Making It by Christine d’Abo
Book #3: Ringside Romance Series
Source: Netgalley
My Rating: 4/5 stars

Devan has spent the last three years in mourning. On the night of his greatest tragedy, the loss of his unborn child, his husband, Eli also walked out on him. For three years Devan has tried to put his life back together, move forward, but that’s hard to do when your ex hasn’t signed the divorce papers and there’s no closure. What’s more, Devan still doesn’t know precisely why Eli left him.

Eli . . . .

For three years, Eli has worked to build his MMA career, hide the fact that he’s gay (for his career, of course!), and try to understand why he was such a coward and walked out on the only man he has ever loved. Though he never told Devan as much, their life together was everything and leaving it all behind in a fit of unspoken despair was the greatest mistake of Eli’s life. Now, after three long and somewhat miserable years, Eli has a chance to make things right.

Devan . . . .

Hearing of Eli’s return to town should throw Devan into a tailspin, but what it does is strengthen his resolve to get his divorce. Though he isn’t exactly comfortable with the ambush Eli in a public place approach, it is the safest way to safeguard his heart and minimize the risk of an episode. What Devan doesn’t count on is the support of old friends and some surprising news and behavior from Eli. For three years, Devan has lived under the assumption Eli has been ignoring his requests for a divorce when, in fact, the messages have never even reached his ex. What’s more, in their time apart, Eli has matured, mellowed out, and seems genuinely interested in making amends. To Devan is wary of this is a huge understatement.

Eli . . . .

Never in his wildest dreams would Eli suspect Devan of still wanting him or being receptive to taking him back. All Eli wants is to apologize and make things right, and that means providing Devan with some context for his previously horrifying, heartbreaking, and unexplained behavior. With each revelation, Eli is reminded of the many reasons he first fell in love with Devan. Devan is kind, compassionate, and understanding and it is those same qualities that are allowing Eli more and more time with Devan. Their encounters are heated, both emotionally and physically, and driven toward forgiveness, but real love is hard deny and becomes abundantly clear to both men that there may be a future for them even after all the pain.

The Bottom Line: Christine d’Abo is the queen of second chance romance!! Making It, what I am assuming is the final book in the Ringside Romance series, ends the trilogy on a high note with Devan and Eli coming through tremendous pain to once again find each other. This has a bit of everything for the gay romance lover including emotional drama, tender moments, very real trials, and moments of utter happiness. All of the original Ringside men and their partners come to call in Making It and you all well know, I love it when old characters come back to play once again. There is such a sense of love, friendship, and family in this series and that is what has kept me coming back time and again for more. If this is in fact the end of the series, well done, Christine d’Abo, well done!

A mostly enjoyable second chance romance that was heaps better than Faking It - which I hated - but not as good as Working It (for me, the best title in the series). The characters and the story for Making It were fine, but I didn't fall in love with them the way I did in book one. Nice to see Ringside finally up and running, and to check in with previous couples (always nice). I'll read book four Losing it eventually, which looks interesting

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Lee’Anne – ☆☆☆☆
I think my favorite part of this book was that it’s unique while not going so far outside the norm that it’s unrealistic. I’m always a fan of second chance romances and this one isn’t an exception – I really enjoyed it.

Eli and Devan are married shortly after only being together a short time. They’ve been trying to have a child together for quite a while and when their surrogate suffers another miscarriage, Eli uses it as an excuse to leave Devan’s life. Eli is an MMA fighter who is being pushed by his rude as heck manager to stay in the closet, on top of the stress of his mother’s health issues. Now, almost two years later, Eli returns to help his friends promote their local gym and discovers a huge surprise – Devan has an 11-month old son who could possibly be biologically his. The attraction, of course, is still there and Eli knows he still loves Devan, but he has a lot of trust to regain with Devan and it’s not going to be easy.

I loved both of the main characters – Devan is an amazing father and I think it’s great that he didn’t take Eli back right away, Devan really made Eli work to gain his trust back. Even going as far as to let Eli babysit while he went out on dates with other men. The book is definitely enjoyable and can be read as a standalone.


Angie – ☆☆☆☆
I seriously had déjà vu when I read this book. I felt like I had read this story before. Maybe it was previously published or just so similar to something I have read before? The story was good. Eli and Devan were married, planned to have a baby, and then Eli bolted. Three years later, they are thrown back together. You can tell there is chemistry and you want them to work things out. I do like how independent Devan is, he had a goal and he achieved it. I couldn't believe how blind Eli was about his manager and then when he confronted him, I would have beat him down and he didn't! This was a sweet second chance love story with a little angst in there for good measure.


Sarah – ☆☆☆
I find it incredibly difficult to engage with a romance when I thoroughly dislike one of the main characters from the start and Eli is unforgivably awful! He runs away from his husband after their surrogate miscarries their child. He runs away from his mother after she has a stroke. Even married, he stays in the closet because he prioritises his MMA career above everything.

When Eli comes back to town, he is followed by all his MMA publicity and hype. He doesn’t seek Devan out for an apology. I wanted Devan to grab his child and run, but he is too nice. And ‘nice’ is just as much a kiss of death in romance as it is in life. Sweet, kind, funny, and good, Devan allows himself to be swept up in Eli’s charisma. Urgh. I know these couples in real life. I want my romance heroes to be strong and brave and honourable.

Things get some better near the end. The role of Eli’s manager in his life should make it easier to forgive Eli but for me, it just confirmed that Eli was willing to sacrifice everything for his MMA career. We do get some flashy displays of commitment and remorse from Eli. They are kinda sweet. But I’m not sure his last minute choices make up for leaving Devan or treating him badly.

Beyond the romance, I enjoyed seeing the gym finally up and running and I liked watching the two previous couples settled and happy. I’m not a fan of babies in books and Devan’s father moments are a little too sweetly domestic for me. I’ve enjoyed this series but this definitely isn’t my favourite book in the series.


Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
This is the third book in the series and rounds off the three friends who trained together as youngsters and bring back to life their gym; either by running it. funding it, or publicising it. They each find their happily ever after along the way – and whilst you could read them in any order, as they are loosely linked, there is a natural order. I would say this is the least connected of the three.

I enjoyed the premise behind the story, and as we got to know Eli better, we could start to understand what was going through his head three years ago, but I am not sure I would be as forgiving as Devan. Definitely a case of "what the heart wants," even if he makes some rules! For all the conflict, in and out of the ring, there was a rather effective, down to earth quality about both the men which was very refreshing. Eli was doing maintenance at his mum's house, Devan was a bit of a messy person about the house. I enjoyed the familiarity which made their time together much more significant, and yet still new and hot, as they relearned each other.

A really good series, which dealt with a good range of issues, with both some super hot guys, and some unexpected twists. Thank you, Ms. d'Abo.


Shannan – ☆☆☆☆
3.5 Stars

Devan thought he and Eli were on the path to the next big thing in their lives. Eli was perfect for him. All that was missing was the child he couldn't wait to raise with Eli. When the surrogate suffers another miscarriage, it's too much for Eli. The stress he's been carrying around finally gets the best of him and he thinks Devan would be better without him.

The stress Eli carries between his manager that forces him to stay in the closet, his mother's health, and not knowing if having a child with Devan is exactly what he wants is burying him. After almost two years he's coming back to Ringside to help promote a fight. It's possibly the worst or best thing that can happen to him. He knows he'll see Devan but what he isn't expecting is seeing Devan's son.

I really enjoyed this series. The group of friends finding their happily ever afters with some drama and MMA thrown in.

This book had some great characters. Devan and Eli were unique and complex. This was a nice second chance romance. The story was a fast paced one that kept me interested. The mistakes and problems these guys had I could actually see coming but it didn't stop me from wanting to see how they handled them. Devan was a bit high strung, he needed Eli's strength. Even as Eli needed Devan's heart. These guys tended to make more problems for themselves than they needed to but they figured it out. This book had a really lovely ending. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I've loved Christine d'Abo's Ringside Romance series from the beginning, but this one is my absolute favorite. Eli has been mentioned in the previous Ringside novels, but this is the first time we actually see him on screen, and I think he's my favorite of the men of Ringside.

Devan and Eli are both great characters, interesting and well-developed, and their story unfolds in a natural and engaging tale. Neither character ever seems to fall into cliche; they are unique individuals with strengths and weaknesses, virtues and vices, and d'Abo is careful that neither character is portrayed as a saint or villain in the tale. Speaking of villains, this story has a great antagonist in Eli's overbearing manager Stephan, who wants a successful top-match fighter in his stable no matter what the personal cost to Eli might be. I was pleased to see a great supporting cast of characters here; the other men of Ringside and their partners are more present in this story than in the others, and Devan's best friend is often a frank female voice in an otherwise testosterone heavy story.

The book features great pacing; I was never bored or bogged down with unnecessary details, nor did I ever feel that the author was rushing toward the end. The story is hot and sweet, fun and real in its romantic progression, and while you can count on the happily ever after, d'Abo does make her characters and her readers work for it. This relationship is one fight that Eli desperately needs to win, but his usual approach isn't going to work for victory out of the ring.

I'd recommend all of the Ringside novels, but this one does stand out. Reading them in order is probably helpful, but I don't think it's necessary. Each of the novels works as a stand-alone story, even this one which does include the previous characters more. The backstories aren't so important to this story as to make the plot difficult to understand, so you could start here and still enjoy the men of Ringside. It will probably make you want to read the rest.

ARC received from Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Cover Love 5 Meows I think it really shows Eli and has that ringside feel.
Devan had it all. a wonderful marriage, a great husband, and a baby on the way. Everything was perfect until he lost it all in one night.
Eli thought he wanted the same things Devan wanted but what he wanted were his career and Devan. After their surrogate's second miscarriage and seeing Devan so hurt he was overwhelmed and left.
Three years later he finds himself back in Toronto, His mother having another stroke, the rental house in disrepair and needing a break. His friend Zach is reopening Ringside a place he grew up in and he promised to do some promo and help him launch the grand opening. He didn't plan to see Devan with a baby that could be his.
I loved both Eli and Devan. They both touched my heart in different ways. I wanted to hate Eli but I just couldn't even dislike him. I could see his side of it all as well as Devan's. The story line is good as well as the characters and it was nice seeing bits of the other men from the previous books. Though this is a book three you don't have to read in order.
If you like sports romance, second chances, MMA fighters and adorable babies you will love this one!

Not a bad second-chance romance, but, guys, guys, guys - why didn't you just talk? Grrr!!!
This book can be read as a standalone, as the leads from previous tales don't feature much, and neither of these guys featured in prev tales.

It's not a bad tale of exes who come back into each other's lives, but, there's a lot that could have been resolved if they'd only spoken when things went pear-shaped, as they weren't warring enemies, and, 3yrs silence was a lot to take.

If I'm entirely honest, it's the weakest in the series, and, didn't entirely tie in for me, though it did end with what I *think* will end up being second time lucky.

ARC courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley, for my reading pleasure.

The beginning of Making It was heartbreaking and it didn’t get much better from there. This is one of those books where I was exceedingly glad that readers got both POVs. Otherwise Eli wouldn’t have stood a chance, I would have totally sided with Devan after Eli broke his heart and his trust. Because Christine D’Abo let us into the turmoil surrounding Eli’s heart and mind, my heart was breaking for both of these men.

There was a lot to love about Making It. I loved Devan’s relationship with his son. I loved the growing relationship between Eli and the baby that may or may not be his. I loved the cautiousness from Devan that was totally warranted and believable in their situation. He didn’t want to risk his heart or his son’s, which made me love him even more. I loved Eli’s determination to make things right because he knew how bad he had hurt Devan, even though neither one of them had all the facts. The only thing that frustrated me was what it took to knock some sense into Devan… What I really, really loved was how Eli’s friends didn’t cut him any slack for his actions, both past and present.

I think what I love most about the Ringside Romance series is the sense of family. These guys have had each others’ backs for a lifetime and the new men in their lives just added to the circle. I can’t wait to see what happens next. I’m not sure why I thought that Making It was the last book in this series, but finding out that Losing It is coming next was a pleasant surprise. 😉

Yet another novel in this series, I enjoyed this one as much as I enjoyed the others. I usually do. They all mostly deal with the pressure of coming out in a hypermasculine, sports world, so if you've read the previous books it's not going to be anything new. Still, the characters were likable and it was fun to watch them fall in love.

Making It is the third in the Ringside series, and unfortunately, I did not like it as much or connect to it as I did the first two. The main problem I had with Making It is Eli. I don't think I ever quite connected with him. His reasons for abandoning his marriage so abruptly never quite rang true, nor did he ever grovel enough (or much at all) to earn Devan's forgiveness. Devan wasn't without his faults, though, nor did the ending of their marriage lie completely on Eli's shoulders, but he was a much more compassionate, likable character than Eli.

Eli has come back home three long years after abandoning Devan and their marriage. He's not there to see Devan, though, he's there to see to his mother and to help Zack and Nolan promote Ringside. When Devan hears that Eli's back in town, though, he has one thing on his mind, and it's not to get his estranged husband back, no, it's to get the jerk to sign the divorce papers he has been refusing to sign for the last three years. Their reunion is less than friendly, of course, and when Eli shows up at Devan's to possibly soothe his feelings, he sees the last thing he'd ever expected - Devan with a child who could possibly be his.

As Eli and Devan resume their relationship, I was just waiting for the other shoe to drop. Whatever their failings the first time around, they certainly hadn't resolved them, so to try to resume a relationship without fixing what had gone wrong the first time was just ridiculous. And Eli wasn't any more open this time than he was the first time, so it was inevitable that they'd have a big blowup. The catch would be if they could get past it, if they could do something different than they had done previously. If they could actually communicate with each other instead of running away or bottling things up.

I wanted more for Devan. I felt he deserved a man as loving and as great a father as he was. And I don't think he got that in Eli. Eli's character didn't do a whole lot of growth in Making It. He started off as a closed off, angry man and he ended the same way. About the only concession he made was to finally, finally make Devan his priority, where he hadn't ever done that previously. Devan too, didn't do much growth, but I don't think he necessarily needed to do a lot of it. He did, though, at least understand that the end of their marriage hadn't been entirely Eli's fault, so I appreciated that. Still, I wanted a lot more for these two, and unfortunately they didn't get it. Devan didn't get the man he deserved, but at least Eli finally came to appreciate how important Devan was to him.

I so wanted to like Making It, because I loved Working It and Faking It, but this time I just couldn't. I didn't hate it, I just didn't love it or even really like it. I did like Devan and the support system he had in Meg, and it was great seeing Zack and Nolan and Max and Grady, but they were not enough to rescue Making It or make it likable for me. I'm hoping there will be more from the Ringside world, though, because it's been nice seeing three couples make it work.

4.5 Stars!!!

Making It is book 3 in the Ringside Romance series and it can be read as a standalone, however, I suggest reading the previous books, you won't regret it, this is a great series and you're missing out.

I absolutely loved Devan right from the start and my heart broke along with his when Eli left him at the start of the book. I loved his inner strength, his resilience and the great capacity to love and realize his dreams despite the hard things he's lived through. He was amazing with Mattie and a great friend for Meg. I liked Eli, although there were moments in which I wanted to scream at him. I am aware he was going through a lot of things, both three years before when he left Devan and then when he returned, but the way he behaved with Devan was almost inexcusable. Almost, because he did try his best to make up for it. The chemistry and love between Devan and Eli were undeniable and I just adored them together.

I loved Mattie and Meg, and of course, I loved catching up with Nolan and Zack and Max and Grady. I hated Eli's agent, Stephan, with the fire of a thousand suns, though. He was a despicable excuse for a human being.

Overall, while Working It remains my favorite of the three books, Making It is a very close second. It was a very entertaining read, sweet, angsty, hot and as fabulously written as the rest of the series. Very recommendable!

*** Copy provided to the reviewer by Riptide Publishing via NetGalley for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement. ***

I had mixed feelings going into this book – I was really looking forward to Eli’s story, but I’m not generally a fan of children/babies in my stories. I’m glad I gave it a shot though, because it was a sweet story once the guys got over the various bumps in the road.

Eli is an up and coming MMA superstar. Because of this, he was forced to keep his marriage and relationship to a man secret. When a second attempt at having a baby failed, along with other pressures in Eli’s life, he imploded and ran.

Devan, having a baby and someone to love and love him back unconditionally was something he longed for. He thought Eli was on the same page as him, but after Eli’s departure, Devan went ahead on his own. Now, fast forward three years, and Eli is back in town to help his friends promote the opening of Ringside Gym (we met him and the other guys in the previous books).

When Devan takes the opportunity to finally get in contact with Eli to sign the divorce papers, something he has been unable to accomplish up to this point, they each realize the feelings are still there. Eli knows he has a lot to make up for and whether the baby is his or not, realizes he wants to try and make a life with Devan. Unfortunately, his career is in the way of that happening. Or, more specifically, his manager, with whom he is stuck in a ridiculously strict contract. So, Eli is torn and stuck in the middle of towing the line with the sleezy manager, or facing the possibility of said manager ruining his career at best, making life more miserable for Devan at the worst.

In the end, Eli makes the right choices, but he doesn’t have it easy, which is to be expected. I didn’t enjoy this quite as much as the previous stories, but that is mainly because of the dynamics at play here and the fact that the end was wrapped up way too quickly. Something that was a worry throughout the entire story is taken care of in a few pages and it felt glossed over. Other than that, it was a great addition to the series. It was great seeing the other guys again from the previous stories, and I’m definitely looking forward to more.

Devan knows exactly what he wants from life: a good career, a husband who loves him, and a child to call his own. He’s working at the perfect job, and has found the man of his dreams in Eli. That only leaves one box left to tick. When his friend offers to be a surrogate mother for Devan and Eli, he’s convinced all his dreams have come true.
Eli has been fighting his entire life. Fighting to keep his sick mother safe, fighting his frustration, and fighting daily as an up-and-coming MMA star. The one thing he can’t fight is the feeling that he’s made a terrible mistake agreeing to be a father with Devan. On the worst night of their lives, Eli knows Devan is better off without him, and leaves.
When Eli returns three years later, he comes face-to-face with Devan and a son who might be his. Devan has moved on with his life, but seeing Eli once again reignites forgotten passion. Yet if Eli wants to make it work with Devan, he must decide if he’s ready for the biggest fight of his life.

Source: Advance electronic copy in exchange for an honest review.

Eli's a messed up dude. His past has completely wrecked him, leaving him no ability to deal with emotions. Couple that with living deep in the closet as an MMA fighter and he is just a mess. Devan's actually got his life together, but sometimes ignores what others want or need when he's focused on his goals. When Eli leaves him without warning, he's devastated. When Eli suddenly comes back to town, he's conflicted.

Devan has to figure out if he can move on from the past and Eli has to figure out what he's willing to do for love and family. Making It has d'Abo's signature smoking hot sex, a sexy fighter, and a baby! What more could you ask for?

Making It is the third in the Ringside Romance series, each featuring a different friend - Zack, Max, and Eli grew up together training at Ringside. Now they are re-opening Ringside and finding love. Book 1, Working It, is my favorite of the series, but all three are well worth the read.

In the world of boxing and MMA, sometimes the biggest fights are outside the ring. Devan and Eli's journey packs a punch right in the feels and you'll find yourself wondering just who will win the match.

I like the series and thought Making It was a good addition. The story was about second chances, redemption, and forgiveness.

Both characters were so wrapped up in themselves and their pain it took time for the clouds to clear and focus on their relationship.

It was a fast read with enough drama and romance to keep the reader interested.

I received an ARC for a honest review

This is the third book in the Ringside Romance series. While I did enjoy Making It, it’s probably my least favorite in the series. I just felt that things moved a bit fast. I love a second chance romance, but Devan seemed to forgive a little too easily when it comes to Eli walking out on him three previous prior. I did appreciate Eli’s friends being honest with him about how he didn’t treat Devan right. That’s one thing that Eli definitely knows, but he’s trying to prove to Devan that they can still be together. Of course, that’s still difficult when Eli is an up and coming MMA fighter who nobody knows is gay.

I do love both guys and I want it to work, of course, but I guess I hoped there would be a more of a wait or Eli would have to do more to prove himself. At any rate, this is a fun series, and I would still recommend you check them all out. You can read them out of order, but you see the previous couples in each subsequent book so reading them in order would help you understand them more!

3.5 stars for book 3 of the Ringside Romance series

While it can be read as a stand-alone romance, the previous book characters do make appearances. If you read this one alone, you'll miss the boxing gym's background as well as the bar's background. Neither of those things will impact your understanding of this story, but I always prefer to know all the background in a series and enjoy reappearances of favorite characters.

This one features MMA fighter Eli. Pursuing a career in a still largely homophobic sport, Eli has to make tough decisions about revealing who he is.

The strong, silent type who deals with emotions in the boxing ring, Eli is unprepared to confront the pain with his husband when their surrogate mother miscarries for the 2nd time. He walks out on Devan at the worst possible time.

Three long years later, Devon has picked up the pieces and moved on with his life. Making his own dreams come true. The only thing still hanging over his head is the unsigned divorce paper he's been trying to get to Eli for the last three years.

When Eli makes an appearance in his home town, Devon is determined to get the signature that will allow him to finally put the past behind him.

It's quite painful to watch them come back together. We were introduced to them during an intensely emotional scene. Seeing them face each other again after three long years is nerve racking.

The first reveal is a "dear in headlights" one. The second one is more of a gut-punch. The climax felt a little too convenient but I could roll with it. I seriously hated Eli's manager. I wanted to climb through my Kindle and get at him myself.

I enjoyed the story. I didn't doubt that these two loved each other even though their choices confused me. I found the surrogate mother scenario just a bit out in left field. But, like all escape fiction, you just have to roll with some of these assumptions.

I am a fan of this series.