Fighting My Bully by Amanda Meuwissen


In the Fighting for Love MMA combined universe we find all sorts of queer people take their shot for love. Down on his luck, how much more can Freddy endure when his former bully end up being his therapy trainer. Corbett knows he doesn't deserve forgiveness, but anytime he can spend with Freddy helping and getting to know him after all these years is a dream come true. Can Freddy accept the new Corbett, while also fighting his own battles in his personal life?

From the Fighting My Bully blurb:

Second chances can hit where it hurts—especially between a bully and his victim.

Fred

When people say, “Live your best life,” the ideal at thirty-three doesn’t account for bisexual awakening, divorce, unemployment, and being beaten to a pulp by muggers all in the span of a few weeks. Five months later, my therapy of choice—or rather, my sister, Franny’s, choice—was to work through my physical and emotional trauma at Knockout Gym with a personal trainer who specializes in my exact kind of baggage.

Only he’s part of my baggage too. Corbett Jahns, the prick who bullied me in high school and caused what were probably my first signs of bi awakening long before I was ready to deal with it.

The universe hates me.

Corbett
Freddy Bard walking back into my life, when I finally had everything together, felt like a prank by the universe. My first male crush, but instead of being brave enough to admit that back in high school, I was the stereotypical repressed bully. No excuses but believe me when I say I’ve paid for those mistakes.

In college, an injured rotator cuff ruined my dreams of playing pro ball. I turned to drugs. Drinking. Hookups. Knockout Gym saved my life. I’ve been the bookkeeper and a trainer there for years now and helped a lot of people, but helping Fred after all I did to him would mean more than any of it.

Even if he hates me.

Fighting My Bully is an MM standalone novel in the multi-author series Fighting for Love. All stories take place at the shared gym, Knockout MMA Training Facility. At Knockout Gym, happily ever afters are hard-won. This hurt/comfort romance about overcoming past traumas might heal both former bully and his bi-awakened victim, as they turn the enemies to friends to lovers trope on its head.


Molly Otto's review:

Huge fan of Amanda's paranormal writing, so I figured why not give here contemporary a go, and wow, does it not disappoint.

Fred has had a bad year, and when he seeks help from Knockout Gym, he doesn't expect his past tormenter to come back to help him move forward. This is a redemption story for Corbett , but by no means does Fred forgive. No, he sees that Corbett has grown. This growth enables Fred to be able to move past his struggles to come out the other side with confidence and, above all, hope. What a powerful moving read where you will fall hard for both these men and hope the best in all their future endeavors.

So far, I have read four books from this universe and have been highly impressed with each one and am looking forward to seeing everyone's else's stories.


Nedra's review:

There is so much with this addition, from overcoming traumatic experiences to mending broken relationships years later and proving that people are capable of change.

I appreciate the mended relationship between the two MCs. I especially enjoyed their newfound friendship with their explicitly flirtatious banter. And, I'm with Corbett and feeling bad for the janitor cleanup duty.

Freddy and Corbett were swoon-worthy, with their dark history and traumatic past experiences. Overcoming their demons paved the way for their future happiness which just so happens to be unexpectedly together.


SNik's review:

Part of a multi-author series (Fighting For Love), but can be read as a standalone. Former bully. Slow burn. Dual POV. 

Freddy’s life is in shambles, his marriage is thankfully over, but he lost his job and barely survived a brutal mugging, so now his sister wants him to do some self-defense training/therapy. But when the trainer ends up being the man who bullied him years ago, Freddy says absolutely not, until Corbett asks for a chance to explain and help Freddy, not asking for forgiveness though, they both know he doesn’t deserve it. 

Corbett was a really horrible bully, although we do see how he has changed his life around, and perhaps in real life it wouldn’t be so easy to let that person back into your life, but Freddy makes it seem doable without forgiving but accepting Corbett for the new person that he is. Attraction that they had years ago still takes hold of them both, and they move towards building trust and a relationship that embraces both their pasts and their possible future. A cute romance with a side of intrigue and supportive secondary characters.

Fighting My Bully is currently available as an e-book and paperback and can be read as part of your Kindle Unlimited Subscription

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