Full Contact by Sidney Halston

Title:  Full Contact

Series:  Worth the Fight Series Book #2

Author:  Sidney Halston

Genre:  Romance

Blurb:  Sidney Halston returns to steamy Tarpon Springs, Florida, where a hell-raising bad boy prepares to get down and dirty for the woman he loves.
How could she have been so stupid? When Jessica Cross decides to give her violently jealous boyfriend—the otherwise influential and charming Dennis Stavros—a second chance, she very nearly becomes a statistic. After weeks of healing from a broken rib and collapsed lung, and with Dennis behind bars, Jessica finally feels ready to come out of hiding. But will she ever be able to take a chance on love again with someone new?
Mixed martial arts fighter Slade Martin knows he has a bad reputation. Hell, he’s probably earned it. So it won’t be easy to convince beautiful, vulnerable Jessica that she can trust him—that from the moment she walked into his life, she’s been the only one he’s wanted. Powerful and confident, Slade knows he can honor his vow to protect Jessica body and soul. Winning her heart will be another matter . . . but a woman like Jessica is worth the fight.

Thoughts:  As the secondary characters from the first book in this series, Against the  Cage, these two just called to me and I just had to read their story as well!  I loved seeing big, bad MMA fighter – and super ladies man and all around player – just turn into a big teddy bear and protective bad a@$ and do everything he could to get Jessica to see him as something more than that.  To see his soft side as he took care of her was touching, and I loved how their romance played out.  I think I loved this one even more so than the first book in the series (if possible!) – only because there was just so many levels and depths to this story.  I’m always a sucker for the friends to lovers story, especially when there is always an undercurrent of more that is always there just under the surface.  Even better when one of them makes no attempt to hide it! – and Slade has always made it clear that he wants to be more.  His obvious determination to change her mind and get her to give them a chance at some point is part of really drew me in from the very first.  But the amazing character growth throughout the book is what really makes it stand out – particularly when it comes to Jessica’s character. Needless to say it is a journey – and one that Halston weaves exceptionally well.  I love all of these characters and the MMA world she is building around this series, and I look forward to more!

Rate:  A