Beauties and The Book: Review ~ Fighting to Start by S.L. Ziegler ~ JMAC

Reed "Riker" Collins is my story... The beginning, middle, and end.

Our love was intense, emotional, and raw, the kind that sticks with you forever. I thought we had it all, the thing that would make us last... Until we didn’t.

Reed promised me forever, and I believed him with everything in me. But it's never that easy. Without a second thought, Reed left me to follow his own dream of becoming a professional fighter. Five years of going through life without him has left me only drifting through life, never truly living, leaving me more damaged than ever before. But then, Reed walks back into my life when I needed him the most. Will I be able to forget all the pain he caused? Will he be able to heal the emotional wounds his love had left me with?

Can I fight to start? Or will I end up forfeiting it all just to make it go away?

I went into Fighting to Start completely blind. I thought it was a fighter book, had no clue what it was really about. And gosh did this book left me NEEDING…. WANTING… MORE.

Gosh this is seriously such a great freaking book.

Hadley and Reed were perfect. They were seriously so in love. I don’t think anyone who read this was expecting the s**t storm that follows their relationship. I never could have ever guessed they would fall apart. There was never any question of their love for one another. They loved hard, and showed their love even harder.

"We fell recklessly and wildly in love with each other."

Hadley was a girl in love, and Reed, well he was your typical bad boy with a big heart. They were just so perfect. Reed had his own issues. Because of his past, he wanted to be a better man. Reed wanted to provide for Hadley, not just be her badass boyfriend. He wanted to give her what she deserved. He wanted to buy her everything she wanted and more. He had to do it, and once he finally got the chance to do it, everything had to change.

"The Reed I know is only shown to me - he's sweet, caring, loving, and will protect me with everything he has. But "Riker" is all alpha, all the time."

So part of me hated Reed, but at the same time I understood him. His decision was made with the best of intentions, but he went about it the wrong way.

Hadley completely broke me. When she broke, I broke. I took her heartbreak HARD. I was more than upset for her. I just wanted to jump into this book and hug her, cry with her, and tell her everything would be ok.

"The kind of love that only gives you two options: if it works out, you'll have lived with more love than most. You'll be lucky enough to see everything for the better because that person is your better. But if it doesn't work out, you are so utterly broken that you're left beyond repair. Reed Collins is my once in a lifetime, the one people wait for, and I wouldn't have it any other way."

The emotions in this book are seriously so on point. I FELT EVERYTHING. I always say that when an author can make me feel so deeply, they are a seriously talented author. S.L. you are amazing. Your words, GOD YOUR WORDS, they hit me to my core. I didn’t feel like I was reading a fiction novel, but actually felt I was living the story, that’s how hard your words hit me!

GOD, AND THAT ENDING. I thought there was no way SL would make me go through all this heartbreak, all these tears, and not give me the HEA I so desperately needed. This ending killed me more than anything. No, not because it wasn’t an HEA, but because it LEFT ME HANGING. LEFT ME WANTING MORE. LEFT ME WITH MY MOUTH HANGING OPEN AS IF THIS WAS ALL A JOKE. I had to message a friend right away, and tell her how upset I was that it was over, but how goooooood it was!!

Fighting to Start is the story of two people who are meant to be together, but unfortunately life gets in the way. It is the meaning of real love, and pushing loves limits. Seeing how far your love can go before it breaks. Fighting to Start was so amazing, I honestly think everyone should read it. It was just so good.

I have to say, this was my first book of S.L.’s that I read, and OMG. It is honestly one of my favorite reads of 2015, no doubt. If I could give this book more than 5 stars I would! Love, love, loved it!

<3 JMAC