“Shayla?” For the longest moment Zack’s brain couldn’t process the sight in front of him. Seven years, ten months and twenty-seven days. That was how long it had been since he’d seen her. That was how long it had been since he’d lived a life without regret.Fight promoter Zack Grayson is on the prowl for a rising star. As the top recruiter of a prestigious MMA promotion company, he wants to take … prestigious MMA promotion company, he wants to take someone where he was never able to go: the top of the professional league. He didn’t expect that someone to be the woman he loved…and left.
Top-ranked MMA amateur fighter Shayla “Shilla the Killa” Tyler built walls around her heart when Zack left her seven years ago—and again when her husband turned violent. Now, seeing Zack is nearly enough to send those walls crumbling. But she can’t risk the exposure of the limelight, and she definitely can’t risk another heartbreak.
As Shayla and Zack grow closer, though, business turns personal. And once their passion unleashes, there’s no going back…
Redemption Series:
Against the Ropes (Book 1)
In Your Corner (Book 2)
Full Contact (Book 3)
Fighting Attraction (Book 4)
Strong Hold (Book 5)
What People Are Saying About Sarah Castille’s Redemption series:
“Powerful. Gritty. And sexy beyond belief. Sarah is a true master!”—Opal Carew, New York Times bestselling author of His to Claim
“Emotionally charged, amazingly sexy, and flat out fantastic.” —Fresh Fiction for Full Contact
“Castille continues to introduce characters who are both intense and vulnerable. The females are more than a match for the men in their lives, and these guys are worth their efforts.” —RT Book Reviews, 4 Stars for Full Contact
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4.25 stars–STRONG HOLD is the fifth instalment in Sarah Castille’s contemporary, adult REDEMPTION erotic, MMA, romance series focusing on the men and women of the MMA Club Redemption. This is thirty-year old MMA fighter and promoter Zack ‘Slayer’ Grayson, and twenty-five year old, former ballerina turned MMA fighter Shayla Tanner’s story line. STRONG HOLD can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary.
Told from first person point of view (Shayla), and third person perspective (Zack) STRONG HOLD follows the second chance romance between MMA fighter and promoter Zack ‘Slayer’ Grayson, and former ballerina turned MMA fighter Shayla Tanner. Zack and Shayla were childhood best friends, and high school sweethearts but on the night Shayla gave Zack her most prized possession, Zack walked away without a second glance. Fast forward to present day, wherein Shayla will come face to face with the man that broke her heart, and destroyed her soul. Enter MMA fighter and promoter Zack ‘Slayer’ Grayson, and the man with whom Shayla was still in love. What ensues is the rekindling romance between Zack and Shayla, as Zack takes control of Shayla’s training, in an effort to get closer to the woman he loves.
Zack had no idea that Shayla Tanner, his Shayla Tanner, was on the amateur circuit of the MMA. Heading into Redemption to recruit possible new talent, Zack will have to face the wrath of the woman from whom he walked away but a woman who has lost and suffered more than Jake could ever have imagined. Shayla struggled in the years following Zack’s ill-timed escape but none more so than into the arms of an abusive man who all but destroyed what was left of our heroine’s life.
The relationship between Zack and Shayla is one of second chances; a rekindling romance between former best friends, and sweethearts but a romance that suffers with too many memories from the past. Zack is determined to prove himself worthy of Shayla’s trust and respect even if it means protecting her from herself. The $ex scenes are intimate, erotic and intense but, once again, I take issue with a certain four-letter word that I find unnecessary in a romance story line. Used only once, I felt it was more for shock value than descriptive narration.
Most of the previous story line couples and characters play secondary and supporting roles, some byway of mention or cameo appearance: Blade Saw, Renegade, Rampage, Torment, Homicide Hank, Fuzzy and Doctor Death (all of the nick names must be used in the arena and at the gym), as well as the only other female fighter at Redemption Sandy, and Shayla’s nemesis in the ring Carla Gordon.
STRONG HOLD is a dramatic, intense and captivating story. The premise is energetic and impassioned; the characters are dynamic and vigorous; the romance is provocative and fated. Sarah Castille writes tantalizing romances, strong heroes, and sassy heroines.
“We all have a past. It’s what you do with it that determines your future.”
I took a chance on this author and this series in 2014. She won me over and I’ve never turned back. What a journey I’ve taken with the Redemption team. They are a crazy bunch that keeps me laughing, but they are also strong and supportive. You can’t go wrong if these guys and girls have your back, but that doesn’t mean it won’t hurt. They take ‘tough love’ to a whole new level sometimes, but it’s always entertaining. I guarantee that if there was a local facility nearby I probably wouldn’t survive these classes, but I’d sure enjoy observing #getFITorDIE #PUNCHorPERISH and #DISCIPLINEwithDICK.
While some of the stories in this series are more lighthearted, where I’ve actually spent a good portion laughing out loud, that’s not the case with Strong Hold. This one went deeper, pulling my heartstrings and touching my emotions. This second-chance-romance took me back to a time when a young boy and girl were each other’s everything. And then he walked away from their love and broke both of their hearts…
I’m a sucker for broken characters and the author gave me a double dose in this story. As she put me inside their heads and hearts I became so invested in their relationship, or lack thereof, that I’m sure if they could actually hear me they would tell me to shut up. But truthfully, they didn’t need my advice, they handled things just fine all on their own. I’m just impatient and wanted to turn the pages faster than I could read, anxious for all their broken pieces to be put back together because I was hurting with them. “—But sometimes you need to get hurt so you can learn to see the danger ahead of you. You need to fall so you can learn how to get up again.” The author did such a good job of telling their story that I felt their pain.
But I also felt the fun and family that’s always present with the Redemption members. They have lots of rules and some silly names, but they are amazing people that I enjoy spending time with. I’m really looking forward to meeting the woman that finally captures the doctor, she’ll have to be something special to convince him to change his manwhore ways. The line forms here…
Seven years ago Zack left Shayla so she could follow her dreams. His plan was to return to her once he had made a name for himself and secured his and her future. However, things didn’t work out that way. Shayla was heartbroken when he left her and she moved to begin her career. A year later she was married and still trying to get over Zack and the way he had destroyed her.
After her marriage leaves her even more damaged, she sets out to build a new better Shayla. Now she’s only months away from possibly accomplishing her new dream and Zack has reentered her life. Despite his explanations, Shayla can’t seem to let the past go even while she clings to Zacks sweet kisses.
I enjoyed the fighting background this book is set against. The guys in the gym really helped to push this story along. I did have some issues however. Zack had always planned to return to Shayla but he never told her before he left what his plan was. He assumed she would go to New York and wait for him although he had given her no indication to do so. He thought their love (that he had broken to smithereens) would hold her to him. Shayla did so much pushing away it drove me crazy. One minute it was “this is just professional” and the next she was clinging to him before pulling away and telling him no. A little would have been understandable but it went on for most of the book.
I felt like this had a slower pace to it but I didn’t skim anything. The steam was sizzling and the outside relationship drama was nice because it took me away from all the pushing. The fighting was also well done and I especially enjoyed that this couple found strength to face their own weaknesses and fears and dealt with him appropriately.
Overall, if you enjoy a hero that is jealous and possessive along with the push and pull from the heroine, you’ll enjoy this one.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book provided by NetGalley and Sourcebooks. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Strong Hold by Sarah Castille is book Five in the Redemption series. This is the story of Zack Grayson and Shayla Tanner. I have read the previous book but feel this can be a standalone book.
Zack and Shayla once had a relationship but Zack walked away from it. While trying to move on Shayla ended up in a very bad relationship which brought her to the next part of her life. Becoming a fighter in her personal life and moving on to be a Top amateur MMA fighter. Shayla is now called “Shilla the Killa” in the fighter world. Zack is a promoter now looking for the next MMA which leads him to Shayla. Time has changed them both and this is their time to get back what them missed if they can let their emotions go.
Exciting Read!
A sensually seductive, intriguing, and beautiful second chance romance. Zack and Shayla are both fighting to let go of the past but with their undeniable connection, and super steamy chemistry they learn that they can overcome anything together. I adored this story.
First love reunited! This entire series has been a lot of fun to read with some great characters and connections, but this book right here has topped it all for me. There’s just something about Shayla and Zack and the young love they once knew that made me sit up and watch with baited breath to see how it was all going to play out. How was he going to feel when he found out the life she’d been dealt after he left her? How was she going to feel when she learned why he walked away? And most importantly of all, were they going to find a way to get past all of the pain and just love each other again? Really loved their story!
Amateur MMA fighter Shayla Tanner never expected to see her teenage love again. They had big plans for after she graduated, but in the blink of an eye, Zach told her he was leaving and she should move on with her life. She never got over the heartbreak he dished out, but she tried to pick up the pieces and move forward. Sadly the next man she trusted wound up breaking her heart too when he turned into an abusive husband. She’s finally picking up the pieces for herself and herself only … she doesn’t need anybody anymore, just the thrill of the fight!
Fight promoter Zack Grayson walks into Redemption gym looking for the next big thing to promote through the professional MMA circuit, but he’s jaw dropping shocked to bump into his ex Shayla after almost eight years. He had a great career climbing the ranks of the MMA lifestyle after he left her, until it all fell apart at his fingertips. Still high regarded and working behind the scenes these days, Zach is still doing well for himself. He can’t believe Shayla is a fighter now … and he also can’t believe the attitude change in her from the girl he knew and loved.
This is a intense and gritty read. Shayla and Zack share a painful and complex past, that definitely causes many complications on the road to a future together. Both these characters have issues and heavy baggage that must be dealt with. They share good chemistry and I liked them together as a couple. Zack owned his mistakes and I found that refreshing and it was very easy to love him. Shayla has suffered, endured and been forged in fire. Although I liked her, I felt that she was quite immature and that seemed very unrealistic considering her history. A very entertaining and enjoyable read.
Love the whole series.
Intriguing characters and an interesting story that could have been better
Book 5 in the Redemption series, this was my first book by this author, and I could tell fairly early on that it must be part of a series (something I wasn’t aware of initially). While it worked well as a standalone, with all the characters carrying over, I’m pretty sure I would have enjoyed it more if I’d read at least some of the previous books in the series first.
I generally enjoy MMA books, and I’m also a fan of damaged characters that work through their issues, and those things shine in this book. A second chances story, some of the damage Zach and Shayla need to overcome is scars left from their initial relationship, but most of it is from other sources. For Zach, it’s an abusive father and the death of a fighter while for Shayla it’s the incident that ended her ballet career.
There’s a lot of heat and tension that helps drive the story forward; while Zach wants nothing more than to get Shayla back, she’s still hurt and angry, determined not to start up a relationship again in spite of the explosive chemistry between them. I liked Shayla’s strength and grit, but did get a little tired of the back and forth with her attitude towards Zach. I liked Zach a little better, but while I usually enjoy an alpha’s over the top protectiveness and jealousy, it occasionally felt a little repetitive here. I did really like a lot of the secondary characters and the small glimpses we got of their stories definitely have me intrigued.
The biggest issue I had with the book is how I found the constant switching from 1st person POV for Shayla to 3rd person for Zach odd and jarring. I kept trying to figure out why the author made that choice, but for most of the book, it just irritated me because it pulled me out of the story while I had to change mental gears with each switch. For the record, I enjoy reading books in either POV, and I did finally start to adjust near the end, but it would have been a better read for me if the book had been all first person or all third.
Intriguing characters and an interesting story that would have been better for me with a consistent POV and if I’d read the earlier books first. I’m intrigued enough that I intend to try a couple of the earlier Redemption books. 3.5 stars
B2B Kelly
Another great book in the Redemption series that features a second chance romance and two people who need to face their own fears before they can find their way back to one another.
I’m a big fan of sports romance and I just love the everything about the Redemption gym – from the gritty and realness that comes through in the writing to the diverse group of characters that are featured, especially as they find themselves becoming more family than just friends. I really loved Shayla and was excited to get to learn her story. She’s had a tough time of things, starting with the way things ended with Zack to the wreck that was her marriage. She’s turned to MMA fighting to learn how to protect herself and she has found a new passion in her fighting. When Zack unexpectedly walks back into her life it’s clear these two have some unfinished business, but until they both face the fears of their past there is little chance that these two could find a future.
Like all the stories in this series, the supporting cast of characters adds so much to the book, and I especially loved getting to know the people that Shayla worked with as well. Even though this wasn’t my favorite in the series –I do love second chance romances but I did think Zack was a bit of jerk when he walked out on Shayla –this was a solid read just like all the others. And I love when the women are just as fierce and strong as all of those alpha males they have to deal with!
This is one series that is definitely worth reading!
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book I received from the publisher from NetGalley.
Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team
Avid Reader –
M/F Sports second chance romance
Triggers: Abusive relationship, attempted murder
This is the second book in this series that I’ve read, but the fifth in the series. I believe this can be read as a standalone as well.
Shayla and Zack were in love when they were young. When Zack realizes that he may be holding Shayla back from her own dreams, he makes a unilateral decision to end their relationship. Well, let’s just say that they each realized their own dreams, but those dreams came with a cost greater than what both believed they’d pay.
Years later, when Shayla is at her training facility, Zack happens to walk in… both are surprised and neither has forgotten what happened years ago. Zack has his usual protective, somewhat overbearing tendencies and Shayla wants nothing to do with Zack.
Dancing around each other, they find that their chemistry still burns hot. Past hurts have to be rectified, new paths are forged. This is a story about redemption, forgiveness and above all, love. It was a sweet story.
I think that it was a little long-winded in some areas. I also wish that we had more of the sport intermixed. I am hoping that there will be more books as I found them to be very entertaining.
Lee’Anne –
As is the trend with this series, Strong Hold is hot hot hot! I really liked it, it’s fast-paced and I love that it’s about a female MMA fighter, which was a unique perspective and made the book all that more interesting to me.
Shayla found the love of her life when she was just a child and that love continued to grow until their late teens when Zack made the decision to leave Shayla to get his career started as an MMA fighter. Shayla goes her own way pursuing her dreams as a dancer – until life knocks her down. Now, years later, Zack finds Shayla at Redemption, where she is working to get her career as an MMA fighter off the ground. Zack is a recruiter for an MMA company and when he realizes Shayla’s potential offers to train her – but really, he has other things in mind like winning her back.
I really loved that both the main characters are fighting their own angst for the same goal, it made for a unique and intriguing read. This book is definitely a 10 in the steam category – Zack is 100% alpha male and though Shayla is fiercely independent outside the bedroom, she’s only too happy to let Zack take over inside. I breezed through this book – unable to put it down. I can’t wait for more from the Redemption group!
Ruthie –
This is the fifth book in the series, and whilst you could read it as a standalone and enjoy it, it would be much richer if you read them in order. The digs between fighters, the hierarchy, and the camaraderie would make a lot more sense.
Here we get Shayla’s story, as she reconnects unexpectedly with her first love, Zack. He left her when she was 18 and seven years later there is a lot for both of them to deal with following their split. I liked that the issues were very different, but both affected their emotional life, and their ability to fight.
I enjoy the MMA world of strong alpha men and women, even though I cringe at the actual fighting! And there is some lovely banter between them, as well as some harsh lessons to learn.
As Zack uncovers what has happened to Shayla, he has to learn to control his temper and to keep pushing if he wants her back. There is no doubt that they have sexual chemistry, but trust is another story entirely.
Another really good installment in the series, thank you Sarah Castille.
Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Strong Hold (Redemption #5) by Sarah Castille to read and review.
I have been a huge fan since Sarah Catille started writing her Redemption series. I was super excited when I heard she was bringing us a new book out of this series! WOW!!!! I could not take my eyes off each word. Zack had me from the get go and Shayla was my hero. When I saw the heartbreak and then the endurance to put their lives back together, I was lost in their world. I love a good fight series, but Sarah adds more heart than what I have read in the past. You will fall for these characters. You will get all warm and gooey when you are brought back with old friends.
The emotions this book brought out of me was something furious. You will be feeling a storm brewing and want to throat punch a few characters a time or two. What can I say? Strong Hold brought out the beast in me lol. MUST READ for the summer! You need to make sure you have a quiet weekend ready because once you start this book, you will not put it down!
In this corner, we have Shilla the Killa. In that corner, we have Slayer. May the best fighter win!
I’m not normally much of a sports kind of person. I say that I cheer for the local teams, but I really don’t pay all that much attention to when anyone is playing. I’ve lusted mightily after MMA fighters, but I’ve never watched a fight or anything. But, dayum, all those muscles just do something for a person, you know? But, when I ran across this one, I decided that it sounded good and decided that I needed to read it.
Shayla and Zach had been best friends when they were young and then boyfriend and girlfriend as they got older. She was a ballerina, with plans to go to a ballet company in San Diego, while Zach, an amateur MMA fighter was planning on going there to try to turn pro. But, when he finds out that she’s turning down a better opportunity, he decides to leave her. On her 18th birthday. After their first time.
Seven years later, he holds 4 belts and is a recruiter. He walks into a MMA gym and finds his beautiful ballerina in the ring, fighting. Shayla has been broken and reforged into something stronger, and MMA helped her get there.
I enjoyed the story. I like the way that things flashed back to Shay’s past to give us more information as to what had happened in her past and what made her the way that she now was. I liked it better than having everything explained. Experiencing it with her made it seem more real and let me connect with her better than I might otherwise have. Zach sometimes annoyed me, sometimes didn’t. I get the overprotective thing, especially when it comes to head injuries, but he really does just paint Shayla into a corner sometimes. And then when he doesn’t, it’s not a good thing. I don’t think that he should force her into a particular choice, but it just wasn’t as consistent as it could’ve been.
It worked as a story, and I was quite happy with the way the story went.
This was an amazing book!! I have loved this entire series and I’m so glad that Shayla got her story. This was one of the best second chance romances I have read in awhile. Even though there is hurt there, they still love each other. The feelings burn hot and the emotions are scorching.
Shayla has loved Zach her entire life, she made plans with him and gave him her virginity. Then life went to hell for her and her world fell apart. She is fighting every day to try and get her life back but given her last few failures in the ring, she is beginning to doubt herself…..and then in walks Zach.
Zach has loved Shayla just as long but in trying to do the “right” thing, it cost him the girl. He became very successful but once he sees Shayla again he begins to wonder if it was all worth it.
I would highly recommend this book and this entire series!!
This second chance romance is so raw and gritty, but also fun and sexy! Zack was Shayla’s first and only love. When he left her to become a successful MMA fighter, she was heartbroken and afraid. Now years later she is an aspiring MMA fighter and determined to never be vulnerable again. I loved the scene when Zack walks into Redemption, and back into her life. It was so perfect, setting up their journey back to each other. Their story is not an easy one, and was so terribly heartbreaking at times. Shayla has a horrendous path that lead her to Redemption and that she keeps secret from the protective, alpha fighters there. Zack had his reasons for walking away, believing he was doing what was best for Shayla. But now that he has found her again, he is helpless to walk away from the woman who owns his heart. I really loved Shayla, she was so strong, resilient, yet vulnerable. She is a perfect match for the deliciously protective, cocky, sexy Zack. They really challenge each other and their chemistry leaps right off the page. All the friends and fighters from Redemption added so much fun and excitement to this story as well, including the gossip train! I loved this story of love, loss, betrayal, and forgiveness.
The MMA world that Sarah Castille creates in her Redemption series is gritty, dangerous, and violent, which is a fitting setting for the characters who reside in it because not only are they fighters in every aspect of their lives, but their pasts and perhaps even their presents dictate their successes and their struggles
The background and insights into this fighter environment illustrates Castille’s desire to paint a realistic backdrop for the series and it’s those intricacies that allow readers, who may be unfamiliar with this kind of surrounding, the necessary verbiage and information that will make them feel comfortable with this unknown scene.
Zack and Shayla’s story is a second chance romance with angst, heartbreak, and sexual tension. It’s clear that these two share a past – one that ended badly for both of them regardless of it being Zack’s decision to break up with Shayla. Unfortunately, due to miscommunication and Shayla’s inability to let her walls down, their reunion is not a happy one, which means that Zack has his work cut out for him if he wants Shayla back in his life in more than just a professional way.
It’s clear that Zack and Shayla still have a strong hold on one another despite the
‘seven years, ten months and twenty-seven days’ that they’ve been apart, the broken people they’ve become, and Shayla’s best effort to hold Zack at arm’s length.
I have to admit that it took me quite a while to warm-up to both the hero and the heroine. Zack’s jealousy and inability to verbalize necessary truths made it difficult to form a connection to him, and Shayla’s actions were beyond frustrating; her hot and cold demeanor always stalled any progress they made, and the feud between her head and her heart didn’t allow her to remain in the present or look ahead at what she and Zack could possibly have.
I love MMA romances; there’s something raw about the world the characters live in and how they fight with everything that they have regardless of the obstacles in their way. I really wanted to love Zack and Shayla’s story, but it felt like they were always working against one another, which gave me a severe case of whiplash and also made some parts of the book extremely frustrating. It’s not that I completely disliked Strong Hold; I just found it sometimes impossible, at times, to understand the characters’ motives, reactions, and actions, which left me questioning just how much they truly loved one another and if they would ever find a way to work through everything because wanting to and being able to are two drastically different ideas.
3/3.5 Poison Apples
Shayla is an amateur MMA fighter and has been burned in the past by men. Zack is a promoter for a MMA company looking for talent. He’s also the man that left Shayla seven years ago. The sparks between the couple still burn but can they manage a professional and personal relationship? A real page turner and good read.
I received a copy of this book via Netgalley and am leaving a review.
I recently discovered Sarah Castille with her Naughty Shorts series and love them. So, when I saw she was releasing a full length contemporary romance, I was all over that. Strong Hold is the fifth book in her Redemption series, but the first one I read and I loved it! Definitely going back and checking out the previous books in the series.
Zack Grayson, a fight promoter, is looking for his next MMA star, but he never expected it to be the woman he loved and left. Shayla Tanner is a on the rise as a top ranked amateur MMA fighter. Zack never stopped loving Shayla and always thought they would have a second chance. But then life got in the way. All he truly ever wanted was for Shayla to be happy. But in return, while trying to get over Zach, she ends up in a bad relationship that nearly destroys her.
Now Shayla is trying to move forward. She is stronger and more determined. She is not ready to forgive Zach, but neither can deny the attraction they feel for each other. Can they find their second chance or is it already too late?
Strong Hold by Sarah Castille was a second chance romance with all the feels. The characters had history and struggled to find a way back to each other. A story about second chances and redemption.
Read and reviewed for Sultry Sirens Book Blog.
Happy reading!
Sarah Castille writes sexually driven stories. There’s no doubt about it. Some more sexual than others, but they are all driven by the sexual chemistry/electricity between the leads. She also packs a punch to the heart …. Every.Single.Time. #TRUST
Zach and Shayla have a second chance to get it right. One of my all time favorite tropes 🙂 I love it because the author doesn’t always have to take up space on the page with the get to know each other. If the author is as a word wizard like Sarah is, they will make you feel it in a very short amount of book space. It leaves more room for the couple’s journey itself. And that’s my favorite part.
Zach and Shayla don’t just have history with each other. There is baggage that comes with their time apart that intensifies the story-line. It is not rainbows and gumdrops. But they come together explosively for a common goal. Each other. There is so much passion and grit and heart and did I say passion? Lol It’s an outstanding story of redemption and growth. Sarah is just one of those authors that is really good at getting it right. #TRUST
Zack and Shayla they had a love that they thought would last seven long years ago but Zack feels that he may be holding her back professionally and decides to set her free. He wants to make something of himself and come back for her. Shayla is left devastated and heartbroken a year an no Zack she decides to move and marry another. She is now divorced and broken she is certainly not the woman that Zack left all those years ago. He has finally returned but is it too late for a second chance .
~~Michele McMullen ~~