Knocked Out by Love

An emotional story about finding true love.

I was intrigued by this book because the synopsis is one that isn't very common; a "thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife" kind of thing. Brody suffered from this, and was certainly tortured by it. Does he stay loyal to his best friend or follow his heart, which was leading to the wife?

Needless to say, some pretty heavy events involving Scarlett made this decision much easier for Brody. Reading how the events played out definitely made this book a page-turner!

While I, personally, felt the characters weren't really being realistic in some areas (eg when Scarlett kept some VERY HUGE secrets from her best and dearest friend of decades), I really enjoyed reading how the convoluted situations Scarlett and Brody created got worked out.

All in all, this was a very good read, and I'd be interested in reading more books by Abby!

***I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review***

Thoughts: I absolutely love Abby Niles, and I particularly love this series. The first book I ever read by Niles was Extreme Love, the first book in this series – which was a stand out title for me. I fell in love with that book! Up until this point, it was my absolute favorite book by Niles. (You can read my review of that title here: ) I also had read each book in this series, and for me each subsequent book went a little further downhill in comparison. Healing Love, book number four, really was my least favorite thus far – and left me at a crossroads (like so many other series these days), questioning whether the series was one I wanted to keep reading.

Trust me, all that changed with Knocked Out By Love! I fell hard for this one. I have to say that this one even surpassed Extreme Love for me, to become my favorite one in the series! The tension and the chemistry between Brody and Scarlett just came to life within the pages of this book, and while the ‘falling for his best friend’s wife’ has always been a favorite troupe of mine I was excited that it also didn’t just fall right in with the ‘standard’ storyline typical for this troupe. I don’t want to give too much away and spoil the book for others, but there are a few instances in the novel where things strayed from the ‘norm’ – those who read it (especially those who love this type of storyline) will know what I am talking about.

Not to mention, Brody is one of those main characters that steals your heart – he’s a stand up guy, a real good guy - who may just wind up becoming your newest ‘book boyfriend’!

Rate: A++

Brody has been in love with his best friend's wife, Scarlett, for a long time. Over the past year, he's done his best to distance himself from her in hopes that his feelings will go away. When in the Bahamas for his sister's wedding, he sees Scarlett living it up with her best friend and no husband in sight. He decides that he will keep in an eye on her to make sure that she doesn't make any mistakes.
Scarlett goes on a girls' weekend after she finds out that her husband is a cheater. When she sees Brody, she's convinced that Brody was helping Ryan hide his affair and is determined to have a good time despite his presence. After Brody finds out about Ryan's infidelity, it becomes increasingly difficult to deny his attraction to Scarlett.

This book is the fifth in the series but the first that I have read. I didn't feel lost at all so it can be read as a standalone. There is a lot of angst in the book and author did a great job connecting you to the emotions of the main characters.

*I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*