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kdavies5730's review
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
soy_ahoy's review
5.0
This book is SO good and so underrated, what the hell.
Eden Bauer is the openly lesbian undefeated UFC world champion challenged by the hotheaded, shit-talking (and painfully closeted) newcomer Brooklyn Shaw.
The chemistry, the heat, the fights. It just works so well! I don't know why sports themes in adult novels are so underutilized. It was a really refreshing read and I definitely feel that even someone who has no knowledge of MMA/UFC can easily follow this story because the technical terms are so well explained. Loved everything about this book.
Eden Bauer is the openly lesbian undefeated UFC world champion challenged by the hotheaded, shit-talking (and painfully closeted) newcomer Brooklyn Shaw.
The chemistry, the heat, the fights. It just works so well! I don't know why sports themes in adult novels are so underutilized. It was a really refreshing read and I definitely feel that even someone who has no knowledge of MMA/UFC can easily follow this story because the technical terms are so well explained. Loved everything about this book.
extrafolklore's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
aliu6's review
5.0
4.5 stars
This was such a good sports romance. Both the competition plot line and the romance kept me engaged the whole way through.
---The Breakdown---
Eden Bauer loves the family that she has found at the Taekwondo dojang where she works. Her MMA fights and the resulting winnings are her way of supporting and bringing honor to that family. As the 5-year reigning UFC lightweight champion, she does pretty well for herself. Enter Brooklyn Shaw, the youngest daughter of a famous fighting family, who doesn't hesitate to talk smack and flex muscles. And Eden seems to be her primary target. Eden and Brooklyn continue to butt heads until after their first match, when Brooklyn asks Eden to become her coach. Suddenly, Eden gets to know the warm woman behind Brooklyn's fierce demeanor. But with so many eyes on them, can Eden and Brooklyn ever be more than rivals?
cw: homophobia (from family members), severe injuries (due to competition), threats of physical harm and death, neglectful parents, drug addiction (briefly mentioned)
The Characters: We get the story from Eden's 1st person POV, so we get to know her pretty well. She's extremely likable, with noble intentions and a patience and steadiness that comes from her Taekwondo training. The switch from competitor Brooklyn to nice Brooklyn was a bit jarring for me, but I ended up warming up to her. There's a slight age gap: ~27 to 22/23, and at times, Brooklyn did seem a bit immature in comparison to Eden. This could also just be personality difference though—Brooklyn had the tendency to jump to conclusions, and Eden was more level-headed. Jin (the Grand Master at the dojang) and Mateo (one of the students) were standout side characters for me.
The Romance: There was great chemistry between Eden and Brooklyn from the beginning. I liked watching them go from respecting each other as fighters to caring about each other. If I had one complaint about the book, it would be that I wish we got Brooklyn's POV. While I didn't doubt that Eden's attraction to Brooklyn was reciprocated, it would have been nice to get a more in-depth look into Brooklyn's feelings. I guess I tend to like age gap romances or romances involving unequal power dynamics to be from the POV of the younger/non-power-holding one. Otherwise, it's harder to make sure something icky isn't going on.
The Plot: Besides the romance, there was also a really interesting competition plot line happening. I was extremely pleased with the way that plot line was resolved. Prior to the ending, I was conflicted about how I wanted things to go down, but it all ended up happening perfectly. I appreciated Nicole Disney's detail in the descriptions of the trainings and the fights, and it all felt very respectful of the cultures from which the fight styles originated.
The Writing: Despite a few typos, everything flowed very smoothly. As mentioned above, I really liked her descriptions.
All in all: an excellent book. I think anyone can enjoy this one; it'll suck you in.
This was such a good sports romance. Both the competition plot line and the romance kept me engaged the whole way through.
---The Breakdown---
Eden Bauer loves the family that she has found at the Taekwondo dojang where she works. Her MMA fights and the resulting winnings are her way of supporting and bringing honor to that family. As the 5-year reigning UFC lightweight champion, she does pretty well for herself. Enter Brooklyn Shaw, the youngest daughter of a famous fighting family, who doesn't hesitate to talk smack and flex muscles. And Eden seems to be her primary target. Eden and Brooklyn continue to butt heads until after their first match, when Brooklyn asks Eden to become her coach. Suddenly, Eden gets to know the warm woman behind Brooklyn's fierce demeanor. But with so many eyes on them, can Eden and Brooklyn ever be more than rivals?
cw: homophobia (from family members), severe injuries (due to competition), threats of physical harm and death, neglectful parents, drug addiction (briefly mentioned)
The Characters: We get the story from Eden's 1st person POV, so we get to know her pretty well. She's extremely likable, with noble intentions and a patience and steadiness that comes from her Taekwondo training. The switch from competitor Brooklyn to nice Brooklyn was a bit jarring for me, but I ended up warming up to her. There's a slight age gap: ~27 to 22/23, and at times, Brooklyn did seem a bit immature in comparison to Eden. This could also just be personality difference though—Brooklyn had the tendency to jump to conclusions, and Eden was more level-headed. Jin (the Grand Master at the dojang) and Mateo (one of the students) were standout side characters for me.
The Romance: There was great chemistry between Eden and Brooklyn from the beginning. I liked watching them go from respecting each other as fighters to caring about each other. If I had one complaint about the book, it would be that I wish we got Brooklyn's POV. While I didn't doubt that Eden's attraction to Brooklyn was reciprocated, it would have been nice to get a more in-depth look into Brooklyn's feelings. I guess I tend to like age gap romances or romances involving unequal power dynamics to be from the POV of the younger/non-power-holding one. Otherwise, it's harder to make sure something icky isn't going on.
The Plot: Besides the romance, there was also a really interesting competition plot line happening. I was extremely pleased with the way that plot line was resolved. Prior to the ending, I was conflicted about how I wanted things to go down, but it all ended up happening perfectly. I appreciated Nicole Disney's detail in the descriptions of the trainings and the fights, and it all felt very respectful of the cultures from which the fight styles originated.
The Writing: Despite a few typos, everything flowed very smoothly. As mentioned above, I really liked her descriptions.
All in all: an excellent book. I think anyone can enjoy this one; it'll suck you in.
hsinjulit's review
5.0
Content warnings: graphic sex, blood, d slur, homophobia/homomisia, child abuse, minor character drug addiction, mention of prostitution, recreational drinking, uses of ableist language, hospitalization
Written in present tense, The Clinch is an incredibly vivid rivals-to-lovers sports romance, charged with immediacy.
Eden Bauer (27, gay) holds an undefeated record and is the reigning UFC featherweight championship. When newbie pro Brooklyn Shaw (22, biracial, Black) challenges Eden for a title match, Eden reluctantly agrees. Their rivalry is strong, but when post-match Brooklyn comes knocking on the door of Eden’s gym, will they be able to put aside their differences and work together?
I am already biased when I started this book because I love to read about martial arts (mainly wuxia novels). There is something sacred about the sport and beautiful about the relationships people form training together as well as the strong bond, often stronger than familial ones, between shifu and their disciples. But I didn’t know I was getting this when I heard that The Clinch is built around mixed-martial arts (MMA), something I’m not familiar reading about. Eden is trained in Taekwondo, and the discipline and honor she carries are probably not as prevalent as it would be in any other MMA storyline. I totally love that we got this in The Clinch—both her respect for the sport and unbreakable love for her found family paternal figure, Jin (I assume to be South Korean), founder of the dojang (Hanja: 道場) Emerald Tiger.
The story has a wonderful build and exciting climax, without a sudden conflict toward the end. We spend the first few chapters getting a feel of MMA training and fighting, and understanding what the sport means to Eden. We learn how important Jin is to her and that the Emerald Tiger is Eden’s home after Jin welcomed her into the establishment when she was younger and dealing with a neglecting if not abusive mother. The descriptions of rigorous training and high-stake matches help us respect the fighters, too. All the sport scenes were written with such intensity that Eden’s exhaustion was clear with all the muddled thoughts and I felt myself holding my breath in expectation of the next jab, hook, or kick.
The choice of having Eden as the first-person POV is sublime. The way we only see her side of the story makes The Clinch more intense since we are looking in from the relatively calm character on her relationship with the younger Brooklyn, who is still figuring out what she really wants in life. Brooklyn, who is a new UFC fighter with a legendary family of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu martial artists, plays mind games with Eden before their much anticipated title match, but we soon see that she is a tough-looking young woman with a very sweet heart and eager to prove to her father, Samson, that she can make the Shaws proud.
I love Eden for her huge heart and her confidence, focus, and passion when it comes to training and fighting. And Brooklyn is definitely a stunning goddess of an athlete. Her playfulness, insecurities, and sincerity make her an incredibly lovable character, too. The secondary characters are also amazing. I cannot remember all the times my insides go warm and soft because of the wonderful relationships they have. Jin, a man with firm principles and loving heart, and Laila (18), Eden’s former student and now colleague, both provide unconditional support for Eden. Then there is Mateo (12), whose life of being in an abusive household reminds Eden strongly of her own childhood and who worships both Eden and Brooklyn. For Brooklyn, there is Théo, her brother and coach, and their bond is stronger than sibling, stronger than close friends.
There is so much love radiating off the pages even before Eden and Brooklyn admit so to themselves. We never really know what Brooklyn is thinking, but she is a very relatable character and their love is embodied in everything that Eden would do for Brooklyn, their sparring a dance.
The Clinch is a tension-filled romance with heavy themes, and I definitely shed a tear or two while reading. This is undoubtedly a story I would revisit, for both the fierce love between Eden and Brooklyn and the beautiful relationships surrounding them.
I received an e-ARC from Bold Strokes Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Buddy read with Gabriella! Check out her review here!
Written in present tense, The Clinch is an incredibly vivid rivals-to-lovers sports romance, charged with immediacy.
Eden Bauer (27, gay) holds an undefeated record and is the reigning UFC featherweight championship. When newbie pro Brooklyn Shaw (22, biracial, Black) challenges Eden for a title match, Eden reluctantly agrees. Their rivalry is strong, but when post-match Brooklyn comes knocking on the door of Eden’s gym, will they be able to put aside their differences and work together?
I am already biased when I started this book because I love to read about martial arts (mainly wuxia novels). There is something sacred about the sport and beautiful about the relationships people form training together as well as the strong bond, often stronger than familial ones, between shifu and their disciples. But I didn’t know I was getting this when I heard that The Clinch is built around mixed-martial arts (MMA), something I’m not familiar reading about. Eden is trained in Taekwondo, and the discipline and honor she carries are probably not as prevalent as it would be in any other MMA storyline. I totally love that we got this in The Clinch—both her respect for the sport and unbreakable love for her found family paternal figure, Jin (I assume to be South Korean), founder of the dojang (Hanja: 道場) Emerald Tiger.
The story has a wonderful build and exciting climax, without a sudden conflict toward the end. We spend the first few chapters getting a feel of MMA training and fighting, and understanding what the sport means to Eden. We learn how important Jin is to her and that the Emerald Tiger is Eden’s home after Jin welcomed her into the establishment when she was younger and dealing with a neglecting if not abusive mother. The descriptions of rigorous training and high-stake matches help us respect the fighters, too. All the sport scenes were written with such intensity that Eden’s exhaustion was clear with all the muddled thoughts and I felt myself holding my breath in expectation of the next jab, hook, or kick.
The choice of having Eden as the first-person POV is sublime. The way we only see her side of the story makes The Clinch more intense since we are looking in from the relatively calm character on her relationship with the younger Brooklyn, who is still figuring out what she really wants in life. Brooklyn, who is a new UFC fighter with a legendary family of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu martial artists, plays mind games with Eden before their much anticipated title match, but we soon see that she is a tough-looking young woman with a very sweet heart and eager to prove to her father, Samson, that she can make the Shaws proud.
I love Eden for her huge heart and her confidence, focus, and passion when it comes to training and fighting. And Brooklyn is definitely a stunning goddess of an athlete. Her playfulness, insecurities, and sincerity make her an incredibly lovable character, too. The secondary characters are also amazing. I cannot remember all the times my insides go warm and soft because of the wonderful relationships they have. Jin, a man with firm principles and loving heart, and Laila (18), Eden’s former student and now colleague, both provide unconditional support for Eden. Then there is Mateo (12), whose life of being in an abusive household reminds Eden strongly of her own childhood and who worships both Eden and Brooklyn. For Brooklyn, there is Théo, her brother and coach, and their bond is stronger than sibling, stronger than close friends.
There is so much love radiating off the pages even before Eden and Brooklyn admit so to themselves. We never really know what Brooklyn is thinking, but she is a very relatable character and their love is embodied in everything that Eden would do for Brooklyn, their sparring a dance.
The Clinch is a tension-filled romance with heavy themes, and I definitely shed a tear or two while reading. This is undoubtedly a story I would revisit, for both the fierce love between Eden and Brooklyn and the beautiful relationships surrounding them.
I received an e-ARC from Bold Strokes Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Buddy read with Gabriella! Check out her review here!
jennabeebs79's review
5.0
This was my first Nicole Disney book and I have to admit, I was very skeptical when I read the synopsis. Fortunately, I read a bunch of others' reviews and all were extremely positive, so I took a chance, and boy am I glad I did.
Nicole Disney did an amazing job of creating real and raw characters. I found her ability to describe each practice and fight sequence to be riveting. Her attention to detail was so on point that you could visualize everything that was going on. The romance was smoking hot as well! I really loved everything about this book and I look forward to reading every other book Ms. Disney writes!
I received an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Nicole Disney did an amazing job of creating real and raw characters. I found her ability to describe each practice and fight sequence to be riveting. Her attention to detail was so on point that you could visualize everything that was going on. The romance was smoking hot as well! I really loved everything about this book and I look forward to reading every other book Ms. Disney writes!
I received an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
_alyssaslibrary_'s review
3.0
i liked this and it was really interesting but it was wayyyy too instalove for me
r34d3r's review against another edition
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
zefrien's review
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
norcani's review
3.0
I don't really like romance so I'm not sure why I keep picking these books up. I did enjoy the martial arts and competition aspects but I felt cheated out that the main conflict is a homophobic family instead of anything directly to do with that. It's probably my favorite lesbian romance I read which isn't saying much but it's something. Now I can say joe rogan is a character in my favorite romance book. Because he is.