Reviewed by Dan
TITLE: Tap Out (Bannon’s Gym #3)
SERIES: Bannon’s Gym
AUTHOR: Cat Grant
PUBLISHER: Samhain Publishing
LENGTH: 168 Pages
BLURB:
As a child, Tom Delaney did the best he could to protect his mother from his abusive father, but her eventual suicide left him a guarded and wary man who’s still carrying around a metric ton of baggage.
At Bannon’s Gym, Tom learned how to take back his power, and found love with fellow mixed martial arts fighter Travis Gallagher. Yet Tom can’t bring himself to take their relationship to the next level. Not if moving in together means leaving behind Gloria, his surrogate mom, who’s desperately ill.
When Gloria’s son, Eddie, hires an out-of-work nurse to care for Gloria, Tom is out of excuses—and afraid he’s being pushed out of his family of choice. That fear explodes in a violent sparring session that leaves Travis with a broken nose and Tom on the brink of getting booted out of Bannon’s Gym for good.
When tragedy strikes, Tom realizes it’ll take more than fists to conquer his fears, or he risks losing everything—his fighting career, his family, and the man he loves.
REVIEW:
Another great book in the Bannon’s Gym Series. I really like this series. You definitely should read the first two books before beginning this one for continuity and background. I reread both books before beginning this one and still blew through all three of them in one weekend. The story just gets flowing and it is hard to stop!
Once again we’re drawn back into the world of Bannon’s Gym, with the whole host of characters from books one and two back again. Tom Delaney is still battling his demons. His abusive father isn’t ever far away, even though he is dead, cremated and forgotten. Tom still doesn’t know how to open himself to possible emotional pain, and it is causing issues with his partner, Travis Gallagher. Travis really wants to carry things to the next level and have Tom move in with him, but Tom keeps using his adopted second mom Gloria’s illness as his excuse for not being able to do it.
Suddenly, without warning to Tom, Gloria’s son Eddie, who is Tom’s adopted brother, decides to hire a Registered Nurse to take care of his mom 24/7 at home. Two issues! One, the RN is Travis’ ex-lover and former drug addict, Aaron. Two, it means that Tom has to move out of Gloria’s house because the only available bedroom for Aaron is Tom’s!
Tom is pushed into moving in with Travis, but things aren’t all rosy and happy. Tom feels like he is being forced out of the family that took him in when he was homeless and living on the street after he fled his dad’s beatings. Even though that isn’t the intention, Tom feels it, and it causes a bunch of drama.
Will Tom work through his issues? Will Aaron stay off drugs? Will Tom and Travis work in a relationship? And finally does Tom keep fighting? All questions that will be answered when you read the book. If you’ve read the first two, pick this one up today. If not….pick up all three!
Once again, the book ends with an open storyline, so I’m hoping we’re getting another book (or more) in this series. I’m really liking the development of Aaron’s character. I wasn’t so sure of him previously, but he is a nice guy. Great job Cat, as always. Keep them coming! I highly recommend this book.
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