BLOG TOUR AND REVIEW: FIGHTING TO FORGET BY JB SALSBURY

Fighting to Forget

Every fighter is drawn to the violence, the release that a perfect hit can bring. But very few are drawn to the pain. Rex Carter lives behind a wall of indifference. The demons from his childhood act as an anesthetic, keeping him distant from emotional connections. Only the ache from a knock to the jaw, the sting of a tattoo needle, or the heat from a piercing can jolt him back from the numbness. The fiery pain is all he can feel, and nothing compares to the burn. Or so he thought. Working in a Las Vegas bar isn't Georgia McIntyre's dream. But she hopes it'll be an end to the nightmare. She's watched him, followed him and kept tabs, all in preparation for this moment: to make amends and share the secret she’s been carrying since she was a kid. But she didn't count on the feelings that seeing him again would stir up, the vacant look in his stormy-blue eyes, and his perfect body now mutilated by ink and metal. And she knows why. She's lived his pain every single day, since the day he left. Changed by time, Rex doesn't remember the girl from his past. If only she could do the same. Will she get the absolution she's spent her life seeking? Or will he continue Fighting to Forget?

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OUR REVIEW:

Wow. I feel like I sped-read this novel. I couldn't put it down; I was so curious about the story behind Rex and Mac. We'd seen glimpses of both of them in the last book but I don't know that I had any clue that their story would be like this. It did go so fast! This whole entire series does, and I attribute that to being so in love with J.B. Salsbury and the wonderful world of fighters that she has created! 

Rex, of course, is a bad ass fighter (and talented musician) and while both of these things are important to him and have provided him with happiness and stability, those two things were more in the background. In the forefront was his desire to cope with a murky past and the emotional and physical reactions that he lived with because of the trauma he survived. He was an interesting character...I couldn't always put my finger on him. Sometimes he was super sexy, sometimes he was vulnerable, sometimes he had these flashes of alpha-fighter guy, sometimes he was this confused, angry, sad man-child. I'm not sure if I know, yet, how I would characterize him...so I'll stick with interesting. 

He was very multi-dimensional...and confused...and had a terrible trauma like you said, but also had a horrible view of himself even though he was wonderful and the fighter and band family he found had embraced him. He couldn't embrace himself because of things he couldn't remember but dreamed about every single day. It made him physically ill. Oh my, I swooned and wanted to squish him with hugs because it was sad. But...like Shel also said, he does his best to embrace life and be happy...and that was awesome too. <3 Rex! 

Mac was also an interesting character. She's had a difficult upbringing and her courage and strength are obvious. And, while her desire to give Rex answers and help is admirable, the way she chooses to carry this out is unfortunate. Time and again she makes choices that are instantly gratifying but just seem to be setting her up for a huge shitstorm later. 

Huge shitstorm! It was pretty crazy how things went throughout this book. I did not expect it...because when I expected the usual trope to play out in my mind, my expectations were blown to smithereens. Just like in previous books. So please take note...these books may just surprise you...and especially this one, because it deals with heavy psychological, physical and emotional trauma...and J.B. found a way to embrace it, make it realistic but still be a teeny bit gentle with my heart...sometimes. Rex. Oh, Rex. 

And speaking of shitstorms...about 40% in I knew it was going to be ugly and the anticipation of the ugly was not fun. I felt like every page I turned was getting me closer to a blow up ..and sure enough, it happened. The one thing I liked, though, was that there was plenty of book after the MAJOR moment so that we could see how it all played out. Good stuff! I was dying. Lots of angsty texts flying Shel's way...but totally a great addition to the series...a LOT of great moments with Jonah (swoon!), Raven, Blake and Layla. So freaking awesome! 

Shelley: 4 Stars
Courtney: 4 Stars

Author Bio

JB Salsbury, USA Today Best Selling author of the Fighting series, lives in Phoenix, Arizona with her husband and two kids. She spends the majority of her day as a domestic engineer. But while she works through her daily chores, a world of battling alphas, budding romance, and impossible obstacles claws away at her subconscious, begging to be released to the page. Her love of good storytelling led her to earn a degree in Media Communications. With her journalistic background, writing has always been at the forefront, and her love of romance prompted her to sink her free time into novel writing. Fighting for Flight, Fighting to Forgive, and Fighting to Forget are the first three novels in the MMA romance series. Fighting the Fall is due to be released in October 2014. For more information on the series or just to say hello, visit JB on her website, Facebook, or Goodreads page.

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