The MMA world that Sarah Castille creates in her Redemption series is gritty, dangerous, and violent, which is a fitting setting for the characters who reside in it because not only are they fighters in every aspect of their lives, but their pasts and perhaps even their presents dictate their successes and their struggles

The background and insights into this fighter environment illustrates Castille’s desire to paint a realistic backdrop for the series and it’s those intricacies that allow readers, who may be unfamiliar with this kind of surrounding, the necessary verbiage and information that will make them feel comfortable with this unknown scene.

Zack and Shayla’s story is a second chance romance with angst, heartbreak, and sexual tension. It’s clear that these two share a past - one that ended badly for both of them regardless of it being Zack’s decision to break up with Shayla. Unfortunately, due to miscommunication and Shayla’s inability to let her walls down, their reunion is not a happy one, which means that Zack has his work cut out for him if he wants Shayla back in his life in more than just a professional way.

It’s clear that Zack and Shayla still have a strong hold on one another despite the
‘seven years, ten months and twenty-seven days’ that they’ve been apart, the broken people they’ve become, and Shayla’s best effort to hold Zack at arm’s length.

I have to admit that it took me quite a while to warm-up to both the hero and the heroine. Zack’s jealousy and inability to verbalize necessary truths made it difficult to form a connection to him, and Shayla’s actions were beyond frustrating; her hot and cold demeanor always stalled any progress they made, and the feud between her head and her heart didn’t allow her to remain in the present or look ahead at what she and Zack could possibly have.

I love MMA romances; there’s something raw about the world the characters live in and how they fight with everything that they have regardless of the obstacles in their way. I really wanted to love Zack and Shayla’s story, but it felt like they were always working against one another, which gave me a severe case of whiplash and also made some parts of the book extremely frustrating. It’s not that I completely disliked Strong Hold; I just found it sometimes impossible, at times, to understand the characters’ motives, reactions, and actions, which left me questioning just how much they truly loved one another and if they would ever find a way to work through everything because wanting to and being able to are two drastically different ideas.

3/3.5 Poison Apples

Shayla is an amateur MMA fighter and has been burned in the past by men. Zack is a promoter for a MMA company looking for talent. He's also the man that left Shayla seven years ago. The sparks between the couple still burn but can they manage a professional and personal relationship? A real page turner and good read.

I received a copy of this book via Netgalley and am leaving a review.

Strong Hold was one fantastic story told by Sarah Castille. Two very strong people who find each other after 7 years apart have so many ups and downs in their relationship you won't think they will ever get together.
The story had a lot MMA action and romance. So many twists happen before they find their HEA.
My favorite line in the book has to be the following, it had me laughing for awhile.
“Good Lord.”Cheryl grabs my wrist, squeezes tight. “I hope you’ve got some ropes, because you’re gonna have to tie me down. That piece of man candy needs some licking, and my tongue is already wet.”
A very good read that you definitely will enjoy.

I liked this second chance romance. Shayla is one tough woman but has put up walls around her to keep her heart safe. Zach regrets what he did all of those years ago. Can they find a way to reconnect? This book has loads of drama and lots of raw emotion. I liked the story as well as the characters. An enjoyable read.

Strong Hold by Sarah Castille had all the makings of an all-star MMA romance. There's second-chance romance, a female MMA fighter, a found family group of fighters. I simply couldn't give Zack a chance.

Shayla is known as Shilla the Killa in the ring, but she is having a string of bad luck. Not only against her opponents, but on the personal front as well. Enter previous flame, Zack Grayson. He unleashes feelings better left forgotten. If only it were that easy...

I like Shayla. She is a survivor, plain and simple, and I had mad respect for her. She turned to MMA for protection, but found herself wanting it as her career. I hope to see more stories around female MMA fighters. That leaves us with why this book didn't work for me.

I'm picky with my heroes. They have to be deserving of the heroine for me to love them, and Zack didn't make the cut. He expects a hell of a lot out of Shayla for very little sacrifice and commitment on his part, and I was baffled. He left her without a goodbye, without letting her know his "plan," and then he gets angry when a year later he finally comes back for her and she has moved on. Zack commiserates on it SO MUCH, and I shook my head at him because, really? You expected her to put her life on hold without a word or promise from you? The man who gets a little wild 'n crazy with other women to boot while she's supposed to wait?

No, I have no sympathy for you. I quit pretty early on, but if you can overlook that whole Zack self-made problem, you'll get a heroine to cheer for.

I loved the Revenge & Ruin series and thought I tried something new by this author. Going in I actually thought this would be a lighter version of R&R but I was blown away by the gritty apologetically raw world that is club Redemption.

Shayla is a former ballerina turned MMA fighter. Having been burned by love in the past, she's learned that the only one she can rely on to stay safe
is herself. After getting out of an abusive marriage that ripped to shreds her dance career and almost killed her, Shayla finds herself at Redemption. Now instead of dancing on the stage, she's throwing punches and getting bruises. She carries a lot of emotional trauma from her past and a lot of anger towards Zach for leaving her all the those years ago.

Shayla is definitely a strong character but a bit broken and I definitely felt for her. There is a lot of trauma and emotional angst that stands in her way of success, both in and outside the ring. The few flashbacks we get of Shayla and Zach were so bitter sweet. To say these two have a complicated relationship would be an understatement. Both MCs are in completely different head spaces then they were 7 years ago but their hearts are still very much in love.

Oh Zach! I loved him, he is one of my favorite type of heroes. The protector alpha that will do anything and everything to always provide a safe haven for the people that he loves. Zach is sharp minded and strong bodied, and he uses every resource he has to be what Shalya needs him to be. Yes, he's a bit stubborn and suffers from severe tunnel vision when it comes to Shayla and her safety but his heart is always in the right place.

It's hard to hate an MC that is so devoted to his heroine and Zach is completely 100% devoted to Shayla. He knows he effed up royally in the
past and he takes complete responsibility for breaking Shayla's heart. but they've been separated a long time and neither one is the same person they once were. For Shayla her marriage and the end to her dreams of being a prima ballerina changed her outlook on life and turned everything upside down and for Zach it's the death of a fellow MMA fighter that died by a knockout that he delivered and the years he's been apart from the love of his life that weigh him down with guilt.

This book is emotional, angsty, gritty and raw. It wasn't what I was expecting but still the characters were engaging, their love story was intense and I was really rooting for them to finally embrace their second chance at a HEA. I hated Zach's reason for leaving and the way he did it was not cool but he was young and with his family pressure and his own insecurities about being able to provide for Shayla it fit his character. Shayla running away and latching on to the first helpful/nice person that came along was also a low blow but it shows you just how fragile and sheltered she'd been. This all could have been avoided with a little bit of communication between the two but people make mistakes and this story is how they move past that and learn from it all.

I recently discovered Sarah Castille with her Naughty Shorts series and love them. So, when I saw she was releasing a full length contemporary romance, I was all over that. Strong Hold is the fifth book in her Redemption series, but the first one I read and I loved it! Definitely going back and checking out the previous books in the series.

Zack Grayson, a fight promoter, is looking for his next MMA star, but he never expected it to be the woman he loved and left. Shayla Tanner is a on the rise as a top ranked amateur MMA fighter. Zack never stopped loving Shayla and always thought they would have a second chance. But then life got in the way. All he truly ever wanted was for Shayla to be happy. But in return, while trying to get over Zach, she ends up in a bad relationship that nearly destroys her.

Now Shayla is trying to move forward. She is stronger and more determined. She is not ready to forgive Zach, but neither can deny the attraction they feel for each other. Can they find their second chance or is it already too late?

Strong Hold by Sarah Castille was a second chance romance with all the feels. The characters had history and struggled to find a way back to each other. A story about second chances and redemption.

Read and reviewed for Sultry Sirens Book Blog.

Happy reading!

This poor girl can't catch a break and it starts right off in chapter one. Poor Shayla has her heart broken time and time again.

This is the fourth book in the series and follows Zac and Shayla within a second chance relationship. Will Shayla finally find love after everything she's been through?

The attraction is obvious, the pain is visible, what you don't see right away is why they broke up the first time they were together. Can Shayla and Zack both get past the pain the break-up caused each of them?

In this fifth book of the Redemption series we are gifted with not only one MMA fighter but two! "Shilla the Killa" and "Slayer". Shayla, aka Shilla the Killa, was eight when she first met Zack, who was thirteen at the time, and there was just something between them. At first it was friendship that grew to attraction that grew into something more but Shayla's brother didn't like Zack in her life and he made it known that what he thought of him. This is the part that gets me, Zack finally leaves Shayla for what he thinks will be a better life, as a dancer at a prestigious ballet company in New York, but her life is anything but that. She gets married to an abusive man that is much older than she is and her brother has one talk with him? And that's it? Ugghhh, men! Anyway thanks to her ex almost killing her she moves across country and goes to the Redemption gym to start her MMA career because dancing is no longer in the cards for her.

Zack has had his own set of problems and regrets in the seven years since he walked out of Shayla's life, one being that she married...he has no idea that it wasn't a good marriage, and two, in his last MMA fight the fighter he was up against died in the ring. This was a life changing event for him because he took the blame of his oppoinents death on his shoulders even though he was told it wasn't his fault, so now he is a MMA recruiter, which is what brings him to Redemption. Imagine the shock and surprise when he sees Shayla there!

If you enjoy Sports Romances this is a perfect series for you. The book can be read as a standalone but it's more enjoyable if you read the series in the order which it has been released. Happy Reading!!!

I reviewed this title for LASR (Long and Short Review) giving them the right to post my review. That said, I enjoyed this one, and look forward to reading about the other characters at Redemption.

This is the first time that I read anything from Sarah Castille. I really enjoy the writing. The characters are great and I like the couple in the book very much. They are a great couple and you can't wait to see them finally get together after years of separation. The heroine is strong and holds her own. I really like her.

This is the fifth book in a series. I like it so much that I will go and read the first 4 books too! :)

Zack and Shayla they had a love that they thought would last seven long years ago but Zack feels that he may be holding her back professionally and decides to set her free. He wants to make something of himself and come back for her. Shayla is left devastated and heartbroken a year an no Zack she decides to move and marry another. She is now divorced and broken she is certainly not the woman that Zack left all those years ago. He has finally returned but is it too late for a second chance .
~~Michele McMullen ~~

Your heart will break in the first chapter. Shayla just went from one broken heart and soul to another. It wasn't until she was at her lowest that she put her sadness, hurt disappointment and anger into healing herself through MMA. She also finds herself a family.

On a whim, Zack goes to see a new fighter only to find his own ........REDEMPTION.

Strong Hold by Sarah Castille is book Five in the Redemption series. This is the story of Zack Grayson and Shayla Tanner. I have read the previous book but feel this can be a standalone book.
Zack and Shayla once had a relationship but Zack walked away from it. While trying to move on Shayla ended up in a very bad relationship which brought her to the next part of her life. Becoming a fighter in her personal life and moving on to be a Top amateur MMA fighter. Shayla is now called "Shilla the Killa" in the fighter world. Zack is a promoter now looking for the next MMA which leads him to Shayla. Time has changed them both and this is their time to get back what them missed if they can let their emotions go.
Exciting Read!

I have been a huge fan since she started writing her Redemption series. I was super excited when I heard she was bringing us a new book out of this series! WOW!!!! I could not take my eyes off each word. Zack had me from the get go and Shayla was my hero. When I saw the heartbreak and then the endurance to put their lives back together, I was lost in their world. I love a good fight series, but Sarah adds more heart than what I have read in the past. You will fall for these characters. You will get all warm and gooey when you are brought back with old friends.

The emotions this book brought out of me was something furious. You will be feeling a storm brewing and want to throat punch a few characters a time or two. What can I say? Strong Hold brought out the beast in me lol. MUST READ for the summer! You need to make sure you have a quiet weekend ready because once you start this book, you will not put it down!

Zach broke Shayla’s heart when she was just 18 by taking her virginity and then walking away. Shayla fled to New York to study ballet and ended up marrying her teacher, who ended up almost killing her. So she takes back her life and decides that she doesn’t need a man to protect her or be protected from and she becomes a MMA fighter. When she’s 25, Zach (who has become a 4-time world MMA champion fighter) accidentally walks back into her life. The sparks are still there between them, but can they overcome the heartbreak they gave each other?

This book just broke my heart. Shayla became a strong woman but she was still broken. And I couldn’t help but love Zach because he never stopped loving Shayla, he just made a big mistake by walking away from her the first time. The only thing that I thought was kinda left in mid air was why did Shayla’s brother hate Zach so much and yet he was never around Shayla when she was at Redemption? This book will break your heart, give you a laugh, make you swoon and the sex scenes ... just hot!

I received an ARC courtesy of Sourcebooks Casablanca through NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.

This is my first book from the series and I can't believe it that I didn't know about this one because I love to read MMA. It is emotionally second chance love story between retired MMA champion Zack and former ballerina now amateur fighter Shayla. After many years Zack and Shayla's path is cross again but everything is different, especially Shayla because of her traumatic years since Zach and her broke up. Zack cannot believe that Shayla is back in his life and he will do anything that she stays in his life for good. The story was solid strong with great character, main and all the others it was great to see Redemption "family" and how they stood together. Also, the scenes between Zack and Shayla were hot. We see two different fights in the book and both were enjoyable to read.
I volunteered to review an ARC of this book for Netgelly.

I have been a HUGE fan of the Redemption series by Sarah Castille and almost jumped for joy when I saw that we were getting Shayla/Shilla "the Killa's" story. And boy did it deliver!! OMG did I love this story!! It was tumultuous to a T with a high amount of emotional intensity but was also so hot and sexy my kindle practically set off smoke alarms. Without a doubt, Zach and Shayla's second chance romance was an AMAZING addition to the series. I could not get enough!

When Shayla was abandoned by boyfriend Zach to pursue his MMA dreams, she rose up from the ashes, picked herself up from her heartache and abandonment and turned her life around, despite tragic circumstances following Zach's departure from her life. But when Zach returns to Redemption and Shayla's life neither of them would be prepared for their feelings picking up where they left off coupled with major feelings of resentment and blame on both sides.

I absolutely loved this story and seeing the entire Redemption cast from previous stories. It was like seeing friends from the past. I loved Zach and Shayla in particular because this story highlighted the growth they both needed to make in order to be together again. They not only needed to forgive one another but themselves and I seriously was hooked on every page. This story was so sexy, emotional and absolutely amazing. I HOPE we get more from this series in the future!!

I would like to thank NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for an advanced copy of this book for an honest review. Bravo! 4.5 stars! ~Ratula

Seven years ago Zack left Shayla so she could follow her dreams. His plan was to return to her once he had made a name for himself and secured his and her future. However, things didn’t work out that way. Shayla was heartbroken when he left her and she moved to begin her career. A year later she was married and still trying to get over Zack and the way he had destroyed her.

After her marriage leaves her even more damaged, she sets out to build a new better Shayla. Now she’s only months away from possibly accomplishing her new dream and Zack has reentered her life. Despite his explanations, Shayla can’t seem to let the past go even while she clings to Zacks sweet kisses.

I enjoyed the fighting background this book is set against. The guys in the gym really helped to push this story along. I did have some issues however. Zack had always planned to return to Shayla but he never told her before he left what his plan was. He assumed she would go to New York and wait for him although he had given her no indication to do so. He thought their love (that he had broken to smithereens) would hold her to him. Shayla did so much pushing away it drove me crazy. One minute it was “this is just professional” and the next she was clinging to him before pulling away and telling him no. A little would have been understandable but it went on for most of the book.

I felt like this had a slower pace to it but I didn’t skim anything. The steam was sizzling and the outside relationship drama was nice because it took me away from all the pushing. The fighting was also well done and I especially enjoyed that this couple found strength to face their own weaknesses and fears and dealt with him appropriately.

Overall, if you enjoy a hero that is jealous and possessive along with the push and pull from the heroine, you’ll enjoy this one.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book provided by NetGalley and Sourcebooks. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Teenage loves Zach Grayson and Shayla Tanner thought they would be together forever. Him an MMA fighter and her a famous ballerina. While they both accomplished their professional plans they didn't do it together. Zach walked away and Shayla went to NY alone. Now almost eight years later they are reunited at Redemption, a top rated MMA training facility. Can they get beyond the past to see how great their future could be?

This was a very well done book with great writing, intriguing characters and a nice pace to the story. It was nice to go back to Redemption again but you can easily read this as a standalone. I highly recommend it.