I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Vanity has had her eye on Stack ever since she met him but with a reputation for avoiding commitment, she decides a little subterfuge is needed. She invites him to be her date to a wedding, with the promise of things ending in the bedroom but the caveat is that they aren't going to do anything until then and they can still see other people. This doesn't stop Vanity from teasing Stack to distraction, though. When their big night comes, fate intervenes with problematic issue over problematic issue. Vanity is a caring person and wants to help Stack but also give him his space while Stack is developing real feelings for Vanity but isn't sure right now is the time to let her in. Life is crazy but is giving each other a chance, just as crazy?

Third in the Ultimate series, Tough Love, focuses on Vanity (Yvette from No Limits' friend) and Stack. In the previous book, Holding Strong, Vanity made the deal with Stack for being her date at Yvette and Cannon's wedding but we start off here the night of the wedding and really the beginning of their story; don't worry if you haven't read the previous books. Vanity and Stack are already hot for each other, due to Vanity's teasing for weeks but with a night filled with car accidents and emergency room visits, there is a lot of starting and stopping for our couple. The beginning was a mixture of comical sexual vexation, heat, and frustration for me as the reader as it became a little too overdone in regards to instances keeping our couple apart.

Vanity was a bit of an uneven character for me. She lost all her family members in a plane crash so was supposedly afraid to put her heart out there but I never saw that. From the beginning she seems to love Stack and making plans to lure him in, she doesn't want him to feel pressured or smothered but constantly integrates herself into his family's issues. She also had a few Mother Teresa moments with "I have all this money and just want to help!" and buying into Stack's brother-in-law's lies. Stack was cardboard alpha for a lot of the book. He supposedly hangs around his MMA brothers because they are all that are good in the world and he trusts no one like he does these guys but it is repeatedly a problem when Vanity hangs around the guys because it makes him growly jealous that they might be hitting on her. Does he think these are good guys or not, can he trust them or not?

I liked these two together but with the unnecessary drama with Stack's ex-girlfriend and the three ring circus surrounding the who and why of the hired men to beat, no wait kill!, Stack, we don't get to see them together a whole lot. The ending with the Big Misunderstanding knocked a star off the rating for me also. Stack was extremely rude to Vanity, blew something way out of proportion, and then was dummy dumbfounded when she thought he broke up with her. The whole instance made Stack look extremely stupid, not a good look for a hero.

If you have been following along with this series, you'll know that all the stories feature overly good, angels on earth people and is probably why I'm chomping at the bit to get Armie's story. He has been popping in and out of all the books and while he is a good person, he seems to have some jagged edges to him. Here we got to see him break a bit in regards to owning up to wanting Merissa, Cannon's sister. Armie's book is next and I can't wait.
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Foster's heroine, Vanity, is an intelligent woman who realizes she must be careful in order to get what she wants: a relationship with Stack. She turns the tables on him, telling him what he wants to hear in order to get her chance. The theme of turned tables is reinforced with Vanity's declaration that women appreciate a hot guy as much as men appreciate a hot woman. Stack's hang up on honesty feels a little over done but otherwise this is a solid installment in the series. ( )

Very good book. This one picks up where Holding Strong left off, at the wedding of Cannon and Yvette (No Limits). In the previous book, Vanity, who wants Stack for her own, had made him a bargain if he would attend the wedding as her date. Now it's time to follow through, and she's really hoping it will pay off.

I really liked Vanity. She's beautiful but doesn't flaunt it, she's rich but doesn't advertise it, and she's just an all-around nice person. I loved the way that she fell for Stack right off, but also knew him enough not to tell him that right away. She comes up with the idea to make her pursuit of him be casual so that she doesn't scare him off, but hopes that once they're involved he'll want more. Most of the time Vanity gives the impression of self-confidence, but deep down she has some insecurities. She has no family and has made the fighters and their friends her family, but she still worries that she isn't good enough.

Stack is terrific. On the surface he is a tough alpha fighter, a bit of a player, and avoids commitment. But underneath he is caring, sweet, and very protective of those he cares about. He avoids commitments because he has a rather crazy family that tends to drive away anyone he gets involved with. He also has some trust issues, thanks to an earlier relationship gone wrong.

I loved the development of their relationship. They were friends first, as Vanity got to know all the fighters through her friend Yvette. But there was something more between the two of them - a heat that couldn't be denied. For Vanity, it was more than just attraction and she was determined to find a way to make him want more too. Her method of offering a night of sex for a date to the wedding was unique, but it got his attention, as did her flirting and teasing up until the date itself. As hot as they were for each other, it was fun to see all the things that conspired to delay their gratification. But once they did - whew! Those same events showed Stack a different side of Vanity, one that appealed to him like no other had. He decided he wanted more than just the one night that she promised. Because that's what she'd wanted all along, of course she went along with it. Besides the smoking chemistry between them, Stack also found Vanity becoming an even bigger part of his life. He was stunned that she took to his crazy family, bonding with his mother and sister. The more time they spend together, the more he pictures something permanent.

Not to say there aren't some bumps in the road. Because of his trust issues, Stack has some problems with jealousy over Vanity's friendships with the other fighters. In his heart he knows she's his, but he has a few instances of unreasonableness. It was fun to see the other guys give him a hard time about it. Vanity also makes a few errors. She knows that Stack has issues with people who lie, and she is afraid that her initial proposition to him will be seen that way. She also omits telling him about a few things that happen, which he considers just as bad as lying. When it all comes out, there is quite a blow up, and Stack says some pretty hard things. With her insecurities, Vanity is devastated, believing that they are through. I loved the ending, as Stack works through his anger and realizes his true feelings. He has some help from some of the guys and one of the ladies, who point out what an idiot he is. I loved his reunion with Vanity, as he gets more help from his sister, but it's Vanity's reaction that I enjoyed the most.

There was a bit of suspense dealing with the husband of Stack's sister. Phil is a good for nothing jerk, who has cheated on Tabby, is lazy, jobless and does drugs. Stack can't stand him and makes no bones about it. Someone hires some thugs to beat Stack up (like that's even possible), and the guys are determined to find out who and why. Phil also plans to con money from Vanity after he finds out she's wealthy. Worried about Stack, Vanity takes some steps of her own that backfire on her. A final confrontation reveals an interesting twist.

The secondary characters all add to the fun and depth of the story. The fighters, who are present in all the books, have a fantastic relationship. There is a lot of teasing and macho posturing, but there is no question that they are there for each other when needed. I especially loved the scene when Vanity and the other ladies pointed out that the rec center needs a ladies' locker room, and states that they will just have to use the men's locker room for now. I loved seeing them all scramble, each of their possessiveness running up against each other. Seeing Armie step in was especially amusing, especially once Merissa arrived. The inclusion of some of the newer fighters was a nice touch and perhaps an indicator for the future. I liked seeing the wives and girlfriends from earlier books, and how all of them have made Vanity part of their group. Stack's mom and sister were also loads of fun. His sister is such a drama queen, though a fun one who isn't overly annoying. It was sweet to see the way they both connected with Vanity and how much she loved them right from the start. I really enjoyed seeing Tabby go through the changes she did, thanks in big part to Vanity's example. Now I can't wait for the next book, to see Armie and Merissa finally get together. ( )

Review Link: http://wp.me/p5aHOQ-Ga

Lori Foster has been one of my favorite contemporary romance writers for years now. Whenever she writes a new book, I am typically quick to read it because I know I will enjoy it. This year I got behind and never picked up Tough Love because when it first came out, I wasn’t reading much adult romance. When I learned my library had the book, I quickly snatched it up. I have anticipated Vanity and Stack’s book for a long time and as always, Foster did not disappoint.

Vanity Baker is an independently wealthy, California girl who moved to Ohio when her BFF Yvette moved back to town. Vanity is the type of person who knows how it feels to be truly lonely, so she never takes her friends for granted. Ever since moving to Ohio, she finally has a family she loves filled with friends that would do anything for her. After learning more about her, my heart just squeezed for her. Though she does come off as a tad manipulative in Tough Love, I couldn’t find it in me to hate her for it. She has the best intentions and though they are misguided I couldn’t fault her for not wanting to scare Stack away.

Stack aka “The Wolf” is another yummy fighter with a chip on his shoulder. I loved him like I love the other MMA fighters, but I could never really understand why he was so ashamed of his family. I understand why he hates F’ing Phil, and sure his sister has issues (though she does grow in Tough Love, woot woot!) I didn’t see a true reason he keeps them so hidden. All family can be embarrassing at some point and his wasn’t even that bad (except for F’ing Phil, of course).

Tough Love is another delicious romance in the Ultimate series that fans of Lori Foster should not miss out on! I really enjoyed it, but I am biting my nails for Armie’s story! *hint hint* 😉 ( )

This was definitely my least favorite book of this series. Certain events and characters were just a bit too over the top for me. I initially did like the main characters, Stack and Vanity, but they ended up having some big blowup over something really stupid. That has happened before in this series and it is getting old. The random drama is just getting old.

The bright spot for this book was definitely how much it mentioned Armie and Rissy. I have been dying for Armie's story and dying for him to be with Rissy so I was ecstatic that they have finally kissed and that Armie's story is next. ( )