Zoë Miranda's Reviews > Fighting Temptation

Ugh, I hate writing reviews on my phone but I have a cat on my lap so it is what it is, I'll be back later...

Alright, here it is...
Cypress (18-ish,x), MMA fighter, community college student studying ????, the golden child.
Theo (22-ish,m), recently returned to his father and step-mother's house after fours years away at college, having graduated with a degree in business with a minor in accounting, resentful of Cy.

I loved that this was more of a grumpy/grumpy pairing, I love sunshine too but sometimes I enjoy a little snark and matching energy for a change. I will say that I would have liked a little more from the parents to warrant Theo's attitude and the chip on his shoulder. A passing comment about Cy being the golden child wasn't enough to get me behind him, it would have been easily incorporated throughout the book to demonstrate that he really wasn't being treated fairly and to have the rift between them feel justified, but it wasn't. Instead he comes off like a toddler having a temper tantrum seemingly for no reason.

That said, I quite enjoyed the dynamic, the relationship development as Ty and Theo pick at each other was quite enjoyable. I loved Eric as a side character

This lost a star from me simply because the wrap-up felt so rushed, it felt like Cy and Teddy had barely acknowledged that they might be doing more than hate-banging when they are suddenly moving in together. I didn't feel the love, which is why I read romance. As it is, this didn't leave me feeling particularly optimistic about the longevity of the relationship, there wasn't a whole lot of communication all around and I needed a little more time with the characters to get behind them as a couple.

I was given an ARC and voluntarily wrote an honest review.
Book 5/8 (Amazon release order), read fifth.

Note: There is a bonus scene if you sign up for the author's newsletter; a short (8p on my Kindle) sexy time scene where Cy demonstrates how their license plate suits them. It's cute but I'm so over having to jump through so many hoops to get these little bonuses that are barely worth the hassle.