Review: Defying the Odds

Defying the Odds
Kele Moon
Contemporary Erotic Romance
Battered Hearts/Book 1
Loose Id/December 20, 2011

When struggling waitress Melody Dylan gives a handsome, lonely stranger a simple gift she has no clue her life is about to take a drastic turn.

The stranger ends up being Clay Powers, a famous UFC heavyweight fighter. Clay’s large build and dangerous fists have always intimidated. People in his hometown keep their distance and Clay is fine with that. Everything changes when a new waitress at the local diner buys him a piece of pie on thanksgiving. Touched by the gesture when it’s obvious she can barely afford to survive, her warm smile and lush body churn up powerful feelings that leave Clay wanting more from her than pie.

Melody is running from her past and the small, country town of Garnet is the perfect hiding place. With an ex-husband after her and scars from her abusive marriage etched deep, the last thing she expects is to fall for a man who makes a living with his fists, but she can’t resist Clay or the tender connection they share.

Finding love in the most unlikely of places, the passion is undeniable, but Clay and Melody know their haunted pasts and unpredictable futures leave the odds stacked against them.

Publisher's Note: This book contains explicit sexual situations, graphic language, and material that some readers may find objectionable: violence.

I'm not into any of the fighting sports whether it be wrestling or mixed martial arts but I did enjoy reading the fight scenes and the rivalry as well as the camaraderie.  These guys really get into pummeling each other.  But it's not about anger as much as it is about competition not only against their opponent but against their own abilities.  These guys push themselves very hard!

Clay Powers aka Powerhouse, has come home for what he hopes will be a little break from the spotlight.  He's also there to get ready for a very important match.  He's become disillusioned with his celebrity, tired of everyone wanting something from him.  Clay's burnout comes across well.  He's tired of living in the spotlight but still loves the challenge of the fight.  That shows in the training scenes when Clay and Wyatt spare.  They don't think they've trained hard enough unless someone bleeds!

Melody Dylan is thankful for the kindness of strangers.  The folks in this small town took her in and helped her when she was at her lowest.  Now she's working hard to show them that she's worth taking the chance.  I liked Mel's spunk!  She's sexy in a sweet, almost innocent way.  Almost like she's oblivious to her allure.   She does have moments when she seemed almost too sweet, too trusting after everything she's been through.

The romance happens fairly quickly which really didn't surprise me.  They definitely have steam but Melody did too much apologizing for her issues stemming from her abuse.  Clay was a sweet, gentle giant who was far more accepting of Melody than she was of herself.  He could be overprotective with her but really tried to understand her problems and work with her to overcome them.

There are some light, humorous moments throughout the story as well as darker, emotional moments. The story takes place in a small town known for producing UFC fighters.  There's even a training center owned by Clay and his two best friends, siblings Wyatt and Jules.   I liked the setting and the look into the world of mixed martial arts and the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).

This is the first book of a series that I will absolutely be reading more of.  Looking forward to reading more about the secondary characters.  Bring on more sexy fighters! 

Rating: B 

Battered Hearts Series ~

Defying the Odds
Star Crossed (July 3, 2012)