I'm not a fighter.
I was born into a fighting family. As the middle child, I was overlooked in favor of my older brother.
He took the negative attention, too. In comparison, there's nothing special about me.
I’m not as big as Cobra. I’m not as strong as Cobra. He's the alpha.
I'm a beta.
The second son.
The lesser one.
The one never encouraged to fight, never encouraged to do anything, but stay out of my father’s way.
I'm not a lover either - but I wished to be – that’s why I needed her.
I met a girl in the pouring rain.
Sounds cliché, but it's true. It changed everything.
Because of love, I learned to fight.
Betas come second, but in this fight, my story is first.
I was born into a fighting family. As the middle child, I was overlooked in favor of my older brother.
He took the negative attention, too. In comparison, there's nothing special about me.
I’m not as big as Cobra. I’m not as strong as Cobra. He's the alpha.
I'm a beta.
The second son.
The lesser one.
The one never encouraged to fight, never encouraged to do anything, but stay out of my father’s way.
I'm not a lover either - but I wished to be – that’s why I needed her.
I met a girl in the pouring rain.
Sounds cliché, but it's true. It changed everything.
Because of love, I learned to fight.
Betas come second, but in this fight, my story is first.
5 stars
How does LB Dunbar do it? Every book she writes enthralls me and makes me want to read even more from her!
Always second to his brother in their fathers eyes, Abel is determined to make something of himself and show his father, and the world, that he is just as good as his brother is. Looking at Abel you would never know that underneath his Clark Kent exterior he is very much a Superman in his own right. Abel has an agenda and a secret and when the world finds out what they are, they are mind blown!
No one ever notices Able so why should the beautiful and popular Elma Montgomery? Which of course she doesn't, until he rescues her and asks for her help in return.
Elma has her own agenda and secret, neither of which include the shy, nerdy Abel who always seems to turn up at the most inopportune times ruining everything that she has worked hard for to obtain. What does she have to do to get him to leave her alone???
What will happen when everyone finds out Abel's secret? What will happen when Elma finally gets past Able's exterior to see who he really is? Will their love be a knock out round or just another service paid in full?
Every time I read something that LB Dunbar has written I become more and more enamored with her writing. I'm not usually a fan of MMA books but this one has changed my outlook and definitely set the bar for other MMA writers. I love that LB doesn't just focus on the MMA aspect of it, or the sex and romance as some books usually have too much of both, without much of a story written in between. She weaves a tale of love, loss, pain, despair and forever after that makes you dream of the same for yourself. I can't wait to read the next installment in this series. Keep up the fantastic work LB!!
5 stars
I want Abel Callahan. Plain and simple, I want Abel Callahan. Abel is a younger brother to Cain. Abel's dad has always favored Cain. Cain has been groomed into a champion fighter, mush like his father. Cain would even step in and take the beatings meant for Abel. Abel is trying to groom himself in a fighter - the mysterious Beyta. Much like the fish, a fierce protector. Abel meets Elma who is no stranger to fighting. After Elma's brother died in a match against Cain, Elma is hell bent on getting to the bottom of her brother's death. And she will use anyone and everyone in the process, even if the sacrifice is her heart.
I loved the imagery in this novel. I love Abel. This story is so well written that my heart went out to Abel and I became attached almost instantly. I really enjoyed how the two characters discovered each other is various ways. This is so much more than your classic MMA book. And while Abel is more beta than alpha, I will be honest and tell you it was refreshing. I can't wait to read Cain's story. Read this book and follow this author!
If I thought I was going to make a speedy getaway, I was wrong. My savior caught up to me, half way down the walk, outside the finance building. He was quick and a large hand wrapped around my upper arm.
“Whoa, sister,” he said, slightly out of breath. “You almost got away from me again.”
“What?” I questioned. I had no idea what he meant: again.
“Never mind,” he muttered, his hand still on me. I looked down at it and he immediately released me. My eyes pinched as I realized I didn’t mind his hand on my skin. There was something nonthreatening about him. He seemed rather innocent, studious, actually. His shirt was buttoned almost to the top and tucked into his pants. The sleeves secure at the cuffs. His jeans were snug and hugged him well. He wore dark rimmed glasses that screamed smart. Brown boots looked too new on his large feet. It was like he had the right parts but the wrong combination.
His blue eyes were soft and easy to look into. They practically spoke to me, but I had no idea what he was saying. His dark hair was disheveled, a bit shaggy, but cool looking. He kind of looked like a pop star, which was a little too sugar sweet for me. His form was questionable. It was hard to tell what kind of body he had under those clothes. He looked rather preppy, like half the guys at this university. I didn’t want to think about it. I’d just sold my soul for another semester.
“So when do you want to do this?” I asked. His blank stare told me he had no idea what I meant.
“Us,” I said, pointing between him and me.
“I…” His voice trailed off as he gawked at me. His expression changed from confusion to shock.
“I didn’t buy you to sleep with you,” he said, a touch of disbelief in his voice. His face turned crimson, then fell. “Why, have you done that before?” It was my turn to be surprised and offended.
I turned on my heels and began stomping away from him. He was too quick and he caught me again. His hand on my arm halted me. This time he didn’t release me when I peered down at his fingers wrapped around my bicep.
“Look. I need help,” he blurted. His face pinked a little, and it was sweet. “I don’t need help with sex. I need help with before.” His tone dropped, and he looked side to side to see if anyone would hear him. I took his meaning.
“You don’t know how to do foreplay?” I questioned in a loud whisper, trying to hide my astonishment. How could anyone have sex and not know a touch of foreplay?
His face pinked again.
“Not that,” he said, sounding like a child. “The flirting. The dating. The…other stuff.”
I was stunned. I stared at him, taking in his features again. He was kind of cute, leaning toward the potential for good looking. He couldn’t possibly need help with this request. The confusion on my face made him speak.
“I don’t know how to flirt.” The words swirled between us.
“I don’t understand.” I didn’t. I didn’t know what he wanted from me.
“I need lessons how to be…cool: with girls. Call it a tutoring session. I need to learn how to be…seen.” His voice took on a touch of sadness. He couldn’t possibly be serious. I continued to stare at him. My mouth might have actually dropped open a bit, and I noticed he was watching my lips. It was a little exciting the way he stared at them. I licked them and his pupils dilated, filling in more black over the blue. His expression changed. Knowingly, he blinked when he realized I was teasing him. His lip quirked up and a dimple showed in his cheek.
“I need to date you,” he blurted. “To learn how to do, what you just did to me.”
L.B. Dunbar loves to read to the point it might be classified as an addiction. The past few years especially she has relished the many fabulous YA authors, the new genre of New Adult, traditional romances, and historical romances. A romantic at heart, she’s been accused of having an overactive imagination, as if that was a bad thing. Author of the Sensations Collection,Sound Advice, Taste Test, Fragrance Free, Touch Screen, and Sight Words, she is also author of the Legendary Rock Star series, beginning with The Legend of Arturo King. She grew up in Michigan, but has lived in Chicago for longer, calling it home with her husband and four children.
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