Defying the Odds by Kele Moon (Battered Hearts #1)
Contemporary Romance
December 20, 2011
Loose ID
Reviewed by Mandi
Clay Powers is a famous UFC (Ultimate Fighting Champion) who loves the fight, but hates the circus of the press and fans that surround each match. Although he lives with his best friend, and local sheriff Wyatt and his sister Jules, Clay is otherwise kind of a loner. So when the new waitress in town, Melody offers him a piece of pie while he is eating at the local diner, just to be nice, he is touched. No one is ever nice to him for no reason.
Melody moved to the small town of Garnet to hide from her abusive ex-husband. Physically abused for years, after he threatened to kill her, she decided to start a new life, where he can’t find her. While the more charming, suave men scare her, Clay, who is a huge dude and rough around the edges, makes her feel safe. They start a really cute friendship which soon blossoms to love.
I’m a big fan of Kele Moon’s previous books, which are very dark and erotic and BDSM driven. Defying the Odds is the opposite of that. It is romantic, and so sweet. It’s really a simple story of two unlikely people falling in love. What really stands out to me in this story is the courtship that takes place prior to any sort of physical relationship. Melody kind of starts it by offering Clay pie. And soon after, he always ends up in her section of the diner, and they have this very shy, flirtation that develops. Clay seduces her by helping her mop the diner floor after hours, or having his friends leave big tips when he knows she is having money problems. It is such a tender romance, especially one involving such a rough and touch UFC fighter.
After the wooing, we get some very erotic sex scenes that Kele Moon always writes so well. The supporting characters of Wyatt and Jules offer some amusing scenes with their sarcastic relationship with Clay, and I believe we get a book for each of them next.
While I give the romance in this book high marks, I wasn’t as impressed with the suspense part. Melody’s ex-husband comes into play and I think a little more emphasis needed to be put on that storyline.
But overall a very sexy and sweet romance that I really enjoyed.
Rating: B
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I am so tempted to give this one a try, but am hesitant with the ex storyline.
I enjoyed this one as well. I am a total fangirl of Danny/Paul in her Eden series but I loved the different tone she took with this storyline. Clay was a loving, gentle giant!
This sounds like a good one. I really need to start reading this author.
I think this one might me more my style. I have her other books, but have been hesitant to read with the bdsm theme. Might start with this one and see how it goes!
Thanks for taking the time to read and review, Mandi!! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! The courting scenes in the diner are my favorite too! Well, that plus the shower sex, cause I have a THING for shower sex. LOL!!!
:D
Kele
Sexy and sweet sounds good, because I do love sweet and want that most of all :)
I’ve not tried this author before but this sort of storyline sucks me right in. I’ve wishlisted it for now as the price is a bit steep. It’s Loose ID so I think I will need to wait a little while before I can attempt to pick it up in a sale somewhere. In the meantime, can you recommend other Kele Moon books I could try?
I recommend Beyond Eden http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9269877-beyond-eden
It is very dark, bdsm, M/M/F :)