TITLE: Defying The Odds
SERIES #: Battered Hearts #1
CHARACTERS: Melody & Clay
AUTHOR: Kele Moon
PUBLICATION DATE: 6/14/12
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
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.
REVIEW:
I did not know what to expect of this book but I really enjoyed it so much. There were a few things I took issue with but it wasn’t much. The good part first. I loved Clay and Melody together. They are just so sweet and we see such a different side to Clay that it is hard to not smile when he is with Melody. I enjoyed that they both were just everyday people. Yes he has money but you never really feel he is rich. There is just something so endearing about this book and the characters.
Now the parts I took a small issue with… first the accent used. The author wrote the characters being from the south which is fine but they speak more like hicks. I figured the author could not really be from the south and after reading about the author being from Hawaii I understood. She is writing the way she imagines southerners talk. The problem is it can be a bit distracting through the entire book as it seemed I could not get used it to. But I was able to read through it.
Also Melody is a wonderful character and I enjoyed her so much, however, I think (and maybe I am wrong) some of the things she did as a woman who was abused for so long seemed odd. But then other things seemed right on the nose.
I think anyone would enjoy this story who enjoys a romance and I can’t wait for the next one!
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
4 Hearts
Great review, Kimberly! This is the first book that I read by this author and enjoyed it. I, too, loved their sweetness, especially with what they both went through. I had a bit of an issue with the accent as well and since I live in the South and my hubby is from here, it was a little difficult to read.
I liked the second book even more! I hope you enjoy it also! 🙂
I loved this book – great review….I’m desperate for the third book in this series to come out….like hanging on a chandelier desperate ….lol