Chelsea & Jessica Get Brazen! Fighting for Irish by Gina L.Maxwell

We're back! And this week we're getting Brazen with Gina Maxwell and Fighting for Irish. This is our first fighter and boy is he a sexy one. We love Aiden "Irish" O'Brien and we are so excited to share him with you this week. Watch out Kat, we've got our eye on your man! 

Kat MacGregor has forty-eight hours to make good on the debt her ex-boyfriend owes a crime boss. Unfortunately, the measly tips she makes waitressing are barely enough for her to live on, much less cover the twenty-thousand needed to keep her breathing. With time running out, Kat 's forced to accept help from the only man who's ever made her feel fire rather than fear.

When he learns a friend's sister is in trouble, former Boston MMA fighter Aiden "Irish" O'Brien heads to Louisiana to offer himself up as collateral to keep her safe. But to satisfy the debt, he has to do the one thing he swore hed never do again: fight. With more than just money on the line, will Irish have what it takes to not only reclaim the man he once was, but become the man he needs to be for the woman he can't live without?

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*Disclaimer: Due to the adult nature of this book, the following discussion also deals with some adult topics.*

There’s a little mystery and intrigue involved in Aiden and Kat’s past that made the plot a little deeper in this book. What did you think about that?

Chelsea: I really liked the depth of the plot in this one. I was so fascinated with Kat’s secret past and I knew something terrible had happened to her so I was on the edge of my seat, waiting to find out what. How about you Jess?

Jessica: I also really liked the depth this book had to offer! Both Kat and Aiden had their secrets about their pasts that we are trying to unravel, as well as all the action of the situation that brought them together in the first place.

Aiden “Irish” O’Brien is a sexy fighter. So far we’ve met a couple cops, a baseball player and now an MMA fighter. What turns you on the most?

Chelsea: I have to say that I’m totally digging Aiden and the whole fighter thing. While he’s wild in the ring, his gentleness in the bedroom is so damn sexy. Jess?

Jessica: Man. I really liked Aiden too! I love that he is so tender and loving when it comes to Kat and handling the scars of her past. I still think a man in uniform turns me on the most though- but don't get me wrong- Aiden O'Brien and his sexy tattooed fighting self still did it for me!

What was your favorite moment between Aiden and Kat?

Chelsea: Well, these two had plenty of special moments but I think my favorite is the sexy times in the Nova. Car sex is kind of hot and exciting and Kat and Aiden really heat it up.

Jessica: Oh yes! That was such a sexy scene! And I also love a good car sex scene! :) Um, I think my favorite scene would be where they are together for the first time and he tells her his real name. There was something so powerful and raw about him telling her and then her calling it as she orgasmed that it really made an impression.

How did you feel about the plot in general on this one?

Chelsea: I felt like this one moved a little slower than the others but it was right for the story. This book was definitely plot-centric and I enjoyed that. There’s a lot going on between the past and present for Kat and Aiden but I was just as excited to discover all of their secrets as I was for the passion to ignite between them.

Jessica: I agree- this plot was definitely slower moving than other Brazens we've read, but I also enjoyed how plot detailed it was. Kat and Aiden's pasts, as well as their ongoing dilemma really made this an intense read!

If you were on the run and had to change your name- what would you change it to?

Jessica: Hm. I love the name Layla. So I think I would use that one. What about you?

Chelsea: Oh, that's a good one. I think I look like a Melanie. :-)

Ok, this is called Chelsea and Jessica Get Brazen- so I (Jessica!) am totally going here since it was in the book. Anal sex. Thoughts?

Jessica: I can't say one way or another because honestly? I've never done it. And I don't know if I ever could. I don't cringe or get grossed out reading about it and I'm certainly no prude, but I just don't know. LOL.

Chelsea: I agree-- It doesn't bother me when it's in a book but I don't think I could ever do it either. I'm not sure I'm brave enough to ever try. Haha!

Fighting for Irish was full of suspense, romance, intrigue and sexiness. I love these Brazens and this was another hit. I loved the characters and Aiden is one of my favorite Brazen men so far. I also liked Kat’s strength and attitude. She has been through so much in her life and the way she carries herself in spite of it all is amazing.

Aiden has been beating himself up for the past 5 years over an accident he caused that killed his best friend’s sister and caused him to give up drinking and fighting. When one of his good friends asks him to head down to Louisiana to check in on his fiancé’s sister, he doesn’t hesitate to get out of Boston. What he doesn’t expect is to find her so irresistible. Aiden is immediately attracted to Kat and wants her like no one he’s ever wanted before but he doesn’t feel like he deserves her and he’s there on false pretenses to check up on her. However, the heart wants what the heart wants and Aiden is a goner.

Kat has been to hell and back again and again and she’s just trying to make it day by day on her own while hiding out from the bookie that holds her responsible for her ex’s debt. When Aiden shows up, he’s the first man to make her feel safe and cared for and she wants to let him in. Like Aiden, she doesn’t feel good enough and she doesn’t want to drag him into her mess. I love how protective she is of her sister too and how selfless she acts.

Aiden and Kat have such amazing chemistry and I loved how tender and sweet Aiden is with Kat. He can sense her apprehension and fear and the way he helps her overcome it was amazing. A lot of Brazen men are dominant but Aiden is the complete opposite and I loved it. He definitely has a rough side but when it comes to Kat, he is so gentle and understanding. He never pushes her beyond her limits and he makes her feel sexy and loved. Men have always used her and never put her wants or needs first but Aiden is different and Kat doesn’t know how to handle it at first. I think her initial speculation of Aiden is understandable but I was glad that she let her guard down with him easily because not only did he save her but she saved him as well.

I loved the writing in this book and I really enjoyed the plot as well. I really liked that Aiden and Kat both had demons to face and that they were able to help each other overcome them. Kat’s transformation thanks to Aiden was absolutely inspiring. Aiden put aside his pride and feelings about the past to protect Kat. I think the happiness they had in the end was worth the road it took them to get there.

I really enjoyed Fighting For Irish! I loved how strong of a plot it had and how Maxwell took the time to really develop her characters and show us just how multi-layered they both were. While this was a slower moving story- I felt learning the details of Kat and Aiden's pasts was imperative to the overall storyline and watching those two work through the pain of those pasts was a really strong addition to the novel.

I liked Kat's character a lot. Watching her open up to Aiden slowly but surely after a life of never trusting anyone but herself was really inspiring. Kat has literally been to hell and back, as she has experienced things in her life that no woman ever should. She still carries that weight with her, which leads her to intimacy issues with Aiden. Yet, once Aiden realizes that something traumatic has happened to her, he is completely understanding. He's not a jerk and doesn't push her to a point where she would ever feel uncomfortable with him.

Their relationship is both beautiful and incredibly raw at the same time. Because of what happened, Kat has not let a man in intimately and she really is quite innocent in her sexual encounters with Aiden. It takes a lot of trust and patience for her to open up to him, but once she does- these two's chemistry is so hot. Car sex, people. Car. Sex. Whew.  

It's kind of funny to think of this huge hunk of a man having such a calming effect on her, but he does. Aiden might carry his own burdens and feel the weight of his own guilt suffocating him, but when it comes to Kat, he would do anything to protect her- from external AND internal forces. I loved Aiden's character. As I said, he carries a lot of guilt over an event that happened in his past, and he really tries to keep his distance from Kat. He is there as a favor to a good friend and to her sister- he's NOT there to fall in love with the beautiful red-haired woman. However, keeping his distance proves to be extremely difficult as Aiden gets involved in the mess Kat is desperately trying to run from. Yet, he tries to hold her at arm's length, never truly believing he is worthy of her or able to give her what she needs. Aiden is afraid to enter back into the world of fighting as he has seen what it does to him and he is so afraid of losing control. When he is fighting, something snaps and everything becomes a blur. The darkness and the adrenaline take hold and he doesn't want to be off balance again. Yet, some sacrifices must be made if he has any hope of getting Kat out of the mess she has found herself in.

I really loved how the book wrapped up and I was left feeling quite satisfied with the ending. Seeing Kat and Aiden fight for each other's happiness, love, and safety was by means one of my favorite parts of this book and I was glad they were able to confide in one another and lean on another when the other needed it. It just made their relationship so much more endearing, as they had to fight for it and not give up.

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Thanks for joining us for another Brazen feature this week! Come back next week as we talk Against the Wall by Rebecca Zanetti!