Tuesday, May 16, 2023

Can't Fight It by Allie Winters [Review]

Can't Fight It (Lessons Learned #3) by Allie Winters
Format: ebook
Source: provided for review
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: April 13, 2023

Lessons Learned
1. Under Pressure
2. Not Fooling Anyone
3. Can't Fight It - Paperback | Kindle
4. The Vinyl Frontier

Allie Winters
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):
Mousy bookworm. Psychology nerd. The kind of girl who constantly sticks her foot in her mouth.

The last thing I am is the type to attract the intimidating, motorcycle-riding guy in the apartment next door. Especially when that mouth of mine gets me in trouble and he overhears me talk smack about him…

So no one’s more surprised than me when he shows up as a participant in the psych study I’m running on campus. Or when he generously offers me some much-needed self-defense lessons. Or when we grow closer than I thought possible. It turns out some people aren’t at all what they seem at first glance. They can actually be everything you never knew you wanted in a man.

The thing is, Austin Langford is so far out of my league, it’s laughable. Muscled boxers don’t go for nobodies like me. I need to forget about this one-sided attraction.

Even when it feels like I can’t fight it.
Thoughts on Can't Fight It: No lie, Tessa and Austin don't get off to a great start. I mean, with Tessa talking about the big guy without knowing he could overhear her? Yeah. The thing is that Tessa wasn't saying what she said to be mean. She has triggers and Austin's size and intimidating demeanor triggered them. Once she got to know him, however, she saw that he was an utter marshmallow inside. A marshmallow who didn't talk much and was the calm she needed when things went sour for her.

To back up for a moment, Tessa's triggers were nothing to scoff about. The lady had some very real, very terrifying reasons for being afraid of what she was afraid of. She did what she needed to do to keep herself safe, but she also had knee-jerk reactions she had to live with. Fortunately for her, Austin didn't take what he overheard too personally and he was kind and gentlemanly when they met again.

That said, they both had ideas about each other AND themselves that the other didn't see. Tessa thinks she's nothing special, Austin thinks he's not smart. Tessa's intelligence awes him, his ability to make her feel safe (once she gets to know him) in bad situations gives her strength she didn't know she had.

It might be hard to tell, but I REALLY liked these two. They're both a little bruised around the edges, but they worked so well together. Even if they got off on the wrong foot. *thumbs up*



Excerpt
An hour and a half later, I’m ahead of schedule as my fifth participant finishes. That only leaves one more.

Austin.

And as I decided last night, it’s not a big deal at all. Just because he makes me sort of… flustered… doesn’t have to mean anything.

I head out into the lobby, my stomach jumping around a bit as the main door opens, but it’s not my guy.

Not that he’s my guy.

Half a minute later, it is him, though.

He runs a hand through his dark blond hair, natural streaks of lighter blond sprinkled throughout, and searches the lobby, looking for…

Me.

Our gazes lock, my belly dipping low for a moment at the way he seems to take me in all at once, his movements slowing, then speeding up as his heavy footfalls sound on the carpeted floor, getting closer, closer…

“Hey, Tessa.”

I bite my lip, containing the unintelligible noise that itches to escape, and hold up a hand instead, waving.

God, why can’t I be normal?

I spin around, silently berating myself as I lead us down the hall. Every time, I forget how much of the room he seems to take up, how my brain goes a little fuzzy, how my lips seem to get looser. I just need a minute to acclimate to him. To remember how to be myself.

“Lexie was telling me last night about the boxing you and Ethan do. She said you’re really good.”

There, that was totally normal. I breathe a sigh of relief, glad that my mouth is at least temporarily in working order.

He tilts his head in acknowledgment, taking off his worn leather jacket to hang on the back of his chair. He’s got a different henley on this week, this time a charcoal color that complements the gray of his eyes. “I do all right.”

“She said you’re undefeated. Twenty wins or something?”

He shrugs, taking a seat. “Yeah, I guess.”

I don’t know why, but the way he says it has me smiling as I sit behind the desk. “You’re awfully humble.” Other guys would brag if they had that kind of skill.

Rubbing at the back of his neck, he says, “I mean, it’s punching people. It’s not important or anything. Not like what you do.”

I stare at him for a moment. “You think my study’s important?” I didn’t get the impression he even thought all that much of it last week.

His mouth opens and closes, then he leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “Everything that goes on in this building must be, right?”

“Yeah, you could view it like that. But you shouldn’t sell yourself short. It would be cool if I knew how to do what you can.”

What would it be like to watch him box? To see him in action?

He looks over at me, a small smile on his lips. “You want to box?”

I can’t help the laugh that escapes me. “Can you imagine me in a ring? I’d get pounded flat in about a second.”

His smile grows. “We have some girls that come to the gym and train. Even Mia comes in and punches the heavy bags.”

I shake my head. “No, I’d be ridiculous. Although, I’ve always wanted to learn some self-defense moves.” Maybe it would help me feel better prepared if something were to ever happen again. Maybe if my mom had known…

No. Best not to go down that path.

“I could teach you.”

It takes me a moment to process his words. “You’d teach me self-defense?”

He shrugs. “Yeah, sure.”

Have I completely misinterpreted all our previous interactions? I thought he was barely tolerating me.


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About Allie Winters
Allie is the author of the Suncoast University series, the Bishop Brothers series, and the Lessons Learned series. She lives in sunny Florida with her husband, daughter, and two cats. A librarian by day, she spends her nights writing happily ever afters. She enjoys reading, playing video games, and all things Disney.

Find Allie Winters online

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