I picked this for one of my challenges in my reading group. I figured it be a fun place to start to tackle some of the lists that I have created for myself. I just realized however that it is a trilogy from what it looks like so I will have to hunt amazon down to get the rest. I loved it ( )

Cinderella finds her fighter

This was such a cute and good book. Reid was an awesome alpha but was sweet when it called for it and Lucie was a quirky heroine who learns to be confident with herself. I loved this. ( )

In book 1 of the Fighting For Love series, physical therapist Lucie Miller is pining over the surgeon she works with and wishes he would see her as a woman, instead of just a colleague. After he asks for her best friend’s phone number, she’s crushed and feeling horrible about herself until her big brother’s sexy best friend walks into her office.
Injured MMA fighter Reid Andrews needs a therapist to get him back into fighting shape for his next big fight. Lucie is still the same shy, awkward girl he remembers, but she’s not a little kid anymore. He offers her a deal—help him get back into shape, and he’ll teach her how to gain confidence and how to seduce a man, so she can get the one she wants.
Lucie and Reid have great chemistry and fell for each other pretty quickly, but they both have their fair share of trauma and insecurities to work through, especially Lucie. Even though her naïveté was annoying at times, I loved seeing her break out of her self-imposed shell and finally greet the world with open arms.
I enjoyed Ms. Maxwell’s writing style and the snarkiness she infused in some of her characters (Lucie’s friend Vanessa was a hoot!). The pacing flowed well, but some of the sex scenes (which were super hot) were a little long for me. I don’t read sports romance often, so I wish there would’ve been a scene with Reid in the ring with an opponent. Instead, the MMA sport was only talked about, not shown.
Anyway, I definitely liked the book and would love to read more from Ms. Maxwell.
4 Stars

I received a copy from NetGalley and voluntarily left this review. ( )

Seducing Cinderella by Gina Maxwell
Book 1 in the Fighting for Love series. Contemporary romance. Friends to lovers troupe.
Mixed martial arts fighter Reid goes to physical therapy rehab on his torn rotator cuff injury. Turns out his therapist is his best friend’s little sister. Lucie lacks confidence in her sexuality so Reid makes a deal to teach her to flirt while he does the rehab per her strict instructions. Both know he’s going back to fighting in Vegas when his healing is complete.

From innocent flirting and clothing makeover to full daily sexual encounters, the couple grows closer as his leaving town gets nearer. Will they hold to their no commitment agreement?
Innocence swivels to multiple high heat scenes in the book. It’s sweet and spicy at the same time.
The updated version (early 2020) includes a wonderful epilogue that fans were asking for.
Engaging, hot and satisfying.

Excerpt:
“ A sigh of exasperation proceeded grumbling of what sounded like his name in mixed company with some very unfavorable threats against his manhood. And yet he smiled. He couldn’t help it; she was adorable when ornery.”
Excerpt from Seducing Cinderella by Gina L Maxwell ( )

3.5/5 stars



I'm warning you...brace yourself for my confession:
This was my first book about a MMA fighter. I know, shocker right!!??? Silly me.

There's no real fighting in this book though. But I'll give another one a go in the near future.

Anyhoo, back to this book. I enjoyed it. It was sweet and a nice read. Reid is a great, funny and sexy hero and I liked Lucie as well. If you are looking for a short, steamy and sweet read - than this surely one you'll want to read.

I do wonder why most of the women in these kind of books are always very inexperienced. I don't really understand why - mostly - woman writers feel the need to partake in this - well pretty much - disguised slut shaming. It's very unlikely that a woman in her late 20s is still a virgin or that inexperienced, so why have mostly those kind of heroines?



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