DEFYING THE ODDS by Kele Moon

Defying the Odds by Kele Moon
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

NetGalley free read

Melody has moved to the small town of Garnet in order to ge away from her abusive ex-husband Justin, who seems to be obsessed with her and has threatened her. While waitressing at a small diner, she meets UFC MMA champ Clay "Powerhouse" Powers. She doesn't know he's a fighter and it seems all the men in Garnet are grown big.

At first, Clay is under the impression that him being a fighter would be an issue for Melody since his best friend/foster brother and town sheriff, Wyatt, tells him about her past as well as her reaction to him. But Clay can't seem to stay away from the diner and the pretty curvy blond.

They become friends quickly first, with Clay waiting for her at the end of her shift and at time helping her. But one night when Melody's car won't start and Clay is still in the parking lot, they realize they have a chemistry they can't deny. But as soon as they've started, Melody ends things when she realizes her disturbed ex-husband may be able to find out where she lives. Melody intends to leave town as soon as she can save money and tells Clay they can't be together. Clay knows something else is up, because he can see in her face that she cares as much for him as he does for her.

Clay is about to fight one of his biggest fight and his heart isn't in it. Wyatt and his sister Jules convince Melody to go to Vegas as their trump card to get Clay to care about the fight. During the fight as it looks like he may be losing, Wyatt points Melody out in the stands, which causes Clay to get angry and he takes it out on his opponent and wins.

Melody tells Clay that Justin, could know where she is. Clay tells her they will handle it together. While in Vegas, they tell each other they love each other. Melody thinks things couldn't get better only to turn a corner and find Justin there for her. He brandish's a gun while Clay's opposition, Romeo grabs Melody trying to get her away. Clay finds them only to be shot by Justin, but not before beating him to a pulp.

The story was fine, but it just felt a little rushed to me. I loved Clay as the strong silent time, but I have to say that at the beginning of the book I wasn't sure if there was something wrong with him. Like maybe he was a little slow (I hope I'm not offending anyone by saying that). But I wasn't sure at first if he was our leading man. But, I quickly changed my mind as I loved how he was a little damaged as Melody was, by their pasts, which meant he was just quiet and didn't suffer fools.

I loved how he loved Melody for who she was, a few pounds overweight, glasses because she couldn't see, and sweet personality. He saw then angel inside her.

Back to the story being rushed. I felt like her getting the summons was great, but the request for the people to let her know if her husband got the information with her address was sort of left hanging. I would have thought that would have been a better direction then him showing up in Vegas. And why didn't Melody think of that with the cameras being around after the match. Not that he would show in Vegas, because since his house was being foreclosed on he had lost his job, I wouldn't think he would just go to Vegas, but she should have realized he may see where she was. Then he says someone by the name of Charlie saw her on television. Who the heck is Charlie?

I also thought that Clay's history was a glossed over a little. I seemed like an afterthought.

They fell in love so quickly, I was shocked. Don't get me wrong, after someone goes through what Melody has with her husband and her mother not believing her, she deserves all good things. It just felt, and I will use the word again, rushed.

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