Series: Ultimate (Book 4)
With the life he's led and the muscles he's gained, Armie
Jacobson isn't afraid of anything. Except maybe Merissa Colter's effect on him.
It's not just that she's his best friend's little sister. Fact is, she deserves
better. Women pursue him for one night of pleasure, and that's all he wants to
offer. Until rescuing Merissa from a robbery leads to the most erotic
encounter of his life.
Good girl meets bad boy. It's a story that rarely ends
well. But Merissa is taking matters into her own hands. No matter how he views
himself, the Armie she knows is brave, honorable and completely loyal. And as
past demons and present-day danger collide, they're both about to learn what's
truly worth fighting for…
Really good book, my favorite in the series. Armie has
been a big part of the previous books and I have been waiting anxiously for his
story. It was definitely worth the wait. Armie, Cannon Colter and Merissa
Colter have all been friends since high school. Armie had a horrible home life, but got
experience with a good family through his best buddy Cannon. Merissa has been
in love with Armie ever since. Armie has been interested in her too, but as his
best friend's little sister, she's off limits. He also feels that she's way too
good for him.
I loved the interactions between Armie and Merissa. He is
determined to keep things in the "friend zone" and she has become
equally determined to shake him out of it. Armie has been known for his way
with the women, mostly one night stands, and has a pretty wild reputation. It
seems that the more he fights his feelings for Merissa, the more he needs the
distraction. Merissa does her best to tempt him, but lately has been getting a
little discouraged. When Armie helps foil a bank robbery at the bank where
Merissa is a manager, his protective instincts go into overdrive. Because he is
so intent on hiding his feelings for her, he's shocked when Cannon tasks him
with helping her through her reactions, since Merissa doesn't want Cannon
hovering. I loved the way she went to him for comfort that evening, and Armie's
struggle to do what was right. There's a great scene the next morning involving
a magic marker, a workout at the gym, and what happens in the shower. It had me
laughing out loud as I read it.
Armie has been content to keep his fight bouts local, but
had been getting pressure from Cannon and others to sign on with SBC. He
finally agrees, but then starts to worry. He has some trouble in the past that
he's afraid is going to get resurrected because of his growing popularity. Much of what he has experienced in the past
has made him who he is today. I loved seeing how good he was with the kids at
the rec center, and the interest that he took in Bray. He truly believes that
his past makes him completely unworthy of Merissa.
Merissa has always been part of the group of fighters at
the rec center. She is comfortable with them and they are all great friends.
I've enjoyed seeing her friendships with the women who have claimed the other
fighters. There's a hysterical scene
where the ladies go shopping at a particular store and find their men waiting
for them when they come out.
I loved the development of their relationship. When Armie
finally gives in to Merissa's pursuit, he's stunned by the strength of their
connection. He's also worried about what her reaction will be to the trouble in
his past. I was very happy with his decision to tell her, and loved his
reaction to her response. I was a bit disappointed by his desire to keep their
relationship secret, though he did have his reasons. It was also fun to see all
his worry about Cannon's reaction and what that reaction really was. Merissa
was so happy when they finally got together that I couldn't help but smile for
her. Because she's already familiar with the fight world, she is able to fit
easily into his life. She wasn't happy about keeping their relationship quiet,
but was hopeful that he would relent soon. She is very independent, so it was
hard for her to let him protect her and worry about her. Armie becomes
convinced that she's in danger because of him and tries to pull away to protect
her. Merissa has an unusual reaction and I liked seeing how they dealt with it.
When it's all over, their relationship
is stronger. I loved their big moments at the end, and how it was Merissa with
the last word.
There was a suspenseful edge to the book as there were
two negative things going on. With Armie's increased visibility, the trouble in
his past is coming out, and he has to find a way to deal with it. Merissa is also having problems with an
ex-boyfriend who isn't happy that he's been cut loose. He goes all stalkerish,
going overboard and dangerous in his attempts to get her back. I liked how
everyone comes together to help protect her. When his attempts get out of
control, it's Armie and company who save her in an intense and satisfying
scene.
As always, there is plenty of involvement of characters
from previous books. Cannon, Denver and Stack all had their parts to play. The
relationship among all the guys is always fun to watch, with their teasing and
testing, but they are always there for each other when needed. There was also
involvement of Detectives Baredon and Riske, and Rowdy from the previous
series. Earlier characters from SBC books were part of Armie's new team. There
was also the introduction and tease for the next series of books, starring
Leese and his friends. Can't wait!
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