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kindlelovingmom's review
4.0
This is a great little novella in the Warrior Fight Club series, and it's also a crossover with Kristen Proby's Big Sky series.
Tara Hunter almost died in an on-the-job accident while on a dive in the Navy. After her medical discharge, she was at loose ends, and was scared to get back in the water again. Once she overcame that fear, she got a job working as a commercial diver, doing similar work to what she was doing before. Her job is everything to her, and she has ways she's found of keeping her anxiety as low as possible. She can't let anything distract her, or hold her back.
Jesse Anderson is also a former Navy diver, though he retired after 20 years of service. He joined straight out of high school, so this civilian life has left him scrambling a bit. He's excited to score the commercial diving gig in D.C., and goes out the night before since he can't sleep. He meets Tara in the local bar, and they have an amazing night together. When he shows up to work on his first day the next morning, there she is. How can he make her see they might have something that's worth the risk to pursue?
Jesse and Tara had a such a great meet cute, and their connection was palpable right from the start. They were drawn to each other, even after they figured out all the reasons why they shouldn't be. I loved the ways they found to be there for each other when the other one needed them, even when they weren't really "together". They really came to care for each other deeply, and were struggling with the idea of how to make it work. It was bittersweet at times, and often it made me sad. But they both deserved to be happy so much.
I loved getting to see the whole Warrior Fight Club crew from the prior 2 books. Jesse took to the group so well, and that was fun to see. Also, their work colleagues on their dive team were hilarious too. I wouldn't mind knowing more about some of them in the future as well! Seeing how well Jesse and Tara fit into all the aspects of each other's lives was really lovely, and I was just waiting for them both to see it too.
There were a lot of heartfelt, sad moments in this story, but that made the ultimate payoff so much better. I'd definitely like to go back and read about Jesse's sister in Kristen Proby's companion book, which this story is related to. I'd love a little more detail into Jesse's family life before he left for the military, and how everything was back home from his sister's POV.
This was a sweet, sexy story, and I loved how meant-for-each-other this couple was, right from the start. I definitely recommend this story, and I can't wait for the next book where we'll finally get Sean and Dani's story! They've been dancing around each other through 3 books, and it's finally their turn!
ARC provided by Author in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Megan from Alpha Book Club
Tara Hunter almost died in an on-the-job accident while on a dive in the Navy. After her medical discharge, she was at loose ends, and was scared to get back in the water again. Once she overcame that fear, she got a job working as a commercial diver, doing similar work to what she was doing before. Her job is everything to her, and she has ways she's found of keeping her anxiety as low as possible. She can't let anything distract her, or hold her back.
Jesse Anderson is also a former Navy diver, though he retired after 20 years of service. He joined straight out of high school, so this civilian life has left him scrambling a bit. He's excited to score the commercial diving gig in D.C., and goes out the night before since he can't sleep. He meets Tara in the local bar, and they have an amazing night together. When he shows up to work on his first day the next morning, there she is. How can he make her see they might have something that's worth the risk to pursue?
Jesse and Tara had a such a great meet cute, and their connection was palpable right from the start. They were drawn to each other, even after they figured out all the reasons why they shouldn't be. I loved the ways they found to be there for each other when the other one needed them, even when they weren't really "together". They really came to care for each other deeply, and were struggling with the idea of how to make it work. It was bittersweet at times, and often it made me sad. But they both deserved to be happy so much.
I loved getting to see the whole Warrior Fight Club crew from the prior 2 books. Jesse took to the group so well, and that was fun to see. Also, their work colleagues on their dive team were hilarious too. I wouldn't mind knowing more about some of them in the future as well! Seeing how well Jesse and Tara fit into all the aspects of each other's lives was really lovely, and I was just waiting for them both to see it too.
There were a lot of heartfelt, sad moments in this story, but that made the ultimate payoff so much better. I'd definitely like to go back and read about Jesse's sister in Kristen Proby's companion book, which this story is related to. I'd love a little more detail into Jesse's family life before he left for the military, and how everything was back home from his sister's POV.
This was a sweet, sexy story, and I loved how meant-for-each-other this couple was, right from the start. I definitely recommend this story, and I can't wait for the next book where we'll finally get Sean and Dani's story! They've been dancing around each other through 3 books, and it's finally their turn!
ARC provided by Author in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Megan from Alpha Book Club
sarcasticromancereader's review
4.0
4 deep dive stars!
Yikes, I realized today that I have a bunch of books to clear off my Reading shelf! So if I forget some details about the book, I'm terribly sorry.
Thank you, Lana for recommending this as a buddy read! I pushed through reading the series out of order ;) and really enjoyed this novella of Tara & Jesse...now I need to go back and start at book #1!
I loved everything about their meet cute! It felt so natural and not forced. Coming together over a shared plate of nachos and some great conversation. Then learning the next day that they were going to be working together on the same diving team.
I loved the camaraderie between everyone on the dive team and the fight club for wounded warriors! I felt the struggle of Tara & Jesse wanting more together but unable to because it could jeopardize the safety of their diving team.
A solid 4 star read!
Yikes, I realized today that I have a bunch of books to clear off my Reading shelf! So if I forget some details about the book, I'm terribly sorry.
Thank you, Lana for recommending this as a buddy read! I pushed through reading the series out of order ;) and really enjoyed this novella of Tara & Jesse...now I need to go back and start at book #1!
She made him feel like he'd never really know warmth until he felt her sun. Like he'd never really been able to see until he stood awash in her light.
I loved everything about their meet cute! It felt so natural and not forced. Coming together over a shared plate of nachos and some great conversation. Then learning the next day that they were going to be working together on the same diving team.
I loved the camaraderie between everyone on the dive team and the fight club for wounded warriors! I felt the struggle of Tara & Jesse wanting more together but unable to because it could jeopardize the safety of their diving team.
A solid 4 star read!
knrt_17's review
3.0
I listened to the audiobook. This was a mf contemporary novella set in the USA around a diving team, all ex military. This can be read as a stand-alone.
dianed's review
Laura Kaye does a great job of starting with a secondary character from Kristen Proby and makes him her own. I love a good wounded warrior story and in this case both the hero and heroine are veternas and struggle with the return to normal life. Together they help each other shar the pain and heal the wounds. This books fits nicely into Laura's Warrior Fight Club series.
Laura Kaye writes complex and interesting characters who manage to take their pain and use it to help others. The characters are smart and funny and make you want to know more about them and to see that they have a Happily Ever After.
Laura Kaye writes complex and interesting characters who manage to take their pain and use it to help others. The characters are smart and funny and make you want to know more about them and to see that they have a Happily Ever After.
bandherbooks's review
5.0
I'm loving Laura Kaye's Warrior Fight Club series, in part because of the way she tackles mental health awareness without using magic sex as a cure all, and because they are hot and emotional AF. IN this novella, Tara meets and hooks up with a delicious man named Jesse, sharing a wonderfully emotional night, before discovering he's her new coworker on the commercial diving team she's a part of.
Both have something to prove, to themselves and their team, and agree that despite their very real connection that it is best to remain coworkers and friends, nothing else. But, the pull of the heart means that this might not be possible.
Bonus points for a really excellent scene featuring Tara doing a little one-handed time with a Keanu Reeves gif from a certain movie (Siberia) and some porn that reminds her of her night with Jesse. I love seeing masturbation representation in romance!
Both have something to prove, to themselves and their team, and agree that despite their very real connection that it is best to remain coworkers and friends, nothing else. But, the pull of the heart means that this might not be possible.
Bonus points for a really excellent scene featuring Tara doing a little one-handed time with a Keanu Reeves gif from a certain movie (Siberia) and some porn that reminds her of her night with Jesse. I love seeing masturbation representation in romance!
tiggerreads's review
4.0
3 1/2 out of 5
This is a great addition to the Warrior Fight Club series. I liked that Jesse and Tara finding love together does not magically fix their issues. Their growing love bolstered them to move forward with their own healing. I liked the glimpse into the diving company. I, also, enjoyed seeing everyone from WFC.
This is a great addition to the Warrior Fight Club series. I liked that Jesse and Tara finding love together does not magically fix their issues. Their growing love bolstered them to move forward with their own healing. I liked the glimpse into the diving company. I, also, enjoyed seeing everyone from WFC.