Love Tap

by M. N. Forgy

[Cocktails and Books]

This review was originally posted on Cocktails and Books

I had high hopes for LOVE TAP. I'm not a huge fan of fighting (MMA or boxing), but for some reason that element works for me in books. So I was happy to see one of my favorite authors jump into this arena.

LOVE TAP revolves around the story of Tate and Camden. They grew up together, were high school sweethearts but then their relationship fell apart as Tate tried to live up to her father's expectations while at the same time hoping Camden chased after his dream. Tate broke both of their hearts and the course of both their lives was not the outcome she was hoping. What we get in this story is how Tate and Camden learn how to navigate their life living next door to each other and leaving the past behind. At it's core, it's a second chance romance, where we are supposed to want Tate and Camden to find their new 'normal'.

The story is good, but I found myself not liking either Tate or Camden very much. They take verbal cheap shots at each and use sex (rough sex at that) to be the mechanism in which they work out their issues. They rarely (at least in the dialogue in the book) actually talk about their issues. They may yell out one of two things, but they never discuss they whys around why Tate felt she needed to leave. Why she was protecting Camden. Or even what Camden went through when she left. I think if I had gotten a hint of those conversations, maybe I would have felt more of a connection.

The storyline itself had a lot of potential and that, in itself, is probably what saved the rating for this book for me. I liked the female fighter aspect. Of her desire to prove she could fight, despite what other around her were saying. And of the bad boy of fighting finding his way back to a sport he loved.

LOVE TAP was a good read, but it was one that didn't grab me the way other MN Forgy books have done in the past.