Adult, ARC review, book review

The Knockout Rule by Kelly Siskind (ARC Review)

Title: The Knockout Rule
Author: Kelly Siskind
Type: Fiction
Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publisher: Kelly Siskind
Date published: February 24, 2021

A complimentary digital copy of this book was kindly provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Growing up with an adoring father for a boxing legend isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. It looks more like hospital visits, bloody noses, and cracked ribs.

Isla Slade now works as a physiotherapist, helping athletes heal their bodies. Except for boxers. She has no interest in reliving the stress of her teen years. Dating someone in the boxing world? She’d rather snort wasabi powder.

Until she meets Preston Church.

Preston manages heavyweight boxing darling Brick Kramarov. A brute who’s built tougher than his name, with a cocky attitude to boot. She wants nothing to do with either man, but her father begs her to help them prepare for a huge Vegas fight.

She doesn’t expect Preston to recite romantic poems and slowly break her resolve. His fascinating mind gets under her skin, even if his star athlete reminds her how much she hates boxing.

Too bad it’s Brick coaching Preston how to woo Isla, falling for her from the sidelines. Once she finds out, she’ll have to decide if she can risk loving another man who puts it all on the line for the knockout.

⤖ My Review ⬻

I spotted the cover of Kelly Siskind’s newest book on another content creator’s Instagram, and was immediately intrigued because I had read Siskind’s book New Orleans Rush back in 2019 and really enjoyed it. The lovely shade of pink used on the cover of The Knockout Rule is what caught my attention second

After studying the cover art, I realized that that 1) this book would be a romance, 2) this book would involve boxing, and 3) I had to read the synopsis to learn more. So I turned to the synopsis, and I distinctly remember thinking “Awe man Preston sounds boring! I wanted Isla to get with the boxer!”

Well, I’m glad that I continued reading the The Knockout Rule‘s synopsis to the end, because the story does seem to take a turn and it made things a lot more interesting in my opinion! I was also absolutely hooked and knew that I had to start reading the book STAT.

Diving in, I remember I really felt for Isla from the beginning, and wanted things to turn out well for her. And once I met Brick, the boxer, that was even more so the case with him! I absolutely loved Brick and was so happy with his we get to meet him, how Isla got to meet him, and how he develops as a character in The Knockout Rule.

I will say that the way one part of the plot was paced didn’t quite click for me, but despite this, I really enjoyed the story overall. I particularly liked the romantic plot, as well as the side plots (and side characters)! Everyone was super interesting, as was the setting (for me at least) since I hadn’t read any books before that had mostly been set in a hotel in Vegas! I liked reading The Knockout Rule–I smiled, I frowned, I laughed, I cried–and I can’t wait to see what Siskind will write next!

⤖ About the Author ⬻

A small-town girl at heart, Kelly Siskind moved from the city to enjoy the charm of northern Ontario. When she’s not out hiking with her husband or home devouring books, you can find her, notepad in hand, scribbling down one of the many plot bunnies bouncing around in her head. Her novels have been published internationally. You can find her on Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest.

⤖ Places to Purchase the Book ⬻

⤖ Let's Chat ⬻

Thank you for reading my review! Have you read this book? What did you think? And if you haven’t read it yet, do you plan to? Let me know in the comments!

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