Review ♥ Outmatched by Kristen Callihan & Samantha Young

Outmatched by Kristen Callihan, Samantha Young
Published by Self-Published on November 19, 2019
Pages: 334
Genres: Contemporary, Romance


Amazon

What happens when a boxer finds chemistry with a geek?

Parker Brown can’t believe she needs to hire a fake boyfriend. When she landed her dream job in renewable energy, she thought she’d be entering a world at the forefront of progressive thinking. But the head boss prefers to promote employees who are “settled.” Thankfully, she’s found the perfect candidate, a fellow intellectual looking for some quick cash. What Parker gets is his protective big brother—Rhys Morgan. The tall, muscled ex-boxer with a foul mouth shows up just as her boss does, and now she’s stuck with the manipulative jerk.

Responsibility weighs heavily on Rhys. Now permanently out of the ring, he’s trying to hold together his late father’s gym and keep his younger brother, Dean, on the straight and narrow. To save Dean from himself, Rhys takes his place, ready to give this society girl a piece of his mind. Instead, he finds an opportunity. Even though they can hardly stand each other, posing as Parker’s boyfriend is a win-win deal. She gets to keep her job, and he’ll charm her star-struck boss into sponsoring his gym.

Problem is, they can barely keep their hands off each other. And what started as an easy deal isn’t so easy anymore. Because what future can a rough ex-boxer, afraid to open his heart, and a polished society geek, who has sworn off real relationships, possibly have?

They say opposites attract. These opposites are about to combust on impact.

You would never guess that Outmatched is co-authored. Kristen Callihan and Samantha Young have seamlessly matched their writing styles to produce this enjoyable little gem.

The story ticked a few of my boxes, but I think it has something to offer every romance reader.

✓ Fake relationship
✓ Enemies to lovers
✓ Opposites attract
✓ Sports romance
✓ Tension and a little steam
✓ Comedy with lots of banter

Parker and Rhys could not be more different. She is a prim, affluent, intellectual environmentalist. He is a grumpy former professional boxer and owner of a failing gym. Rhys may not have a college degree, but he’s no dummy. He can hold his own in Parker’s world. I liked how quickly they began to admire each other and how that developed into romantic feelings. 5 stars for chemistry and witty banter.

However … The entire story relies on the premise that Parker needs a phony relationship, but the logic is weak. It’s hard for me to believe that, in this modern age, any company could get away with making someone’s employment contingent on them being in a committed relationship. They would be facing a slew of lawsuits, plus Parker’s family has plenty of influence. Her misogynistic boss is painted with a one-color villain brush that is as unsatisfying as it is unrealistic.

Just about every other aspect works exceedingly well, though, and I count this book as a win. The majority of sports romances I’ve read involve hockey, football, or baseball, so a boxing romance was particularly refreshing.

Recommended for fans of:
Boxing
Bogus boyfriends
Banter
Biking

 

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