I loved this story and the characters, I read it in one sitting because I couldn't put it down, it was simply amazing!

Isla and "Brick" are the knockout characters, but everyone in this book contributes to the charm. Even linguistics had never seemed so sexy before Kelly Siskind put her mark on it. Such a cute worthy romp!

The Showmen continues on with its 4th instalment and it definitely does not disappoint. A tall, muscle-y gentle soul boxer and the daughter of a former boxer who is starting her own business in helping athletes and others with physical injuries dance around each other and their feelings while having cute and touching moments. Add an adorable ‘ugly’ dog, cute niece and nephew and a big boxing match in Vegas, you have got an fantastic story that you will enjoy following.

I've waffled over the rating for this one and landed on 2.5 stars because the story premise is good. Unfortunately, underdeveloped characters and a goes-nowhere plot sabotage the best bits, and drop the grade down into C-/D+ territory.

The Knockout Rule is told from the dual PoVs of Isla Slade, a physiotherapist raised primarily by her father - a former boxer, and Eric Kramarov (aka "Brick Kramarov"), a a quiet Jewish boy who loves to read and study, but better known by boxing fans as Brick Kramarov, an illiterate brute with a loud mouth and big fists. These two meet not-so-cute after Isla's father - Brick's trainer - calls in a favor and asks Isla to travel with the pair to Vegas and work with Brick in advance of a prize fight.

Isla doesn't want to help her dad. After struggling to see her father hurt in the boxing ring and treating one-too-many boxers with painful injuries of their own, she's done working with boxers. Isla's almost ready to launch her own business (with financial help from her dad), and while she's looking for one or two professional athletes to help attract more clients, none of them are boxers. Not taking on boxing clients is fundamental to both her business plan and her mental health and happiness and she won't compromise on these fundamentals - even for her beloved dad.

Unfortunately for Isla, her dad REALLY needs this favor. He's been keeping a secret from her and since his money helped finance her new business, she decides she can't say no. EVEN THOUGH SHE REALLY WANTS TO. (but then where would this story go?). Isla has PRINCIPALS except when the author needs her to ignore them. Ahem.

Eric found boxing after he was bullied in school. The fight in Vegas promises a big payday - enough to help his family (his mom and a sister with twins) stop living paycheck to paycheck. Eric is as far from his public persona as it’s possible to be - he's brilliant, loves languages (and speaks several fluently), poetry and his family. He’s big and tough and dedicated to his career, but boxing isn’t his first love. It’s a means to an end and he intends to win this fight. He isn’t crazy about the last minute change in physiotherapist, but he trusts his trainer and his agent and goes along with it.

Eric and Isla get off to an awkward start when they meet on the private jet (that belongs to Preston Church, Eric’s agent) taking them to Vegas. Despite her surprise at Eric’s good looks (and his at hers), Isla treats him like the dumb boxer she believes him to be. Eric, annoyed by her assumptions, acts the part. Leaving him with his dog in the back of the plane, Isla returns to her seat convinced she’s somehow read Eric wrong - but not sure how. Fortunately, she’s distracted by Preston who’s determinedly trying to get her to agree to a date.

Well, you know how this goes right? Eric and Isla fight an attraction to each other...But wait! Not so fast. Isla doesn’t date boxers, but she is single and looking to mingle. Actually, she isn't. This is a convenient (and ridiculous) plot contrivance that allows Isla to rationalize dating Preston (who reps boxers and is a manslut), who relentlessly pursues her and it provides the author with a way for Eric to woo Isla without her knowing it. Preston solicits Eric’s help with poetry in exchange for cash to help his family.

The whole thing - the false persona Preston adopts, Eric’s creepy creeping on her dates, Preston’s “loan” in exchange for tricks to win a women with whom he has zero chemistry or anything in common - is ludicrous and only necessary in order for the author to find a way to bring together a pair who ALREADY like each other and are in lust whenever they’re together. CAN'T THEY JUST FUCKING LIKE EACH OTHER AND REALIZE IT MIGHT BE MORE? Geez. Develop your freaking characters instead of this bizarre charade of a plot. Moving on.

So obviously, while I liked the opposites attract premise, the author completely fumbles this love story. Isla has a very real problem with boxing.
Growing up with an adoring father for a boxing legend isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. It looks more like hospital visits, bloody noses, and cracked ribs.
Readers can easily empathise with her reasons for trying to keep her distance from Eric. But once the author establishes this character baseline, love and lust completely cloud the issue. Isla becomes this boring, cardboard caricature of a daughter/girlfriend ruled by fear who nevertheless does and says things completely contrary to her character. She’s overbearing and slightly ridiculous with her dad - who essentially goes AWOL once they arrive in Las Vegas - and instead of liking and sympathizing with her situation, you just want to tell her to shit or get off the pot already. And the author's insistence on littering her PoV with poetry is completely distracting. The poetry is - alright? - but random and unnecessary, and the transitions that lead into these 'saying the exact same thing except in a poem,' are non-existent and awkward. Where is the editor? None of these are necessary and they detract from the flow of the narrative.

Meanwhile, Eric seems like the perfect boxer. Smart, physically strong and capable, dedicated...yep, that’s about it. He’s really smart. He’s a really good boxer. He loves his family. Beyond this trifecta of qualities we knew within five minutes of reading about him, there isn’t much more to this guy. Oh, he falls in love with Isla in the span of one afternoon in the mall.

This romance feels like two strangers meeting, falling instantly in love, and then being forced to wait while their writer spins an entire story around them in order to keep them apart. There’s little plot or character development, the dialogue is stilted, the poetry is distracting, and what seemed like a promising story stumbles and fumbles into a fairy tale happily ever after.

It’s boring folks.

It was an excellent story, full of good love and great poetry.
This is not the tipycal behavior of two people who don´t know to love well.
Isla and Eriw will show you how is the real, love besides every problem o circumstances.

I identified myself with some problems that Isla is living, some hard decisitions that you have to take in order to be happy.

I really enjoyed this book, their story and real characters, 100% recommended

Where are all my sports romance lovers at?🙋🏼‍♀️🙋🏼‍♀️

It’s pub day for The Knockout Rule by @kellysiskind. Thank you @netgalley and @insertpublisherhere for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review! Swipe to see the synopsis!

I really enjoyed this book! I was immediately drawn into the story! I truthfully know very little about boxing, but this book had some great points I didn’t even think about! Isla and Eric really had a great connection after a rocky start and I loved the Eric wasn’t what the media portrayed him as. I will say I started to get unhappy with how the book was ending, but I quickly got over it and loved it! This was my first book by Kelly Siskind, but it won’t be my last!

I recieved a free copy from natgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I liked this book for the most part.
Isla hates boxing. After watching her father box and the injuries that came with she resents the sport. But when her father asks her to work with the boxer he is training as a favor she agrees. What she does expect is to start falling for Eric.
Eric boxes to provide for his family and the last thing he needs is to be distracted by a woman who hates boxing.
I like Eric and Isla. I feel like the parts with Preston and the whole Cyrano drag on a little to long. I hated Rosa. She was irritating everytime she called Eric and she needed to woman up and deal with stuff on her own like a grown woman.
Worth checking out for a light read.

"Her tentative smile grew. 'Have I told you your humor hovers at a grade-one level?' 'Have I told you that you have no sense of humor?' 'I wouldn't know. I usually tune you out.'"

I don't think the synopsis quite captured the essence of this book, but it drew me to it nonetheless. The Knockout Rule is a love story (shocker) but it also is about Boxing, providing for one's family, and dealing with anxiety. I enjoyed the boxing plot line despite being uninterested in the actual sport. I couldn't put this book down after I first picked it up. It was easy to read and thoroughly enjoyable.

"She rested the back of her head on his chest. 'Am I the referee in this knockout rule of yours?' 'No. You are the knockout rule. You're the loophole that allows me to get back up and fight, for myself this time.'"

I love how the main character Isla is a driven woman. After spending years at various companies doing physiotherapy, she has set out on her own to open a new practice--one that she can control which customers she takes on. Basically, she won't have to treat any boxers. Growing up with a Heavyweight Champion father took a huge toll on Isla, and she still found herself dealing with the aftereffects years later in her adult life. I love the character development of Isla, specifically her emotional healing journey. It wasn't something that happened overnight or through having a boyfriend (lol). It took hard work, encouragement, and therapy to start healing from the pain of seeing her father's body breaking down.

"She was his knockout rule. His loophole to true happiness. Get up off the mat. Get her back. Get on with living a better life."

Along with Isla, readers easily fall in love with Eric "Brick" Kramarov. In reality, this boxer is a gentle Jewish man with a love for learning languages, his family, and helping others. Readers were really able to feel the internal and external struggle he had with boxing as a profession. His love for horribly cheesy jokes made me smile throughout the story. The ending of his story was satisfying and I really loved reading his POVs.

Isla is a few weeks away from opening her own practice, she is focused and has a lot to supervise. But when her dad asks her to accompany him while he coaches a boxer, she can't deny him even she has to work with a boxer, which is a sport she hates.

Eric is a boxer who is much more than he appears. He is a provider for his family, always putting them first even before his own wants.

Isla and Eric's first meeting isn't a cute meet but they both work to reacquaint themselves and once they do that they discover something so much more than they expected.

Their physical therapy sessions gives them the chance to spend time together and are full of sweet and heartwarming moments. The romance is a slow burn and with a lot of great tension.

This is sweeping story that captivated me from the very beginning. The characters are very well written, complex with a lot of emotions who overcome a lot personal troubles, which makes them seem very real.


* I received an ARC through Netgalley and this is my honest opinion.

One thing’s for sure with a multilingual heavyweight champion is that his words definitely pack a stronger punch than his fists!
The Showmen series has been a gift that keeps on giving! This time it comes with a physiotherapist who’d rather snort wasabi powder than deal with boxers, and a — you guessed it! — a boxer who spouts poetries in different foreign languages just as fast as he lands punches.

I think that alone gives you an idea on how this feel-good story is gonna go! Chaotic...but in the best way. Really enjoyed this one!

This was a cute book. It bordered a bit on insta love but the two characters communicated so well that it was believable. I really enjoyed how fleshed out each of them was and how they helped each other through their troubles.

The Knockout Rule by Kelly Siskind

****ARC provided by Netgalley for free review***
Isla Slade is a physiotherapist and opening her own clinic. She specializes in athletes but has one rule, no boxers! Growing up the daughter of a renowned boxer, she saw the ugly side of the sport and the damage it has done to her father. She doesn’t want any part of it. Then, her dad asks her to help train his newest client for his next fight. Her dad tells her a secret that leaves her shaken and needing to help him. While Isla is helping to train Eric “Brick” Kramarov, she develops a friendship and feelings for him but he has to stay focused on the upcoming fight so he pushes her to go out with his manager, Preston. Preston isn’t used to wooing girls of Isla’s caliber so Eric says he will coach him. Will Isla find out the truth? Will Eric win the fight while distracted by his feelings for Isla? This book was the fourth in the Showman series. I’m excited to read the previous ones!

Might be more of a 3.5 stars.

I quite liked The Knockout Rule. It is a dual POV contemporary romance following physiotherapist Isla and boxer Brick/Eric. Personally I think the summary including so much Preston is a bit of a disservice, I really wouldn't consider that vital part of the plot. I really enjoyed Isla's relationship with her friend I thought it was portrayed nicely.

Sex scenes were all right. Plot was predictable but in a loveable sorta way. I don't enjoy boxing but I still liked this haha.

trigger warnings: parent illness, childhood trauma, anxiety/panic attacks

I really loved it! I liked the romance, how it wasn't insta-love; it was very sweet and heartwarming. It made me feel very happy. It also has different topics like panic attacks, mental health, chronic diseases and therapy. I loved how each of these subjects were approached and how they really added to the story, they weren't there just because, they served a purpose. It was a great read and also quick. I loved it.

The Knockout Rule by Kelly Siskind follows physical therapist Isla—a professional boxer’s daughter— who refuses to work with all boxer’s due to her emotional bias towards them.
I found Isla emotionally immature and very self unaware. The romantic buildup between Isla and boxer Eric was minimal and felt very pre-pubescent, especially as they bonded over poetry together. *Not to say that I don’t love poetry, I do! Only the way they interacted over it felt odd and patchy.
Add into the mix the super immature trope of a person pretending to be another person to get someone to fall in love with them and you’ve entered into the paradox of boring, limited romance. Isla needed more character development and maturity, and Eric needed someone more balanced for him.
This book is a part of a series, but you do not have to have read prior books to read this one.

I received an ARC from the author and publisher in exchange for an honest review.

* ARC received through the author in exchange for an honest opinion *

The Knockout Rule was one of my most anticipated cute novels this year. The fourth book in the Showmen series is also a story independent of the others, but I highly recommend reading them all.

Growing up with a boxing father did not do very well for Isla and that is why she has a rule in relation to men: DO NOT DATE BOXERS. But that rule is complicated when she begins to get to know the real person behind Brick Kramarov, a persona created for Eric Kramarovsky.

Despite his mutual attraction, Eric knows that Isla loathes boxers. And with that thought in mind, he helps her manager, Preston Church, try to win her over. But when Isla finds out that the man who says things like "flowers follow her beauty" is the one she doesn't want to get involved in, she will have to choose between staying safe or taking risks in the name of feeling.


Unlike the other protagonists, Isla was slow to win me over. She had a whole thing about wanting to date intellectual men and a willingness to pre-judge people. Throughout the book, this view has been changing precisely because the physiotherapist realized her mistake in pre-judging Eric, who is possibly the most intelligent, caring and caring person she has ever met in the dating world.

Eric HATES the brute persona he has to represent, but he accepts it as it is the only way to bring money home and be able to support his family. Basically, the guy just wants to get along, reading his poetry and studying several new languages.

Isla and Eric are similar personalities. Both are a little proud and stubborn when it comes to taking care of their loved ones' well-being and have a hard time asking for help. At the same time, they are completed with their love of poetry. The two are very cute together and their interactions are watered with provocations and jokes without thanks, to leave a warm in the heart.

One character that surprised me a lot was Preston, Eric's manager. I stayed with both feet behind him because he was super solicitous and helpful in everything Eric needed, but in the end it was all without second intention, manipulation or blackmail. Like Eric, Preston is also a caring and very selfless guy, always willing to help.

I really liked how the author worked the consequences of boxing on the health of boxers. Athletes who are constantly hit on the head are much more likely to develop neurological diseases; here, in this case, Isla’s father developed Parkinson’s. The question of Isla not dating boxers comes from the fact that the sport caused a major break in her family life, which led to her having panic attacks. Kelly also knew how to develop the question of Isla is always surrounded by the environment that gives her triggers and how she reacts to it.

There is a small reference to the protagonist of The Beat Match, finishing connecting the stories, since Isla's father made a small participation in the previous book. The secondary characters are extremely captivating. Family is also the basis of support for the couple. As much as he has a frown, Graham (Isla's father) is a dedicated and loving father. And Eric's Russian family just wants him to be happy, doing whatever he wants.

Once again Kelly rocked in a cute and fun romance, with the right hint of sensuality. I finished the book with a taste of wanting more and even hoping for a story for Preston.

The Knockout Rule is the fourth book in Kelly Siskind’s The Showmen series, but all books can be read alone! The Knockout Rule was actually the first book of Siskind’s that I have ever read and I really enjoyed it! I am definitely going to check out the other books in this series as soon as possible. The Knockout Rule follows Isla Slade, the daughter of a famous boxer who has left that lifestyle to start up her own physical therapy clinic, where she treats elite athletes from all sports-- except boxers . However, when her dad calls in a favor, she agrees to help out with one of his boxers for a few weeks. What she isn’t expecting? To start falling for the boxing manager, even after she swore she would stay away from anyone involved in the brutal sport. But, is it actually Preston she is falling for, or is there someone else behind the magic she is feeling?
I was super intrigued by the misdirection aspect of this story! I love how all of the characters had so much depth--as you read the story you keep uncovering more layers to everyone. The story was emotional, heartfelt, and super cute. This book is perfect for fans of the Fighting For Love series by Jiffy Kate.

This is my first book by Siskind but I doubt it will be my last.

This was such a great story with amazing characters! The romance was a sweet slow burn that I truly believed in and got on board with.

I absolutely ADORED Eric's character. Where can I get one of him! Where can the world get more of him? He was EVERYTHING. Respectful and intelligent and such an amazing character with his own flaws and challenges. Oh and Whit was such a treat. Who doesn't love dogs in books? No one!

Isla and her father's relationship was pure and true. I felt and agonized with her and her situation and commended her strength. She was true to herself and strong. Making she and Eric the perfect match.

The real star of this story though was the details. All of the little linguistic tidbits, the seriousness of panic attacks and Parkinsons and how it effects everyone in a relationship (all relationships), and the POETRY! OMG I think I highlighted every poetic passage. They were so moving. I live for that stuff.

This is a fun, witty, and sweet slow burn romance that I would recommend to anyone looking for a sports driven HEA with family elements.

Thank you Netgalley for the advance copy. I loved it.

Cute contemporary sports romance. Isla Slade is a physiotherapist helping athletes strengthen and heal their bodies. She hates boxing because she has seen what it did to her father who is a former heavy wight champion. Dad convinces her to come to the training camp for Brick (Erik) Kramarov who is preparing as an underdog for a title match. Her dad is his coach. After bad first impressions she realizes there is more to Erik than she thought.

The story set up is good and the main characters are likable but it was disappointing not seeing the romance develop more between the two. More time is spent on a third party Erik helps to date Isla than on flirting and dating between the two MCs. The Cyreno de Bergerac dating went on too long for me. The emphasis on poetry was also a mix for me too. It was okay as a representation of their intellectual compatibility but if you don't love poetry are you not smart? Both characters had issues they were dealing with and I thought Isla's anxiety was handled well. The ending was good and seemed realistic for the characters.

Overall a good entertaining story and I would read others by the author but I wasn't blown away. Thank you to NetGalley and Xpresso Book Tours for an ARC ebook in exchange for an honest review.

This one was just okay for me, it fell a bit flat. It was pretty steamy at parts, but a slow burn. I think I just didn't feel the chemistry between Isla and Eric. Also, the first time they get together they are magically in love with each other? A little more build up would have been nice. I also thought there could've been more character development: I just wish we got more depth and development. While it was cute at times, it just wasn't for me. Thank you to NetGalley and CD Books for this ARC in return for my honest review.