and my reading tastes.
In brief, I am not a fan of how the heroine was represented. The author’s touched on some of my personal bugbears that made me view Parker Brown’s character in an entirely unsympathetic light. Firstly, she’s all about saving the planet and with that comes lessons about how people should and should not be living. I am not a fan of being lectured to while reading a romance book. Secondly, specific information about an incident from her past is revealed far too late for my liking. I am also not a fan of authors being coy with such information. It’s manufactured drama for no reason.
For me, Rhys Morgan was the star of this book. He interested me. His back story, his family and his actions that lead him to a relationship of convenience was what kept me entertained.
Outmatched by Kristen Callihan and Samantha Young is a funny, swoony and steamy book about fighting for your dreams and legacy. About forgiving yourself and finding someone to rely on, protect and love. Parker and Rhys were the complete opposite, but together they matched!
What at first supposed to be a business deal turned out to be the love of a lifetime.
“She asked me what I wanted out of life. And all I could think was that I wanted you.”
Parker Brown is a sweet, a little unsure of herself, ambitious and very smart woman found herself in a very unfortunate and helpless situation. To secure her dream job she needs to find a fake boyfriend. Sounds like a piece of cake, right? But instead of her perfect match, came broody, sexy and intense ex-boxer, Rhys Morgan. Both, they need each other for private reasons. And the more they spend time together, the more Parker and Rhys find themselves attracted and open to each other. Parker realizes that behind muscles and foul mouth hides a very protective, tormented and vulnerable man. Can she help Rhys heal and save his legacy and vice versa?
I really enjoyed reading Outmatched. It’s a perfect combination of a funny, steamy and emotional read. If you are a fan of enemies to lovers’ books, Outmatched is just for you!
How awesome is it that these two authors collaborated together for this book!!!! Outmatched was such a fun read for me. Two complete opposites, and ex boxer, Rhys trying really hard to keep his boxing gym open but drowning in major debt due to father who passed away and left him with major debt stress. Parker loves doing her part in saving the earth. She rides a bike, worries about emission levels, recycles, worries about the planet. Parker trying to show her boss that she knows what she’s talking about and that she wants to be taken seriously and wants to advance in her career. Enter in the showdown where she was supposed to meeting a guy named Dean(Rhys’ brother) for a fake date to show her boss that she’s in a committed relationship. Well, instead of Dean, here comes Rhys, angry, hot, mad, broody, on a mission to tell her off, but once he gives it, she gives it right back to him! They agree to terms, both are getting something out of their deal, they hope. These two!!!! I loved their banter, them fighting their attraction, his protectiveness over herParker is so opposite of Rhys, she can’t even curse, not even in her own head. I love the way Rhys pokes and jokes with her. Even though they are opposites and aren’t supposed to work on paper, they are completely smitten with each other.
I really loved both characters that Kristen and Samantha created. These two are so sweet with each other, so funny, both connected on a deep level and were perfect for each other. There was drama but also fun side characters that make the book more enjoyable. Loved this one!!!!
Once I heard about Outmatched, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this. The boxer and the uber smart, nerdy heroine, without a doubt, I was going to read this. Plus, when you put two authors together that you enjoy reading from, it’s a win.
Fake relationships generally aren’t my go-to for reading, but I thoroughly loved reading this one. It was a bit of a slow-burn, but with their chemistry and endless banter, it made for a rather entertaining read as well.
I couldn’t put this one down! I liked that from a quick glance, you get the most opposite people, but once we start to learn about them, they have more in common than you’d think. And from then on, I think it helped them connect more on a much different level.
I loved these two together so darn much! And with Rhys being this tough yet sweet guy, it made it really easy to fall in love with the guy.
Up until around 70%, there was a specific someone that I was just over reading about. He’s definitely a pivotal part in this one and I think the authors gave him more power than necessary, I didn’t think he’d be playing such a huge role in their story. I kind of wish that he wasn’t that big of a presence.
Besides that little fact, this was so a solid read that I couldn’t get enough of. I hope these two write more stories together because I’m here for all of it!
**I RECEIVED A COMPLIMENTARY READER’S COPY FROM SOCIAL BUTTERFLY PR FOR AN HONEST REVIEW. THIS DOES NOT AFFECT MY OPINION OF THE BOOK OR CONTENT OF MY REVIEW**
I always love contemporary romance from Samantha Young and the synopsis of this grabbed me right away! The story was sweet, and I liked getting both main characters’ points of view. While Parker did irritate me a bit, Rhys had his own issues that bothered me at times as well. I know that a lot of that is the drama of a romance, as I’ve mentioned in reviews before, and it’s probably what kept me at a 4 instead of 5 stars. It was an easy read, and definitely had its really good moments. I think this is my first by Kristen Callihan, and I’ll be sure to read more of her books in the future! As for Samantha Young, she’s still at the top of my auto-buy authors list.
The very second I learned Kristen Callihan and Samantha Young wrote a book together, I knew I needed it in my life as soon as possible.
I adored this book!! Outmatched was a light, sweet and crazy hot opposites attract/fake dating romance with witty, entertaining banter and amazing character chemistry. I can’t even properly express how much I needed this book. I love, love, love Rhys and Parker together. His gruffness with her proper just made for some magic. I have to say, I am usually so quick to fall for the hero. However, in this case Parker was my main crush. I heart this brilliant pixie woman. She really held her own against Rhys and her egotistical, misogynistic boss.
I hope this isn’t the only collaboration from this duo. Fingers cross we get Rhys’s brother and his business partner’s story as well.
4.5+ stars
Parker never imagined she’d be hiring a fake boyfriend, but the major investor at her dream job places importance on relationships and her single status is a threat to a permanent position. It doesn’t matter that most of her co-workers appreciate her addition to the team, or that she ideas that will propel the company ahead. What she didn’t expect was the man she made the deal with would also be an interest to her boss’s misogynist boss.
Rhys has always carried the responsibility for his family. His boxing career covered his mom’s medical bills, his brother’s college degree, and bought the gym that always felt like home. But the gym is struggling and he can’t wrap his head around stepping into the ring again. In an act of protecting his younger brother, he finds himself striking a deal to exchange payment to pretend to date a gorgeous, slightly nerdy woman.
These two had sparks flying immediately, though not of the romantic variety. I loved watching these two dance around each other while trying to convince Parker’s boss that they were an item while trying to ignore the challenge of their initial animosity.
I found the ending moved a little faster than I would have liked, especially for how invested I was in Rhys and Parker by that point. But I loved every moment of this story. Fairchild’s slimy ways had me looking ahead wondering how Rhys and Parker would protect her job while avoiding Fairchild’s schemes. The anticipation as the games continued kept me guessing and turning pages as fast as I could.
I loved this author duo! I’ve read each of them separately, but the combination of their styles flowed and kept me rooted in the story. I would love to see more from this pair and the characters they have built within the world!
ARC received in exchange for review.
This was one of those books I took a chance on but didn’t expect much, I was pleasantly surprised how enjoyable it was and how vested I became in the book. It wasn’t my typical genre because I’m not a big fan of boxing, but it was fun and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Love the bond they had and how they said what they wanted.
What happens when a boxer finds chemistry with a geek? It’s a TKO for Young and Callihan as they Knocked this one out of the park!
I’m a first-timer for both Samantha Young and Kristen Callihan. I’m beyond excited to add them to my ever-growing list of authors that I love reading or listening to, which would be the case for some.
Outmatched is a Sports and Fake Boyfriend Romance. Two tropes that I absolutely love. Add in that they are polar opposites, and you are for a ride. Prepare for Parker Brown, who may be wealthy, but she’s also a smart and nerdy woman. Now we’ll enter with Rhys Morgan (Just his name makes me want to try him on for size.) He’s a retired boxer, swoon, and hot as sin. These two together were freaking perfect. I just loved it.
This entire story was great and will go into the listen or read again pile as the narrators were okay but a little distracting at times.
Audible Review
I love both of these authors. And they never disappoint with their stories.
Parker thought she was finally getting what she wanted, but then the tables got turned again. She needs to be in a permanent relationship settled before she has a permanent place in the company. So what does she do, she hires a fake boyfriend. But didn’t quit work out the way she wanted. Rhys Morgan shows up instead of the actual one she hires which is his younger brother Dean.
Rhys was not going to let his brother let his Ivy league education go down the drain to be a paid escort, so he steps up. And gets way more than he bargained for.
I enjoyed the storyline of this one. I loved the characters and the love hate relationship between Parker and Rhys. The narration was a bit off for me. Sounded very robotic and it took me a while to get into the audio.
Parker comes from an affluent family and is determined to get her career off to the right start but her boss is making that difficult when the criteria for the job is having a boyfriend and not her brains. She has decided the solution to her problem is a fake boyfriend who is an academic like her however fate intervenes and from first appearances her new boyfriend is more brawn than brain.
After a tragedy Rhys left his boxing career in the past but after his father’s death he finds himself struggling financially to keep the family gym viable and support his brother. When he finds out his brother’s plan to make some money includes hiring himself out as a boyfriend he decides to put an end to the situation. It sounded good in theory until he realized that pretending to be Parker’s boyfriend could be a win-win for both of them.
These two couldn’t be different and have perfected the art of driving each other crazy but the one thing they do have in common are their feelings for each other. This fake relationship is about to get a whole lot more complicated!
I received a complimentary copy of the audiobook and enjoyed the performance of the narrators however getting used to the male narrator did take some adjustin
I ‘read’ this title on audio where Elizabeth Hart and Alex Kydd are the narrators and ‘play’ the parts of Parker and Rhys.
I loved the journey this couple travelled to get to their HEA and the side characters added a bit of additional interest. Will this be a standalone or will we see more of Rhys’ ‘boxing family’ I wonder?
Although I love the thick Boston accent, to truly do it justice, a Bostonian should have narrated the part of Rhys. For me, it just spoiled the natural ‘flow’ of the story and wonder if would have been better without attempting the accent?
Overall though it didn’t unduly impact on my enjoyment of the story. Certainly seems to be a good working partnership between Samantha Young and Kristen Callihan.
Sports romances are a real treat of mine. I have read a couple of boxer/fighter romances and this was a solid one. Alex Kydd and Elizabeth Hart are narrators i’ve listened to and enjoyed in the past.
This is the story of Parker, an environmentalist who works in renewable energy. Or at least she’s trying to. She’s basically told she won’t get far unless she has a partner.
She thinks she’s found someone to help, at least part time. But what she gets is Rhys Morgan. He’s an ex boxer who’s not happy with the arrangement so takes his brother place.
The fake dating trope is done really well here and while on the surface a lot of things could have meant this book was full of angst, for the most part it was pretty light.
I will be picking up more from these authors and more from these narrators.
I received a complimentary copy of this for review. My opinion hasn’t been influenced.