Alexander is a bare-knuckle fighter who is trying to live up to his brother's and father's reputations. Lydia is a woman who can pass all medical exams if only they will allow a woman to take them. She helps her physician father and brother in their practices. When Alexander is hurt in a fighting match he can't help but to be attracted to Lydia. He is not opposed to her independence, but they must first fight off her former beau.

This is book 2 in this very unique series.. which is something that I love about Sandra's stories..

Lydia and Alex are both two different people.. she's strong and independent.. he is usually not one to stand up for himself and he is also quiet.. however once they meet, he becomes bold and strong more outspoken.. she becomes more grounded and more willing to accept help from others..

This story was so good from the beginning of the story to the epilogue..

I can't wait to read next book in the Boxers of Brook Street

I received this book from netgalley as an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest voluntary review and this is purely based upon my own personal opinion and that of no else.

This is the first Sandra Sookoo I’ve read in awhile, and I found it to be engaging and refreshing. Alexander, Viscount Wexley, and Lydia, a talented but uncertified doctor, begin with a physical relationship—Lydia is no virginal miss, and she knows what she wants from Alexander at first.
They gradually fall in love with a few hiccups along the way. I greatly appreciated that when the inevitable conflicts came, they was resolved by the two of them sitting down and having a proper conversation. I also adored how they each let the other be themselves, particularly the way that Alexander didn’t try to change Lydia or limit her in any way.

The only issue I had with the book, and it was a very minor one, was that Lydia had expressed reservations about having children and yet she ends up with a child in the epilogue and another on the way. Given her knowledge of her own body and the bodily autonomy she enjoyed, I’d have expected her to not get pregnant until the epilogue. Ultimately, though, that’s the author’s choice, and she knows her characters far better than I do. Overall a wonderful read that I breezed through in an evening.

I received an ARC from NetGalley. This is my honest review.

Go Down Swinging for Love is the second book in The Boxers of Brook Street series by Sandra Sookoo. This series is about the Stapleton brothers, who own a boxing hall and fight for money, following in their father’s footsteps.

Alexander Stapleton is drifting a bit in life, trying to figure out his identity as a boxer and his place in his family. He is also considering settling down and getting married. After a fight one afternoon, he meets Lydia, who is assisting her father in providing medical services to the fighters. Lydia is a very independent woman, who has completed all of the education and training required to be a doctor, but is unable to get licensed or work as a doctor since she is a woman. Lydia is also a bit restless and frustrated with her life, but she is instantly attracted to Alexander and pursues him.

Lydia was engaged in the past, and ended the relationship. Her former fiance has stalked and threatened her in the past, and he appears in London and surprises Alexander and Lydia on a walk. This character is menacing and the author creates a lot of tension in the novel with his presence. Alexander and Lydia’s connection deepens to be more than physical, and they make their relationship official. Without giving any more of the story away, they find their happy ending as the book concludes in a dramatic way.

I enjoyed this book as a light Historical Romance read. The characters had interesting banter, and their chemistry and physical connection grew during the story. The pacing of the novel moved quickly and the portrayal of both main characters’ careers was really interesting. I haven’t read the first book in this series, but would like to read Lewis and Cecilia’s story. Overall, I would recommend this book.

Thank you to Sandra Sookoo, Dragonblade Publishing, and NetGalley for an advance reader’s copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. All opinions are my own.

Lydia is a very modern woman living in a patriarchal society. She is strong, capable and incredibly intelligent. Alex is a sweetheart. He is loyal and sweet. He refuses to give up on love. This is a sweet story with some heat to keep it extra interesting!

Go Down Swinging for Love by Sandra Sookoo is part of a unique series because of the topic she has chosen: boxing. They come from a family of boxers, their father was famous. He also loved to gamble and so he left them short of funds when he died. Lewis, the oldest and best boxer, had married and opened a gym/school for boxers at which both of his younger brothers worked, barely eking out enough money to survive. Alexander did the bookkeeping, a job he hated and was not very good at. He wanted to be the manager. He also wanted to earn money bare-knuckle boxing. He had lost his last match, mainly because he had forgotten what he had learned and Lewis was not there to remind him. But, he did meet a girl, dressed as a boy, who when she was supposed to be seeing to his injuries, kissed him. It was beyond amazing.

Alexander is the typical middle child. He lacks self-confidence and keeps to himself too often. His best friends are his brothers and now that Lewis was married, he only had one left as Lewis was too often busy with his new wife. He kind of wanted a wife, but could not afford one so he gave up on that thought. Lydia Tetford’s father was a doctor as was her brother; she would be, too, if not for her gender. She had all the skills and all the knowledge. She had been engaged once but he had made it clear he didn’t support her independence or her dreams. She was no stranger to the pleasures of the bed and saw no reason to be married to enjoy them. The thing about Sandra Sookoo is that she always address topics out of the mainstream. It makes her books fascinating. Such good characters, and a moving story with, of course, a happy ending. The stories are rich with detail and rife with odd and interesting characters. Such a good read.

I was invited to read Going Down Swinging for Love by Dragonblade. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #Dragonblade #SandraSookoo #GoingDownSwingingForLove

This is the second book in a historical romance series that follows brothers who are bare knuckle boxers.
This brother is not champion material like his elder sibling. However what he might lack in skill he makes up for in determination.
Our heroine is a doctor but because she is a woman all her training has been at her father's side. Women are not permitted to officially qualify.
This is a steamy story with fabulous characters. I definitely need to read the next book in series to find out what the youngest brother gets up to.
Good fun.

Book two is just as fantastic as book one. Alex is the second brother of this Lord/Fighters story. He meets his match, Lydia, a doctor, at one of his bouts. While, this path sort of starts off the same way as book one, it doesn't really continue on in the same manner. Lydia is more modern and outright scandalous for the timeframe. This is the type of push Alex needs so the reader gets the sense that while these two are opposite in many ways, they are also very compatible. Lots of hot steamy scenes especially when tea is around.

I cannot imagine why anyone would voluntarily subject themselves to being beaten up, and this novel is not short on blood and gore. That being said, I am not a fan of boxing or wrestling, although I appreciate that they are century-old sports with many followers. The only way in which the Stapleton brothers can supplement their income is to run a boxing studio and participate in bouts in the boxing ring to win prize money, thus bringing about the unorthodox meeting between Alexander and Lydia Tetford, a brilliant young woman who desires only to practice medicine. However, as a woman, she is being denied certification, but providentially works together with her father in his clinic. When Lydia's past comes to visit her, she finds the champion she needs in Alexander, and he accepts her exactly as she is. The novel comes to a tender conclusion, as Alexander claims victory, both over his opponent and Lydia's heart. I received a copy of this romance as a gift through Dragonblade Publishing and NetGalley, and this is my honest and voluntary review.

He's going down...

Alexander is a second son, his brother is the earl. He would not be a viscount, as his brother holds all the courtesy titles. Alexander would be a lord. He boxes for money. He would like to wed, but needs a decent fortune to afford a townhouse.

Lydia is spunky and wants to be a healer/doctor. She and Alexander should not be a match, as she's the daughter of a doctor. But Alexander is literally knocked out when he sees her.
Recommend.

Alexander's story is he has always felt a bit inferior compared to his brothers. He has a better head for business than actual boxing. Lydia is a very strong woman who knows what she's about, and takes crap from no one. She has always wanted to be a doctor and if it wasn't the regency time period, she would be a doctor.

Is it possible that the characters got together as a couple too soon? I feel like they needed a bit more conflict to overcome in the story. There was just something missing, and I'm not sure what it was.
I look forward to Duncan's story.

Thank you to Dragonblade for the copy of this book. Opinions are my own.

I read this courtesy DragonBlade and NetGalley. In this, the second of Sandra Sookoo’s latest series, Alexander Stapleton is a man who decides to go into boxing for the life he wants, including a wife (not yet chosen) who would require being kept in a manner in which he wants to live. Is he up for it? Maybe, maybe not, but it is fortunate that the woman he meets, the daughter of a doctor who wants to be a doctor herself, may be just who he needs. The story works well, but there is so much idiomatic language from the time and place that it’s hard to get through to the heart of the story.
#GoDownSwingingForLove #NetGalley

3.75 Stars
Alexander Stapleton, Viscount Wexley, as the middle brother of the famous Stapletons, he always feels inadequate in the boxing ring, but the need to make a name for himself outside the family business is a strong motivator, as is earning coin to fund the life he eventually wants. Miss Lydia Tetford is a woman on a mission. Daughter of an English physician and a Scottish healer, she has no doubts that she was born to be a doctor. Aside from the pesky annoyance of being female and not taken seriously, her dreams are close to coming true. Until she meets a handsome man at an illegal boxing match who has been beaten bloody.
Though the pair is all too wrong for each other and moving in opposite directions in their future, the pull and connection of the instant bond they’d formed at their first meeting is difficult to deny. But when her angry former fiancé arrives in London in pursuit of her, tempers flare
The second book in the series & it’s easily read on its own. I usually love the author’s books but this one fell a bit flat for me, I think it was because I didn’t warm to Lydia & felt she was too modern for the era. Not her ambition to be a doctor, which I applauded but more her wanton ways. I did like Alexander who wanted to prove himself. Their was certainly chemistry between them but for most of the book I felt it was lust not love & only right at the end did I feel this changed. All that said it was well written & flowed well just not my favourite
I voluntarily read and reviewed a special copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own

I had previously read Sandra Sookoo's books with mixed results and I was willing to go one more round. Unfortunately, considered me KO'd, not in a good way. I did like certain elements of Go Down Swinging for Love. I can never say to a pugilistic hero and a lady in a medical overcoat. You would think my favorite combo would garner positive results. Something about the writing just rubbed me the wrong way, just like its predecessors. The phrase "nodcock" wore out its welcome and the heroines ditching their v-cards via throwaway lines in a historical setting put me ill at ease. It came across as modernity quashing the accuracy of the time period. I couldn't let the uniqueness of the plot override the strange dialogue choices.

Go Down Swinging for Love had me hanging up my sweat towel for good. I don't believe I'll pursue this author any longer. This writing style isn't for me, but I'm sure it will be lovely for other readers. I do enjoy romances featuring sweaty boxers, but I can only withstand so much. I love Dragonblade books and hopefully I'll find a winner in the next publication. I'm willing to Go Down Swinging For Love, but I've got limits, nodcock.

Outrageous Escapades Along with Finding Love
This story took me into the realm of boxing, hidden desires, physicians, and an unusually shocking romance for the time.
I certainly enjoyed the characters who are both full of life with no holds barred.
Alexander who happens to be head over heels with Lydia and her surprising wanton ways.
Lydia made this a love story filled with more sizzling desire and passion I have read.in a long time.
They both enjoyed their lives to the fullest with their honest heartfelt conversations and their delightful kisses.
I enjoyed this intriguing series about the family trying to make a new start in the boxing world.
 👵 Mature Advisory💋💋💋
💖Yummy cover😋

This book swept me off my feet with its punchy, heartfelt romance and characters who feel incredibly real. Alexander and Lydia have that electric chemistry that makes every scene between them sizzle. The writing is vibrant and full of life. It’s romantic, spirited, and wonderfully crafted, making you root for Alexander and Lydia every step of the way.

Alexander is a bare-knuckle fighter who is trying to live up to his brother's and father's reputations. Lydia is a woman who can pass all medical exams if only they will allow a woman to take them. She helps her physician father and brother in their practices. When Alexander is hurt in a fighting match he can't help but to be attracted to Lydia. He is not opposed to her independence, but they must first fight off her former beau. I received an ARC from NetGalley and Dragonblade Publishing for my honest review.