Fighting for a Second Chance

Fighting Series, Book 1

By: Nikki Ash

Narrated by: Lexi Evans, Tim Paige

Liz: I’m an 18-year-old high school graduate who has just experienced my first...well, everything.

I would give anything to hold on to Cooper, but we made a decision. After 30 hours of falling in lust, we’re parting ways. I’m starting college and can’t be distracted. Besides, he has his own life to get back to.

Cooper: The moment I saw her, I knew she was the one, but what my heart wants, it doesn’t get.

I know how life works. I’ve been fighting most of my life. My dad was a fighter, and so was his dad. I watched my mom cheat on him, and in return, he destroyed her. I will never do that to a woman. I get 30 hours with Liz, and then we’re both walking away. At the end of the day, all we’ll have are the memories we have created here in Miami.

Five years later, Liz runs into Cooper, only he has no idea that memories weren’t the only thing they created in Miami. He broke her heart once the day he left, and now she’s guarded. Will he succeed in winning her heart over a second time? The only thing he knows for sure is that he’s fighting for a second chance, and this time, he won’t let her go that easily.

©2016 Nikki Ash (P)2023 Pink Flamingo Productions

Second chance done right

LOVED this book! I’m not usually a fan of second chance stories, but Nikki Ash knocked this one out the park. Lexi Evans and Tim Paige did an amazing job narrating & giving this story life.

A Heartfelt Story

Fighting for a Second Chance is an emotional rollercoaster romance that is hindered by the narrators. I read this story long before the audiobook came out, and it was a bit of a challenge reconciling how I thought the characters would sound versus how the narrator sounds.

Second chance

I enjoyed this book. It’s a short and light read. I would love to read about her friend. Lexi and Tim did an excellent job at narrating but Tim doesn’t need to try and sound like a little girl. It was a little hard to listen to that.

Second chance romance!

Cooper and Liz’s romance wasn’t an easy road but Lexi Evans and Tim Paige did a fabulous job performing the authors words. They brought this story to life and you can feel the emotions through the narration. This second chance romance was so good, and then you throw in the secret baby trope… wow! This author never disappoints delivering such memorable characters.

Very cute.

I switched back & forth between the eBook and the audiobook—both formats are professionally produced/ formatted and perfect on that end.

It was cute, especially the 5-year-old character brought to life by great narrators, I loved the characters and I look forward to reading on in this world. I absolutely need Kayla’s book after the glimpses this one revealed—so well played.

Rich kids.
New adult.
Partially set in Florida (Jupiter!).
Partially set in Vegas (ULV!).
MMA.
V!rgin heroine.
Teen / unplanned pregnancy / secret child.
Arson.
One-bed trope.
Misunderstandings (but they’re resolved quickly).

Overall: 4 stars.

🎧Audio:
The narrators sound amazing and overall sound quality is professional. 🦩
5 stars.

second chance romance

This second chance romance has everything going for it.
Strangers who had an instant attraction. Never knew their full names, a surprise pregnancy. Mystery of who the father is.
After 4 years ,she finds out who Cooper is. How to tell him when she finds him.
Cooper comparing relationships to his parents terrible one.
He lets her know he's not relationship material.
A wonderful story with drama, angst, steamy romance
Lexi Evans and Tim Paige nArration is perfect. they brought this story to life. Thank you for a wonderful listen.

#the flock on tour

Book 1 - Fighting series

This is book 1 in Ash's Fighting series and can be read/listened to as a standalone. Perfect dual narration in this dual point of view romance read. I loved this listen. Our main characters are Liz who is the definition of strength and innocence and Cooper who is strong and fighting scars and demons left by his parents. These two meet at a club and have a 30-hour stand - love that it's always more than just a one-night stand...and years later meet again and struggle to find their happily ever after that is so deserved. I love the twists that Ash provides in this storyline that had me gasping and still wanting more answers but knowing like these characters that answers will never be found and having to live with the life you are given and make the best of it. I love that Cooper, while a fighter, fights himself with trust issues and I believe with time will struggle less so with them. I love that Liz is patient and understanding of Coopers inner struggles and is the perfect fit to help him through. Such a beautiful read, easy to listen to and heartwarming. I can't wait to see what's next in this series!

This book was given to me for free at my request and I voluntarily provided this review.

Second chance romance.

Fighting for a Second Chance is book 1 in the Fighting series. This is a second chance romance.

Liz and Cooper’s journey was a good story. After spending 30 hours together, they parted as life took them down different paths. Years later they find each other again, and their chemistry is just as undeniable. Insecurities have them fighting for their happily ever after. Decent amount of drama, and their steamy moments were good. Loved their sweet ending, and I’m super interested in book 2.

Lexi Evans and Tim Paige did a really good job narrating these characters.

Loved This Story!

4/5 ⭐
3/5 🌶️
4/5 🎧

This was such a sweet story, I loved it to pieces. It does have some OM drama, which isn't my favorite trope, but it wasn't over the top and was quickly resolved so I didn't mind. The overall storyline was really cute and no one does the secret/surprise baby and single mom/dad tropes like Nikki. I listened to this one via audio and really loved both narrators, especially Tim Paige, his Coop was perfect!

I've learned recently I really enjoy MMA books, so I was really excited when I found out Nikki had a whole series of them and this one definitely disappoint. I love MMA MCs, there's something so primal and protective about them that makes for amazing romances. The added touch of Cooper's parent's issues with infidelity due to the nature of the profession was really interesting too and I think part of why I didn't mind this trope when I usually hate it. The relationship between his parents was really toxic and that led to a very toxic relationship between father and son too, which ultimately had him pushing away Liz to "protect" them both.

The ending was so sweet between Cooper, Bella and Liz. I loved how much Cooper grew in the relationship with Liz and how they ended up in their happily ever after. I'm really excited for the next book too because Kayla and Bentley have something going on and Kayla is hiding something, I can't wait to find out what and see how they get their HEA too.

Fantastic Story & Narration🎧Riveting & Emotional!

I loved everything about this book, it is a fantastic second chance, sports romance that captivated not only my attention the entire time but it tugged on my heartstrings too. The story is original and the characters are realistic, easy to relate to and connect with. Liz’s father gifted her and her best friend Kayla a Miami vacation for their high school graduation. Kayla was more of an extrovert than her, more of a party girl, but she was going to make sure Liz got out and enjoyed herself, maybe even lose her innocence. Their first night out, waiting to get into a nightclub, the bouncer pulled them off the line to let them in. They had caught the eye of someone who invited them up to the VIP area. Liz was certain the invite was for Kayla, but when someone approached her on the dance floor and told her otherwise. Cooper knew he had to have her the moment he laid eyes on her, but he soon learns she was not a typical club party girl, she had not even known who he was. Most girls recognize him because he is an up-and-coming MMA fighter. The two click and have an amazing 30 hours together, he was leaving for Vegas, for a residency and to train and is not looking to get into a relationship, actually his parent’s terrible marriage has left him anti-relationship. So he leaves without getting her number, though he never forgot about her or the time they spent together. Kayla and Liz head to college and share an apartment, and soon after getting there she found out she was pregnant, and with the help of Kayla, they raised her daughter while attending college. She had no way of knowing how to find or get in touch with Cooper to let him know about their daughter. But fate was not done with them and five years later, run into each other when their friend got them tickets to a championship fighting match and the after party. The chemistry between them never fizzled out, and they have a steamy reunion, and it was going great until he told her he could never give her what she wanted or needed or what she deserved, leaving her broken-hearted. She never even got to tell him about her daughter, but Kayla convinces her to tell him, because it may change how he feels. My heart went out to Cooper, his father was a piece of work and did a number on him, his mother was no better. He needed to realize he was not them and that he was worthy and deserved more and to be loved. I loved how everything played out in this book, it is a beautifully plotted story with a perfect balance of drama, a touch of angst, heartfelt emotions and steamy romance. The friendships were amazing and so was the romance, once Cooper realized what he wanted and what was worth fighting for. Nikki Ash, thank you for another wonderful story and emotional rollercoaster ride. 

🎧📚🎧 And for the fabulous narration, Lexi Evans and Time Paige were the perfect cast to bring these characters these characters to life and did so with a complete understanding of who they were portraying, giving each a voice that suited that character’s persona and was believable in every role they played. Paige nailed it as Cooper, the swoon worthy fighter, grasping all sides of his personality. Evans did the same for Liz, played her role with perfection, the same with Kayla and Bella. Both were great performing the roles of the secondary characters, too.  They set the perfect tone for each story, captured all the characters’ emotions and projected them into their performance, having you feel every single one. These entertaining storytellers are a versatile voice artists and a pleasure to listen to. Thank you for another amazing listen.