| Title | : | Undefeated (Fighter Erotic Romance, #1) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 295 |
| Publication | : | First published January 1, 2014 |
Shane Dekkar is a ruthless boxer and a street fighter with a past he’s trying to forget. He is preparing to fight for the Heavyweight Championship of the World.
Kace Meadows is in an abusive relationship with a boyfriend she’d like to forget. She is attempting to simply survive.
Shane Dekkar can’t stand men who abuse women. He administers his own form of justice as he sees necessary.
Shane and Kace meet by chance one day when she and her boyfriend are in an argument in a public parking lot.
Shane Dekkar has never been defeated in the boxing ring or in a street fight.
Call their meeting destiny or call it fate.
This is their story.
Undefeated (Fighter Erotic Romance, #1) Reviews
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"The time has come."
Undefeated is the first book in Scott Hildreth's Fighter Erotic Romance Series. Being a fan of both Mr. Hildreth's work and the"fighting romance" genre picking up this read was a no brainer!
"It's not a contest, babe. It's life. There's no time limit."-Shane
Shane Decker is a fighter. A transplant from Compton, California he ventures to Austin, TX in order to train and find success as a professional fighter. Dressed in his hoodie and worn out boots, Shane keeps a tight hold on his dog tags and proudly pursues his mission to be a fighter and a "protector".
"A woman needs to feel wanted. Even if she didn't feel loved, she should feel as if someone desired her."-Kace
Kace is living with an abusive boyfriend. She faces physical, emotional, and sexual abuse everyday. When Kace's abusive boyfriend causes a scene at the local drugstore they are not alone. Shane witnesses the event and doesn't hesitate to get involved.
"He slapped me until he was tired of slapping me, or until I learned my lessons."-Kace
Although Kace isn't ready to walk away from her abuser yet, a "second chance" meeting with Shane changes everything. Shane and Kace begin to have lunch together and a friendship sparks. Kace is rather shy and struggles vocalizing sometimes. Shane has an unusual attachment to his hoodie and dog tags and yet, these two mismatched individuals come together quite easily. Shane is desperate to get Kace away from her abuser but he wants for her to make the choice to leave him on her own. It doesn't take long for the abuser, "Buster", to do some serious damage on Kace. She finally finds the courage to walk away.
"My grandfather always told me God puts people in our lives for a reason. It's our responsibility to recognize them for what he intends them to be to us."-Shane
"You're beautiful, Kace. When you're lying in bed tonight, remember that. You're beautiful."-Shane
The sincerity in the characters and the natural flow of the plot development made Undefeated an enjoyable read. Told in dual POV, we experience both Shane and Kace's perspective on abuse and the after effects they cause. One element that drew me to this read is my love for Mr. Hildreth's honest and straight forward writing style. In fact, Undefeated was inspired by a true story. You can read that story here:
Hildreth.
"Shane Dekkar, to me, is perfect. I could spend a lifetime exposing myself to the offerings of life, and this would not change. It is not an opinion, it is a fact."-Kace
"In life, we need to pay the closest attention when we aren't paying attention at all."-Shane
What I sincerely appreciated about Shane and Kace is that although they had an "insta-connection", Shane was adamant about giving Kace time to heal and grow into her own person. Watching her character transform into a confidant independent woman was empowering as a reader. It was a gentle reminder that although there is evil in the world, good perseveres over all. "What we try to remember and what we prefer to forget. Our mind doesn't always have an understanding of how we want to sort things."
To tackle a story with abuse as the driving force in a read takes guts and must be handled delicately. Overall, I felt like Undefeated was successful on both counts. The plot was well developed, the action was entertaining, and the sarcastic banter between Shane and his best friend Ripp (yummy) had me smiling throughout the read. This was a strong start to what promises to be another wining series for me to devour and enjoy!"I had clearly won at the game of life."
Buy this book here:
AMAZON
For more reviews/reveals/giveaways visit:
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Despite some of the raving ratings this story recieved, I'm just going to have to walk away.
I could not finish this one.
The female character, Kace, is weak. Weak. Weak. Weak. She accepts the abuse that her boyfriend has been bestowing on her for years now. I can't get down with that. Nope.
And Shane...eh.
The way they both spoke had me literally scratching my head. It was like two years olds learning how to communicate.
Thanks, but no thanks. -
Undefeated was a deeper somewhat more meaningful type of erotica than I would have expected this prick to write.
This is a five star must read for any woman that has ever wondered if she may be in the wrong relationship. Additionally, it's a five star read for the lover of alpha male fighter erotica.
It starts out with the introduction of Shane Dekkar - a rather intriguing boxer that moved from Compton, California to Austin, Texas after the death of his trainer/Grandfather.
We quickly learn that he has some inner demons and deep issues about the abuse of women.....if he learns of a man abusing a women, he....well, he helps them understand that they're in need of making other more respectful choices.
His career is boxing, but he isn't opposed to street fighting for something he believes in - or to prove a point.
When he meets Kace, a twenty-something year old petite blonde, he senses she's in a bad situation, and tries to help. She assures him that everything is fine, even though it is not.
Two years later, they meet again.
Shane believes this second meeting to be fate.
It's difficult to write more about the story without having the rest of this review be a spoiler in itself.
Shane Dekkar is an alpha male deluxe. He is not, however, anything but sweet to women. He's shy, respectful, kind, and always considerate to women. Kace is no exception.
This book has some deep scenes of abuse, and a reasonable amount of violence, the majority of which is fighting.
There is one scene of torture, but it's the type of scene that will literally have you on your feet cheering (it's torture for all the right reasons - hahaha).
All-in-all, Undefeated was one of the most romantic stories I have ever read. The sex scenes were hot, well thought out, and accurate. There was no sex merely for the sake of sex.
Ultimately, undefeated made me think. It made me emotional, and it made me stand up and take a hard look at anyone in a relationship that is/was similar to what Kace was in. I wouldn't necessarily call it 'dark', but it was very deep.
This is an amazing read that will open your eyes, mind, and heart.
And make your panties melt for Mr. Dekkar in the process. -
★★★★★ 5 GUT-WRENCHING EMOTIONAL STARS
What a beautiful emotional gut-wrenching story.
Scott Hildreth has done it again. After reading the Baby Girl series he recommended that I read this one and well to be honest I think I will have to say this book is my FAVORITE of Scott's so far.
Before I go any further in my review let me say one thing. This book contains scenes of physical abuse; it is realistic, emotional, and will have an effect on the reader; and I found that it was necessary for the actual story line. For me it hit close to home.
Scott did an excellent job writing this story!!!!
Shane ~
(first time editing and adding a teaser)
Shane is a Badass Alpha Male Boxer. TOTAL DREAM GUY RIGHT?
He is a unknown boxer from Compton, California. After the death of his grandfather he moved to Austin, TX to keep his training going.
He is respectful, quiet, caring, protective and very observant he is the TOTAL PACKAGE.
Shane has demons and to him fighting feeds his demons and keeps them at bay so he can live a peaceful life.
He has certain views on how women, children and the elderly should be treated. One thing he can not stand is for women to be abused. He sees it time and time again.
Throughout the book Shane is also competing and training for the title of Heavyweight Championship of the WORLD.
Kace~
Kace is in a abusive relationship and has been for the last 10 years of her life. She has no friends and is not allowed to have a relationship with her parents. She is not allowed to do a lot of things. Because if she does and her boyfriend does not approve she will regret the outcome.
All Kace wants is someone to respect her and love her.
Shane and Kace met for the first time in a parking lot while her boyfriend was yelling at her.
I love the second time they met. And I think it is so funny she would get so excited and she would say she peed a little bit. This happened on several occasions. I found Kace so sweet and to cute.
The focus of the story is more on Kace abusive relationship. As well as Shane's passed. Shane has blocked out a lot of his childhood with good reason.
Ripp, Shane's boxer friend was my absolutely favorite he is so funny and my favorite word he would say was TWAT WAFFLE!! LOL
Ripp has such a good heart and he has a twisted side of himself that I love !!!!
I want more on RIPP!!!
This book was amazing. It was Raw, Real, Emotional and Gut- Wrenching. I could go on and on about this book but why would I want to give the story away.
This story is one you really need to read so I will leave you with these questions.....
Will Kace find the strength to leave an abusive relationship?
Will Shane be able to come to terms with his childhood that he blocked out?
What will happen to Shane and Kace in the end?
Guess you will have to read the story to find out the answers.
You will not be disappointed!
Thanks again for a wonderful story Scott!
I hope that any women in a situation like Kace will find strength to leave.
Again a must read!!
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I'm coming, Kace. I'm coming for your heart. "
In this book Scott Hildreth have me something that I search high and low for these days. A hero who lives the word.. Heroic.. Brave, protective, loyal, honorable and KIND.
Shane was by far an amazing hero, and amazing character and someone that will live in my heart for a long time.
Kase was a fighter too. It took her a long time to break out of her cage but with the kindness of a stranger and her hidden core of steel she broke out swinging. What transpired next was a romance that not only felt like falling in love but it looked like it too. This hero believed in honoring and cherishing his woman and loving her inside and out.
"Who is the most beautiful woman in the world? "
" I am"
With those words he lifted her up and she fell harder and he caught her and never let go.
Seriously if you want a romantic read with a hero you'll die for and amazing electric suspense filled fight scenes.. And of course passionate sexy love scenes that touch you deeply.. Then there is friendship that is heartfelt and feels like family. This is the book for you. Read it.. You'll be happy you did.
Oh and Ripp please don't break my hero streak.. I need you to be as amazing as I think you are -
3 Shane was too much of a "Good" Guy Stars!!
This book started off kinda slow. It had some heated moments but Shane's sugary sweet talk just became too much for me. I like my guys to be assholes and this is probably why...........
So thanks for that advice Mom!!Having said that I'm looking forwardd to reading about secondary character Ripp who I could not get enough of!! Here's hoping his story rocks!!
Thanks to my gals I BR'd this with!! I always love reading with you sexy bitches!! xo
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4 KNOCKOUT STARS!!
“If something or someone is presented to us once, we will often dismiss it as being nothing more than happenstance. If that person or situation is presented twice, it is God slapping us in the face and telling us to pay attention. It is fate.” ~Shane
Undefeated is an intense story about abuse, personal struggle, and heroism. This is a book that was difficult to handle at times. It's a story about a girl, Kace, who is very actively in an abusive relationship, so there are a lot of domestic violence scenes. I (thankfully) have never been in an abusive relationship but have been very close to people that have both personally and because of my profession, and found this story to be extremely accurate of what a relationship like this looks like. While Kace hates her life, she doesn't think that there is a way out of it, so has therefore accepted it. I thought the author did a great job of capturing the hopelessness of her situation, and how she felt.
"...as much as I had grown to hate Josh, it was almost incomprehensible for me to think of leaving him. When I thought of it, my head spun in circles. I could think of one reason to leave him and about a hundred reasons to stay." - Kace
Shane, on the other hand, is a complete departure of everything that Kace's deadbeat boyfriend Josh is and everything he stands for. He too has lived a life of adversity, also growing up in an abusive home. But instead of allowing this to define him, he has instead chosen to defy it and be better than it. He's a pretty simple guy; quiet, reserved, and to himself. But if you so much as think about raising your hand at a woman in his presence, you will awaken a beast!!
"As adults, we are a product of what we were exposed to as children. Generations of abuse breed generations of abusers. Until on person is strong enough to break the chain.
I'm strong enough." - Shane
Shane comes upon an altercation between Kace and her sleazy boyfriend Josh one day and chooses to intervene, where many others would have just kept on walking. While months pass before these two cross paths again, they never forget one another.
What develops when these two meet again is a sweet, beautiful love story that had an unexpected innocence, tenderness, and vulnerability to it that I was not expecting, but LOVED! These are two extremely withdrawn and reclusive people individually that only begin to come out of their shells with each other. Shane is Kace's hero and the one that showed her that love doesn't have to hurt. And Kace is Shane's proof that good things do happen and love does exist.
"Kace, I could spend the rest of my life happy with you, I am certain." - Shane
"I want you to know something. This is not my opinion. It's not something I just say to say it. This is what I feel. Kace, I love you. It might seem strange to hear, it might not. But I know it just as sure as I know anything. I love you" - Shane
"You'll never be without me, Shane. Never." - Kace
This was my first read of the controversial Mr. Hildreth's work. And while the subject matter here was very heartfelt, I found Scott's writing style to be, while good, a bit on the abrasive side. I think he chooses to write in the romance genre, at the moment, but his writing style would definitely have some appeal to male readers as well.
You could definitely tell that the author is very male while reading this, even if you didn't know it going in. I mean that as a compliment. I just could have done without a couple of the added elements of the story such as all the detail about Shane's boxing matches and hmm, the grilled finger scene? Gross! lol!
Otherwise, I really enjoyed this book, and I CANNOT wait to read Ripp's book, which is the next in the series!!
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I always forget how great Scott Hildreth is at characterization until I pick up one of his books and I am reminded yet again.
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Title: Undefeated
Series: (Fighter Erotic Romance, #1)
Author: Scott Hildreth
Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance
Rating: 4.5-Stars
Cliffhanger:
HEA:
Review on Blog:
HERE
♥ (Fighter Erotic Romance, #1) Undefeated
♥ (Fighter Erotic Romance, #2) Unstoppable
♥ (Fighter Erotic Romance, #3) Unleashed
♥ (Fighter Erotic Romance, #4) Unbroken
*Each book can be read as a STANDALONE*
From the ever-present hoodie on his head, the dog-tags on his neck, to the tattered boots on his feet, Shane "Shame On" Dekkar is a man shrouded with mystery—and his inexpiable urge to right the wrongs of others cast a questioning shadow on his motives."Generations of abuse creates generations of abusers. The chain has to be broken, and rebuilt. It can't merely be broken and left alone, or it's all for nothing,"
When fate places him into the path of a beaten-down woman—not once, but twice—Shane feels the desperate desire to help her, to heal the wounds inflicted by her painful, abusive past relationship...
...although as we all know, the past never stays in the past. And when Kace's broken present entangles with Shane's shattered past, their worlds threaten to crumble underneath the weight of the forgotten and unforgettable.
But can Shane teach Kace to fight her demons, and win against his own—to remain undefeated?
♠ ♥ ♣ ♦
Undefeated was one of those books I knew I was going to like the moment I finished reading the first page. There was something about the writing, about the characters and their interactions towards one another, that intrigued me, that made me smile.
"Your heart. Be prepared, because I intend to make it mine. I'm coming for your heart, Kace."
�� ♥ ♣ ♦
Holy book fucking boyfriend.
Shane was a star—in the fictional ring, and on the real book's page. His shy, protective nature drew me to him—and I loved how there was an almost tender element to his personality, along with the confident, alpha-male fighter raging inside him.On the outside, I am always kind, polite, and considerte of others. On the inside, a beast resides. I don't know why or fuels the demons inside of me, but I am very aware of their existence.
And he always proved his strength in the ring, battling his opponents with a stone-cold determination, Shane let his weaknesses, his hidden vulnerabilities, be seen in the soft way he kissed Kace, in the delicate way he cared for her.
"You're adorable." Without speaking, her mouth formed the words, thank you.
Kace was a sensitive soul, and I'm going to be honest: not everyone will like her. But I did. She had been so beaten down by abuse—mental, physical, emotional, sexual—that I could understand why she was so timid, so plagued with anxiety and insecurity.She was cute, in a bumbling awkward way. She was flawed, like we all are. And I could relate to that, which endeared me to her.
While some might see her as weak, I seen what most people tend to forget to remember: that there's a special sort of strength in weakness, in the painful ability to pick up the fractured pieces of abuse. And I sincerely adored her metamorphosis from caterpillar trapped in a cocoon of hurt, into a beautiful butterfly born from pain.But we all reach a point when we're done. Done giving to a world that only takes. Until then, you'll want, you'll wait, and you'll contemplate change. When you're truly done, you'll know. You'll know when the time comes. You'll know when the time comes.
♠ ♥ ♣ ♦
Shane and Kace had a connection from the moment they met, that lingered in their hearts until years later...when destiny drew them to one another again."Meeting you once might have been an accident, maybe happenstance. But meeting you twice, it's fate. I don't know where this will end up, but I'll spend the rest of my life trying to find out,"
Then their relationship was slow building, beginning with a friendship that was full of whispered words, healing touches, and suppressed, sensual desires.
Shane respected Kace enough to allow her time to heal—the opportunity to develop her own consciousness, to figure out her wants and needs—which was realistic, and much appreciated to believe in their lasting romance."Who's the most beautiful woman in the world?" he whispered.
I smiled.
"Who?" he whispered as a smile formed on his face.
I love it when he does this.
I pointed to my chest.
"That's right," he responded.
Although as the story progressed and the plot thickened, admittedly, I did miss the light, flirty tone that was strong at the beginning of Shane and Kace's courtship, and gradually dwindled.
Even as the intense, detailed fight-scenes, as well as the deep, thought-provoking passes, were an enjoyable progression in the Fighter Erotic Romance, #1."And. In the blue corner. Shane Shame on Deeeeeeekkaaaaar," I opened my eyes and stepped to the center of the ring.
♠ ♥ ♣ ♦
Overall, I would recommend this book to those who want the deep truth of abuse, and the repercussions it can have on those who suffer from it—as well as the love you can win when you declare yourself undefeated from hate.
A GREAT kind of nonsense:
♠ ♥ ♣ ♦
*PS: I was given an copy of this book. But I do solemnly swear that I am up to...good. ;) This is a fair and honest review of this book, pinky promise.*
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DNF
One star for the cover that is really hot, and the other for the plot that might have been really interesting.
I at least made it up to 66% of the book......
But the characters, are just irritating!!!! Specially Kace.... I get that she is shy, meek and comes from an abusive relationship.... but I am sure that has got nothing to do with the way she acts, it is just awful!!!! Seriously, I wanna bang my head a lot of times!!!!
While Shane, what's up with the hoodie this, hoodie that!? The hoodie is mentioned a lot, like really A LOT, in this book. Character wise, I couldn't connect. I don't know...
I really tried to continue reading but I just can't.... I'm sure maybe this is a great book with all the high ratings, and it's not fair to be rating it without fully reading this.... so I'll say sorry, cause this book is definitely NOT for me.
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December, 19th, 2015. finished.
Review posting on December, 21st
BR with LONESTAR Lizzie *raises hands in the air Rocky Balboa style*
3.75 BOXING PERFECTION stars
The boxer turned and began walking toward the locker room. His walk possessed a certain confidence - a swagger.
"Why do you think he walks like that?"
"Because he can".
That's Shane Dekkar for you. A boxer. A confidance impersonified. Perfection.
BUT
there's more beneath the surfice as the story would let us reveal.
Shane is a protector. A guy who would not stand for any abuse especially towards women. He whitnessed a rough argument between a young woman and her partner one day and those instincts appear instanty BUT he doesn't interact in final physical action, he lets it go but the image of a young woman stays imbeded in his memory. After the second chance meeting with her he decides to take charge and let himself known as for his intentions towards her.
Kace.
She's a 26 year old woman who's afraid of her own shadows as a result of a 10 year long abusive and controlling relationship. She wants to get out but is not strong enough so she finds her escape in romantic books. She's a shadow of a human being that was deprived of a human touch so she ended up with a low selfesteem and developed insecurity in interacting with other people.
The friendship with Shane, slowly empowers her to act and to end her abusive reality and to step into the „normal“ environment with „normal“ interactions with respectful and lovable relationship as she sees herself in with Shane. And he is showing her in every aspect how beautiful she is, inside and out, by setting up the slower pace, so she could realize that fact on her own. So she could decide for herself if he is what she truly desires and not just what she needs.
MY thoughts.
Hmmm. I had a problem with Kace. Even though in the end I could understand her situation, I really could, since i had a chance to meet women who were victims of abuse, emotional and physical one. And I was always wondering how can this be, how can those women (who were highly educated and had a really good jobs with a great salary, by the way, stay in such a relationship) I just couldn't get it. And then one day it just came to me:
they stay cause they don't know of better. They don't know that there's something better out there. So they don't even look for it.
They don't know any better so they settle for less.
And that's how I became aware of Kace. And that's what I figured Shane represented to Kace. But i still didn't quite make a connection with her. At times everything seemed a bit exaggerated in her actions and reactions. It just didn't sit right.
The interactions between Shane and his best pal Mike Rippton „Ripp“ were admirable and filled with funny banter.
BUT what actually rose this book to a higher rating are the FIGHT SCENES.
Me being a fighter fan I developed a high sense of what works or not. And the fighting/boxing described through out the story is phenomenaly interwoven with the psychological turmoils of the MC/Shane as we found out the details of it as the story progresses.
Through the precision of movement, very vivid descriptions of boxing that are almost palpable while indulging into the word after word, line after line. The continuation of movement is almost natural to one's eyes as it would be while being actually present in a boxing match – the smell, the sweat, the heat, the drumming of a pulse, the rhythm of the feet, the echos of the hits.
And that was perfection in writing as far as I'm concerned.
Undefeated is the first book in the Fighter's Erotic Romance series and is followed by three more books. Somewhere in the near future the continuation of this BR with my guurl LIZZIE will make further progress as we'll move on to the next installments.
Until then, Shane and Kace's story stays partialy unraveled and it calls to us to discover more. -
I think I should get a medal for completing this novel. It's only fair. This book is like a romance novel parody. Every one is all zen and insightful. It's like a monastery. Especially for the first half. There is the womanizing, idiot of a best friend and the hot blonde, bombshell who works at a coffee shop and has the confidence of Ms. Universe. Their's even the bad ex. Problem is, it's all came off fake, confusing and laughable.
This is like a Drake album, 'Nothing was the same'. One minute someone's eyes are blue, the next it's grey. Sometimes two years pass then it reverts to only being 6 months o.O
It is clear as day that a man wrote this novel. I always thought I would never be able to know the difference, but believe me, I do. Terminologies, sex scenes, fighting scenes. All the manly elements of this novel were detailed, while the feminine traits were more of an ode to the men in this novel.
I'm not trying to be sexist or rant on this author and his work, but c'mon! This was a badly phrased, developed and delivered novel. I went back and forth between rolling my eyes and dying with laughter from the sheer embarrassment I felt for the characters and the story.
For what it lacks in content, originality and conviction, it had in potential. There were spurts of all the missing elements occasionally, but the story still felt jumbled and was inconsistent in it's delivery. I was bored and had to read this novel in segments to be able to complete it. If I had attempted to read this novel in one sitting, it would probably turn out to be a DNF.
Kase annoy me as a person and I keep wanting to write the letter 'y' at the end of her name. It's apparently pronounced 'Casey'. She has all this spunk and sarcasm in her head, yet still, she spends 10 years as a beating stick -_-
She never completely salvage her character for me, but she became tolerable, especially when she stood up for herself. Her nervous habits were laughable and not in a good way. This chick just annoys me to no end. Obviously, she has her zen moments, that's when I just have to roll my eyes and ask where was Confucius all those years you spent beaten and bloody? o.O
Shane Dekkar is a character of potential and possibly my favorite. I didn't however, like his character until he fell to the ground, in a puddle of crazy. He has a solid back story that only needed some good development. His character is one of the more potential filled aspects of this story. He has many unique quirks about him, that didn't get the chance to shine. They could have been strong distinctions for not only his character, but this novel.
Surprisingly, this isn't your normal fighter novel. We hardly spend any time watching Shane train and the usual floozy's were missing. That tidbit intrigued me, it made me wonder if jealousy is a stronger emotion for women than for men. Written by a man, I expected more brawn than brain, but this novel was so much brain that it became cheesy.
Ripp is also an interesting character and I wish we could have gotten more one on one interaction with him and Shane. His one POV, as he carried out his criminal act, was hilarious and well executed.
I know the aim or point of this novel. I get the abuse, struggles and safety blankets of it all. I just don't think it was delivered well and it left much to be desired. A story line of great potential but a jumbled, uninspiring, borderline cheesy delivery. Maybe next time Scotty! -
4.5 Unexpected stars!
This book comes w/a warning about abuse that should be taken seriously.
The author doesn't sugar coat any part of telling this story. It's very direct and I LIKED that. The abuse is uncomfortable to read. The h's thoughts are uncomfortable to read. But unfortunately, they are also REAL. IMO
Kace.“Trying to figure a way to get out of a relationship and not feel like a complete failure is difficult. Most people will never understand why I have stayed in the relationship with Josh as long as I have. As much as I hate the way that he has treated me, I cannot imagine giving up on us - giving up on our relationship.”
“To have him, for one night, be kind to me – I’d let him beat me for a week.”
Kace broke my heart in the beginning of this story. She's a very shy and lonely girl that clings to her kindle and all her book boyfriends. She's in a shitty relationship that was hard for me to read about, but there was always a determination about her that I loved.
Shane's a quiet but confident guy w/a strong sense of right and wrong. The kind that won't turn his back on someone in trouble. And for me his sense of empathy was awesome to read about. He's fighting his own demons for most of the story but even he doesn't understand why. Just that he is. The way he discovers what these demons are from was very powerful for me.
For as difficult as this was in the beginning, it was really a sweet and vulnerable story of love. Kace learns she deserves to be treated w/love and respect and that sometimes hero's come in a hoodie. While Shane learns to stop. And begin. They both are molded by their pasts but together vow to break the cycle.
For all the seriousness in this story, there's also humor. Mostly surrounding Shane's best friend Ripp. He cracked me up and I can't wait for an entire book full of all things Ripp!
Was this steamy? Hell yes!!!! Don't let me fool you lol. I enjoyed those parts too;))
Ahhhhh......ya know when you love a story so much but it's hard to explain why? Just that something hit you just right, at just the right time? That's me w/this story. I'm not the best reviewer but I know that I will never forget this story or the journey it has taken me on.
I loved it and I hope you do too:))
Shane
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First off this book hit too close to home for me in SO many different ways. Shane is a strong individual with many different views on how a man is suppose to treat a woman. The demons he has inside are not those that a partner should be afraid of. He deals with his demons in the ring and with men he sees mistreating women. Ripp is a fellow boxer who shares in Shane's crusade. This book was well written and deserves to be on the top sellers list for 2014.
I was saved by my friend who I consider a brother. He went all out to save me from my ex husband. I hope every woman who reads this and if they are in this similar position they decide to make a stand and leave. This is one of the best books Author Scott Hildreth has written. I appreciate this. More than I can say here. -
this was the wierdest book ever! the way the story line flowed, all the "deep thought processes˝, the h having a speech impediment and almost wets herself when she gets nervous or excited but there isn't an actual medical cause for this mentioned, the first sex scene was so lame I was emberrassed to read it.
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....
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“When you least expect it, life may propose something to you. Something you might not necessarily be looking for, but without a doubt has the ability to offer your life some form of enrichment.”
5 I Don't Know What to Say Stars
“Shane Dekkar. A man to define what all men should desire to become. Perfection, defined.”
Shane “Shame On” Dekkar.
An unknown. A boxer from Compton, CA. A dark horse. A humble, selfless man. A man with nothing but respect for those around him. Shane is perfection, defined.
Shane finds himself in Austin, TX after leaving California. Boxing is what he does….it’s what he knows. He was raised by his grandfather while his father served in Afghanistan. His father was killed in action. His mother abandoned him. And now, Shane is in constant battle with his demons, constant battle with repressed memories of his childhood. His only release and the only way to feed those demons is to fight.
“To dream of what could be.”
Kace Meadows.
A shy loner. A woman dependent on the one man she’s been with for the last 10 years. A scared girl who wants nothing but to be loved and cherished and respected. An abused woman.
Kace is a dreamer. She loses herself in her Kindle to escape her reality with her longtime boyfriend Josh, AKA….Buster. She is so scared of the unknown and life beyond her relationship with Josh that it keeps her in hell. It keeps her from life.
On a chance meeting in a parking lot in the middle of an argument with Josh, Kace sees Shane for the first time and wants nothing more than to have him save her. To take her from her current hell and make her feel wanted.
He is sweet and kind. He has a gentleness to him that is irresistible. But. What is not meant to be cannot be….or can it? If you are a believer in fate…then yea….it can…and it will be. A second chance meeting….has a lasting effect on both Kace and Shane. You don’t doubt fate.
“If something or someone is presented to us once, we will often dismiss it as being nothing more than happenstance. If that person or situation is presented twice, it is God slapping us in the face and telling us to pay attention. It is fate.”
"Meeting you once might have been an accident, maybe happenstance. But meeting you twice, it's fate. I don't know what the end will bring, but I'll spend the rest of my life trying to find out." –Shane
I think Shane is one of the most genuine and humble male leads I have ever read. He is not full of himself. He is purely confident and sure. But he does not boast about himself. He isn’t necessarily shy, but he doesn’t make a big deal about much…unless it’s in regards to the welfare of women, children, and the elders. But, I think his most endearing characteristic was his compassion and his total concern for Kace and her emotional state of mind towards him.
"....I don't want to be your man out of a feeling of necessity. I want to be your man out of feelings of deep desire."
Shane treated Kace with such tenderness. He truly was her real life book boyfriend straight out of her Kindle. He always told her she was beautiful and did everything possible to get her to believe it. He didn't want her to be with him because she felt she needed to...he wanted her to want to be with him. To want him in every capcity that she could. And he was willing to wait for her until that time came.
Every women needs someone like that.
Every single one of us needs a Shane.
There were instances in this book that I had to stop reading. I struggled reading about Kace. I struggled with her feelings and her thoughts because I know what she was feeling. I have thought what she was thinking….
"When walking away from something we were once committed to, we often hesitate. Deciding to make a major change in life is difficult. But we all reach a point when we're done - done giving to a world that only takes. Until then, you'll want, you'll wait, and you'll contemplate change. When you're truly done, you'll know. You'll know when the times comes."
I think there is a lot of this book that many women who have been or are in Kace’s situation or one similar, can relate to. Even women who have been able to remove themselves from those relationships relate to Kace in one way or another.
“A woman needs to feel wanted. Even if she doesn't feel loved, she needs to feel as if someone wants or desires her.”
Uh. YES. This is so very true.
And I think that leads into…
"A codependent woman will attach herself to the first man that presents himself after she gets out of a relationship…”
It happens. I know. *Raises hand* I am guilty of all of the above thoughts. When you finally gain your "freedom"...you feel relieved, terrified, happy, and sad...all at once. So you try to grasp onto what you can that makes you feel something...makes you feel like you are in deed needed, because everything you knew...poof...gone. Trust me....its scary as shit.
Kace to me, although not to some, is so very human. She had her quirks. She had nervous habits that some found not relatable. But she was in deed so very relatable. She was sweet and so innocent. She had closed herself off for so long…been alienated from her family, had no friends, no life outside of Buster.
He controled her completely. Emotionally, financially, socially.
So, in a social setting, she doesn’t fully know how to react and how to just be. It’s hard for her. It’s hard for most women who may have been in similar situations. It difficult to understand that you can be your own person. Moving on is a hard concept to understand and believe.
Scott. This book. I don’t know how to correctly describe the emotions that flitted through my mind while reading it. The emotions were captured so perfectly. The sadness…the hope…the hurt…and the love.
You wrote something to show that there is love after abuse.
That you can break free from physical and emotional abuse.
That people CAN break the cycle of abuse.
You don’t have to be a product of your upbringing.
You can be that change and you can be the exception.
Woman do not have to stay. Women should not feel obligated to forego their wellbeing and happiness.
You should not stay out of fear of being a failure. It is not you who has failed.
“Trying to figure a way to get out of a relationship and not feel like a complete failure is difficult. Most people will never understand why I have stayed in the relationship with Josh as long as I have. As much as I hate the way that he has treated me, I cannot imagine giving up on us - giving up on our relationship.”
That quote hit hard for me. There are so many women out there who think just like that. They fear that leaving will mean they’ve failed…when in reality, they are not the failure, but the one person who was supposed to love and protect them has failed.
This book…it was so much more than a story to me. It is by far one of my favorite that you have written Scott.
Like your other books, you have yet again made me feel and think and wonder….and in this case, react.
The book as a whole was real. The emotions were raw. And the story, to me, was epic.
-
Okay. So this was…this was…different?
I didn’t hate it, but it wasn’t all that great either. On top of that there were a lot of editing issues. The book was really corny and I laughed a lot, but not because I was supposed to laugh.
I appreciate Scott Hildreth’s message of how women should be treated and domestic violence is not okay. For me, that is the redeeming quality of this book. Oh and the retribution on Buster was nice.
But OMGosh! This book. Many people probably rolled their eyes at this book, but I found it funny. Not sure if I will read anything else by this author. Scott Hildreth’s writing style may not be for me. -
DNF
This one was not for me :/ Too sweet maybe.
One thing for sure, Kace is one of the most dumb heroine I've ever seen. I try to understand her because she comes from an abuse relationship + she has anxiety problem but argh IMPOSSIBLE !!
But still I'll read the second book ... You said pierced cock? COUNT ME IN!!
-
2.5 RATING- Ummm. Wow. That was weird and awkward. What was that? I really wanted to like this but just couldn't. One part was so violent I could barely read it. Then the part about roasting the chicken on the grill and feeding it to the girls? This book was a bit twisted. Not for me at all.
-
"My emotions were riding a roller coaster and I felt like I couldn't see the track ahead."
Shane Dekkar...
You have managed to express in one sentence what my jumbled up mess of a head, doodles, 2 worn-out pens and pages upon pages of notes have been unable to portray.
Now, I have read a lot of books and yes, there have been books that have made me cry, scream, shout, laugh, sigh....... But this book, this book! Dammit where's a sticky note when I need one... This book has crept inside of me... and I'm crying again gah! This is a book that I NEEDED to read and I am so grateful to all my friends who encouraged me to keep going, when frankly I felt like I couldn't...
Shane Dekkar hit it spot on again, when he said...
"And you probably read as much as you can - to dream. To dream of what
could be. You live through the characters in the books that you read, and
it allows you to have some form of solace, some form of peace..."
Except, I didn't find solace and peace at the start. Scott Hildreth is exceptionally talented at writing things in a raw, real and human way...
IT. IS. LIFE.
IT. ISN'T. ALWAYS. PRETTY.
IT. GOES. ON.
Abuse happens, be it physical or emotional, and Undefeated deals with it in a very real but sensitive way through Kace's story. And I felt the pain, and anguish, and hopelessness as I read... I could feel how she felt... I could understand why she acted in the way she did...
I. FELT. EVERYTHING.
EVERY. SINGLE. THING.
And it tore me apart, ripped me to shreds... that is how good Scott Hildreth's writing is! He got the feelings spot on!
"I don't want to fail...I don't know how to be alone...I doubt, from what he says, that anyone else would want me...Change scares me. It scares me to death."
I was an emotional mess for days...
BUT
I pushed through, because a wise person said to me that..."The bad in the book is necessary. It makes it real. Kace is strong. Let her be."
It reminded me of a quote by Madeleine L'Engle ~ "Maybe you have to know the darkness before you can appreciate the light"
STRENGTH.
HOPE.
LOVE.
FATE.
FRIENDSHIP.
"Holy. Shit. Yes!"
^^^ Yes! Kace! You said it! And those were my exact words as I watched their story unfold... or maybe it was ~~~>
"Ohgoodfuckinggod"
Oh, sorry, I'm getting mixed up... that would've been my thought as I was reading the Basil scene... READ IT TO FIND OUT... my lips are sealed!... All I will say is...
"I trembled. I was done. This was it. I wanted to die, right here in the kitchen, beside my precious basil. Ahh, the smell of the sweet basil."
Trust me, you will never look at that common culinary herb in the same light again...ahem!
That brings me on to Ripp *sighs*... Ok, I read Unstoppable first... so there's a bit of a crush thing going on there!
PROTECTOR.
BROTHER.
CRAZY ASS GUY.... Finger chicken *snort*
BUT Ripp's going to have to Squish *sniggers* over a bit to make a bit of room for Shane, because I've got a bit of a crush on him now as well... Oh come on, I can't help it! One minute he's acting cute and saying...
"Kith me,"
and the next...BOOM!
"I'm going to fuck you until you are incapable of simple basic tasks."
DAMN!!!
SPEECHLESS!!!
PUDDLE!!!
Damn you Scott Hildreth! I feel like I've gone 10 rounds in the ring! But in a good way!
I'm going to steal Kace's words here... because it's my review!
"What happened?" he asked
"You happened, (Scott). You happened,"
I responded, still in a daze.
Slowly, he smiled
That is how I felt after finishing Undefeated!..... I have solace and peace now... Thank-you.
I don't even feel like I should be giving it stars as a rating... this story means so much more to me than a rating of 5 stars... I feel hopeful and empowered...
"When walking away from something we were once committed to, we often hesitate. Deciding to make a major change in life is difficult. But we all reach a point when we're done - done giving to a world that only takes. Until then, you'll want, you'll wait, and you'll contemplate change. When you're truly done, you'll know. You'll know when the time comes.
You'll know when the time comes.
The time has come."
UNDEFEATED.
-
4.5 Stars
A woman needs to feel wanted. Even if she doesn't feel loved, she needs to feel as if someone wants or desires her.
I am quickly finding that I love Scott Hildreth's books. I must admit I was a bit nervous coming into Undefeated on the heels of his Baby Girl series, which I completely fell in love with. I wondered would it be a let down? Would I be disappointed? I can definitively answer that as no....I was not disappointed or let down because it is so different from the other books I have read of his. Again, I was totally engrossed in another SDH book.
To have him, for one night, be kind to me - I'd let him beat me for a week.
Undefeated is not a fluff book at all....there is domestic violence in this book that is extremely vivid. SDH does not gloss over it, it happens in real life and he shows how one woman deals with it with the help of an amazing boxer name Shane.
"Your beautiful, Kace. When you're lying in bed tonight, remember that. You're beautiful," I said softly.
The journey of Kace and Shane is innocent and extremely true (I can't think of a better word). Their love blossoms and is a saving grace for Kace. Shane falls for Kace, but wants to be sure she loves him for the right reasons and not just because he is her "hero".
"....I don't want to be your man out of a feeling of necessity. I want to be your man our of feelings of deep desire," he said....
Staying true to his writing style, SDH give us a bit of each character's mindset on the onset of each "chapter"....these tidbit are one of my favorite part of his books. The book is sexy and Kace and Shane heat up the pages. I loved Shane's best friend Ripp and am looking for his book next.
"...I'm coming, Kace. I'm coming for your heart." -
This is a true romance!! The part of the story about how this characters deal, feal and think about abuse is so realistic! There was a moment when my stomach was turning and i even felt sorry for the bad guy... Then, i started putting miself in that position and realized that THAT is common human behavior. When you read it (and you will...) you'll see what i'm talking about. Abuse brings the worst in people.
The beautiful thing about this story is that Kace and Shane in some way are reborn. Specially Kace, it's like a child tasting candy for the first time in the middle o a candy store. And the author even made me feel like the most beautiful woman in the world. I mean really- Disney has to make Shane a prince on one of their stories, maybe a kinky one but still... Just saying! -
From the first page this story had me hooked. Aspects of this book hit close to home and Kace was very real for me. Scott has a gift by placing you smack bang right in the middle of a story and taking you through the ups and downs of the characters. Never feeling that Kace or Shane were victims but placed in each other's path to make them stronger was what drew me in. Through hardship comes the greatest joy and this book had both in abundance. The secondary characters were just as important to this story and show that family is not always what you are born into but who you chose to let in. Every Kace needs a Shane.
-
Though i did like the characters: The anxiety ridden, shy, wetting herself with excitment or nervousness heroine and the old fashioned, abuse-hater, loving fighter, commited hero.
There was something REALLY off for me. There wasn't enough description when needed. There wasn't a lot of progression involved. It time jumped, without telling us it did so for a while. Needed more work for me, felt like a book draft. -
WOW! I absolutely loved it! The characters are incredible and subject matter is disturbing, but so real for far too many people. This is my first read from this author, but it will not be my last!
Undefeated may be a difficult read for survivors of abuse or those that are living through it daily and to those people....have faith and stay strong, life can be better! -
Review formulating in my brain....
-
"My emotions were riding a roller coaster and I felt like I couldn't see the track ahead."
Shane Dekkar...
You have managed to express in one sentence what my jumbled up mess of a head, doodles, 2 worn-out pens and pages upon pages of notes have been unable to portray.
Now, I have read a lot of books and yes, there have been books that have made me cry, scream, shout, laugh, sigh....... But this book, this book! Dammit where's a sticky note when I need one... This book has crept inside of me... and I'm crying again gah! This is a book that I NEEDED to read and I am so grateful to all my friends who encouraged me to keep going, when frankly I felt like I couldn't...
Shane Dekkar hit it spot on again, when he said...
"And you probably read as much as you can - to dream. To dream of what
could be. You live through the characters in the books that you read, and
it allows you to have some form of solace, some form of peace..."
Except, I didn't find solace and peace at the start. Scott Hildreth is exceptionally talented at writing things in a raw, real and human way...
IT. IS. LIFE.
IT. ISN'T. ALWAYS. PRETTY.
IT. GOES. ON.
Abuse happens, be it physical or emotional, and Undefeated deals with it in a very real but sensitive way through Kace's story. And I felt the pain, and anguish, and hopelessness as I read... I could feel how she felt... I could understand why she acted in the way she did...
I. FELT. EVERYTHING.
EVERY. SINGLE. THING.
And it tore me apart, ripped me to shreds... that is how good Scott Hildreth's writing is! He got the feelings spot on!
"I don't want to fail...I don't know how to be alone...I doubt, from what he says, that anyone else would want me...Change scares me. It scares me to death."
I was an emotional mess for days...
BUT
I pushed through, because a wise person said to me that..."The bad in the book is necessary. It makes it real. Kace is strong. Let her be."
It reminded me of a quote by Madeleine L'Engle ~ "Maybe you have to know the darkness before you can appreciate the light"
STRENGTH.
HOPE.
LOVE.
FATE.
FRIENDSHIP.
"Holy. Shit. Yes!"
^^^ Yes! Kace! You said it! And those were my exact words as I watched their story unfold... or maybe it was ~~~>
"Ohgoodfuckinggod"
Oh, sorry, I'm getting mixed up... that would've been my thought as I was reading the Basil scene... READ IT TO FIND OUT... my lips are sealed!... All I will say is...
"I trembled. I was done. This was it. I wanted to die, right here in the kitchen, beside my precious basil. Ahh, the smell of the sweet basil."
Trust me, you will never look at that common culinary herb in the same light again...ahem!
That brings me on to Ripp *sighs*... Ok, I read Unstoppable first... so there's a bit of a crush thing going on there!
PROTECTOR.
BROTHER.
CRAZY ASS GUY.... Finger chicken *snort*
BUT Ripp's going to have to Squish *sniggers* over a bit to make a bit of room for Shane, because I've got a bit of a crush on him now as well... Oh come on, I can't help it! One minute he's acting cute and saying...
"Kith me,"
and the next...BOOM!
"I'm going to fuck you until you are incapable of simple basic tasks."
DAMN!!!
SPEECHLESS!!!
PUDDLE!!!
Damn you Scott Hildreth! I feel like I've gone 10 rounds in the ring! But in a good way!
I'm going to steal Kace's words here... because it's my review!
"What happened?" he asked
"You happened, (Scott). You happened,"
I responded, still in a daze.
Slowly, he smiled
That is how I felt after finishing Undefeated!..... I have solace and peace now... Thank-you.
I don't even feel like I should be giving it stars as a rating... this story means so much more to me than a rating of 5 stars... I feel hopeful and empowered...
"When walking away from something we were once committed to, we often hesitate. Deciding to make a major change in life is difficult. But we all reach a point when we're done - done giving to a world that only takes. Until then, you'll want, you'll wait, and you'll contemplate change. When you're truly done, you'll know. You'll know when the time comes.
You'll know when the time comes.
The time has come."
UNDEFEATED.
-
Undefeated, by Scott Hildreth is a novel that everyone should read! This is not only a love story, but a story that takes on a very serious issue, abuse. This is not necessarily an easy read but anything worth having isn't necessarily easy to come by.
This is the story of Shane and Kace. Both, are broken, one outwardly one inwardly. Shane is boxer who just lost his grandfather and trainer/manager. He sets out from Compton, California to Austin, Texas to start fresh and obtain a new trainer, Kelsey. This is where he meets Mike Ripton
aka Rip! After getting in the ring together to see what Shane was made of (and knocking out Mike) the two became fast friends, brothers. Shane is quite and reserved and to some cocky, to others confident, but in the ring all bets are off! The ring is where he excises his demons. "On the outside, I am always kind, polite, and considerate of others. On the inside, demons reside...I keep the demons fed, and they allow me to live an otherwise peaceful life...As long as I continue to fight, they're fed. WHen they are fed, I am allowed. Allowed to live."
Kace is a woman who has been in an abusive relationship for over 10 years. It's not that she's weak that prevents her from leaving the relationship, it's more complicated then that. It was more that she didn't know how to leave. I've been fortunate to never have been in a relationship like Kace, but can understand why she stayed for as long as she did. "Trying to figure a way to get out of a relationship and not feel like a complete failure is difficult. Most people will never understand why I have stayed...As much as I hate the way that he has treated me, I cannot imagine giving up on us - giving up on our relationship...I don't think I know how to be alone....I often wish someone would decide for me..I don't want to fail. I only want to be loved."
On one fateful night, Kace and her boyfriend "Buster" where having an argument in a parking lot. Shane happens to witness this and comes to her aid. If there is one thing that he will NOT stand for is the abuse of women, children or the elderly,. People who can not stand up on their own.
Fast forward two years later, Kace and Shane meet again, call it fate. And from here, is where both of their journeys begin to become whole.
I highly recommend this book, but as I mentioned, there is a very heavy theme here and some of the scenes graphic, but, in my opinion tells the story. -
** Full Review To Come **
WOW. Stunning is the first word I can think of.
Scott Hildreth does it again with this amazing, heart-stopping and gut-wrenching read. This is a story centered on Kace and Shane, and how they build their relationship while Kace struggles to get out of an abusive relationship. While domestic violence IS a theme in this book, and it is presented in very realistic and raw scenes (it WILL make you wince and squirm in your seat) , it is not the overall theme in the story line and also done quite tastefully. The focus is more on HOW Kace gets out of that relationship and the role Shane plays in all of that. Kace might think Shane saved her, but she really saves herself , and I think a lot of abused women need to see that side. There are a lot of funny moments in the book which I won't specify for the sake of not spoiling. I will say this >>> " Bye. Wet. Bathroom" , "Finger chicken" and "turkey" are a few of my favorite moments.
As usual, Scott's characters each bring something to the story. There is never a character that does not serve a purpose. That being said, Mike "Ripp" Ripton, Shane's best friend, is my absolute favorite. Ripp has such a good heart and is hilarious. To me, he's the hero in this story. He's tough, mean and you see a very twisted side of him, but he is just amazing.
Shane Dekkar is a PERFECT book boyfriend. He's respectful, quiet, caring, protective and very observant, has a dark side and is basically a climax waiting to happen. ( you know what I mean). Kace is hilarious , even through her worst moments, and is a very inspiring character.
As always, I love that this author's writing brings a lot of depth and meaning to every book and character. Undefeated will definitely make you swoon,cringe, cry, laugh, think and feel.
