Title: Fighting Redemption
Author: Kate McCarthy
Release Date: December 2, 2013
TOP READ FOR 2013 BY 22 BOOK BLOGS
Reviews by Tammy & Kim voted Fighting Redemption
☆BEST BOOK OF 2013!☆
Give Me Books voted Fighting Redemption
☆TOP BOOK OF 2013 and ALL TIME FAVOURITE!☆
Sinfully Sexy Book Reviews voted Fighting Redemption AND Give Me Strength in their
☆TOP BOOKS OF 2013!☆
What REVIEWERS ARE SAYING ABOUT
FIGHTING REDEMPTION
FIGHTING REDEMPTION
6 Stars! I just want to shout from the rooftops -- READ THIS BOOK,
EVERYONE!!!! Fighting Redemption was everything I could want
in a story and more!! It's an unforgettable story about a broken soldier's
undying love for a woman who'd always held his heart. I loved every word of this
powerful, captivating and emotionally charged book. This is a must-read!! Truly
breathtaking! Aestas Book Blog
"5 ++++ Beautiful and Emotional Stars! This was a love story in every sense of the word. It was highly emotive, beautiful, moving, tragic, romantic, passionate, haunting and breathtaking which all makes up to this being one of our favourite reads of 2013." Totally Booked
"Fighting Redemption is heartbreaking, gut punching, inspiring, and beautiful. This is an amazing, poignant journey that I will never forget and goes beyond 5 stars for me and is one of the rare ones that I have to give 6 stars." Reviews by Tammy & Kim
"5 stars - 6 if I could! It's nigh on impossible to put into words how much I loved this book and how much it touched me. Fighting Redemption is unforgettable, powerful, incredibly moving and it will live on my heart for months and years to come." Sinfully Sexy Book Reviews
SYNOPSIS
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.
This is my review for Fighting Redemption by Kate McCarthy.
Let me start by saying that the men and women who fight against evil in the armed forces around the world have my respect and admiration.
Fighting Redemption follows the story of Finley and Ryan. Two souls that travel on a path to one another that has lots of bumps and hiccups, yet remains tender and sweet at the same time. Finley and her brother Jake met Ryan when they moved to the same city where he lived. Jake was Ryan’s age, 5th grade, and Finley was in 3rd. Jake and Ryan became best friends. They were always together and Ryan always found himself looking out for Finley. He was even more protective of Finley at times than Jake. Ryan had a very bad home life, so he spent most of his time with Jake at his house. He became like another part of the family. Ryan has a dream to become a member of the SAS, an Australian Special Forces Unit. Will he follow his dreams and leave Finley behind? What will Finley do when not only Ryan but Jake leaves for the Australian Army?
Finley is beautiful, but she doesn’t see it. She only has her mind set on making something of her life. She wants to help the world, as her brother Jake always picks, One Whale at a time. She has been in love with Ryan for so long, but she knows they can never be more. Will she move on with someone else before Ryan can come to terms with his feelings? Will she be able to survive if something happens to one of the boys while they are off fighting a war?
Ryan Kendall, well are there really any words to appropriately describe him? It will be hard, but I am going to try to take on the task. Boy, some of his words make a heart weep. He made me swoon, more than once.
“I want to say I love you too, but it doesn’t seem enough.”….”I love you, Fin. I’ve always loved you. Right from the moment you walked up those steps at school, you tripped your way right into my heart. I won’t ever stop. I’ll love you longer than the stars that live in the sky.” –Ryan
He is so broken, yet so strong. He fights for everything he wants, but has a hard time accepting his feelings for Finley. The love he has for Finley is so strong and true. It pains me that he doesn’t feel like he is enough for her. When tragedy strikes and he is left feeling ripped open will he be able to seek help? Will he get his HEA?
“Ask me, Fin, what I see when I look up at all those stars.” ...”You’re all I see. Nothing holds more beauty in my eyes than you do. No one will ever love you the way I do.” – Ryan
The words this man uses will crush you. He will make your panties melt and your heart soar. This really is a story that everyone should read.
I waited so long to read this book because I was scared of how it would make me feel. I was so stupid to put it off. I should have grabbed it up as soon as it came available. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a love story so true you feel like you are living it too. If you are having doubts, give it a chance, I feel you won’t be disappointed.
Let me start by saying that the men and women who fight against evil in the armed forces around the world have my respect and admiration.
Fighting Redemption follows the story of Finley and Ryan. Two souls that travel on a path to one another that has lots of bumps and hiccups, yet remains tender and sweet at the same time. Finley and her brother Jake met Ryan when they moved to the same city where he lived. Jake was Ryan’s age, 5th grade, and Finley was in 3rd. Jake and Ryan became best friends. They were always together and Ryan always found himself looking out for Finley. He was even more protective of Finley at times than Jake. Ryan had a very bad home life, so he spent most of his time with Jake at his house. He became like another part of the family. Ryan has a dream to become a member of the SAS, an Australian Special Forces Unit. Will he follow his dreams and leave Finley behind? What will Finley do when not only Ryan but Jake leaves for the Australian Army?
Finley is beautiful, but she doesn’t see it. She only has her mind set on making something of her life. She wants to help the world, as her brother Jake always picks, One Whale at a time. She has been in love with Ryan for so long, but she knows they can never be more. Will she move on with someone else before Ryan can come to terms with his feelings? Will she be able to survive if something happens to one of the boys while they are off fighting a war?
Ryan Kendall, well are there really any words to appropriately describe him? It will be hard, but I am going to try to take on the task. Boy, some of his words make a heart weep. He made me swoon, more than once.
“I want to say I love you too, but it doesn’t seem enough.”….”I love you, Fin. I’ve always loved you. Right from the moment you walked up those steps at school, you tripped your way right into my heart. I won’t ever stop. I’ll love you longer than the stars that live in the sky.” –Ryan
He is so broken, yet so strong. He fights for everything he wants, but has a hard time accepting his feelings for Finley. The love he has for Finley is so strong and true. It pains me that he doesn’t feel like he is enough for her. When tragedy strikes and he is left feeling ripped open will he be able to seek help? Will he get his HEA?
“Ask me, Fin, what I see when I look up at all those stars.” ...”You’re all I see. Nothing holds more beauty in my eyes than you do. No one will ever love you the way I do.” – Ryan
The words this man uses will crush you. He will make your panties melt and your heart soar. This really is a story that everyone should read.
I waited so long to read this book because I was scared of how it would make me feel. I was so stupid to put it off. I should have grabbed it up as soon as it came available. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a love story so true you feel like you are living it too. If you are having doubts, give it a chance, I feel you won’t be disappointed.
LINKS TO BUY
EXCERPT
Later that morning after their workout and shower, Jake fell asleep on the couch. Feeling at a loss with nothing but time on his hands, Ryan wandered down the hall towards Fin’s room. She was sitting at a little study nook in the corner, laptop open with one foot resting on her chair. She was wearing a tank top and a little pair of shorts. Leaning up against the doorframe, he couldn’t tear his eyes away from those long, delectable legs.
As though sensing his presence, she turned in her chair. He forced his eyes upwards, catching a sexy flush fill her cheeks at his blatant perusal.
“Morning, Ryan.” She took off her black framed reading glasses and tossed them on the desk.
“Morning, Fin,” he replied.
Against his better judgement, Ryan pushed away from the door and walked farther into the room. Fin hadn’t changed at all and neither had his desire for her. His heart kicked over when she met his eyes. He knew everything he was feeling right now was written all over him, but he couldn’t seem to shut it off.
Her eyelids fluttered closed and she whispered, “Why now?”
Ryan took a deep breath. “I don’t know,” he replied honestly.
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.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have come. I’ll go stay at the barracks.” He turned to leave.
“Ryan!” she called out. Scrambling out of the chair, she grabbed his arm as he was halfway out the door.
“Fin,” he warned, looking down at her hand pointedly.
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.
“Six years, Ryan. Do you know how hurt I was, each day passing by and getting nothing—not even a note or an email? I didn’t just lose you. I lost my brother too. Both of you left me, and I was okay with that. I understood that this was what you needed to do, so I moved on. I built a life that doesn’t include you. That was what I had to do.” She paused and raised a shaky hand to cup his cheek. “I’d have given you my entire heart if you’d only asked, but it’s not yours now. It’s not yours.”
Ryan closed his eyes, agony for losing what was never his rose in his chest until he felt strangled by it. He placed his hand over hers, holding it there until she tugged it away.
“You’re right,” Fin told him. “You should stay on the barracks … but I don’t want you to. Damn you, Ryan,” she whispered fiercely. “I don’t want you to.”
Ryan used his bulk to crowd her against the wall until there was no room for her to move. Leaning one hand against the wall, he grabbed her hip with the other. Her breathing rose rapidly and he leaned in, ducking his head until their mouths hovered a mere breath apart.
“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.”
As though sensing his presence, she turned in her chair. He forced his eyes upwards, catching a sexy flush fill her cheeks at his blatant perusal.
“Morning, Ryan.” She took off her black framed reading glasses and tossed them on the desk.
“Morning, Fin,” he replied.
Against his better judgement, Ryan pushed away from the door and walked farther into the room. Fin hadn’t changed at all and neither had his desire for her. His heart kicked over when she met his eyes. He knew everything he was feeling right now was written all over him, but he couldn’t seem to shut it off.
Her eyelids fluttered closed and she whispered, “Why now?”
Ryan took a deep breath. “I don’t know,” he replied honestly.
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.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have come. I’ll go stay at the barracks.” He turned to leave.
“Ryan!” she called out. Scrambling out of the chair, she grabbed his arm as he was halfway out the door.
“Fin,” he warned, looking down at her hand pointedly.
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.
“Six years, Ryan. Do you know how hurt I was, each day passing by and getting nothing—not even a note or an email? I didn’t just lose you. I lost my brother too. Both of you left me, and I was okay with that. I understood that this was what you needed to do, so I moved on. I built a life that doesn’t include you. That was what I had to do.” She paused and raised a shaky hand to cup his cheek. “I’d have given you my entire heart if you’d only asked, but it’s not yours now. It’s not yours.”
Ryan closed his eyes, agony for losing what was never his rose in his chest until he felt strangled by it. He placed his hand over hers, holding it there until she tugged it away.
“You’re right,” Fin told him. “You should stay on the barracks … but I don’t want you to. Damn you, Ryan,” she whispered fiercely. “I don’t want you to.”
Ryan used his bulk to crowd her against the wall until there was no room for her to move. Leaning one hand against the wall, he grabbed her hip with the other. Her breathing rose rapidly and he leaned in, ducking his head until their mouths hovered a mere breath apart.
“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.”
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.
AUTHOR LINKS
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