Title: Fighting Redemption
Author: Kate McCarthy
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: December 2, 2013
Book Summary:
Ryan Kendall is broken. He understands pain. He knows the hand of violence and the ache of loss. He knows what it means to fail those who need you. Being broken doesn’t stop him wanting the one thing he can’t have; Finlay Tanner. Her smile is sweet and her future bright. She’s the girl he grew up with, the girl he loves, the girl he protects from the world, and from himself.
At nineteen, Ryan leaves to join the Australian Army. After years of training he becomes an elite SAS soldier and deploys to the Afghanistan war. His patrol undertakes the most dangerous missions a soldier can face. But no matter how far he runs, or how hard he fights, his need for Finlay won’t let go.
Returning home after six years, one look is all it takes to know he can’t live without her. But sometimes love isn’t enough to heal what hurts. Sometimes people like him can’t be fixed, and sometimes people like Finlay deserve more than what’s left.
This is a story about war and the cost of sacrifice. Where bonds are formed, and friendships found. Where those who are strong, fall hard. Where love is let go, heartache is born, and heroes are made. Where one man learns that the hardest fight of all, is the fight to save himself.
Purchase Links:
Amazon Kindle/Amazon Paperback/Amazon UK//Barnes and Noble/Smashwords
My Review:
5+++ stars!!!
If I could give this book 10 stars, I would. Fighting Redemption belongs on everyone’s must-read list. The writing is perfection, the story is emotional, sexy, funny, beautiful and thrilling, and the characters will stay with you long after you finish the words on the page.
Kate McCarthy has created a memorable novel that is filled with so much emotion, loyalty and love, that I don’t even know how I can do justice to her written words. I absolutely fell in love with Jake, Ryan and Fin and was rooting for all of them from the first page! Ryan had very painful childhood and grows up desperate to leave his small town far behind. He has a burning desire to join the military and no one, not even the beautiful and sweet Fin, can change his course. He loves her deeply but feels that he must let her move on with her life because the military will always come first for him.
“He shouldn’t still be feeling this way after so many years. Why was he doing this to her, and to himself? It was better for everyone if he stayed away like he was supposed to.”
Fin, too, tries to move on but is drawn to Ryan and can’t let go.
“She took a step closer and he breathed her in, her scent like jasmine on a hot summer’s day. He was surprised when he looked into her eyes and saw anger burning hotly in their depths.”
The book perfectly outlines their struggles to love, overcome loss, and be real and honest with one another.
“Why can’t I force myself to leave?” He rested his forehead against hers and closed his eyes. “I hurt too. For six years I fought every day not to think of you, and I lost, because every day you were all I could see. You were the best thing in my life—so sweet and innocent, and so goddamn tempting.” His hand strayed from her hip and slid down to grip her ass. He swallowed the groan. “I stayed away so you could move on.”
This is easily one of my top books of 2013 and it is a must-read!! Fighting Redemption is the perfect mix of Alpha heroes, emotion, sexy times, a great story and extremely well-written characters. There are also several great twists to the story which will keep you on your toes. Kate McCarthy is an extremely gifted writer and I can’t wait for more stories from her. (And I heard that she is writing a bonus chapter to Fighting Redemption, so stay tuned!)
Author Bio:
Kate McCarthy grew up in a small town outside of Port Macquarie, Australia. Raised in a house just a short walk to the beach, Kate enjoyed the peaceful, relaxed atmosphere and friendships that come from being raised in a friendly, small town area.
She now resides in Brisbane, Australia, a city in the state of Queensland where she works as an accountant, along with a sideline wedding cake business and her writing.
She is married with two children, has two dogs and house in the suburbs, and a pile of friends and family dotted all over the country that help keep her sane.
When she’s not busy running after naughty kids, filthy dogs, crunching numbers, piping buttercream and writing books, you can find her curled up in bed in the early hours of the morning reading new books and re-reading old favourites. Her favourite books are the Black Dagger Brotherhood series by J.R. Ward in which she longs to eventually join the brotherhood and change her name to Phierce Mutha.
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