Memphis - Ginger Scott
My Review - 5 Stars
I've had crushes on characters before but I'm pretty sure my crush on Memphis surpasses them all. He's such a good guy and a strong contrast to other unsavory characters. I don't see how anyone could read this and not fall somewhat in love with him.
That's all due to the strength of Ginger Scott's writing. I've only read one other novel by her, which I also loved, and while I was reading Memphis, I was kicking myself for not having already read Scott's backlist. Because this novel proves once more what a talented writer she is.
The characters, even the despicable ones, are the reasons to read this novel. From the very start, there's such crackling tension between Olivia and her family. As the novel progresses, we learn why but it's not until the end we see the full extent of what Olivia has endured.
When Memphis appears at her parent's place just as she's getting back into town, she wants nothing to do with him. He boxes at her dad's gym and he's gearing up for a big fight in Vegas. But there's something about him that draws her in.
Liv desperately doesn't want to be like her mom, who is in the running for World’s Worst Mother/Human Being. She doesn't want to be back in Phoenix, she doesn't want to fall for a fighter. All Memphis can do is reassure her he's not like her family, he's not going to let her down. And we can see this so clearly, what a good man he is, and Liv can see it to. But when all you've known is people taking advantage of you and willfully hurting and abusing you, it can be hard to take the risk and trust someone else.
This is a slow burn romance with a major payoff. Memphis’s patience is to be praised. He's tender with Liv and let's her set the pace of their relationship. I loved every part of how their relationship evolved and could not get enough!
One of the best parts of the story is Miles, the homeless man Memphis befriends. He, Memphis, and Olivia form a family of misfits. They've each gone through hard times, they've all been let down by people they loved, they've been wounded. The way they all take care of each other is beautiful and I loved how much hope was present in where they're at in the end.
I didn't know much about boxing beyond the Rocky movies and really enjoyed learning more about the sport. This is such a well developed story, from the plot choices to the character development. I highlighted a ton of passages just because of the quality of the writing. So many incredible sentences! I truly loved this one. If you read contemporary romance, go ahead and put it on the top of your TBR.
Synopsis
My mom always said it was just something about the way he moved.
The same swagger Archie Valentine wore in the ring when he took his opponents down followed him like a halo everywhere he went. But make no mistake about it—he was no angel. He was like a drug. My mother was his addict.
I never understood it…how love could make you blind and convince you to drink the poison. Not until I met Memphis Delaney.
At first, it was the familiar form. He’s a fighter, built like a god from the past, the kind of man the universe doesn’t make anymore. His eyes hide a story, and every time I’m in his presence I want to keep reading him until I get to the end. And then…there’s the way he moves. His boxing is violent but beautiful, and his body is a seductive weapon. When he’s in the ring, he wears the stare of a man committed to the battle until his very last breath.
He could end me; turn me into her. Too much of him will leave me as a shadow, and I’ve lost so much of myself already.
But I have discipline. It came the hard way. Lessons learned, scars left behind, and trust stripped away from life.
I will breathe his air, but I won’t fall for a man like him. The only boxer who’s ever going to break my heart is the one who gave me my name.
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Disclosure: I received an advance copy of this book from WordSmith Publicity in exchange for an honest review. Affiliate links included in this post.
