Review and Excerpt Tour: Outmatched: Kristen Callihan and Samantha Young
Outmatched
Kristen Callihan and Samantha Young
Release date: November 19, 2019
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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.
This is such a fun premise and these two authors make magic together.
Parker Brown needs a fake boyfriend...fast. What could go wrong with an online ad? She lined up a perfectly acceptable handsome nerd to help her represent herself as stable and settled to her head boss and keep her job in renewable energy. But she never anticipated that his big (and I do mean big) brother would crash their date and end up having to act as her boyfriend. He is everything she would not have picked out for herself. Burly, athletic, unrefined, dirty-mouthed, and a bit intimidating. But he also shows himself to be smart and funny and at least her boss is impressed.
Rhys Morgan is an ex-heavyweight champion fighting new battles. He is trying to revive his family's struggling gym, get them out of debt, and keep his younger brother in check. He was only going to give Parker a piece of his mind for trying to use his brother, but he found himself thrown into a situation he never expected. But it is mutually beneficial if he sticks around.
Parker is the opposite of his type. She is tiny, intelligent, driven, and a bit prim and proper. She grew up wealthy, but is independent and just trying to gain a permanent placement in her dream job. School and work have been her primary focus, and she has not felt ready to explore a relationship in a long time. She does not trust or give of herself easily.
Opposites-attract, tempers are flaring, sparks are flying, but a mutual appreciation begins to develop. These two have fun and witty banter, sexual tension, and amazing chemistry. But it is a complicated situation due to communication and so many obstacles and variables involved between her business and his. Is it fake? Is it real? Is it just about what the other needs out of the situation?
This is a feisty, sexy, witty, and emotional opposites-attract sports romance. I enjoyed the side characters including his brother, Dean, his friend, Carlos, and her friend, Zoe and her sister, Easton. I hope we see them back in future books from this duo. I liked how the plot had so many moving pieces and variables that needed to be figured out and a couple of creepy antagonists.
I just loved these two together. He is a rough-around-the-edges, protective alpha with such a big heart. And she is cute, quirky, and has some insecurities, but is also stubborn and strong. I enjoyed seeing them challenge the other, and also show their vulnerability and let the other see the real them. This book just hit all my buttons and I did not want to put it down.
Rhys Morgan is an ex-heavyweight champion fighting new battles. He is trying to revive his family's struggling gym, get them out of debt, and keep his younger brother in check. He was only going to give Parker a piece of his mind for trying to use his brother, but he found himself thrown into a situation he never expected. But it is mutually beneficial if he sticks around.
Parker is the opposite of his type. She is tiny, intelligent, driven, and a bit prim and proper. She grew up wealthy, but is independent and just trying to gain a permanent placement in her dream job. School and work have been her primary focus, and she has not felt ready to explore a relationship in a long time. She does not trust or give of herself easily.
Opposites-attract, tempers are flaring, sparks are flying, but a mutual appreciation begins to develop. These two have fun and witty banter, sexual tension, and amazing chemistry. But it is a complicated situation due to communication and so many obstacles and variables involved between her business and his. Is it fake? Is it real? Is it just about what the other needs out of the situation?
This is a feisty, sexy, witty, and emotional opposites-attract sports romance. I enjoyed the side characters including his brother, Dean, his friend, Carlos, and her friend, Zoe and her sister, Easton. I hope we see them back in future books from this duo. I liked how the plot had so many moving pieces and variables that needed to be figured out and a couple of creepy antagonists.
I just loved these two together. He is a rough-around-the-edges, protective alpha with such a big heart. And she is cute, quirky, and has some insecurities, but is also stubborn and strong. I enjoyed seeing them challenge the other, and also show their vulnerability and let the other see the real them. This book just hit all my buttons and I did not want to put it down.
Rhys has always carried the responsibility for his family. His boxing career covered his mom’s medical bills, his brother’s college degree, and bought the gym that always felt like home. But the gym is struggling and he can’t wrap his head around stepping into the ring again. In an act of protecting his younger brother, he finds himself striking a deal to exchange payment to pretend to date a gorgeous, slightly nerdy woman.
These two had sparks flying immediately, though not of the romantic variety. I loved watching these two dance around each other while trying to convince Parker’s boss that they were an item while trying to ignore the challenge of their initial animosity.
I found the ending moved a little faster than I would have liked, especially for how invested I was in Rhys and Parker by that point. But I loved every moment of this story. Fairchild’s slimy ways had me looking ahead wondering how Rhys and Parker would protect her job while avoiding Fairchild’s schemes. The anticipation as the games continued kept me guessing and turning pages as fast as I could.
I loved this author duo! I’ve read each of them separately, but the combination of their styles flowed and kept me rooted in the story. I would love to see more from this pair and the characters they have built within the world!
AngryTink: Hey. This is Parker. Parker Brown.
My phone dinged loudly. I fumbled around my bed, finally finding the damn thing under a pillow. Wiping the sleep off my face, I rolled onto my back and read the text that had pulled me out of a pleasant sleep. I smiled. It was just so … Parker. Settling in, I answered her.
RhysThis: Don’t have to tell me who you are. Your number is programmed on my phone. What do you want?
AngryTink: Well, good morning to you too, Happy Pants.
My smile turned into an evil grin. The girl was always going to punch back and make it count.
RhysThis: That’s Mr. Happy Pants. Though, TBH, my pants aren’t too happy at the moment. Want to help me out with that?
AngryTink: Tempting. Truly. But, no.
RhysThis: RU sure? ‘Cuz Happy Pants Rhys is much more agreeable than Sad That He Had to Self-Satisfy Rhys.
AngryTink: Would you please behave?
RhysThis: I’m not the one who mentioned the emotional state of my pants.
AngryTink: ARGH!
A chuckle rumbled in my chest as my thumbs tapped out a response I knew would piss her off more.
RhysThis: Was that even English? Honestly, Ms. Brown, I thought you were educated.
She took a moment to answer. I could picture her, phone in hand, grinding her teeth.
AngryTink: You’re deliberately trying to annoy me, aren’t you?
RhysThis: You’re quick. I’ll give you that.
AngryTink: Mr. Morgan, I’m about ten seconds away from finding an alternate fake boyfriend. A goat on a rope would be a better candidate at this point.
It was cute she thought that was threatening.
RhysThis: Yeah, probably. But the goat doesn’t have a signed contract. I do, Tinker Bell.
AngryTink: ARGH@!!
RhysThis: You’re kind of cute when you talk pirate.
About Kristen:
Kristen Callihan is an author because there is nothing else she'd rather be. She is a RITA winner and three-time nominee and winner of two RT Reviewer's Choice awards. Her novels have garnered starred reviews from Publisher's Weekly and the Library Journal, as well as being awarded top picks by many reviewers. Her debut book FIRELIGHT received RT Magazine's Seal of Excellence, was named a best book of the year by Library Journal, best book of Spring 2012 by Publisher's Weekly, and was named the best romance book of 2012 by ALA RUSA. When she is not writing, she is reading.
Connect with Kristen:
About Samantha:
Samantha Young is a New York Times and #1 International bestselling author from Stirlingshire, Scotland. On Dublin Street was Samantha's first adult contemporary romance series and has sold in thirty countries. She has since published over thirteen romance titles including the New York Times Bestsellers Into the Deep, Hero, and her most recent contemporary romance Play On. When writing Adult Paranormal romance she writes under the pen name S. Young.
Connect with Samantha:
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