cover image Against the Cage

Against the Cage

Sidney Halston. Random/Loveswept, $2.99 e-book (256p) ISBN 978-0-553-39096-4

When ditzy doctor Chrissy Martin reluctantly returns to her hometown of Tarpon Springs, Fla., to get her brother, Slade, out of jail, the first thing she does is inadvertently punch a police officer in the family jewels. Worse, the man of the law is none other than the unfortunately named Jack Daniels, Slade’s best friend. Both Slade and Jack are fighters on the mixed martial arts circuit, which becomes a major point of contention between Jack and Chrissy, since her professional ethics clash mightily with the brutal fighting world. Scene-stealer Drogo, the tiny Chihuahua/pit bull terror of the town, adds yet more comic relief to Halston’s naturally humorous writing style. The story straddles the worlds of white picket fences and gritty cage fighting with an interesting blend of explicit sex, profanity, violence, memories of family tragedy, smalltown life, and close character connections. Some stilted dialogue hampers the flow, but the characters’ emotions ring true. (June)