The Fight Within

March 4, 2013 by Starbrites

Title : The Fight Within

Series : Good Fight Series, Book #2

Author : Andrew Grey

Publisher : Dreamspinner Press (BUY HERE)

Genre : M/M, Western

Length : 206 pages (e-book)

Published : March 4, 2013

Blurb:

Bryce Morton needs a change of scenery. Since his partner’s death a year ago, he’s become withdrawn and quiet, so his friends, Jerry Lincoln and Akecheta (John) Black Raven, convince him to go camping with them on a Sioux reservation. Though he’s not immediately sure he’s done the right thing, Bryce becomes more interested when he meets Paytah, the man who owns the reservation’s trading post.

Paytah Stillwater’s life is filled with hurt, and sometimes the only thing he has left is pride. After being abused as a child and disbelieved when he spoke up, he has withdrawn into himself—but he can never truly put his past behind him, because the source of his pain still lives on the reservation. Paytah is proud of his heritage and careful with his heart, but when Bryce commits a selfless act of kindness for one of the reservation’s children, the walls around Paytah’s heart begin to melt.

Bryce and Paytah each fight the pain within them. When Paytah’s abuser sets his sights on one of the reservation youngsters, Bryce and Payton must set their individual fights aside. Finding a way to stop the abuser unites them to fight their way forward—together.

Review:

This is book number 2 in the “Good Fight Series”, and if you have not read book number 1 “The Good Fight” then I recommend that you do.

In Book 1 you meet Jerry who’s starting up a computer business and is in need of a couple of employees. He hires John, a Native American who is trying to find work and get custody of his niece and nephew who have been taken by the children’s social services due to the death of their mother. He also hires a man named Bryce whose story I am about to review.

First off, I would like to say that these books deal with many issues and they are not lighthearted ones. As I read book one, I wondered how much of the information that was provided in the book was true, so I got out the twitter app and asked the author. He tells me that he did a lot of research and sadly all the things he wrote are very true and that breaks my heart.

Bryce’s story “The Fight Within” is another emotional tale that had me right away bringing out the tissues. Bryce has been in a loving relationship with his partner Percy for 3 years, and just as they’re two days away from their wedding tragedy strikes and Bryce is left brokenhearted. A year later and Bryce is still mourning his late lover and his friends feel it’s time for him to get out and start living again. They head out to the reservation where Bryce encounters a gruff and surly store owner Paytah. Paytah has had a hard life and is not easy to get to know. He’s a very closed off man, but you can see that deep down he is lonely and wants more out of his life.

When he finally lets Bryce in, their relationship blossoms but Paytah has a secret that he has been carrying with him for years and it is eating away at his soul. When Paytah finally opens up to Bryce it is devastating and heart wrenching, but you can see Bryce will be there till the end.

This book deals with sexual abuse by a man who should have been there helping the children on the reservation, not taking advantage of them.

This was a very powerful read. The things I have learned in this book and in the last one really broke my heart.

As for the romance part of the story, I am happy to say that it was a wonderful love story between 2 men who deserve everything they want out of life.

The ending brought light tears to my eyes, I sure do love a nice and sweet happily ever after, and is this not the most gorgeous cover you have ever seen? Simply stunning!

Rated 4.5 stars by Jen